The Starlite Drive-In by Marjorie Reynolds

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TheStarliteDriveInThe Starlite Drive-In
by Marjorie Reynolds
Copyright, 1998 and republished in 2011 by William Morrow Paperbacks

If there were ever a time I judged a book by its cover, this is it. I never do that. Okay, sometimes I do that. I couldn’t help myself this time. The paperback version of The Starlite Drive-In had me at hello. The colorized black and white picture of said drive-in on the front with the single old car and young girl begged to be picked up and discovered. Because I have a big thing for mid-century America, of course. And especially the old movies that were no doubt showed at that drive in. Without even reading the back cover for a description, I bought it. Yes, based on that cover picture alone (that in reality isn’t all that old). Has that ever happened to you?

Callie Ann Benton is the 12 year old narrator of The Starlite Drive-In by Marjorie Reynolds. She grew up there, with her family, back in the 50s. That alone is interesting to me. How fun would it have been to grow up at an American drive-in back in the 1950s? In the process of learning about life at the drive-in, we quickly get sucked in to the family issues of Callie’s life too. Her mother is agoraphobic, and hasn’t left the house in five years while her father, injured and more than a little grumpy, runs the drive in. One summer a drifter is hired by the owners of the drive-in, to help Callie’s father maintain it. With his arrival, things start to change, and not just with Callie.

Oh, and did I mention this is also a murder mystery? Even though this book is sometimes advertised as one, that certainly is NOT the primary plot.

Callie Ann is a smart curious girl, who, does a wonderful job of detailing life as she sees it. She’s lonely, a keen observer, thinker and 12 years old. I like her. The Starlite Drive-In is a book of loneliness, sadness and suspense, but there are also some smiles. It’s characters definitely run the gamut of emotions, which always kept it interesting for me. The drive-in itself doesn’t have a big role here, other than it’s part of the family’s home and the dusty setting to the story. I think it makes a great backdrop to a pretty good coming of age story. I couldn’t put this one away, even for sleep. I finished it in one night.

The Starlite Drive-In at:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Goodreads

Little Apricot Cakes

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littleapricotcakes3I all but gave up on these adorable little cakes as I was dividing the batter into the muffin tins – it sure didn’t seem like enough! Of course I panicked, I am me after all. But, I carried on anyway, just to see what would happen. I’m so glad I did.

littleapricotcakes1Because that little bit of batter made the perfect-sized little apricot cake. They puffed up nicely. Yes, they’re small, but just the perfect size for a light summer treat. I love that they’re both sweet and tangy too. There’s just a teaspoon of lemon zest in the recipe, but it’s enough to work well in contradicting the sweetness of the 1/3 cup of sugar.

littleapricotcakes2The only thing I changed from the original recipe (from the June issue of Bon Appetit), was the butter. Instead of using regular, unsalted butter as the recipe calls for, I used Earth Balance’s buttery sticks. (Yes, we’re trying to cut back on fat and cholesterol, and this is the best substitute I’ve found for baking). Other than that, I changed nothing. And I wouldn’t want to!

I may play with different fruits though. :)

Our version has 130 calories per serving, 2.5g sat fat (6.2g total fat), 18g cholesterol and 0.6g of fiber. If you use regular butter, your version will have a teeny bit more calories and much, much more cholesterol and fat.

Find the original recipe here at Bon Appetit.

Homemade, Handmade

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Thoughts of handmade projects are whirling through my mind today. It is the weekend after all, and that seems to be when the urge hits the hardest. I love that feeling I get when I come across things I know I can make, and that I really, really want…

…Like Corinne’s Thread Vintage Tea Towels:

Ever since the Purl Bee sent an email out with this project at the beginning of May, I’ve been thinking about it. I even have some vintage linen that would be perfect for these. Of course, any fabric you want for your tea towels will work.

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Picture from the Purl Bee

I don’t need them, I don’t have time to make them, but I don’t care. If I’ve been thinking about them this long they have to be mine. If you have a sewing machine and can sew a straight line, you can make them too. The free instructions are right here.

Oh, knitting. I love you:

Making something, even if it’s just dinner, seems to be the one thing that can pull me out of this strange dark mood I’ve been in since we lost D.J. (our 12 year old lab) in February. There’s something about creating that always makes me smile. Which is why I definitely should have one of these:

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The new tote from the Fringe Supply Company.

It sums it up perfectly doesn’t it? It’s from the Fringe Supply Co. And I love the Fringe Supply Co. Karen, the owner, who also runs the Fringe Association blog, has been such an inspiration for me over the past year. I still have projects to make from her ideas, and no doubt will have many more for a long, long time.

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The Kilkenny cowl. Photo from Quince & Co.

Like the Kilkenny cowl she wrote about…well…a long time ago. Even though I haven’t made it yet, I do have Quince & Co.’s Chickadee yarn for it. It’s beautiful! (I got it in colorway Leek) You can get the yarn and the pattern ($6.00) from Quince & Co. right here. I can’t wait to have this in my closet.

