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Saturday, February 15, 2025

Weekend Cooking: Two Japanese Foodie Novel Reviews

I have done very badly in my reading for the Japanese Literature Reading Challenge which I signed up for this year and runs all through January and February. In my head, January should have been a month long extravaganza of all things Japanese, and then I could share a couple more reviews in February! Success! I did go and see a Japanese artist exhibition in January, but never really posted about it, and I have read one book this year, so ....not success?

The books that I do find myself reading when I read Japanese literature have quite a few similarities. Many of them episodic in nature - almost a collection of short stories. Most of them all seem to be looking at the people who are left behind and the grief they feel, and how grief is processed. Another series which has these similar characteristics is the Before the Coffee Gets Cold, which I have posted about previously. I have a friend who lived in Japan for a couple of years ago and we were talking about this recently which was an interesting conversation about the differences in cultures.

Today, I am going to share mini reviews of two books which both have food at their core and both have the similar episodic formats 





The first is The Restaurant of Lost Recipes by Hisash Kashiwai, which is the second book in the Kamogawa Food Detectives series. I read and reviewed the first book in the series last year and really enjoyed it.

The idea of this book is that if you can find the restaurant you can tell them about a dish that has such perfect memories for you. The food detective, primarily former police detective Nagare Kamogawa, will then take the clues that you have provided and try to recreate the dish as authentically as possible. There is no magic in this series, unless you count the magical power of food to bring back memories

There are six stories in this book. They are:

 A famous swimmer who wants to have another taste of the nori-ben that his father used to make,  before they had a big falling out, 

A food writer who busily critiques all of the food she is served but then wants them to recreate a hamburger steak which is her son's favourite.

A couple who run a traditional confectionary shop who want to track down a Japanese Christmas cake

A model looking for the fried rice that her mother used to make her

A man looking for ramen that replicates the one he used to have at university

A one hit wonder that had been waiting thirty years for her next hit to recreate a celebration meal but it didn't happen.

The descriptions of the food throughout the book are absolutely mouth watering. The Christmas Cake story inspired me to make a Japanese Strawberry Shortcake, which is their version. I posted about making that here.

The relationship between Nagare and his daughter Koishi who helps him with his detecting underlies the stories, particularly as they take care to honour their wife and mother who has passed away some time ago. And yes, there is a cat! It's name is Drowsy and it appears in all the stories.

There are currently 11 books in this series published in Japan, but only two have been translated into English so far. As soon as more have been translated I will definitely be reading them 




The Chibineko Kitchen is the first book in The Meals to Remember at the Chibineko Kitchen series by Yuta Takahashi. It is also published with the title The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen.

I know that I probably shouldn't compare this book to either the When the Coffee Gets Cold series or the Yamogawa Food Detectives, but as I mentioned in the intro it is very difficult not too given the similarities in themes, the tone of the writing and the cats. There is one major difference with this book and that is there is a bit of a through story going through the four stories, more than there is in the other books I mentioned.

The Chibineko Kitchen is in a small seaside village not too far from Tokyo. They specialise in kagezen, which are traditional meals offered in remembrance of loved ones. The twist here is that it is possible that for the duration of the meal you can have one last conversation with them, one last chance to tell them that you love them, and to say goodbye.

In this book there are four stories.

The first is about a girl named Kotoko whose brother died and she is struggling with survivors guilt. She come to eat a fish stew made of a fish called fat greenling

The second story is about a young boy who shares an omelette sandwich with a young girl and then she disappears not long after!

The third is about making peanut rice for a neighbour of the restaurant

The final story is making beef hotpot and is for one of the main characters in the book

One of the points of difference to this book is that it actually includes the recipes. Some of them may be somewhat basic but they are there!

There are currently 9 books in the series. The second book comes out in English mid-year, and you can be sure that I will be getting my hands on it as soon as I can!

I know I have mentioned grief a lot here, but please don't think that these are heavy or depressing books. They are both very respectful of the people who are no longer in the lives of the characters for whatever reason, but there is also a joy and charm that lifts the books. As much as they are about looking backwards they are also about finding ways to move forward.

