Shamrock Collage and Guacamole

 

Shamrock Collage by ET Charles

 

Guacamole with Anaheim and Two Mandarins

1 large avocado

1 Anaheim chile

2 Mandarins

Directions: Wash and dry all produce.

Roast chile on stove top. When skin of chile is blackened, remove chile to a cutting board to cool. Cover chile with a bowl. This helps the skin to loosen.

Meanwhile, peel and dice the two Mandarins, a small, sweet citrus fruit, and place in bowl.

Rinse the chile under cool water and remove the skin. Place on cutting board and remove seeds and veins to taste. Dice and add to Mandarins.

On a cutting board, slice the avocado in half. Wash the knife. Remove the pit. Score the fruit in each half vertically and horizontally. Using a spoon, scoop the fruit out of each half shell and add to the bowl with the tomato and the citrus. Smash avocado with a fork and mix the three ingredients together.

This version of guacamole has a bright citrus taste.

Serves 4 people.

Notes: Guacamole variation 7

Watercress: Review and Interview with Andrea Wang

 

 

Happy New Year All.

Watercress is a dazzling brilliant combination of writing and illustration which has been awarded the rare combination of a Caldecott Medal and a Newbery Honor in 2022 and additional awards. Andrea Wang writes of her childhood in Ohio and Jason Chin’s watercolors illustrate the boredom and embarrassment of harvesting roadside greens and household furniture. Eventually the characters and readers learn why Ms. Wang’s parents left China. Holiday House published Watercress.

While the story is specific to Ms. Wang’s childhood, it does contain universal themes such as childhood embarrassment because of one’s family. It evokes memories and answers to the childhood admonishments to: eat your vegetables; finish your dinner; there are starving children in China or elsewhere.

Two Question Interview with Andrea Wang

Hello Andrea. Welcome.

ETC: What advice would you give to writers under the age of 12?

AW: Read. Read as many books as you can in the category and genre that you want to write, but try to also read different types of books. Maybe try some poetry, or a picture book (you're never too old for a picture book), or a graphic novel. Reading across categories and genres will help build your vocabulary and show you different ways that stories can be structured. 

 ETC: What was some of the best advice that you received early in your writing career?

 AW: This is a tough question because I took a lot of writing classes and received a lot of great advice. One tip that I've found helpful is to let the story be what it wants to be. That might sound a little wacky, but basically I take it to mean that I shouldn't limit the story to what I think it should be. Maybe I start out with the intention to write a picture book, but I get really intrigued by the theme and end up writing several thousand words. That's okay -- maybe the story is really a chapter book or middle grade novel. Or maybe I think I'm better at writing prose, but what comes out is free verse. That's okay, too. I think the important thing is to let your creative mind explore and have fun. Afterward, you can figure out what works best for the story and reshape it during the revision process.

 Happy New Year! Thanks again for hosting me on your blog. 

 ETC: Thank you so much Andrea. It has been an honor.

 

Visit your local bookshop: The Wandering Jellyfish Bookshop

Visit Andrea Wang

Learn more about Jason Chin

Online Exhibition: Asians Everyday  at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art:

Visit: Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art

Hot Berry Pie, Gluten Free, easy peasy

 

berries ET Charles

1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 stick at room temperature

1 scant cup rolled oats

½ cup sugar

1/3 cup corn meal

1/16 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon lavender salt

4 cups individually frozen mixed berries: blueberries, raspberries, blackberries

Optional: whipped cream

Directions: Cream butter and sugar together. Add corn meal and mix. Sprinkle in nutmeg and lavender salt and then mix thoroughly. Stir in rolled oats and mix. Using the butter wrapper or a tiny piece of butter, grease a 9.5-inch diameter deep dish pie pan thoroughly. Scoop the four cups of individually frozen mixed berries into the greased pie pan. Distribute the berries evenly. Spoon the butter, sugar, oats and corn meal topping evenly over the berries. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes. Topping will turn golden brown. This will be very hot when removed from the oven. Let cool for at least 15 minutes, depending on the drafts in your abode. Serve warm. Optional, may be served with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Serves 8 people.

Notes: This is a warm, quick and easy gluten free dessert for Christmas and the winter holidays. Berry Cobbler variation 3.