The 42nd edition of Novel Food is ending with the customary roundup. I have been hosting the event for over 14 years and it's been a constant pleasure. This time we'll have a small party still rich in reading suggestions.

Each post describes a work of written words and the dish that the reading inspired. Join me on a literary/culinary tour. For each contribution, I offer a small bite to whet your appetite: follow the link to read the details of the literary work and the dish. We hope you'll be inspired in your reading and in your kitchen.

a light, flavorful side dish
(linen napkin by La FABBRICA del LINO)

Simona of briciole read Honeysuckle Season by Mary Ellen Taylor
and prepared a Vegan zucchini side dish

"Taylor's novels are centered around strong female characters. Her writing style is enjoyable and the stories keep the reader's attention. If you are looking for a summer read, this is a good candidate… Libby's love interest, Colton, is a widower with two young boys. Their food preferences are what one would expect… When zucchini season starts I am reminded how much we disliked that vegetable, regardless of how it was prepared… That gave me the idea of preparing a zucchini dish… This dish is light and has a delightful 'green' flavor, with a chees-y nuance provided by the nutritional yeast. It pairs well with various main courses, including frittata and legumes."

The 41st edition of Novel Food is ending with the customary roundup. I have been hosting the event for over 13 years and it's been a constant pleasure. This time we'll have a small party still rich in reading suggestions.

Each post contributed by a book-loving food blogger describes a work of written words and the dish that the reading inspired. Join me on a literary/culinary tour. For each contribution, I offer a small bite to whet your appetite: follow the link to read the details of the literary work and the dish each participant describes. We hope you'll be inspired in your reading and in your kitchen.

Debra of Eliot's Eats read Falling From Trees by Mike Fiorito
and made Dandelion Jelly

"All of the stories revolve around changing environment and the fate of the planet and I imagine it could be classified as science fiction. But it is not a depressing book even though the Earth implodes during the first tale. That sense of hope is honestly prevalent… None of the stories revolved around food in any way so that made my food pairing for this book a bit tough. I went back to The Love of a Dandelion: 'When we discover the love of a dandelion and have compassion for even the sun, we will arrive at these truths.' The hope and vision the young boy has in the tale continued to make me want to highlight this story."

Debra also read Where I Come From by chef Aarón Sánchez
and made Tio Mario’s Famous Chile Con Carne Colorado-Style Burritos

"Sánchez doesn’t romanticize the trials and tribulations of working in and owning restaurants or his Food Network celebrity rise… I also appreciated his honest narration. Not pulling any punches he lays it all out there—failed restaurants and failed relationships alike… Sánchez is honest about his cooking, his choices, and his personal life (and relationship with his mother)… Uncle Tio’s recipe uses three kinds of dried chiles (Arbol, Guajillo, and Ancho) and a slow braising process. I learned something from Sánchez’s recipe: only sear the meat on one side to help it stay more tender in the braise. Did not know that. These were delicious. Even though it was an afternoon process, it’s worth it."

Debra went back to her copy of Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi
and made a Roasted Vegetable Frittata

"'Very Full Tart' [is] full of roasted vegetables and Mediterranean goodness. Here’s the problem, I didn’t want to make a pastry crust… So instead of a tart, I decided I would make a crustless version, hence the 'frittata' title to this recipe… This is a great brunch dish as well and leftovers keep well for a couple of days. I also think you could throw in whatever vegetables you have on hand like summer squash. Japanese eggplants would definitely work as well… The book is divided into almost every kind of vegetable there is from Roots to Leaves… The photographs are tremendous."

A Promise of Ankles by Alexander McCall Smith (44 Scotland Street series)
inspired Judy of Judy's Gross Eats to bake a Spicy Cheese Scones

"Even though our public libraries are still not open for walk-in browsing, there is still a way to peruse the new books… During a recent visit, I spotted my title book in the window, and immediately checked it out… One of the characters, Angus, is out walking with his dog, Cyril, when Cyril runs off into the bushes and makes a great discovery… a Neanderthal skull!… A representative from the Department of Neanderthal Affairs, Dr. Colquohoun, has agreed to come over and verify the authenticity of the skull. In honor of his visit, Angus makes his famous cheddar cheese scone, liberally laced with cayenne pepper… To find out what the outcome was, you’ll have to read the novel."

small lentils, big flavor
(placemat by La FABBRICA del LINO)

Simona of briciole read The Lighthouse by P.D. James
and prepared Lentil spread

"I love P.D. James's novels: her writing is evocative, exact, engaging. I particularly enjoy her descriptions of landscapes and interiors. James's descriptive skills are in full display in The Lighthouse which is set in the (fictional) Combe Island off the Cornish coast 'a restful haven for the elite'. The immediate reason for Dalgliesh's presence on Combe is the violent death of a famous novelist, Nathan Oliver…What inspired me are various occasions in the story where characters come together: there are beverages (wine or tea), but never a bite to eat. I wanted to enter the story and bring a tray with foods, like a spread with crackers."

