mstrust Invites You to Pick Your Poison - The Second Round

This next rounds on me! And because I'm buying, let me throw my arm around you and tell you a little about myself.
I'm Jennifer and I've been an LTer since March 2008. I live in Phoenix with my husband Mike and an anxious boxer named Coral. I have about 3500 books taking over my house. I like baking, traveling and Halloween. We spend a lot of time in Las Vegas as my mom lives there, and we visit tiki bars and events. I'm the author of a maple guidebook/cookbook, and a bio of author Dorothy B. Hughes.

I'm doing 10 categories and shooting for at least five books in each category. Some will end up with more, I'm being loosey-goosey about it. But I'll probably drop in some cocktail recipes throughout the year, so hopefully you'll see something you want to try yourself. This lounge is politics-free but we have an abundance of maraschino cherries. Admit it, you'd love to eat a handful.


My hosting duties for 2022:
January- ScaredyKit- I'm hosting a haunted house theme. I'll bet they're cold & drafty too.
April- MysteryKit- Noir/Hardboiled. Join. Don't make me break your kneecaps.
August- ShakespeareKit- The less celebrated works. Hamlet's taking some time off.
September- ScaredyKit- Haunted or Unhinged?

My Favorite Authors

The Sea Hag- a rum, Cherry Heering and blackberry brandy tiki concoction that I always return to.

1. The Fantastic Mr. Fox- 4 stars
2. James and the Giant Peach- 4
3. The Magic Finger- 3.5
4. Danny the Champion of the World- 3
5. Jamie at Home- 4
Done!
6. Welcome to Night Vale- 5

Fresh, New Authors (To Me)
>

The Orange Blossom- What could be fresher?

1. The Icepick Surgeon- 4
2. Winter's Bone- 4

World Reading


The Navy Grog- It gets around.

1. Diary of a Bookseller- 4
2. The Geography of Bliss- 4

Mystery, Crime and Noir


Bloody Mary-Tomato juice or something else?

1. Murder at Melrose Court- 4.5
2. Murder at Teal's Pond- 3

Horror


The Corpse Reviver- No, it won't hurt you...

1. Horrorstor- 4.5
2. Nothing But Blackened Teeth- 2

Autumn/Halloween

Zombie- They leave you unable to move.

Classics


Martini- There's a reason they've been around so long.

1. The Giver- 4.5
2. Their Eyes Were Watching God- 4
3. Winesburg, Ohio-4

Food, Drink & Home


Planters Punch- Order this and you'll get a drink stuffed with a fruit salad and you ain't going anywhere.

1. Foodheim- 2.5
2. Gastro Obscura- 5
3. Best Wishes, Warmest Regards- 4
4. Vintage Cocktails- 3.5
5. Cocktail Hour- 3.5
Done!
6. Jamie's Food Revolution- 4
7. Disney Villains: Devilishly Delicious Cookbook- 3.5
8. What's the Difference?
9. Cape Cod: Gardens and Houses- 3

ROOTS


Berry Shrub- the flavor choices are endless.

1. What Now, King Lear?-3.8
2. Flight- 4
3. The Westing Game- 4.2
4. Gertrude and Claudius- 2.5

All The Rest


Sangrias- There's just no telling what will end up in here.

1. 100 Things We've Lost to the Internet- 3.5
2. Elvis in Vegas- 4.5
3. Travel Hacks- 3
4. Las Vegas Then and Now- 4
5. A Taste for Poison- 4.5

First cocktail of the thread:

The Big Apple

1/2 oz Calvados
1/2 oz Frangelico
5-6 oz brut Champagne
1 slice of apple
nutmeg

Pour the Calvados and Frangelico in a martini glass and top with Champagne. Grate nutmeg on top and garnish with the apple.

Happy new thread! Thanks for the invite, I'll have a grog, please. It's way too cold for drinks with icecubes in them in my neck of the woods...

I love your new thread! All the drinks sound yummy. I have a bottle of premixed margaritas in my fridge even as we speak. (But not 'til Happy Hour!)

New thread - new drinks! Can't wait. :)

Happy new thread! Drinks!

>14 MissWatson: Thanks, Birgit! I'll have to make a grog for you that doesn't have any of that pesky ice to water down the alcohol. Hope you brought a seatbelt so you don't slide under the table.

>15 LadyoftheLodge: Thank you! And look who's thinking ahead about how to get a cocktail in her fast!

>16 DeltaQueen50: Yay, new cocktails! Pull up a seat!

>17 majkia: Thanks, Jean!
Is that you screaming "Drinks!" while pounding on the bar?

Happy New Thread! Will there be cheese and crackers to go with the drinks?

Hey hey hey...I said drinks are on me, not dinner.
But if that's a bag of Goldfish in your purse, pass 'em around.

12. Danny the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl. Eight year-old Danny and his widower father have lived in a caravan behind their auto repair and filling station for Danny's whole life. His father is kind and attentive, always happy to teach Danny a new skill, and Danny loves being with his dad. But their village has a wealthy man who demeans Danny and his father, so Dad needs revenge. He and Danny make a plan to ruin the annual pheasant shoot, taking the rich man's birds for themselves and humiliating him in the process.
I expected a whimsical Dahl story, but this isn't like other Dahls. There's a villain who needs to be taught a lesson, but otherwise, this is the most realistic story I've read from Dahl. Danny and his father have a good relationship, though Dad doesn't have the best judgement, such as holding five year-old Danny out of school until he's seven. But the main plot point of this book, which is longer than the average Dahl, is that of poaching pheasants. Danny's dad adores poaching and once the topic is introduced, he explains how it's done and how he does it, and then Danny gets involved, SPOILER* by suggesting that they drug the flock of pheasants. His dad thinks it's a great idea. I'll have to put this plot down to a different time and place, because the idea of getting even with a human by wiping out a flock of a hundred birds is bizarre. I would have given this a lower rating if not for the good relationship of Danny and his dad. Didn't hate it, but certainly not my favorite. 3 stars

>21 mstrust: I have found some of Roald Dahl's stuff to be sort of weird. I thought the movie version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with Johnnie Depp was just creepy.

Ooh, I'll have a caipirinha please :)

>22 LadyoftheLodge: I found Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, both the book and Burton's version, to be somewhat edgy. Dahl's Wonka was an unbalanced genius. I've read maybe seven or eight of his books and this was the only one I was on the fence about.

>23 Jackie_K: On its way!

13. Much Dithering by Dorothy Lambert. Jocelyn married young and was widowed soon after, left with the family home and a good amount of money through her late husband's minor aristocratic family. She has also been left with a mother-in-law, aunt and mother who all take turns telling her what to do. As a result, Jocelyn is described by all as dull and wasting her youth.
When the village of Much Dithering is chosen by a wealthy family from London as their new home, the young son immediately latches onto Jocelyn with the intention of marrying her, no matter that he's already been secretly seeing Jocelyn's mother for some time, and Mama isn't the type to take this sort of treatment. Another stranger appears, this one an interesting old army friend of a local Colonel who has already been pursuing Jocelyn for some time.
Published in 1938, it's an intensely domestic story, meaning almost all of it occurs in one home or another and focuses on the romantic travails of a handful of people. Which got a bit claustrophobic, but it also reminded me of the romantic angles in some Agatha Christies. 3 stars

>24 mstrust: LOL at chicken video! Took me a minute!

I love that one! The chicken is so excited, like "Hi hi hi!"

