summer reading continues....

appetite city: a culinary history of new york.
written by the times food editor from 2000-20004 (i believe)
this one book two check-outs from local library.
it had a hold, so i could not renew.
i returned it and actually decided to check it out again in order to finish. perhaps more determination than enjoyment.
but i have to say it was interesting.
the beginning history of oyster bars and fish markets down near wall street at the end of the 1800s were fascinating. i got bogged down at the turn of the century into the roaring twenties because there was a slump due to prohibition and the market crash....but i have to admit that more modern culture of the last twenty years with names i was familiar with, made finishing easy....alice waters, jacques torres, whylie dufresne, tom colicchio (before top chef) was all engaging for me. i even made my "dream" restaurant list..... my "one day i'll go"............ while not the best writer.... still an interesting read.




also finished #5 in the little house on the prairie series:
by the shores of silver lake.
loved it. so simple..... when things in my life seem complicated or difficult it is refreshing to remember what life looked like when four walls and a fire were really a blessing.
it was actually a nice balance to the above book which was really about the luxury of being able to eat out, gluttony, opulence, and excess.... not that eating out is excess, but laura ingalls wilder gives a little bit of perspective to that "dream" list of places i want to eat..... the seaonal tomatoes that i am craving are a really treat or pumpkin pie at thanksgiving or herbs. perspective is never a bad thing.