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Tag: Excerpt
Make it Meaningful
by Sarah
Business & Careers + Health & Wellness / June 28, 2010
Once again, Berrett-Koehler's eNewsletter provides a solid half-hour of good reading, covering everything from the insightful to the silly. On the insightful side is the second edition of Alex Pattakos' book, Prisoners of our Thoughts: Viktor Frankl's Principles For Discovering Meaning In Life And Work.
In his book, Pattakos captures seven core principles—inspired by the writings of psychiatrist, neurologist, philosopher and best-selling author (!) Viktor Frankl—to apply to various work and life situations.
My favourite is Pattakos' fifth principle:
Look at yourself from a distance. Only human beings possess the capacity to look at themselves from a distance, with a sense of perspective, including the uniquely human trait known as your sense of humor.
Check out a PDF sneak-peek of the book to read about the other six principles.
In a recent blog post, Pattakos discusses five ways in which we can find meaning in the setbacks and problems we experience daily.
Alex Pattakos will be in metro Vancouver on August 6, 2010 to speak at the 6th Biennial International Conference on Personal Meaning. For more information and to register for the conference, check out the International Network on Personal Meaning website.
Summer Eats and Treats
by Siobhan
Food & Drink / June 24, 2010
Summer has been slow-moving out here in Vancouver. I don't mean "slow-moving" that "languid, lazy days of summer" kind of way. I mean, "Summer, hurry up and get here already. Seriously."
Along with the usual summertime activities -- swimming, hiking, camping, general lazing about in the sunshine -- I cannot wait for BBQs, picnics, drinks on patios...
In that spirit (ie. wishful thinking), here are some summer cookbooks to beckon the beginning of summer (whenever the heck it gets here). Enjoy!
Farmer's Market Desserts
Gorgeous Fruit Recipes from First Prize Peach Pie to Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes
This collection of tempting desserts inspired by those markets and the farmers who share their produce there satisfies the sustainable shopper's sweet tooth with more than 50 recipes for tarts, crisps, cupcakes, puddings, and more.
Sample Recipes:
- Read an interview with author Jennie Schacht on Grist.org, along with recipes for Strawberries and Cream Cake Roll and Chilled Plum Soup with Sour Cream.
- Summer Hibiscus Cooler and Rhubarb, Blueberry & Cream Parfait on the Chronicle blog.
- Goat Yogurt Panna Cotta with Balsamic Strawberries on the Fete a Fete blog.
- Black & Blue Buckle, Aprium Almond Tart and Berry Sauce for Lemon Verbena Buttermilk Ice Cream as part of NPR's "Top 10 Summer Cookbooks" feature.
More Treats:
Porch Parties
Cocktail Recipes and Easy Ideas for Outdoor Entertaining
A charming guide to casual outdoor entertaining, including 50 recipes for everything from punches to cocktails including several nonalcoholic sippers and 10 uncomplicated snacks.
Sample Recipes:
- Pomegranate Pimm's Cup and Minted Raspberry Ice Tea as part of NPR's "Top 10 Summer Cookbooks" feature.
- Michelada on Ladies' Home Journal
Latin Grill
Sultry and Simple Food for Red-Hot Dinners and Parties
Bold flavors, minimal ingredients, and a passion for flame! Discover a new spin on grilling, Latin-style, with more than 70 recipes by renowned chef Rafael Palomino, a pioneer of the fresh culinary territory known as Nuevo Latino. A little bit French, a little bit South American, this cuisine is huge on flavor!
Sample Recipe:
- Grilled Palomino Burger with Manchego Cheese and Avocado on the Chronicle blog.
More Treats:
Super-Charged Smoothies
More Than 60 Recipes for Energizing Smoothies
Super-Charged Smoothies is packed with all-new recipes for delicious elixirs rich with the nutrient-packed, disease-fighting, life-changing superfoods that promote energy and vitality.
Sample Recipes:
- "Kombucha, Baby!" Smoothie and "Strawberries All the Whey" Smoothie on the Chronicle blog.
More Treats:
- Video: Authors (and twin sisters!) Mary Corpening Barber and Sara Corpening Whiteford talk about the book -- and smoothies!
- Mary and Sara on Facebook
- View an excerpt from the book on Scribd
Stonewall Kitchen Grilling
Fired Up Recipes for Cooking Outdoors All Year Long
Try something new and different on the grill with 50 of Stonewall Kitchen's favorite recipes for grilling everything from steak and chops to lobster, tuna, vegetables, and fruit, including such gastronomic delights as Grilled Prosciutto-Wrapped Figs Stuffed with Blue Cheese and tasty little Lamb-Mint Sliders. Learn how to grill-roast a whole turkey or cook a pizza over a fire!
