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Words about the Birds: Birder, She Wrote and Hello Birdy

2 Aug

Birder, She Wrote
by Donna Andrews
Donna Andrews’s Meg Langslow Mystery Series is one of my favorites with its cast of quirky characters amongst Meg’s large extended family and the local towns people in the fictitious Carephilly, VA. Each of her mysteries tie in with different species of birds. In the case of Birder, She Wrote, it is the backyard hummingbirds, like the ones I always envy my Virginia relatives for enjoying. Meg has a dilemma that one of her’s is a “bully bird” unwilling to share the sugar water feeder with the other hummers. Andrews infuses her cozies with humor and heart (she typically has two releases each year, one around beach read season and the other for the holidays). Unfortunately though this might be the perfect book for you to enjoy sipping an Arnold Palmer while relaxing in a hammock, Meg’s plans are dashed when her family and friends need her help. While she assists her grandmother Cordelia and a local deacon in finding a lost Pre Civil War Era African-American Cemetery, they discover a more recent body dumped there. The book also weaves in the very contemporary issue of NIMBY (not in my backyard) issues when people move from more urban to rural areas and must learn to balance their expectations of country life with the realities (living near farms can be literally stinky). Birder, She Wrote is the 33rd in the series with the 34th, Let It Crow! Let It Crow! Let It Crow! scheduled to be out on Oct 10.

Hello Birdy
Hello Birdy is a fun bingeable 6 episode (27 minute each) series from Australia hosted by award winning Aussie actor, William McInnes. Each episode covers a different categories of Australian birds including parrots, ancient birds, song birds, raptors, pests, and travelers. Back before I had decided on librarianship, I had contemplated a career in ornithology so this show was very much in my wheelhouse, but even if you are just a casual birdwatcher, this series will still delight. The episodes are infused with lots of humor and will be fun for the whole family, but there are also important environmental messages with some of the birds being featured being endangered. I was particularly intrigued by the ancient birds episode which looks at birds like the large flightless cassowaries which seem otherworldly compared with the cardinals and catbirds in my back yard. Interested in more Australian wildlife and nature; you can also check out Martin Clunes: Islands of Australia from Hoopla or the PBS documentary Australia featuring koalas, kangaroos and other intriguing creatures who call the land of OZ home from Kanopy.

If you are interested in bird watching you might be interested in the New York Times Birding Project. Hoboken residents have free access to the New York Times online. Simply email the the reference department with your library card.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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Recipe Roadtrips: Terry & Mason’s Great Food Trip and State Plate

5 Jul

Terry & Mason’s Great Food Trip
The BBC show, Terry & Mason’s Great Food Trip, stars radio and television broadcaster Sir Terry Wogan and cabbie Mason McQueen who drive around in Mason’s cab to different areas of of Great Britain and see historical sites and learn about famous dishes from the past and present. Their trip is partially inspired by British Bouquet: An Epicurean Tour of Britain by Samuel V. Chamberlain, who took a similar journey in 1963 as the country was rebuilding from the war. Both funny and informative, I enjoyed sampling several episodes, which can be enjoyed in any order. The journey starts in the seaside town of Weymouth where legend has it the Black Death first came to the UK; Terry instead catches an assortment of succulent seafood including crabs and oysters. A visit to York includes sampling local beers and exploring a recreation Viking Village complete with a celebratory feast. Oxford we learn is famous not only for its colleges, but also marmalade and a lesser known, yet still tasty sausage that has a unique taste of lemon. In Bath they explore the Roman Bath’s of course, but also sample locally prepared coffee whose grounds are recycled to grow oyster mushrooms. When in the Chester episode they eat baked potatoes with unusual toppings in another underground roman bath turned into a seating area that dated back 1,800 years, it really put in perspective how far back the country’s history goes and how much it has changed over the years.

State Plate
Jumping across the Ocean from York’s historic chocolates to New York’s cheesecake, State Plate’s three seasons takes a look at the signature dishes of the United States. The show stars restaurateur and musician (he won the 5th Season of American Idol), Taylor Hicks, who each episode creates the ultimate plate of food, which represents that state’s unique cuisine. Of course I couldn’t resist checking out the New Jersey episode in Season 2 that included Italian hot dogs, pork roll, disco fries, and salt water taffy and another about nearby Pennsylvania home of cheesesteaks and Amish delicacies like chow chow and shoofly pie, which I sampled on a recent visit. Probably my favorite US cuisine and food culture though is Louisiana’s Cajun cuisine including po’boys, beignets, jambalaya, and etouffee. The episode about Massachusetts had me feeling nostalgic for my grad school days with Boston Baked Beans and their creamy version of clam chowder (which I prefer to New York’s tomato based style). It was also exciting to learn about places I’ve never been such as Nebraska, with the tasty sounding but caloric bomb appetizer, the cheese Frenchie a deep fried grilled cheese sandwich loosely based on one of my favorite French comfort classics, the Croque Monsieur, or West Virginia’s Pepperoni Rolls, which originated as lunch for coal mining Italian Immigrants. The show will definitely give you some tasty ideas for your next road trip.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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