Tag Archives: August 2024

Huatulco

A Beginner’s Guide to Tea

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By Randy Jackson

For many years, I’ve been as addicted and habituated as anyone to coffee in this Western coffee culture. Recently, however, I’ve found myself drawn to the more gentle allure of tea over coffee’s bold kick. I began this transition without realizing just how deep and rich the world of tea truly is, steeped in centuries of tradition and boasting a great many varieties. So, for beginners to tea, I’ve formulated four key questions and their answers to provide a foundational understanding of the world’s most consumed beverage.

WHAT PLANT DOES TEA COME FROM?

All non-herbal teas come from the same plant, Camellia sinensis. The history of using the leaves from this plant to make tea dates back at least to the third century CE in China. The variety of teas from the plant arises from how the leaves are processed.

Green tea is made by steaming and drying the leaves. Green tea has a delicate flavor. It has about 37% as much caffeine as coffee.

Black Tea is the most popular type of tea, with the most familiar names for teas, such as Darjeeling, English Breakfast, and Chai. Black tea is made by fermenting the leaves (oxidization). Black tea has a robust, relatively strong flavor compared to other teas. A cup of black tea generally contains about 58% of the caffeine in a cup of coffee.

Oolong Tea is partially oxidized and has a less intense flavor than black tea. Its flavor is more complex than black or green tea. The caffeine level of Oolong tea is about 42% of that of coffee.

White Tea is made from naturally dried leaves, with no oxidization. White tea has a delicate flavor. The caffeine contained in white tea is about 26% of that of coffee.

Pu-erh Tea is made using a microbial fermentation process and aging. It generally has an earthy and rich flavor. The caffeine level of Pu-erh tea is about 53% of that of coffee.

Matcha is a powdered version of green tea. The tea plants are kept in the shade for three weeks prior to harvesting. It has a slightly grassy, vegetal taste. Matcha contains the most caffeine of all the teas, about 74% of the amount in coffee.

HOW DO TEA FLAVORS VARY?

In addition to the different flavors of the teas listed above, the flavor of tea is affected by where the tea plant is grown. Like wine, the climate, elevation, and soil produce a range of flavors in tea. For example, Darjeeling tea is often called the champagne of tea because the soil in the Darjeeling area of India produces a delicate and fruity tea.

Furthermore, there is a distinction between pure tea and flavored tea. Pure tea, as the name implies, is a tea that has not been blended with herbs or spices. For tea connoisseurs and enthusiasts, pure tea offers aromas and flavors that are particular to the type of tea, the area where it is grown, and the method of processing used. Not surprisingly, there are tea sommeliers or tea masters, a title earned by years of education, training, and experience.

The type of tea most casual tea drinkers consume is flavored tea, which includes all the most familiar varieties, such as English Breakfast, Earl Grey, and Chai. English Breakfast is unique among flavored teas as its flavor arises from blending certain black teas from different geographical locations rather than using additives. Earl Grey tea is primarily flavored with bergamot oil, an oil extracted from the bergamot orange peel, giving it a light citrus flavor. Earl Grey tea is mostly commonly made with black tea, but other types of tea, such as green tea, are also made into Earl Grey tea.

Chai tea is typically made from black tea, but other types of tea are also used. Its flavors come from spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger, and black pepper.

For Canadian readers, the massively popular Red Rose Tea, like English Breakfast, blends certain black teas from different geographical sources.

Herbal teas, also known as tisanes, are made from various herbs, spices, flowers, fruits, and roots. They contain no caffeine. Chamomile, peppermint, ginger, hibiscus, and rooibos are the five most common herbal teas.

HOW IS TEA CONSUMED IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES?

In the United Kingdom, drinking tea is a cultural touchstone. Tea leads all other beverages in terms of consumption. Black tea with milk is the most typical way tea is consumed in the UK.

In India, tea is also the most consumed beverage. Chai, made from black tea and typically brewed with milk, sugar, and spices, is the leading drink of choice.

China, like many other Asian countries, has a broad preference for various types of tea. Black, green, oolong and herbal teas are all popular, reflecting the region’s rich tea culture.

Another tea-drinking country is Argentina, where mate is the most popular beverage. Mate is made from the leaves of the yerba mate (mah-TAY) plant and is a type of herbal infusion rather than traditional tea.