I also have the yarn and pattern for another one of Karen’s projects:

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Picture from Karen’s Ravelry listing for the Double Basketweave Cowl.

THIS beautiful cowl is Karen’s own pattern. It’s another one of those projects I’ve been thinking about since she wrote about it back in December. I downloaded the free pattern on Karen’s Ravelry listing for it and ordered Sincere Sheep Luminous yarn at the Fringe Supply Co. per Karen’s suggestion too. I love, love, love this pattern, and the yarn is incredible.

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The Chicane sweater. Picture from Brooklyn Tweed

I really can’t get to any of those projects though until I finish the Chicane Sweater I started months ago. Hubby’s been patiently waiting for a while now. Like, since last winter. It’s only my second sweater project which scares me a bit, I think. I should know better though. It’s Brooklyn Tweed’s pattern (mine is being made with Cascade Yarn). They’re always perfect and I’ve learned you can’t really fail when you have one of their patterns. Get the pattern here ($7.00).

I’ve succeeded at power tools 101!

gardenbench1copyAnd not one person got hurt! It was a miracle, but I did it, and now I can organize my garden pots one of these days. I love this little bench! So I made two of them. I loved working with the wood and power tools so much that I’m dragging Hubby to the lumber yard this weekend to buy the wood for this:

TheDaybed

Photo and free plans are at The Design Confidential

… a daybed for one of our spare bedrooms. I found this one, free plans, instructions and all, over at The Design Confidential. Yep, it’s inspired by Pottery Barn’s Chesapeake daybed. Whenever anyone says anything that includes the words Pottery and Barn, I’m there. This bench must be made. By me.

Hubby, the architect, construction administrator guy, must think I did alright with those benches, because he’s approved and agreed to take me to buy the wood for this (I do still need his expertise). I love this simple daybed, and it gives me another project for the to-do list: making a whole bunch of pillows for the back of the bed. One thing at a time though, right?

Heidi’s Bannock:

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Homemade Bannock. Picture from Lightly Crunchy

Meet Hubby’s new obsession. It’s a super easy, ultra yummy recipe for Bannock from Heidi over at Lightly Crunchy and it. is. magnificent. I had never made this before, have you? I just discovered it on Wednesday and immediately made it (because we all have these ingredients in our pantries). I made it again yesterday, apparently so Hubby could take it all to work today. And guess what? He wants it again this weekend. I figure since he’s being so helpful with my new DIY, building thing that I owe it to him. Plus, I keep nibbling on it too. This is an excellent flatbread.

There’s nothing better than homemade or handmade anything is there? What are you working on?

Happy Weekend Everyone!

Detroit City Is The Place To Be by Mark Binelli

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Why did a major American city die? Was it racism, greed, corruption? Yes, yes and yes. Among other things. After reading Detroit City Is the Place to Be, by Mark Binelli who was born and raised in Detroit and is a contributing editor to Rolling Stone and Men’s Journal, I’m shocked, worried and a teeny bit hopeful.

In Detroit City Is the Place to Be, Binelli sets out to tell the story of Detroit’s demise with interviews from the firemen, police men, former mayors and especially current residents. They all ooze painful truths. And so do Binelli’s intelligent social observations. This is a clear, coherent, narrative filled with honest, lively descriptions, anger, and yes, even hope for the future of Detroit. The book is divided into chapters that include: the auto industry, politics, crime, austerity and more. In each chapter, Binelli uses his skillful personal interviews with residents plus his own observations to make an argument for why Detroit failed. And, ultimately, why he has hope for its recovery.He explores his city with realistic honesty and even enthusiasm yet he has no problem holding back his anger:

“The decline should have been no surprise to anyone who’d taken even a cursory tour of the city’s empty streets.”

At the same time, this book will make you at least smile, if not laugh through the sadness of what’s happened in Detroit:

“Eventually, Tony asked if I had eighty-three cents he could borrow.
‘Sorry man, I don’t have any money,’ I answered.
‘Really?’ the man asked. Affecting a look of concern, he pulled a crumpled dollar bill out of his pocket and held it out to me.
‘No, I’m good,’ I said, smiling.
‘You sure?’ Tony asked. I hate to see people with an empty pocket. Then he shrugged and stuffed the bill back into his own pocket.”

I’ve only visited Detroit one time in my life, when I was a teenager. At the time, I didn’t notice what was happening there. Our parents kept us in the tourist areas, obviously. My one encounter with a city (in this case town) that has died is Cairo, Illinois. We were there two springs ago and I was so devastated by the decaying ruins of downtown, it’s empty, crumbling houses and sad, stray animals that I vowed to never go back. I have pictures of Cairo I could post I suppose to show what I mean, but I can’t even look at those long enough to put them here.  Even today, when I think of that day it, my eyes well up with tears. Detroit seems to be the big-city version of Cairo. Cue the tears again.