I have about four or five of these styles of books on my Kindle which I am hoping to read when I am visiting Japan and Korea in a few weeks time. That's my plan at any rate.

I am sharing this post with the Japanese Literature Challenge, hosted by Dolce Bellezza, with Foodies Read hosted at Based on a True Story, and the Books in Translation Challenge hosted at Introverted Reader


Weekly meals

Saturday - Honey Pepper Chicken Stirfry
Sunday - Leftovers
Monday - Out for dinner
Tuesday - Takeaway
Wednesday - Zucchini, Tomato and Parmesan Risotto
Thursday - Baked Tuscan Chicken and Pasta
Friday - Mushroom Spaghetti Bolognaise







Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page

Friday, February 14, 2025

Blog Tour: The Paris Dancer by Nicola Rayner

 




Confession time - it had been two weeks since I last read a book set in Paris! Thank goodness that I had this one lined up to read for a blog tour, otherwise I might have needed an intervention!

When Miriam's great-aunt Esther passed away in New York, it is her task to go and sort everything out. Her grandmother and her great-aunt had not been close, but as she begins her task of cleaning up, Mim finds some notebooks which seem to be telling a different one to the story she has always been told. She has always believes that her grandmother had moved to England before the outbreak of WWII, and never wanted to go back to Paris. Why would the stories be so inconsistent? Why did her grandmother and her sister not get along? And who is Lili?

Esther and her family are a Jewish family who work in the music halls of Paris, most specifically the fabulous Bal Tabarin music hall. There she meets Annie, a Canadian woman who has come to Paris to follow her dreams of becoming a ballroom dancer, and ends up at Bal Tabarin. Whilst Esther's sister has already found her place in the theatre as a seamstress, Esther hasn't quite found what her role in the theatre or even in life is. 

As war erupts, the family and Annie, who is also Jewish, take a huge chance and go into hiding in plain sight but there is always the chance that someone might inform the authorities. Whilst they all work in the resistance, that is not as much of a focus as you might find in other WWII books, rather it is the individual stories of Esther, Annie and the other dancers which are the focus. 

As Mim reads through Esther's notebooks, she has so many questions. In the end, she is helped to understand her aunt's life by the downstairs neighbour, Bibi. And the message of how her aunt lived her life could well help Mim turn her own life around, and might even help repair her relationship with her own sister.

Mim has been in a downward spiral since being involved in an inappropriate relationship which lead to a terrible tragedy about which she feels very guilty. When she is on the plane to New York she meets a man named Lucky and they hit it off, but she can't get over her trust issues so she might end up sabotaging the budding romance before it even gets off the ground.

The author has a passion for dance and it shows in both storylines. My favourite dance aspect was in the modern story as Mim and Lucky try out several different dance styles looking for the one that speaks most clearly to Mim.

As with all dual timelines, there is usually one story that I resonate with more than the other and usually it is the one in the past, and this book is no different. I definitely choked up as we got to the end of the historical story and so many of the questions were answered.

It looks like this is Nicola Rayner's first foray into historical fiction. I hope to read more from her in the future!

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews, and the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host here. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the publisher and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy. 

Rating 4/5









About the book




The Paris Dancer

A heart-wrenching and unforgettable story of courage, friendship and resistance, inspired by the incredible true story of a Jewish ballroom dancer in Paris during WWII, perfect for fans of The Paris Library.

Paris, 1938. Annie Mayer arrives in France with dreams of becoming a ballerina. But when the war reaches Paris, she's forced to keep her Jewish heritage a secret. Then a fellow dancer offers her a lifeline: a ballroom partnership that gives her a new identity. Together, Annie and her partner captivate audiences across occupied Europe, using her newfound fame and alias to aid the Resistance.

New York, 2012. Miriam, haunted by her past, travels from London to New York to settle her great-aunt Esther’s estate. Among Esther’s belongings, she discovers notebooks detailing a secret family history and the story of a brave dancer who risked everything to help Jewish families during the war.

As Miriam uncovers Esther’s life in Europe, she realises the story has been left for her to finish. Grappling with loss and the possibility of new love, Miriam must find the strength to reconcile her past and embrace her future.


