READ THIS
David Mitchell, Black Swan Green
It’s no secret that I consider David Mitchell to be the best
novelist working today, and my signed copy of this book is one of my most
treasured possessions. Black Swan Green tells the story of thirteen-year-old
Jason Taylor navigating life in a small English village during the early 1980s.
The characters are gorgeously developed, from Jason himself (an aspiring poet
who struggles with a stammer), to his sly older sister, his often-bickering
parents, and schoolmates (friends and enemies alike).
Let’s face it; thirteen is a pretty crummy age, and I’m sure
most of don’t harbor a hidden desire to revisit it. But this book elevates the
coming-of-age story in a way no other does. It makes Catcher in the Rye hide in
shame. Joy and wonder erase and then are erased by pain and betrayal in a cycle
we can all recognize from adolescence. This book makes the ordinary enchanting and magical and is an absolute pleasure to read.
I leave you with one of favorite lines in the novel:
“If you show someone something you've written, you give them
a sharpened stake, lie down in your coffin, and say, ‘When you’re ready’.”
True, true words.
WATCH THIS
Sing Faster: The Stagehands’ Ring Cycle
John Else’s 1999 utterly charming documentary follows the
San Francisco Opera’s production of Wagner’s Ring Cycle from backstage. Sure,
the singers are fantastic, but the drama behind the scenes is every bit as
enticing. Witty, insightful, and masterfully filmed, this is entertainment at
its best. Watching the stagehands explain the plot (over a game of poker played
when they’re not moving scenery) will make you laugh out loud (“Doesn't one of
the giants get a chick out of the deal?”).
COOK THIS
I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who didn’t like
chocolate chip cookies, and when Kathy Lapergola asked for my recipe, I knew it
was what I’d have to share this month. My go-to favorite comes from an ancient
copy of Betty Crocker’s Cooky Book given to me by my grandmother. They were the
first recipe I adapted for high-altitude cooking when I moved to Wyoming after
college and what I made for after school snacks on my son’s first day of high
school.
Betty names these the Best Cooky of 1935 – 1940. My only
question is when did the spelling change from “cooky” to “cookie?”
Chocolate Chip Cookies
2/3 cup butter
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar (packed)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 cup chocolate chips
Pre-heat oven to 375
Mix butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla thoroughly. Measure
flour after sifting. Stir dry ingredients together; blend in. Mix in nuts and
chocolate chips. Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of dough about 2 inches apart on
ungreased baking sheet (I always cover mine with parchment paper to avoid extra
dish washing). Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until delicately browned. (Cookies
should still be soft) Cool slightly before removing from baking sheet.
Makes 4 to 5 dozen 2 inch cookies
Variations: Sometimes I use half chocolate and half butterscotch
chips. Also, it can be fun to combine different varieties of chocolate, say,
bittersweet and semi-sweet. There’s also nothing wrong with throwing in some pieces
of toffee crunch, too.
