Small Batch Bakes, Edd Kimber

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Being a keen baker while living in a small household can mean endlessly having too many baked goods to reasonably eat before they go off, or determinedly munching your way through seemingly endless cake long past its best. Sure, you can try and scale down the recipe, awkwardly attempting to use half an egg, forgetting half way through that you’re meant to be halving quantities (just me?) and ending up with a less than perfect bake. Edd Kimber, the original Bake Off champion, offers the perfect solution with his 2022 book Small Batch Bakes. Each recipe is designed for one to six people, meaning you’re more likely to be wanting more than throwing away stale bakes. This ingenious book covers pastry, cookies, cakes, desserts, and breads, meaning there’s bound to be something that takes your fancy every time the baking bug hits. 

Kimber is keen that making small batches doesn’t mean lots of wasted ingredients. Often it feels like you can only buy ingredients in large quantities that don’t keep well, but he offers suggestions on how to cut down on this. He also signposts recipes that help use up ingredients, for example, for egg whites if you’ve only needed the yolks, a favourite inclusion for me as I find it so frustrating wasting these things. This is an incredibly well-thought out book which makes baking delicious treats a joy. 

The recipes themselves are wonderful, whether its an Emergency Chocolate Chip Cookie for one (my first bake from the book), a cinnamon bun loaf cake, or sour cherry galettes, they are of the highest standard. I bought this book only a couple of months ago and have already used it far more than some other recipe books that have been sat on my bookshelf for much longer. The variety and originality of the recipes combined with all the hard work already having been done to scale them down makes this the perfect book for any keen baker, and because the portions are smaller you have a good excuse to bake even more. I’m completely obsessed, and can’t wait to get my hands on his latest offering - Small Batch Cookies. 

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Remarkably Bright Creatures, Shelby Van Pelt

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Tova Sullivan spends her nights cleaning the local aquarium, despite all her friends encouraging her to finally retire at the age of 70. She feels the need to keep busy however, her son’s death at the age of 18 leaving her with a lingering grief, the recent loss of her husband to cancer, and even more recent, the loss of her estranged brother, has left her feeling more alone than ever. She enjoys her work at the aquarium and talks to the creatures in their tanks as she makes her way around the building. One night, however, she gets a surprise when she discovers Marcellus, the Giant Pacific Octopus that resides there, out of his tank and tangled in cables. She helps him back to his tank and thus begins a friendship that will have major impacts for both of them. Marcellus is not merely a side character, he narrates parts of the novel, counting his days of captivity, aware that the end of his life is drawing near. He observes the humans who come to see him and marvels at the things they miss that seem so obvious to him. The third main focus of the novel is  30 year old Cameron Cassmore, recently fired, again, and newly single after his girlfriend unceremoniously kicks him out. He finds himself back on the couch of his two childhood best friends, now married and expecting their first child, there is a sense that he has been left behind. His aunt Jeanne gives him a box of items from his mother, who he hasn’t seen since he was nine. He plans to pawn anything of value, but an old class ring and photograph leads him to believe he might finally be able to track down his father. When Cameron and Tova’s paths cross they have the opportunity to find what’s missing for them both, but will they see it before it’s too late, and can Marcellus help reveal what remains hidden to them?

Sowell Bay is a small community and everyone knows everyone else’s business, in no small part thanks to Ethan, the owner of the local grocery store. He may like to gossip, but his heart is in the right place. When Cameron turns up in a falling apart camper he helps him fix it up, and lets him park on his drive, offering him a sense of home in a strange town. Tova is quite private and doesn’t appreciate her business being shared, especially when it encourages others to think she needs to take life slower. She’s very conscious of the town knowing about her personal tragedies and not really knowing how to be around her. At a large gathering we see first hand how awkward conversations quickly become with a thoughtless comment. She’ll always be the woman who lost her teenage son, and although it’s painful, she would actually like people to talk to her about their memories of Erik, something they’re generally reluctant to do.