Sample Recipe:
- “Meatball” Sliders on the Chronicle blog.
Fast, Fresh and Green
More Than 90 Delicious Recipes for Veggie Lovers
This new bible for all things vegetable from Susie Middleton, Fine Cooking's Vegetable Queen. More than 100 recipes for appetizers, snacks, entrees, and side dishes, many of them vegan, make Fast, Fresh & Green an excellent resource for vegetarians and omnivores.
Sample Recipes:
- Author Susie Middleton writes about the book on her blog -- and shares a recipe for Sweet Potato “Mini-Fries” with Limey Dipping Sauce.
- Peas with Lemon and Mint, Squash Linguine, and Tomato and Peach Salad on Fine Cooking.
- Warm Parmesan Fava Beans with Shallots and Mint and Sesame-Ginger Marinated Grilled Shiitakes as part of NPR's "Top 10 Summer Cookbooks" feature.
More Treats:
Rum Drinks
50 Caribbean Cocktails from Cuba Libre to Rum Daisy
More than a cocktail book, Rum Drinks is your ultimate rum resource, including recipes for classic and contemporary cocktails and traditional snacks to accompany them, plus salty tales from a history of the sugar trade to the sparkly heydey of the Cuba Libre, an island-by-island listing of Caribbean rums, and a guide to great rum bars all over the world.
Sample Recipes:
- Mojito a Mi Manera on the Chronicle blog.
- Punch a la Noix de Coco on Epicurious.com
More Treats:
Kenk Hits Stores This Week!
by Dan
Events + Graphica / May 05, 2010
KENK: A Graphic Portrait finally hits stores this week!
Author Richard Poplak and Pop Sandbox publisher Alex Jansen were interviewed about the book by Mark Medley in the National Post at the weekend, and then again by Jian Ghomeshi on CBC Radio One's Q yesterday.
Richard was also interviewed about his involvement in the project by James Grainger for The Torontoist last month.
If you are still wondering what all the fuss is about, Igor Kenk — known in Toronto as "the stolen bike guy" — was the out-sized owner of the notorious and ramshackle Bicycle Clinic on Queen West, a long-neglected stretch of the downtown that was rapidly gentrifying. If your bike was stolen, the Bicycle Clinic was where you went looking, and when Kenk was finally arrested in the summer of 2008, nearly 3,000 bicycles were seized by police.
The book itself was constructed from film footage shot over the year leading up to his arrest and is an intimate portrait of a complex and controversial neighbourhood figure.
To give you a flavour of the book, here are some short excerpts:
Author and Publisher Notes (PDF)
Excerpt from Chapter 1 (PDF)
Excerpt from Chapter 2 (PDF)
The entire creative team will be on hand to celebrate the release KENK: A Graphic Portrait at the launch party tomorrow, May 6th, at The Cadillac Lounge in Toronto. The lovely folks from Type on Queen West will be on hand selling books.
You can get more news about KENK from kenk.ca and follow Kenk's dubious words of wisdom on Twitter @KENKisms.
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comics events excerpt graphic novels graphica igor kenk kenk richard poplak tcaf toronto
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day ... Without Green Beer!
by Siobhan
Food & Drink / March 12, 2010
Ireland is fast emerging as one of the world's hottest culinary destinations. It makes sense: the country is filled with amazing artisanal bakers, farmers, cheesemakers, and more. Add to that a gorgeous landscape and some of the friendliest people on Earth -- and you can see why the whole world wants to raise a glass of Guiness to the Emerald Isle every year on March 17th.
So for St. Patrick's Day this year, why not ditch the green beer, and celebrate in true Irish style?
The Country Cooking of Ireland is a beautiful big cookbook, which will be sure to inspire you to put away the green food colouring for good. And OK, you're still allowed to wear your "Kiss me, I'm Irish!" apron while cooking. 
FineCooking.com has excerpted a few recipes for you to sample:
- Irish Stew
- Colcannon
- Dingle Pies (pictured here)
There's a recipe for Corned Beef with Parsley Sauce on the Chronicle Books blog.
The Chicago Tribute also posted a recipe for something I'd never even heard of (or thought possible!): leek and oatmeal soup.
