Are macarons are my Waterloo?

A few years ago, while out shopping at an outlet mall with my husband, we discovered a little french bakery that was selling these adorable little sandwich cookies called macarons.  We have since found several other places that sell them. One place is called Le Macaron.  We fell in love with these cookies.  They are a French sweet meringue-based confection made with egg whites, icing sugar, granulated sugar, ground almonds and food coloring. They are filled with either flavored icings or jelly/jam.  When I first saw the name Macaron, I thought I was going to be getting a coconut based cookie – which I don’t like. To my delight, I bit into a crispy, chewy, delicious little cookie.  I was hooked.

Since there are no places nearby that sell macarons, I’ve been toying with making my own for a while.  I bought a macaron kit with a mix and a macaron kit with all the tools needed for success in making them.  Today I decided to try making them.  I love to share both successes and failures in the kitchen.  Macarons turned out to be a FAIL.

Here is a short before baking video:

While they were baking, I could see that the macaron dough had run together.  Here they are after I took them out of the oven:

Due to the running of the dough, I could only get ONE actual macaron.  It was delicious.  Here it is:

So, it is back to the old drawing board.  I will be trying this again.  Stay tuned and see if I have success or more failures with macaron baking.

Review: The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende

I received an advanced reader copy of The Japanese Lover from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

The Japanese Lover tells the decades long love story of Alma, a young Jewish girl who escaped Nazi Germany, and Ichi, the son of her aunt and uncle’s Japanese gardener.  Told through flashbacks and letters between Alma and Ichi as well as through fact finding done by her grandson, Seth, and Irina, her care worker, I was drawn into the story right from page one.

This is the first Isabel Allende novel that I have read and I really enjoyed it, up to a point.  Allende’s writing is warm and inviting. The main characters were well developed and relatable. I really wanted to love this book, but the ending just left me disappointed.  I liked the author’s writing style enough that I will try another of her books to see if it is just this story that left me flat.

The expected release date for The Japanese Lover is November 3, 2015.

Thanks for reading.

 

Books I am looking forward to

There are several books that are coming out in the near future that I am really excited about.  One of them I actually have had the pleasure of reading because I received an advanced reader copy from NetGalley.  Here is a short list of books I am dying to get my hands on.

1.  All the Stars in the Heavens by Adriana Trigiani – I have read and LOVED all of Adriana Trigiani’s books.  When I find out that she has a new title coming out, it goes onto my calendar and most of the time, I pre-order the book to arrive on the day that it comes out. I don’t want to wait on a list at the library. I don’t want to wait for it to come out in paperback.  I want to read it NOW.  All the Stars in the Heavens delves into the golden age of Hollywood when Loretta Young met Clark Gable on the set of The Call of the Wild. The book is set to be released on October 13, 2015.  As a side note, the movie version of Big Stone Gap,  is set to be released in theaters on October 9, 2015.
2.  Crimson Shore by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (Pendergast Series Book 15) – I have been a fan of Preston and Child’s Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast from the beginning of this series – Relic. No one does “weird and creepy crime” like Preston and Child.  This book sticks with the characters Pendergast and his niece Constance. I can’t wait to see how Pendergast figures out “who done it and why”. The book is set to be released November 10, 2015.
3. Miss Dreamsville and the Lost Heiress of Collier County by Amy Hill Hearth – I received an advanced reader copy of the latest Miss Dreamsville book by Amy Hill Hearth. You may recognize the author’s name from the beloved book “Having Our Say – The Delany Sisters First 100 Years”.  The author has a knack for telling a story, whether truth or fiction, in such a way that draws you in and makes you feel like you are a part of it.  Before I read Miss Dreamsville and the Lost Heiress of Collier County, I had to quickly read the first book Miss Dreamsville and the Collier County Women’s Literary Society. I quickly fell in love with all of the quirky characters.  I have reviewed the book here:  Miss Dreamsville and the Collier County Women’s Literary Society.  The new book is set to be released on September 8, 2015.  Read these books. You won’t be sorry.
4. Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson – The Bloggess is back.  I have followed The Bloggess (aka Jenny Lawson) ever since I was forwarded a link the the story of the giant metal chicken. From her collection of stuffed “varmints” to her totally human stories of life with her family, Jenny Lawson never ceases to make me laugh.  I read her first book, Let’s Pretend This Never Happened, in between bouts of hysterical laughter.  I am really looking forward to more laughter and insight in the new book.  Furiously Happy is set to be released on September 22, 2015.
Let me know what books you are looking forward to.
Thanks for reading.

Review: The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

When reviewers said that this was the next Gone Girl I was almost reluctant to read The Girl on the Train. In a previous review, I commented that I didn’t love Gone Girl because the characters in the book were such horrible people. I was afraid that this book would be the same but I was pleasantly surprised.

Rachel is struggling to bounce back from her divorce and not doing a very good job. She is drinking heavily, which had caused her to lose her job. While pretending to go to work each morning, Rachel fantasizes about the lives of “Jess” and “Jason”, a couple who live down the road from where she used to live with her ex-husband.Tom. He still lives there with his new wife and their daughter.