Cameron is introduced to us in a way that makes him seem irresponsible and a bit of a liability, but as we get to know him we see that he really does want to do the best he can but struggles to get past a low sense of self worth. Life in Sowell Bay seems to agree with him however, he manages to hold down a job at the aquarium for longer than any other job he’s had, and he even meets someone. Finding his father proves difficult however, and when he finally does meet the man he’s looking for things don’t fall into place as easily as he’d hoped. He almost lets his anger and disappointment get the better of him, but the people he has met in the Bay have taught him about responsibility. Tova spends time at the aquarium while he is there, and although he finds her very particular way of doing things somewhat frustrating to begin with, they form a friendship, and share the secret of Marcellus’s night-time wanderings.

Marcellus himself is an interesting character, causing slight chaos on his wanders, eating the other exhibits, although he thinks he’s careful never to eat too many. His narrative is amusing and very interesting as an alternative viewpoint. When we finally learn of how he came into captivity it also makes you question whether being ‘rescued’ is really the best outcome. He was injured and no doubt benefited from the opportunity to recuperate in the safety of the aquarium, but in doing so he was condemned to spend the rest of his life in captivity. We see the arrival of a new octopus toward the end of the novel, also injured and afraid, the owner excited to have a replacement for Marcellus when his inevitable end arrives. Throughout, the owner is shown to be knowledgable about the lives under his care, and that he genuinely wants to do his best for them, but it is important to think about how the living exhibits really feel. 

This is a warm book, with characters that you fall for. Central characters such as Erik and Cameron’s mum never appear directly but we see much of them through the recollections of others. They are important characters despite, or perhaps because of, their absence. It will make you think about family and friends and how easy it is to lose important connections in life, encouraging you to make the effort. You see the full range of life, from absent parents to loss, and concerns about what the end of your life will look like. Despite this, it doesn’t feel like a heavy book at all, but is emotional at times. A warm hug of a book, with a wonderful, unusual narrator.

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Family Lore, Elizabeth Acevedo

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Flor has the ability to know when someone is going to die, and so when she plans her own living wake, her family naturally worries that there’s something she hasn’t shared with them. The book follows the preparations for the wake while Flor’s daughter Ona, an anthropologist, records her family’s history, exploring each sister’s past and present, the heartbreaks, the family struggles, and the way their sisterly bonds have been built and challenged. Ona’s cousin Yadi also features, allowing a comparison between the generations and an exploration of the ways family lore is passed on and impacts throughout the years.

Ona herself is struggling with conceiving a much longed for child. Having undergone surgery the year before, she has been desperately trying for a baby with her partner Jeremiah, but it takes its toll, leaving them feeling as though the affection and genuine desire has been stripped from their relationship. Her exploration of family is particularly pertinent as she tries to continue her own. Her interviews with her aunts and cousin wear them out somewhat but encourage them all to consider what makes a good life, and to face the possibly imminent loss of Flor. 

Romantic relationships are important throughout, although the book is female led, the male characters are supporting players in their story. For many, marriage has been a challenge, with alcoholism and addiction, infidelity, and separation appearing. There is also sadness in loss for those lucky enough to find a good man. The men in their lives are often selfish, and we see instances in their youth of the dangers of the opposite sex, and their vulnerability, not just to attack, but of the consequences of a society which values purity in women. Ona’s gift is that of an ‘alpha vagina’ which she can control at will, which in some ways makes her inability to control other aspects of her reproductive system all the more painful. Her cousin Yadi lost her childhood sweetheart to prison when he was condemned for a crime he didn’t commit. Their reunion causes a lot of heartache and confusion, and makes her question what took place in the years apart, of the silence between them when others in the community stayed in touch. Their story also raises questions about the criminal justice system. This is one of many examples of how Acevedo weaves multiple layers of meaning and questioning throughout.

The sisters grew up in the Dominican Republic and each came to New York at different times and for different reasons. The values and traditions they grew up with are different than Ona and Yadi, although their parents try to keep them connected to their roots. Indeed, in times of strife, it proves useful to go back and stay with family there, even if some things (having their toilet business inspected, for example) are difficult to adjust to. There is generational trauma however in the way some were treated in their youth, Mamá Silvia and her siblings having left an indelible mark. 

