The Kitchen House by: Kathleen Grissom

***Received an advance copy courtesy Simon & Schuster Publishing

Synopsis

Grissom's unsentimental debut twists the conventions of the antebellum novel just enough to give readers an involving new perspective on what would otherwise be fairly stock material. Lavinia, an orphaned seven-year-old white indentured servant, arrives in 1791 to work in the kitchen house at Tall Oaks, a Tidewater, Va., tobacco plantation owned by Capt. James Pyke. Belle, the captain's illegitimate half-white daughter who runs the kitchen house, shares narration duties, and the two distinctly different voices chronicle a troublesome 20 years: Lavinia becomes close to the slaves working the kitchen house, but she can't fully fit in because of her race. At 17, she marries Marshall, the captain's brutish son turned inept plantation master, and as Lavinia ingratiates herself into the family and the big house, racial tensions boil over into lynching, rape, arson, and murder. The plantation's social order's emphasis on violence, love, power, and corruption provides a trove of tension and grit, while the many nefarious doings will keep readers hooked to the twisted, yet hopeful, conclusion.

My Review Comments:

I couldn’t wait to read this book, the concept was so interesting to me. The story tells of Lavinia, an Irish orphaned indentured servant who, at age seven, lives on tobacco plantation in Virginia. She lives with all the black slaves in the kitchen house that stands outside of the big house on the plantation. They become her family and guide, protect, and shower her with unconditional love. As she grows up, she soon sees for herself the difference between races and the challenges that lie ahead for all of them. I found the book gripping and I couldn’t put it down. It was so well written and the character development was so strong, that I found them coming to life on the pages right in front of me, and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next in their lives.

Mailbox Monday

Juliet by: Anne Fortier
book courtesy: Random House Publishing Group

O, Juliet by: Robin Maxwell
purchased: Barnes and Noble

The Summer We Fell Apart by: Robin Antalek
book courtesy: Robin Antalek

Magnolia Wednesdays by: Wendy Wax
book courtesy: Berkley Books Publishing Group

home cooking with trisha yearwood

***Purchased from Barnes and Noble

Product Description:

Country music star and bestselling cookbook author Trisha Yearwood is back with an encore of recipes that once again share her family traditions and warm home-grown cooking style.

In her debut cookbook, Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen, Trisha proved that there’s much more to her than an award-winning country music career, as she welcomed us into her kitchen and served up a feast of flavorful meals and heartwarming personal anecdotes. Now, in Cooking for Family and Friends, Trisha opens her life and her kitchen once more with a trove of recipes from a lifetime of potlucks and colorful gatherings.

Trisha has that southern hospitality gene and she’s a big believer that cooking for someone else is an act of love. From breakfasts in bed to hearty casseroles and festive holiday meals, Trisha’s delicious recipes are dedicated to her loved ones, including her husband Garth Brooks (who’s her number one cooking fan and the contributor of a few knockout recipes of his own).

Trisha knows how good it feels to bring something to the table. It brings everyone closer together if they’ve had a hand in preparing a meal. These recipes all come with memories attached—of potlucks with good friends, church suppers, family fish fries, and beach picnics, Mother’s Day, and Christmas gatherings. Many are handed down from her mother, her aunts and cousins, or longtime friends, while others are her own contemporary improvisations on classic southern fare. Each one—whether a main dish, a tasty side, or a decadent dessert—comes with a heartwarming story from Trisha’s life that may remind you of some of your own favorite family foods, or inspire you to create new traditions.

You don’t have to be a southerner to enjoy Yearwood family specialties such as:

• Hot Corn Dip
• Cornbread Salad with French Dressing
• Baked Bean Casserole
• Jambalaya
• Pumpkin Roll
• Old Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake

Plus, Trisha (and her sister and mother) offer up loads of practical advice, on everything from easily icing a cake to cutting a slice of pie, time-saving tips; and ingredient substitutions. With full-color photographs taken at Trisha’s home, this soulful and sincere testament to a southern life well-lived will delight both country music fans and home cooks everywhere.

My Review Comments:

I was so excited to hear that Trisha Yearwood came out with a new cookbook, I had to run out and purchase it. I own her last cookbook and this one doesn’t disappoint either. There are so many wonderful recipes and it is full of colorful photos with lots of helpful tips too. This cookbook will be a great addition to your collection or it would make a wonderful gift.