Recipe Review from 3/22/20

Shelter at Home started Friday here in Duluth, and then some places were hit with 10" of heavy, wet snow that brought down major power lines.  No power outages at our humble household, but it did think about going out several times. 

Oregon Coast, 2014 (South of Newport, I forget which state park)

Some really good recipes last week. I didn't type the Jambalaya Stuffed Chicken Thighs from New Orleans Celebrations by Kevin Belton because it was just too long.  I DO recommend checking out this cook book from the library - this recipe was AWESOME.  A bit time consuming, but it makes enough to feed 10-12.  We did freeze some for later as that was a bit much for two of us.  Meanwhile, enjoy the rest!


The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) leftovers (S) Salmon with quinoa
Sun (L) leftover salmon (S) Jambalya stuffed thighs (comment above)
Mon - leftover thighs
Tues - leftover thighs
Wed - Take out Pho!
Thurs - Shrimp remoulade
Fri - leftover shrimp

Lunches - butternut squash soup

Salmon with Roasted Red Pepper and Quinoaa (Eating Well, Jan/Feb 2020)
I made a significant modification to this - I baked my salmon instead of cooking on the stove-top. I find the oven doesn't stink up the house, I get more even cooking, and clean-up is snap. While the salmon was cooking, I prepared the quinoa. I didn't worry about "2 cups cooked quinoa", and just made according to the directions on the package.

This came together quickly and easily (especially when done in the oven), with enough time for clean-up beforehand and easy cleanup after. With the leftovers, I flaked the salmon and tossed with the quinoa like a salad, then gently reheated. This was good both days. I would make this again. Recommended!

Serves 4

photo from eatingwell.com

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 ¼ pounds skin-on salmon, preferably wild, cut into 4 portions
½ teaspoon salt, divided
½ teaspoon ground pepper, divided
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, grated
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 cup chopped roasted red bell peppers (from a 12-ounce jar), rinsed
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup chopped toasted pistachios


Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Pat salmon dry and sprinkle the flesh with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Add to the pan, skin-side up, and cook until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn and cook until it's just cooked through and flakes easily with a fork, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.

Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper, vinegar and garlic in a medium bowl. Add quinoa, peppers, cilantro and pistachios; toss to combine. Serve the salmon with the salad.

Shrimp Remoulade Po'Boy (modified from New Orleans's Celebrations by Kevin Belton)
While the ingredient list seems long, don't be put off by this recipe. It actually comes together very quickly - peeling the shrimp is what took the longest. Having made this once, I would recommend making the sauce first, then move on to the shrimp. Toast the bread while the shrimp are cooking, and everything comes together lickity split.

Original recipe has this being served cold, which wasn't real appealing in March in Northern MN, so I served it warm. I would definitely make this again - Highly Recommended.

Serves 4.

photo from scifiwithpaprika.com

**My modifications from the original recipe are italicized
2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 tbsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp black peppercorns
1 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tsp dried thyme
3 bay leaves
1 gallon water
2 lemons, halved
1 small onion, halved
1/8 cup kosher salt
Remoulade Sauce
1 loaf French bread
thinly sliced cabbage
1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
3 tomatoes, sliced

Remoulade sauce
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp Creole seasoning
2 tbsp paprika
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup spicy brown mustard
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup parsley

Rinse shrimp and set aside.

In a large tea ball or square of cheese cloth tied, combine red pepper flakes, peppercorns, celery seed, thyme and bay leaves. If using cheese cloth, tie tightly with a string.

In a stock pot, combine water, herb ball/cheese cloth sachet, lemons, onion and salt. Bring to a boil, add shrimp, and cook for 3 minutes. Turn off heat and let set for 5 minutes. Drain water, separate shrimp from lemon, garlic, onion, and seasoning ball.

While water is coming to a boil and shrimp cooking, prepare the remoulade sauce:
Combine oil vinegar, Creole seasoning, paprika, and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Add Worcestershire sauce and mustard and stir. Fold in green onions and parsley. Set aside.

Original recipe serves the sandwich cold, I preferred to serve it warm:
Lightly toast or warm the french bread. Slice open.