I'm fighting off bronchitis and I've gotten some help from Mike's friend, who sent me a couple dozen lemons, which thrills me. I'm thinking about lemon chicken stir fry, maybe lemon ice cream.

A-ha, a healthy cocktail!


The Yellow Boxer

3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
3/4 oz orange juice
3/4 oz Rose's lime juice
1/4 oz Galliano
1 3/4 oz tequila

Pour all into an ice-filled shaker and shake well. Strain into a tall ice-filled glass.

>28 mstrust: Ooh, that looks tasty!

I agree!

14. 100 Things We've Lost to the Internet by Pamela Paul. Exactly as the title promises, this counts out 100 things that most of us no longer use due to the internet or smartphones, along with the change in attitudes that came with them, and many of these things we've lost come at a hefty price. Paul discusses the demise of private humiliation, unpopular opinions, spelling and periods at the end of sentences, magazines, empathy, blind dates, the college lecture, and "blocking things out". Of course, not all are completely gone, bedtime reading, the family meal and sleepaway camp are included, but the vast majority will make those of GenX and older remember when you had to stop and find a phone booth or pull out a map when you got lost. 3.5 stars

>31 mstrust: I still have maps in my car, just in case Google Maps cannot find a good connection. My husband and I were also discussing how there used to be ash trays on tables in restaurants and in people's homes, just about everywhere. That has nothing to do with the internet though, just a comment.

I should note that one of the 100 things listed was actually "Getting Lost". Which I don't miss at all but the author points out that it can lead to serendipitous discoveries.
You're right about the ashtrays. My dad was a life long chain-smoker who refused to sit in the non-smoking section of a restaurant and wouldn't get on a plane once they made them all non-smoking, so I was well aware that there were ash trays in every store.

>33 mstrust: I get that about "getting lost" since I am rather bad with directions. I am glad to have Google Maps and GPS. I often end up turning in the opposite direction from which I am supposed to go. I do that in hotel rooms too. I once got lost in a large hotel for over an hour. I came in through a different door than I exited, ended up in the other wing of the hotel from my room, and had to go back to the hotel conference center and then find my way from there back to the lobby.

I'm the exact same way, missing what my mother calls "the direction bump on your nose." My sister is the opposite and thinks it's hilarious that I can get lost anywhere. So I love that I have a navigator on my phone because I used to get lost alot :-D
And I got lost in the bowels of The Orleans in Vegas once. An employee took me through all these doors and tunnels to retrieve my jacket at their lost and found, and then I was left to find my way back to the casino floor. The doors down there lock automatically behind you, so I couldn't re-trace my steps and finally banged on a door when I heard voices, which turned out to be the kitchen of one of their restaurants. That was a surprised staff!

>35 mstrust: My husband and I are equally bad with directions. We call ourselves "directionally disabled." My departed spouse was one of those people who did "seat of the pants" driving, no maps or GPS. He just had a good sense of where to go. One of our friends is the same--we met them in New Orleans in 2019 (prepandemic) and spent a couple of days there. They could get in the car and just figure out how to go, or would know how to correct a mistake or missed turnoff. No fear driving!

Luckily, my husband is the same way. He fearlessly starts driving and along the way asks me to look up the cross streets, then usually has no trouble.

Coconut Willie

From the Coco Palms Hotel in Kauai.

1 tbs shredded coconut
1/2 oz Lopez coconut cream
1/4 oz Cointreau
2 1/2 oz gin
Put these into an ice-filled blender and blend for a full minute. Pour into a ceramic coconut mug (or just a short glass) and garnish with fresh coconut and a cherry.

15. Flight by Sherman Alexie. Fifteen year-old Zits has been placed in twenty-one foster homes since he was six, when his mother died. The string of foster parents has ranged from indifferent to abusive, and an assault on his latest foster mother lands Zits in a cell, where he meets an older boy named Justice. For the first time in years Zits has a friend, someone who cares for him and looks out for him, though the reader knows to be wary of Justice. This manipulative friend leads Zits to a strange series of awakenings that explore Native American and White relations in American history.
A thought-provoking book that addresses race and the foster care system, while also switching the main character back and forth from victim to victimizer. 4 stars

>39 mstrust: I read some of Sherman Alexie books in library school, but nothing lately.

>31 mstrust: The question, I suppose, is whether what we have gained makes it worth the losses? I just read a book on What the Amish Teach Us. They've intentionally avoided some of the technology to embrace what they consider more important.

>40 LadyoftheLodge: This is just the second book I've read from him. I hope he comes out with a new one soon but I think he goes a few years between publications.
>41 thornton37814: I think that would depend on both what loss we're speaking of at the moment and how much value it has for each person. The author hit on some of my own pet peeves, such as "private observances". I can't tell you how hard I grit my teeth seeing a video of a public marriage proposal. Dammit, I hate them. :-D

Well, I managed 15 this month, which is a feat for me and may never happen again.
Top reads:
Gastro Obscura- 5 stars
Horrorstor
The Giver
Murder at Melrose Court- all 4.5 stars

>43 mstrust: Congratulations on a reading record! I keep meaning to look for Horrorstor so thank you for the reminder. And adding Murder at Melrose Court to the wishlist.

>43 mstrust: You liked Murder at Melrose Court a lot more than I did.

>43 mstrust: - I'm still in the middle of Gastro Obscura. The library renewed it so I don't feel like I have to rush through.

>44 VivienneR: Thanks! And I'm happy to remind you of Horrorstor, you've got a treat ahead of you.

>45 hailelib: I liked it and would like to read more of this series. It had an authentic Golden Age feel, at least to me.

>46 dudes22: Hooray! It's a book that needs time, and paper to list all the things you want to find.

I'm juggling too many at once now:
Best Wishes, Warmest Regards
The Ice Pick Surgeon
The Geography of Bliss
Their Eyes Were Watching God
True Grit
Murder at Teal's Pond
The Pickwick Papers

16. Best Wishes, Warmest Regards: The Story of Schitt's Creek by Daniel Levy and Eugene Levy. A great big coffee table book of the creation, casting, writing and characters of Schitt's Creek. Each of the regular cast has a page explaining how they began working on the show and what they think of their character. Every episode is summarized, and the most popular scenes are explored. That means The Crowening, the romance of David and Patrick, and pages of David's complete knit collection and Moira's ensembles. A must for a fan of the show. 4 stars

>48 mstrust: I did enjoy that show! Maybe my library has a copy...

Hope you get to check it out. I loved reading about Moira's wigs.

>43 mstrust: Impressive. I managed 13, which is unheard of for me!
Hope February is every bit as good, both quality & quantity.

Thank you, and I wish you a prolific February!
I think my usual for a month is 5-6, but I tend to go into top speed at the beginning of the year and in Fall.

Here's a classic-


The Manhattan Cocktail
Invented at The Manhattan Club in 1874.

2 oz rye, bourbon or Canadian whiskey
1 oz sweet vermouth
2 dashes Angostura bitters
maraschino cherry

Pour the liquid ingredients into a mixing glass filled with ice cubes. Stir well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with the cherry.

>53 mstrust: The Royal Manhattan was my husband's drink of choice on the cruise ships of our past vacations (alas, don't know if we will ever get on a cruise ship again). The bartender would set it up when he saw us coming in for Happy Hour.

>53 mstrust: - We had a good friend who used to drink Southern Comfort Manhattans whenever we would go out to eat.

