2022 05 03

May 2022 Newsletter

by Newsletter

Life in Mexico

It’s watermelon season in Manzanillo!

Every year around May, the town is full of vendors selling big, juicy watermelons from the back of their trucks. While you’re paying $15 in Canada, they’re three bucks on the street.

There’s a saying in Kelowna; the best way to eat a peach is to stand waist deep in Okanagan Lake.

The best way to eat a Mexican watermelon is to stand waist deep in the Pacific Ocean!

Recipe: French Toast Tacos

French toast tacos

I always enjoy reading David Lebovitz’s newsletter. I was admiring the Paris-based chef’s recipe for French toast when I had the brain wave to make it a little Mexican. Thanks for the inspiration, David!

Makes 1 serving

1 large egg

1 Tsp milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ tsp salt

I large flour tortilla

1 Tsp of butter

Cooked bacon and shredded cheese

Or: Sliced fruit; mango, blueberries, strawberries.

Maple syrup.

Beat the egg, milk, vanilla and salt together in a wide bowl. Dip the flour tortilla, turning once. Let it soak up the mix for a minute.

Fry in butter on low in a medium size pan. Brown the tortilla on both sides.

For savory; fill with cooked bacon and cheese, fold and serve.

For sweet; fill with fruit, drizzle on maple syrup, and fold.

Enjoy!

Buy my latest historical fiction on Amazon!

“This book is super!

Amazon 5-star Review

The year is 1944. Paris has been under German occupation for four years. The French Resistance knows that an Allied invasion is imminent.

Veronique Grenelle is growing up in an impoverished inner-city neighborhood, scrambling to feed herself and her family.

The Resistance recruits the vivacious young woman to befriend Lieutenant Gunther von Clause, an aide-de-camp to the German Army’s Military Governor. She gradually gains his trust and affection.

James Gallagher, a lieutenant in the US Army’s Military Intelligence unit, frequently parachutes behind enemy lines to deliver funds and instructions to the Resistance. He meets and befriends Veronique, who falls madly in love with the dashing American officer.

D-Day approaches, and Veronique finds herself in a bind; should she pursue her heart or her duty? In the end, her decision will not only determine the fate of Paris, it will reverberate down through her family for generations to come.

TV Review

Bosch: Legacy

Streaming on Amazon IMBD (free)

Bosch: Legacy picks up after the seven original seasons, which saw homicide Detective Harry Bosch do battle with the corrupt LAPD hierarchy.

This spin-off captures the magic of the original; it takes place in the gritty realm of LA, it features co-stars Maddie (Madison Lintz), criminal lawyer Honey (Mimi Rogers) even Crate & Barrel (Gregory Cummins and Troy Evans).

What it doesn’t have is Harry the homicide detective. Now retired, Bosch has become a private investigator, but he still lives by the same motto; “either everyone counts, or no one counts.”

Bosch is hired by an aging billionaire who was bullied into abandoning his pregnant Latino bride by his father. Now, childless, he seeks his long-lost lover. But the discovery of an heir would throw the succession of his international business in jeopardy, and skulking minions look to thwart Bosch – at any cost.

I’ve loved Michael Connelly’s Bosch series throughout the 30 years that the LA-based author has been writing, and it’s a pleasure to see the main character (played impeccably by Titus Welliver) bring Harry alive on the screen. I look forward to more seasons!

Book Review

Cocaine Blues

By Kerry Greenwood

I first got turned on to the Miss Fisher mysteries by the excellent Australian TV series starring Essie Davis as Miss Phryne Fisher, an independently wealthy woman living in 1920s Melbourne. Miss Fisher was the ultimate flapper girl, living the high life as a rich, liberated woman with a passion for handsome men and fast cars.

Unfortunately, the TV series ended after a few seasons, and is generally hard to find on streaming services. So it was with great delight that when I began to read the book series, I found that the TV production had faithfully followed the spirit of its main protagonist, as well as the colorful cohort of cast members who rounded her adventures out.

