Among Culinary Giants

Around a week ago, I returned to the Jefferson Park Library like a prodigal daughter. I needed a book for my book club read which I didn't want to buy. In case you are wondering, its Testimony by Anita Shreve.

Another sub-plot of this story is that I had to pay $10.80 for a late book fine. Considering that book was late because I thought it had gotten 'lost' (it slipped behind my bed - I put books under my pillow). I thought I had returned it already with the rest of the books borrowed during that time and told the library that I thought they had lost it. 9 months later, during some cleaning, I had found it under my bed. It took me another 5 months to get around going to the Library (I live half a block away from it). They told me I was being fined because they hadn't lost the book. They said if I hadn't found the book at my house then they wouldn't have charged me anything. I felt like I was being taxed for being such a good person and returning a 'lost' book. I should have just anonymously left it in the library :p. Which is why I have given an alternative title to this posting: "The Natural Cost of Reading Books by a Good Person".

Moving on, I finally located The Testimony and of course bumped into cookbooks in that aisle. Now, some clarification. I am a GREAT cook. No really, besides Nihari and Pai and brain...I can pretty much make everything else. Ok I can't make roasted chicken....but anyhow the desi culinary field is really covered by me (with some help from Shaan Masaley). What I'm more interested in learning is how to make goray dishes. Angrezi stuff. I could even use help in my Chinese cooking - which is currently at ground zero too.

So the two titles you see is what I picked up. It's 'Rachel Ray's The Orange Book' and 'Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics'. I have to tell you - ever since I've brought back these glossy babies home, I've been having constant heartburn. It's like I'm back in school, A-level physics and Organic Chemistry - trying to learn the formulas, lugging around my books everywhere. Studying in front of the TV. Yeah, you heard me, you've all done some useless studying so please, no raised eyebrows.

Well, that's how these books feel to me. Like torture! Like I'm not doing a good enough job in my kitchen. Argh.

So, anyways, I'm not backing down. I will make some stuff from these books.