After shrimp are done cooking and separated from the lemon and onion, combine shrimp with the remoulade sauce. Place shrimp mixture on prepared buns. Add [lettuce and tomatoes] or thinly sliced cabbage

Irish Soda Bread (modified from 100 Great Breads by Paul Hollywood)
And Lo!  In typing this review I have discovered a TYPO in my cookbook!  Two typos!  Both the soda bread recipes list baking powder when it should be baking soda.  Kinda significant difference when baking bread.   Also in researching the recipe to type this review, I see other places list using half white and half wheat.   I used all white.

Well, I made this with baking power, and while I didn't get the rise I thought I would, it still tasted pretty good.  I added a tablespoon of caraway seeds as it didn't seem like Irish Soda bread otherwise.

500g Bread Flour

photo from the internet

1 Tsp (3/4 oz) Baking Soda
1 Tsp Salt
1 tbsp caraway seeds
3 oz butter
150 ml (1/2 pint) buttermilk
200 ml (7 oz) milk

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt [and caraway seeds] and work in the butter.

Add the buttermilk and mix until a sticky dough forms.

Lightly flour a work surface and tip the dough onto it.

Gently roll and fold the dough a couple of times to bring the mixture together. Do not knead.
Shape the dough into a ball. Flatten the ball gently with your hand. Score the dough with a deep cross dividing it into quarters. Dust the bread with flour.

Place onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. The loaf should be golden-brown.

Leave to cool on a wire rack. This is best eaten on the day of baking.

Hilldiggers by Neal Asher (Polity Universe #15)

Hilldiggers by Neal Asher

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Jacket blurb: "In Neal Asher's Hilldiggers, during a war between two planets in the same solar system – each occupied by adapted humans – what is thought to be a cosmic superstring is discovered. After being cut, this object collapses into four cylindrical pieces, each about the size of a tube train. Each is densely packed with either alien technology or some kind of life. They are placed for safety in three ozark cylinders of a massively secure space station. There a female research scientist subsequently falls pregnant, and gives birth to quads. Then she commits suicide – but why?

By the end of the war one of the contesting planets has been devastated by the hilldiggers – giant space dreadnoughts employing weapons capable of creating mountain ranges. The quads have meanwhile grown up and are assuming positions of power in the post-war society. One of them will eventually gain control of the awesome hilldiggers . . ."

I noted in the title that Hilldiggers is #15 in the Polity Universe and this is based upon the chronology of the books. However, Hilldiggers can be read as a standalone as it's not part of a specific series (Scatterjay, Agent Cormac, Owners, Jain, etc). Which yes, is a bit confusing because when you've read enough Asher books, you want to tie it into something and this selection doesn't.

And as usual with one of his books, there is no expedient way to summarize two planets long at war, a Polity emissary, a strange and inexplicable Worm contained at the space station, an interfering AI, and how all of this fits together. So I won't.

Overall, I enjoyed Hilldiggers. I liked the rotating points of view between three of the four siblings, the AI Tigger, and McCrooger. As with most Asher books, there are fascinating plot twists, interesting technology, subtle and not so subtle commentary on the state of the universe (or politics closer to home), and strange alien beings.

What I didn't care for were the chapters from Haralds - one of the four siblings - point of view. For myself, I found these repetitious, perhaps bordering on annoying, and eventually I started skipping to the last paragraph to get the gist of that segment and moving on. Did I feel I lost anything in the overarching scheme of the book? Not at all.

Recommended if you like Neal Asher books. I do recommended this selection if you've been debating about trying one of Asher's books. It would be a way to sample without having to deal with one of his trilogies.



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Recipe Review from 3/15/20

How are ya'll doing out there in internet land? Are we coping okay? Little stressed out? I confess that my meal planning has been a bit more "seat of the pants" than not, where I have a vague idea of what I want to make but didn't write it down before I head to the grocery store. I've picked up a small handful extra ingredients that I can freeze, or shelf stable pantry items, just in case we need to hunker down even more in our little corner of the woods.

I picked up - rice, dried pinto beans, canned canellini and garbanzo beans, canned tomatoes, spaghetti and spaghetti sauce, cheese, salmon, pork shoulder roast, shrimp, evaporated milk, four bags of mixed frozen veggies, flour (AP and bread), sugar (brown and white), and chocolate chips. Because chocolate chip cookies make anything tolerable.