Although one doesn’t have to start with the first book, Cocaine Blues, I recommend doing so as it sets up Miss Fisher’s background and her inspiration for solving crime. Every book features several cases for the amateur detective to solve, from kidnapping to missing kittens, as well as dollops of passionate sex.

While the tone of the series is light-hearted, Greenwood doesn’t shy from controversial subjects, such as spousal abuse, sex slavery and corruption. Regardless, I look forward to a summer of escapist reading, enjoying the many delights of Miss Phryne Fisher.

2022-04-02

April 2022 Newsletter

by Newsletter

Life in Mexico

It’s Easter, and that means Manzanillo goes nuts.

Every year, about 100,000 Chilangos make the annual pilgrimage from Mexico City to our sunbaked shores in order to bathe in the restorative waters of the Pacific Ocean.

They also bathe in gallons of tequila to restore the spirits.

Manzanillo begins preparations well in advance of their arrival. The road through Miramar beach is closed to prevent tourists from denting bumpers.

Every Oxxo and Kiosko stocks a trailer of beer in the parking lot.

To deter drunk driving, the police place car wrecks (complete with ketchup-splattered dummies), on prominent traffic routes.

The churches probably decorate with Easter eggs, but I’ve never met anyone who actually went to one.

Most expats wisely flee, but for those of us who stay, Felices Pascuas!

Movie Review

CODA

Streaming on Amazon Prime

The winner of Best Picture at the Oscars caught everyone by surprise – I personally thought Power of the Dog was a shoe-in.

But it turns out that the feel-good movie about a deaf family won enough hearts to boost it into victory.

The acronym CODA stands for child of deaf adults. Ruby, the only hearing person in a deaf family, dreams about graduating from high school and attending college. But the family fishing business needs her help to keep afloat.

Her father Frank (played by Troy Kostur, winner of Best Actor), and mother Jackie (Marlee Matlin, the first deaf actor to win an Oscar), need Ruby to act as an interpreter between them and the world of the hearing.

Ruby, meanwhile, is inspired by choir teacher Bernardo (played very flamboyantly by Mexican comedian Eugenio Derbez), who introduces her to the opportunities that her naturally-talented voice offers.

You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, but most of all, you’ll enjoy the warm-hearted tale of a family striving to succeed against all odds. I highly recommend CODA!

My latest historical novel now available on Amazon!

“A real page-turner!”

Amazon five-star review

The year is 1944. Paris has been under German occupation for four years. The French Resistance knows that an Allied invasion is imminent.

Veronique Grenelle is growing up in an impoverished inner-city neighborhood, scrambling to feed herself and her family.

The Resistance recruits the vivacious young woman to befriend Lieutenant Gunther von Clause, an aide-de-camp to the German Army’s Military Governor. She gradually gains his trust and affection.

James Gallagher, a lieutenant in the US Army’s Military Intelligence unit, frequently parachutes behind enemy lines to deliver funds and instructions to the Resistance. He meets and befriends Veronique, who falls madly in love with the dashing American officer.

D-Day approaches, and Veronique finds herself in a bind; should she pursue her heart or her duty? In the end, her decision will not only determine the fate of Paris, it will reverberate down through her family for generations to come.

Recipe: Fish & Chips

Fish & chips have a bad rep as greasy junk food. But if you make them yourself, you can use healthy ingredients that are low in unsaturated fats and loaded with high-quality protein!

We go to the fish shop in Santiago to get Dorado caught that morning, but La Comer also has an excellent selection of white fish.

Ingredients

1 lb of white fish

2 large potatoes, unpeeled.

1-2 cups of virgin olive oil

1 egg

1 cup of Panko or bread crumbs

Salt to taste

Instructions

Cut the potatoes into fries roughly the thickness of your pinky finger. Place on paper towels for half an hour to soak up moisture.

Cut the fish into pieces approximately 1-in thick and 5-in long. Dip in beaten egg and coat with Panko.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large frying pan until it begins to smoke slightly.

Carefully add the chips and let them cook for five minutes before flipping over and cooking for another five. You’ll know when they’re done when they take on a light brown hue and get crispy. Scoop out with a slotted spoon into a bowl lined with a paper towel. Sprinkle with sea salt.

