Some thoughts on writing

Remember awhile back I mentioned that I was finally writing? Not blog writing (because, irrationally, I haven't considered my blog real writing) but novel writing.

Well, it has been slow-going since then. As in, like...I've written only six pages since then. In five months. Six pages.

This has nagged and nagged at me, and I have felt like nothing short of a failure. Naturally, I talk myself out of it by reminding myself that I have a family, that I have work, that I blog, that just because I'm not writing now doesn't mean I never will. Which is all true. But still...I haven't written anything!

But recently I had dinner with an award-winning author - she's wicked smaht and very generous with her advice and personal writing experiences. And in the course of the evening, she made the casual comment that she doesn't need to write everyday. Fascinating, I thought. I just got the impression that full-time writers really do nothing but write. Every day. For hours. Right? This author went on to tell me that, when she does school visits, she tells the kids something along this line: you don't have to write reams and reams of paper to be a writer. You can write a page a day, you can write a paragraph a week. Writing is writing, and it's not defined by frequency. And this doesn't make you any less committed to the craft and the passion for writing. (I'm elaborating here - this isn't verbatim from the author.)

What an important lesson not only for children who love writing, but also for grown-ups like me who love it too. Likewise, what is writing? Is it writing a novel? Aren't I writing here on my blog? When I blog, don't I need some tea or a glass of wine to put me in the mindset? Don't I need just the right playlist to set the mood? Don't I put words to electronic paper? Yes, yes, yes. It may not be great, I may not have a large audience, and I may not do it as regularly as I'd like. But it is writing.

So I may not be working on that novel but I'm still writing. And while I sit here writing, Bug is right next to me, filling in blanks in her Diary of a Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book, and that is also a kind of writing. And I love that we're writing together.

Eat, drink, and put words to paper. Any words.


Photo credit

Recipe: French Mushrooms

I read a lot of blogs - a lot. Food blogs, children's literature blogs, design blogs, fashion blogs, NYC blogs. More than I have time for...but, really, aren't we all short on time?

When I see a recipe I like while reading a blog post, I send myself an email with the recipe name as the subject line and then the link as the message. And thanks to Gmail, I can tag all those emails as "Recipes". So when I'm sick of my cookbooks and magazines, I go to this email list as inspiration.

This is where I discovered a recipe for French Mushrooms from For the Love of Food. I actually bookmarked this in 2008 (!) and I just got around to trying it. In a word, divine. Here's the photographic evidence:

French Mushrooms

Adapted from For the Love of Food

• 2 lbs. sliced mushrooms (I used creminis from the farmers' market)
• 1/2 c. thinly sliced scallions
• 1 c. crème frâiche
• 1 c. sour cream (it was supposed to be 2 c. of crème frâiche but I ran out so had to substitute. Not ideal but you do what you gotta do, right?)
• 6 tbsp. minced parsley

In a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat, simmer mushrooms, scallions, and crème frâiche, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until mushrooms start to give up juices.

Then turn heat to high and boil, uncovered, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes or until liquids reduce to a shiny sauce and bubbles begin to form. Stir in parsley and salt. Serve immediately.

Makes about 12 servings (per FtLoF, but it was more like 4 servings in our house).

What I loved about this recipe was 1) it was incredibly simple to make, and 2) it was deceptively decadent. I thought I was making a "light" dinner for us by only serving the mushrooms, bread, and a salad...but, as you may have guessed, I was wrong. It was very rich and indulgent.

A note: the recipe said to boil the mushrooms for about 10 minutes but I had to go a full 15 minutes - my sauce was super liquid-y still after 10 minutes. I suspect that it was because of the sour cream, which may have had more water in it. So if you can avoid using sour cream, that's really the way to go.

Another note: this is a recipe you can play around with, a quality I love in a recipe! Try zesting lemon into the boiling mushrooms. Or substitute thyme for the parsley - thyme is an ideal companion with mushrooms.

We had quite a few leftovers so, two mornings later, I reheated the mushrooms over the stove and poured them over a brioche roll. With a steaming cup of coffee, it was a kick-ass way to start my day.

Eat, drink, and glean inspiration from fellow bloggers

Technical difficulties

Blogger is acting up - not allowing me to move images around after I've inserted them - so my postings will either be intermittent until I figure it out or they'll be artless. I loathe both alternatives.

Eat, drink, and curse Blogger.

NOTE: Discovered that it's Chrome - I can move images fine in Explorer. The Husband works for Google - can't he fix this?!

