Harvesting the Heart by Jodi Picoult

Harvesting the Heart shows that, as always, Jodi Picoult can be counted on for a good, quick, emotional read.  This one focuses on the relationship between Nicholas and Paige over the course of their quick courtship and subsequent marriage.  Paige is a teenager, barely out of high school, when she meets Nicholas, a successful medical student.  Throughout their relationship, they have to focus on and figure out what makes each of them happy, what leaves them empty, and how to just make it through the next day.

Overall, I would rate this an average Picoult read.  Definitely not a must read, but it kept me engaged and was worth the time spent.

Until I Find You by John Irving

John Irving has long been one of my favorite authors.  This book, which one review predicts will be considered his grand opus, both made me completely question my love for John Irving's novels and also completely reaffirmed it.  The material is emotionally difficult, for sure, although that is nothing new for an Irving novel. 

The expansive nature of the story really brought home the common themes and plot elements that are common to all of the Irving stories I've read (The World According to Garp, Hotel New Hampshire, The Cider House Rules, A Widow for One Year, A Prayer for Owen Meany) - of course the locations and the depth of study in each area, but also the mommy issues, the wrestling, the detached writers without a sense of who they are.  At first, hitting a familiar element made me sigh and wonder (although never question the worth of finishing all 1000+ pages).  But, above all, Until I Find You is a story about story telling and storytellers and audiences.  As the story moves onward, it all becomes clear and seamless and works beautifully.

Still one of my favorites.  Hands down.

Cauliflower Curry Soup or Aloo Gobi Soup

Last night I tried a recipe that I had been holding onto for awhile - Curried Cauliflower Cream Soup from The Splendid Table Weeknight Dinner emails.  It really couldn't be easier - garlic, onions, potatoes, cauliflower, curry powder and broth cooked together for a total of 35 minutes (there are a couple of steps in there, but minimal chopping and mostly inactive time) and then blended with an immersion blender.  Serve with a squeeze of lemon and a dollop of yogurt and you've got a great light creamy soup.  The best part is the cheddar tartines (let's be honest, it's cheesy bread) to dip in the soup.

I refer to it as Aloo Gobi Soup or Cauliflower Curry Soup mainly because there is no cream and I love aloo gobi.  I also figured it was a way to get Austin a little more excited about cauliflower.  I would definitely make this again, perhaps tweaking the spices to make it a bit more complex.  For dinner in a hurry, though, it's a winner.

Look for the recipe at Brooklyn Forager when I get back on track posting over there.