Cooking Through Fiction: Extraordinary Apple Pop Tarts

Extraordinary — (adjective) beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly exceptional, remarkable

I am a lover of words (a logophile). I can admit to being so nerdy that I am saddened when a word (especially hundreds of words in a language) dies. The Oxford English Dictionary labels these words obsolete. I bet thousands of words are thinking, Man, I hope I don’t become obsolete—oh, no, there goes hugger-mugger! Hugger-mugger was a real, useable word once. Feel free to bring it back. It means “to act in a secretive manner.” Sometimes I hugger-mugger in the middle of the night and eat peanut butter.

Other problems that happen to words is that they become “watered down.” Did you know that awful used to denote “inspiring awe or fear”? Now, if something is awful, it’s usually crapola (a made-up word). For example, once upon a time you could have described a cathedral as awful, but now if you said that, people would call you rude.

Cooking Through Fiction: Snicket's Chicken Pesto Pasta

There are likely many different types of TV watchers, but I’m going to talk about two kinds today. Type 1: watches TV and doesn’t talk about what’s happening on TV; and Type 2: watches TV and incessantly asks questions about what’s happening on TV. I’m afraid I’m Type 2 (to everyone’s annoyance around me). What can I say? I can’t help it. I ask a lot of questions.

And my questions aren’t always valid. Sometimes there’s a real gem of a question in there, but mostly, I ask questions such as “Why is she wearing those shoes? No one cooks in those types of shoes,” or “Don’t you think ancient aliens had better things to do than build a pyramid on a foreign planet?” or “Do you think they’re happy…I mean, if they were real people, would they be happy?”

Cooking Through "The Baker's Man": Forget-Me-Not Cookies

There are several legends surrounding the naming of the flower Forget-Me-Not, each one romantic and lovely in its own way. In one German legend, it is said that as God was naming all of the plants, one tiny blue flower did not want to be overlooked, so the flower called out, “Forget me not, Lord.”

Another legend says that wearers of the flower would not be forgotten by their lovers. A medieval legend tells of a knight and his lady who walked along a riverside. The knight leaned down to pick forget-me-nots and the weight of his armor caused him to fall into the river. As he was drowning, he tossed the flowers to his lady, calling, “Forget me not.”

Cooking Through Fiction: Blackberry Sunrise Scones

There are many reasons to move to Midnight Gulch, Tennessee. One reason is because the whole town smells like waffle cones because of Dr. Zook’s Ice Cream Company, and who doesn’t love the warm, vanilla scents of baking waffle cones?

Felicity Pickle and her family arrive in Midnight Gulch in their van, the Pickled Jalapeño. They’re each looking for something; Felicity wants a home more than anything. She also wants a friend, but that’s not easy when you see words everywhere the same way others see fireflies.

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The Baker's Man

by Jennifer Moorman

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Cooking Through "The Baker's Man": Ooey Gooey Butter Cake

The American writer Anais Nin said, “Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back, a new life, a new friend, a new love, a new country.” In one of the final chapters of The Baker’s Man, Anna has reached a point in her life when she must riffle through the mess and find her dreams. It’s time she tossed them into space.

Cooking Through Fiction: Stubborn Chicken Pie

If you had a train ticket to any place, where would you choose to go? Unfortunately, seventeen-year-old Avery Ross doesn’t have much of a choice concerning her destination. Due to a scribbling of obscenities on her forehead, she’s sent across the country to North Dakota. She’s probably wondering what I’m wondering: Does anyone actually live in North Dakota? I’m kidding. I know at least five people who call ND home.

Avery’s punishment involves working at her aunt’s boarding house, but is it really punishment if you’re forced to be around not only one gorgeous green-eyed boy, but also two more? The Haldens are a group of stubborn, handsome brothers, and Avery’s thrown right into the thick of them and their family drama.