Monthly Review: August 2024

r.m. allen
Sep 2, 2024
3 min read

Birthdays, I am told, are good for you: the more

You have, the longer you live, and

Isn’t that just what you want

To do today,

Sun muddling with a wisp of breeze and trees like lace to shade.

Even as it lasts I sense its

Loss, eventual and inevitable, a moments which should stretch into

Forever.

Ah, but it is now, not yet. The glassy, flashing

Lake’s a portal to that

Other world, a place where

Nothing ends and I am young as spring,

Eternal in such sunset hours.

Here's what I read, cooked, and created in the month of August.

What I Read

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, J.K. Rowling (★★★★★)—reread
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, J.K. Rowling (★★★★★)—reread
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling (★★★★★)—reread
The Elegance of the Hedgehog, Muriel Barbery (★★★★)
Instructions for Dancing, Nicola Yoon (★★★★)
You Are a Tree: And Other Metaphors to Nourish Life, Thought, and Prayer, Joy Marie Clarkson (★★★★)
The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway (★★★)

If you want to hear the rationale behind my rating, head to my Goodreads for full reviews.

What I Cooked

Sheet Pan Bruschetta Chicken

Difficulty: ★★

Flavor: ★★★★★

Keeper: Yes

Comments: So good and so easy. I enjoyed this tremendously.

Broccoli Rubble Farro Salad

Difficulty: ★★

Flavor: ★★★

Keeper: Maybe

Comments: Cooked broccoli plus pecorino creates an off-putting smell that only deteriorates as this salad sits in your fridge. I might try it again, but if I did, I would probably blanch the broccoli and use parmesan instead of pecorino.

Peaches and Cream Pretzel Pie

Difficulty: ★★

Flavor: I actually do not know since I did not get to try this

Keeper: Yes

Comments: I brought this to an event and it disappeared before I could sample it, so I'm assuming it was good. It definitely looked pretty. I did follow the freezer directions, and I don't think I would recommend the fridge route, nor would I recommend making this in the pie plate directed (I used a springform pan).

Zucchini Gratin

Difficulty: ★

Flavor: ★★★★

Keeper: Yes

Comments: I made half a recipe of this to to start with since I didn't know whether it would turn out, and I liked it so much that I have it back on the dinner menu this week. My husband was not home for dinner to sample, so we will see whether his opinion merits the coveted fifth star.

Peach Melba Popsicles

Difficulty: ★

Flavor: ★★★★

Keeper: Yes

Comments: My popsicle mold is considerably smaller than Deb's, and I was more heavy-handed with the peach than the raspberry, so my flavors were not quite as balanced as they should have been. Because she does not direct for the raspberry seeds to be strained, the texture of the raspberry puree is not as pleasant as it could be. I would remake this, but I would definitely do things differently.