Purchase Link - https://amzn.eu/d/3MAASpc



About the author

Born in South Wales, Nicola Rayner is a novelist and dance writer based in London. She is the author of The Girl Before You, which was picked by the Observer as a debut to look out for in 2019, optioned for television and translated into multiple languages. Her second novel, You and Me, was published by Avon, HarperCollins, in 2020. In her day job as a journalist, Nicola has written about dance for almost two decades, cutting her teeth on the tango section of Time Out Buenos Aires. She edited the magazine Dance Today from 2010 to 2015 and worked as assistant editor of Dancing Times, the UK’s leading dance publication, from 2019 until 2022. She continues to dance everything from ballroom to breakdance, with varying degrees of finesse.



Social Media Links –

https://twitter.com/AriaFiction
https://x.com/nico1arayner
https://www.instagram.com/nicolaraynerwrites/
https://www.instagram.com/headofzeus
https://www.facebook.com/NicolaRaynerAuthor




Blog Tour: The Woven Lie by Liz Harris


When Violet qualifies as a teacher in post war Britain, she isn't sure that it is really what she wants to do. When she sees an ad to run a museum in a small village just outside Bury St Edmonds she applies, not really expecting to get the job. The trustees are impressed by her modern ideas and decide to appoint her to the role. Soon, she is moving into the village and starting her new life.

Everyone is really welcoming, from Dr Edward Russell to her new employees Gladys and Lucy. Everything is not as it seems though as Gladys firmly believes that she should have been appointed to the role, both because she had been there for such a long time, and because she needs to be able to continue in her illegal scheme to make copies of the items in the museum and sell the originals. It's a lucrative scheme and with Violet spending so much time listing the pieces, reorganising and making big plans for new displays, Gladys needs to come up with a new plan, and quickly.

Dr Russell previously ran the museum in addition to his role as a doctor in the community but he knows that this cannot continue due to his increased responsibilities thanks to the introduction of the National Health Scheme (NHS). He therefore reverts to his primary role as trustee but is open and available to assist Violet however he can. He isn't sure though why he doesn't let Violet know that he is engaged to the local district nurse, which makes their growing attraction problematic on a number of levels.

As Violet works very hard to set up her new life, get the museum running in the way that she would like it, and try and ignore her growing feelings for the doctor, is it any wonder that she doesn't see the signs that she is being undermined. 

I found the parts of the book where they talk about the establishment of the NHS extremely interesting It was a major change and had implications in Australia where we had a similar scheme for universal health care introduced, and both are still in place. 

I did find there were times when there was too much focus on the plotting and scheming, and it was all very black and white. 

I did like the secondary romances, although one of them came out of the blue, but did enable the rest of the story to progress. My favourite secondary character in the book was Lucy, who was basically the admin at the museum and she showed a lot of initiative and desire to learn more!

This is the third book in the Three Sisters trilogy and I said yes to this tour knowing that I hadn't read the previous two. All we really know is that one of her sisters now lives in France and the other in Jersey, so it doesn't really impact on the enjoyment. I am definitely tempted to add both of them to my TBR pile. Some of her other series look interesting as well.

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews, and the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host here. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the publisher and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy. 

Rating 3.5/5









About the Book



The Woven Lie

The Woven Lie is Violet’s story


Suffolk, 1948

When Violet Hammond sees an advertisement for a manager to run a museum in a village outside Bury St Edmunds, she jumps at the chance of a job that sounds both different and a challenge.

For Dr Edward Russell, forced to resign from managing the museum owing to the increasing pressures on him as a doctor, the person to succeed him is obvious – the highly competent Gladys Wilson. After all, Gladys had worked at the museum for years and had run it on her own on many occasions.

But when Edward interviews Violet, he’s excited by her enthusiasm and ideas for modernising the museum and her vitality, and he finds himself offering her the position. With a smile on her face and the right words on her lips, Gladys assures Edward that she’ll support Violet as much as she can.

But Gladys has no intention of doing so. On the contrary, she wants Violet to be sacked as soon as possible. She has too much to lose if Violet stays.