So I should be able to plan from those items above, needing only a handful of fresh veggies. So now I have something to work with and don't need to worry about "what if" the store doesn't have something.

Stay well!  Be well! 

Seven Falls, Sabino Canyon, Tucson AZ (C)2020 by scifiwithpaprika

Last weeks Meal Plan:
Sat (L) leftovers (S) Kimchi and bacon fried rice
Sun (L) leftovers (S) chili
Mon (yoga) chili
Tues - take n bake pizza
Wed - chili with polenta
Thurs - salmon and quinoa chili and polenta
Fri - leftover lentil soup

Lunches (Husband) sandwiches; (Me) lentil soup

Egyptian Lentil Soup (Eating Well, March 2020) vegetarian/vegan
This comes together very quickly, using items that I mostly had on hand.  My tomato went composty before I could use it, but we were making chili so I took a half cup of diced canned tomatoes and use those.  Worked just fine.

I also only had 2 cups of red lentils, so I subbed that 1/2 cup with brown lentils.  Also worked just fine, but it did make my soup a little "muddy" colored.

My big question with this was what to top it with - in the picture it looks like olive oil and some kind of dried pepper.  I went with toasted pumpkin seeds, which were okay, but this could have used a little extra kick.  If you have any suggestions, send them along!

Recommended.

Serves 4-6 (I had five lunches, and one dinner serving two)

photo from eatingwell.com

1 tablespoon sunflower oil
½ cup sliced carrots
½ cup diced tomato
⅓ cup sliced yellow onion
2 tablespoons sliced garlic
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper
2 ½ cups yellow or red lentils
9 cups water

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add carrots, tomato, onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomato has broken down and is starting to stick to the bottom of the pan, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, cumin, salt and pepper; cook, stirring frequently, until the tomato paste is browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Add lentils and water; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft and the soup is thickened, about 25 minutes.

Puree the soup using an immersion blender or in batches in a regular blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids).

Recipe Notes: Use red, yellow or even brown lentils to make this iconic and super-simple Middle Eastern soup. Skip green or black lentils, which won't soften enough to puree smoothly. (Recipe adapted from Zooba Restaurant.)



Kimchi and Bacon Fried Rice (modified from Milk Street Tuesday Nights)
Sorry, no picture for this one. Was going to and forgot because I was distracted with how darn tasty this was!

I don't have access to Japanese rice in town, so I used Arborio. I did rinse the rice before cooking, to prevent it from sticking too much. Definitely make the rice ahead of time (or buy plain rice for take-out).

Original recipe called for peas, I subbed edamame because I had a bag in the freezer (kinda seemed intuitive to use edamame).

I cut back on the kimchi, two cups seemed overwhelming for the dish, but it's also going to depend on what kind of kimchi you have access too and how much heat you like. One cup was quite perfect for us.

And I don't own a non-stick skillet, so I made this in my 10" cast iron skillet.  Not quite big enough, but I knew that going in, but I got browning!  And minimal sticking!  Yay!  Success!

DON'T FORGET TO COOK THE EGGS. Like I did the first time. So bummed! Honestly though, this was also good without the egg, but better with. You can fry the eggs in the same pan you cooked the rice, but I found it simpler, and cleaner, to start poaching while the rice was cooking.

Highly recommended. Served 4.

3 1/4 cups short-grain rice, chilled (I used Arborio; Japanese recommended)
6 oz bacon, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup kimchi, well-drained, roughly chopped
2 tbsp reserved kimchi juice
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 cup frozen edamame, thawed
4 green onions, diagonally sliced
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
4 large eggs
salt and fresh ground pepper

Recipe notes: Don't use long-grain rice. The Japanese-style short-grain rice gives the dish a satisfying stickiness and chew. Don't use a conventional skillet; a nonstick pan is needed to prevent the rice from sticking.

My Notes: make sure you use chilled rice. Break up any large clumps with your fingers.

In a large non-stick skillet (12" - 14"), cook bacon over medium heat until well browned. Drain, reserving the fat, and set the bacon aside.

Start a sauce pan heating with enough water to poach two to four eggs.

