Peach Time

Berry season is nearing a finish and peach season is here! There was no better way to spend an afternoon than peach picking with my good friend Amy who was visiting from Brooklyn. Not only did we get to pick our own locally grown peaches, but a hayride took us to our peach trees. Thank goodness, we had an old curmudgeon hayride driver too.

Now, I gave some peaches to Amy to take back to Brooklyn, but I am still left with a lot of peaches. We made a peach cobbler last night for dessert and a golden peach pie this afternoon. I am open to more peach ideas.

Amy indulged my new interest in food photography and took a few photos of the peach cobbler process.

Can't Get Enough

I am on Day Three of my complete addiction to the Democratic National Convention.

And I am so emotional. The little videos about Teddy Kennedy, Michelle Obama, and Hillary Clinton has brought more than one tear to my eye.

Today, when Barack Obama was the first African-American nominated by the Democratic party, I was close to overwhelmed along with those delegates who were so besides themselves.

Last night, Hillary was amazing. She is amazing. It didn't surprise me when she reminded all of us why we are fighting the good fight to bring change to the White House and to our country. I am looking so forward to the message that Bill Clinton will bring tonight. And...I hope Biden will bring the heat to Bush, Cheney, and McCain.

Legos Are Still Fun

We spend a lot of Saturdays working on the yard or some other project around the house. However, today, we went to the American Swedish Museum to check out The Art of the Brick created by Nathan Sawaya. Each piece is created with Lego.

Here, Tim is looking at a piece that is made completely of Lego including the brown frame and white canvas. It isn't the first time that we've seen Lego made into amazing creations, but this is the first time that we've seen it displayed as an art instillation.

Joe Biden is a Great Choice!

Midwestern Recipe: Blueberry Pie

I really wanted to take an appealing picture of the yummy blueberry pie that I baked this afternoon, but it was a bit juicy and I lost all control over the pie. I will still share the photo and the recipe.

I called Tim to tell him to NOT EAT THE PIE until I returned from an appointment that I had this evening because I wanted to take a picture. The minute that I entered the house, Tim said, "Take a picture of the pie." He didn't even say hello, but I forgive him because the man loves pies.

I bought this enormous box of blueberries at Trader Joe's today and they needed to baked into a pie. I have a few leftover for blueberry pancakes on Saturday. Chilled blueberry soup will also be made on Saturday in honor of our visit to the American Swedish Museum here in Philadelphia. Did you know that Philly had the earliest Swedish immigrants and that chilled blueberry soup is a popular summer treat that's equally welcome as an appetizer or dessert in Sweden? We are going to the museum to check out a Lego exhibit, but we'll take in the other permanent exhibits too.

Okay, the pie. I use the Better Homes and Garden's red plaid cookbook for this recipe. It is the cookbook that everyone should have because it has every basic recipe in it. I like any cookbook that keeps it simple. I have seen it in the bargain bin at Borders. Pick it up if you don't have it already.

2/3 to 3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 cups blueberries
1 tablespoons lemon juice
Milk(optional)
Sugar (optional)

In a large mixing bowl combine the 2/3 to 3/4 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons flour. Stir in berries and lemon peel. Gently toss berries until coated. Transfer berry mixture to the pastry-lined pie plate. Cover with rolled-pie crust and flute the edges.

If desired, brush pastry top with a little milk and sprinkle with additional sugar.

To prevent overbrowning, cover edge of pie with foil. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes more or until top is golden. Cool on wire rack.

I Couldn't Have Said It Better, Jack

If you have been reading this blog for awhile, it isn't a secret where I stand politically. The earliest election that I cared about was 1984 when I was eight years old and rooting for Walter Mondale. It isn't normal for an eight year old to care about primaries and polls. However, I come from a long line of farmers, blue collar workers, veterans who would spend any family get together discussing past, present, and future political leaders and the issues that mattered to us.

I feel passionately about many issues, yet Jack Cafferty at CNN wrote a commentary that said it best. Because this is my blog and I can share whatever I want to share, I am choosing to share this article. And remember, it is a commentary.

"NEW YORK (CNN) -- Russia invades Georgia and President Bush goes on vacation. Our president has spent one-third of his entire two terms in office either at Camp David, Maryland, or at Crawford, Texas, on vacation.

His time away from the Oval Office included the month leading up to 9/11, when there were signs Osama bin Laden was planning to attack America, and the time Hurricane Katrina destroyed the city of New Orleans.

Sen. John McCain takes weekends off and limits his campaign events to one a day. He made an exception for the religious forum on Saturday at Saddleback Church in Southern California.

