Notes on Cooking
by Lauren Braun Costello

Here are all the essential things that we used to either learn from our mothers (or possibly in school during home ec class), but that just aren’t necessarily passed on anymore.

Author Lauren Braun Costello say that “A recipe is like a road map.  A road map shows you where to go and how to get there, but does not teach you how to drive.”  The “how to drive” part is what this clever book covers, the knowledge that will help you to think like a chef.

Some of the advice is practical (such as add butter to a cold pan, oil to a hot pan, and why) and some is philosophical.  Here’s my favorite so far:

Embrace the mundane.
Do not bemoan the pedestrian tasks.  Find pleasure in peeling a carrot, steaming rice, searing a steak, prepping, cleaning.  Your reward is in the work, not around it.

Cooking is not about convenience, but the pleasure earned through creation and in giveing pleasure to others.  Shortcuts are tempting, even necessary from time to time.  But it you rely on pre-cut vegetables, pre-marinated meats, and canned sauces, you are not cooking.  You are assembling.

I don’t want to be an assembler.  I want to be a cook.

Just about a year ago, I wrote a review of Susan Stein’s Fabric Art Workshop, and recommended it highly for those who wanted a book to grow with as you learned surface design techniques.   Well, Susan has done it again!

The new book is Fabric Art Projects, and my supposition is that it is an expansion of the last book.  The description says that it teaches techniques and provides projects to use them in.  I’m thinking that perhaps it would be best to take a look at the book first if you’ve already bought the first one, but if not, this one might be a nice alternative.

I’ve not seen a copy of this book yet, but I’m very much looking forward to it!

Image: Amazon

Wow! What a terrible job someone had to do, scouring the best bars and restaurants coast to coast to decide what to include in this 2009 guide from Food & Wine!  A terrible job, but someone had to do it!

In Food & Wine Cocktails ‘09, the 150 recipes included here are the deemed the best of the best, with a wonderful at-a-glance type of guide to let you know how complicated, what type of liquor, and what shape of glass for each.  There is also an entire section of Mocktails, which I really appreciate since I found out anew that I am a lightweight when it comes to mixed drinks!

Being a Campari lover, I decided to try out the Negroni (page 123), a delightful mixture of gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari.  My only problem was that the drink ended up being 3 full ounces, with no fillers, and that was TOO MUCH for me!  Next time, I’ll mix it up and split it with my sweetie instead of making us one each 

Negroni

Check out The Bookshop for more links to books about fine food in addition to this excellent guide!

Interweave Press has a brand new fabric art book out this spring that I think will really make mixed media artists sit up and take notice.  Whether you are new to fabric arts or are an experienced sewer, you will find ideas for transforming retail fabrics or for revamping materials you already own with techniques that are easy to do and easy on the wallet!

Fabricate
by Susan Wasinger

Fabricate shows how to create unique effects by using both classic and modern techniques: pleats, crinkles, cut and fray, laminates, layers, applique, crazy stitch, burn out, etching, and more. My goodness!

Check out The Bookshop for lots more links to books about mixed media art in addition to this fine guide!

Recently, I attended a launch event for a hot new book, aptly titled, How to Love Like a Hot Chick - as I aspire to be one, I was intrigued!

By Jodi Lipper and Cerina Vincent, the book defines a “Hot Chick” as a confident, passionate, honest woman…well, that’s me. Maybe I already am one!

Delusions aside, this is a really fun book filled with feisty humor that will help you figure out what you want, how to get it, and why you shouldn’t settle for anything less.

Considering subjects I’ve written about of late - how much more timely could a title be?

Most importantly, the book somehow makes an often torturous process more fun with their advice on the hidden joys of being single, how to send out magical Hot Chick Vibes and interpret the vibe your date is sending, steps to falling in love without freaking out, tactful dumping procedures, survival techniques for heart-wrenching breakups, and much more.

I think this book may be a must-read for us single girls - so check it out. I’m attempting to do more reading and less “soap-operaing” these days, so I hope to have more titles to share with you soon!

Image: Heyday Productions

I’ve found that many mixed media artists become inspired to try art quilting, but do not have a traditional quilting background, thus, some of the basics of design, assembly, and finishing may be unknown to them.  If you’ve ever wanted to just dive in and start, this is a good book for you to check out.

