Happy Sunday evening to you. I'm lounging at home today, but here are a few photos from last weekend, when my family went strawberry-picking with friends.
We spent the rest of the day at our friends' home making strawberry goodies. Like this strawberry shortcake.
* * *
Which leads me to the real purpose of my post: Rebecca of Rebecca Reads is hosting the Spice of Life Reading Challenge and since I've a few foodie books sitting on my nightstand, I thought I'd join in. If you're wondering why I'm joining so many challenges this year, it's because I won't be doing them next year.
List of possibilities:
- The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
- Julie & Julia by Julie Powell
- Trail of Crumbs by Kim Sunée
- The Fortune Cookie Chronicles by Jennifer 8. Lee
- In the Kitchen by Monica Ali
- Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
*Edit to add links to actual books finished:
- Julie & Julia by Julie Powell
- The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
- Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto
- Gourmet Rhapsody by Muriel Barbery
* * *
The rest of the night will see me with Proust's Within a Budding Grove, which I've been dipping into sporadically the last couple of months. I might start Julie & Julia or A Widow for One Year, if I feel so inclined to take a break from Proust. It's been a long time since I've read John Irving and he's the kind of author you sometimes miss.
I just finished reading Laurie Sandell's The Impostor's Daughter, a graphic memoir which you should read because it's amazing. I'm giving away five copies here.
That's it for tonight. I'm off to make supper. And for dessert: strawberry crumble a la mode. Mm.
x o x o
15 comments:
Oh oh oh! Seeing those strawberries makes me miss living up north so much! *salivating* That spice of life challenge looks fun, but I'm just too swamped with challenges right now to participate. I hope Rebecca will hold it again next year.
That strawberry shortcake looks delicious!! I enjoyed A Widow for One Year (along with almost everything else Irving has written). When Until I Find You was released, I had to rush out and buy it in hardcover. I've had a bookmark at page 176 for a couple of years now...I really need to give it another try.
Oh, those strawberries look divine, as does the shortcake. But I think I'm with your son--grab them out of the pail & stuff 'em in the mouth (at least, I'm guessing that's what happened). Perfect!
Mmmmm... we were just at a housewarming party where the hosts made strawberry shortcake, but I can tell just from your picture that yours is better. For one, I'm sure you used REAL whipped cream (CoolWhip is the bane of my existence)!
I think I'll be reading The Guernesey Literary & Potato Peel Society over my honeymoon, as it just came in from the library for me. I can't wait to hear your thoughts on it if you do pick it up!
That last photo is killing me Claire!! Especially since I can't eat gluten, so now I'll have to try to find a gluten-free shortcake recipe. :D
I like your list for the challenge! I read Ali's first novel years ago and really enjoyed it. :) Why no challenges next year?
Oh! I love strawberries! They are a desert in my book, even without the shortcake! Yum.
Welcome to the challenge! I hope you enjoy your reads, they sound like fun.
You've made me hungry. You've made me laugh (I will remember you said no challenges for next year!). And the Proust is going to be stretched out a bit by popular demand - first part this Friday and the rest a week later. So go read that Irving. It won't be long before the new one is out!!
One of the things I miss most about living up north is picking the berries (and apples in the fall). There is nothing better than pulling them off the bush and maybe even sneaking a few bites. :) Hope you had a wonderful holiday!
Yum--both the shortcake and the list of books for the challenge. The trade paperback of Guernsey has just come out and I know it's gonna be a big hit. I enjoyed reading it so much last year. Now I have to get my hands on the Julia Child book before the movie opens on Aug 2.
I went strawberry-picking with my girlfriend the other weekend as well. It seemed to activate some primeval berry-gathering instinct in us and we went absolutely berserk, ending up with 3 big punnets full of strawberries. They were truly delicious, but for a week after that we ate nothing but strawberries, and right now I'm so sick of them that not even that delicious-looking shortcake can whet my appetite :-)
As Amanda said, I miss those days, lots of fun memories of Don't Eat the Strawberries!!
Thanks for sharing the fun pictures!
There's just no comparison between store strawberries and home-picked. How wonderful that you could get some of the latter!
That looks like fun and looks delicious! I live in NC and there are Strawberry Farms you can go pick from but I have yet to do it. You have given me an idea of something to do!
Aw, I just called the local farm and it is a little too late for strawberries but they have some veggies apparently too.
Hey everyone.. thanks for sharing your own strawberry thoughts and stories! Loved reading your comments. :D
Rebecca.. Aww.. Next year try to get their schedule ahead of time. Usually they open around Father's Day. Try to go there within a week or two of opening so you don't get the leftovers!
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