>54 LadyoftheLodge: >55 dudes22: There's a reason why it has been around so long- it tastes good! And it's open to reinterpretation. The choice of whiskey, a variation of the bitters. I included a maple version in my maple book, and I believe I've seen a smoked version.

17. The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner. Catapulted into action by his own depression, the author researched the happiest places in the world (circa 2007), or places that had distinct beliefs about happiness, and went. Starting with a happiness expert in The Netherlands, Weiner visited Switzerland, Bhutan, Quatar, Iceland, Thailand, Great Britain, India and came back to America. He also spent two weeks in Moldova, the country rated lowest in the happiness index. By meeting the average people, professionals in mental health, spirituality, a psychic, and some government officials, he was able to give the reader a general semblance of what life is like in that country and what makes that particular nationality happy. 4 stars

>57 mstrust: sounds interesting--on my WL it goes!

It is! I hope you get hold of it.

18. The Icepick Surgeon by Sam Kean. A collection of accounts of doctors, surgeons, chemists, and one prominent psychologist who often thought they were doing good things, and sometimes did, but did really terrible things too. The title account is about the doctor who invented icepick lobotomies, and unfortunately, he loved his job. Another account is about the current wars between Edison and Westinghouse, in which Edison got involved in electrocuting animals to prove the danger of the AC current. Then there's the account of a baby boy who was surgically re-assigned as female (there were unusual circumstances) and lived a tortured life.
You know that a book is disturbing when the "fun" chapter is devoted to two 19th Century paleontologists spending decades and family fortunes destroying each other's reputations. Actually, that chapter was pretty fun, and this is a really interesting book, though I had to put it down at times and have a break. 4 stars

The Ginger Rogers

1/2 oz gin
1/2 oz French vermouth
1/2 oz apricot brandy
1 tsp fresh lime juice

Pour all into an ice filled shaker and shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a maraschino cherry.

>60 mstrust: Just wow-icepick lobotomies! I went to the Psychiatric Hospital turned museum in Westin, West Virginia, and saw the surgery room where they performed lobotomies. The patients laid on what looks like a dental chair, were given gas, and the surgeon actually just used a drill. How horrible! Going to see if my library has this one!

I don't know of any gentle way to perform a lobotomy, but an ice pick had me really hoping there wouldn't be pictures. There are.
But it's an interesting read and I learned a lot.

My first package in the Spice of the Month club has arrived. It has four pouches of Mexican mole (2 levels of heat) and a recipe card with a picture of the meal.
It also has two pouches of coxinha seasoning for making the Brazilian savory dumplings or croquets, along with the recipe card. I've never heard of this seasoning or the snack. It's filled with chicken, tomato, green onions, garlic and cream cheese (optional), then wrapped in a dough, breaded and fried. I don't know if I'll do this because of Mike's diet, but it does seem like I could make the filling and put it over riced cauliflower since they list an alternative to the dumplings as pouring the filling over rice or noodles.

There's also a postcard of a beach in Rio.

>64 mstrust: very interesting!

>64 mstrust: Ooh, those look delicious!

>64 mstrust: YUM those look amazing!

I'm not a fan of mole, but the dumplings look interesting.

>65 Tess_W: I joined in the hopes of learning about new-to-me spices, and here it is!

>66 christina_reads: I'd love to try it because they do look good.

>67 rabbitprincess: If I make them I'll have to invite you all over!

>68 dudes22: I love mole and I've never made it, so that's likely to be the one I try first. And the two different moles included allow for matching the heat to my preference. But if you don't like mole, you wouldn't like this month's package. There's always next month...

I made the coxinha filling last night and put it over riced cauliflower. The recipe called for a full packet of the seasoning but because I didn't know what to expect, I used just half a packet and it was very flavorful. The recipe called for salting the filling as it cooked in the skillet, but the seasoning must have salt in it too, so it was a bit salty. But now I know, and I'll make it again. We liked it.

The Lovely Lovely
From the Papeete Bar at the Waikikian Hotel, Oahu. Recipe from Intoxica!

1 1/2 oz 151 Puerto Rican rum
2 tbs brown sugar
1 oz lime juice
1 oz lemon juice
1/2 orange curacao

Dissolve the sugar in the juices. Pour all the ingredients into an ice-filled blender and blend well. Pour into a snifter glass.

19. Murder at Teal's Pond by David Bushman and Mark T. Givens. This is the cold case that inspired Twin Peaks, as one of the creators was often in the area as a child and grew up hearing hazy accounts of the mysterious murder of a beautiful young woman at the nearby pond.
In 1908, twenty year-old Hazel Drew was found floating in a small pond near Troy, New York. She was a local girl who had grown up in the smaller towns outside Troy and worked as a domestic servant to several well-connected families. Her body had been in the water for several days before being found, making the determination of cause of death difficult. Strangely, her family hadn't reported her missing even though she hadn't been seen in many days. She had quit a good job and had been spotted taking various trains and walking about the pond alone on what must have been her last day alive, which set detectives and the press trying to puzzle out how this local girl from a poor family could have so many social connections that her family and even her best friend were unaware of, and how she could afford expensive clothes and vacations on a servant's salary. The authors follow-up the facts of the case and inquest with their own theories of what happened to Hazel Drew.
Because Drew's death was a major story at the time, there is quite a bit of information from newspapers of her day, along with city records. And because of the connections of many of the men involved in investigating her death, and Drew's attractiveness, her story received a lot of attention. Personally, I don't like when authors make up conversations and actions in order to make history seem alive, and that's what happens here at times, with the tone switching between the style of reporting facts and then becoming obvious fiction, such as conversations between detectives that no one would be privy to, but maybe that's just my quibble.
Interesting case. 3 stars

I'm adding both The Icepick Surgeon and Murder at Teal's Pond to my TBR list--thank you for those reviews!

>72 mstrust: If you only rated it 3 stars, it sounds like the TV series based on it was better.

>73 whitewavedarling: Happy to help!
>74 thornton37814: I had no idea there was a series!
I think the complex and mysterious life Drew had created for herself was the most interesting part of the book. Trying to follow all these relationships she had was really something. I was less intrigued by all the political ties of the men involved in the case, and I'm not convinced that the authors didn't gin up the importance of the local politics in this murder case because it sells in our climate.

Back from the booksale!



Non-Fiction
(Travel, cookbooks and everything else)

The Library Book
When the Mob Ran Vegas
The Dead Beat
Garlic and Sapphires
There's a Slight Chance I Might Be Going to Hell
Joe Gould's Teeth
Nathaniel's Nutmeg
Schott's Food & Drink Miscellany
The Plant Messiah
Jamie At Home
Jamie's Food Revolution
Vintage Cocktails
Cocktail Hour
Everything is Going to be Great
Kevin McCloud's Grand Tour of Europe
The Billionaire's Vinegar
The Bookseller of Kabul
Save Me the Plums
Kiss Me, Kill Me
Adrift: Seventy-Six Days Lost at Sea
Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words
What Am I Doing Here?
Cream Teas, Traffic Jams and Sunburn
Monticello: The Official Guide to Thomas Jefferson's World
The Lunatic Express
David Sedaris: The Best of Me
Runnin' With the Devil
The Perfect Horse
Mastering the Art of French Eating
Books for Living
The House on First Street

Next post will be fiction.

>76 mstrust: Oh, that looks like an AMAZING haul!