Return 1 tbsp of bacon fat to the pan, add the onion an cook over medium, stirring until softened. Stir in the rice and cook for 1-2 minutes. Drizzle the kimchi juice, soy sauce and 1 tbsp of the bacon fat over the rice and stir. Spread the rice in a even layer in the pan, increase the heat to medium-high or high and cook until browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes.

Scrape along the bottom of the pan and flip the rice, then spread and cook again until browned on the bottom, another 2-3 minutes. Stir in the kimchi, edamame, sesame oil, and scallions. Cook, stirring until hot, 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Poach two to four eggs while rice is resting to desired consistency. Divide rice into bowls, serve poached eggs over rice and sprinkle with reserved bacon bits.

The Innocent by David Baldacci (Will Robie #1)

The Innocent by David Baldacci

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb:  America has enemies - ruthless people that the police, the FBI, even the military can't stop. That's when the U.S. government calls on Will Robie, a stone cold hitman who never questions orders and always nails his target. But Will Robie may have just made the first - and last - mistake of his career... 
 

It begins with a hit gone wrong. Robie is dispatched to eliminate a target unusually close to home in Washington, D.C. But something about this mission doesn't seem right to Robie, and he does the unthinkable. He refuses to kill. Now, Robie becomes a target himself and must escape from his own people.

Fleeing the scene, Robie crosses paths with a wayward teenage girl, a fourteen-year-old runaway from a foster home. But she isn't an ordinary runaway -- her parents were murdered, and her own life is in danger. Against all of his professional habits, Robie rescues her and finds he can't walk away. He needs to help her.

Even worse, the more Robie learns about the girl, the more he's convinced she is at the center of a vast cover-up, one that may explain her parents' deaths and stretch to unimaginable levels of power.
Now, Robie may have to step out of the shadows in order to save this girl's life... and perhaps his own.


Read as an audio book.

This started out fairly strong and engaging, then mid-way through I kinda lost interest and didn't pick it up for over a week and only returned to it when I had a four hour round trip drive to a meeting and was kept engaged to the finish.

For myself, part of the mid-book dis-interest was I could see where a major sub plot was going. For the sake of spoilers I won't get into specifics. Plus that way you get to figure it out for yourself. But, as it were, yes, a big fat "this can end only one way"situation.

Another factor to my lack of interest was Julie, the young protagonist which part of the plot revolves around. This could be attributed to the narrator's performance in which she quite aptly captures a 14 year old girl's whine, petulance, and attitude which, ultimately, grated on my nerves. So an added bit of realism to the story.

The story itself bounced between moderately realistic and completely unbelievable, but that too is the point. Shear escapism. Reading about somebody else,s problems so you don't have to think about that crummy work day. However, I do prefer some realism in my escape-ism unless it's urban fantasy. By the time the whole plot was explained at the conclusion, and it was truly explained because it was quite convoluted, I was shaking my head. The impetus of the whole chain of events was just...unbelievable.

So I'm not certain where I stand on this series. I quite enjoy the two narrators (they do quite a few of Baldacci's books). I liked Will Robie. I liked Agent Vance. Julie was an interesting dynamic that spent most of her time getting shuffled around. I enjoyed how Will was working with agencies and not going rogue on the outside. But the ending left me rolling my eyes and uncertain if I want to pick up the next book.

Recommended...with reservations.



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Recipe Review from 3/8/2020

Post Daylight Savings time change has left everyone kinda groggy and discombobulated this week. 

Pre Corona Virus contingency planning has started at work and in Duluth in general and there is a shortage of toilet paper in town.  Everyone is a bit on edge yet people seem to be fairly upbeat about things despite the uncertainty of everything.  At least those around me in line at the grocery store on Friday night were. 

Sister in Oregon is a bit ahead of us here preparation wise, so I have an idea of what's coming down the pipeline and for how long. 

In the meantime, I made some good recipes last week.  Enjoy!

