We all know about the American Revolution from the perspective of the Founding Fathers. However, this book presented the Revolution from the point of view of the average, everyday American. This was a viewpoint I'd never read about before, so I really enjoyed this book. I was completely unaware at how grass-roots the Revolution really was. People from Maine to Georgia were all intimately involved in supporting our country's bid for independence.
One thing I had never heard about before was something called "The Association." This was an act by the Continental Congress calling on municipalities to form committees to spread the revolutionary agenda. In many towns, all citizens had to sign petitions stating they were on the American side of the cause. Anyone who supported the British was ostracized from the community, and would have to go in front of the committee and recant their views in order to be accepted again. The book goes into a lot of detail about how different communities enforced the Association.
People also were really prepared to take up arms if necessary to support people in other parts of the country. For example, at one point before any of the fighting actually began, there was a report that Boston was being attacked by the British. People from other New England colonies immediately organized and began a march towards Boston to support those living there. Even people in the southern states, too far away to send militia, sent money and other items to support those in Boston who were in need during the British occupation of the city. This is all especially amazing when you consider the fact that people in that time very rarely left the colony in which they lived, yet they were quick to come to the defense of others.
I really enjoyed this book because it gave me a new perspective of that time in our country's history. When you think about it, it really wouldn't have mattered what our Founding Fathers did or said if the ordinary people living in America hadn't also supported the cause of revolution.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars.
23 April 2011
20 April 2011
Cookbook Sundays Comes to Wednesday, Revolutionary Style!
One of my favorite restaurants anywhere is City Tavern in Philadelphia. It is where our Founding Fathers met and ate, and they still serve all the traditional foods of the era. It's a really fun place to eat because it feels like you're stepping back in time, and the food is wonderful. Recently, my husband bought The City Tavern Cookbook (2009), and tonight he surprised me with a meal almost entirely from that book. I had to blog about it, as it proves who the real cook in the family is.
First, we had Traditional Beef Stew (pg. 190). The meat was marinated in red wine overnight, and the wine was used for the sauce. I think that really was the key to the stew's success. Unfortunately, he left out the carrots, because he forgot to get them at the store. The recipe also called for bacon, which he forgot as well. The stew was good without them, but the added color and flavor of the carrots and bacon would have made it even better. The stew was served with smashed potatoes and dinner rolls.
Then, for dessert we had Blueberry Cobbler (pg. 253). This dessert was not difficult to make, and tasted amazing. The crumble topping is the best part! It was served warm with ice cream on top. A perfect end to our Revolutionary meal. Maybe the leftovers will be breakfast tomorrow!
I don't normally rate cookbook recipes, but I've been asked to do so for this one. I rate it a 4.87 out of 5 stars. Had there been carrots in the stew, it might have ranked a 4.92 with carrots and a 5.0 with carrots and bacon. My husband's an accountant/baker, so you know I had to use odd numbers!
First, we had Traditional Beef Stew (pg. 190). The meat was marinated in red wine overnight, and the wine was used for the sauce. I think that really was the key to the stew's success. Unfortunately, he left out the carrots, because he forgot to get them at the store. The recipe also called for bacon, which he forgot as well. The stew was good without them, but the added color and flavor of the carrots and bacon would have made it even better. The stew was served with smashed potatoes and dinner rolls.
Then, for dessert we had Blueberry Cobbler (pg. 253). This dessert was not difficult to make, and tasted amazing. The crumble topping is the best part! It was served warm with ice cream on top. A perfect end to our Revolutionary meal. Maybe the leftovers will be breakfast tomorrow!
I don't normally rate cookbook recipes, but I've been asked to do so for this one. I rate it a 4.87 out of 5 stars. Had there been carrots in the stew, it might have ranked a 4.92 with carrots and a 5.0 with carrots and bacon. My husband's an accountant/baker, so you know I had to use odd numbers!
19 April 2011
Cookbook Sundays -- April 17
This week's meal wasn't so great, but I think it was mostly my fault rather than the recipe's fault. First, I made Basic Butter Cake for Every Day, from the "Dinner Against the Clock" cookbook (1973, pg. 309). Rather than make a cake, I made it into cupcakes. It's a small recipe, designed to make on layer of a layer cake; it made 8 cupcakes. I put them in the oven, went to do some grading, and promptly forgot about them. They sat in the oven about 10 minutes too long. But it wasn't a total loss. They're a little dark and crispy on the outside, but when covered with chocolate frosting it's not so bad. I'll eat them. Calling it butter cake is definitely a correct description. There were 10 tablespoons of butter in this recipe! I think I'll try it again sometime, as it seems like, properly cooked, it would be really moist and delicious.