As the wake approaches Flor begins to question whether it was the right choice. She can see the strain it’s putting on her closest family, the worry in Ona’s voice as she asks probing questions, and it’s tiring for her always having to avoid giving too much away. She wanted it to be a happy event, coming together with her loved ones, celebrating a life lived well, she hopes. But she herself also feels the strain, constantly changing the menu, indecisive about her outfit. 

This is an absorbing book, fitting so much life into so few pages. It makes you think deeply about family and how complicated they can be. The narrative shifts, with each new focus being indicated at the beginning of the chapter. Some might find this a bit disorienting, and to be honest when I saw there was a cast list at the opening I was concerned, but each story is so captivating, and each life so entangled with the others, that it reads easily. Each member of the family will go out to bat for the others, yet it’s also clear there are certain aspects of their lives that will always remain a mystery to those around them. A wonderful book with realistically drawn characters who you root for at every turn. 

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The Little Paris Bookshop, Nina George (trans. by Simon Pare)

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Jean Perdu owns a bookshop barge on the River Seine in Paris which he runs as a literary apothecary, prescribing books for customers, and on occasion refusing to sell ones he thinks are wrong for them. His eccentricities seem to extend to his home life, an apartment devoid of life and a locked room which houses the ghosts of his past. He may be perceptive when it comes to the needs of others, but struggles to heal his own heartbreak. A new neighbour, Catherine, is experiencing her own relationship breakdown, arriving without any furniture, and in need of comfort. She is nonetheless headstrong and encourages Perdu to engage, and ultimately to face the past he has been hiding from for the past twenty years. A couple of months earlier, Max Jordan, author of a viral book, moved in to the building, relieved that his fans haven’t found him, he spends his days trying to avoid being recognised as he battles with the struggle of what to write next. Soon he is embarking on a voyage to Provence in the book barge with Perdu, one seeking to find something that has long been lost, the other trying to find their future.

We catch glimpses of Perdu in his younger, more care-free days through the insertion of journal papers written by Manon, his former love. We see how he became the man he is and how his life could have been different. We never meet Manon in-person in the novel and so this is our main source of understanding of her as a person, outside of Perdu’s deep affection for her. Whatever our views on how their relationship played out, it would be hard not to feel the devastation of its ending, and the half life Perdu lived for so long as a result. His burgeoning relationship with Catherine is thoughtfully written, with both vulnerability and independence being shown. Intimacy with someone new is not something either of them have had to deal with for a long time and George writes the scenario realistically, with all the frustrations and misunderstandings of human interaction. There is also a maturity to their relationship, an understanding that they’ve lived full lives and therefore have unresolved feelings and baggage, and are able to give each other variously the space and support they need to work through them. 

This is a book about love, grief, and finding yourself. It’s also a love letter to books. Perdu understands the power of reading, and although his journey is deeply personal, he also hopes to discover the author of a book that touched his life profoundly, whose author writes under a pseudonym and whose true identity is unknown. For those looking for some literary healing too, the book closes with a list of books (an ‘emergency pharmacy’) for those in need, as well as some recipes for anyone whose tastebuds were tingling from the rich descriptions of food and drink throughout.

This is a lovely read, with a host of eccentric yet well-rounded characters. It deals with serious and sad topics but manages to retain an overall sense of lightness. It had sat on my bookshelf waiting to be read for quite some time and I finally picked it up in need of something light hearted and cheerful. It wasn’t exactly that, but it was beautiful, whimsical yet philosophical. I loved it. 

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Once Upon A Time World: The Dark and Sparkling Story of the French Riviera, Jonathan Miles

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The French Riviera, famed for its pleasant climate, turquoise waters, and the rich and famous that have long been attracted to it. Miles takes us on a whirlwind tour through its history, the many visitors who have taken up residence there, the artists inspired by the landscape, the scandals, the seemingly endless car accidents, the corruption and glamour. Many have a glamorous image of the area thanks to the likes of the Cannes Film Festival and the luxury yachts that line its harbours, yet Miles reveals the darker side of its history and considers what its future will look like. 

