Reading and Eating
This was a fun week of reading! I had a reread: I started reading Agatha Christies in seventh grade, and by the time I was in my early 20s I had read them all. Sometimes I can reread one and still be surprised at the ending… sadly, that was not the case this time. About halfway through I remembered who the murderer was- it was a little tiny detail that jogged my memory and then it all started coming back to me. I still finished it, because it was kind of fun to get a “behind the scenes” look at how it was put together. The misdirection! So cleverly done. Just like in my teens, I stayed up way too late to finish this book. Next up is another scifi/mystery mashup: I read The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, another weird book, and enjoyed it. This book has a completely different premise. The world has been destroyed by a black fog that swept the planet, killing everyone except for the inhabitants of an island village. Scientists have managed to erect a security system around the island to keep the fog at bay. For the most part, the villagers live in peace… but there are mysterious things going on beneath the surface. There’s also “Abi,” a collective consciousness that can speak to everyone and read their thoughts. Then there’s a murder that must be solved, or the protective fog barrier will fail and what remains of earth’s population will be wiped out. Oh, and Abi doesn’t always tell the truth… she has her reasons, which are not clear yet. As a matter of fact, many things are not clear yet but I’m sure they will be eventually. I’m about 1/3 of the way through the book and enjoying it so far- update to come when I finish it. Eating-wise, I managed to rally and cook a couple decent dinners. The first was Vegetable Biryani from Nora Cooks.. Tragically, I forgot to add the green peas. I did add tofu, but the peas would have been nice too as a color contrast. It was good, but we all agreed it needed a squeeze of lime to pep up the flavors. Next, I made one of my old favorites, Gochujang Bowls. The recipe calls for chicken but I make it with tofu. The great thing about this meal is, EVERYONE in my family likes it, including my daughter. That’s a major victory. Next week I’ll be upping my game- my sister is coming to visit, and my son and I are cooking two big meals. One will be a “build your own” burrito night, with various fillings and toppings, and the other will be a “gourmet” pizza night. Photos to come! What are you reading now? Favorite gourmet pizza toppings? – We’ll make several pizzas and are still coming up with ideas. Top photo by Ed Robertson on Unsplash