Some fun book recommendations

And tipsy mushrooms!!

Hello + good morning! Welcome to an edition of this newsletter where we stray from the topic of food and travel to talk about something else joyful that often accompanies me on travels—books! I’m not sure why I feel like you are all avid readers, too, but I hope you enjoy these recs :)

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Many years ago, after asking someone at the McNally Jackson bookstore in Soho for a book recommendation, he asked me what books I liked. I started listing off some of my all-time favorites, The Count of Monte Cristo, Anna Karenina, The Elegance of the Hedgehog, A Gentleman in Moscow, Love in the Time of Cholera, Rebecca… and so on. After I was done, he said, “So, you’re a romantic.”

I’m pretty sure I audibly gasped and spurted out, “No, I’m not!” 

He looked at me kindly, tilting his head to the side, and, in a tone that felt like he was gently patting my hand, said, “There are worse things in life to be than a romantic.”

He’s right, on all accounts.

I think I always associated a romantic as someone who was frivolous, and someone who couldn’t be taken seriously, probably how some people think artists/creative types are scattered and unreliable (also not true!), and I wanted to be seen as a “real reader” and a “smart" one who loved books—ridiculous, I know. I’m glad he called me out, so I can openly admit that in books (and let’s be serious, most movies, too), I tend to love stories that have a romantic bent to them. Some of the love stories don’t end up so well, and I have broken out sobbing while reading in bed many a time. Also on a plane, to the point where a stranger/seatmate turned to me and said, “Are you okay?”

Nothing to do with books, I just find these places to be so beautiful.

For good recommendations of any type, whether for books, restaurants, recipes or travel, I believe it’s important to find someone whose tastes align with yours—this is why I’m sharing my romantic truth, so you know what type of reader I am. We all likely have those friends we love, but when they recommend something, you just kind of know it’s not going to be your thing. Neither taste is right or wrong, it’s more about finding out what suits you. “Trusted recommendations” are incredibly valuable, as it’s something that has already been vetted by someone, well, that you trust. 

When I was talking about a recent book I read and loved to my friend Kulsum the other night, she described the type of book very accurately, and it sums up the majority of books I read: they straddle the line between literature and commercial fiction, and there’s a plot to keep you engaged but it’s also well written and thoughtful so that it’s something you will think about later. (Thank you, Kulsum!) Because that often tends to be exactly what I look for these days. Something light enough that I can read anywhere, but also interesting enough that it hooks me and makes me think, rather than a book that I finish reading and regret the entire experience (I won’t be rude and name names, but I’ve unfortunately read quite a few of those this year). 

So today, before we get to lots of mushroom talk, we are covering book recommendations. I have always been a book lover, as I so badly wanted to prove to the helpful man at McNally Jackson, and my birthday cake in fourth grade was even in the shape of a book–something I’m both mildly embarrassed about and proud of. I also had a wonderful librarian at my elementary school, and she would often leave a book for me at the counter saying, “I think you’ll love this one,” so I was plied with good material from the start. I still dream about a library of my own, with high ceilings and shelves upon shelves filled with books and a wooden sliding ladder to access them. So dreamy!

Despite good bookstores and trusted friends, I still find myself in a rut sometimes, going long stretches without finding a book that I get sucked into. You know, the kind that makes you feel like the outside world has disappeared and all you want to do is read, regardless of social plans and necessary norms like showering or eating—this is a judgment-free zone, right? 

Here is a list of books that I’ve loved in the past year—not composed of new books, but new to me. I hope you enjoy them, find some solace, joy or even just a distraction when you need it. And, if you think our tastes match up or have a book you just absolutely love, then please share! I’m always looking for new recs. (I’m purposefully not writing too much about the plot because I don’t want to give anything away.)

Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak* This book truly made me want to be a better, kinder and more loving person, showering love on anyone or anything that I came across. I found it so inspiring and beautiful. While reading it in a store as I was waiting for something, a woman stopped me to say how much she also loved the book. We began chatting about our mutual love for it, ended up exchanging names/numbers and are now Instagram friends and have recommended other books to each other. I can’t wait until I forget the story enough that I can reread it as my copy is dog eared with passages and quotes.

