Novel Eats » dill

Stuffed Grape Leaves

Samantha — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 01:57:17 +0000

I am not big on making New Year’s resolutions, and this year I have made only minor ones that I’ve already broken. That said, here’s one that I am confident I can keep up throughout the year. My resolution is to try to make more foods outside of my comfort and cultural zones. While I [...] Related posts:

Tofu Salad

Samantha — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 15:43:40 +0000

July 4th wound up being a very lovely day for us here in New York City. We have been getting an unusual amount of rain lately, so much so that many have joked around that we’re actually in Seattle. Somehow we managed to have the perfect day for barbecuing and picnicking, and took full advantage [...] Related posts:

Quinoa with Turnip Greens and Toasted Almonds, and Creamed Turnips

Samantha — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 00:58:56 +0000

As I have previously shared, we have been doing gardening by way of containers. Each year we grow many of the same things, but we usually try something new. One of this year's new items is turnips, and I am very surprised that they are growing exceedingly well. I have never attempted to grow turnips before, and I am amazed at how fast they grow as well as how large they are able to get in our containers. Related posts:

Summer Pasta Salad

Samantha — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 01:12:13 +0000

Ah, summer. It seems that we've finally gotten there. With 100+ degree days in spring, it kind of makes wonder what to expect for the next few months. If it's anything hotter than what we've had so far, I am not sure that I want to be turning on the stove - or at least for very long. Related posts:

The Boleyn Inheritance – Twice Baked Potatoes

Samantha — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 01:19:27 +0000

The dinner is delicious, but I pick at my food because at court there is always someone watching you, and I don't want to seem greedy. Our table faces the front of the hall, so it is natural that I look up to see the king at his dinner. In his rich clothes and great collar of gold you might mistake him for one of the old pictures over an altar; I mean, a picture of God. He is so grand and so broad and so weighted with gold and jewels, he sparkles like an old treasure mountain. There is a cloth of gold spread over his great chair, with embroidered curtains hanging down on either side, and every dish is served to him by a servant on his knees. Even the server who offers him a golden bowl to dip his fingers and wipe his hands does so on bended knee. There is another server altogether to hand him the linen cloth. They bow their heads as well when they kneel to him, as if he were of such unearthly importance that they cannot meet his eyes.

-The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory Reading a novel by Philippa Gregory is like eating chocolate. It's so smooth, rich, and delicious that I find myself disappointed every time I finish one of her books. My only consolation is that I still have yet to read all of them - and hopefully she'll never stop writing. Historical novels need to be written well for me, and hers meet my expectations. This one centers around Henry VIII and three ladies in his court - you know, the one who had multiple wives and killed nearly every one of them. You can almost taste the fear of the women who surrounded him, and wonder how any of them wound up surviving.