Books to Devour: Murder and Mamon and The Nameless Restaurant

20 Sep

Murder and Mamon
Murder and Mamon is the latest in Mia P. Manansala’s Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery Series. I have reviewed two of the previous entries including the first book Arsenic and Adobo. The series resolves around Lila Macapagal and her friends and family. Her aunt who raised her is the owner of a Filipino restaurant, which is where the series name is derived from. I think this may have been my favorite novel in the series so far; it focuses on her godmothers, a gossipy bunch who have just opened a laundromat. Lila must discover whether the threating letter’s they are receiving are due to vengeance for the rumors they spread or an angry competitor. The mystery kept me guessing till the very end. The food featured sounded mouthwatering as always and recipes are included at the end if you want to try making some Filipino classic or fusion dishes. Although each book can be enjoyed separately and each mystery is self-contained you will get spoilers about Lila’s romantic partners and other life events if you read the stories out of order. This novel will appeal to fans of New Adult Fiction as well as Cozy Mysteries.

The Nameless Restaurant
by Tao Wong
The Nameless Restaurant is the first in Canadian author, Tao Wong’s Hidden Dishes series. It is a novella and I enjoyed this quick bite as an audiobook narrated by Emily Woo Zeller who charmingly voices the many characters and brings them to life. This is a cozy fantasy set at a mysterious restaurant in Toronto frequented by not quite human patrons who manage to find it. The chef is a lovable grump who creates fantastic meals even if out of the humble ingredients with his skills and knowledge of a variety of Asian cuisine. You do not want to be reading/listening to this one on an empty stomach. This will appeal to anyone looking for more mellow low-stake fantasies similar to Legends and Lattés by Travis Baldree, which a colleague had previously reviewed. Check out next week’s post which includes a fiction novel with a dragon gourmand and two Lovecraft cookbooks!

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

Tags: , ,

Super Secret Cookbooks: Necronomnomnom, Lovecraft Cocktails, and Top Secret Recipes Unlocked

13 Sep

The Necronomnomnom: Recipes and Rites from the Lore of H.P. Lovecraft and Lovecraft Cocktails: Elixirs & Libations from the Lore of H. P. Lovecraft
by Mike Slater
My husband discovered two terrific Lovecraft recipe books recently; don’t worry they weren’t tucked away in a hidden tomb or a locked box in an attic, but it was when he met the author, Mike Slater, at a local convention. So if you borrow the copies of The Necronomnomnom or Lovecraft Cocktails from BCCLS Libraries you will find creative libations, but will be unlikely to actually summon any ancient gods (at least we haven’t yet). For those not familiar with Lovecraft, he is considered one of the early father’s of horror. His works have a looming menace and even if you have not read one of his stories you may be familiar with his most famous elder god, Cthulhu, who inspired many monsters in recent novels like The Kaiju Preservation Society and Lovecraft Country, which put a spin on some of the racism that is unfortunately a part of Lovecraft’s works reflecting a xenophobia often felt by the small town New Englanders he wrote about. These cookbooks though a must for Lovecraft fan are also enjoyable by fantasy foodies in general with their beautiful illustrations, fun puns, and quirky recipes that they contain like The Deep Fried Deep One and The Great Old Buns from The Necronomnomnom or Sunken Island Iced Tea and Moscow Ghoul from Lovecraft Cocktails. These would be great for planning refreshments at your next Horror Movie Marathon, Halloween Party, or Dungeons and Dragon Game. You can see a previous post about other fantasy inspired cookbooks here.

Top Secret Recipes Unlocked: All New Home Clones of America’s Favorite
by Todd Wilbur
Every year my recipe for sweet potato casserole gets rave reviews at Thanksgiving. My secret is that it is a homemade version of the one found at Boston Market. Top Secret Recipes Unlocked is a fun resource packed with clones of everything from Arby’s delicious Horsey Sauce to my childhood favorite popcorn treat, Crunch and Munch. Some entries include background about the restaurants or the dish itself and others discuss what it took to recreate the dish. In his introduction, Wilbur discusses his overall process in trying to recreate the classic dishes in ways that are close to the original in taste but use techniques and ingredients readily accessible to home cooks. The book includes fun diagrams that give a super secret spy feel to the endeavors. Wilbur’s take on the Boston Market’s Sweet Potato Casserole is egg free so can be made ahead so I may give his version a try this year. Top Secret Recipes Unlocked includes recipes from several Hoboken Fast Food Favorites including McDonald’s, Panera, Taco Bell, Dunkin, and Starbucks. This is a great resource for those looking to make their favorites in a healthier version or in away to accommodate dietary restrictions.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

Tags: , ,

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →