FDL Reads: Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nostrat
Reviewed By: Susie Rivera, Reference Specialist
Genre: Nonfiction (Cooking)
Suggested Age: Adults
What is This Book About? Chef Samin Nostrat simplifies advanced cooking techniques for home cooks by breaking them down to four aspects: salt, fat, acid, and heat. If a person can master flavor, texture, and temperature, they will be able to cook anything. Samin balances the book with illustrations, charts, personal experiences, and recipes in this narrative blend. This book was the basis for the Netflix series of the same name where Samin visits locales around the world, as well as adds her own Persian family influences.
My Review: This book is more than a cookbook. I picked up new strategies I can apply to my own cooking as well as few new recipes to try. Samin offers good tips such as salting techniques for meat and the benefit of letting some ingredients come to room temperature before cooking. While the book is not completely full of recipes, she also includes a few delicious ones. We tried her buttermilk roast chicken and a tart dough recipe she got from a fellow chef. I wouldn’t tag her strategies or recipes as “quick and easy” or for “busy weeknights.” I appreciate her love for slower, more thoughtful methods even though they are not always realistic if you are not a chef. Not everyone has time to prepare homemade tart dough or pasta from scratch, but this book provides a good start for home cooks who want to experiment and step up their game. I listened to the audiobook version, which Samin narrates well. I enjoyed her appreciation for good food and her anecdotes throughout.
Three Words that Describe this Book: Delicious, thorough, detailed
Give This a Try if You Like… Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman, The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perleman
Rating: 4/5
#FDL Movie Review: The Last Duel
The Last Duel
Reviewed By: Jeremy Zentner, Reference Assistant
Genre: Historical Fiction (Film)
Suggested Age: Adults
What is This Book About? This film is based on a true story that takes place in Medieval Europe, mostly in France. The premise revolves around a duel between a squire and a knight, Jacques Le Gris and Jean de Carrouges. Once friends, the two slowly became bitter rivals over land, wealth, and the Lady Marguerite de Thibouville. The movie is divided into three different chapters about the events leading up to the duel, each from differing perspectives from the squire, the knight, and the lady. The first chapter entails the knight’s perspective as he wages chivalrous wars in France and later Scotland, eventually earning his knighthood. He marries the Lady Marguerite and is promised a nice plot of land from her father as dowry. Little does he know is that Jacques Le Gris will receive the land instead, due to a political scheme orchestrated by the Count Pierre, who is also great friends with Jacques.
The second chapter is told from the perspective of Jacques Le Gris (the squire) and is less chivalrous, though just as biased. Jacques sees Jean as a bit of a loose cannon, though still a very brave warrior. Jacques is later given a great deal of responsibility from Count Pierre as he tries to repair his financial problems and ensure security for their county and kingdom. As a reward for his excellence in revenue collection, the count gives Jacques the estate once promised to Jean. After reconciling the dispute with Jean, Jacques is introduced to Jean’s wife, the Lady Marguerite and he falls madly in love. By the third chapter, we get to see Lady Marguerite’s perspective, which the film insinuates is the most accurate perspective. She is wedded to Jean at the beginning, Jean being more interested in his dowry than his bride. Eventually, Marguerite watches Jean go off to war in Scotland and develops a skill for managing their estates in rent collection and agricultural development. When she meets Jacques, she finds him handsome, but untrustworthy, being her husband’s longtime rival. Eventually, Jacques pronounces his love for Marguerite, and when she refuses his advances, he assaults her. This prompts Jean to challenge Jacques to a formal duel after Marguerite reports the crime.
My Review: This film was quite the epic to experience, though I will warn, it is extremely graphic. From medieval warfare to political intrigue, to the tyranny of patriarchy, this film covers a wide scope of life in medieval Europe. The actors Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are together again, and I must say, I was taken aback by their presence, at first. However, both actors did a remarkable job at playing their designated characters with no hints of negligence in their craft. Jodie Comer, who played Marguerite, also did a remarkable job in playing the Lady from three different perspectives: as a treasured bride, a playful temptress, a victimized woman, and a powerful matriarch. The set designs and costumes were also incredible. Everything maintains the aura of a more challenging time, though we also get to see the splendor that many of the rich and noble horded over the peasantry. If you enjoy medieval or historical films, this is a good one to watch.
Three Words that Describe this Book: history, drama, intrigue
Give This A Try if You Like… Braveheart, Outlaw King, Alexander, Troy, Elizabeth, Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Rating: 5/5
#FDL is an update on all things Fondulac District Library and books.
Board Accepting Applications for Trustee Vacancy
Fondulac District Library’s Board of Trustees is looking for a civic-minded and motivated individual to serve as a Library Trustee and to participate in the continued growth of the library. Interested candidates must reside within the boundaries of Fondulac Public Library District and should have a strong interest in serving on an active board that represents the residents thereof.