Fiction

The Sun Down Motel
Corduroy Mansions
The Glass Hotel
I Am Legend/ Hell House
Inspector Imanishi Investigates
Anagrams
The Vendor of Sweets
Nightmare in Pink
A Purple Place for Dying
The Deep Blue Good-by
Maigret Sets a Trap
Zuleika Dobson
Bottle Grove
Lizard
Kitchen
The Circle
The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared
The Facility
Cirque Du Freak: Allies of the Night
Nobody Dies in a Casino
Raising Steam
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
The Life of Elves
The Pig Did It
Vinyl Cafe Turns the Page
The Mansion in the Mist
The Namesake
The Silence
Noonday
The Road to Mars
The Midnight Plan of the Repo Man
Early Autumn
Killshot
Rivers of London
Village School
Fatal Remedies
Heck: Where the Bad Kids Go
Esio Trot
Animal Dreams
Sellevision
The Silence of the Girls
The Bookshop
Authority
Mr. Dixon Disappears
Love Over Scotland
The Last Town
Ambrose Bierce and the Death of Kings
The Dark Half
Dreamcatcher
The Bookman's Tale

Okay, I believe I have all the correct touchstones. We spent three hours there, plus standing in line for 45 minutes before and about 15 minutes to pay. However many books this is, we spent $100. And went for Mexican after.

Wow to both lists for $100. Some really great buys. And YUM to the Mexican!

Wow, that's an amazing haul.

That must have been a huge book sale! That's a great haul.

>75 mstrust: I thought someone mentioned it was the basis for Twin Peaks.

Happy Valentine's!


>79 Tess_W: I had a fun day. Mike had a day of work, ha! And he ran to the store and bought his mom a bouquet and took it over to her.
>80 MissWatson: Isn't it? I did a good job!
>81 dudes22: Look up images of "VNSA book sale" and see how huge it is.
>82 thornton37814: Yes, I said it in my review, and it's on the book cover. Drew was an especially secretive person, which her family and friends didn't realize until her death was investigated.

Crushed Velvet

3 oz sparkling shiraz
3 oz brut champagne

Combine the two in a champagne glass and garnish with a lemon twist.

Wow! I'd probably be overwhelmed at that sale, but I'd love it. I've read several on your list and I've got several on my TBR. I probably paid more for those few than you did for all of it!

Great book haul! I see you've picked up a few by John D. MacDonald- an author I really like. So far I haven't read any from the Travis McGee series, but have concentrated on his stand-alones.

WOW!!!

>85 clue: It can be daunting the first time. I remember the first time I went, I was so unprepared that I didn't even have anything to carry the books in, just holding them in my arms. A nice lady took pity on me and gave me a big paper shopping bag.
>86 DeltaQueen50: Thanks! Yes, I picked up three by MacDonald. I haven't read anything by him so far but The Deep Blue Good-By was on my WL.
>87 Helenliz: I agree!

Happy Valentine's Day!! Nice book haul! I see several on your list that I have read. Listened to Garlic and Sapphires as well as owning the paper version. I spy a Miss Read novel in there too, always a good choice.

I hope you had a good holiday!
For some reason I have been collecting Miss Read and Reichl's books and have yet to read anything from either. I guess I just know that I'll love 'em and want them.

20. Vintage Cocktails: Authentic Recipes and Illustrations from 1920-1960 by Susan Waggoner and Robert Markel. With lots of vintage ads and photos, this book looks at the history of classic cocktails. While there aren't lots of recipes, the variety of spin-offs related to the original Rickey or Sour, and the various Martini methods, are interesting. 3.5 stars

>77 Jackie_K: Hey, Jackie, I see now that you got sandwiched in between my posts!

>93 Jackie_K: Luckily not literally, I'd have been flattened by all those books!

That's an excellent haul! Some great mystery novels in there.

>93 Jackie_K: ;-)
>94 RidgewayGirl: And it turns out that I only bought two that I'd already owned!

21. Cocktail Hour: Authentic Recipes and Illustrations from 1920-1960) by Susan Waggoneer and Robert Markel. The companion book to >91 mstrust:, this one if filled with the lesser known cocktails that were popular in the past. Here is the history and variations of The Bronx, The Corpse Reviver, Planter's Punch and the non-alcoholic Shirley Temple, plus cocktails that are specific to WWII. I like the "related" section of most of the recipes that explains how to change the recipe to make a different yet similar cocktail. 3.5 stars

Huh. I've finished my "Food, Drink and Home" category with this one.

22. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. The story of Janie, a child of rape who was raised by her grandmother. At sixteen Janie is spotted kissing a boy, so her grandmother makes Janie marry the boy, though Janie doesn't love him. This begins Janie's struggles with unhappiness due to a lack of autonomy in an age when women were defined by their relationships to men. Her attempts to find happiness tend to have hard repercussions.
It took some time for me to get used to the phonetic dialogue, but the story of Janie's life is engrossing. I first thought that Janie made choices that led to her unhappiness, but the more I thought about it, I realized that Janie was going with the best of two bad options, but always with the hope of things working out. I read this because of its ranking on The Great American Read. 4 stars

The Goldfish
A Prohibition era cocktail that was first made with bootleg gin.

1 oz gin
1 oz dry vermouth
1 oz Goldwasser (a citrusy liqueur that contains gold flakes)

Mix all in a well chilled cocktail glass.

23. Jamie's Food Revolution by Jamie Oliver. A book that has recipes for the beginner and slightly more advanced cook, with a focus on simple cooking with fresh ingredients. This one came a year or two after Oliver's campaign to change the British school lunch program from serving children processed foods to fresh produce, and throughout this book are photos of some of the people he converted from feeding their family's on a fast food diet to cooking healthy meals. 4 stars

24. Jamie at Home by Jamie Oliver. Inspired somewhat by the British show, The Good Life, Oliver not only provides recipes, but also gardening tips on how to grow your own fruits and veg. There are chapters on tomatoes, peas and beans, onions, and strawberries. There are sections about growing and cooking according to the seasons, and he addresses egg production, hunting, and fresh game such as pheasants and rabbit. While I won't be shooting my dinner anytime soon, I did make his version of tomato salad and Indian carrot salad. I've tried many of Oliver's recipes and have found them to be flavorful and easy. 4 stars

My "Favorite Authors" category is Done!

And now I get to look through the seminars on offer for the Tiki Oasis event in April and see what we'll be attending.

>100 mstrust: Added to my wish list!

>100 mstrust: I had to laugh when I read the line that said you won't be shooting your dinner any time soon! Ditto that!

>101 Tess_W: I believe I own six Oliver books now, and a few of his recipes are go-tos for me, like Crunch Salad and Steamed Lemon Pudding.
>102 LadyoftheLodge: ;-D Because my husband and I know a rancher, we can get beef (when it's slaughtered, not all the time) that has had a very good, natural life, and we have a hobby egg farm just a few blocks away where we see the chickens running all over the grounds when we stop in. So we're lucky in those regards. I know I couldn't do those jobs myself.

>103 mstrust: My husband does hunt in the fall-- only for 1 deer, which we butcher and have processed. (he doesn't always get one) He would bag a couple of pheasants, if he could. I prefer also do get eggs and meat where I know the background and habits of the farmer. We have a turkey farm about 15 miles from our house, so often we buy ground turkey and use it instead of ground beef.

Mike grew up hunting with his dad in Michigan, but I don't think he's hunted in maybe twenty years. We fished a few years ago but didn't catch anything. I agree with Oliver that if we eat meat we should be aware of where it comes from, how it's raised and killed. Nothing is better for putting me off meat for a couple of days like thinking about the industry.