The Quilting Arts Book
Patricia Bolton, editor

I really enjoyed reading through the collected articles in this book: the tagline is “Techniques and inspiration for creating one-of-a-kind quilts”, and this book is full of exactly that.  From composition to piecing, applique, embellishing, machine or hand stitching, The Quilting Arts Book covers it all.

The Quilting Arts Book is available through Interweave Press at the website link above.  Check out The Bookshop for lots more links to books about art quilts in addition to this fine guide!

We recently gave away Ellen Whitehurst’s book Make This Your Lucky Day here at Blisstree. It was one of the most successful contests we’ve had, which leads me to believe that people are hungry for this kind of information. I’m no exception. I am fascinated with people that seem to be positive and have “lucky” things happen. As we know, however, luck is simply working with your life to get the best outcome. But how do you make that happen?

Make This Your Lucky Day offers a combination of Feng Shui, astrology, and positive thinking to tell you how to make the most of your life. It is set up as a guide book, with chapters divided into things like career, romance, health, and wealth. You can read the entire book or simply head to the chapter that interests you most. Each chapter is written, not in a cold, clinical way, but with humor and insight. In fact, it’s Ellen’s voice and personality that pull you in for more. You won’t be bored reading this book! Her stories and reasoning behind the things she suggests are funny, touching, and relevant.

In each piece of advice, Ellen suggests thinking positively about the tasks and rituals you are performing. I like this advice because I think in order to truly bring change to your life you have to project the positive thoughts that will attract great things to you.

Overall, the tone is uplifting and conversational throughout, so much so that you’ll wish you could sit down with Ellen and gab over a cup of coffee. Or perhaps more appropriately, tea. I encourage you to check out Make This Your Lucky Day as well as Ellen’s blog (which has quickly gone on my daily reading list.)

Images: Ellen Whitehurst

I don’t know if you can technically call it a book review if I’m still reading the book.

I’ve been reading Kim Bensen’s book Finally Thin. It seems like I’m always struggling with staying on a healthy eating plan, and gaining and losing those same pounds over and over again. Finally Thin sounded like an interesting read to me, and I haven’t been disappointed.

The book itself isn’t a diet plan, but it does outline her ten step system you can use with any diet plan. It’s a very inspirational book, and provides motivation to help you through those tough days when you fall off the healthy eating wagon and can’t get back on (which is my problem most of the time).

I really like that the book isn’t plugging a certain way of eating or “diet” it’s simply inspiration and ideas to help you stick to your healthy eating plan. The book also includes over 70 recipes you can use for meal planning.

With all the negativity surrounding dieting, it’s just inspirational to read about someone who’s lost over 200 pounds and kept it off for several years!

Image via Amazon.com

Those that read this blog regularly know that I’m a huge fan of Leslie Sansone. She has excellent walking DVDs that you can do, regardless of your fitness level. I have used several of her DVDs and they’ve all been really great. That’s why I was anxious to read her book, Walk Away the Pounds.

The book is a six-week program to gradually increase your fitness level. The thing I liked about it was that it wasn’t a book that went with her DVDs (although you certainly could do them as part of this) but instead she focused on walking in general. She made it about steps, which translate to miles. She also suggested small changes, and followed those up with a weekly tally sheet so you could keep track of how much you were doing.

Reading Leslie’s story was just as interesting as listening to her speak on the tapes. She’s funny, light, and engaging. She’s also very reasonable. She said something that really stuck with me, that you don’t need six-pack abs, but you do need good health. Focus on good health first.

She also talked about getting enough sleep and drinking water. She said she gets up every day and drinks a huge glass of water first thing. So today, I did the same thing! It inspired me to keep going (I’m on glass three - which is three more than I usually drink!)

Walk Away the Pounds is a fast read that will get you going on your path to fitness. Best of all? It has a bonus one-mile walk DVD right in the book jacket. I highly recommend it.

Image: Walk Away the Pounds

***Free Stuff Alert!!!***

Want to dye and paint your own fabrics, but don’t know where to start?  This is the book for you, with all the beginner information you need on different types of dyes and paints that you can choose from, the minimal tools and equipment that you’ll need, and some wonderful techniques to get you started!

The Basic Guide to Dyeing and Painting Fabric
by Cindy Walter & Jennifer Priestley

There are dozens of inspiring photos for you to drool over, step by step instructions for 20 different techniques, and even some full-sized patterns if you’d like to make the exact fabric projects that are featured.

To win a copy of this book, leave me a comment below telling me what you like to make with fabric, and next week I will draw a winner!