The Trustees will fill the current vacancy by appointment. The appointed Trustee will serve under the appointment through May 2023, which is the remainder of the term. The seat then will be elected as a regular, full-term seat by ballot in the April 4, 2023, Consolidated General Election. A regular, full term of a Library Trustee is six years. More information about the library’s Board of Trustees, including membership, meetings, minutes, and more, can be found at https://fondulaclibrary.org/about-us/trustees/. A description of the Trustee role follows on this page.
Individuals interested in appointment by the Board of Trustees to the current vacancy should submit the application information in writing to Genna Buhr, Library Director, 400 Richland Street, East Peoria, Illinois, 61611, or genna@fondulaclibrary.org.
Applications will be accepted until the seat is filled. All applications will be forwarded to the Board for review. The Board will initially review applications at their April 25 meeting. Please have applications submitted by April 21 for review at that meeting.
Please contact Genna Buhr, Library Director, at 309-699-3917 x1121 or genna@fondulaclibrary.org with questions.
Trustee Application Information
First and Last Name
Residential Street Address, City, State, Zip Code
Phone Number
Email Address
Please tell us something about your interest in public libraries, specifically Fondulac District Library.
What do you envision your role of the library trustee/board member to be?
Do you have any experience serving on boards, committees, or commissions? If so, please describe.
If you have had board experience in the past, what did you enjoy about it? What did you like the least?
What strengths can you bring to the Fondulac District Library Board of Trustees?
Based on your knowledge of libraries or your impressions of what might be challenging to libraries in the 21st century, what do you see as being possible issues of concern to libraries and librarians in changing times? Challenges and issues can be positive…not necessarily negative.
Based on your knowledge of Fondulac District Library and the population it serves, what specific challenges and opportunities do you see for the library, now and in the future?
Board of Trustees Member Description
Regularly attends board meetings.
Volunteers for and willingly accepts assignments and completes them thoroughly and on time.
Fulfills the Freedom of Information Act and Open Meetings Act Requirement as defined by the Illinois Statutes.
Stays informed about library related matters, prepares themselves well for meetings, and reviews and comments on minutes and reports.
Gets to know other committee members and builds a collegial working relationship that contributes to consensus.
New! Homebound Delivery Service
Fondulac District Library is excited to announce our new Homebound Delivery Service for individuals who are unable to visit the library and have no way to pick up their materials from the library. Whether you’re unable to come to FDL because of a permanent or temporary condition, homebound delivery keeps our collection accessible, bringing you a variety of materials to keep you informed, entertained, and engaged!
Eligible individuals must reside within district boundaries and be confined to their residence, either temporarily due to extended illness/convalescence or permanently due to disability, age, or other medical issue. Applications are available online or at the library, or can be completed over the phone. Staff will explain service policies, procedures, and the homebound-use library card during the application approval process. Please visit the Homebound Delivery Service page for more information about eligibility, services, and to download an application. You can also call 309-699-3917 for more information about services, or to request an application.
Eligible patrons may opt to have a Designated Borrower pick up and return materials on their behalf instead of receiving delivery service from the library. Please contact the library for more information or an application for Designated Borrower Service.
#FDL: Spotlight on Diverse Authors – February Giveaway
Nobody’s Magic by Destiny O. Birdsong
In this triptych novel, Suzette, Maple and Agnes, three Black women with albinism, call Shreveport, Louisiana home. At the bustling crossroads of the American South and Southwest, these three women find themselves at the crossroads of their own lives.
This novel is a meditation on grief, female strength, and self‑discovery set against a backdrop of complicated social and racial histories. Nobody’s Magic is a testament to the power of family—the ones you’re born in and the ones you choose. And in these three narratives, among the yearning and loss, each of these women may find a seed of hope for the future.
More about the author can be found at destinybirdsong.com/.
God of Mercy by Okezie Nwoka
God of Mercy is set in Ichulu, an Igbo village where the people’s worship of their gods is absolute. Their adherence to tradition has allowed them to evade the influences of colonialism and globalization. But the village is reckoning with changes, including a war between gods signaled by Ijeoma, a girl who can fly.
As tensions grow between Ichulu and its neighboring colonized villages, Ijeọma is forced into exile. Reckoning with her powers and exposed to the world beyond Ichulu, she is imprisoned by a Christian church under the accusation of being a witch. Suffering through isolation, she comes to understand the truth of merciful love.
More about the author can be found at okezienwoka.com/.
No Land to Light On by Yara Zgheib
Sama and Hadi are a young Syrian couple in love, dreaming of their future in the country that brought them together. Sama came to Boston years before on a prestigious Harvard scholarship; Hadi landed there as a sponsored refugee from a bloody civil war. Now, they are giddily awaiting the birth of their son, a boy whose native language will be freedom and belonging.