My brother has a small farm nearby so I have a place to get my meat and eggs. He doesn't grow turkeys anymore, but I can get beef, pork, lamb, and chicken when he has it. And vegetables (he grows the best damned spinach.) He doesn't have a heated greenhouse so no veggies in the winter - I rely on farmer's markets instead for most things.

Wow, how fortunate to have a real farmer in the family!
I'm currently successfully growing bell peppers, unsuccessfully growing tomatoes, and I've just planted French Breakfast radish seeds a few days ago. Our mechanic is an incredible gardener and grows huge tomatoes and zucchini that he gives to us.

Hot Toddy
Toddys can be made with any variety of liquor, even gin or vodka, and the fruit can be changed to lime or orange.

2 oz whiskey, brandy or rum
1 tsp sugar
slice of lemon
1/4 tsp cinnamon
boiling water

Place sugar, spice and lemon in a heatproof mug and add liquor. Add the boiling water, stir, and garnish with a cinnamon stick and a pinch of nutmeg.

Just bought tickets for two seminars at this year's Tiki Oasis. "Tiki in Pop Surrealist Art", given by tiki artist Big Toe, and "Walt Disney's Tiki".

Happy National Margarita Day! I did my part with a couple of skinny Margaritas a few days ago.

Why didn't I know about this? I must have missed the tiny umbrella shaped light in the sky.
I've never had a skinny Margarita. Taste somewhat similar?

>111 mstrust: Yes, not as sweet though, just made with a different kind of tequila.

Thanks for the info. I've seen the Skinny Girl brand but never tried it.

It's 45F, dark and rainy in Phoenix! Coral is curled up in front of a fire.
We went to Cerreta's candy factory this morning and bought all the nuts items to take to Mom as birthday gifts. Pecan pralines, jordan almonds and a big bag of roasted pecans. And some dark chocolate orange meltaways for me.

Back from a couple of days in Vegas. Didn't win, but celebrated Mom's birthday with too much food and cake.

25. The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. When the new tenants of the Sunset Towers apartment building notice smoke coming from the long abandoned Westing mansion, they all know something strange is happening, but none of them could guess how strange things are going to get. Samuel Westing hasn't been seen in years and was presumed to have died in some far-away place, so it's not only a surprise when his newly deceased corpse is found in the mansion, but also to discover that he had written a will that invited every tenant in the apartment building to play a game, with the winner taking the Westing fortune.
This was the 1979 Newberry Medal winner, and it's a complex story featuring sharp-witted characters, including thirteen year-old Turtle. 4.2 stars

>114 mstrust: What a fabulous place to celebrate! Too much cake is never a bad thing. Happy Birthday to Mom.

>115 mstrust: That looks like fun. I've taken a BB.

:-D I agree that cake is a very good thing to have too much of. We had tiny vials of chocolate mousse at the buffet, and a fantastic dessert at the revolving sushi restaurant Sunday night. It's called "honey toast", and it's a block of something that is a cross between a pound cake and a light egg bread. The outside was toasted crunchy and coated in something textural, maybe powdered honey? The whole top was covered in vanilla ice cream and caramel and dark chocolate sauce.

>115 mstrust: I read The Westing Game just a year or so ago and quite enjoyed it. I wished that I could have read it when I was younger but alas, it wasn't published until I was 18.

I liked it a lot. It has a bit of aging, but also raises topics not usually found in YA, such as the invisibility of middle-aged women in American society.

With so much other pressing news, you may not be aware that Mardi Gras is going on. My brother is there and sent me a video of a parade yesterday. Join in by making this traditional cocktail found all over the city. My recipe is from the famous French Quarter restaurant.



Brennan's Milk Punch

1 oz dark rum
1/2 oz bourbon
1 oz vanilla bean syrup
1/2 oz half & half
1/2 oz heavy cream
grated nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass. Shake with ice until frothy and strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with nutmeg.

>120 mstrust: Happy Mardi Gras a few days late! We were in New Orleans in 2020 for Mardi Gras and stayed in the French Quarter. This week we wore our green-purple-gold striped shirts and I wore my Mardi Gras jewelry--charm bracelet and fleur-de-lis earrings and pin. We went out for pizza (alas, no king cake) and just a few people remarked on our attire and wished us Happy Mardi Gras. It's wild down there at this time of year! Loved the people there--very friendly and diverse population.

>115 mstrust: My middle school students always loved this book. It has been many years since I read it though.

>121 LadyoftheLodge: My brother has a house in the French Quarter that I haven't seen yet, other than online. When he sent me the clip of the parade he was watching, I was literally, "Oh, Mardi Gras is happening?"
I'd love to go and I'm sure Mike and I will get there eventually. I want beignets from Cafe du Monde!

>123 mstrust: You definitely need those beignets! I visited New Orleans with a friend a few years ago, and what I remember most is the absolutely fantastic food and drink. (We didn't go during Mardi Gras, though...might have been a little too crazy for me!)

It's a city that I should have been to, but I have a great excuse now. Geez, I've been all over Europe and Canada but I haven't been just a few states away. But I think I'd avoid Mardi Gras too.

26. Elvis in Vegas: How the King Reinvented the Las Vegas Show by Richard Zoglin. This book could just as well be titled "Great Entertainers in Las Vegas", because so much of it covers the Rat Pack, collectively and separately, in their Vegas performances and personal lives. The author also looks at the casino lounge acts who did very well, such as Keely Smith and Louis Prima, and the comedians who headlined in Vegas. The book explores the change in taste from the 50's, when Liberace was the hottest act, through the 70's, and some of the acts that were popular across decades, like Wayne Newton. Woven throughout the book is the story of Elvis and his ongoing connection to the city, from his first unsuccessful performances as a teen idol, to the shows of 1969-1971 that jump started his comeback.
The last seventy-five pages or so are solidly Elvis, discussing the musicians, casino owners and others who were involved in the shows at The International. A reader picking up a book with this title might have been disappointed by how much of it was about other performers, but I was interested in all of it and enjoyed all the chapters that were devoted to the Rat Pack, but also enjoyed learning more about the mob, various casino owners, show producers, and how Howard Hughes changed the way casinos ran and how entertainers were treated. There are little quibbles. A native of California is not a Yankee, and sometimes it seems like the author is laying the criticism on too thick to prove he's a journalist, but overall I really enjoyed this very informative book. I recommend it not just for a fan of these entertainers, but also for someone looking for Vegas history. 4.5 stars

27. Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson. A collection of short stories about the citizens of the small town. What most of the stories have in common is that each character has something that makes them feel isolated and often desperately unhappy, whether this is a bad marriage or an unsuccessful career or unrequited love. While some readers have found this a depressing book, and it certainly isn't a happy one, there are little unexpected touches of humor, and a lot more sex than you'd expect in a book published in 1919. 4 stars
I read this for the group read.

This is a very old wine cocktail, so old that the name was naughty back then. It was actually pretty popular and has variations.

The Bosom Caresser Cocktail

1 oz brandy
1 oz Madeira
1 dash grenadine
1 dash curacao
1 egg yolk
ice
Shake all the ingredients in an ice-filled shaker and strain into a cocktail glass.