Purchase Link - mybook.to/TheWovenLie




About the Author


Born in London, Liz Harris graduated from university with a Law degree, and then moved to California, where she led a varied life, from waitressing on Sunset Strip to working as secretary to the CEO of a large Japanese trading company.

Six years later, she returned to London and completed a degree in English, after which she taught secondary school pupils, first in Berkshire, then in Cheshire and finally in Oxfordshire.

In addition to the twenty-one novels she’s had published since her debut novel The Road Back, Liz has had several short stories in anthologies and magazines.

Liz lives in Windsor, Berkshire. An active member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and the Historical Novel Society, her interests are travel, the theatre, reading and cryptic crosswords.

To find out more about Liz, visit her website at https://lizharrisauthor.com



Social Media Links –


Twitter Handle: @lizharrisauthor
Bluesky handle: @lizharris.bsky.social
Instagram Handle: liz.harris.52206
Website: https://lizharrisauthor.com
Facebook: Liz Harris










Thursday, February 13, 2025

Blog Tour: The Secrets of the Rose by Nicola Cornick

 



Writer Hannah Armstrong has been commissioned to write the story of Grace Darling, a Victorian heroine who became famous after performing an amazing history following a shipwreck off the coast of the town of Bamburgh in north eastern England. For Hannah, this is a chance to come home for a while to spend time in the town she grew up and with her stepmother Diana. However, Hannah has never really been that enthralled with the tale of Grace Darling. She is much more interested in the story of Dorothy Forster, sister to a rebel Jacobite general, but she has a job to do, and she will do it. When she sees a portrait of Dorothy on the wall in her family home she is enthralled by the picture, and by all the Jacobite symbolism.

What she doesn't expect when she arrives at Bamburgh is to find that Diana has been keeping big secrets from her, and it means that she will need to spend more time in town than she first planned. It turns out though that there are many secrets, and as Hannah researches both stories, she begins to find more and more threads that link directly to her, and somewhat disturbingly that lead to some uncomfortable truths about her brother, Brandon.

Whilst this is a dual timeline, in effect we are getting three stories for the price of two. We find out more details about Grace's story as Hannah researches and writes. We get to see Dorothy Forster's story as it unfolds in the past. Dorothy is the person who keeps their household running. Her father is mentally absent most of the time and is very unwell, her older brother is mixed up in all sorts of trouble, including the Jacobite rebellion which aims to return Prince James Stuart to the British throne at the expense of King George I. Her younger brother Nicholas is away at Oxford studying, so Dorothy is most shocked when she finds out that he too is involved in the Jacobite conspiracy. Her uncle, Lord Crewe, is determined that the family name will not be tainted in any conspiracy as he knows that there is a risk that they will all be implicated, and he is prepared to use Dorothy as a marriage pawn if he needs to, much to her dismay.

As both stories progress, there is an echo through the generations, both in terms of the difficult familial dynamics, the feelings that Dorothy and Hannah have for men that they don't believe that they could or should have.  Dorothy was also the keeper of a talisman, known as The Rose. The talisman has been lost to history, but as Hannah researches it becomes clear that someone believes in the power of The Rose and will do anything to have it. 

I first became interested in Jacobite history after reading Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, but it really caught me once i read a number of Susanna Kearsley's books, starting with The Winter Sea. There were parts of this book that really reminded me of Kearsley's stories in terms of there being an almost mystical connection between some of the characters. Reading this book made me wish I had time to reread some of my favourites from her, or maybe I should just read her latest book! Either way would work for me I think!

I liked this book because it told the story of English Jacobites rather than just focussing on the Scottish history. We were in Scotland last year and we heard a lot about the Jacobites. We even visited the famous Glenfinnan monument to them, which is handily located right near the famous viaduct that the Harry Potter train crosses over!

Very early on in the book there is a passage about some glassware. Many years ago now, the National Gallery of Victoria had an exhibition of Jacobite glassware which I spent ages looking at. Some of these were meant to be used to communicate hidden political sympathies, and others were more overt. I couldn't help but think of that display when I read this passage. 