I think he made a big mistake. When he was invited last spring to attend a discussion of the role of faith in his life with Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, at Messiah College in Pennsylvania, McCain didn't bother to show up. Now I know why.

It occurs to me that John McCain is as intellectually shallow as our current president. When asked what his Christian faith means to him, his answer was a one-liner. "It means I'm saved and forgiven." Great scholars have wrestled with the meaning of faith for centuries. McCain then retold a story we've all heard a hundred times about a guard in Vietnam drawing a cross in the sand.

Asked about his greatest moral failure, he cited his first marriage, which ended in divorce. While saying it was his greatest moral failing, he offered nothing in the way of explanation. Why not?

Throughout the evening, McCain chose to recite portions of his stump speech as answers to the questions he was being asked. Why? He has lived 71 years. Surely he has some thoughts on what it all means that go beyond canned answers culled from the same speech he delivers every day.

He was asked "if evil exists." His response was to repeat for the umpteenth time that Osama bin Laden is a bad man and he will pursue him to "the gates of hell." That was it.

He was asked to define rich. After trying to dodge the question -- his wife is worth a reported $100 million -- he finally said he thought an income of $5 million was rich.

One after another, McCain's answers were shallow, simplistic, and trite. He showed the same intellectual curiosity that George Bush has -- virtually none.

Where are John McCain's writings exploring the vexing moral issues of our time? Where are his position papers setting forth his careful consideration of foreign policy, the welfare state, education, America's moral responsibility in the world, etc., etc., etc.?

John McCain graduated 894th in a class of 899 at the Naval Academy at Annapolis. His father and grandfather were four star admirals in the Navy. Some have suggested that might have played a role in McCain being admitted. His academic record was awful. And it shows over and over again whenever McCain is called upon to think on his feet.

He no longer allows reporters unfettered access to him aboard the "Straight Talk Express" for a reason. He simply makes too many mistakes. Unless he's reciting talking points or reading from notes or a TelePrompTer, John McCain is lost. He can drop bon mots at a bowling alley or diner -- short glib responses that get a chuckle, but beyond that McCain gets in over his head very quickly.

I am sick and tired of the president of the United States embarrassing me. The world we live in is too complex to entrust it to someone else whose idea of intellectual curiosity and grasp of foreign policy issues is to tell us he can look into Vladimir Putin's eyes and see into his soul.

George Bush's record as a student, military man, businessman and leader of the free world is one of constant failure. And the part that troubles me most is he seems content with himself.

He will leave office with the country $10 trillion in debt, fighting two wars, our international reputation in shambles, our government cloaked in secrecy and suspicion that his entire presidency has been a litany of broken laws and promises, our citizens' faith in our own country ripped to shreds. Yet Bush goes bumbling along, grinning and spewing moronic one-liners, as though nobody understands what a colossal failure he has been.

I fear to the depth of my being that John McCain is just like him."

Furniture Frenzy

The one word that I would use to describe today's trip to IKEA would be FRANTIC. I was calmly walking through the neatly fabricated rooms in the monster store, IKEA, when I noticed the frenzy in the eyes of other shoppers.

Either they left their brains in the car or they were entranced by the easy-to-assemble furniture, but most people were flitting around without any concern for other shoppers. I should have known better for going on a Saturday on a weekend when many college students were moving to the area.

It is difficult to describe the frantic behaviors. All I know is that I was left wanting the peace and quiet that my car offered after this experience. Next time, I will go on a Wednesday morning.

Back in the Swing of Things

It has taken some getting used to our normal lives back in Philly. We both jumped into our work routines because school looms on the horizon for us. I probably write this every year, but I just love the first weeks of school.

Don't get me wrong. I like my job all year long, but the buzz and flutter of the weeks before the children come are filled with preparation and organization. Creating a warm and welcoming environment where we can all be together for 180 days. I have my rituals each year. I may not always do them in the same order, but they must be done.

Organize the cubby room.
This year, it was a mess. So, with the help of some to-go boxes from a friend who enjoys Chinese take out and some labels, it is a cubby room that even the most finicky person could tolerate. Because that is the kindergartners' space, it gets trashed pretty regularly, but I am hoping that a little preparation before their arrival will help.

Trip to the Teacher Store
I like to buy the same things each year. New library pockets for a cute check in poster. New stickers for rewards. Mr. Sketch-it smelly markers for poster making. However, this year, I could not resist some jumbo foam dice. Part of being a kindergarten teacher is keeping things novel and new. The dice will help with that.
Bulletin Boards
I do not do elaborate bulletin boards because I like to use them for the children's work. I do replace the faded paper with new paper. Now, they are empty waiting for five year old creations.

