You are currently browsing the daily archive for May 28, 2010.
All I seem to write these days are book reviews, written a month after the fact and with already hazy memory. It’s more like an exercise in what I remember about a book than in really digging into things and writing a proper review. Oh well – better late than never. It’s interesting to see what sticks, and which books I have trouble finding something to say about, and which reviews just roll off the tongue (or my fingers). It definitely, definitely comes in handy that I keep track of what I read – I use that list all the time at work to jog my memory for recommendations and book-lists.
At any rate, here’s a change of pace with a recipe that I assigned to Bronwen for the weekend of Palm Sunday – yes, two months ago. Since that was the last weekend of the Lenten fast, I made them vegan, and ever since I’ve been meaning to make them again to see how they turn out with the correct ingredients. And then once I made them again, I was going to report back. But that second batch still hasn’t managed to materialize – maybe I’ll be inspired on Monday and turn them into Memorial Day buns – somehow that seems appropriate.
Being a yeast dough, this recipe requires a little patience, but not too much actual work. I used this Hot Cross Bun recipe, which I believe I also used last year. I replaced the milk, butter and eggs with almond milk, coconut oil, and egg replacer, which probably made for denser buns. However, the flavor was great and the denseness satisfying. Also, I was kind of enamored with the zests, as you can see, so I added some extra (pretty much one lemon’s worth and one orange’s worth). I also cut out the dried fruit, since I don’t really care about it either way.
Instead of the recommended egg glaze and dough crosses, I made icing with powdered sugar and a little almond milk. I made it too thin so my icing crossing were a little dribbly and malformed, but a touch of frosting adding a nice sweet note.
At my church, we traditionally make these for Palm Sunday and serve them after liturgy. I left a few at home, just in case I didn’t manage to grab one of my own, and ate them for breakfast the next day. Gosh, my mouth is watering just thinking about them. I’m a sucker for a hot cross bun – why limit them to one holiday? (We do this in my family – take foods strongly associated with one holiday and eat them at other points in the year – like our annual Turkey Dinner in May, which is coming up this Sunday).
The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
When I read this for the first time two years ago, here’s what I had to say:
“I was already a big fan of Rex’s picture book, Pssst! so I wasn’t surprised to find myself enjoying Smekday in much the same way – pragmatic main character, goofy side characters, delightful illustrations, quirky sense of humor, and an unexpected take on things. This one is great fun with plenty of humor, and a plot that doesn’t drag – but surprisingly thoughtful given the context. Definitely recommended – our protagonist is a girl, but I that shouldn’t put off boys. Slightly older kids might get more of the humor, but I think it would be enjoyable for anyone capable of reading (or listening to) it.”
Then I talked my kids’ bookgroup into reading it (with the help of one member who was already a fan), and since I’d just bought a copy of the audiobook, I gave that format a try for my reread. It was worth it just to hear Bahni Turpin’s rendition of J. Lo’s voice – she really does manage to sound like sheep and bubble wrap at the same time. Plus, she manages to capture Tip’s tone very nicely, and that made the whole experience just as hilarious and fun as reading the book. The only drawback to the audio version is that you miss J. Lo’s comics and Tip’s Polaroids (as illustrated by Rex). The text of the comics are read aloud, but if you’re listening to it and aren’t already familiar with the book, I highly recommend getting your hands on a paper copy and taking a peak.
The bookgroup kids thoroughly enjoyed it – I always have them rate books on a scale of 1-10, and most of them ended up giving it 10+ (they like to get creative with the points).
Also, I have this book to thank for the introduction of the phrases “whatnow” and “wherefore are you knowing it?” into my everyday conversation.