On the flip side of tea’s popularity is Mexico, where tea doesn’t make the top five beverage list at all. After water, coffee is the most consumed beverage in Mexico, followed by soft drinks, agua frescas, and cerveza.

In the United States, particularly in the southern states, most tea consumed is iced tea. Iced tea can be made with any type of tea, but the most common is black tea. Beyond water, in terms of popularity, tea ranks third behind coffee and soft drinks.

According to the market data portal Statista, the top five tea-drinking countries in 2016 were Turkey, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, and Iran. Canada was ranked 22, the United States was 36, and Mexico trailed at 56.

WHAT THE HECK IS BUBBLE TEA?

Until now, at least, my haphazard tea education has lacked any understanding of the cultural phenomenon of bubble tea. Silly me, I thought some sort of machine was used to blow air bubbles into a cup of tea.

But that’s not it. However, it does start with tea – green, black or oolong. The tea is cooled, and milk is added: whole, soy, condensed, or even coconut milk. Also added are tapioca pearls. These are small, chewy balls made from tapioca starch. The pearls are cooked until they reach a jelly-like consistency. This adds a texture to the drink. Despite common misconceptions, the “bubble” in bubble tea originally referred to the frothy foam created when the tea is shaken.

In the interest of research (and curiosity), we headed to a bubble tea place to try it. I chose dirty bubble tea, a drink made with cooled oolong tea, cold milk, brown sugar syrup, ice, and a handful of black tapioca balls. The drink required shaking to mix the layers. A large-diameter straw allowed the tapioca pearls to be slurped up as they sank to the bottom of the glass. The pearls were quite dense and chewy but without any real taste. I could detect the taste of tea in the drink mixture, but overall, it seemed like a beverage a long way from the centuries-old practice of sprinkling dried leaves into a cup of hot water and serving.

So, there you have it: from 3rd-century China, with monks sipping hot green tea in a monastery, to a trendy bubble tea shop in the foothills east of the Canadian Rockies, a beginner’s journey to the story and flavors of tea. I’m not that far yet in my tea journey, but I appreciate the words of a tea guru, James Norwood Pratt, who once wrote, “Tea is quiet and our thirst for tea is never far from our craving for beauty.”

For contact or comment, email box95jackson@gmail.com.

Huatulco

Mexican Wines

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By Jane Bauer

Mexico has a growing wine industry that’s capturing the attention of oenophiles worldwide. Back in 2006 there were only 25 commercial wineries, today there are over 120. While the country’s wine production dates back to the 16th century, only recently have Mexican wines gained international recognition

A Historical Journey
The history of Mexican wine begins with the Spanish colonization in the early 1500s. Spanish settlers brought grapevines to the New World, and the first vineyards were established in what is now the state of Coahuila. Casa Madero, founded in 1597 in this region, is the oldest winery in the Americas and still produces wine today. Despite its early start, Mexico’s wine industry faced numerous challenges, including prohibitive laws imposed by the Spanish crown to protect their domestic wine markets.

The Wine Regions of Mexico
Modern Mexican wine production is concentrated primarily in the Baja California Peninsula, particularly the Valle de Guadalupe. This region, often referred to as the Napa Valley of Mexico, benefits from a Mediterranean climate and diverse soil conditions, ideal for growing a variety of grape varietals. Here, wineries produce exceptional wines that rival those from more established wine-producing countries.

Other notable wine regions include:
-Querétaro: Known for its sparkling wines, this central region’s high altitude and cool climate provide perfect conditions for grape cultivation.
-Coahuila: With a winemaking history spanning over four centuries, this region produces robust reds and crisp whites.
-Guanajuato: Emerging as a significant player in the Mexican wine scene, this area offers a mix of traditional and innovative wine styles.

Mexican winemakers cultivate both international and indigenous grape varietals, resulting in a diverse and intriguing wine portfolio. Common varietals include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay, but Mexico also produces unique blends that showcase the country’s terroir. Tempranillo, Zinfandel, and Nebbiolo have found a distinctive expression in Mexican soils, creating wines that are bold, flavorful, and distinctly Mexican.

The Future of Mexican Wine
The Mexican wine industry is on a path of rapid growth and innovation. Winemakers are embracing sustainable practices, experimenting with new techniques, and focusing on quality over quantity. This dedication to excellence is earning Mexican wines a place on the global stage, with increasing numbers of bottles gracing the shelves of international wine shops and restaurants.

