Favorites List (1.04.14) Recipe

Thanks for sharing! Thinking about grabbing that learn to draw book for my niece and nephew!

Love these lists. Thanks. It's nice to follow someone else's internet bunny trails for a change. When I don't know what to read (a silly problem to have, no?), I turn to mid-century American classics. I love O'Connor, Steinbeck, Hemingway, and Salinger. They always seem to bring me to the right literary happy-place (despite the heavy nature of their works). I guess it's because I love how those four in particular use language with incredible craft and subtlety. In that way, I also appreciate Jhumpa Lahiri. Did you ever read her NYT article about cast-iron cookware? It has stayed with me over the years. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/05/dining/05iron.html

Other v.g. books - The Red Tent (esp. for women) & The Cay. For no-throwing-out, here's a site I belong to - Freecycle - give, receive, request - all free, of course, all info by email & curb pickup. Also, NextDoor - place within a community to sell, give away, lost animal alerts, etc.

Sorry to use this venue but I looked and looked for your email contact info I have a ton of vintage Polaroid cameras of all types and film too all looking for a good home.

HS: Thanks for thinking of me Renee! I'm pretty well stocked for the time being. Happy new year.

One of my favorite books in the past 10 years was HEAT, Bill Buford, author. It details the journey from a very good cook at the home to becoming a learned commercial cook. It involves a learning the business from Mario Batali, among others, and the travails of apprenticing in some of the great and not so great restaurants of the world. The Italian meat cutting education was intoxicating and close to fantasy with a knife.

When Women Were Birds. Beautiful book, beautifully written. I find myself going slow so I can savor every sentence. Makes for great just before bed reading.

Thank you for the NYT book list, lots of good stuff to dig into there! My favourite reads last year (while published previously) were "Bel Canto", by Ann Patchett, "Cutting for Stone", by Abraham Verghese, and "The Red Garden", by Alice Hoffman.

I've added "The Telling Room: A Tale of Love, Betrayal, Revenge, and the World's Greatest Piece of Cheese" by Michael Paterniti.

I'm loving all these comments and suggestions. I clearly need to tap you all for ideas more often! Keep them coming. xoxo -h

You mentioned Top of the Lake which I do not know but I can recommend BROADCHURCH a quirky BBC mystery in 6 or so episodes worthwhile bec of its provincial venue (Cornwall or some other seaside spot) and its focus on middle class contemporary Britain (yes I am still a devoted Downton Abbey fan). Excellent characterizations which keep the viewer shifting focus and judgment. Kept me enthralled throughout never guessing the ending.

YUM! Coconut red lentil soup sounds delicious!

You are too sweet. Glad you're enjoying the book. And WHOA the Flamethrowers looks great. Sam's out of town for two weeks and I'm going to force myself into some serious reading time. Thanks, Heidi. xox

I started reading "The Goldfinch" and can't put it down. It is on the NYT 100 Notable Books list. Highly recommend it!

After replying to this post, I read of a new book "Why I Read" by Wendy Lesser of Berkeley in SFChronicle (I live in Menlo), or SFGate on computer. Looks like possibly another resource for book reviewing. I'm older and am enjoying the recent revival of old sitcoms on tv, for fun. Liked Enlightened w/Laura Dern & Mike Leigh very much.

I always look forward to your Favorites List. Especially loved the sign painters link in this one! I'm happy to see the Zero Waste House made an impression on you, too. Bea got a lot of flak from some who felt affronted by her lifestyle. I guess they missed the beneficial aspects. And the point that unless the First World reduces its material consumption, this lifestyle will not be a choice but a necessity. Nicole and I are 100% in agreement regarding "Deadwood". A television writer, maybe Tim Goodman, likened the scripts to "Shakespeare in the Mud". I would spend most of each episode rewinding to just listen to the rich dialogue.

Thanks so much for the beautiful everything. Your photos, recipes, and travel stories are an inspiration to this middle-ager who somehow ended up in northern VT, a single mother, raising two kids. I love, love, LOVE to cook. It is my passion and although I make dishes from all over the world, somehow your recipes are different for me and I have loved all things I've made using your books as a guide. My kids gave me "Jerusalem" for Christmas and I love that one too! Boy....that was a long story for a cookbook recommendation, wasn't it?