Add the fish to the oil. Cook for two minutes, then turn over and cook for another two minutes. Scoop out with a slotted spoon into a bowl lined with a paper towel.

Serve with ketchup and fish sauce. Enjoy!

Book Review

The Diamond Eye

By Kate Quinn

Quinn is the author of several excellent World War II historical novels, including The Rose Code and The Huntress. Her tales are gripping sagas of women fighting to defeat the Nazis, risking their lives and the people they love.

The Diamond Eye is based on the true story of Lyudmila Pavlichenko (Mila), a shy history student from Kyiv in the Ukraine who becomes a soldier in the Soviet Army after the Germans invade. High Command soon recognizes her natural gift with rifles, and she is assigned sniper duties, eventually killing over 300 enemy soldiers.

When the Soviet Union goes looking for assistance from the United States, Mila is sent with an official delegation to Washington to meet President Roosevelt. She becomes entangled in an assassination plot, however, and her skills are put to the test in an effort to thwart the killer.

As in all her books, the author supplies exciting, non-stop narrative that makes it a great page-turner. I highly recommend The Diamond Eye!

A Monarch butterfly rests on a flower, Monday, Sept. 17, 2018, in Urbandale, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

February 2022 Newsletter

by Newsletter

Life in Mexico

We finally made it to the Monarch butterfly sanctuary!

There are five sanctuaries spread across the states of Michoacán and Mexico; Rosario, Chincua, Cerro Pelon, Herradura, and La Mesa.

The butterflies rest in Mexico from November to March, then begin a 10,000 km journey every spring to North America and back. The trek takes several generations, yet they unerringly return to their winter home year after year. (Nobody knows how long they’ve been making the journey, but butterflies date back 200 million years, to the age of dinosaurs).

Visiting the sanctuaries is a day-long trip. Along with our friends Victor and Wilma, we rented an apartment in the historic centre of Morelia for a week, then picked a day to visit the Chincua sanctuary (the butterflies need sun and heat to venture forth).

It took just under three hours to drive to the sanctuary, then another hour to hike through a pine forest. When we reached their enclave just past noon, the air was filled with a swirling carpet of orange and black as they flitted from tree to tree.

I know, driving halfway across Mexico in order to look at bugs for half an hour might sound extreme, but the trip was worth it.

I want to thank the friendly people of Michoacán for their hospitality, as well as the volunteers across North America who care for the welfare of the Monarchs. Visiting the sanctuary was a magical, mystical experience that I cannot recommend highly enough.

TV Series Review

The Dinner Club

Streaming on Amazon Prime

This is a six-part, food-porn series featuring a Michelin-starred chef who accompanies famous actors around Italy as they explore local cuisines and generally crack themselves up with insults and practical jokes.

Carlo Cracco owns Cracco’s in Milan, considered one of the fifty-best restaurants in the world. He is known for his culinary originality as well as wit and charm in several culinary-themed series, including Hell’s Kitchen Italia.

The Dinner Club is his latest foray into television, featuring six friends who are also actors and comedians. Unless you’re Italian, you won’t have any idea who they are (I certainly didn’t’), but they are all tremendously entertaining as Carlo leads them around Sicily, the Po valley and Tuscany. They sample local cuisines, then return to Carlo’s home where each in turn cooks a special meal.

While the fact that the series is totally in Italian (with subtitles) may turn some people off, I urge you to give it a try. I found it delightfully-addictive watching due to the tremendous amount of fun they all have while eating, drinking and enjoying one another’s company.

My latest novel is now available on amazon!

“A great page-turner!”

Amazon 5-star review

The year is 1944. Paris has been under German occupation for four years. The French Resistance knows that an Allied invasion is imminent.

Veronique Grenelle is growing up in an impoverished inner-city neighborhood, scrambling to feed herself and her family.

The Resistance recruits the vivacious young woman to befriend Lieutenant Gunther von Clause, an aide-de-camp to the German Army’s Military Governor. She gradually gains his trust and affection.

