Sunday, September 13, 2020

Making the most of our time indoors and reading more!

 We met electronically in August and found "The Muse" a mixed bag. Our book for September was "Shiner" by Amy Jo Burns and it got a far more favorable review than the previous two books. The writing was strong and the description of the woods and friendships were beautiful. 

Our October book is "Christ Stopped at Eboli" by Carlo Levi. Our November (and maybe December depending on if anyone finishes it) book is "The Shadow of the Wind" by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. 


Wednesday, August 5, 2020

Meeting in the time of Covid

ALL of us were there for our July virtual meeting to discuss how disappointing we found "A Long Petal of the Sea" by Isabel Allende. Everyone of us (who had read the book) thought it was badly written. Ann had the insight that maybe the task of combining fiction and history was just beyond the author. The historical details were fascinating and seemed well researched: the Spanish War, the treatment of the interned refugees from that war in France, Pablo Neruda's mission to bring a ship of Spanish refugees to Chile. Too bad about the goofy novel laid over these events.

Our book for August is "The Muse" by Jessie Burton.


Friday, July 10, 2020

And now back to our regularly scheduled programming.

We did not meet in March because of the pandemic.

In April we held our first virtual gathering to discuss "Homegoing." Only Greta, Mairtin and AM attended that time.

In May we discussed "Less" by Andrew Sean Greer, an amusing and light read. All were zoomed there save Ann.

In June we discussed "A Thousand Moons" by Sebastian Barry, a sort of sequel to "Days Without End." Tony wasn't able to make it but all the rest of the readers were there.

July's book is "A Long Petal of the Sea" by Isabel Allende.

Greta is our technological leader and we are so very grateful she is able to gather us zoomingly.

Tuesday, June 30, 2020

Oideas Arán Sóide - Soda Bread Recipe

Arán Sóide (donn): Na Comhábhair

plúr donn: ceithre chupán agus plúr bán: dhá chupán

bláthach, bainne géar, nó bainne géaraithe le gealtartar: cupán amháin agus giota beag eile má tá sé de dhíth don uigeacht

sóid aráin (décharbónáit sóidiam): taespúnóg amháin

salann: taespúnóg amháin, agus gráinnín eile don ghlónra

Agus más rogha leat: gealacán uibhe (ón ubh a úsáidfidh tú don ghlónra — an gealacán mar chomhábhar san arán agus an buíocán don ghlónra) — thosaigh mé le seo a dhéanamh mar cad é eile a dhéanfá le gealacán ubh amháin? Ní leor d’uibheagán é agus ní mórán é le n-ithe leis féin. Cuir an gealacán (é buailte) sa bhainne nó cuir sa taos é nuair a bheas an taos leathmheasctha agus measc níos mó é. Is é mo bharúil go mbíonn an t-arán beagán níos éadroime le gealacán na huibhe ann. Agus is í troime an príomhdháinséar a bhaineanns le bácáil arán sóide. Amanna tagann sé amach mar bhríce, róthrom. Tharla sé dom uair amháin, pé scéal é. I ndiaidh na huaire sin, fadhb ar bith. Glónra (rud nach bhfuil i ngach oideas arán sóide ach rud a dhéanaim féin, de ghnáth): buíocán uibhe agus beagán uisce agus gráinnín salainn, measctha le chéile go dtí go bhfuil sé mar leacht gan chnapanna gan righne. Más mian leat, is féidir rudaí mar chuiríní nó rísíní a chur ann, nó le bheith neamhthraidisiúnta, síolta lus na gréine, cnónna mionghearrtha, srl.


Treoracha Measc na comhábhair thirime le chéile i mbáisín agus déan “tobar” (poll) sa lár.

Cuir an chuid is mó den bhainne sa tobar, go leor de le taos tiubh a dhéanamh (ach fág giota beag den bhainne amuigh; seans go mbeidh sé de dhíth níos moille).

Measc le spúnóg adhmaid é. Ba chóir go mbeadh an meascán bog ach gan a bheith fliuch. Measc go héadrom agus go tapaidh é. Má tá an meascán rórighin, úsáid beagán níos mó bainne.

Cuir beagán plúir ar do lámha agus cuir an meascán ar losaid phlúrtha nó ar chlár plúrtha agus leacaigh an taos i gcruth ciorcail thart fá orlach go leith ar airde.

Cuir an glónra ar an taos le scuab thaosráin. Tá a lán cineálacha glónra ann ach má úsáideann tú ubh amh sa ghlónra, cuirtear ar an arán roimh bhácáil é. Cuir an taos ar leathán bácála smeartha (le him nó le hola chócaireachta) agus gearr cros mhór thairis le scian phlúrtha. I mo thaithí féin, is féidir leathán bácála cothrom nó panna builín cruinn a úsáid. I mo thaithí féin, ar a laghad, coinníonn an t-arán a chruth, fiú ar leathán cothrom. Tar éis an tsaoil, is taos é — ní fuidreamh é. Bácáil in oigheann 375-400°F ar feadh 40 nóiméad é. Úsáid tástálaí císte (nó scian) le fáil amach an bhfuil sé réidh nó nach bhfuil. Bí cinnte go dtagann an tástálaí amach glan lonrach agus nach bhfuil taos amh (neamhbhácáilte) fós ann. Má tá sé taosach fós, lig don arán bácáil ar feadh, b’fhéidir, cúig nóiméad eile agus tástáil aríst é. Lig don arán fuarú ar raca sreinge agus ansin cuir éadach glan mar thuáille tae thart ar an arán chun é a choinneáil bog go dtí go n-itear é. Bain sult as! Sin é, arán sóide. An-bhlasta, go mór mór le him agus le subh, mar a dúirt mé thuas. Nó le cáis. Chuala mé i gcónaí gan arán úr a ithe agus é te fós ón oigheann. Leis an fhírinne a dhéanamh, níl a fhios agam cén fáth. Ach is dócha gur chóir gan an t-arán seo a ithe go dtí go bhfuil sé fionnuar (ag teocht an tseomra). Ansin, plac ort. SGF — Róislín

Saturday, February 8, 2020

Welcome to our new member!

Emily joined us this month and she read the book. In fact we all had, a very auspicious beginning. "Missing Person" elicited lots of rich conversation and while not everyone enjoyed it all found it though provoking.

Our March book is "Homegoing," by Yaa Gyasi. While our last two books were about 100 pages this one is 320 pages. Start reading now!