Reading
I am rereading The First Six Weeks of School, but I have a few other books that I am interested in for the fall. I hope to get through one more before the big day.

I have a very long to-do list, but I have three weeks to do it.

My Midwestern Adventure - By the Numbers

Four
The number of weeks we have been away from our home in Philadelphia to see friends and family in the midwest.

Ten
The number of states that we drove through during our trip to and from the midwest.
Our favorite new state is West Virginia. We had not driven through the central part of West Virginia until this summer. It was incredibly beautiful and recommend a drive through West Virginia to anyone.

22
The variety of brats that were being sold at the North Dakota meat shop where my mom buys her grillin' goods.

Ten
The number of toddlers and pre-schoolers that we enjoyed during our travels. Tim became known among the pre-school boys to be the guy who can build great Lego and fix Transformers.

$4.50
I love that I pay $4.50 for a matinee in the midwest! I went to Mamma Mia with my mom and my sister-in-law in the midwest. When the girl behind the counter told me the title, I had to ask if she was sure!

40
The number of years that my parents have been married! We helped them celebrate their anniversary with a celebration with family and friends.

One
The number of Barack Obama pins that I purchased from this sweet elderly lady in Grand Forks who gives all of the money to the democratic headquarters in town. After I bought a pin, she showed me her garden.

Midwestern Tales

Have you been wondering where I have been? Tim and I have been enjoying our annual midwestern adventures. Our first stop was in Missouri where we spent time with our family and our sweet niece, Leah. Of course, no trip is complete to Missouri without taking in a St. Louis Cardinals game.

It was our first time to the new Busch Stadium. The Cards were playing the Brewers in one of the warmest games that I have ever been to. We avoided the beer and just had water. We lost, but it was still a great evening.

After Missouri, we took off for Iowa to see some of our friends from our three years in the state. Tim and I have enjoyed three-year old Caden. From Legos to Pirates, we have played a large variety of play themes. I am making stops at all of my favorite scrapbook stores since I haven't found any proper scrapbook stores in the east. Our next stop will be in Minneapolis where I will catch up with my high school and college friends.

On the Road Again

I am no longer in Philly. We have hit the wide open spaces that the United States Interstate system has to offer. Being educators, we have the perk of having our summers off. This allows us to travel for a month and see all of the friends and family along the way.

We took a new route through West Virginia and Kentucky. Although our lil' four cylinder Honda Accord may not agree, the hills of West Virginia are one of America's secret treasures. Beautiful. I kept pointing out the window to valleys and mountain tops and saying, "Look at that!" I am sure at some point, Tim didn't need my instruction to look. He was equally impressed with this untouched nature.

We have spent that last three days with Tim's brother, his wife, and our sweet little niece, Leah. She is 10 months old and keeps us entertained for hours. I am taking the opportunity to use my video capabilities on my camera. Tonight, we'll take in a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game. It'll be hot, but I know Tim will love every minute of it. Go Cards!

Gamin'

I had no idea, but I guess I am a great bowler! Now, I realize that the wii controller is lighter and less cumbersome than an actual bowling ball, but I did have several strikes the other night at TC and Laura's place.

I can't say that I am a terrific driver in the land of wii. When I played Mario Kart, I drove off of cliffs and into the ocean. I can't forget that I also drove into the on-coming traffic. It didn't help that I was laughing hysterically at myself and my inability to stay on the road.

It's been a long time since we've hung out with a couple and felt so very comfortable, but that is how it is with TC and Laura. They are midwestern folk from Iowa and that is my favorite kind of folk. Good company, good food, and good gaming makes for a good night.

Tastes Change, I Guess

Maybe I have already asked this...

Is it possible to love something that you once detested? This whole new way of thinking has taken me over. The other day, I grilled some portobella mushrooms with a balsamic and garlic sauce. I cook with mushrooms because I know other people like them even if I have never been a fan. Tim convinced me to try a piece because he thought they turned out very well. Sure enough, I liked it.

How could this be? I had spent 30 years thinking that I didn't like mushrooms. Maybe it was the canned version that I had a distaste for, but now, I like mushrooms.

Another example would be the band Journey. For years, I just couldn't stand listening to them. I think part of it was a childhood where the radio station played way too many monster ballads and hair bands. True, Journey is not a hair band but they definitely sang some fist pumping music. I just wanted to take a scissor to the whole bunch. However, now I am kind of smitten with Journey. It could be that I can sing to their songs in the privacy of my car and at my convenience rather than have them forced down my throat or it could be that my tastes are changing. The question is...are they changing for the better or worse.

