Booking It

With a break from studying, I delved into a few other books from my list.  I'd recommend them all.  

On Writing by Stephen King

Roots was the first long book I remember reading.  (Much gratitude to my school librarian.)

It was the second.  I'm not sure how I came by it...my librarian Aunt?  It sent me down a path of King's other books and helped me deal with the early years of high school.   I loved reading his writing journey and was inspired to see how this too carried him through his accident recovery.  

Permission to Feel by Marc Brackett, Ph.D

Everyone should read this book.  I've known many adults who cannot express their feelings or they have a limited band of words they use (tired, upset, sad, mad).  I agree with the author that this training needs to be in a childhood curricula as well and I appreciated the tips for use in work life.

Nomadland by Jessica Bruder

Definitely thinking differently about retirement and Amazon after this one.  Kudos to Bruder for going all in to bring us the story of nomad life.  (Halen is an excellent name for your rig.)

Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas

Great read!  This is Mav's story before The Hate U Give.  We also learn more about Mr. Wyatt, Lisa, and Mav's mom.  I can't imagine the challenges that many young men face just to get through school.  We need to be doing more.

Breath by James Nestor

Fascinating read through various techniques of breathwork.  (Nestor's another author that went "all in" in the pursuit of the story.)  Nose breathing is where it's at.  

I hope your spring or autumn season has kicked off with a few good reads of your own.  Let me know if there's anything I should add to my list! 

Say Cheese Too

Last year I missed the season of "calahorra".  Like so many things, the word was forgotten until one day two weeks ago the words, "Tengo un regalo para vos!" piqued my ears.

I opened the bag to find four pimentos.  A gift indeed!  

If you grew up in the South, heavy odds are that you like pimento cheese.  Maybe you have a favorite brand or you like to make your own.  I made mine, modeling one of my Aunt's recipes but I bought my pimentos in a jar and the cheese was pre-shredded.  Those types of purchases don't exist for me in Argentina so the prospect to make a simple comfort food means patience and a little planning*.

Philadelphia Cream Cheese came to the market a few years ago.  Last year I found a local cheddar (sold by the block) that is a little better than Kraft but not quite Vermont.  (I also found a smokey brand that makes a really good mac-n-cheese but that's a different comfort food day.)   

With 0.5 kg of cheddar, 4 pimentos, the Philly cream cheese, mayonnaise (readily available), some really old Tabasco (LONG expired), and a few other condiments, I was ready.  I did underestimate the time requirement for roasting the peppers** and overall assembly but the end result was worth the wait, and of course, better the second day.  (Luckily, I had already made the bread.)  

I've made another batch this week, taking advantage of the season.  In what has become my style of cooking, I paired the pimento cheese with two traditional Argentinean breads, "chips" y pan de manteca.  

As the season moves on to root vegetables and squashes, I will too, still savoring a new food memory of the end of summer.

*  Seasonal availability

** Oven Roasting > roasting one by one over gas flame