We begin with a look back at the history of the land before it was colonised by tourists, highlighting how inhospitable the landscape can be and how many times it changed hands. It soon becomes clear that since the early nineteenth century its development was very much dictated by foreigners, with the architecture including nods to that of the homelands of those with whom it was most popular at the time. Indeed, it was so heavily loaded with visitors that the local dialect used words more akin to Italian and Spanish than French at times. 

Its mild climate led to many physicians recommending patients wintered there. For those with the money to spend extended periods there, or to return time and again, it really did seem to help, but for many it was a last resort. This led to an underlying tone of chronic illness and death, in stark contrast to the sumptuous landscape and the already luxurious accommodations. As time passed, patients continued to be prescribed time on the Riviera, but more visitors came to be inspired by the landscape, and to mix with the leading lights of the arts.

The roll call of artists and creatives who visited or made their home there is impressive. Artists such as Matisse, Picasso, Cezanne, and Renoir were all inspired by the quality of light and colours on the Riviera, while Monet struggled with the wildness of the landscape, used to his well tended, carefully planned garden at Giverny. A series of chapels were designed by artists, Miles claiming that the desire for the project came from a sense of not wanting to be outdone. New and unusual ballets were premiered in the area, and costumes were designed by the likes of Coco Chanel. It was a hotbed of creativity with those from different fields collaborating. Writers, too, were drawn to the area, perhaps most famously F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, whose time there is reflected in Tender is the Night. 

A place of great inspiration, but also a place where people could lose everything with the development of casinos, which brought in new audiences. Behind the glitz and glamour we also see the corruption underlying public life. The mayor of Nice, Jacques Médecin has been accused of many dodgy dealings and was ultimately sentenced to a period in jail. The 1960s onwards marked a shift toward a darker side to the area, with the mafia operating locally, and to increased development and pollution from the sheer volume of visitors, no longer just the elite. Nice airport, today the second busiest in France, is perched on the shoreline, meaning planes fly low over popular beaches every few minutes, polluting the once alluring air. 

Arranged chronologically as well as thematically, the book gives you a glimpse into the way the area has changed over the ages, and what particular developments were taking centre-stage when. It covers a lot so you never get too bogged down in detail, which for some may leave you wanting more, but which gives a thrilling overview of a quite extraordinary place. A thoroughly enjoyable read. 

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The Clockwork Girl, Anna Mazzola

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It’s 1750 and the people of Paris are experiencing a freezing winter. Madeleine lives with her mother, nephew, and sister in the Rue Thévenot, an insalubrious area of the city. Their father having died some years before, their mother set up a brothel, using her daughters’ innocence to tempt early customers. Véronique has just returned to Paris from a convent in which she was deeply unhappy. She is struggling to adjust to life back in the city and to re-connect with her father, Doctor Reinhart, who she desperately wants to impress so that he will train her to be a clockmaker, a career not widely considered acceptable for a woman. When Madeleine is coerced into becoming a police spy at the Reinhart household the two young women connect. They may have been born into very situations but there is shared pain and an understanding of the limitations they live under because of their sex. When children start disappearing from the streets, rumours abound that they are being taken for nefarious uses. Riots break out on the streets but the police seem to have very little interest. Will Madeleine get to the bottom of it, and does Reinhart’s secret commission for the King have something to do with it? A dark tale unfolds with many twists and turns along the way, leaving you feeling as Madeleine does, that you’re never quite sure of who you can trust.

Mazzola carefully builds the world of the novel, transporting the reader to the dark, cold world of eighteenth century Paris. Even the halls of Versailles, held up as a place of extravagance and luxury, are given a realistic portrayal - the smells, the intrigue, and boredom of those who inhabit it. The Reinhart household feels unwelcoming, the master having been alone with his experiments for too long. It offers the hope of escape for Madeleine but she’s uncomfortable in her role and unsure of what she’ll find. Her home has long been dangerous, her mother seeing all her daughters as a means to an end rather than showing them affection and concern. It is clear that experience has shown Madeleine that money will always come first and she wants desperately to take her nephew away from such a dangerous, cold environment.