>125 mstrust: The beignets at Cafe du Monde are good, but need to be eaten when they are hot, along with the chickory coffee! And do not wear anything black if you are going there, because the beignets are literally covered with powdered sugar--and you will be too! Things are crazy at Mardi Gras, better to go at a different time of year if you want to experience the city without so many people. Music and food are worth the trip, and a visit to the French Market is a must. (Go to the Commander's Palace restaurant for 25 cent martinis at lunch. Just sayin'.)

I've seen people eating the beignets on tv and seen them dump piles of powdered sugar off the top. It's a wonder the Cafe du Monde seating area isn't full of people choking from inhaling all the sugar dust, ha!
I know the Commander's is where Bananas Foster was invented, but I didn't know about 25 cent martinis!

Not as good as getting the originals, but I think I will try this:
https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/beignets/

It looks delicious. You'll have to let us know how it turns out.
I don't have the right kind of pot for frying them, and I also haven't deep fried anything in six or seven years.

Well I've got a pot and oil--we buy in 25 gal container at bulk food warehouse. However, I've lost 100 lbs in the last 18 months and I know these are not part of the plan! (I still have 40 to go). But, I can make them, try them, and if they are good, give them to neighbors, grandkids, and people at church!

>132 mstrust: Same here--I don't deep fry anything now, and do not have the equipment to do so any more. Our biggest self-indulgence is wine, and we try to eat healthy meals.

>133 Tess_W: Post us some photos! Good luck with your cooking.

>133 Tess_W: Wow, congratulations on your weight loss! That is a huge accomplishment. I'm in the midst of trying to lose some significant weight as well...about 60 lbs down so far.

>133 Tess_W: Amazing! And congratulations on such an achievement!
When I make cookies and brownies they are often taken to Mike's work and passed around for his employees and customers.

>134 LadyoftheLodge: Our sugar and carb intake was scaled way back a few years ago, though we will still have ice cream or chocolate. Mike used to polish off a whole package of cookies after dinner, now he'll have just a couple. And we eat a whole lotta vegetables at dinner.

>135 LadyoftheLodge: Yes, we're still interested in beignets!

>136 christina_reads: That's a big achievement too! Congrats to you!

I'm sure I've mentioned that I joined a spice club in February. The newest package included an African seasoning mix to make a stew called Gboma Dessi that had chicken thighs, onion, lots of garlic, spinach and hot peppers. It was really good. Last night I used the packet of Indian Ajwain to make a pan-fry vegetable dish. The seasoning had a light lemon flavor.

>137 mstrust: I've been pondering joining a spice of the month club!

I wanted to find new-to-me spices and that's just what I've gotten!

28. Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell. Sixteen year-old Ree's life has always been one of poverty in the Ozarks, but things have gotten worse now that her father is missing when he's expected to show up for his court date. As he'd signed the family shack and all their land against his bail bond, Ree, her barely functioning mother and her two young brothers will be homeless unless she can find her father and get him to court, or failing that, and given the type of people he hung around with, prove that he's dead.
I read this for the mystery group's "small town/big lies" theme. It's the first I've read from Woodrell and captures the modern issue of drug abuse in rural, desperately poor areas. 4 stars

>28 mstrust: I love Daniel Woodrell. I live in the Ozarks region and can say he gets it right. Just today I picked up my interlibrary loan of Ride with the Devil, first published as "Woe to Live On", which takes place during the Civil War and was made into a movie directed by Ang Lee. I'll have to see if I can find it online. You may have seen reviewers call Woodrell's style "rural noir" or "grit lit", his description was "country noir". If you haven't seen the movie of Winter's Bone, you might to give it a try. I liked it but most people I know found it too raw though truthful.

Good to hear from a fan. Ha, "grit lit" is a great name for this one! I know I have at least one more of his on my shelf, and I think it's The Death of Sweet Mister. I first heard about Woodrell many years ago when I came across an interview with him on the radio.
I have seen the movie of Winter's Bone, and it's excellent. I'm a fan of John Hawkes, who played Uncle Teardrop. He appears in lots of indies playing grim characters.

We've had tremendous wind since yesterday afternoon. I brought my porch plants in because the wind is strong enough to blow a few of them away.
And my brother texted me last night that he's coming out for a conference around Memorial Day, so we'll do lunch. We haven't seen each other since 2019.

The Ballet Russe

2 oz vodka
1 tbs cassis syrup
tsp fresh lime juice

Combine the ingredients in an ice-filled shaker, shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Hi Jennifer, I am another fan of Daniel Woodrell. I love his writing - Winter Bone was the first one I read but I have also enjoyed The Death of Sweet Mister, Tomato Red and a collection of short stories called, The Outlaw Album.

Hi, Judy! Good to hear you like him. This grim, Southern style is a niche he has done really well in and I'll definitely read more.

Speaking of Woodrell...
For anyone interested, I'm hosting this month's MysteryKIT. It's noir and hard-boiled, so if you've been meaning to read Chandler or Hughes, come join.
https://www.librarything.com/topic/340322#unread

29. Gertrude and Claudius by John Updike. This is the story of what happened before Hamlet. As a teenage princess Gerutha argues with her father against her upcoming wedding to the much older soldier Horwendil, an argument she loses. The result of this marriage is a boy whom Gerutha never feels very motherly towards, claiming the child is cold to her. All the while, her brother-in-law has been circling Gerutha, desperately in love.

This is the second Updike I've read, having read The Centaur many years ago and liked it. I can't say that I liked this one though. Gerutha's own life wasn't explored, she is shown only in connection to the men in her life, and because of that, her portrayal is sexualized much of the time, while her role as mother to Hamlet is thin in the story, he actually figures little.
I got the feeling pretty quickly that Updike was a guy who liked the sound of his own voice. The sentences are packed with as many descriptors as could be jammed in, making for heavy paragraphs. 2.5

30. Disney Villains: Devilishly Delicious Cookbook by Julie Tremaine. A hardcover with beautiful photography. Recipes are named after villains and include little bios, so you have dishes of "Poor Unfortunate Rolls", pink iced cinnamon rolls named after Ursula, "Friends On The Other Side Gumbo" for Dr. Facilier, "Horrible Wholesome Sunshine Salad" for Madame Mim, and "Dalmatian Pancakes with Strawberry Compote" for Cruella De Vil. The recipes range from simple enough for kids to more advanced and a few that need some skill. 3.5 stars

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

The Irish Cooler

1 1/2 oz Irish Whiskey
1 oz club soda
Add into an ice filled old-fashioned glass, stir, and garnish with a spiral cut lemon peel.

31. Travel Hacks by Keith Bradford. 651 hacks to make travel as easy as possible, whether flying, driving or cruising. My favorite: "Never put your feet up on a car's dashboard. Airbags can go off like small bombs and they can easily break both your legs."
There are some good hacks, some dumb ones (do you really need to be told that you can make a photo album of your trip?), and several hacks that are repeated. 3 stars

>152 mstrust: I never can figure out why some people riding in cars slouch down and put their feet up on the dashboard, or even worse, hang their feet out the window. Fortunately, I have never seen anyone do this while driving.

>150 mstrust: I wondered about the significance of lettuce to St Patrick's Day, but perhaps the green thing is a flower?

>153 LadyoftheLodge: When my older sister got her drivers license, she bought our dad's old Cadillac. Soon after, mom came home and chewed my sister out for allowing her friend in the passenger seat to dangle her feet out the window as they drove around. They'd driven right past her. :-D

>154 pamelad: Carnations! I prefer naturally colored flowers myself, but they do throw a nice green glow on the Guinness.

