Books and Scents: A Mid Year Review

If you were ask me about my other passions, I would tell you one of them is reading. I also really like the idea of scenting the books I have read. Sometimes it will be a perfume or a scent idea. I also wanted to share the best books I have read so far this year. This isn't all that I have read but these are books I recommend wholeheartedly.

January

1. The 6:41 to Paris by Jean-Philippe Blondel

-The scent: a green scent that encompasses regret and reflection with a bitter edge. 

2. The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells

-The scent: Dilmun by Lorenzo Villoresi, as much as Dilmun is about creamy gorgeous orange blossom there is also incense and hints of full jasmine green tea. Jasmine and green tea are mentioned through out the book and orange blossom and incense reflect the sense of flight and danger throughout it.

February

3. A Practical Wedding Planner: A Step-by-Step guide to Creating the Wedding You Want With the Budget You've Got (Without Losing Your Mind in the Process) by Meg Keene

-The scent: Le Temps d'une Fete by Nicolai, just as A Practical Wedding  is about the earthier aspects of wedding planning with great direct frankness about the subject and so is Le Temps d'une Fete about the earthier fecund qualities of spring but it is also joyous as a wedding should be. 

March

Nada, I was in the midst of overtime wedding planning, my reading was put aside. 

April

4. Girls & Sex: Navigating the Complicated New Landscape by Peggy Orenstein

-The scent: the most popular youthful scent of now combined with an entitled fury over the shit education girls receive about their sexuality. 

May

5. This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki

-The scent: L'Ete en Douce by L'Artisan, only a perfectly magical summer scent could go with gorgeous graphic novel about the moment right before your tween years. Loved this so hard.

June

6.  Sex Object by Jessica Valenti 

-The scent: Gris Clair by Serge Lutens, something needed for the resigned world weary anger and exhaustion of carrying about psychic pain all the damn time. 

7. An Unsuitable Job for a Woman by P.D. James

-The scent: Trussardi Jeans by Trussardi, Cordelia Gray deserves Trussardi Jeans because it fits her character in that she seems youthful but is world weary in many ways. The violet seemingly youthful but the blue rain like quality of the scent keeping it different from most scents. 

all images from amazon.com

Book: Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez

So last night in one sitting I read Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez; I admit I was really moved at times but also found myself questioning the authors actions. To often I had a sense that Rodriguez was running around and ignoring the consequences, which I can say is irresponsible and deadly in the case of women living Afghanistan. Sadly this was confirmed this morning, because well I had to go with my gut and google it, and immediately up popped NPR's story http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10634299 . As for Rodriguez I really don't know what to think. Her character shines through as hopeful and at times loopy and more often then not running around ignoring the dangers that are so obvious but some how always side stepping the risks; did she think in publishing her book that she could side step the danger as she always had? Did she really not care for the safety of her students or really did not honestly take into account the dangers of publishing her book? At times Rodriguez seems highly aware of the situation she is in and at other times she seems highly unaware (best example being her using her van to transport three of her neighbors who had harassed the neighborhood and were confirmed kidnappers to prison, her husband upon hearing about the situation told her she was "crazy!" And told her she needed to get out immediately because the likely hood was her neighbors would have the van overtaken. This is not exaggeration when all the stories of the book are taken into account.) I can't help but think Rodriguez is a complete ditz or that she is highly manipulative and put a great deal of women in danger. Sadly it is hard to tell there are so many contradictions of character and yet people are made up very often of quite a few contradictions. I suppose I suggest this book to read but I also know that it should be read with a highly questioning mind

What I've cooked lately: Coconut Slab

Alright, I've been gone for awhile especially on the cooking part of my blog, but I've had good reason basically since last tuesday I have not been feeling very good, and have been reduced to a diet of very bland foods because of it, and yes it was hell for a food head like me. But before I got sick I made Nigella Lawson's wonderful Coconut Slab which can be found in this book Forever Summer for my friend Liz's barbecue, well over all it was a hit, but I do have one problem with the recipe it has to do with the frosting, I liked how the cake looked with the frosting going over the sides, so don't if you make this recipe add more suger to the frosting, it looks absolutely perfect with the frosting going over the sides. And also for a very simple, comforting, and bizarrely extravegent drink (I've been on a saffron kick lately):

Saffron Milk
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon sugar
a pinch of saffron

Directions: bring all of these things to a boil and serve. Very good before going to bed.