Incidentally, I love some of these old cookbooks from the 70s and earlier. Lots of great homey recipes and direction for the housewife on how to elegantly host a dinner party. Fun stuff.
My entree was Tuna and Corn Fish Cakes from the cookbook "Potato" (1999, pg. 202). It combines mashed potatoes, tuna and corn into a patty which is then covered in breadcrumbs. Part of my problem was in reading the recipe. To begin, it talks about preheating a grill and then cooking the fish cakes under the grill. I didn't know if that meant it should be broiled or what. I've never heard of cooking "under" a grill before. So I decided to just bake them. Second, the recipe called for 300g/11oz of mashed potatoes. I don't have a scale and couldn't figure out how to convert that to cups, so I just guessed. I also used instant mashed potatoes instead of homemade, which the recipe said you could do. But I think I made the potatoes too thin and used to much of them, because the mixture was too loose to form into patties. In the end, they tasted pretty bland, and because there were too many potatoes I couldn't really taste anything else. I ate them because it wasn't terrible-tasting, but I threw away what was left. It's not something I'd bother to reheat and eat again.
Better luck to me next week!
Incidentally, I love some of these old cookbooks from the 70s and earlier. Lots of great homey recipes and direction for the housewife on how to elegantly host a dinner party. Fun stuff.
My entree was Tuna and Corn Fish Cakes from the cookbook "Potato" (1999, pg. 202). It combines mashed potatoes, tuna and corn into a patty which is then covered in breadcrumbs. Part of my problem was in reading the recipe. To begin, it talks about preheating a grill and then cooking the fish cakes under the grill. I didn't know if that meant it should be broiled or what. I've never heard of cooking "under" a grill before. So I decided to just bake them. Second, the recipe called for 300g/11oz of mashed potatoes. I don't have a scale and couldn't figure out how to convert that to cups, so I just guessed. I also used instant mashed potatoes instead of homemade, which the recipe said you could do. But I think I made the potatoes too thin and used to much of them, because the mixture was too loose to form into patties. In the end, they tasted pretty bland, and because there were too many potatoes I couldn't really taste anything else. I ate them because it wasn't terrible-tasting, but I threw away what was left. It's not something I'd bother to reheat and eat again.
Better luck to me next week!
11 April 2011
Textbooks, Part II
Well, I'm back from the conference. While some sessions weren't that great, others were very interesting and I got a lot of good information from them. There were three tables with representatives from textbook publishers. I use books from all three of them, so all have good options. I was really glad to see that my estate planning textbook is coming out with a new edition this summer, so I signed up to get a copy as soon as it's published. I really like the book, but it's getting outdated and I was thinking I'd have to change texts altogether. Thankfully, now I won't have to do that.
Other than the estates book, I wasn't really thinking about changing the text for any of my classes. Students don't like it when you change books because current students can't sell theirs back, and new students won't have used copies available. So changing books isn't something I do lightly. However, I found a really great business orgs book that I think I have to try. It's a brand new textbook, which is kind of exciting. What I really like about it is that each chapter has several case studies at the end. I'm always looking for things to do in the classroom beyond just lecture, but it's sometimes hard to come up with them myself. With this book, it would be easy! I also like the way it's written. There are charts and graphs to help visual learners, and the language level is appropriate. It also pretty much follows the format of the text I use now, so I wouldn't need to adjust the syllabus too much to accommodate it.
It might be too late to use this book next Fall, but I am definitely going to look to order it for my students in Spring 2012 at the latest. I think the students will really like it, and I'll like teaching from it.
Other than the estates book, I wasn't really thinking about changing the text for any of my classes. Students don't like it when you change books because current students can't sell theirs back, and new students won't have used copies available. So changing books isn't something I do lightly. However, I found a really great business orgs book that I think I have to try. It's a brand new textbook, which is kind of exciting. What I really like about it is that each chapter has several case studies at the end. I'm always looking for things to do in the classroom beyond just lecture, but it's sometimes hard to come up with them myself. With this book, it would be easy! I also like the way it's written. There are charts and graphs to help visual learners, and the language level is appropriate. It also pretty much follows the format of the text I use now, so I wouldn't need to adjust the syllabus too much to accommodate it.
It might be too late to use this book next Fall, but I am definitely going to look to order it for my students in Spring 2012 at the latest. I think the students will really like it, and I'll like teaching from it.
07 April 2011
Checking Out New Textbooks!
