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What You’re Reading

July 6, 2013 by Joy the Baker 118 Comments

elsewhere

It’s always hard to leave behind a long holiday weekend.  I was away this holiday weekend.  I was less than two hours from home, but it felt like a continent away.  Big shady trees.  Skies full of stars.  Extended cocktail hours.

There’s something so essential about being away.

Being away means that I get to live in a different kitchen, leisurely eat big ol’ pineapples, sit out on different porches, sip from different glasses, and read different books.  Being surrounded by different things is good on the heart and steady on the brian.

Because it’s summer, because it’s the season of being away, because we just need to warm-weather words… I took to Twitter and asked you for great summer-read recommendations.

Your recommendations were  so excellent and enthusiastic I thought we should share this list with all of you.  Keep in mind that I haven’t read all of these books, but you have and you think they’re great!  Check them out (literally… from the library). Click around.  See if anything strikes you. These are the days and it’s such a blessing to live them.

What You’re Reading:  Summer 2013

Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls David Sedaris  (always and forever.)

Love In The Time of Cholera Gabriel Garcia Marquez

The Diviners Libba Bray

I Was Told There’d Be Cake Sloane Crosley

Sense and Sensibility Jane Austen

The Old Man and the Sea Ernest Hemingway

(there is  waaaaaay more list after the click)

elsewhere

In the House upon the Dirt Between the Cabin and the Woods Matt Bell

Game of Thrones #nerdalert #allduerespect

In the Land of the Blue Burqas Kate McCord

Let’s Pretend This Never Happened Jenny Lawson  (For the title alone, right!?)

Wild Cheryl Strayed

The Gread Gatsby F.Scott Fitzgerald

Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald Therese Anne Fowler  (yes…!)

Tell The Wolves I’m Home Carol Rifka Brunt  (I’m starting with this book!)

The Secret Keeper Kate Morton

Gone With The Wind Margaret Mitchell (I read this book every summer as a teenager during the darkest of my curly-bang-days.)

The Tiger’s Wife Tea Obreht

Where’d You Go Bernadette Maria Semple  (I’m looking forward to this one!)

Daring Greatly Brene Brown  (Shutterbean is reading this book and gives it a thumbs-up!)

The Ocean at the End of the Lane Neil Gaiman

The Engagements J. Courtney Sullivan

Rez Life David Treuer

elsewhere

The Perfume Collector Kathleen Tessaro

Sea and Sardinia DH Lawrence

Travels with Charley John Steinbeck  But really… East of Eden will change you.

The End of You Life Book Club Will Schwalbe

Brooklyn Girls Gemma Burgess

The Round House Louise Erdrich

State of Wonder Ann Patchett

Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend Matthew Dicks

Dear Girls Above Me Charlie McDowell  (I must read this.)

The Sparrow Mary Doria Russell  (I adore this story.  It’s big.)

Age of Miracles Karen Thompson Walker  (So So good!!)

Sisterland Curtis Sittenfeld

Will Write For Food Dianne Jacob

Thank you for sharing your summer reads!  I appreciate you so much.  If you have any books to add to the list, or if you’ve enjoyed any of the above mentioned books, you should totally leave a comment below!  Share your thoughts.  We’re in this together.

 

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Reader Interactions

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  1. Denise

    December 18, 2013 at 3:44 pm

    I’ve just finished “Tigers in Red Weather” by Liza Klaussman (a great great granddaughter of Herman Melville). This book will keep you enthralled until the very last word. Al also must read, the brilliant “We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves” by Karen Joy Fowler (Jane Austen Book Club). You won’t be able to put it down.

    Reply
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Trackbacks

  1. Virtual Coffee Date | My great WordPress blog says:
    August 1, 2014 at 2:23 pm

    […] we were having coffee this morning, I’d tell you how I want to read at least few books from this list but right now I am reading “My Life in France” by Julia Child and Alex […]

    Reply
  2. Break Your Heart Winter Reading | Recipe Galore says:
    February 17, 2014 at 12:05 pm

    […] Sunday my friends!  By now you know that one of my very favorite things to do is get your book recommendations. We’ve talked about books before and you have some seriously stellar thoughts when it comes […]

    Reply
  3. Best Pinterest Posts » Break Your Heart Winter Reading says:
    December 15, 2013 at 3:56 am

    […] Sunday my friends!  By now you know that one of my very favorite things to do is get your book recommendations. We’ve talked about books before and you have some seriously stellar thoughts when it comes […]

    Reply
  4. Joy the Baker – What We’re Reading says:
    October 23, 2013 at 8:48 pm

    […] know what I like about us?  I like that we read together.  This summer we put together a Summer Reading List.  It was super satisfying.  I asked you what you were reading on Twitter, and you filled my life […]

    Reply

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You’ll need:⁣
- A thawed sheet of puff pastry, fridge cold⁣
- 3.5 ounces or half a log of almond paste cut into 12 even-ish pieces⁣
- An egg beaten for egg wash, with a splash of heavy cream and a glug of vanilla bean paste for extra luxury⁣
- Sliced almonds⁣
- Powdered sugar ⁣
⁣
Lightly roll a sheet of puff pastry and slice into six rectangles. ⁣
Brush each rectangle with egg wash. Arrange each with two slices almond paste. Pull two corners of the puff pastry up and over the paste, pressing lightly to seal. Brush lightly with egg wash. ⁣
⁣
Transfer to a small, parchment lined baking pan and allow to rest in the freezer while the oven preheats to 425 degrees f. ⁣
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Bake from chilled for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and again lightly brush with egg wash. Top with almond slices and bake for 6-8 minutes more. Keep an eye as to not burn the almonds. ⁣
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2 Easy No Yeast Bagels⁣
1/2 cup self-rising flour⁣
4 tablespoons greek yogurt (plus a teaspoon or two more if needed)
1 large egg, beaten for egg wash⁣
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In a small bowl, use a firm spatula to work together the flour and yogurt. Add a few teaspoons of yogurt if it feels dry and knead into a cohesive ball for 5 minutes or so. Sprinkle with a bit more flour if it gets overly sticky. Cover with a damp paper towel and gather your toppings. ⁣
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Bake for 20 - 22 minutes until deeply golden and bubbling.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing and smearing with cream cheese.
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