According to the author, Colman Andrews, the recipe he included in The Country Cooking of Ireland is "a modern version of the famous soup, also called brotchan (or brochan or brothchan) roy, or ‘the king's soup,' that is said to have been the favorite dish of Ireland's celebrated sixth-century spiritual and literary icon, St. Columkille. It is … quite possibly the oldest traditional Irish dish for which it is possible to reconstruct a recipe." Sounds intriguing!
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excerpt food irish recipe st patrick's day
Valentine’s Day + Chinese New Year = Chinese Five-Spice Chocolate Chiffon Cake!
by Siobhan
Excerpts + Food & Drink / February 11, 2010
Since Valentine's Day falls on the same day as Chinese New Year this year, this cake seems like the perfect way to celebrate: Chinese Five-Spice Chocolate Chiffon Cake!
Usher in love and good fortune with this recipe from Chronicle's new book, Chocolate Cakes.
(PS. Also check out the recipe for the decadently-named Pound of Chocolate Cake that we posted earlier.)
Pound of Chocolate Cake recipe
by Danielle
Excerpts + Food & Drink / February 02, 2010
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Here's an delicious recipe for Pound of Chocolate Cake from Chronicle Books' new cookbook called CHOCOLATE CAKES. Available at your local bookstore. Enjoy!
Pound of Chocolate Cake
Makes 9 to 12 servings
Mixing time 10 minutes
Baking 350°F (180°C/gas mark 4) for about 35 minutes
This square cake is dark and moist, with a fudge-all-the-way-through texture. What else would you expect from 1 pound (455 g) of chocolate? The cake can be spread with a ganache glaze for even more chocolate richness.
13 oz (370 g) semisweet (plain) chocolate, chopped
3 oz (85 g) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
3⁄4 c up (170 g) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 tsp instant coffee granules dissolved in
1 tbsp water
4 large eggs
1 1⁄2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
1⁄2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract (essence)
1 cup (130 g) unbleached all-purpose (plain) flour
1 cup (240 ml) ganache (recipe below), cooled until thickened but pourable (optional)
Powdered (icing) sugar for dusting (optional)
1 qt (960 ml) vanilla ice cream or flavor of your choice
Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to
350°F (180°C/gas mark 4). Butter a 9-in (23-cm) square pan
with sides 2 in (5 cm) high. Line the bottom with a piece of
parchment (baking) paper long enough to extend over opposite
sides of the pan. Butter the paper.
Put both chocolates, the butter, and dissolved coffee in a
heatproof bowl (or the top of a double boiler) and place it over,
but not touching, barely simmering water in a saucepan (or the
bottom of the double boiler). Stir until the chocolates and butter
are melted and smooth. Remove from over the water and set
aside to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed,
beat the eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla until fluffy and lightened
in color, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of
the bowl as needed. On low speed, mix in the melted chocolate
mixture until blended. Mix in the flour just until no white
streaks remain. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
Bake until the top of the cake is shiny and firm and a
toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs
clinging to it, about 35 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan on a
wire rack for 1 hour.
If using the ganache, pour it over the cake, tilting the pan
to spread it evenly. Cool the cake in the pan thoroughly. The
cake will become firm. If omitting the glaze, dust the cooled
cake with powdered sugar, if desired. Use the overhanging
ends of parchment (baking) paper to lift the cake from the pan.
Serve the cake at room temperature with scoops of ice cream.
The cake can be covered and stored at room temperature
for up to 3 days.
Ganache and Whipped Ganache
Mixing and cooking time 5 minutes
The ganache can be used warm as a fudge sauce or poured over a cake as a glaze or filling. And that is not all. When lightly whipped, ganache becomes an extraordinary creamy filling.
When whipping ganache, let it cool and thicken to a firm but not hard texture. Refrigerating it will firm it more quickly, but it should chill for only 1 or 2 hours until the edges are firm. Use a whisk to beat the mixture for about 30 seconds until the color lightens from a dark brown to a medium brown. The taste and texture will change from fudgelike to creamlike. Using a whisk prevents the ganache from being whipped too vigorously, which could turn it grainy. Whipped ganache should be spread immediately, as it firms up quickly and becomes difficult to spread smoothly.
