Al Past's Blog, page 7

Readers rate DC5 (Recirculation) and the whole series

.
.
The newest book in the Distant Cousin set, Distant Cousin: Recirculation , has received reader comments which, in many cases, have included remarks about the entire series to date. The third one below, longer and more detailed, is from a professional reviewer. Thanks to all!


"I love the Distant Cousin characters, they feel like family to me, I am interested in their lives, I worry about them, and I just adore them. I think I've said this about each book, but I think [Recirculation] is my favo...

More frisks for Ana! Rebecca Pechefsky plays Bach's Preambulum, BWV 829

..

We are not sure if Ana loves the harpsichord because she's from another planet or in spite of being from another planet, but whatever the reason, the clean, crisp resonance of a good harpsichord thrills her soul.
She also loves the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and the skill of Rebecca Pechefsky at the keyboard. Ana owns a smaller harpsichord and has learned to play a small number of pieces, mostly by Bach and mostly polyphonic, herself, so while she isn't a virtuoso on the instrument...

Ana bakes a cake from a French children's recipe: a unit cake!

When Ana landed on Earth, all our foods were new to her, of course: thousands of cuisines, tens of thousands of flavors, millions of recipes. We shouldn't be surprised that some of her attempts at cooking should be unusual and innovative. (They weren't all successful, either.)


One of her early baking experiments was from a French recipe used to teach children how to cook. It's called, as far as we know, a "unit cake," because it can be made using whatever unit of measure (preferably small) one...

A recipe poem about a salad Ana does NOT want to attempt

Ana found this recipe poem about a salad in an anthology of poetry. She likes it because it rhymes, but not because it sounds like something she would like to eat, and never mind her being an extraterrestrial. Her husband was leery of "anchovy sauce" himself. He was able, however, to forestall his wife's worries about the "dying anchorite."


If anyone would care to try this poetic salad recipe and report back to us, we can get word to Ana--if it's favorable!

Recipe for a Salad

To make this condim...

Fennec fox kits playing at home!

Over the years, Ana's fear of dogs, second nature to everyone on her home planet, Thomo, has relaxed considerably. It began with the judicious introduction of a pair of Rhodesian ridgeback puppies in Distant Cousin: Reincarnation. Who could NOT love pups like these?



 
 
 
Ana has seen fennec foxes in zoos, but never as house pets, yet it isn't difficult to see her taken with these active, affectionate, tiny canids. If any convincing were necessary that they can make entertaining, fascinating c...

So you don't like science fiction?

Lots of people love science fiction, but not everybody. Science fiction, basically, deals with "imaginary but more or less plausible (or at least non-supernatural) content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities. Exploring the consequences of scientific innovations is one purpose of science fiction, making it a 'literature of ideas.' It is largely based on "writing rationally about alternative possible worlds or futures" (Wiki...

Ana improvises frantically in the kitchen

If you have enjoyed looking over Ana's many recipes and cooking inspirations, you could be forgiven for thinking that Ana only meets with success in the kitchen. Like any creative cook, however, she does not always succeed. Being from another planet and another cooking culture, and having an original, quick mind, it is undeniably true she has done some wonderful things with the foods and flavors offered by the cuisines of Earth. Below, however, is an account of one of her experiments that got...

'Tis the season: a great inexpensive gift idea!

Can there be a better gift than something that gives pleasure reliably, for hours and that will appeal to nearly everybody? That can be enjoyed over and over and lasts forever? That can be shared with others? And can be found easily, and delivered free, right from your computer? And for which the recipient will admire your thoughtfulness and perspicacity?


There IS such a gift, and at less than $3, it's easy to give one to yourself, and to friend after friend!

From now through the Christmas se...

Spanish food? A tortilla??

The Méndez family, before Ana Darcy became a part of it, being good New Mexicans, had never heard of a "Spanish tortilla." It wasn't long after that Ana (from another planet, after all) joined them, exercising her powerful curiosity about the cuisines of the world. She discovered this simple, savory dish--thanks to her Spanish professor friend, Charo Silva (in Distant Cousin).

The photo above shows most of what one needs to know about it: it's a sort of omelet, with potato cubes and onions sau...

El Paso from Scenic Drive

Mount Franklin (above) is the southernmost of the Rocky Mountains, and divides the city of El Paso in half. The view above looks south, as the tip of the mountain drops down to the pass ("el paso") to the right. Scenic Drive, the 1930-era CCC-built road across the mountain, is visible as the lighter line across the side. The photos below show the view from the observation point, approximately at the leftmost point where the road heads down the far side of the mountain. (For more detail...