Very quickly, the lives of Rachel, Tom, his wife Anna, and the neighbors down the road, who are really named Megan and Scott, become mysteriously intertwined. When the dust settles, the surprise ending with leave you shocked. The ending had me so rattled that I actually had to step away and think about the book before writing my review. Very good writing, well written characters, and a surprise ending kept me interested and entertained.

Run to your local library or bookstore and check out this book

Thanks for reading.

 

Food adventures with Mike

Anyone who has met my husband knows that he can be a bit of a picky eater. In Mike’s mind, the only thing better than meat with potatoes is meat with meat.  Slowly over the almost 13 years we’ve been married, I have managed to get him to try some new foods, mostly at the Epcot Food and Wine Festival.  This past Sunday, while we were looking for a place to have lunch after visiting Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Mike suggested we try Carmel Kitchen and Wine Bar in Sarasota, FL.  It is near the new Mall at University Town Center.  For an appetizer we shared the small order of chickpea fries.  YES!  I said CHICKPEA FRIES.  They were served with a tomato jam and a saffron aioli.  















They were absolutely delicious.  I wanted to lick the little bowl that the tomato jam was served in.  It was so tasty.  The saffron aioli had a bit of a kick to it and it was Mike’s favorite. We both said we would order them again.  

I don’t have a picture of Mike’s lunch.  He had a pressed angus burger.  It had caramelized onions, manchego cheese, and chili aioli.  The sandwich was so big that he couldn’t finish it all. 




I had the chicken pita with a side of cranberry-pistachio quinoa.  I couldn’t stop eating the quinoa.  It is a food that I really don’t enjoy preparing but love it when someone else makes it for me.


I would have loved to try one of the desserts but I was full.  I asked our waiter for a wine suggestion.  After a few questions, he suggested two wines.  I chose the Washington Hills Late Harvest Riesling.  It was the perfect pairing.  

I wish Carmel Kitchen and Wine Bar was closer to home.  I could spend many happy meals tasting all of their food. If you are ever in the Sarasota area or any of their other 7 locations, I suggest you give them a try.  If you are an adventurous eater, you will be very happy.












Review: Miss Dreamsville and the Collier County Women’s Literary Society : a novel by Amy Hill Hearth

If you are a fan of Fannie Flagg and enjoy quirky characters, you will love Miss Dreamsville and the Collier County Women’s Literary Society.

Set in 1962 Naples, Florida, the book tells the tale of a group of misfit citizens who decide to start a book club.  The misfits include: Jackie, a Boston transplant who doesn’t understand Southern ways and has a hard time fitting due to her Northern temperament. Dora, also known as Turtle Lady because she saved a large snapping turtle from the middle of Highway 41, is divorced. Robbie-Lee, known for being “different”, is the son of a stripper. Mrs. Bailey White, an 80-year old ex-con, who was in prison for killing her husband and hides the truth about what happened. Plain Jane, an unremarkable woman who has a shocking secret identity. Priscilla, a young black woman trying to improve herself in 1960’s segregated Florida. The group is guided by Miss Lansberry, the town Librarian, who also has her own secret she is hiding.

While selecting, reading, and discussing books, the group slowly becomes more than a book club. They become friends.  When Jackie and the group get involved in a scary racial incident, things start to get a little sticky.
I really enjoyed how these characters developed such strong connections to the point that they all were comfortable enough to reveal their secrets.  So, I suggest that you take a trip to the past, down the Tamiami Trail, and enjoy meeting The Collier County Women’s Literary Society.  You won’t be sorry.
Thanks for reading.

You can find the book on Amazon or at your local bookseller or library

I am really looking forward to the upcoming sequel, Miss Dreamsville and the Lost Heiress of Collier County. It is scheduled for publication in September 2015.

 

Review: Golden Son by Pierce Brown

I received an advanced copy of Golden Son from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. 


After reading Red Rising, the first book in this trilogy, I was really looking forward to Golden Son. What I loved about the first book in the trilogy – Red Rising – was the development of the relationships between the characters and how they made it through together. In Golden Son, it was sometimes hard to tell who was a good guy and who was a bad guy. I found myself rooting for Augustus and his men and then all of a sudden remembering that Augustus was actually a bad guy. Golden Son blurred the lines between who was good and who was bad. While I wouldn’t say that Golden Son wasn’t a well written book, it didn’t suck me in like Red Rising did. I hope that the third book, when it comes out, will satisfy all of my questions. 

Not a bad read.

The expected publication date is January 13, 2015.