The Dead Girl Genre

You book folks know exactly what I'm talking about. What's with all the dead girls lately? Do you know how many times someone has recommended a book to me and I have caught myself saying, "Another dead girl book?" What's up, publishers (including the one for which I work)?

But you know what happens? I end up reading each one. And I end up loving each one. Thus far, each book I have read has given me a new, fresh perspective and each book has made me feel something different, has provoked me in a different way. Rather than getting tired of the dead girl genre, I'm getting more and more excited by it.

It all started with Before I Die by Jenny Downham (David Fickling, 2007). Tessa is dying of cancer. I'm not giving anything away - the reader knows right off the bat how it will end. Heck, even the title gives it away. What I loved about this one was that the main character wasn't likable. But she was real. There was a rawness and a roughness to her that made you love her in spite of (or because of) all her imperfections. And what this story captured best was the struggle to die with dignity and grace, especially for a teenage girl who still has so much living to do.

Last year, I went to a librarians' preview at Penguin and heard about If I Stay by Gayle Forman (Dutton, 2009). This was the first time I remember thinking, "Another dead girl book?" But it was so much more than that. It was about family and love and choices. And what I loved most was the idea that we can decide, that it may seem like it's all random and out of our control...but we really do have a say in our ultimate destiny. Loved that. And in my GoodReads review, I wrote that this book successfully avoids the "three Ms: maudlin, manipulative, and melodramatic." Such a gorgeously written, beautiful book.

Then I started at HarperCollins and one of the first books presented to me was Lauren Oliver's Before I Fall (HarperCollins, 2010). Despite it being another dead girl book, you know what happened. Read it. Loved it. Again, this book had something new to say. Lauren's book isn't about a girl who has died. It is about the little things we do every day that affect others. Dying is the impetus for Samantha coming to this realization, and watching the ways in which Samantha changes and grows based on every single decision she makes on a single day is riveting. It changes your own life because you look around at your own world differently, wondering how your own actions and words are affecting those around you.

And it keeps going! I just finished reading the sky is everywhere by Jandy Nelson (Dial, 2010) and, again, I was floored. Lennie's older sister has died and this book examines the aftermath and the ways in which joy and self-discovery can arise from tragedy. I've never experienced great loss in my life so I can't attest to what heartwrenching grief truly feels like...but I imagine it feels like this book describes. Nelson makes grief so palpable until it becomes a living, breathing monster, threatening to consume everything in its path. It makes for a very intense read. But that aside, this story examines how sometimes we have to lose something to gain something. It is only through her sister's death that Lennie really lives. In the best, most beautiful way possible.

As an end to this discussion, I went to a birthday party last night and was talking about the dead girl genre with some friends. Molly made an excellent point: she said that teenage girls love this genre because each of these books, in some way, makes a case for being in control, even when we're not in control. Teenagers are accountable to everyone: friends, teachers, parents, siblings. They feel (and I remember this all too well) that they aren't in control of their own lives. But what these stories have in common is a theme of empowerment. Yeah, the shit may hit the fan but, ultimately, you decide what you're going to do with it. How will you react? What will you say? What choices will you make? What impression do you want to leave? In the midst of chaos, you can decide how it all plays out.

Don't knock it before you've tried it. Pick up a dead girl book for hope, joy, and inspiration.

And three other fantastic, critically acclaimed dead girl books I didn't discuss in this post (13 Reasons Why being the only one I haven't read yet):

The Everafter by Amy Huntley (Balzer+Bray, 2009; Morris YA Debut Award finalist)

Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin (FSG, 2005)

13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher (Razorbill, 2007)

Diary of a Wimpy Kid trailer!

Okay, I know everyone and their brother has already seen this, but I have to post it anyway. I'm so friggin EXCITED! I give you the Diary of a Wimpy Kid trailer:

The countdown starts!

Cooking with kids

Those of you who cook with kids must check out Kitchn's post: On Cooking with Kids.

It perfectly captures my own feelings about cooking with Bug and children in general. Why, because it's children, must so many kids' cookbooks be baking centric?! Kitchn's post has a great list of recommended cookbooks that don't dumb down food but are still kid-friendly.

Eat, drink, and encourage our kids to do the same!

Porridge (comme les francais)

Like most people, I have been struggling to...um...zip up my pants post-holidays. I indulged heavily this year - and it was heavenly - but lately I've realized I need to recommit myself to eating consciously, with my head.