Xponential Music Festival

Saturday was spent at the Xponential Music Festival in on the Camden Waterfront across the river from Philadelphia. It was hosted by my favorite radio station WXPN and had acts that are right up my folky alley.

Whenever I travel somewhere new, and this is especially true when I am traveling near downtown Philly, I have a detailed sheet of directions with even the smallest particular listed. These plans rarely steer me wrong.

I had packed a cooler with yummy fruits and snacks. Lots of beverages were cooled within the cooler to help us stay hydrated during this typical Philadelphia summer day...humid. So, we arrived without any problems, but as I pull into the parking lot and start to hand the parking attendant the money, I realize that I have forgotten the tickets to the concert! How could I have done that?

Basically, it was one of those moments when you are too planned and too organized so that you forget the most important thing that you need. So, we drove all of the way back to my house to get the tickets. It added another hour onto our drive and it annoyed me to know end.

Tickets in hand, we arrived back in Camden to enjoy an afternoon of music. The funny thing about music festivals is how many people break out their tie-dye just for these occasions. I don't think these people sport tie-dye on normal days, but there is something about jam bands and grassy knolls that call to pseudo-hippies.

I enjoyed Amos Lee and Teddy Thompson the most. The other bands included Railroad Earth and Nicole Atkins. There was more music today, but after a day in the sun, I realized that I am a one-day kind of music festival person.

Doing the Small Things

Summer is about half over for me. I feel like I have accomplished a lot, but why accomplish anything at all. Why do I have this sense to check things off of a list or spend time well. I guess that I am a doer.

I don't even know if doer is a word, but it describes me. For example, today, I will make some hummus. This hummus will be a great snack for the music festival that I am going to tomorrow. I will go to Target and get some of those low beach chairs too.

This is exactly why I am a doer. It makes things nice and organized to avoid chaos. It's not that I hate chaos. I just like to control what I can control. Oh. Now I am a doer and a controller. This is no surprise.

I never try to accomplish something that I won't enjoy. I try to spend my time well doing the things that bring joy to my life. Baking. Gardening. Music. Grocery Shopping. These are the simple pleasures in my life.

Sometimes, I will think about my late grandmother and think about the life that she led. She lived in the country and found joy in the simple things like birds, her family, her garden, and the nature that surrounded her. She also knew the importance of sitting down and just having long moments of peace. She found happiness in the simple pleasures in life.

Maybe being a doer is not such a bad thing. Maybe it is a good thing when you are doing the things you love. I tell Tim all of the time that we live a charmed life. We have these relaxing summers where we work about one third of the time. There is never a rush to our life. We get up and start the day in a leisurely fashion. We spend our days doing exactly what we want to be doing in the summer.

Midwestern Recipe: Caramel-Pecan Rolls

See...these are the moments when I wish I had some neighbors that were lifelong friends who I could invite over for a fresh, ooey-gooey caramel roll that was made from scratch. They'd come over and we'd sit down with a cup of coffee and their kids would be all sticky from the ooey-gooey caramel. And I would encourage seconds when their moms really just want them to have one.

After the yeast disaster earlier in the week, I had grand success with this batch. See, I can't shy away from failure. I can't let it beat me even in my baking world.

So, the picture to the left shows just how ooey-gooey they turned out to be! I found this recipe on the Taste of Home website. The caramel sauce was just how I liked it.

CARAMEL PECAN ROLLS
2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
1 cup warm milk (110° to 115°)
2 eggs
5 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
5 cups all-purpose flour

CARAMEL SAUCE:
1 cup butter or margarine, cubed
2 cups packed brown sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped pecans

FILLING:
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add the eggs, butter, sugar, salt and 3 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, for sauce, melt butter in a large saucepan. Stir in the brown sugar and corn syrup. Bring to a boil over medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with pecans; set aside.

Punch the dough down. Turn onto a floured surface. Roll into a 17-in. x 15-in. rectangle. Spread butter to within 1/2 in. of edges. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over dough. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; inch seams to seal.

Cut into 15 slices. Place cut side down over caramel sauce. Cover; let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes; invert onto a serving platter.

Midwestern Recipe: Lemon Cake

The Midwestern Position is quickly becoming the place for recipes and that is just about it. I wish I had other adventures to share, but I seem to be spending lots of time baking and, of course, taking pictures of it.