The Island of Missing Birds by Elif Shafak This was the first book of hers that I read and loved it so much that it led me to read five more of her books, but this one and the above have been my two favorites so far. (The Architect’s Apprentice is also good, but not as whoa as these ones.)

The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell Loosely based in historical fiction, this was a book that sucked me in, so much that I returned home from dinner around 11:30 pm and continued to read it until 1 am. 

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson This started a bit slow for me, but, when I finished, it’s something that made me think, how did she manage to write this?! If you’ve ever read Cloud Atlas, this is nothing like that, but the amazement at the author’s ability to tie it all together was similar.

Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez  My sister lent me her copy saying it was one of the best books she read this past year, and she was right. New Yorkers might also enjoy that it’s set in NYC, but it’s so much more than that and also one that pops into my mind every so often. 

The Hummingbird by Sandro Veronesi I also truly loved this book. It covers family, life, love, loss and also hints at the next generation and what they hold in their hands. In that way, I felt it was inspiring and beautiful. 

The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende So beautifully written. I know this is a classic in a way and mostly definitely not new, but it was the first time I read it and think about it often. 

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng I also loved her other book, but this one was powerful in a different way, and I found it hard to put down. It’s a bit more heavy emotionally than some of the others, but I would still say it’s worth reading. 

Yes, these books are great, but also the bug matches my beach blanket!

The Creative Act by Rick Rubin Okay, this isn’t fiction or romantic per se, but it is worth a read. Since I’m being truthful about my reading habits, I have to admit that I try to also read one “bettering” book (I will not call it self help), whether it be a creative or spiritual one, that I go through more slowly than fiction books, usually reading a few pages a day to let them sink in (The Artist’s Way is also fantastic for this, if you have not yet tried that). My friend Annie recommended this book, and it was great. It’s set up in short chapters, so it’s ideal for reading in the morning, before you dive into your day, to start it off on an inspiring and thoughtful note. (I realize not everyone has time for this, so I don’t mean to be annoying if it comes across that way!)

Still Life by Sarah Winman I hugged this book when I was done as that’s how I felt about the characters and all of it. It is a long book, set in Italy and England, and I should mention that the author is the longtime love and partner of my friend Patsy (the lovely photographer who shot Keeping it Simple).

Truthfully, all of these books I would hug and keep in my possession. I’m still old school and need to read physical books, as I want to limit my screen time as much as possible and love the feeling of holding a book in my hands, but I know that’s also wasteful in some ways (and not practical for travel). Plus, I love visiting bookstores so much and try to whenever I’m in another city.

Someone London bookstores (and my cutie aunt in the doorway of one!)

Libraries are a wonderful resource, as I know some of my friends (hi, Diana!) often check out books from there rather than purchasing them, which is smart and supports them, too. I make myself feel better about buying books by donating ones I don’t want to keep for the rest of my life to a library or friends. When I moved out of Miami, culling my book collection in preparation for shipping, I donated over 100 books and cookbooks to my local library branch—I also snuck one of my cookbooks into the donation pile (I still can’t tell if that was a tacky move or not. I never gave them my name, so maybe okay?). 

Anyway, whether you buy or borrow them, read digitally or in print, I hope you enjoy them!

Now, onto mushrooms!!

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so many mushrooms!

When mushroom season started in Menorca (yay!), I was super excited to cook with them as they are gorgeous, as you can see. I did some research to learn about this variety of mushrooms that grows in this part of the Mediterranean and came across this tip on a Menorcan website that said to add wine, garlic and parsley and cover the mushrooms completely so that it becomes brothy and liquid like, something to eat with bread. It sounded pretty interesting, so I went to try it, but the rental home I’m in doesn’t have the best pans or any properly fitting lids. So, no matter how I tried to cover the pan, weighing down lids, tying things together, steam was escaping like its life depended on it, which led me to this partially covered method. 

