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COOKBOOK TREAT
QUICKIE GIVEAWAY:
CONFECTIONS OF A CLOSET
MASTER BAKER
by GESINE
BULLOCK-PRADO
AND
CIAO ITALIA
FIVE INGREDIENT FAVORITES
by MARY ANN ESPOSITO
WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT
Thanks to Jennifer and friends at
Random House Publishing, and...
Thanks to Julie and friends at
FSB ASSOCIATES,
I have one copy of both of these
yummy books above to give away!
I also want to thank all of you who
read the reviews and information about
the two wonderful cookbooks that were
the basis of the questions for this giveaway.
HOW TO ROAST A LAMB
BY MICHAEL PSILAKIS
and
HEALTHY BREAD
IN FIVE MINUTES A DAY
by JEFF HERTZBERG, M.D.
& ZOE FRANCOIS
The winner was chosen from the comments
given to both the two top cookbook posts.
The winner has been emailed and has until
noon, November 24, to respond with the
required address and information.
There were 110 entries between the
two posts...so for instance, with 60 on
the first and 50 on the second, say #63
would really be #3 on the second post, see?!
THE WINNER IS.....
#95 who is really
#35 in the second post
and that is Linda K
CONGRATULATIONS, Linda K!
************************
PERSONAL RESPONSE:
In my review of Michael Psilakis's cookbook, HOW TO ROAST A LAMB, I wrote of my memories of lamb being cooked by my mother when I was a child which would be, yes, over 50 years ago!
My point was to show the relevance of the cookbook to me personally and with that in mind, I wrote the following, "And, no, it is not just about lamb...but if you have never made a leg of lamb, I will at least tell you my mother's secret. So many people would say, "I don't like lamb, it has that smell". I remember growing up and meeting people who had never eaten lamb?!?! All you do is ask the butcher to remove the tiny gland sack (hey, don't get technical, that's what my mom called it!) from the leg as that is what gives it the smell...and don't forget the slits for cloves of garlic."
That part of my review was to explain the fact that many people didn't eat lamb because of the odor. This is something I grew up knowing about. In those days, when ground beef was three pounds for a dollar, lamb was also not expensive and with my heritage, my mother often made lamb or lamb chops. We were thankful to be able to have any food on our table as times were very hard growing up. I didn't question the food put on the table that my father worked 15-18 hour days seven days a week, to support his family and my mom took in sewing to help as she was, like most then, a stay at home mom with my sister and me. AND because I remember my mom explaining to me as I grew up about the tiny sac to remove and what it had to do with the odor, I thought it was appropriate to write about it when reviewing a cookbook on HOW TO ROAST A LAMB! I didn't review the cookbook to make any kind of politically correct or incorrect statement. I didn't review it to say "eat meat" or "don't eat meat, or certain kinds of meat".
A comment was made quoting my childhood thought of how incredible I thought it was that people didn't eat lamb since we ate it so much. Evidently a person who commented was offended by my saying I couldn't imagine people not eating lamb as this person wanted me to know that they were one of the people who didn't eat lamb and in fact stated "I detest lamb because it is a baby animal."
I am well aware that lamb is a "baby animal". My point was not to take sides in whether or not to eat meat, or lamb, or veal, or be a vegetarian or whatever. I was reviewing a cookbook and recalling my personal memories as they related to this particular cookbook. If I offended a reader with my comment, I apologize but I believe my comment was not taken the way it was meant to be.
When I review a book about Vegans or meat eaters or endangered species, you may see a very different opinion. However, this was a MEMORY from childhood written in a review of a COOKBOOK!
I apologize to anyone else I offended but this is my blog and I review books the way I see them and how I feel about them. That is why it is MY review and MY blog...and you are always welcome to make your comments. I do moderate all comments and could have easily left this comment out but I didn't as I only reject comments if they are inappropriate or abusive in nature. Just wanted to have MY say on this to hopefully make it clear where I stand on this.