I am proud to present the roundup of the 40th edition of Novel Food. I repeat that number to myself: 40th! I have been hosting the event for  13 years and it's been a constant pleasure. Particularly in a year like this, I like to pause to contemplate small successes.

I am happy to celebrate this important milestone with a group of book-loving food bloggers, who have contributed posts to the event. Each post describes a work of written words and the dish that the reading inspired. You are invited to join me on a literary/culinary tour. For each contribution, I offer a small bite to whet your appetite: follow the link to read the details of the literary work and the dish each participant describes. We hope you'll be inspired in your reading and in your kitchen.

Debra of Eliot's Eats read Recipe for a Perfect Wife  by Karma Brown
and made Smoked Meatloaf

"Many of Nellie’s chapters begin with vintage recipes and totally dated and misogynistic quotes about housewifery. There’s recipes for the classics like meatloaf, chocolate chip cookies and even fancy Baked Alaska… For this post, I decided to pull out two family cookbooks to see if I could find a retro meatloaf recipe. I found this recipe in the compilation from my maternal grandmother’s stacks of recipes… Around here, we will certainly make this again (and again)! It was a great dinner! I plan to experiment by adding maybe blue cheese and a few walnuts, or adding some jalapenos with the colby-jack cheese and topping with salsa. The possibilities are endless…"

Debra also read THINKING & EATING: Recipes to Nourish & Inspire by the School of Life
and prepared an Orzo Pasta Bake

"Both a cookbook and a manifesto for living, [the book] pairs compelling essays about philosophy and psychology with more than 150 recipes… Warm, insightful and beautifully written, THINKING & EATING reveals the foods we should eat in order to feel like our best selves… Now, for some substantial food to feed your spirit and soul. I think we need more calm because life seems to be 'getting too much' right now so I tried the Orecchiette Pasta Bake. But, because of all the uncertainty (and hoarding) in our lives right now, there was no orecchiette in the pasta aisle. I used orzo for this recipe instead."

Both of Judy of Judy's Gross Eats readings, As the Pig Turns, An Agatha Raisin Mystery by M. C. Beaton and
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson, inspired her to bake a Cheesecake

"I was familiar with the Agatha Raisin series from British television, but it was my first time reading one of the novels. It is very light, escapist reading, a good thing in these challenging times. Based on the title, I thought there would be some discussion on food, but that wasn’t the case. (The pig turned out to be a policeman. On a spit.)… [Bryson's book] was a memoir about his childhood in Iowa… when he spoke about Johnny and Kay’s and their cheesecake, I knew it was a sign. So cheesecake it was… chill overnight. That was the most difficult part! Waiting! It was, however, delicious for breakfast."

Claudia of Honey from Rock read Death Below Stairs by Jennifer Ashley
and was inspired to fry Chicken Lime Avocado Soup

In this tale reminiscent of the old Upstairs, Downstairs TV show, a youthful, though excellent chef, in Victorian London, finds herself stretched to her limits with cooking, shopping, (earning enough to support her little girl) all while helping solve the murder of her young assistant. I thought the ambitious and feisty cook was an engaging and well-drawn character… Early on Kat prepares an asparagus soup for the family. I'm not growing asparagus, however we do have avocados… I found this hot version [of avocado soup] on the side of a chicken broth carton. Yes, yes, I do make my own, but keep a few cartons for emergencies. And few of the ingredients that were included caught my eye – shredded chicken, and lime. So we have Chicken Lime Avocado Soup. "

Questions of Perspective by Daniel Maunz inspired Debra of Eliot's Eats
to bake something special Cat Treats for her household's special feline, Eliot

"[The book] was presented to me as 'Metaphysical fiction—contemporary fiction with a speculative element, which gets a bit philosophical (not in a heavy handed way).' I loved this book. It is a totally irreverent look at spirituality… The bigger question here is probably what would you do with god-like powers if you had them? Would you solve the world’s problems or maintain free-will? These are all questions of perspective… There wasn’t a meal or a dish that really seemed relevant (per my previous comment) so I decided to embrace the love both John and Dave had for Peaches the cat. I would make cat treats." Go to Debra's post to read Eliot's review of the treats.

For her final contribution, Debra read A Borrowed Life by Kerry Anne King
and was inspired to prepare BPT Sandwiches

"[The novel] shows a world of reverent hypocrisy, one that is rigid and stifling… Elizabeth (or Liz) does get her life back (sort of) and she keeps a humorous outlook. Her stoic ability to find humor in dire circumstances made me love her… I remember a craving Liz had for a bacon sandwich with pickles. I was in. I also wanted to comment on the fact that she loved pickles growing up but since Thomas did not care for them he did not allow them in his house. Liz, here’s a sandwich I wish you would have served Thomas, with extra spicy pickles. You go girl, and eat all the pickles you want in this new life!… BPT might sound like a psychological disorder but it actually stands for Bacon, Pickle and Tomato!… The results? Deliciousness!!!!!"

