Beef and Books

I don't eat a lot of beef.  I'm more of a poultry and fish kind of gal.  But that's not to say that I don't eat beef - I like a hamburger on the BBQ and a stew with lots of veggies in winter.  I have to say, however, that when you order "steak haché" around here, you're in for a treat.  It is NOT hamburger as we know it with elements of fat, sinew and gristle ground up with the meat.  Steak haché literally means ground steak.  I've ordered it twice at Super U and watched the butcher take a really good cut of meat and grind it up.  It comes out red, without any specs of white fat.  No need to buy lean or extra-lean - it's already as lean as it gets!  Add salt and pepper and you're in for a BBQ treat!

When we were at Le Sommelier the other day, I ordered a lunch I rarely order back home: hamburger and fries.  The meat was as succulent and tender as the steak haché from the butcher's, and it came with fries that are so crisp and tender that I think they must have a way of cooking them without oil.  The salad was light and fresh.  What a yummy and filling lunch. 

Karl had a "tapas" entrée, which included chorizo and ham as well as bruschetta.  The salad came with a sweet orange vinaigrette that was good enough to drink on its own!

He ordered the orange chicken tagine again, because he really loved it last time.

***

So what do you do with an afternoon without any plans...  Curl up with a good book, of course!

These are some of the books I've read since I'm here:

The Enchanted, by Rene Denfold.   A difficult read dealing with prisoners on death row.

House of Cards by Michael Dobbs.  This book reads like a television series.  Oh wait - it IS a series, produced by Netflix.

All the Light we Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.  After having this book recommended to me by many people, I finally got around to reading it, and it was wonderful.  Especially enjoyed the setting of St. Malo, France. 

Et Après par Guillaume Musso.  Speculation on what happens after death.

Ensemble, c'est tout par Anna Gavalda.  I really like this author and have read many of her previous works:  Je voudrais que quelqu'un m'attende quelque part; Je l'aimais; etc.  Can't help but improve my French with so many new words to look up.

Unforgettable Places to See Before You Die by Steve Davey.  You can look at the photos and read only the segments of interest to you.

The Country Life Book of Fairy Tales, Illustrated with original Royal Doulton tile pictures. 

English Fairy Tales - Joseph Jacobs (Coll. & Ed.)

You may be wondering why I would read the last two books?  I've always enjoyed fairy tales and have read them since I was little.  In fact, when I was at University, I wrote an essay for English Literature that compared Fables to Fairy Tales.  I especially like the illustrations.

I was familiar with many of these stories and it was wonderful to re-read them, but some were new to me:  The Tinder Box; Henny-Penny; Little Goody Two-Shoes; The Babes in the Wood; Dick Whittington. 

Isn't it wonderful to always be young at heart!

There are many coffee table books and magazines in this home that have kept me entertained for hours, including décor, style, art, Chinese homes, Paris, rickshaws, etc.  Such a lovely collection.

Between the library, coffee table and my Kobo e-reader, I could stay curled up for a whole two months, but there is so much beckoning outside!

***