Spokane River and falls in Spokane, WA (c) ScifiwithPaprika 2018

The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) Leftover hoagies (S) Pasties
Sun (L) leftover hoagies (S) salmon and orzo
Mon (yoga) leftover salmon
Tues - au gratin potato casserole (not a new recipe...)
Wed - Shrimp and grits
Thurs (yoga) leftover casserole
Fri - leftover shrimp

Lunches - Afghan Takari Soup (me); Pb and J: (Husband)

Afghan Takari Soup (Eating Well, Jan/Feb 2020) vegetarian with vegan option
For all it's simplicity - you will note there is only salt and pepper as seasoning - this was was delicious! Don't skip the red chutney below because this really pulls the soup together. I made this for lunches for the week, and with the chutney (because it makes a bit more than a cup), I had enough for five days.

Highly recommended!

Serves 4-5

photo from eatingwell.com

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large carrot, diced
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups low-sodium no-chicken or vegetable broth
1 (15 ounce) can no-salt-added chickpeas, rinsed
⅔ cup frozen corn
⅔ cup frozen peas
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper
½ cup packed chopped spinach
Fresh cilantro for garnish

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add carrot, onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until the onion is soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in broth, chickpeas, corn, peas, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Serve the soup topped with cilantro, if desired.


Red Chutney (for above)

photo from eatingwell.com

I used a can of diced tomatoes, drained well, and proceeded as written (minus the squeezing) and subbed a yellow pepper for the red. I skipped the food processor and just stirred everything together and popped into the fridge till needed.

1 (15 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 red serrano pepper, chopped
1 large clove garlic, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon or lime
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Drain tomatoes in a fine-mesh sieve, crushing the tomatoes with your hands and squeezing out excess moisture. Combine the tomatoes, bell pepper, serrano, garlic, lemon (or lime) juice and salt in a blender or food processor. Pulse until blended but not pureed.

Shrimp and Grits (modified from Kevin Belton's New Orleans Celebrations)
Sorry, no picture or link for this recipe! 

This might very well be my new favorite shrimp and grits! The shrimp was flavorful without the spices overwhelming everything, the grits were creamy and smooth and a perfect compliment to the shrimp. What really cinched this recipe tho was the leftovers. I think this tasted even better the next day, and I have never had grits reheat so nicely! I'm sure it was the extra liquid in the initial cooking.

I got four servings of both shrimp and grits, but I did have enough grits leftover for that fifth and sixth serving.  If you want six servings, you need to go with a 1-1/2 of shrimp. 

Recommended!

Serves 4-6

Grits
2 cups chicken stock
3 cups milk
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup stone-ground grits
4 tbsp butter
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Shrimp
5 bacon slices, chopped
1-1/2 lbs jumbo shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1 tbsp Creole seasoning
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tsp minced garlic
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp lemon juice

Grits
Combine stock, milk and salt in a heavy sauce pan and bring to a boil. Gradually whisk in the grits, stirring continuously to prevent lumping.

Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered, and stir frequently until stock is absorbed. About 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and whisk in butter, cheese and additional salt if needed. Cover and set aside.

Shrimp
Saute bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, until bacon is brown and crisp. Remove bacon from skillet and transfer to a paper-towel lined plate. Drain excess fat from pan and set aside.

Re-heat skillet over medium heat and add 1 tbsp of saved bacon fat. Add shrimp and creole seasoning and saute for about 3 minutes. Remove shrimp from pan and set aside.

Add parsley, garlic, green onions, bell pepper and paprika to pan; stir in stock. Cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes.  Return shrimp to pan and add lemon juice. Cook for about 1 minute.

Assembly
Spoon grits onto a plate or a bowl and top with shrimp mixture.  Sprinkle with reserved bacon.  Serve.

Hexed by Kevin Hearne (Iron Druid #2)

Hexed by Kevin Hearne

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb:  Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, doesn’t care much for witches. Still, he’s about to make nice with the local coven by signing a mutually beneficial nonaggression treaty—when suddenly the witch population in modern-day Tempe, Arizona, quadruples overnight. And the new girls are not just bad, they’re badasses with a dark history on the German side of World War II.




Book number two rocked. These books are like a bag of kettlecorn or cheesy popcorn - they go down way too fast and leave you wishing you had bought the next book/bag.

