Hoboken Library Staff Picks

Audrey Lane Stirs the Pot
by Alexis Hall
Audrey Lane Stirs the Pot is the third LGBTQ Romance novel in Hall’s Winner Bakes All Series about a British cooking competition in the vein of the Great British Baking Show (or Bake-off depending on which side of the Atlantic you are on). I enjoyed books one (Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake) and two (Paris Daillencourt is About to Crumble) in the series, but was especially interested in this entry which focuses on a romance between the foul-mouthed producer Jennifer Hallet and a feisty contestant on the latest season of the show. I couldn’t wait to see the grumpy Hallet show some vulnerability and fall in love and Audrey was a charmer. I liked how the experience of Bake Off helped Audrey work through some previous feelings of inadequacy and find a place for herself where she could not only be valued, but also value herself. Each book in the series take place in different seasons so it is not necessary to read them in any particular order though this worked well as a satisfying end to the trilogy. Alexis Hall is being spotlighted on Hoopla this month, where you can checkout many of his great novels!

Bitchin’ Kitchen
Back when the Cooking Channel first spun off of Food Network they would often air original programs that were filmed in Canada. One of the quirkiest of these was Nadia G’s Bitchin’ Kitchen which was like if you merged a cooking show with a PG version of Pee Wee’s Playhouse. Besides Nadia, there are three additional over the top actors who play experts and provide information on things like spices and the health benefits of foods. Nadia whose family immigrated from Italy, grew up in Montreal so often her dishes put a twist on Italian food or work in popular French Canadian ingredients like Maple Syrup. Each episode has a theme like Recession Recipes or Childhood Favorites. One of the craziest moments was season 2’s Christmas Special which featured a goofy music video including other foodie personalities such as Andrew Zimmer, the Black Metal Chef and the Epic Meal Time Crew (Nadia is also a musician). Bitchin’ Kitchen ran for three seasons before spinning off to the travel show Bite This with Nadia G. This cult show isn’t for everyone, but if you are looking for a truly unusual, edgy cooking program then this one might be a treat.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

Tags: alexis hall, Bitchin' Kitchen, Nadia G, Winner Bakes All