For those a bit weary of "take one quarter cup..." food segments, the Cook's Notebook puts the sensuality back into chopping, searing and savoring. This segment catches Ali cooking cold soups on a warm summer evening to escape the heat of the day, and she peppers, flecks, speckles and braces her essay with verbs that bring you right to the edge of the pot. We feel the heat from that lone gas burner, then feel her cool down as she spices up cool cucumbers and yoghurt by the light of the moon, menaced by rumble of thunder. This is summer in a segment, unearthing memories as well as the sensual rituals of seasonal cooking.
This piece has a local slant but the unusual topic (a blind Birmingham AL carillon player trained in Belgium and France who performs impromtu concerts as well as seasonal favorites) would appeal to a general audience. The piece has texture, smooth layers and paints interesting word pictures. But the bells harbor a harshness as well as sweetness; the carillon player must play with such force that you sense the "violence under the gentle melody," a parallelism to the strong bones and gentle demeanor of this story.
Comments by Deanna Larson
Comment for "A Cook's Notebook: Cold Soup"
Deanna Larson
Posted on January 04, 2004 at 10:04 AM | Permalink
Summer and Smoke and Soup
For those a bit weary of "take one quarter cup..." food segments, the Cook's Notebook puts the sensuality back into chopping, searing and savoring. This segment catches Ali cooking cold soups on a warm summer evening to escape the heat of the day, and she peppers, flecks, speckles and braces her essay with verbs that bring you right to the edge of the pot. We feel the heat from that lone gas burner, then feel her cool down as she spices up cool cucumbers and yoghurt by the light of the moon, menaced by rumble of thunder. This is summer in a segment, unearthing memories as well as the sensual rituals of seasonal cooking.
Comment for "Carols on the Carillon"
Deanna Larson
Posted on January 04, 2004 at 09:03 AM | Permalink
Ringing local and national bells
This piece has a local slant but the unusual topic (a blind Birmingham AL carillon player trained in Belgium and France who performs impromtu concerts as well as seasonal favorites) would appeal to a general audience. The piece has texture, smooth layers and paints interesting word pictures. But the bells harbor a harshness as well as sweetness; the carillon player must play with such force that you sense the "violence under the gentle melody," a parallelism to the strong bones and gentle demeanor of this story.