bostonzest

Tag: Kindle

  • Reading Cookbooks Can Be Simply for Pleasure

    One of the great pleasures in writing about food is reading a lot of cookbooks. I’m not talking about choosing a recipe and cooking from a book, but rather sitting in a comfy armchair and letting a great writer and storyteller take me to another place, another time, or another culture through their love of the food.

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    I also read cookbooks to learn more about a particular food, technique, or cuisine. Many of these are stored in my Kindle Fire ebook reader. They offer the perfect alternative reading material when waiting for an appointment or putting in miles on the treadmill on a stormy day. Often essays open chapters or sidebars and tell a story about a recipe’s origin, ingredients, or the person who taught the writer to make the dish.

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    Acquiring Great Cookbooks

    My first choice for acquiring a cookbook is the Boston Public Library (BPL). Buying cookbooks is expensive and storing them requires more space than I have. Therefore I audition potential purchases.

    Many times I enjoy the BPL copy and use it to inspire a piece of writing or make notes for future reference. I can borrow it again if I need it.

    However some books are so addicting that I will refer to them often, and so popular that I may have to wait to have the library copy longer or borrow it again.

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    These go onto my wishlist. A recent example is, “My Kitchen in Rome: Recipes and Notes on Italian Cooking” by Rachel Roddy. After reading a few rave reviews by colleagues I respect, I borrowed the ebook from the library. ( I have since purchased the Kindle version)

    I read and reread this book in a weekend. Roddy took me to her neighborhood in the Testaccio quarter of Rome and introduced me to the neighbors, vendors, streets, sights, sounds, and aromas she discovered. She tempted me to make the food she learned to make and to enjoy the culture.

    It went on my wish list. At that time, the ebook price was not much less than the hardcover price. When the price finally dropped, I added it to my Kindle collection.

    More of my favorite cookbooks like this one will be in upcoming posts.

    What's on your Food Lover's shopping list?

      

    Details:

    Words: Penny Cherubino
    Photos: ©2012-2017 Penny Cherubino  

    (Adapted for BostonZest from one of her Fresh & Local newspaper columns.)

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  • Great Read or Listen – The American Plate: A Culinary History in 100 Bites

    Last month, you would have found The American Plate: A Culinary History in 100 Bites on both my bedside table in audiobook form and beside my reading chair with the Boston Public Library's (BPL) hardcover edition.

    Cover shot Amecian Plate

    I do audition books with my card. And, some of the those make it onto our bookshelves, into my Kindle, or Audible libraries. This one is a great audiobook that I know I'll listen to over and over and that may be good entertainment for both of us on long car trips.

    American Plate

    Bites Range from Jello to Bagels and Bialys to Frozen Foods.

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    If You Love Learning New Food Stuff …

    The book is divided into timeline chapters and within those chapters bites or tidbits of interesting information about the food we often take for granted, like celery.

    Who knew that the celery stalks that we chop and toss into so many dishes today were once a luxury item. Or that Kalamazoo, Michigan was once dubbed, "the Celery Capitol of the World." Or why you see celery dishes and celery vases in antique glass collections?

    Author Libby H. O'Connell tells how one Michigan farmer began to pile up dirt around his celery plants to blanch the stalks and make them sweeter and less fiberous. From there she explains:

    "With the advent of refrigerated railroad cars, celery was shipped all over the country. It was just exotic enough, a somewhat pricey but not outrageous treat, not beyond the means of many Americans but still aspirational. Celery became hugely popular, and the development of special dishes for its presentation illustrates its status during the Gilded Age."

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    This book will fill in some blanks in your pantry of food knowledge. It will enhance your appreciation of what we enjoy today when you learn more about the past and how our current foodways evolved. 

    What's on your Food Lover's shopping list? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

      

    Details:

    Words: Penny Cherubino
    Photos: ©2015 Penny Cherubino with cover courtesy of Amazon.

     

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  • “Reading” the Book, “Permanent Present Tense” Three Ways

    Cover art permanent Past Tense

    I always have a few books in my reading pile, on my Kindle, or in my "tonight" audiobook playlist on my iPod. Right now, I have Permanent Present Tense: The Unforgettable Life of the Amnesic Patient, H. M. by Susanne Corkin in all three places.

