Remarkable Read

“Ask anyone in Israel to name a wholly Israeli dish and the answer will be turkey schnitzel.” (Claudia Roden) 
I was catching up on GOOP, when I came across a Kosher menu which included a recipe for Turkey Schnitzel.  The note that the flour had been removed from the Turkey Schnitzel recipe so that it could be Kosher for Passover set me to find out why. 
About.com came up with my first answer via Ask the Rabbi, Rabbi Shraga Simmons in Jerusalem.  He explains the laws of the Torah forbid certain grains be eaten or possessed during passover.  There are a couple of flours that can technically be eaten, but to be safe, most Kosher cooks avoid flours of any kind, to eliminate the possibility of eating the forbidden grains inadvertantly.  I had to keep looking to find out why Matzo flour was allowed, when it is pretty clearly flour.  Wikipedia shed some light on that question.  The Jewish law that prohibits eating grains has a clause, the flour can not have touched water for more than 18 minutes, the time at which the resulting bread would be considered levened.  So, Matzo is made from flour and water, but it is mixed up and cooked well before the allowed 18 minutes.  This bread can then be ground up, made into flour, and used to coat the thinly sliced turkey breast to make Turkey Schnitzel.  Of course, I've simplified the issue; debates continue about the use of Matzos made with liquids other than water, and other subtleties which are thoroughly examined on many websites. 

Reading

I just finished Pasadena by David Ebershoff.  I never did finish The World According to Garp, but it was drivel.  I thoroughly enjoyed Pasadena.  I live in Southern California, so it has a special significance to read about a fictional town that is largely based on my home town.  It genuinely reflects the culture here, including the elite.  They were land owners and successful ranchers, not blue bloods.  Our culture here is so intwined with Mexican and Spanish culture.  The story was compelling, mysterious, and tragic. But it was also a reminder that California offers so much opportunity for the deticated.  It wasn't an easy place to live in the past and it isn't an easy place to live now...but if you work really hard, you can achieve anything.

Remarkable Read

I am reading John Irving's The World According to Garp.  It is a 20th anniversary edition, and yet it is old, yellowed and has that bubble writing popular in the 70's.  There are pages of rapturous praise, all lauding John Irving and the brilliance of Garp.  I have made it to page 272, a little less than half way through and I'm not sure this is a book I want to finish.  What am I missing?  I have a lot of time to read lately and will probably find out how this thing ends.  But, I hope something good happens.  And by good, I mean sorrowful or soaring, let it be insightful.  This is the kind of book that will soon be made into an Oscar nominated drama starring Leonardo DiCaprio.  No wait, he's too old...Shia Labeouf  It is mellowdramatic yet somehow dull.  It is slightly tragic, and perhaps liberating, but in a way that makes you feel oily.  Why are so many books about louts who only think about sex?  I'm not all that interested in what T.S. Garp has to say, but I suppose I will stick around to find out. 

While perusing Wikipedia, I find that Robin Williams starred in a film adaptation in the 80's, which means it is definetely due for a remake.  But then I find, that the reason I am not loving the book is exactly why people like it.  "The story is decidedly rich with (in the words of the fictional Garp's teacher) "lunacy and sorrow", and the sometimes ridiculous chains of events the characters experience still resonate with painful truth."  I couldn't have said it better, and in fact I didn't say it better.  It's the "ridiculous chains of events" that I am not buying.  If it is supposed to be ridiculous, then it isn't quite ridiculous enough.  "Lunacy and sorrow".  The reviews might be better than the book.

Remarkable Read

100 THINGS TO DO WHEN YOU ARE UPSET, by Galadarling.com.  I googled "stuff to read if you're sad" and it was my first result.  Yea Google, just what I was looking for.  Just like it sounds, it is a list of 100 small things that will make you feel better.  Out of the 100, probably 50 include buying something...which I try not to do when blue.  The one purchase that I say is OK, especially if you coincide it with an interview, or a date, or something where you should look fab.  wander around the drug store and buy a small beauty enhancer; a $1 facial mask, or a happy color of Wet 'n' Wild nail polish.