Makes 2 cups (480 ml) or 4 cups (960 ml)
For 2 cups
1 c up (240 ml) heavy (double) cream
1 tbsp unsalted butter
9 oz (255 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped, or
1 1⁄2 cups (255 g) bittersweet chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla extract (essence)
For 4 cups
2 c ups (480 ml) heavy (double) cream
2 tbsp unsalted butter
18 oz (510 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped, or
3 cups (510 g) bittersweet chocolate chips
2 tsp vanilla extract (essence)
In a medium saucepan, heat the cream and butter over low heat until the cream is hot and the butter melts. The hot cream mixture should form tiny bubbles and measure about 175°F (80°C) on an instant-read thermometer; do not let the mixture boil as a skin might form on the top. If this happens, use a spoon to lift off the skin and discard it. Remove the pan from the heat, add the chocolate, and let stand in the hot cream mixture for about 30 seconds to soften. Whisk the ganache just until all of the chocolate is melted and the ganache is smooth. Stir in the vanilla.
If the ganache will be poured or spread, let it cool and thicken slightly, about 30 minutes. It can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 week; if it becomes too firm, it can be warmed over low heat, stirring to soften it evenly.
To make whipped ganache, cover the warm ganache and let stand at room temperature until firm, 3 to 4 hours, depending on the quantity and the temperature of your kitchen. Or, cover and refrigerate the ganache until the edges are firm and the center is slightly thickened, 1 to 2 hours. You can speed up the process to 30 minutes or less by pouring the ganache into a 9-by-13-in (23-by-33-cm) or larger baking dish. Drop a teaspoon of the cold ganache on a plate; set aside to compare the color with that of the beaten ganache. Place the cold ganache in a bowl and whisk until it changes from a dark chocolate color to a medium chocolate color and thickens slightly, about 30 seconds. Compare with the ganache on the plate. The whipped mixture should look lighter in color—similar to a dark, good-quality milk chocolate. Use immediately.
Choices: Other flavorings for ganache include almond extract; ground cinnamon; dissolved instant coffee granules, finely grated orange or lemon zest; fruit purees; and rum, brandy, or other liqueurs. Start with a small quantity, taste the mixture, and keep adding to your taste. Begin with 1 tbsp for the liquor or liqueurs and 1 tsp for instant coffee or grated zest. For almond extract, try ¼ tsp; for cinnamon, ½ tsp, and for fruit purees, 1 tbsp. Quantities can always be increased.
Here’s to a sake New Years!
by Danielle
Excerpts + Food & Drink / December 30, 2009
I thought I'd post a couple of yummy sake recipes from Kathy Casey's Sips and Apps for your New Years celebration. I hope you like them! Enjoy!
If you do intend to have a few cocktails tomorrow night please do not drive and find an alternative to taking your car.
All the best and here's to 2010!
Sake Sangria
Makes about 4 cups (6 to 8 servings)
1 (750 ml) bottle sake
6 tablespoons honey
2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 stalk fresh lemongrass, halved lengthwise, then cut into 3- to 4-inch pieces (use the entire stalk)
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
1 small tangerine or orange, thinly sliced
1 large plum or apricot, pitted and cut into thin wedges (optional, if not in season)
In a large pitcher, combine all the ingredients and stir with a spoon, crushing some of the fruit. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, or up to 2 days, to let the flavors marry before serving. Serve over ice, and include some of the fruit in each serving.
Sake Teriyaki Sticky Chicken Wings
Makes 24
Old-school teriyaki chicken wings get a big-flavored lacquery glaze in this low-and-slow method. You can make the sauce a few days ahead of time, but be sure to allow a full hour for cooking the wings.
I cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sake, or substitute dry sherry or dry white wine
2 tablespoons very finely minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
I cup sugar
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions, white and green parts
3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons water
1 dozen whole chicken wings or 2 dozen drummettes, about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds
For Garneshing
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seed
Thinly sliced green onion tops
In a small saucepan, whisk together the soy sauce, sake, ginger, garlic, sugar, pepper flakes, green onions, vinegar, cornstarch, and water. Set the pan over medium heat and bring to a boil, whisking constantly, to thicken. Mixture will be very thick. Let cool. If not using immediately, store, covered and refrigerated, for up to 4 days.
If using whole wings, disjoint the wings and remove and discard tips; you should have 24 pieces. Put them in a large bowl and set aside.
Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F.
Add the sauce mixture to the bowl with the chicken and mix well to coat the chicken evenly. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or lightly oil it. Arrange the drummettes and sauce in a single layer in the dish.
Bake for 30 minutes. Stir and turn the chicken pieces over and bake for 20 minutes more. Stir and turn the chicken pieces again and bake for 10 minutes more, or until chicken is tender and sauce is thick and glazy. Total cooking time should be about 1 hour.
Stir the drummettes in the sauce once more, then transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Spoon some of the extra sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle with the sesame seed and green onions for garnish.