This weekend I'm going to a paralegal educators' conference in Chicago. I know that a lot of people hate conferences; I like them. First, I think they're valuable and I learn a lot from them. Second, I get to get out of town for a few days on the school's dime. There's always time for sightseeing at night or in between sessions. A couple years ago I went to Portland, OR for a conference and it was great because I'd never been there before and don't know that I would have gone otherwise.
One of the things I really like about the conferences, though, is looking at new textbooks. Various texbook vendors set up booths at the conference, and you can order free copies of their books to review. I don't always decide to switch textbooks, although I have done that from time to time. But even if I don't officially use them in class, they're great references for supplemental material. Each book presents the issues in a slightly different way, or has good review questions I can use in class.
This time, there's a new edition of my estate planning text that is supposed to come out this summer. I'm hoping they have a preview of it at the conference, because I'm really excited about it. I've used the current edition for three years now, and it's getting out of date. I was considering changing texts as a result, even though I really like my current book; but now I won't have to with the new addition.
Wish me luck!
One of the things I really like about the conferences, though, is looking at new textbooks. Various texbook vendors set up booths at the conference, and you can order free copies of their books to review. I don't always decide to switch textbooks, although I have done that from time to time. But even if I don't officially use them in class, they're great references for supplemental material. Each book presents the issues in a slightly different way, or has good review questions I can use in class.
This time, there's a new edition of my estate planning text that is supposed to come out this summer. I'm hoping they have a preview of it at the conference, because I'm really excited about it. I've used the current edition for three years now, and it's getting out of date. I was considering changing texts as a result, even though I really like my current book; but now I won't have to with the new addition.
Wish me luck!
04 April 2011
Cookbook Sundays -- April 3
I am finally back with another edition of Cookbook Sundays! There have been a lot of Sundays lately when I haven't cooked anything, and others when I have but just never got around to blogging about it. But here I am again. Just to refresh your memory, I make on dessert and one non-dessert item on Sundays. These are almost always new recipes that I get from my ever-growing collection of cookbooks.
My non-dessert item was Baked Beans Quintent, from the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook (2002, pg. 86). Actually, the recipe calls for garbanzo beans, which after some bad experiences with them the semester I spent in Spain, I will never eat again if I can help it. So I guess I actually make a bean quartet. The recipe can be baked in the oven, but I chose to use a slow cooker. I was very happy with the result, and would make them again if I was having a cookout or something like that.
My dessert was not so successful. It was Carrot Almond Torte, which is a recipe I printed off the Food Network website when I was in law school. I have a stack about two inches high of recipe printouts. You used to be able to go to the website and click on "random recipe" and get whatever came up. If it sounded interesting, I'd print it. Last I checked a couple of years ago they no longer have that feature, so all my printouts are about 10 years old. It looked good coming out of the oven, but when I cut it it was obviously a disaster. I can't really say what happened, but it was just a gloppy mess inside. Te recipe called for grated carrots and grated almonds, and I think what I used wasn't fine enough because I used shredded carrots and slivered almonds. Whatever the reason, the whole thing ended up in the trash along with the recipe itself. I don't care to try again. Thankfully, this wasn't a recipe that called for any expensive ingredients, so the loss wasn't too great. I had Ben and Jerry's Red Velvet Cake ice cream in the freezer, and that was a great dessert.
My non-dessert item was Baked Beans Quintent, from the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook (2002, pg. 86). Actually, the recipe calls for garbanzo beans, which after some bad experiences with them the semester I spent in Spain, I will never eat again if I can help it. So I guess I actually make a bean quartet. The recipe can be baked in the oven, but I chose to use a slow cooker. I was very happy with the result, and would make them again if I was having a cookout or something like that.
My dessert was not so successful. It was Carrot Almond Torte, which is a recipe I printed off the Food Network website when I was in law school. I have a stack about two inches high of recipe printouts. You used to be able to go to the website and click on "random recipe" and get whatever came up. If it sounded interesting, I'd print it. Last I checked a couple of years ago they no longer have that feature, so all my printouts are about 10 years old. It looked good coming out of the oven, but when I cut it it was obviously a disaster. I can't really say what happened, but it was just a gloppy mess inside. Te recipe called for grated carrots and grated almonds, and I think what I used wasn't fine enough because I used shredded carrots and slivered almonds. Whatever the reason, the whole thing ended up in the trash along with the recipe itself. I don't care to try again. Thankfully, this wasn't a recipe that called for any expensive ingredients, so the loss wasn't too great. I had Ben and Jerry's Red Velvet Cake ice cream in the freezer, and that was a great dessert.
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