Coincidentally, Gala picks some of my most favorite activities, such as:
"Find a secret place with a great view. Like a tree, or a rooftop, or a hill."

"Indulge in your “guilty pleasures”, whatever they are. (Old episodes of America’s Next Top Model, ginger ale, chocolate cake, romantic comedies, etc.)"--for me, it's Real Housewives of OC and Millionaire Matchmaker.
She makes me think of some things I haven't done, but will try:

"Write the birthdays of your personal heroes in your planner & work out a way to honour them on that day."
"Look through old photos. With a friend if possible. If it’s an old friend, you can reminisce (“Oh my god, do you remember when we did that?!”), & if it’s a new friend, you can tell grand stories (“Well, let me tell you about this guy…”)."

Some of my favorites that didn't make the list: sitting on the coast scanning the horizon for dolphin.  Although, I haven't seen a dolphin all year.  Wonder why?  I often walk my dog along the coast.  That would be another one of my favorite sadness busters.  Others?  Playing fetch with my dog, reading a magazine, reading anything really, picking a bouquet while walking through my neighborhood, hiking to the top of a mountain, wearing my favorite crazy heels), or cooking a whole meal.
(The awesome photo it courtesy of Harper's Bazaar, featuring Tim Burton, via CocoPerez.com)

Project Runway

Well, no need for me to compose a summary, click here for a snarky, yet thorough, recap.  What can I say, I couldn't agree more, Bravo!

Remarkable Read

Gretchin Rubin is a author who is tracing her one year quest to conquer happiness in a blog called The Happiness Project.  I check in everyonce in a while to see what tidbits she has for the day.  Her look at Happiness is very academic.  She really tries to explore the past, to build upon the findings of past thinkers, philosophers, and experts.  Today's article is about the Desiderata; a book, written in 1927 by Max Ehrmann.  Essentially, it is the 18 Commandments for happiness.  They are all insightful, but I found #13 to be the most relevant for me today..."Beyond a wholesome discipline be gentle with yourself."  Thanks Gretchin.

Remarkable Read

Yeah!  I love Kurt Vonnegut.  That probably says a lot about who I am.  I don't always agree with him, he does an excellent job of explaining what it means to be a human being, in extreme circumstances.  I read his books over and over, and have since I was a tween.  He has comforted me through tough times, and always made me laugh.  He breaks life down to small beauties within the indifferent ether of space-time.  He makes us remember that we are lucky there are roses among the thorns.  Here is a link to a previously unpublished short story by Kurt Vonnegut that is being offered on Amazon as an enticement to buy his posthumously published collection of short stories.  Bon appetit.

Remarkable Read

Here is a link to a new blog I found, IowaGirlEats.
It is full of recipes, running tips and stories, and travel.   I especially like the recipe and am going to try the sweet potato fries recipe.  That is how I make a lot of my vegetables.  Chop them, put them in a sealing bag or large plastic container.  Pour olive oil over them, add your favorite dry seasonings and spices.  Roast at 400 degrees on a foil lined baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.  Toss them once while cooking to get both sides roasty.  My favorite vegetable to do this way is green beans, they come out nutty.  Delish.  

Dear Prudence

Here is a link to today's Dear Prudence on Slate.com.  It is a fun read, as always.  Dear Prudence analyzes
less learing old men and more binge drinking and feminism this week.

And another fun one from a Slate relative: doubleX

Remarkable Read

I love Dahlia Lithwick.  Don't know her?  She's NPR's legal correspondent, she covers all things legal for Slate and she writes a very funny fiction blog.  When covering the proceedings of the Supreme Court she has made me laugh out loud.  Belly laughs, from the Supreme Court.  Catch her on Day-to-day on NPR, or on Slate.com.