I was (and still am) a big fan of cooking mushrooms in a hot, dry skillet so that it forces out the liquid in them before adding oil/butter, but that method requires a bit more attention, as you have to stir every minute or two. This method I’m liking because there’s even less to do. You essentially add it all in one skillet, partially cover and stir halfway. You do still need to linger around, checking to see when the liquid has evaporated, which will depend a bit on the size/type of your mushrooms. Otherwise it’s pretty hands off. From there, season as you’d like, add garlic or use these mushrooms in a variety of ways–some ideas below and lots of tips and notes. 

Prep: Use a damp paper towel or cloth to wipe off visible dirt from the mushrooms. Avoid soaking them in water or rinsing as they will soak up that liquid so it will take even longer to cook off and might end up being soggy (I would probably opt for the dry-cooking method if you do end up washing/soaking them to make sure you get rid of the water. You can find that in Keeping it Simple or in this NYT chicken and onion recipe).

More Prep: I’ve started tearing my mushrooms in half or in quarters rather than using a knife. It feels physically nice to do, and I find the feeling of tearing them open very satisfying and calming. Something I had never thought to do until I read Andrea Gentl’s Cooking with Mushrooms. If you love mushrooms or want to learn more about them, I highly recommend this book. It’s beautiful, well researched and a great mushroom resource. I haven’t made any of the recipes yet, but I have dog eared quite a few (the book is in my mom’s garage at the moment), so I look forward to trying them when I’m back for the holidays. 

A note on stems: You only have to remove stems from shiitakes, but I tend to pull out ones from cremini mushrooms if they are small and woody/beaten up looking at the ends. You can use those to make a mushroom broth, maybe with some ginger, if you don’t want to feel wasteful.

Cooking notes: Mushrooms vary greatly in terms of water content and size, depending on what you use, so it’s important to pay attention to what’s happening in the pan versus the timing. Smaller mushrooms, or if you use less in the pan, will skew on the lower range of time, while larger ones on the higher end. 

Quantity Note: If you’d like to make more, you can up this to 1 pound of mushrooms in a 12-inch skillet, knowing this will take a few minutes more for each step, but pay attention to the visual cues versus the time. Increase the oil to 2 tablespoons, but I would keep the amount of wine to ⅓ cup rather than doubling it so that the mushrooms don’t become too soggy.

Seasonings + How to Serve It: 

• Add sliced garlic or sliced scallions when you stir them

• Finish: with a splash of the same white wine, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice or soy sauce and scrape up anything on the bottom of the pan

• Use them: on top of cooked lentils, in a soup, pasta (tossing with cooked pasta, some grated parmesan/pecorino and pasta water makes for a delicious and simple pasta—there’s a recipe in Keeping it Simple for just this)

• Add to toast slathered with lightly salted ricotta

• Eat with eggs (thank you Lisa Nicklin for this suggestion and for testing this recipe!). Finishing both with some chives would also be lovely.

Serves 2

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• ¾ pound cremini, shiitake, trumpet or maitake mushrooms, stems removed or ends trimmed, and torn into quarters for cremini or halved/bite-sized pieces (see note above)

• ¼ cup white wine, preferably what you are drinking

• Salt

• Sprig of parsley, leaves and tender stems 

Heat a dry 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot, 1 ½ to 2 minutes. Add the olive oil, mushrooms, the wine and season lightly with salt. Stir once, then partially cover and let cook until the liquid mostly simmers off so you only see a couple of small bubbling pools here and there in the pan, 6 to 8 minutes. (If this happens quickly, lower the heat to medium and give it one quick stir before partially covering again.)

Stir, turning over any pieces that are browned on one side to the other, then partially cover and continue to cook until the other side is browned and no liquid remains in the pan, 2 to 4 minutes more. If there are any brown bits on the bottom of the pan, add a splash more wine and stir to scrape it up. (If by some chance there is still any liquid remaining, then cook uncovered for another minute or two until the pieces are browned in spots.) 

Season lightly with salt, then gently tear the parsley stems and leaves over the dish. Serve out of the pan or in a serving dish.

Enjoy! xx

*I tried to include the link to the publisher so that you can decide where to buy it, and the internet kept sending me to Spanish book sites, so apologies if the links are not entirely helpful!