32. Welcome to Night Vale by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor. In the small, isolated desert town of Night Vale, Jackie is the owner of a pawnshop that pays eleven dollars for pretty much anything that can be pawned, including tears. She's nineteen and has always been nineteen, she can't remember being any other age. It doesn't bother her that much.
Diane is a single mother to teenage shapeshifter Josh and works in an office that performs unclear business. Diane is the only person in the office who remembers a recent co-worker named Evan, though her memory of him is getting weaker. More importantly, she's shocked to see her ex, Josh's father, has returned to town after abandoning his family years before, and he seems to be working every job he can get.
Creeping into their lives is the worry about a mysterious man in a tan jacket who has been skittering all over town, handing over pieces of paper with two words written on them. He put one in Jackie's hand at the all-nite diner and now she can't get rid of it. The two women really dislike each other, but when Josh somehow escapes Night Vale, something few people have been able to do, they work together to find him.
Surreal, funny, and with strong doses of both sci-fi and horror, this is the second Night Vale novel I've read and now I want them all. How can I not like a place where a visit to the public library is nearly always fatal? 5 stars

The Backbone of the World by Stephen Graham Jones. Elderly Millie lives in a trailer alone since her husband was sentenced to twenty years in prison for accidentally running over two children. Her trailer is on a big parcel of land outside a Montana town, but she doesn't have much time left there, as the land and trailer belongs to her husband's family, and since he's not there, she needs to go. When another tribe member asks about the old camper Millie had tried to rent a year ago, Millie is happy to have the company and rent, and believes the new renter has been vetted by her friend. The woman who shows up comes at the same time as a terrible prairie dog problem that makes the land dangerous to walk and has Millie worried that it will look as is her husband didn't take care of the family land, so she throws herself into killing the prairie dogs as the strange renter stands by observing.
This is a story of loss and tribal connections that turns into a horror with a unique kind of monster. It's part of Amazon's "Trespass" collection of short stories for Kindle. This is just 53 pages long so I'm not counting it. 3.5

The Panther's Breath Cocktail

1/2 oz curacao
1/2 oz cream
1 drop Angostura bitters

Pour the curacao into a chilled sherry or cocktail glass and float the cream on top. Drop the bitters on the cream and serve.

>158 mstrust: I tasted curacao when we were there in Curacao (part of the ABC islands). I did not care for it, but the color is pretty.

>150 mstrust: Green Guinness! That's a first for me. I like Guinness but find that green froth a bit weird! Hope you had a great St Patrick's Day.

>159 LadyoftheLodge: It is pretty, and it's featured in tiki drinks a lot. I'm sort of surprised that I haven't posted many curacao drinks.
What a cool and exotic location to visit! I hope you had fun.

>160 VivienneR: Thanks, Vivienne! I actually had a quiet St. Patrick's, and didn't have any beer at all. How boring, huh?

33. What's The Difference?: Recreational Culinary Reference for the Curious and Confused by Brette Warshaw. This book explains the difference between apple cider and apple juice, broth vs stock, Kosher vs sea salt, prawns vs shrimp, Armagnac vs Cognac, and all the different coffee drinks with the Italian names. Informative and fun. 3.5 stars

>161 mstrust: Curacao was a cool place to visit. As with many locales, it had its seedy side. The fun and cool stuff was on the other side of the "Swinging Old Lady" bridge--lots of shops and parks and etc.

I'll be honest, I didn't even know there was an island of Curacao. But now I'd like to go, ha!

34. Las Vegas Then and Now by Su Kim Chung. Vintage photos, some over 100 years old, are placed next to recent photos showing the changes the city has experienced. Each photo has an explanation, a paragraph or two that identifies the building and its history, who built it, and too often, when it was replaced. This book might not be of much interest to anyone who doesn't know the city well, but for someone who has spent as much time there as I have, it was really interesting and cleared up a few things. Like why did I have a memory of going to see a movie downtown when I was a kid somewhere near the Golden Gate casino? Turns out the touristy El Portal gift shop on Fremont used to be the El Portal theater. Why is there a bar called The Ice House on Main St.? Because there was an ice plant on that spot that was the only icing station for three states, filling railroad cars with ice to transport fresh produce.
There are also then and now photos of the iconic "Welcome to Las Vegas" sign, which was designed by commercial artist Betty Willis in 1959, and a photo of the Hacienda Hotel and Casino, imploded in 1996, a place that thrilled a very young me when we'd stay there because their buffet featured a self-serve milk machine.
This book was published 15 years ago, so lots of the newer photos aren't accurate now. 4 stars

I forgot that yesterday was my 14th thingaversary. I had cake anyway.

Happy belated Thingaversary!

>142 mstrust: The Death of Sweet Mister is (along with Tomato Red) my favorite Woodrell. It will break your heart.

>157 mstrust: I'm reading Stephen Graham Jones's My Heart is a Chainsaw right now. It's very much a love story to slasher films.

And Happy Thingaversary!

>167 MissWatson: Thank you!
>168 RidgewayGirl: I'm 99% positive that I have Tomato Red on the shelf. The synopsis of The Death of Sweet Mister lets the reader know that they're in for a sad read, though I have no doubt it's very well written. He's a new-to-me author.
I want to read that Jones. It's very much a love story to slasher films. That sounds fun!

>166 mstrust: Happy Thingaversary! Now buy books!

Thank you, Cheryl!
I always have my huge book buying spree in February when our charity book sale at the fairgrounds takes place, and this year I followed that with some book buying at a Las Vegas library. So I brought home over 80 books. Even I can't make an argument for buying more in March, ha! But I did buy myself a rolling gardening cart yesterday.

35. A Taste for Poison by Neil Bradbury, Ph.D.. The author, a Professor of Physiology and Biophysics, discusses the discovery, properties and effects of a list of poisons that include arsenic, strychnine, ricin, potassium and more. With each poison, the reader is given case studies of poisoners who used that particular method on their victim(s), such as Charles Cullen, the critical care nurse who killed patients with digoxin, and KGB-defector Alexander Litvinenko's poisoning in London with a pot of polonium-laced tea by Russian agents.
This book combines chemistry, biology and true crime, and moves at a quick pace while giving detailed information. Good choice for someone who needs this info for a mystery novel! 4.5 stars

The Arsenic and Old Lace Cocktail

1 1/2 oz gin
1/2 oz absinthe
3 dashes French vermouth
3 dashes creme de violette

Place all ingredients into an ice filled shaker and give a good shaking. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Serve to the victim while looking innocent.

>172 mstrust: I don't need the info for a mystery novel, but as a historian, I wanna read it!

I can see you had a VERY happy thingaversary! 80 Books! Wow--I'm jealous, although I probably would not live long enough to read those 80 plus all the ones currently on my TBR!

I hope your library carries it, it's worth finding it.
I know, 80 books at the fairgrounds sale alone, which is more damage than I've ever done. I'm starting to think that my book shelves expand to what I need to shelf, like a goldfish growing by how much it's fed.

36. Cape Cod: Gardens and Houses by Taylor Lewis and Catherine Fallin. A coffee table book that takes the reader into the well-heeled homes all along the Cape. Some homes are over one hundred years old and have a rustic Colonial look, while others are more modern beach houses. All have beautiful large gardens. 3 stars

>171 mstrust: Our huge local charity book sale takes place in October and lasts for a week. We went back three times in 2021 because they had a large donation of history books (my hubby is a history reader) and also the sale was even huge-er (??) because there was no sale in 2020. We always rationalize our selections by saying that it is all for charity.

