READ
Gabrielle Hamilton’s New York City restaurant, Prune, has set a high standard for comfort food in the United States. Her memoir, Blood, Bones, & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef, sets a newer, higher bar in food writing. It begins in rural Pennsylvania amidst a loving family and fantastic food. Hamilton’s life is upended when, in the wreckage of her parents’ divorce, she and her siblings are left to fend for themselves. Forced to search for both food and home, Hamilton begins a long odyssey of near destitution and striving. Her writing is frank in its depictions of life in kitchens, and hauntingly vague about her love affairs and marriage. Ultimately, her story is a foodie’s delight and a commanding coming-of-age tale.
-Available at Edina Library, 5280 Grandview Sq.; 952.847.5425
British writer Kate Atkinson has written four novels, all with the very likeable sleuth Jackson Brodie as the central and linchpin character. They are: Case Histories (2005); One Good Turn (2006); When Will There Be Good News? (2008); and Started Early, Took My Dog (2011). Atkinson combines great literary style and brilliant plotting with dashes of humor and humanity centered around Brodie. She makes each of her books part English mystery, part psychological thriller, and always very hard to put down. These books also work well as stand-alone reads. Kate Atkinson’s novels are great for an October weekend getaway or the perfect solution for a book club looking for a change of pace.
-Maureen Millea Smith, librarian at Edina Library and Minnesota Book Award-winning novelist.
DRINK
October is a fab month for hunkering down, and gearing up for the winter that’s ahead. This is the time of year when the crock-pot makes some of its first appearances, and my cheese plates start to take on savory dried meats and roasted veggies. One of my favorite grape pairings to such ingredients is mencía. Once thought to be related to cab franc, mencía has now been discovered to be the same grape as Portugal’s jaen. It is a dark, juicy, slightly herbal red that seems to run perfectly with charcuterie platters and other roasted meats. (Incidentally, it’s not a bad pairing to a few chocolates.) La Mano Winery’s mencía from Bierzo, Spain ($11)—with notes of bing cherry, round plum, fresh sage and olive tapenade—is one of my house favorites. Easy on the palate and your wine budget.
-Leslee Miller is a certified sommelier, owner of Twin Cities-based wine consulting firm Amusée, and everyone’s favorite “go to” wine gal.
-Available at France 44, 4351 France Ave. S.; 612.925.3252
LISTEN
Adele’s musicality has grown since her debut record 19. Her voice is more soulful, and producer Rick Rubin was truly able to capture the emotion and pain she went though during the writing of this new record, 21. Former Minnesota musician Dan Wilson (of Trip Shakespeare and Semisonic) also contributed to the writing and production on my personal favorite track “Someone Like You.” Family friendly, both my kids and I love this record.
-Paul Peterson is a local musician, producer and composer.
-Available at Target, 7000 York Ave. S.; 952.925.4610