Today's treat...Lemon Cake. This is a Barefoot Contessa recipe that I have wanted to try for some time. It is was really simple. The sugar syrup at the end of the baking process is very important so don't skip it. Also, don't feel the need to have 6 to 8 lemons on hand. I had three and was able to get the zest that I needed. I also used lemon juice from a bottle when I ran out of fresh lemon juice. No problem.

I think this is the perfect treat if you invited a friend over for coffee in the afternoon. Oh, how I wish I had a friend to invite over for a coffee, but that is for another post. For now, I will eat lemon cake by myself with coffee in the afternoon.

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup grated lemon zest (6 to 8 large lemons)
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, divided
3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the glaze:
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
3 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch) loaf pans. You may also line the bottom with parchment paper, if desired.

Cream the butter and 2 cups granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, and the lemon zest.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup lemon juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 cup lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. When the cakes are done, allow to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and set them on a rack set over a tray or sheet pan; spoon the lemon syrup over them. Allow the cakes to cool completely.

For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and the lemon juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Pour over the tops of the cakes and allow the glaze to drizzle down the sides.

Fourth and More

Having the Fourth of July on a Friday is not very special since I have Fridays off during the summer. However, it is very special for Tim to take an entire weekday off to spend it together. For most holidays, we are traveling or hosting, so it was a nice change to have it be just the two of us.

Our plans were beautiful. We were going to go and spend the day at the Tyler Arboretum. Unfortunately, it started to rain as we drove to the arboretum. So, we quickly found the local movie house and saw the 10AM showing of Hancock. It is not as beautiful and nature-loving, but it was relaxing.

I am not sure if all of the stars were aligned or something was in the water, but we both got the organizing and cleaning urge after the movie. Tim worked in the basement while I worked in the rest of the house. It was perfect actually because we were not on any kind of time table or schedule. We took breaks when we wanted to and the house looks great. If were not for the rainy weather, we might have spent this energy outside, but the house is in order.

Oh, and I also tried to make some caramel rolls, but my dough did not rise. I am very unsuccessful with yeast. I think the water was too warm. It is new yeast. UGH. I will try again soon, but will need some baking successes in between so I do not get bakers low-self-esteem.

I realize as I reread this post, I seem like an old-fashioned girl. Cleaning. Baking. I like that. I am going to think more about that and maybe write more about the virtues of being an old-fashioned girl.

Midwestern Recipe: Homemade Nutter Butters

Okay, I think I might be going a little crazy with my new mixer. Usually, I shy away from cookies because they are so much work compared to a nice bar cookie, but the new mixer inspires me to do more. I found this recipe online and couldn't resist.

Don't worry though. I didn't eat all of the cookies. Just one. (It is really two cookies though because of the sandwich part!) I gave the rest away to our co-workers.

FOR THE COOKIE DOUGH:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 pound (4 sticks) butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter, preferably Skippy
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup coarsely chopped peanuts
2½ cups quick-cooking oats

For the filling:
¼ pound (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
½ cup creamy peanut butter, preferably Skippy
1 2/3 cups confectioners’ sugar

1. For cookie dough: preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and baking soda; set aside. Using a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and peanut butter. Add sugars and beat at medium speed for 4 minutes, scraping down bowl twice.

2. At low speed, add eggs and vanilla. Add flour mixture and beat at low speed until well mixed, frequently scraping down bowl. Add peanuts and oats, and mix well. Using an ice cream scoop 2 inches in diameter, place balls of dough on parchment-lined baking sheets at least three inches apart. Bake until cookies have spread and turned very light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool and firm up, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely before filling.

3. For filling: using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, peanut butter and confectioners’ sugar until very smooth.

4. To assemble cookies, spread a thin layer (about 1/8 inch) on underside of a cookie. Sandwich with another cookie. Repeat.

Yield: 24 large cookies.

Living Biblically

I have been reading this book, The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible by A.J. Jacobs. Long book, short...this guy who lives in NYC decided to live his life according to all Biblical tenants and rules. It sounds sort of deep and overwhelming, but as a reader, it is fascinating how he follows obscure rules in this 20th century world
He is clever and witty so each page is filled with funny stories about his family or the religious intellectuals or scholars that he meets. I am always impressed with anyone who can do something out of the ordinary for a year. The only thing that I have done for a year is not eat McDonald's. I should do that for a lifetime.
Next on my nightstand is Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously. It is the story of one woman's quest to complete all of the Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume I, in a period of 365 days. Again, the year is fascinating to me.