Comments on: Books, beans & barrels of FUN

By: Amber

Amber — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:27:04 +0000

Books are necessary to have a complete holiday shopping experience. This year we’re all over the place with our book purchases – we’re not just buying from local places, we’re also buying directly from smaller publishers too.

By: Booktapes

Booktapes — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 21:02:18 +0000

Weird that barrels were at one time easier to come by than clothes. The modern version of the barrel with suspenders? I would say garments made out of junk mail. I seriously think the homeless guy who lives outside my building gets a J. Crew catalog.

By: amanda

amanda — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 20:57:03 +0000

I’m buying almost all books for gifts, for a change. I always give books, and always about half of my gifts to family are books, but I rarely actually buy them since I work in publishing. Since I could get them free, but I’m buying them, you can see I am committed to the cause, too!

Also, since I work in publishing, no one ever gets me books anymore. They assume I have all I want or need, but that’s never true! So I guess I will have to ASK for books, too.

By: Mare

Mare — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:16:49 +0000

Books are a delicious Xmas gift. One of my greatest joys is to spend the entire day (it will be 12/27 this year) sitting in my pj’s, eating, reading, napping, reading some more. So I’m aghast at Jennifer’s comment about the relative who refused to buy books. ‘WTF’ indeed!

I also read an interview w/ an agent who said that wannabe writers need to write, submit, but also buy books. If no one’s buying = no books to be published, etc.

Wendy, I’m not a green beans person. Forgive me, I’m sharing my favorite sweet potato recipe from epicurious.com:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Gingered-Sweet-Potato-Puree-14111

* 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 3/4 pound total)
* 3 tablespoons milk
* 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
* 3/4 teaspoon grated peeled fresh gingerroot

Preparation

Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch pieces. In a small saucepan boil potatoes in salted water to cover 15 minutes, or until very tender, and drain well in a colander.

In a food processor purée hot potatoes with milk, butter, and gingerroot until smooth and season with salt and pepper.

**note: serves 2. increase as needed.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 15:57:03 +0000

Green beans. Buy fresh. “Haricots verts” are nicest because skinny=tender. Snap ends. Toss with olive oil, kosher salt, fresh coarse ground pepper. Throw onto a cookie sheet and into the oven, at anywhere between 350 and 400 or so, until they are done. I know that’s vague but it’s REALLY hard to mess up: if you think they’re done they probably are. And exceedingly tasty.

(This is a close cousin of the roasted potato recipe for which my husband broke up with mashed: buy fingerlings, halve, place cut-side-down onto a cookie sheet coated with olive oil, kosher salt, coarse pepper, chopped herb of your choice; into the oven at ~400 for ~30. OMGTASTY.)

((I don’t get to cook Thanksgiving this year and I miss it already; does it show?))

By: Little Bird

Little Bird — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 02:44:46 +0000

Green bean recipe? Sure thing.
Get the skinny fresh kind.
2 lemons (you just need the zest)
sage, cut into super skinny strips
butter.

Boil the green beans just until they turn bright green and are still crunchy.
In a skillet, melt the butter, and add the lemon zest, and the sage. When the zest and sage become fragrant, add the beans and toss ’till completely coated. Cook only just until the beans are warmed through.

I know I didn’t list actual amounts. This is one of those recipes that you have to just guess. Besides, I don’t know how many you’re trying to feed. I will say that this is my all time favorite veggie recipe.
Also, I have tried to convince my friends and family that all I want, pretty much ever, is books. And more books. So I plan on getting books for all of them too.

By: Wendy

Wendy — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:20:11 +0000

Thanks so much for the recipes! And yes, e-books are still books so please buy them please!!!!

By: NoNo

NoNo — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 18:49:40 +0000

At my urging, my family will be celebrating an ALL BOOK christmas gift exchange. In this shaky economy we don’t need a bunch of new things, but filling our heads with new ideas is never wrong. We are all looking forward to a Christmas afternoon surrounded by food, books, and reading in front of the fire. Heaven.

@Suzanne: All those books taking up space in your house are also acting as insulation. Think about how cold and drafty you’ll be, huddled up in your dust free house, just you and your Kindle.

By: Jill

Jill — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 18:05:50 +0000

Oops–caught a typo. That should be “more books” in that first line. Makes me sound primitive: Me want more book! More book!!

By: Jill

Jill — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 18:04:12 +0000

Not only do I want more book for Christmas, I would also like somebody to pay me to read them (because I have a book problem and have more than I know what to do with). Any takers?

And not to jump on Suzanne because I’m kind of intrigued by the Kindle, but cutting down trees to make books = bad, but using electricity to recharge your electronic device = good? It’s not like coal is easier to come by. I’m not a fan of books taking up space and being dust catchers either, but man, do they make a house homey!