Dottie 's comments (member since Sep 02, 2007)

Dottie 's comments from the Constant Reader group.

Michael -- your post goes down in the folder titled PROMOTIONS -- please put it there and delete it from this thread. Thank you.

Happy Birthday all you November folks!

Mina, I, too, have missed you here and look forward to more posts -- glad you are feeling a little better.

Ruth -- the art is eye-popping -- Ill have to go investigate more. Mina, the serendipity is cool. I love it when such things happen.

I just started the book yesterday and am already hooked -- and impressed. Looking forward to a good discussion!

Happy Birthday, Mary Jo!

I think I made a shelf for candidates for nomination on CR and promptly left it with no books. But I can search the shelves here and in the house and see if I get any ideas.

Ah, the inimitable, Miss Kitt! Yes, no one quite like her, is there? I'm not big on costume parties nor masks. I'm also constantly telling people, explaining that there are good internet features to be found among the internet stalker tales. Thinking of literary costumes now.

Happy Birthday, Ann. I, too, would enjoy sseeing you here more often. Hope your dayis lovely and allows room for a bit of reading.

Capitu -- the copy of The Hand and the Glove which I read was from University Press Kentucky and the intro and translations were by an Albert I. Bagley, Jr. Not knowing Protuguese, I can't vouch for how good it was as a translation but I did note in my reveiw that it seemed to show it's age -- perhaps related to the language and perhaps due to the translation though this may also indicate the translation is true to the language use of the time. The other two I've read were products of the Univ of Calif Press and I have no notation on the translator though I can look at the books when I get to the library.

I'm going to see if the library has this one as I read all of the others of his from there. If not, I'll be searching, too. I'm going to read the fine print carefully though -- as i'm not up to tackling Portuguese at this time ;) not even for one of my recent favorite authors.

Whoever nominated Pan should nominate it again next time and see if it gets more votes. It took me several times nominating a book more than once before one made it -- if it's a great book just keep putting it out there on the nominations lists and it will find enough folks for a reading at some point.

Steve wrote: "Never fear, Capitu. If you take me by the hand and not leave me behind while we explore Dom Casmurro, I will take you by the hand and not leave you behind as we explore Go Down, Moses. I do not hav..."

Well, Steve, you haven't lost that nerve which is a good thing in the long run -- offered to buy me a whiskey or a drink of my choice in DC -- but then I didn't make it to convention (first of many times I've planned to show up and then couldn't/didn't). It had nothing to do with that proffered drink though, I promise -- the drink was to accompany a deep discussion of some topic or other which had arisen on the board as I recall.

I predict you will like Machado de Assis -- I am a fan of his having read only a small number of his works and am very glad Capitu's kept nominating him and I kept voting for him. I'll join Ruth on her three read of Sheltering Sky -- I LOVE that book and gladly read the Faulkner. I voted for the Naipaul also as I've not read any and have heard so much praise of various works that I figured I should read a sample.

Great choices -- thank you to Ricki and welcome to Al as our Classics Corner person in charge!

Ruth wrote: "That would be fun, Dottie. We need to get together anyway. It's been too long."

Sent you a message, Ruth, check your inbox.

And here's a link to the restaurant for anyone who's interested.

http://www.brusselsbistro.com/brusselsbi...

And just realized I didn't paste this in my message though I intended to do so -- heh.

Ruth wrote: "Dottie wrote: "Couldn't spend time in Belgium and NOT learn to like mussels, of course. Hmm -- haven't done them myself for a long while. Maybe we'll just hit Brussels Bistro in Laguna Beach whe..."

Wait a minute, wait a minute -- 15 minutes? Then why don't we just meet up there? Run some dates by me and I'll see what Jim has to say! THAT would be great.

And I'll have to see if I can come up with an apporximation of the mussels with Pernod -- I'd like that.

See us all there cheering, Dale? We are so glad you are back and wish you a very happy birthday!

Steamed Moules (mussels) (This recipe says: the classic Belgian meal of moules-frites is a bowl of moules-mariniere and a plate of crispy Belgian fries with homemade mayonaise strongly flavored with mustard (NOT the normal Belgian mayo -- most Belgians I knew/met have plain mayo with theirs) and a fresh pintje of Belgian beer. I'd want a Corsendonk Pater!)

Moules Mariniere

3Tbsp unsalted butter
2 large shallots or 1 medium onion, finely chopped (oops -- just saw I left the onion out of my last post)
2 ribs celery finely chopped
4-6 pounds mussels, cleaned and beareded
1 tsp fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 and 1/2 cup dry white wine

Melt butter in pot large enough to hold all the mussels over medium heat. Add shallots and celery and cook stirring till they soften but are not browned. Add mussles, sprinkle with thyme and add the bay leaf and 1 Tbsp parsley with a generous grinding of black pepper. Pour the wine over the mussels and cover the pot tightly.

Bring to a boil over high heat and steam the mussels in the covered pot until they open. 3 to 6 minutes depending on the size of the mussels. overcooking will toughen the mussels. When most are open, remove from heat. Shake the pot several times to toss the mussels with the buttery vegetables. discard any that have not opened.

Spoon the hot mussels ino soup plates along with some of the broth. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve.

Serves 4 as a generous main course or 6 as an appetizer. Starin any remaining broth to freeze for later use in soups or fish sauces.

AND-- here's a variation -- replace the wine with a Belgian beer such as Gueze or a strong Duvel. I know Duvel does show up here in the US in some places so that might be worth finding. (Duvel was/is one of Jim's favorites.

You can steam the mussels with no liquid or seasoning -- just let them release their own juices when they open then strain that (they suggest using a coffee filter to catch any grit/sand) and then use the mussels in their own juice in other recipes calling for mussels.

The mussels in their own juice can be served with the same garlic butter that the French use for snails or sauteed with some onion/shallot and garlic, thyme and parsley (a bit like the ones in the wine) and served with a salad. They can also be grilled after dipping in egg and crumbs and placed on skewers or they can be tossed with mustard vinagrette and chilled and then served. I'm sure there are as many variations as there are Belgian cooks.

Another Belgian dish which I never became fond of -- Eels in Cream sauce. This is my cookbook: Everybody Eats Well in Belgium Cookbook

Summer wrote: "Dottie wrote: "Couldn't spend time in Belgium and NOT learn to like mussels, of course."

How are mussels prepared in Belgium?

"

Different ways but the most common is white wine with some very finely chopped celery, carrot, onion and seasonings and of course the ubiquitous frittes with mayo usually are served alongside as I say. I can't recall specifics of any others off the top of my head (my Belgian cookbooks are buried at present) but I'm sure googling would turn up some Belgian variations other than this. Wait, wait -- I DO have one Belgian cookbook out on the kitchen shelf -- I'll see if it offers any further ways of preparing these. Back in a jiffy.

Jane will add you to the list Suzanne if you ask her to do so -- meanwhile welcome and happy birthday!

Sherry wrote: "Yes, Sentimental Education was an "official" book back in 2002--seems like yesterday. Here's a link:
http://web.archive.org/web/20061102013023/www.constantreader.com/discussions/sentimentaleducatio..."

Well then the answer is that it was just as my slide into the black hole was beginning. Obviously I maintained some level of awareness in spite of all else at least for a while.

Couldn't spend time in Belgium and NOT learn to like mussels, of course. Hmm -- haven't done them myself for a long while. Maybe we'll just hit Brussels Bistro in Laguna Beach when mussels are in next so we can have a good Belgian beer and a side of frittes and mayo alongside!

Happy Birthday, Sara!

Good food, good books and whatever else you wish to make your birthday as you'd like.