The Hare with Amber Eyes by Edmund de Waal

My favourite book of the year so far! Edmund de Waal traces the history of his unique inheritance: a collection of over 260 netsuke, or small Japanese carvings.

The netsuke travel with various members of the Ephrussi family from a Parisian apartment hung with Impressionist paintings, to Vienna under both the Emperor and Hitler, to post-war England and bombed out Japan.

The book captures much of what is beautiful about the period - clothes, architecture, art, summer houses, optimism - and much of what is ugly -  what it means to lose a war, the racism involved in collecting, and most vividly, crushing anti-Semitism.

It is also a biography of a family, and a honest reflection on the way an author creates a story around a set of events, objects and places.

Photo

Need a good book?

I escaped to Victoria for the day on Friday, and managed to squeeze in a trip to my favourite book store of all time, Munro's. Housed in a former bank, it is a temple to books. (I snapped this photo with my phone.)

While on the ferry/bus, I managed to read Sarah's Key. I really liked it - the story was gripping, the characters were interesting and the descriptions of the roundup and deportation of Paris' Jews were truly horrifying. 

[Just one question: why didn't Sarah tell a) Leon, the little boy from her school, or b) the nurse where her brother was???]

Also,  getting Death Comes to Pemberley for Christmas has also sent me off on a Jane Austen renaissance. (Interesting, but mystery may be a bit, um, clinical for Austen's characters. Elizabeth isn't very funny and Darcy isn't very dreamy.) 

So far, I've re-read Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion and Emma, and I'm now reading Jane Austen in Context, edited by Janet Todd. The chapters about dress and food were interesting, but my favourite has been the chapter about money by Edward Copeland.

Copeland calculates that Austen's poorest characters are Miss Bates and her mother, who live on about 100 pounds per year. This is enough for one young, inexperienced servant. The Price family have about 350 pounds per year, and the Dashwood women have 500 (generally thought to be "a thoroughly genteel income of a single woman" but perhaps not quite enough for four). 

Mrs. Elton brings Mr. Elton about 500 pound per year; however, Emma would have brought him three times that. Miss Grey brings Willoughby 2500 (hopefully it was worth it). 

Colonel Brandon and the Bennets have 2000 pounds per year, enough for a carriage. Bingley, Mr. Crawford, and the John Dashwoods have about 4000-5000 pounds per year, enough to participate in the London "Season," and Mr. Darcy and Mr. Rushworth are, of course, the richest of all. 

Who's your favourite Austen hero? Mine has always been Knightley, although in this last re-reading, the bossiness was a bit much. Henry Tilney may be a bit more fun. And then, of course, there's always Mr. Darcy. Swoon. 

Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies with Coconut Oil

I've been hearing lots of buzz about coconut oil and it's many purposes, have you? 

I first heard about it from my hairdresser. She told me that it makes a great, chemical-free moisturizer, and she's right! It looks kind of like shaved ice, but when you rub a small glob between your palms it turns into a magical substance. I even use it on my face, and I am VERY sensitive about oily products on my face.

Apparently all the employees of the organic grocery store downstairs are gleefully adding globs to their food as a condiment. I may not go that far, but I did do a little experiment with coconut oil and chocolate chip cookies. To really test it out, I used my favourite recipe and substituted coconut oil for half the butter. The results? A success! My chocolate-loving test subjects (my boyfriend and two new moms) agree. Next time I'll go all the way with the coconut oil. 

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Coconut Oil, Whole Wheat Flour & Oats

Ingredients

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup butter

1 egg

1 tsp water

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup unbleached flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cups of quick oats

1/2 cup of chocolate chips (replace some or all with craisins or raisins if you like)

Method

Mix the coconut oil, butter and sugar in a large bowl with a wooden spoon. Make sure you smash out all the lumps in the coconut oil. Add the egg and water. 

In a second bowl, combine flours, baking soda, oats and chocolate chips. Add the dry to the wet. (When I am feeling lazy, I just scoop all the dry ingredients on top of the wet ingredients and give the soda a little swirl.)

Shape into little mounds on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 16 minutes, or until the house smells like cookies.

January

My schedule changed this term, and while I used to linger in the mornings, I now have to get moving. This means I am STARVING by, oh, 9:30 am. This olive oil lemon loaf has been saving my life this week. I used 2/3 whole wheat flour and skipped the icing and it is delicious.

As always happens in January in Vancouver, the rain, it is a falling. However, when the sun does come out, the dog and I rush outside as soon as possible. Our favourite walk of late has been in the Victorian-era neighbourhood behind our apartment.

Moss on sidewalks, sugar and occasional sunny hours...
















... we will make it to Spring!

Happy Holidays!

I made it!

Through the term, through the marking (festive coffee helped here), and over the Strait of Georgia to my hometown on Vancouver Island. Ah, the Island, where everyone has backyards, no-one drives defensively, and six people can go out for beers and music trivia for a grand total of $39!

My grandma, before she passed away, used to make Ukrainian cabbage rolls every Christmas Eve. We've morphed the tradition into Greek food, and are trying this healthier but hopefully still tasty moussaka tonight. I'm also going to make this favourite at some point - a healthy and tasty spinach and artichoke dip.

Otherwise, we'll be taste-testing various butter tarts, watching the Queen, and taking long, slow walks around the block while the dog sniffs every ditch. Happy Holidays, everyone!

Apple Loaf

I have found the perfect apple loaf! 

It's not photogenic, but it's delicious. Hopefully, I can now avoid the lure of the 3 o'clock Tim Hortons chocolate chip muffin. (It's really more of a personal cake than a muffin, let's be honest.)

I used this recipe. Based partly on viewer suggestions, I used 1 tsp of cinnamon, 1 cup of grated apple & 1 cup of grated pear, and 1/3 cup of canola oil instead of 1/2 cup of butter.

Fall Food: Eggs and Soup

Here in Vancouver, there's leaves on the ground and snow on the mountains. My boyfriend is out of town this week, so here's what I have been eating for lunch and dinner:

First: poached eggs on toast with spinach and goat cheese. I have graduated from cracking the eggs into a big spoon to cracking them right into the water. Progress!

 The bread is from a local chain where I can stick my head in the door and call out my order while keeping the dog company on the sidewalk. (I'd tie him up, but he'd pull over their sign... he knows how to throw his 6 pounds around.)

Second: easy Fall/Winter soup, adapted from the Rebar's Chunky Winter Vegetable Soup. I will never make this kind of soup (or chili) again without beer. (All the alcohol evaporates, so it's appropriate for work and pregnant friends alike.)

Ingredients

1/2 onion
3-4 cloves of garlic
1 carrot
1 celery stalk
a selection of seasonal veggies: squash, parsnips, turnips, sweet potatoes, savoy cabbage, etc.
some kind of bean or grain, like 1/3 cup quinoa or a can of white beans
oregano and/or fresh thyme
red chili flakes
a splash of apple cider vinegar
one bottle of dark beer
1 carton of low-sodium vegetable broth

Directions

Saute the onion, garlic, carrot and celery for a few minutes. Add the other veggies, bean/grain and spices. Saute for a few more minutes. Add vinegar, beer and broth. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Serve with crackers and cheese or cheese toast. (The Rebar suggests blue cheese on pumpernickel, but cheddar on whole wheat is also delicious.)

I foresee this will be an excellent antidote to holiday over-eating!