For a book, have you considered "Tiny Beautiful Things" by Cheryl Strayed?

I love getting a good stack of books ready for the year too. Also, I tried the Kimchi Ramen from Happy Yolk just last night and it was AMAZING. The poached egg is just perfect.

Best this year: "Come Barbarians" by Todd Babiak. It's a literary thriller that takes place in France. Excellent read! By the way, I gave two of your cookbooks to friends this holiday. Love your blog :)

I loved top of the lake, I wish there were more episodes. Currently checking out the Fall which is good so far. BBC makes the best shows

Top of the Lake was so freakin good! I hadn't even really heard of it until I just came across it on Netflix and then I binge watched it so hard. Great picks!

I LOVED "Top of the Lake". Everything about it is just so, so good. Glad you enjoyed it. I saw Campion mentioned "Deadwood" in the article you linked to. Have you seen that? If not, I HIGHLY recommend it. The writing is very dense, but as soon as you get past the initial shock, you'll love it. And the density makes repeated viewings even better!

I have always loved your classic, effortless style Heidi. Whether it's your recipes, fashion, or the books and ideas you post in these lists, I think it's this authentic and unique style that wins us all over. The coconut red lentil soup you listed is a favorite of mine too! And re book suggestions, if you have not already read it you may enjoy Elizabeth David's "An Omelette and a Glass of Wine".

Thanks for the reading list from the NYT. Happy New Year.

Food - Laurie Colwin for a great read and terrific recipes (esp spinach w/jalapeno!) "Home Cooking" & 1 follow-up. Fiction - A. Munro's "Runaway"; J. Phillips's "Lark & Termite"; mystery- the outstanding Louise Penny (must read in order); Great 'thinking' reads - "Tibetan Book of the Great Liberation", Alan Watts (audio). Vacation Plus - Esalen. You'd love the gardens & food. Their book doesn't reflect it. Always enjoy your recipes & lists...

I loved* Ed Emberly's learn-to-draw books when I was little! Had totally forgotten about those.

Thank you for 'Live with Less from Zero Waste Home' article! I also agree with the thesis, but it is so difficult to achieve it... Good to hear I am not alone in trying! All the best form Poland!

Your favorite lists are my favorite! Thank you for posting the 10 ways to live with less. One thing that I have been feeling overwhelmed by is my blog feed, so I started over and now just have my 15 favorites to keep up with, which 101cookbooks is included in. Also I recently just finished "Where are you Bernadette" and really enjoyed it. Happy New Year! -Haley

I recommend THE LUMINARIES. By Eleanor Catton. excellent

I'll go for the reading tips.

Thanks for the book recommendations - I am always on the search for something new to read! Happy New Year!

I think you might enjoy the Anne Willan memoir "One Souffle at a Time." I could not put it down!

Hi Heidi, I just have to say I have finally been able to start a blog. This is almost singly due to the joy I get out of reading yours! I am SO new to it that I feel like an idiot, so if you have ANY advice for a novice blogger, please share. I frankly change the title every other day and hope at some point I'll settle into something! If you care to have a laugh, it's called sliceofquince.com. I know you will take note of it with a gentle eye. Right now it is totally random, but if it even slightly resembles yours, that will be enough for me.

Happy New Year, indeed! I read "Tiny Beautiful Things" on Sara Forte's recommendation over the holidays and just loved it. You can always read a few of the online Dear Sugar columns first to see if you like it. But the book is very worth it. It's nice to step away from the computer and read. I'm also reading the new Gilbert book, "The Signature of All Things" and also enjoying that. 19th century botany! Gardening! Exciting. And if you haven't read it, I always recommend Anna Karenina. It's a project, to be sure, but my -- what a read!

That is a lovely table setting - great colors.

Happy New Year, Heidi! I feel the same way about your lists - they always introduce me to recipes that I want to cook and books that I want to read. If you haven't already read it, Adam Gopnik's "The Table Comes First" is a must. His writing is dreamy, his research is solid, and his storytelling is flawless. Other books that I recently enjoyed include "What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank" by Nathan Englander and the quirky and charming illustrated storybook "Peanutborough Cucumberland" which I picked up in Seoul.