Véronique is an interesting character. Her mother died in childbirth and she was sent to a convent for schooling. The scars from that time continue to haunt her, but she is intelligent and strong-willed although slightly unsure of herself. When she hears of the vanishing children she is keen to help discover what is causing the disappearances. Madeleine begins to show her the darker parts of Paris and she does not shy away from them, willing to look beyond her own experiences and understand that not everyone has been born with the privileges she has. They begin to feel genuine friendship kindle, but will it be able to survive Madeleine’s deceit, and Véronique’s secrets?

A recurring theme throughout is the class divide and power imbalances. The police prove themselves to be untrustworthy and willing to do anything to get what they want, even if it means destroying innocent lives. They are corrupt and not above intimidation, as Madeleine soon discovers, but the levels of depravity are shocking. The missing children also highlight how the poorer members of society are viewed, the police not considering their loss worth investigating, making them easy targets for criminals as they know they’re unlikely to be investigated. The Reinharts also own an enslaved person, Joseph, who appears to be treated fairly well by the Doctor, but who makes it clear to Madeleine that he and his loved ones have suffered a great deal. One of the first children to go missing is an enslaved boy, and it is made abundantly clear that this was not a coincidence, that the perpetrator knew the authorities wouldn’t bat an eyelid. On the flip side, we see in Madame de Pompadour the effort required to leave behind any slight stains on the family history, and how much work it takes to maintain a position of privilege. There are always those out to benefit from your downfall, and even being the King’s mistress is an incredibly uncertain position. 

This is a book which keeps you turning the pages. Mazzola seamlessly combines real characters from history, and uses, for example, Louis XV’s interest in clockwork to build a story which is appropriate to the time and believable. The atmosphere of the novel is often dark and unsettling but with intriguing characters and a mystery that keeps you guessing, it is an enjoyable reading experience. Fans of The Doll Factory or The Winter Garden will love this.

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Walking the West Highland Way, Part Three - Inveroran to Fort William

 A new day dawned, and after a beautiful, delicious breakfast, we were ready to leave Inveroran and head across Rannoch Moor, one of Europe’s largest remaining wildernesses. From descriptions I’d read and anecdotes I'd heard, it sounded like a bleak place where you could easily end up wading through bog. I didn’t find it desolate, and with a clearly defined path and dry weather didn’t stumble into any bogs by accident. There were even hillocks on which to stop for a snack. We were traversing it in relatively fine weather, I imagine it would be a different experience in the pelting rain. As with many sections of the Way there wasn’t much in the way of shelter. 

Leaving Rannoch Moor behind

On a clear day you can see quite some distance with mountains receding from view behind you, and new panoramas appearing ahead. The day starts with a steady incline before flattening out and gently descending before a further climb which gives your first views of Glen Coe and the iconic Buachaille Etive Mòr, menacingly standing guard. From above you can see the road that runs through the valley, and it was here that I realised how noisy motorbikes are, their roars reaching us from quite a distance across which sounds from the rest of the traffic did not pass.

Buachaille Etive Mòr and some of the local wildlife

It was our shortest day on the Way, arriving in time to lunch at the on-site pub at Kingshouse while we waited for our beds in the bunkhouse to be ready. The location of the hotel is undoubtedly stunning and you’re likely to encounter deer in the immediate surrounds. We were also treated to a colourful sunset which made Buachaille Etive Mòr appear as an erupting volcano.

Glorious sunshine to bid farewell to Glen Coe

The next day began with a disappointing breakfast but improved exponentially as the walk continued with some of the best panoramas of the trip. We were fortunate to have beautiful sunshine for this leg, one of my favourites. Leaving Kingshouse behind, you follow the valley floor to begin with. The road is visible (and audible at times) but I didn’t find it as oppressive as some guidebooks suggest. Regardless, the incredible views more than make up for having to share them with vehicles. You get a real sense of the scale of the mountains as you walk toward the base of the Devil’s Staircase, a busier section of the Way due to its popularity as a stand-alone walk.