Deb of Kahakai Kitchen read The Outlook for Earthlings by Joan Frank
which inspired her to prepare Shredded Tofu Egg-less Salad

The most surprising thing about [the book] is the amount of story that the author packs into about 230 pages. She covers decades in the friendship between two very different women, and their lives and their choices… Women's friendship is an interesting thing–who we choose as friends, who we choose to stay friends with, and how that friendship ebbs and flows over the years, changing and evolving. Frank captures the story of these two women in beautiful, slightly melancholy prose… Since it is such a short book, I wondered if there would be much food in it and there actually was… For my bookish dish I decided to go with the 'fake egg salad made of tofu'. I found a couple of recipes online but I ended up making up my own. "

You certainly don't need me to add to the myriad stories about the pandemic we are experiencing, so while I acknowledge it and its consequences on all aspects of our life, here I would like to create a small corner of relief from the intense pressure. While different for each of us in content, such pressure is a reality for all of us. One element that has helped me cope with the situation has been the continuing ability to shop at our farmers' markets, to support our farmers and to bring to my kitchen season's produce. The other has been access to the outdoors for physical exercise and de-stressing. I hope you are all finding ways to balance the pressure for maintaining as much well-being as possible.

A group of book-loving food bloggers has contributed posts to the 39th edition of Novel Food. Each post describes a work of written words and the dish that the reading inspired. You are invited to join me on a literary/culinary tour. For each contribution, I offer a small bite to whet your appetite: follow the link to read the details of the literary work and the dish each participant describes. We hope you'll be inspired in your reading and in your kitchen.

Deb of Kahakai Kitchen read The Summer House by Lauren K. Denton
which inspired her to prepare Pimiento Cheese & Shrimp Dip

"Set in the summer on Alabama's coast, it's a perfect summer book for tucking in a beach bag or curling up on the lanai with a cold glass of lemonade or sweet tea, and immersing yourself in Safe Harbor… I knew that I wanted to include shrimp as it is what Rose's family did, especially her nephew Rawlins and was featured heavily. There was a somewhat dubious pimiento cheese dip made by someone named Donna for a big community summer kick-off party… I was going to make pimiento cheese grits and serve it with shrimp but I wondered if I could add shrimp to it as a dip."

"While some of the sections may have arguably gone too far into fantasy… the compassionate lyricism keeps the book open and the pages turning… In short, I was completely entranced by this beautifully written book… In spite of all, we are still trying to stay sane. And we are eating like rajas. And particularly enjoying the cooling miracle of raita made with mint from the garden. Mint that would threaten to take over the garden if we didn’t keep cutting it to make iced tea, or mint pesto, or mint chutney, or more raita. "

simple ingredients rolled into energy bites

Simona of briciole read The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie King
and prepared Date energy bites

"In the book, Russell and Holmes (they address each other using their last name) solve three cases together… In the style of the times, food is not in the forefront and one worries, particularly about Mary, during the difficult hours spent in hiding, waiting, escaping. Easily portable snacks would address the need to stay nourished. I have the same need when going for longish rides on my bicycle, or runs. Packaged energy bites are readily available and some are quite good, but I had wanted to make my own for a while and finally Mary inspired me to do it."

summer on the plate

Simona also read The Twenty-Seventh Letter of the Alphabet by Kim Adrian
and prepared a Summer side dish of zucchini, carrots and tomatoes

"The author tells her difficult, often deeply painful, story through vignettes organized in glossary format. The vignettes work like pieces of a puzzle: as the book proceeds, the reader reconstructs the lives of the main characters—the author, her parents and her sister… Zucchini always make me think of my mother: she cooked them in various ways when in season, but as children, neither my brother nor I liked the vegetable. In time, my taste changed (while my brother's didn't), so at least I gave my mother satisfaction when she brought a zucchini dish to the table."

My special "thank you!" to the event's contributors: I hope you enjoyed participating as I do hosting the event.

You will find a link to this roundup and to those of all the earlier editions on this page. If you are looking for additional reading suggestions, head over to the Cook the Books Club website. For the June-July edition, we are reading Kitchen Chinese by Ann Mah.

The next edition of Novel Food will be in the fall: stay tuned for the announcement. In the meantime, take good care of yourself, your loved ones and your fellow citizens by observing health officials' instructions, read good books (maybe with the next Novel Food in mind), cook good dishes, and savor life's flow in its myriad expressions.

Arrivederci!