    I "read" books in different ways. We live in a tiny home with books shelved two deep in some case, and others in storage waiting for their turn to come live with us. New books must audition before they find a physical place in our home. 

    When I hear or read about a book that I want to read, I go directly to the Boston Public Library catalogue and see if they have a copy. If not and I think it has a wide interest, I'll suggest that they purchase it.

    In the case of Permanent Present Tense, I had to wait a bit before it was my turn to read a library copy. Since I have met the author and she played an important role in the life of a dear friend, I had every intention of buying the book. I just had to decide how to buy it – hardcover book, Kindle edition, or audiobook.

    In the end, I did all three. I'm reading the library's copy in hardcover. I added the Kindle edition to my library when I want to continue reading the book and forget to bring it with me. And, I purchased the audiobook so that Ed and I can listen to it in the car on our next road trip. 

    This doesn't happen often, but this is a fascinating book that I do recommend. Here is a great interview about the book from the radio show Fresh Air. 

    Update: July 5, 2013: Here is another great interview on WBUR's Radio Boston.

    What's your favorite way to consume new books? 

    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a Birthday or Wedding gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

     Details:

    Words: Penny Cherubino
    Photography: Cover art courtesy of Amazon  

  • “Reading” the Book, “Permanent Present Tense” Three Ways

    Cover art permanent Past Tense

    I always have a few books in my reading pile, on my Kindle, or in my "tonight" audiobook playlist on my iPod. Right now, I have Permanent Present Tense: The Unforgettable Life of the Amnesic Patient, H. M. by Susanne Corkin in all three places.

    I "read" books in different ways. We live in a tiny home with books shelved two deep in some case, and others in storage waiting for their turn to come live with us. New books must audition before they find a physical place in our home. 

    When I hear or read about a book that I want to read, I go directly to the Boston Public Library catalogue and see if they have a copy. If not and I think it has a wide interest, I'll suggest that they purchase it.

    In the case of Permanent Present Tense, I had to wait a bit before it was my turn to read a library copy. Since I have met the author and she played an important role in the life of a dear friend, I had every intention of buying the book. I just had to decide how to buy it – hardcover book, Kindle edition, or audiobook.

    In the end, I did all three. I'm reading the library's copy in hardcover. I added the Kindle edition to my library when I want to continue reading the book and forget to bring it with me. And, I purchased the audiobook so that Ed and I can listen to it in the car on our next road trip. 

    This doesn't happen often, but this is a fascinating book that I do recommend. Here is a great interview about the book from the radio show Fresh Air. 

    Update: July 5, 2013: Here is another great interview on WBUR's Radio Boston.

    What's your favorite way to consume new books? 

    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a Birthday or Wedding gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

     Details:

    Words: Penny Cherubino
    Photography: Cover art courtesy of Amazon  

  • “Reading” the Book, “Permanent Present Tense” Three Ways

    Cover art permanent Past Tense

    I always have a few books in my reading pile, on my Kindle, or in my "tonight" audiobook playlist on my iPod. Right now, I have Permanent Present Tense: The Unforgettable Life of the Amnesic Patient, H. M. by Susanne Corkin in all three places.

    I "read" books in different ways. We live in a tiny home with books shelved two deep in some case, and others in storage waiting for their turn to come live with us. New books must audition before they find a physical place in our home. 

    When I hear or read about a book that I want to read, I go directly to the Boston Public Library catalogue and see if they have a copy. If not and I think it has a wide interest, I'll suggest that they purchase it.

    In the case of Permanent Present Tense, I had to wait a bit before it was my turn to read a library copy. Since I have met the author and she played an important role in the life of a dear friend, I had every intention of buying the book. I just had to decide how to buy it – hardcover book, Kindle edition, or audiobook.

    In the end, I did all three. I'm reading the library's copy in hardcover. I added the Kindle edition to my library when I want to continue reading the book and forget to bring it with me. And, I purchased the audiobook so that Ed and I can listen to it in the car on our next road trip. 

    This doesn't happen often, but this is a fascinating book that I do recommend. Here is a great interview about the book from the radio show Fresh Air. 

    Update: July 5, 2013: Here is another great interview on WBUR's Radio Boston.

    What's your favorite way to consume new books? 

    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a Birthday or Wedding gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

     Details:

    Words: Penny Cherubino
    Photography: Cover art courtesy of Amazon