All Consuming : Boris Mann

Consuming "Orcs Bad Blood: Weapons of Magical Destruction V. 1"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Boris Mann) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:29:54 GMT

Orcs Bad Blood: Weapons of Magical Destruction V. 1

by Stan Nicholls

Consumed "World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Boris Mann) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:28:23 GMT

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War

by Max Brooks

WORTH IT!

Consumed "The Road"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Boris Mann) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 02:41:36 GMT

The Road

by Cormac McCarthy

WORTH IT!

Consumed "The Onion Girl"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Boris Mann) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 02:38:21 GMT

The Onion Girl

by Charles de Lint

WORTH IT!

Consumed "The Steep Approach to Garbadale"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Boris Mann) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 03:54:07 GMT

The Steep Approach to Garbadale

by Iain Banks

WORTH IT!

Consumed "The Gargoyle"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Boris Mann) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 03:53:47 GMT

The Gargoyle

by Andrew Davidson

WORTH IT!

Consumed "Steel Beach"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Boris Mann) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 05:16:54 GMT

Steel Beach

by John Varley

WORTH IT!

Consumed "Manifold: Origin"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Boris Mann) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 05:16:12 GMT

Manifold: Origin

by Stephen Baxter

NOT WORTH IT!

Consumed "Generation A: A Novel"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Boris Mann) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:32:55 GMT

Generation A: A Novel

by Douglas Coupland

WORTH IT!

Consumed "Ship of Destiny (The Liveship Traders, Book 3)"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Boris Mann) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:31:15 GMT

Ship of Destiny (The Liveship Traders, Book 3)

by Robin Hobb

WORTH IT!

Consumed "The Player of Games"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Boris Mann) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:38:47 GMT

The Player of Games

by Iain M. Banks

WORTH IT!

Consumed "The State Of The Art"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Boris Mann) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:38:28 GMT

The State Of The Art

by Iain M. Banks

WORTH IT!

Consumed "Complicity"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Boris Mann) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:28:47 GMT

Complicity

by Iain Banks

WORTH IT!

Consumed "Push"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Boris Mann) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:55:46 GMT

Push

WORTH IT!

Consumed "THE YEAR OF OUR WAR"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Boris Mann) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:50:02 GMT

THE YEAR OF OUR WAR

by Steph Swainston

WORTH IT!

Consumed "Chasm City"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Boris Mann) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:49:10 GMT

Chasm City

by Alastair Reynolds

WORTH IT!

Consumed "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life (P.S.)"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Boris Mann) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 06:10:37 GMT

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life (P.S.)

by Barbara Kingsolver

WORTH IT!

Consumed "Mother of Demons"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Boris Mann) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 06:15:13 GMT

Mother of Demons

by Eric Flint

WORTH IT!

Consumed "Watchmen (DC COMICS)"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Boris Mann) — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 21:41:06 GMT

Watchmen (DC COMICS)

by Alan Moore, John Higgins & Dave Gibbins

WORTH IT!

Consumed "Matter"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Boris Mann) — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 21:39:49 GMT

Matter

by Iain M. Banks

WORTH IT!

A review of "The Supper of the Lamb: A Culinary Reflection (Modern Library Paperbacks)"

nobody@allconsuming.net (Boris Mann) — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 10:14:23 GMT

The Supper of the Lamb: A Culinary Reflection (Modern Library Paperbacks)

by Robert Farrar Capon

This is a FANTASTIC book. I found it hiding in a corner of the Torgie’s basement, and pulled it out for something to read, and maybe to look for some recipes.

Wow.

This is not really a cookbook. Well, it is, but in the same way that…well, maybe the Bible is a manual for priests? That’s probably not going too over the top: the author spends the entire first chapter discussing cutting onions, and the true nature of onion-ness down to the cellular and spiritual level.

Turns out the author has been an Episcopal parish priest and written a ton of other books.

So, the guiding principle of this book is Lamb for Eight People, Four Times.

One of the main themes is festal vs. ferial (which is a fancy way of saying festive vs. non-festive) eating. How festal eating is usually characterized by rich people dining on unadorned meat cooked in its “pure” form, and ferial eating is characterized by poor people “stretching” meat in the forms of gravy, stews, casseroles, etc.

In talking about Lamb for Eight People, Four Times, it is explained how to take such meat and enjoy it for four full meals, prepared in such a way that eight people are satisfied each time.

The writing of this book is superb. Any true foodie or chef will enjoy phrases like “always use stock or liquor rather than water unless physically prevented from doing so”. There are many such gems. To good effect: I recently took this to heart after using sherry in the making of some beef chili that turned out delicious.

So, the principles of cooking and of entertaining are covered. Directions for men and women and their approach to cooking. How to have a dinner party, and how 8 people is the magic number.

The last third of the book even has some very good recipes, extending from mere mentions in the first part.

Highly recommended. Anyone that reads their cookbooks like a novel will enjoying reading this novel and see it transform into a cookbook.