Tuesday 10 | theclothesmakethegirl

Dec 11, 2012 Posted by Mel

Tuesday 10: Paleo Gifts From The Kitchen

Way back in the day, when we lived on a houseboat in Sausalito, I had more time than money, so I made gifts from my kitchen from this Williams-Sonoma book. I made Spiced Nuts and Fancy Olives and buttery shortbread and pine nut brittle and chewy caramels. I wrapped everything in clear cellophane and tied it with curly ribbon. I stamped brown paper lunch bags with silver snowflakes and stuffed them full of... read more

Nov 20, 2012 Posted by Mel

Tuesday 10: Tips For An Awesome Thanksgiving

Our Thanksgiving traditions including watching Thanksgiving movies — specifically Home For The Holidays and Planes, Trains and Automobiles — that make me laugh ’til my face hurts, then hit me with the big, emotional wrap-up that makes me cry. I cannot get enough. Here, in case you need to get in the mood… The trailer for Home For The Holidays which includes hints of some of my favorite... read more

Nov 13, 2012 Posted by Mel

Tuesday 10: Dress Up Your Broccoli

I feel like I need to apologize to broccoli. Whenever I do one of my presentations on Paleo (like this one in Estes Park), the example I use for my soul-sucking, pre-Paleo food is always “chicken breast with steamed broccoli.” When I was a “dieter,” I ate a lot of chicken breast and broccoli. I mean: a lot. Like, truckloads full. I distinctly remember asking a sales clerk once if a... read more

Nov 7, 2012 Posted by Mel

Tuesday 10: Paleo Thanksgiving Sides

As I mentioned the other day, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. And although I love the exotic flavors (and taste bud travel) of international cuisine, I like my Thanksgiving dishes to be pretty straight-forward. We enjoy some long-standing traditions in my family (as a Taurus, I am steadfast in my devotion to them), and even though I eat sweet potatoes almost every day now, the flavors of Thanksgiving... read more

Oct 23, 2012 Posted by Mel

Tuesday 10: My Zombie Apocalypse Playlist

I don’t usually wear a costume on Halloween (because in my world, every day is dress-up day), but I do love to think about zombies and vampires and demons from Hell — and daydream about the (delicious) crappy candy I won’t be eating. Thanks to Hilah, I had Bram Stoker’s Dracula (the book, not the movie) and The Historian on my mind for a few days, and Richard Kadrey’s Sandman... read more

Oct 9, 2012 Posted by Mel

Tuesday 10: My Favorite Cookbooks

One of the questions I’m asked fairly often is where I find inspiration for my recipes. Mostly, I let my appetite and my imagination take the lead: reading Jane Eyre makes me hungry for lamb stews and The Historian makes me crave Turkish food. Daydreaming about Prague inspired Czech Meatballs, and a particularly large bunch of collard greens were the catalyst for a new greens recipe. And then... read more

Sep 25, 2012 Posted by Mel

Tuesday 10: My Favorite Kitchen Tools

Here’s an insider secret for you: I don’t have a fancy, pro-level kitchen. Our cute little house was originally intended to be a rental property, so the applicances are bottom-of-the-line. Both our gas stove/oven and refrigerator successfully fulfill their functions — making things hot and keeping them cool, as required — but they would not appear in anyone’s dream kitchen. Add to... read more

Sep 11, 2012 Posted by Mel

Tuesday 10: Excellent Body Image Posts

Why is thinner better? I’ve been asking myself that question for months, as I struggle with the realization that since I had my thyroid removed in 2008, I’ve gained 17 pounds of fat — despite the fact that I eat very clean paleo 90% of the time, sleep 8-9 hours per night, was devoted to CrossFit and strength training, and recently found the bliss of yoga, meditation, and good, old-fashioned... read more

Aug 21, 2012 Posted by Mel

Tuesday 10: My J.Lo Problem

Despite my best intentions, I have a well-documented inability to resist a handful of things that are potentially embarrassing and may be of somewhat questionable quality. At our house, we call this “having a problem,” as in “I have a well-known whipped cream problem.” In no particular order, the main offenders are: whipped cream an open bag of Baked Lay’s a twisty, windy... read more

Jul 31, 2012 Posted by Mel

Tuesday 10: Paleo Burger Toppers

Oh, the bunless burger! It’s the safe refuge of the paleo eater in a non-paleo world. From low-rent burger joints to higher-end restaurants, you can almost always find a variation of meat-and-veg in the shape of a burger without a bun. A humble meat patty can save you from a meal-related meltdown at home, too. I almost always have a pound of grass-fed ground beef defrosting or already defrosted in... read more

Jul 24, 2012 Posted by Mel

Tuesday 10: Olympics Countdown

The Olympics are coming! And as I confessed in my previous Tuesday 10 devoted to the Olympics — which you can read right here — it’s practically a holiday around our house. Or a quarantine ward because we catch serious Olympics Fever. Dave, Smudge, and I have a date to watch the opening ceremonies on Friday, and we’re having a British food viewing party. (Recipes coming this week in case... read more

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The Redbreast: A Harry Hole Novel
I'm about two-thirds of the way through this detective thriller, and I'm hooked. It's set in modern Norway with flashbacks to WWII (catnip for me!) and features a somewhat grim hero that engenders empathy. I can't help pulling for the guy as I watch him struggle with his case and his life. The cast of characters is a realistic but motley crew, and it reminds me of other favorites set in cold, snowy climes: the Millenium Trilogy and Smila's Sense of Snow.
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I picked up this book after reading an interview with Lee Child (author of the Jack Reacher thrillers). He referred to The Lost as "the book of the century" and since I devour as much as I can about the Holocaust to try to make sense of it all, I decided I needed to read it immediately. Part memoir, part detective tale, this book was thoroughly engrossing. It's intelligent, annoying, moving, frustrating, and ultimately, rewarding and beautifully written. It challenged me in ways I didn't expect, and I was sad when it was finished.