When Sama is five months pregnant, Hadi’s father dies suddenly, and Hadi decides to fly back to Jordan for the funeral. He leaves America, promising his wife he’ll be gone only for a few days. On the date of his return, Sama waits for him at the arrivals gate, but he doesn’t appear. As the minutes and then hours pass, she becomes increasingly alarmed, unaware that Hadi has been stopped by US Customs and Border Protection, detained for questioning, and deported.
Achingly intimate yet poignantly universal, No Land to Light On is “a tense, moving novel about the meaning of home, the risks of exile, the power of nations, and the power of love” (Kirkus Reviews).
More about the author can be found at yarazgheib.com/.
Blue-Skinned Gods by S.J. Sindu
In Tamil Nadu, India, a boy is born with blue skin. His father sets up an ashram, and the family makes a living off of the pilgrims who seek the child’s blessings and miracles, believing young Kalki to be the tenth human incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu. In Kalki’s tenth year, he is confronted with three trials that will test his power and prove his divine status and, his father tells him, spread his fame worldwide. While he seems to pass them, Kalki begins to question his divinity.
Over the next decade, his family unravels, and every relationship he relied on—father, mother, aunt, uncle, cousin—starts falling apart. Traveling from India to the underground rock scene of New York City, Blue-Skinned Gods explores ethnic, gender, and sexual identities, and spans continents and faiths, in an expansive and heartfelt look at the need for belief in our globally interconnected world.
More about the author can be found at sjsindu.com/.
*Annotations from the publishers
–Post by Melissa Friedlund, Reference Specialist
Giveaway
Enter your name here for a chance to win ARCs of the books mentioned in this post. One entry per person. Drawing to be held approximately 7 days after this post.
ARCs are “advanced reading copies.” These are free copies of a new books given by a publisher to librarians and other reviewers before the book is printed for mass distribution.
#FDL is a weekly update on all things Fondulac District Library and East Peoria.
FDL Reads: The First Sister
The First Sister by Linden Lewis
Reviewed By: Jeremy Zentner, Reference Assistant
Genre: Science Fiction
Suggested Age: Adults
What is This Book About? The Solar System is at war. The human settlements of Mercury and Venus (the Icarii) defend their right to exist against the arcane worlds of Earth and Mars (the Gean alliance). Aboard the Gean spacecraft Juno, the First Sister serves her goddess and sisterhood by servicing the Captain in every way imaginable. As a “First Sister,” she can never speak, never have a name, her only task is to be a loyal mistress. It’s demeaning work, but there are certainly worse jobs in the lower ranks of the sisterhood.
However, when her Captain retires, and the Juno receives a new commander, the First Sister must start all over, subject to attacks and abuse from soldiers and sisters alike. She becomes desperate enough to spy on the new captain for the governing ranks within the sisterhood to regain her status as First Sister. The question is, why does the sisterhood want to spy on this new captain?
Lito val Lucious is on the other side of the war. A cunning assassin for the Icarii, he was present at the battle of Ceres where the Icarii lost their planetoid and some of their precious technology to the Gean alliance. Lito, however, not only lost the battle, but lost his non-binary partner to defection. He will be tasked in seeking revenge against the Geans by assassinating their religious head, the Mother of the Sisterhood, and his old partner for treason. Can Lito accomplish his new mission against the Geans and his old partner? And more importantly, why the defection?
Both characters will converge in this tale of espionage and war as the First Sister and Lito make their way to Ceres where a massive victory celebration is planned. As well as a new course for the war.
My Review: As far as general science fiction goes, The First Sister is loads of originality and creative world building. It starts out with heavy influences from the Handmaid’s Tale, as the reader journeys alongside both protagonists through their tumultuous lives. Eventually, the story merges into a cat and mouse game of political intrigue and fancy covert space action as the First Sister and Lito val Lucious intersect their paths in an effort to end the war once and for all. I enjoyed the First Sister’s character a lot; the development of this young woman in an ultra-doctrinal society was very thought-provoking as you witness her gain favor with her new captain while fighting off sister-rivals and dodging battles in space.
Lito’s own journey to Ceres (as well his backstory) is also a fascinating tale of espionage, war, love, and more. There’s a lot of topics to be had and LGBTQ representation, but it does this in a very cohesive manner. To top everything off, there are some pretty amazing sci-fi tech and unconventional warfare that resembles something in between the Expanse, Iron Man and Star Wars. Imagine a pirate battle where the raiding crew is swinging aboard the enemy ship to fight sword-to-sword; now, imagine this with armored suits and light-saber-inspired weaponry. First Sister is one heck of a page-turner!
Three Words that Describe this Book: espionage, thriller, political intrigue
Give This A Try if You Like… Handmaid’s Tale, The Testaments, 1984, The Expanse Series, Dune
Rating: 4/5