Thursday, April 24, 2014

They've Ruined My Easter Candy

When I was growing up, I always loved the variety of Easter candy that would appear in my basket. It usually consisted of jelly beans, chocolate eggs, the hard oval shaped eggs that were a bit hollow but had a marshmallow layer near the top, a few Cadbury eggs, a large chocolate Easter bunny, and malted milk eggs (aka Robin eggs). I must confess that the jelly beans were probably my least favorite because they were usually the cheap ones instead of a good variety such as Jelly Belly. I loved just about anything chocolate, although the bunnies did not usually have a good flavor. I always, however, enjoyed the malted milk eggs. I went to the store a day or two before Easter and purchased a bag of malted milk eggs. I didn't read the packaging very carefully, but when I tasted them, I realized there was some sort of flavor on the shell part. I really wanted plain malted milk eggs. I glanced at the package and still only saw the words "malted milk eggs." This week I was in another store and saw the Easter candy on clearance. I went over to the shopping cart that had malted milk eggs in it. To my disgust, the only variety they had were coconut flavored malted milk eggs. No regular ones at all! I came back home and took out my bag. There in tiny print were the words "ice cream flavor" down at the bottom of the bag. That explains the disgusting taste. I wish I'd just purchased a package of Reese's Cup eggs.

Friday, April 04, 2014

Georgia Courthouse Disasters

Graham, Paul K. Georgia Courthouse Disasters. Decatur, GA: The Genealogy Company, 2013.

Graham has researched and documented the disasters that affected various Georgia courthouses. He tells the stories of fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and other things which affected disasters and tells whether or not there was record loss, and if so, what was lost or remained. It's a very handy reference book for anyone doing genealogical work in the state by a well-respected Georgia genealogist.

Thursday, April 03, 2014

Murder Comes Ashore


Lindsey, Julie Anne. Murder Comes Ashore. New York: Carina Press, 2014.

Patience finds some body parts that wash up on Chincoteague Island. The local law enforcement and FBI are on the case. Her parents land in jail. She is determined to clear their name. It's a dreadful read with a promising setting. I never connected with the main character or really with any of the others. The writing did not flow. If you are interested in the Chincoteague setting, you are better off remembering it with the classic children's book Misty of Chincoteague. If you are interested for the mystery aspect, there are many more mysteries out there which are far more engaging. This is based on an advance reader copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

Tuesday, April 01, 2014

Under Magnolia





Mayes, Frances. Under Magnolia: A Southern Memoir. New York: Crown, 2014.

Mayes recalls her childhood and youth in Georgia, her college days in Virginia and Florida, and a few moments from her recent return to the South. She has a way of describing place that is a true gift. We even see some glimpses of some of her poetry. While I prefer her works on Italy, this one does give you insights into what shaped her as a person and writer. She also draws comparisons between Italy and the Southern United States. The writing is elegant as one has come to expect in her works. This review is based on an e-galley received by the publisher through NetGalley with the expectation a review would be written.

The Homesick Texan's Family Table



Fain, Lisa. The Homesick Texan's Family Table: Lone Star Cooking from My Kitchen to Yours.  Berkeley: Ten Speed Press, 2014.

Lisa Fain grew up in Texas but currently resides in New York. In this volume, she takes Texas cuisine, much of it from her own family, and gives it a bit of a New York twist by adding or substituting other ingredients and by using Kosher salt instead of the salt that would be most commonly used in the Southern States. She has quite a few Tex-Mex inspired dishes as well as some with hints of barbecuing. Many of the traditional Southern desserts are also included. Each sections is prefaced by a family story. The dishes themselves either give a family story, information about an ingredient and its use in Texas, or another interesting tidbit for the reader. Recipes vary in the degree of difficulty and amount of time it would take to prepare.  Persons looking for a book that will provide pure Texas recipes will want to find a different cookbook. Those who like twists on family favorites will enjoy this one. This review is based on an e-galley provided by the publisher through NetGalley with the expectation of a review.