We didn't have the sale in 2021, but I believe they have around half a million books each year, plus music and movies. So it took place in February 2019, skipped 2021, and that hurt, then came back this year. So I gorged myself.

Happy Thingaversary, Jennifer! My 14th is coming up in June, I am already assembling a list of books that I want to add to my shelves.

Thanks, Judy!
I'll be very interested to see what you pick out for your thingaversary. Sounds like you're researching to get just the right ones.

My rolling garden cart arrived this morning! Mike put it together but needs to bring a certain wrench home to tighten everything, then I can fill it tomorrow. I was at the nursery this morning buying more strawberry plants and marigold.

A belated Happy Thingaversary! 80 books is very charitable of you.

>180 mstrust: My perennials order just showed up today. Nice sized plants and I am anxious to plant them outdoors.

>181 pamelad: Thank you! I did leave a few for other people, but I walked out yelling, "Eat my dust!"

>182 LadyoftheLodge: Now that I see the size of this cart I'm, hoping I have enough soil. I've marked out where everything will go, and it's a combo of plants and seeds.
My sister was telling me about a loquat tree that grew up wild in her yard a few years ago and has produced so much fruit. I'd never heard of this tree. She eats it raw but has also made jam, and her Filipino co-workers love it when she brings a bag in.

>183 mstrust: I have not heard of that tree either. The flowering trees near our home are looking beautiful with white and pink blossoms, and the bushes are starting to show flowers and green tips too. I am anxious for spring! I also planted some herb seeds in a little jiffy pot window garden and they are starting to come up. It might still be too cold in our sunroom to put the herb pots out there though.

I'm looking at citrus trees for our backyard, and I'd love a desert willow for the front yard, though there are a couple of other trees, like a mesquite, that I'd take too. The problem is that my window for planting is almost closed, as our spring is pretty much over and we're back into the 90s this week. Too hot to establish a tree before we hit the 100s.
I'd like to grow pandan because I like the taste and the whole plant is supposed to have a nice scent. I'm looking into it but it's a tropical plant and I don't know if it would do okay in such dry heat even though I have a covered area.

Hi Jennifer, you mentioned that you are reading Farewell My Lovely and that you watched the film, "Murder My Sweet" recently. I saw that movie some time ago but remember really liking Dick Powell as Marlowe which surprised me as I also loved Humphrey Bogart as Marlowe as well.

I've seen Bogart in "The Big Sleep" and they are very different portrayals. Bogart is more broody, a bit threatening, while Powell is more energetic.
I watched "Murder, My Sweet" on TCM, and the host explained beforehand about the casting. Powell was a successful lead in many movie musicals but realized he was aging out of those roles and wanted to find another genre he could work in. He pushed to get the role of Marlowe, it was definitely casting against type, and the movie did very well. I thought he was excellent in the role.

The Flying Dutchman

2 oz orange gin
juice of 1/4 orange
juice of 1/4 lemon
3 drops Angostura bitters

Pour all ingredients into an ice filled shaker, shake well and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

I love reading about your gardening experiences and envy the plants you mention. Although our snow is gone, we are still a few weeks away from planting anything tender.

I'm happy to drone on about my gardening! For many years I've tried, on and off, to grow stuff outdoors but had little luck. Our soil is both dry and rocky, and as hard as concrete. It wasn't until I discovered cactus soil and cactus food that I was able to turn things around and it worked very quickly.
With my fruit and veg plants, I've done really well with organic potting soil and spent coffee grounds. So now that I've finally figured things out, I've gone overboard with it.

My neighbour is a big believer in used coffee grounds. But he has a restaurant so they are plentiful, while I only have one cup a day.

>190 mstrust: No such thing as going overboard with plants, trees, etc! I have clay soil and it is difficult to grow anything that is delicate. I've tried various methods to rehab it, but most are unsuccessful. Except for trees and fruit bushes, and the flower courtyard which I've put tons of top soil into, I grow in 5-20 gallon containers. A plus: no weeds!

>191 VivienneR: My mom always put the coffee grounds in her compost pile!

>191 VivienneR: Tell him to share! At the very least, some Starbuck's have bags of spent grounds that they give away.
>192 Tess_W: I'm growing the produce and flowers in containers, they would never survive in my soil. But with finding the right commercial soil and food, my cactus and succulents are thriving.
>193 thornton37814: My mom was the one who told me! She grows only houseplants, which she feeds with a coffee and milk mixture and they are huge.

The grounds really enrich the soil and the plants love it. I've gotten a better result from the grinds than I have from commercial plant food as far as the fruit and veg. For the cactus and succulents, I put a few drops of Schultz Cactus Food around each plant before I water once a week. I've been doing that for about four months or so and nearly all my plants have grown suckers, stalks, or bloomed in that period. I have one aloe that is growing babies like mad.
Raise your hand if you watch the PBS gardening show "Growing A Greener World". I had always been on the fence about adding egg shells to my plants, but last night I watched the episode with the host working in his own enormous garden, and he crushed shells up and added them and he had tomato plants that must have been seven feet tall. I didn't know they could grow that tall. We have four eggs nearly every morning so I'll give it a shot.
Yesterday I repotted a pincushion cactus that needed more room, and planted containers of zinnia and hummingbird wildflowers. I planted carrot seeds about a week ago and they've sprouted. The heirloom arugula a planted three weeks ago is about two inches tall.

We put coffee grounds straight onto the ground - apparently the worms really like them and slugs hate them. I used to put them in the compost bin, but then I realised I had no slugs in there, presumably because there was too much coffee. I don't mind slugs in there (they help the plant and food waste break down, and much better they're in there than out in the garden eating my veg and flowers!). So coffee grounds straight onto the soil seems like a win:win situation. I don't drink coffee at all, but my husband makes two cafetieres-worth a day, so it soon builds up.

I put grounds right around the plants too. I used to put the grounds in the jug of water, then pour them on, but I get the same results. Slugs aren't common in our region, at least I've never come across one in the twenty years I've lived here. It's just too dry. But there's at least one tiny gray jumping spider that has made a home on my front porch among the succulents and marigolds.

I wanted to do something with my strawberry mint yesterday, it's doing so well. So I put a big sprig in lemonade and more in plain seltzer, good in both. Then, of course, I melted dark chocolate and coated some of the larger leaves and put them in the fridge to firm up. It was good, and really interesting. There's the flavor of green strawberry first, then mint, and an aftertaste of ripe strawberry. I thought Mike would have just one to appease me but he finished off the plate of them. And the chocolate covered mini marshmallows I'd made too.

This year's gardening experience will be different since we just moved to our community in August. I like to use containers and plant my annuals in them. Daffodils here are getting ready to pop open, and mini-daffodils are open right by my front porch--tiny and cute, and a plant I never had before. I know there are hostas along our garage and some day lilies in the front too.

I love daffodils, they smell amazing.
Yesterday I deadheaded both my desert marigolds and Spanish lavender. And I snipped some French lavender and dropped it in a glass of water, which I put in the fridge for about four hours to steep. I drank it before bed and it was good with a light lavender flavor until the last tbs or so, where the flavor was very concentrated.
I picked one red strawberry yesterday. I've noticed that my homegrown berries are much softer than grocery store berries, almost like biting into a banana. I should have several ripe tomatoes by next week, as two of my three plants are producing really well.

Come see me at my new thread, and bring a pitcher of mojitos!