James Gallagher, a lieutenant in the US Army’s Military Intelligence unit, frequently parachutes behind enemy lines to deliver funds and instructions to the Resistance. He meets and befriends Veronique, who falls madly in love with the dashing American officer.

D-Day approaches, and Veronique finds herself in a bind; should she pursue her heart or her duty? In the end, her decision will not only determine the fate of Paris, it will reverberate down through her family for generations to come.

Book Review

Eight Hundred Grapes

By Laura Dave

If you enjoy the work of Elin Hilderbrand, the queen of the summer read, then you’ll love Laura Dave’s writing. Most of her books begin with a spunky young woman who turns her life into a complete dumpster fire, then climbs out of the mess for a happy ending.

Eight Hundred Grapes features bride-to-be Georgia Ford who discovers the week before her wedding that her hunky British fiancé has a secret; a four-year old daughter by a famous actress who he never got around to mentioning. She immediately leaps into her car and races back to Sonoma County where her family owns a vineyard.

She quickly discovers that all is not well in paradise. Dad is seriously depressed, mom has taken up with a new lover and her twin brothers are going bananas. Not only does she have to sort out her own mess, but act as priest, therapist and dominatrix to her own family.

Dave has a great talent for creating quirky, charming characters and a frantic pace of twists and turns that make her books impossible to put down. Several of her works are in the process of being made into movies by Reese Witherspoon, but I highly recommend reading the originals!

Recipe: Keftedes & Tzatziki Sauce

These Greek lamb meatballs are easy to make and taste great! Use them as appetizers or load them into pitas (or flour tortillas) along with chopped tomatoes and lettuce to make a great meal!

MEATBALLS

Ingredients

1 lb ground lamb (you can also use ground beef)

1/2 red onion, grated

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp dried oregano

2 Tsp fresh mint, chopped

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground coriander

½ tsp cardamom,

1/2 a cup breadcrumbs

1 egg

1 Tsp olive oil

¼ cup of chopped feta cheese

1 tsp salt

freshly ground pepper

Add all the ingredients into a large bowl and mix well. Cover the bowl with some plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.

Roll the mixture into balls, the size of a walnut.

To fry, use a large, deep skillet and pour in olive oil to a depth of 1/2 an inch. Heat the oil to medium-high. Add the lamb meatballs in batches in a single layer and fry for about 7 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned and crisp on all sides.

To bake, preheat the oven at 400F, place the lamb meatballs on greased baking sheet about an inch apart. Bake for about 20 minutes, turning the meatballs upside down midway through cooking time.

TZATZIKI SAUCE

Ingredients

½ cup finely grated cucumber

1 cup thick whole milk Greek yogurt

1 Tsp lemon juice

½ tsp olive oil

1 garlic clove, grated

¼ tsp sea salt

1 tsp chopped dill

1 tsp chopped mint, optional

Instructions

Place the cucumber on a towel and gently squeeze out a bit of the excess water.

In a medium bowl, combine the cucumber, yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, dill, and mint, if using. Chill until ready to use.

Assembling the meal.

If available, you can use pita breads, but I find flour tortillas work great! Place a layer of tzatziki on the bread and then add meatballs, shredded lettuce and tomatoes. Enjoy (and keep plenty of napkins handy).

Film Review

RESPECT

This is a biopic of Aretha Franklin, singer, civil rights activist and actor, who dominated R&B and soul for much of the 20th century.

The lead role is played by Jennifer Hudson, herself an accomplished actor and singer who not only won an Oscar but performed at President Barack Obama’s inauguration.

Biopics can sometimes drag on a bit, trying to be faithful to the actual life of its subject, but director Liesl Tommy spends a great deal of time following the artistic maturation of Aretha as she evolved from a gospel singer to R&B, soul and pop. The fact that she is portrayed by an incredibly accomplished singer makes the depiction of her life that much more authentic.

Aretha had a troubled life, being raped and bearing a child at the age of 12 and then later struggling with alcohol, but the movie doesn’t shirk in its honest portrayal of her struggles, avoiding the hagiography that often mars biographies. It is an enjoyable, musical movie that I highly recommend you watch!