I knew it was bad, but I had no idea things were this bad in Detroit. I had no idea these things have been coming to a head for decades, not just years. This book needed to be written for the rest of us, for those that don’t live in or visit Detroit on a regular basis. We needed to know. We need to learn from Detroit. I’m posting this book review because I can’t stop thinking of this book, of Detroit, it’s people and what has happened to the city that was once the star of the American show.

For me, the thing that sticks out the most in this book is that it feels hopeful. And, hope is desperately needed in Detroit. Binelli goes to some length to describe the innovative, new ideas that could save, or at least help, Detroit. That’s something that hasn’t been a part of my other readings on Detroit thus far. I could not put it down once I started it. Binelli is nothing short of an amazing, narrative writer.

Anyone interested in urban culture will learn a lot from this book. Even people interested in sociology and urban planning will learn a lot from it too. But I especially recommend it to anyone that cares, even a little bit, about American society.

Detroit City Is The Place To Be at:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Indiebound (local booksellers)
Goodreads

Cranberry Upside Down Cake

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Cranberry Upside Down CakeCranberries happen to be a delicious, fall fruit that Wisconsin harvests a lot of. Thankfully, they’re abundant at harvest time, and freeze so easily that I stock up every year. Just for times like this – dreary, cool summer days. I love these little fruits. And, they’re wonderful in this easy to make cake. The subtle tartness of the cranberries mixed with the sweetness of the cake are perfect together, and remarkably light, making this a perfect little desert when Wisconsin weather can’t make up its mind about which season it should be in.

Cranberry Upside Down CakeLike I said, it’s easy to make too, with minimal ingredients and an eight inch cake pan, an electric mixer and a few mixing bowls.

Here’s what you’ll need – the ingredient list:

  • 8 tablespoons of unsalted butter, room temperature (Earth Balance vegan butter sticks work so good here, and bonus! No cholesterol in them!)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (as always, I highly recommend Saigon cinnamon, it’s fabulous!)
  • 1/4 teaspoon allspice
  • 1 3/4 cups cranberries
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup milk

The first thing you’ll want to do is preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Since the last time I posted a baking recipe we got a new Samsung oven that actually heats up to 350 degrees! Quickly! It beats that 20 year old Jenn Air I used to bake with. Yet I do miss it. Don’t tell Hubby please. You know that was an old oven when the new oven’s delivery man says at first sight of the old oven, “Wow, that’s old.” Yeah, whatever, just give me the new one…..

Anyway…

Cranberry Upside Down CakeNext, rub the sides and bottom of the cake pan with a couple of tablespoons of your butter.

Cranberry Upside Down CakeThen, in a small bowl, whisk 1/2 cup of the sugar with the cinnamon and allspice and sprinkle your mixture evenly over the bottom of the cake pan.

Cranberry Upside Down CakeThen arrange the cranberries evenly over your cinnamon mixture on the bottom of the pan. Oh how I want to dive into this picture….

Cranberry Upside Down CakeNow, in your electric mixer, cream the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter with the last 1/2 cup of sugar until light and fluffy. Now add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Yours will look better than this, I promise. I can never achieve the proper creaminess of that fluffy texture. I’m guessing because the butter is never quite at room temperature.

Cranberry Upside Down CakeIn another medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together.

Cranberry Upside Down CakeWith the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three separate batches, alternating with the 1/2 cup of milk until all the ingredients are well combined.

Cranberry Upside Down CakeIt will look a lot like this. So pretty, in an appetizing kind of way.

Cranberry Upside Down CakeTake your beautiful cake batter and spoon it over the cranberries in your cake pan.

Cranberry Upside Down CakeI used a small rubber spatula to even out the top for optimum cake beauty.

Bake cake on a cookie sheet for 30-35 minutes.

Cranberry Upside Down Cake Yeah, so much for optimum cake beauty, right? Doesn’t matter, this side is going to be the bottom of the cake. Whew.

Cranberry Upside Down CakeOnce the cake has cooled on a wire rack for 20 minutes, run a knife around the edge of your cake to loosen it up.

Cranberry Upside Down CakeThen invert it onto your favorite cake serving plate.

Cranberry Upside Down CakeYour beautiful cake is done. This is so simple to make. I keep saying that, but it bears repeating because it’s just so good! Honest.

Cranberry Upside Down CakeDive in and enjoy!

Martha knows cake: This recipe is adapted from one by Martha Stewart in her cookbook, Everyday Food.

Serves 8. (We actually got about 12 smaller servings)

Per (8 piece) serving:

  • Calories – 349
  • carbs – 55g
  • fat – 13g (7g saturated)
  • protein – 4g
  • cholesterol- 31g

(These numbers were figured on the Fitness Pal recipe calculator using regular butter. Calories, fat and cholesterol levels go down quite a bit when using Earth Balance buttery sticks instead.)