And with that, may I wish Linda K congratulations again and also let my readers know that ALL your comments are welcome. I do respond to them often but always wonder if anyone goes back to see what someone wrote in response to a comment I have left, etc. So in this case, I wanted to be sure everyone who felt I had made a politically incorrect statement knew how I felt about it which could only be done in a post so people would see it if they choose to read my blog which is certainly a personal choice.
May you all have a great holiday week and I suppose many of you will be eating turkey, as well as like at my nephew's home where they will be eating Tofurkey and organic vegetables and having as lovely a holiday, I would hope, as everyone. It is, after all, Thanksgiving and a time for us to be thankful for what we do have, no matter what it may be.
My point was to show the relevance of the cookbook to me personally and with that in mind, I wrote the following, "And, no, it is not just about lamb...but if you have never made a leg of lamb, I will at least tell you my mother's secret. So many people would say, "I don't like lamb, it has that smell". I remember growing up and meeting people who had never eaten lamb?!?! All you do is ask the butcher to remove the tiny gland sack (hey, don't get technical, that's what my mom called it!) from the leg as that is what gives it the smell...and don't forget the slits for cloves of garlic."
That part of my review was to explain the fact that many people didn't eat lamb because of the odor. This is something I grew up knowing about. In those days, when ground beef was three pounds for a dollar, lamb was also not expensive and with my heritage, my mother often made lamb or lamb chops. We were thankful to be able to have any food on our table as times were very hard growing up. I didn't question the food put on the table that my father worked 15-18 hour days seven days a week, to support his family and my mom took in sewing to help as she was, like most then, a stay at home mom with my sister and me. AND because I remember my mom explaining to me as I grew up about the tiny sac to remove and what it had to do with the odor, I thought it was appropriate to write about it when reviewing a cookbook on HOW TO ROAST A LAMB! I didn't review the cookbook to make any kind of politically correct or incorrect statement. I didn't review it to say "eat meat" or "don't eat meat, or certain kinds of meat".
A comment was made quoting my childhood thought of how incredible I thought it was that people didn't eat lamb since we ate it so much. Evidently a person who commented was offended by my saying I couldn't imagine people not eating lamb as this person wanted me to know that they were one of the people who didn't eat lamb and in fact stated "I detest lamb because it is a baby animal."
I am well aware that lamb is a "baby animal". My point was not to take sides in whether or not to eat meat, or lamb, or veal, or be a vegetarian or whatever. I was reviewing a cookbook and recalling my personal memories as they related to this particular cookbook. If I offended a reader with my comment, I apologize but I believe my comment was not taken the way it was meant to be.
When I review a book about Vegans or meat eaters or endangered species, you may see a very different opinion. However, this was a MEMORY from childhood written in a review of a COOKBOOK!
I apologize to anyone else I offended but this is my blog and I review books the way I see them and how I feel about them. That is why it is MY review and MY blog...and you are always welcome to make your comments. I do moderate all comments and could have easily left this comment out but I didn't as I only reject comments if they are inappropriate or abusive in nature. Just wanted to have MY say on this to hopefully make it clear where I stand on this.
And with that, may I wish Linda K congratulations again and also let my readers know that ALL your comments are welcome. I do respond to them often but always wonder if anyone goes back to see what someone wrote in response to a comment I have left, etc. So in this case, I wanted to be sure everyone who felt I had made a politically incorrect statement knew how I felt about it which could only be done in a post so people would see it if they choose to read my blog which is certainly a personal choice.
May you all have a great holiday week and I suppose many of you will be eating turkey, as well as like at my nephew's home where they will be eating Tofurkey and organic vegetables and having as lovely a holiday, I would hope, as everyone. It is, after all, Thanksgiving and a time for us to be thankful for what we do have, no matter what it may be.
...Karen, aka "Bingo", November 22, 2009
4 comments:
Amen, Sister! That was an awesome post. I completely agree with you. Sometimes we all need to just step back, see the big picture, and stop taking everything so dang personally!
BTW: I do read your posts.
Sorry about the controversy and congratulations to Linda K.
Congrats Linda K!
Congrats to Linda K! What a great prize to have two cookbooks! and as for your response, right on! People need to get over themselves...baby lamb? what? this was a cookbook review as I saw it, not a political statement
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