"I can't tell you how lovely it is to have you staying for more than just a few days," Diana said later, over dinner of shepherd's pie accompanied by some of the expensive red wine Hannah had brought with her. Diana had served the meal on the 'good' china with some antique crystal glasses she had bought in an antique shop in Alnwick.

"As soon as I saw them, I knew I had to have them," Diana had told her when Hannah had commented on them. "They came from a house clearance over at Adderstone. You remember the old manor house there? It's been derelict for years, but apparently its being turned into holiday flats now. The antiques dealer said these were quite a find."

"They're beautiful," Hannah had said truthfully, but in fact they were so fragile that she felt nervous to touch them. Hers was engraved with a circle of entwined oak leaves and Diana's had a rose on it. In the cupboard on the wall, Hannah could see the rest of the set sparkling in the light, each with a different motif - a butterfly, sunflower, crown and rosebuds. The symbols were the same as the ones in the portrait of Dorothy Forster in the hall. 


You can some of the symbolism in the image below from the exhibit. It wasn't the easiest to take photos of, but it does give you an idea. 


I had not previously read Nicola Cornick before. Looking at her backlist there are a number of her older books that I would like to read at some point!

I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews, the Bookish Books challenge hosted at Bloggin' Bout Books and the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge when I host here. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy. 

Rating 4/5





About the book



The Secrets of the Rose

Bestselling author Nicola Cornick’s brand-new heart-breaking historical tale of unforgettable courage, hidden secrets and lasting love, perfect for fans of Barbara Erskine, Philippa Gregory and Christina Courtenay.


1715: With the country on the brink of rebellion, Dorothy Forster’s life at Bamburgh Hall is ruled by the men in her life – her feckless brothers stirring up trouble at court, her elderly father with his dangerous secrets and the man she loves who the world seems determined to keep her apart from. As tensions grow, Dorothy finds herself caught between the warring factions, danger everywhere. Then Dorothy discovers her family are the keepers of the legendary Rose, the talisman both sides believe will guarantee them victory in this deadly conflict. Now Dorothy will have to risk everything to keep the Rose safe; the fate of the country and the men she loves rests in her hands.

Present Day: Hannah Armstrong has returned home to Bamburgh Hall for work but when she discovers that her stepmother Diana has been keeping worrying secrets, her focus shifts to getting to the truth. Their family home once belonged to heroic Dorothy Forster, whose portrait graces the walls and whose spirit lingers in her home, but soon Hannah learns that there was much more to this formidable woman. Because Dorothy left behind a mysterious legacy and it’s not long before Hannah realises it’s one people are willing to kill for. Now Hannah is in a race against time to unravel the secrets of the past before danger arrives at their door.

Two women divided by time but bound by a centuries’ old mystery. Bestseller Nicola Cornick is back with a brand-new thrilling adventure, a heartbreaking love story and the unforgettable story of how the courage of one woman can save a family and even save a nation.


Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/SecretsOfTheRose





About the Author


Nicola Cornick is the international bestselling and award – winning historian and author of over 40 novels featuring women from the footnotes of history. Translated into 25 languages and previously published by HQ, her first book for Boldwood, set in the time of Charles II, will be released in March 2024.



Social Media Links –

Facebook: @Nicola.Cornick
Twitter: @NicolaCornick
Instagram: @NicolaCornick
Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/NicolaCornickNews
Bookbub profile: @NicolaCornick


Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten 5 star reads from previous years

Welcome to this week's edition of Top Ten Tuesday which is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week is a love freebie so I am bringing you ten books I loved so much I gave them a 5/5 rating! And let's face it, I love a good love story so a lot of them will be about love in some form or another!

Given that we have only recently done our best of lists for 2024, I have decided to go with the last ten books that I gave this rating to before 2024. 



The Dressmaker's of Yarrandarrah Prison by Meredith Jaffe - I recently saw that Lisa from ANZ Litlovers had reviewed this book, and I was reminded again how much I enjoyed it! (My review)

The Cartographer's Secret by Tea Cooper - I saw Tea Cooper talking about her latest book a few months ago! I really must read it!

Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak - My goodness I loved this book! And I recently read her latest book which I liked a lot too! (My review)

The Beautiful Words by Vanessa McCausland - The first of two books by this author on my list today!

Book Lovers by Emily Henry - I have really liked all the Emily Henry books I have read but this is the one that I loved the most when I gave it a rating!






The Forgotten Palace by Alexandra Walsh - I have since read a couple more of this author's books. They have all been set in different time periods but all really good. (My review)

The Lost Daughters of Ukraine by Erin Litteken - A really good WWII novel with an unusual setting (My review)

The Bookbinder of Jericho by Pip Williams - Not as well known as the accompanying book, The Lost Dictionary of Words, but an excellent read!

Dreaming in French by Vanessa McCausland - I really must read this author's newest book and see if it is as good as the two I have on this list (My review)

The Little Paris Toy Shop by Lauren Westwood - I love the cover of this one, the story, the Paris setting! I am about to read another book from this author! I hope I love it! (My review)


Have you read and loved any of these?




Monday, February 10, 2025

This week...


 I'm reading

I seem to be getting into a pretty steady reading pattern over the last few weeks of finishing three books and starting another couple!

This week I finished reading The Many Futures of Maddy Hart by Laura Pearson. Her last book was one of my favourites of last year. I liked this one too, but maybe not quite as much. You can read my review here!

I then allowed myself to choose to read a non review read. The Wedding People by Alison Espach had really been calling to me over the last couple of months, so I decided to read it, and I loved it! Last year I only had three 5/5 reviews for the whole year. This was my third one for this year! So good!

I then read The Secrets of the Rose by Nicola Cornick which is a dual timeline telling the story of English Jacobite supporters, and a Victorian heroine, and then the modern storyline. My review will be up later this week. I did enjoy the book.

I picked up The Fall Risk by Abby Jimenez from Amazon First Reads this month. I hadn't read this author before, so this feels like it was a good intro to her style. I liked it! I smiled, but I was also a bit confronted by the mentions of guns but I guess that is my Australian sensibilities shining through. Overall I gave it a 4/5 rating.

Now I am reading The Paris Dancer by Nicola Rayner. After all, I haven't read a book set in Paris for at least two weeks! This one is due for review next week.

I mentioned last week that I have chosen to listen to Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, narrated by British actress Rosamund Pike, as my selection for the theme of classics for my face to face bookclub. So far it is really good!

In other bookish news, I went to an author event for Aussie author Karina May where she was talking about her new book That Island Feeling. It was a lot of fun. I've posted a review of the book and talked a little about the event here. There were even these gorgeous oyster Gingerbread biscuits! Delicious!






I am going to another author event tomorrow night which I will tell you about next week!



I'm watching


We binge watched the new series of Muster Dogs last week. In the first series, they had a litter of kelpie puppies and trained them to see which was the best working dog. In the second series, they did the same with a litter of collie puppies. This time, they took three of each, and they then trained them up to see which breed was the best working dog for working with stock like cattle and sheep. It is the most wholesome TV Show in so many ways, including showing what it can be like to be a farmer these days in Australia. Here's the trailer, which I hope you can see, otherwise try googling the show to see some puppy goodness 



We watched a couple of movies this weekend. One was called Summerland which is a story about a woman who is forced to take in a young boy who has been evacuated from London during WWII. I liked this one.

We also watched The Fall Guy starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt. This was entertaining, although I am glad we didn't go and pay to see it at the movies!


Life

Last Monday night we went to see British comedian Jack Whitehall, along with his parents Michael and Hilary! We love their show Travels with my Father, and so we were excited to go and see their live show. We weren't disappointed! The first half of the show was Jack Whitehall doing his comedy routine, and then the second half was the three of them doing what was portrayed as a Q and A Session. Of course, it was carefully scripted but it was a lot of fun!