Hexed follows the same premise as the first installment - someone wants Atticus dead and he's determined to stay alive. Atticus gathers his friends and they go off to do battle. In between fighting giant wheel bugs, fallen angels, and witches sporting the 1980's punk rock look and carrying hand guns, Oberon (Atticus's trusty wolfhound) has some insight into sticking it to The Man.

This book hits the ground running and doesn't stop until the last nasty is dead. It's fun, it's sad, it's frequently over the top (that's urban fantasy), and it's perfect for when you've had a no good, very bad, not nice day and need something light and fun. Or if your traveling. Or if your snowed it. Or if it's a perfectly nice day and you can sit on the porch and avoid mowing the lawn.

If you like urban fantasy - highly recommended.



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Tucson AZ, 2020

So last week I took a little jaunt to Tucson to visit the Folks.  Weather was sunny and warm, with a slight breeze - not warm enough that I could wear shorts, alas.  I still needed my jacket during the day.

Thursday - I flew into Phoenix then took a shuttle to Tucson, arriving by 1:00p.   I normally don't fly into Phoenix, but there were no direct flights from Minneapolis to Tuscon when I made reservations this year.  

Friday - was a hike in Sabino National Park.  Dad and I did the Bear Canyon Trail to the Seven Falls.  We took the shuttle to the third and last stop on Bear Canyon, then hiked from there.  Round trip hiking: 5.5 miles.  The trail being somewhat rugged, Mom opted to take the tram to the top of Sabino and walk back down.  Everyone reported back that their respective hikes were quite delightful.

Crossing the river

Four of the Seven Falls

Saturday - we relaxed a bit in the morning then went out to the White Barn Farmer and craft market.  Oh my, does this put what we have in Duluth to shame.  It's not big (nor is Duluth's), but the fresh produce, mushrooms, meat, coffee, nuts, honey was delightful.  I wanted to take some of everything home with me.  In the afternoon, we went to the Botanical Gardens.  Myself, I LOVED the orchid and butterfly enclosure.  The rest of the grounds are quite delightful and this is worth a visit.  The small cafe on site and the butterfly enclosure have limited hours, so plan ahead.

Sunday - more resting, then a picnic and walk in Saguaro National Park.  This is my forth walk about here, but we did a different trail area this time.  I love hiking in the desert, so very different from the North Shore.

Monday - we went out for breakfast at wonderful place called Fresh Market, then visited this AMAZING nursery whose name I never did find out.  Oh. My. Goodness!  The colors! The variety! The gift options! The pots! The orchids!  Ah. Maz. ING!  We had lunch back at the house, then went to Aqua Caliente Park which just reopened Friday after three years of extensive restoration. I think a trip back here in future years will be on the agenda, just to see how the restoration finishes and to check out the ranch buildings when they are open.  It's a lovely park.

Tuesday - was fly home day.  It was a wonderful trip and I'm sad to say adios! to the sun, greens and tans.  We're still about three months out from the snow melting in the Northland.  Alas. 

The Departure by Neal Asher (Owner Triology #1)

The Departure by Neal Asher

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Jacket Blurb: Visible in the night sky the Argus Station, its twin smelting plants like glowing eyes, looks down on nightmare Earth. From Argus the Committee keep an oppressive control. Soon they will have the power to edit human minds, but not yet - twelve billion human beings need to die before Earth can be stabilized.
 
Read for February book group.

I greatly enjoyed this installment from Neal Asher. While I've quite like all the books of his I've read to date, this one was probably at the top of my list.

And as with Asher's books, I'm not going to try and recap the plots.

What I liked: less technology, less strange creatures, less convoluted political maneuverings. Now, don't take this to mean there wasn't the future technology - there was. And don't take this to mean there wasn't a political agenda - there was. These items were set against a back drop of a future version of George Orwell's 1984 and mankind has turned into a "manswarm" that cannot be sustained and those in power will be eliminating.

Yes, it's a bit of a dark and unpleasant time on Earth.

I also quite enjoyed the dual plots bouncing between Earth and Mars. Despite the time difference of events on Earth playing out over years and the events on Mars happening in less than a week, it worked. And readers of Asher will make the connection between Earth and Mars in a matter of pages.

I could go on about what I enjoyed and didn't enjoy, but overall this was a most excellent start to a new trilogy and you're wasting time reading this instead of that. Off you go!



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