More changes

Hopefully no one is too mad but we are going to wait and meet on Jan. 4th. Scheduling conflicts and family obligations are just too much for December.  This will give everyone time to finish the book and since more people are free next month, we may have a bigger turnout. Maybe my 'new boyfriend' will show up!

Let me know if the 4th works - I think it's a Sunday. Who wants to host. Steve? Katherine? Ellyn?

Heart Clogging Yumminess

Before I forget, the next date will be Dec 13 at 4:00, Ellyn's house again (thanks for hosting at your lovely residence, by the way!) Too bad Evan wasn't there. Just kidding-don't kill me. The pick is Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen. 

Here's the recipe for the Bacon and Onion Bread Pudding (taken from Cook's Illustrated Best Slow and Easy Recipes - just in case they are reading our blog and sue me for copyright infringement or something).

1 6-10 inch French baguette, torn into inch pieces (about 5-6 cups)

butter for greasing the pan

4 large egg yolks

1 1/2 cup heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup grated cheese - I used Parmesan but a mix is fine too.

2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves - I used a teaspoon dried and crushed - use to taste b/c it can be overpowering

1 minced garlic clove - about 1 teaspoon

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

4 slices of bacon

half medium onion - sliced or chopped thinly

1. Heat oven to 450 and brown the bread (in single layer) for 12 minutes until nice and crunchy. Turn once during cycle.

2. Meanwhile cook the bacon until well-browned and crisp but not burnt - just so it will crumble easily. Works just at well in the microwave. Let cool. (These people seem to like to do things the slowwwww way)

3. Cover and cook the onion in some of the bacon oil for about 10 minutes -  medium high until they begin to sweat and  brown (seeing a pattern here?)

4. Reduce heat to 350. Grease the pan. 

5.  Whisk the yolks, cream, milk, 1/4 cup parm., thyme, garlic, s&p together in a bowl. Add the toasted bread and toss to coat evenly. Let sit in fridge for 20-30 minutes until liquid is well absorbed. Toss occasionally. 

6. Pour half the mixture into pan - layer with bacon and onions and more cheese. Then put rest of bread mixture on top and but the rest of the cheese on top of that. Bake about 45 minutes or an hour if you like it dryer. 

Enjoy!

P.S. Can I just say that Luke Honeythunder is the best screen name ever?

Ch-ch-changes

There has been a change of plans - we are going to meet at Ellyn's this month. I'm sending you all the google map because I don't want any stranger sicko-pervs to stalk her. D, if you need a ride, let me know. Please bring food and drink, as usual. 

Green Apple Books

Last weekend Toshi finally bought a GPS, which in my opinion is one of the greatest things ever. No more using me as a map, no more screaming at each other because he has to make a u-turn! We took it to San Francisco to 'test' it out and ended up on Clement St. and 6th looking for a Japanese restaurant he'd heard about. Killing some time before it opened, we decided to go into Green Apple Books.

Why has no one ever told me about this place? Why am I dating someone who doesn't read and won't let me linger in the stacks for a couple of days?

It's the type of independent bookstore that Borders and B&N kills- a huge labyrinth of shelves with new and used books, magazines, and music, a knowledgeable staff that reviews everything (!), and awesome sales. We had to call each other to find our way back to each other.

If you've never been, go. If anyone is up for a field trip, I'm in.

VOTE 2008

Everyone please remember to vote today.  Now, more than ever, every vote counts.

What we've read

The Road- Cormac McCarthy

Bartimaeus #1 Amulet of Samarkand - J. Stroud

I Am Legend- Richard Matthieson

A Walk in the Woods - Bill Bryson

Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro

Return of the Native - Thomas Hardy

Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao - Junot Diaz

The Painted Bird - Jerzy Kosignski

The Kite Runner

In Cold Blood-Capote

Portrait of Dorian Gray -Oscar Wilde

Siddhartha- Herman Hesse

Am I forgetting any?

November meeting

The winner is The Gathering by Anne Enright, the winner of the 2007 Booker Prize. We are switching to Katherine's place on Saturday the 22nd. If you've got kittie allergies, I'll bring the Zyrtec. I'll send a separate email to all of you in a few weeks with the address and her phone number. Someone be sure to remind me.