Review: Invisible Ellen by Shari Shattuck

Ellen Homes is invisible. Abused and abandoned as a child, she finds comfort in food and observing others.  Most people overlook her and she likes it that way.
One day, on her way to work, Ellen decides to step in and prevent a blind woman from being mugged.  Thus begins the unusual friendship between Ellen and Temerity.  Somehow her blind friend, Temerity, can “see” the real Ellen.
Ellen keeps watch over her neighbors. She considers them her pets. They are:  “T-bone” the drug dealer and “Heidi” the lonely pregnant woman across the courtyard.  When T-bone, whose real name is J.B., is robbed and shot, Ellen and Temerity begin “sleuthing” to find the culprit.
Meanwhile, “Heidi” – whose real name is Cindy, is miserable because she is about to give up her baby for adoption. The father of the baby was killed in Iraq and a crushed Cindy is unable to handle the baby on her own.  When a letter from the sister of the baby’s father is accidentally delivered to Ellen’s apartment, she and Temerity try to find a way to get the sister and Cindy together.
At work, Ellen gets involved in trying to help a coworker out of a rough situation.
Ellen, who used to like being invisible, is now finding ways to help others, and in doing so, finds herself.  This was a heartwarming book about friendship, personal transformation, and the power of connecting with others. It is one of my favorite books of 2014.
You can purchase the book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or your local independent bookstore. Don’t forget to check your local library too!

Review: Life and Death on the Tamiami Trail – Sheila Marie Palmer

I really enjoy when Amazon recommends a book that catches my eye. Several weeks ago, I spotted Life and Death on the Tamiami Trail in Amazon’s recommendations for me.  If you live in or have visited Florida, you know that the road from Tampa to Miami is affectionately known as the Tamiami Trail. It goes right through the community where I live. I love to read books that visit areas I live in or have visited.  This was my kind of book. Here is a little bit about the book.
Life and Death on the Tamiami Trail by Sheila Marie Palmer
When Sarasota Sheriff Bernie Raines is called in to investigate a murder at a local gypsy bar, she finds her old childhood friend, Zindelo, is the prime suspect. She has not seen him in many years, yet she finds it hard to believe that he did it. In order to prevent anyone questioning the integrity of her investigation, Bernie calls in her friend Sheriff Buck Davis to help.


Bernie and Zindelo lived in the same housing complex when they were children. Zindelo and his family are gypsies.  When Bernie and Buck question the gypsies Dukker, David the Giant, Zindelo, and Elle the Midget, they are given cryptic answers.  Dukker, who is the king of the gypsies, tells Bernie that they will cooperate but she only has a week to figure out who killed Mr. Verde and why, clearing Zindelo – or he will run.  The only way to do this is to dig deep into her past and fill in the missing blanks of her memory.
I really enjoyed this book. The characters were believable and the mystery of who the murderer was and exactly what happened, kept me interested and reading well past my bedtime.  A page turner with local references, Life and Death on the Tamiami Trail, is a winner in my book.
 
The Punta Gorda Library, where I work, celebrates our local authors by inviting them to come chat with our patrons, sell and sign copies of their books, and get their name out to the public.  I enjoyed the book so much that I contacted Sheila Palmer and hoping she would be interested in visiting.  SHE WAS!!! Sheila Palmer visited the Punta Gorda Library yesterday, November 4, 2014. Her local author table was well visited. Sheila graciously donated a copy of each of her books to the library.  They will be available for patrons to check out and enjoy. 
 
I purchased autographed copies of both of her books to send to my mother.  I have been collecting autographed local author books that I think she will enjoy as time and finances allow. I can’t wait to send them to her! 

I am 60% of the way through the second book – Life and Death on Siesta Key and I am looking forward to more!!
 

Sheila Palmer visits the Punta Gorda Library 11/4/14

You can visit Sheila’s website for more information – www.sheilamariepalmer.com.  You can buy the book or ebook from Amazon by clicking HERE or from Barnes and Noble by clicking HERE.

Don’t forget to check out the what programs are being offered at all four of the Charlotte County Libraries.  You can visit the website by clicking on The Charlotte County Library System.

Thanks for reading!

 

Review: Five Minutes Alone by Paul Cleave

I received an advanced copy of Five Minutes Alone by Paul Cleave from NetGalley.com in exchange for my honest review.

Think what it would be like if crime victims were granted 5 minutes alone with their attackers.  It is a common request that police receive. “If you find the person who did this, please give me 5 minutes alone with them…”

When the body of a recently released convicted murder is found hit by a train, Theodore Tate, tries to determine if it is a suicide or a murder.  Theo consults with his friend, Carl Schroeder, an ex-cop who was shot in the head six months ago, leaving him emotionless.  Carl was the investigator on the case of the rapist who was killed.  Once it is determined that the rapist was murdered, Theo begins to think that the murderer was the woman who had been raped but also that she had help. While following leads, two more rapists are killed, and everyone on the police force seems to be cheering on the killer, whom the media has dubbed, The Five Minute Man.

When The Five Minute Man actually kills an innocent man, Theo and Carl find themselves battling each other.

This tense thriller had me on the edge of my seat and found me giving up my precious sleep time to race to the stunning end.

Is the Five Minute Man a good guy or a bad guy?  Read the book and let me know what you think.

Five Minutes Alone by Paul Cleave is set to be released on October 21, 2014. Buy a copy or check it out at your local library.

Thanks for reading.