Fashion and food: two books for vintage lovers
Spring Fashion
Written by cjhammon in Books | Music | Art | Culture, Features
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Today, two book recommendations, just right for my vintage-loving buddies.
The Anatomy of Fashion: Why We Dress Like We Do, won’t be released until September 30. If this sounds to you like a book that has the potential to have the lens—and the entertainment factor—of a textbook, think twice. This one promises to be a lively read because it’s written by Colin McDowell.
McDowell is the author of 20 other books and also an opinion columnist for the Business of Fashion blog. His editorials range from tirades against elitism in fashion (stemming from the Oprah/Hermes bag incident in Switzerland) to rich, rambling book reviews, almost as good as reading the books themselves.
Vintage Anatomy
In The Anatomy of Fashion, McDowell gives us a tour of fashion history—by body part. Think about it: even the shape of the bosom has changed through the ages, pointy and high in the 50s, flat as a pancake in the 20s. Since there is no way to talk about fashion as it relates to the body without mentioning sex, it’s safe to say McDowell’s book will emphasize the role of fashion in sex appeal.
One of my barometers of an important book: when I visit my library’s web site and they already have it on order. This was the case with The Anatomy of Fashion. At $65 on Amazon, I probably won’t buy it. If you’re in the same category, now would be a great time to request it from the library—whether they have a copy or not. (P.S. Did you know that public libraries LOVE IT when patrons request books they don’t already have? A direct request means they are definitely serving their public’s taste for reading. The last thing in the world they want to do is buy books that no one reads—or guess at what we want.)
Cooking with Grandma
The world of cooking seems to be divided into two camps: those who share their recipes and those who don’t. I once had a friend who guarded her recipes as if they were the Queen’s jewels. As an otherwise generous person, her stinginess in this area shocked me.
The two most experienced cooks in my family are my mother and mother-in-law. Both are sharers. Next to losing them, there is nothing that would grieve me more than the death of their best recipes. That’s why I perpetually ask for and get their old standards when dining at their tables. Have you ever browsed antique shops and used bookstores for old cookbooks? Oh, the thrill of finding someone’s notes and substitutions in the margins: “I used white wine instead of broth.”
At My Grandmother’s Table: Heartwarming Stories & Cherished Recipes from the South is like getting your grandmother’s best recipes, only better—because it’s everybody’s grandmother’s best recipes. What makes this different from other cookbooks? Every recipe is accompanied by a brief memory of the grandmother who once served it, including lore on such things as how to catch a husband. The answer, according to one Grandma: learn how to make biscuits from scratch. Perhaps if I had known this, I might have married earlier in life!
This is a cookbook to buy and keep in your collection, especially if you like good, old-fashioned food that reminds you of your grandmother and never goes out of style. If you’re a frequent contributor of dishes for church pitch ins and family reunions, this is the cook book for you. (Lots of big batch recipes!) A bonus delight: names for the recipes that range from the charming to the hilarious e.g. MawMaw’s Divinity and Make Ya Wanna Slap Your Grandma’s Chocolate Cobbler.
What’s your favorite family recipe? I’m giving away a copy of At My Grandmother’s Table! To enter the random drawing, leave a comment with the recipe inside. All entries must be made by September 15!
6 comments
Wyndy Greene Smelser said:
August 30, 2013 at 8:42 am
Thank you for sharing these, Crystal! I simply MUST purchase Grandma’s Table. It’s right up my alley!
Wyndy’s Chicken Salad
4 c. chopped chicken, skinned and deboned (Rotisserie is easiest and best. Get a big fat one from Costco and use the skin and bones to make broth for the freezer).
1 c. mayo with olive oil, Kraft or Hellman’s preferred
3/4 tsp. smoked paprika OR 1 tsp paprika
1 1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup finely diced celery
2 green onions, diced
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1 tsp sea salt
3/4 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
3/4 tsp dried thyme, crushed
1/4 tsp. black pepper or to taste
1/4 tsp. granulated garlic
Mix all ingredients together gently. You may scale up a bit by adding more chicken and a bit more mayo if your rotisserie bird provides more than 4c. chopped chicken. Go easy on the mayo, adding just enough to help the salad hold together.
Serve cold with mixed greens on butter croissants for sandwiches or on a bed or mixed greens as a breadless entree salad.
Enjoy!
I double or triple this recipe for a crowd and use Costco croissants from the bakery section. Chicken salad will keep one week refrigerated.
cjhammon said:
August 30, 2013 at 9:36 am
Ooo this sounds delish! I just made soup with some leftover roasted chicken. Next: Wyndy’s chicken salad.
Don’t buy the book yet! You might win the drawing!
Jan Graham-McMillen said:
September 3, 2013 at 6:37 pm
Golly, I’d love to read the Anatomy of Fashion … why we buy what we do and dress as we do is a major interest for me (no surprise to you, that!) Just asked Amazon to write to the publisher in hopes that it might come out in an e-version. Usually less pricy.
I’m an unusual restaurateur in that I don’t watch cooking shows or read cookbooks… I just get enough in my everyday life!
Good to catch up with you, Crystal!
cjhammon said:
September 4, 2013 at 2:19 pm
Thank you, Jan! So nice to hear from you. Sometime, I’d love to hear what your favorites from the restaurant are!
sarah louise said:
September 7, 2013 at 1:51 pm
ooh, both those books look lovely!! And I’ve been loving getting the blog posts into my email.
xo,
SL
Sarah Louise’s Strata
Prep time: 30 minutes.
Sit time: 1 hr to 12 hrs.
Cook time: 45 minutes.
Ingredients:
Bread
6 Eggs
2 cups of milk. Whole is best, but I’ve used skim.
6 slices of cheese–your choice (I used American this time)
an onion, or a frozen vegetable of your choice (I used spinach this time, but often use broccoli)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
oregano
parsley flakes
sage
mustard or mustard powder
margarine
You want an 11×13 baking pan. Lay the bread in two layers. You want the bread to be “stale” which can be speeded up by putting the bread in the oven on warm for about 20 minutes.
Did you know that if you slam two eggs together only one will crack?
After you “stale” the bread, you want to take it out of the pan so that it can be slathered with margarine so that the strata doesn’t stick when it’s baked.
So mix the eggs and the milk and the spices.
Lay out the bread on the bottom of the pan. Layer the slices of cheese, then layer the vegetable. Cover with the second layer of bread. Pour on the egg mixture. If there is some bread that doesn’t get moistened with egg, pour milk on top.
Cover the pan with foil and put in the fridge for at least an hour, up to 12 hours.
Bake for about 45 min at 325 degrees Fahrenheit. The look you want is “golden brown.”
Cut, eat, enjoy. Serves about 6, depending on how big you make the pieces.
cjhammon said:
September 11, 2013 at 6:36 am
Ah, this sounds so wonderful, Sarah! Consider yourself entered in the contest and thanks for the recipe! So good to hear from you and thanks for subscribing!