Weekend Cooking: Baked Tuscan Chicken
Sunday Salon: Historical Fiction Reading Challenge - January Statistics


I've linked this post to It's Monday, what are you reading? as hosted by Book Date and Sunday Salon hosted at Readerbuzz

Sunday, February 09, 2025

Sunday Salon: Historical Fiction Reading Challenge - January statistics

Every month I share some of the statistics related to the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge. I try very hard to visit every post which has been linked (time permitting) and I find it interesting to see what are the books that people are reading and reviewing! I often end up adding a couple of books to my never ending TBR list.

In terms of the books read in January, there were  reviews linked up for the challenge, shared by 22 participants. There were 55 individual titles reviewed, written by 52 different authors. There were 3 reviewers who reviewed more than 5 books each. There were also a couple of people who contributed their first reviews for the challenge! Welcome to you all. Thank you to everyone who shared their links whether it be 11 or just 1.

So which books were reviewed more than once in January?



There Were Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak was reviewed by myself and Bree from All the Books You Can Read.Now you would be right to wonder if this is a coincidence as we did have a conversation where one of us said we were reading it and the other said maybe I will too. You can read Bree's review here and mine is here.




The other book that was reviewed twice was The Night on the Darling River by Darry Fraser. I am so excited to see this book by an Australian historical fiction author reviewed by two American reviewers! The first review was from Laura at Laura's Reviews and the second was from Sarah at Reading the Past.


There was also one author who had two individual books review which was Mary Balogh. Laura from Laura's Reviews reviewed Under the Mistletoe and Susan from Reading World reviewed Remember When.


I'll be back next month with the statistics for February!

I am sharing this post with Sunday Salon, hosted at Readerbuzz.



Saturday, February 08, 2025

Weekend Cooking: Baked Tuscan Chicken (Adam Liaw)


Adam Liaw is an Australian TV cook, food writer, author, presenter, lifestyle TV show producer and so much more! He's done well since he won the second series of Masterchef Australia back in 2010.

Late last year I saw an article by him where he was talking about which recipe was the most liked recipe on the SBS food website, and it was this one for Baked Tuscan Chicken. This recipe comes from Adam's show The Cook Up, which is on every weekday. Each episode he invites two guests on. They could be chefs, or comedians, actors or anyone really. Some times they can cook, and other times they cannot. Each episode is themed and he will cook something and then the two guests will cook up a dish to meet the theme. This recipe came from an episode called Made to Share.

We already knew that we liked the flavour combination of cream, sundried tomato, chicken and spinach as we have a baked pasta version that we make quite regularly using a recipe from Recipetin Eats. I was still keen to try this as a much quicker version which you can then serve with pasta, rice or I guess even mash! And it's a winner that we have now added into our regular recipe rotation.

We tend to just use thigh fillets instead of cutlets which are bone-in, as my husband doesn't really love eating chicken on the bone.

I did think I had taken a photo of this recipe, but it seems I have not. I will take one next time I make it and update the post.


Baked Tuscan Chicken (Adam Liaw)



6 chicken thigh cutlets
Salt and black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
2 brown onions, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
200 g sundried tomato strips
300 ml thickened cream
2 tsp Italian seasoning (or 1 tsp each dried oregano and thyme)
60 g baby spinach leaves
½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese



Preheat the oven to 200˚C (180˚C fan-forced). Season the chicken cutlets generously on both sides with salt and black pepper. Heat the oil in an oven-proof heavy-based frying pan over medium heat, then add the chicken, skin-side down in the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the chicken is browned. Remove the chicken to a plate.

Add the onion and garlic to the pan and fry for 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Stir through the sundried tomatoes and cream, then return the chicken to the pan, skin-side up. Sprinkle with the Italian seasoning, then bake for 25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thickened.

Divide chicken cutlets between serving plates, then add the baby spinach and parmesan to the pan sauce, stirring to wilt the spinach. Spoon the spinach, sundried tomatoes and creamy sauce over the Tuscan chicken and serve.

Weekly meals

Saturday - Chicken kebabs, baked potato, coleslaw
Sunday - Airfried fried chicken, chips, coleslaw
Monday - Ham and Mushroom Pizza
Tuesday - One Pot Cajun Chicken and rice (new)
Wednesday - Spaghetti Bolognaise
Thursday - Chicken Shwarma
Friday - Out for dinner







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