So I am re-reading French Women Don't Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure by Mireille Guiliano. To say that I am a devotee of this book is a vast understatement. In conversations with the Soul Twin, we just refer to it as "The Book", as in "I overindulged last weekend but I'm reading The Book again and getting back on track." What I appreciate about The Book is that it's not a diet book; it's a lifestyle book (no derisive snorting, please). I read it for the first time five years ago, and the timing was so right: I connected with its message to eat (and live) with your five senses in tact, to not settle for bland, flavorless food (or life) that gives you very little return for the effort. It's really not the point but, for those of you concerned with numbers, The Book inspired me to drop 20 pounds and keep it off for 5 years.

But moving on, I'm re-reading French Women. Yesterday morning, I adapted Guiliano's recipe: "Grandma Louise's Oatmeal with Grated Apple." I didn't have any lemons so I just left that out (the recipe only requires a 1/2 tsp so I didn't miss it much). And I didn't have oatmeal so I used steel-cut oats, making it according to the instructions on the can. It was so satisfying and such a powerhouse way to start my day. How can you not conquer the world after eating this?

And thanks to the apple's natural sweetness and sugar, there really is no need for added sugar.

Steel-Cut Oats with Grated Apple

(adapted from Mireille Guiliano's recipe)

4 c. water

1 c. steel-cut oats

Pinch of salt

1 medium apple, coarsely grated

1/2 c. milk (or however much gives you the consistency you want)

1 tsp. butter

Nutmeg, to taste

Cinnamon, to taste

Bring water to a rapid boil. Pour in oats and salt; stir. When mixture begins to thicken, turn stove to medium-low and simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes.

Add grated apple, milk, butter, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Heat about two more minutes. Remove from stove and serve. Serves 3.

If you are the type of person who likes some more protein in the morning, eat a piece of cheese on the side. I have also been known to add chopped walnuts to this recipe. And - here's a major indulgence, I have also sprinkled crumbled bacon over the top too.

With treats like this in the morning, getting back to fighting weight is a pleasure.

Eat, drink, and derive pleasure from both

Chicken Noodle Soup

I know I've been posting a lot of food lately and thanks to all my bookish friends for being patient. I've actually written three posts in the last two weeks about work and books and life...but I couldn't quite write them in a way that was...uncontroversial. So until I figure it out, I'll talk about food.

Last weekend was glutinous. On Saturday night, thanks to Eatery Row: Forest Hills, we discovered the local joy which is Manor Oktoberfest. I ate every bite of an enormous bratwurst and drank a whole pint of my new favorite lager, Kostritzer. Sunday morning started with poached eggs and potatoes fried in duck fat for breakfast. Sunday night ended with Boeuf Bourguignon. It was worth it but, by Sunday night, we were drinking lemon ginger tea to help our digestion and popping Tums.

So this was a cleansing week. On Tuesday night, I made Chicken Noodle Soup from my new cookbook, Simple Chinese Cooking by Kylie Kwong (a Christmas present from MC [mother-in-law] and her husband). I had to make some minor alterations but here is how it turned out:

Chicken Noodle Soup

(a variation on the recipe from Kylie Kwong)

1/2 bunch bok choy

9 oz. package fresh linguine noodles (Buitoni brand is available in most grocery stores)

6 cups low-sodium chicken stock

2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

1 tbsp ginger julienne

2 tsp oyster sauce

1 tsp white sugar

13 oz free-range chicken breasts, cut widthways into 1/2 in. slices

1 tsp sesame oil

1/2 scallion julienne

1 red jalapeno, finely sliced on the diagonal

Remove cores from bok choy, cut crossways into 4, then wash thoroughly and drain.

Place noodles in a colander and rinse well under hot running water, then drain.

Bring stock to a boil in a large heavy-based pot. Add soy sauce, ginger, oyster sauce, and sugar and stir to combine. Reduce heat, add drained noodles and simmer gently for 30 seconds. Add bok choy and chicken (yes, raw) and simmer for a further 2 minutes or until chicken is just cooked through (took about 5 minutes with my soup). Stir in sesame oil, then remove pot from stove.

Ladle soup into large bowls. Place scallion and pepper in a separate bowl alongside the soup or do as I did and just sprinkle over soup as garnish.

This also turned out to be a super kid-friendly meal since I just gave Bug the broth and noodles. You could also make it vegetarian by omitting the chicken and use vegetable broth instead. The soup had a bright flavor and it was so cleansing and fresh after all the heavy winter food I had been eating!

Eat, drink, and don't prescribe to the idea that winter only means heavy foods!