On our way up the Devil's Staircase

There seems to be some disagreement of exactly when the name dates from but it seems to derive either from the numbers who lost their lives climbing it in inclement weather before the construction of the modern road, or in the dislike felt by many who had to carry building equipment up and down. Either way, it’s not as bad climbing it today, at least not in good weather during daylight hours. It is steep and you’ll likely need to stop to catch your breath, but the main difficulty was in the loose rocks slipping underfoot. Walking poles were helpful once again in staying upright. I’m not sure I’d fancy doing the route in reverse here.

Mountains as far as the eye can see

Reaching the summit you are rewarded with breathtaking views on all sides, and your first glimpse of Ben Nevis, reminding you how far you still have to go. Much of the remainder of the day’s walk stays at height, and seemed very popular with mountain bikers. I think we had one of the best lunch break spots this day, sitting on the side of the mountain, enjoying the views across the valley.

The descent in to Kinlochleven

The descent into Kinlochleven felt long and can be a bit hard on the knees, especially if they’re already feeling the strain, but it is a pleasant walk surrounded by trees. The village itself is very pretty with River Leven running through it.  We were lucky to be staying right next to the river with views of the mountains rising up behind it.

The view from the day's first ascent

The final day on the trail was a long one and we set off early, with slightly heavy hearts knowing it was almost over. After a short walk along the road you turn into a wooded area and follow a rocky path upward. Passing small waterfalls and streams, it’s a beautiful but brutal start to the day as you climb steeply out of the valley. There are glimpses of the view as you go but it is when you reach the top that it really opens up, and quite a view it is whether looking back over Kinlochleven or ahead along the length of the loch.

Miles of path ahead

Mercifully there’s no more intense ascents for a while and you enjoy an undulating route through the hills. It’s quite an open sections with streams frequently crossing the path. Sheep and ruined, abandoned farmhouses dot the route, giving a sense of the history of the place. The openness of the landscape means you can see the path snaking off into the distance more than most other sections of the Way.

The re-appearance of trees

After a couple of hours you reach a shift in the landscape, clumps of trees around but not crowding the view. Some splashes of colour appear in the form of purple and yellow flowers, and small bodies of water can be seen in the distance. It’s a very pleasant landscape to be walking through. At one point there is the option to leave the Way and take a shorter route along the road to Fort William. You would miss out on some stunning views by taking it.

The path continues with quite a few more inclines between you and the finish line. It was a sunny, relatively hot day when we did it and there had been very little shade to speak of. The trees offer occasional shelter but for the most part it’s quite an exposed section.

Approaching Ben Nevis from the south

Views of Ben Nevis and neighbouring mountains appear from the flower-lined path making for a pleasant backdrop, albeit one that makes you realise you’ve still got several hours of walking ahead of you. One final push uphill and you can see the town of Fort William in the distance. A wide gravel road takes you on a winding route down to the valley floor. 

Views toward the finish line

It having been a hot day, and one with no facilities en route, we’d been looking forward to reaching the Glen Nevis visitor centre in the hopes of finding a cold drink. Alas, thanks to a break by a stream on the descent we arrived shortly after 4pm and found it closed, the external toilet block locked. 

The remainder of the route follows the road into the town, and although we took detours to stay in the trees as much as possible there’s no denying it’s an anti-climactic end to an absolutely stunning walk. Arriving at the finish line having walked the length of the high street feels strange, surrounded by shoppers going about their day.

Final waymarkers

Despite the underwhelming final miles, the preceding 94 more than made up for it. It was an incredibly special experience spending my days walking side by side with my husband, sharing spectacular, ever-changing views. There were a few fellow walkers we’d seen regularly throughout who we were sad not to bump into on the final day, but hope they made it to the finish line. Before heading back to the daily grind we spent some time exploring Scotland’s cities, an adjustment to being surrounded by people and buildings once more. It felt strange no longer measuring our days in hours of walking, and worse still, when back at work, spending our days staring at screens away from each other. Talking to locals made it clear that life in the highlands is not easy, but the experience certainly opened our eyes to different ways of life, and showed us the benefits of living a slower life, more connected to nature. Now just to work out how to incorporate those lessons into daily life.

West Highland Way complete