A couple of my favorites:
Fume Blanc from LA Cetto, Valle de Guadalupe- this light and crisp dry white is an excellent price point and perfect for a summer dinner.
Tablas from Taller Agrico, Valle de Guadalupe- this complex red is a blend of tempranillo, grenache and petite sirah. It is an unfiltered wine from a smaller producer and has a very smooth finish.

Huatulco

Tequila and Agave: Mexico’s Dynamic Duo

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By Darrell Greenman

Tequila and agave are the dynamic duo of Mexican culture and the spirits industry, representing not just a spirit but a heritage rooted in the land and traditions of the region. Picture this: over 250 types of agave exist, but only the Blue Weber Agave gets to star in the tequila show. This succulent plant, thriving in Jalisco’s volcanic soils, the only location in the world that can legally produce tequila, takes 8 to 12 years to mature—talk about a slow burn to perfection! Authentic GOOD tequila lets the age and readiness of the harvest perform, avoiding chemicals and additives that many brands unfortunately use to simply cut time and costs.

The heart of the agave plant, known as the piña because it looks like a pineapple’s buff cousin, is the key ingredient in tequila. Once harvested, these piñas are steamed in large above-ground ovens or autoclaves to turn the starches into fermentable sugars. This steaming not only preps the agave fermentation but also helps enhance the distinct flavors we all love.

Now, let’s talk tequila types:
Blanco, silver, plata: Crisp and pure agave flavors, perfect for cocktails or straight-up neat. Think of it as tequila in its birthday suit.
Reposado: Aged 6 to 12 months in oak barrels, with its subtle hints of oak and caramel, strikes a balance between the raw agave flavors and the influence of the aging process
Añejo: Aged at least 18 months in oak barrels, aged longer and exhibiting deeper complexity with notes of oak, vanilla and spice, is typically savored on its own to appreciate its nuanced flavor, made even richer and smoother, with deeper, fuller body coming from the extra aging.
Extra Añejo: Aged a minimum of 3 years, richest, smoother, and fullest-bodied. It’s basically tequila royalty and becoming more and more popular.

Tequila isn’t just a drink; it’s a way of life in Mexico. From the agave fields where jimadores expertly harvest the plants to the distilleries where master distillers work their magic, every step in the process reflects generations of knowledge and craftsmanship. The town of Tequila in Jalisco, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is the tequila capital. Here, you can explore distilleries, learn about the history and traditions, and sample tequila straight from the source—talk about a liquid education!

In recent decades, tequila has become a global sensation, outgrowing its Mexican roots to become a beloved spirit worldwide. Its versatility in cocktails and complex flavors make it a favorite among mixologists and enthusiasts. This international fame has sparked innovations in the industry, with new brands and expressions continually pushing the boundaries of traditional tequila-making with some still paying homage to its heritage and traditional processes.

Tequila and agave are symbols of Mexican identity, craftsmanship, and culture. From the sun-bathed fields where agave plants grow to the glasses raised in celebration around the world, tequila embodies the spirit of Mexico, offering a taste of tradition and craftsmanship with every sip.

Dating back to around 300 A.D., when the Aztecs fermented agave juice to make ceremonial wine known as pulque, tequila has come a long way. Made exclusively from blue agave, tequila offers a smooth, often fruity flavor profile.

Now, sitting in a mezcal state writing this, I’m obligated to add some detail between tequila and mezcal. Both are agave-based spirits, but they’re like distant cousins—similar, but with distinct personalities. Tequila’s Blue Weber Agave follows a precise production process regulated by strict standards and only legally in Jalisco.

Mezcal, on the other hand, can be made from various agave plants (approximately 30) across several Mexican states, it is known for its robust, smoky flavor and “slow burn”. This smokiness comes from wood-firing the piñas in underground ovens lined with volcanic rocks, imparting a distinct taste. Here is a surprising technicality to many… tequila IS a specific and a special type of mezcal.

Mezcal’s flavor profile and production method yield a unique drinking experience. Mezcal appeals to those seeking a more complex, smoky spirit with deep earthy notes, while tequila offers a lighter, crisper taste, ideal for cocktails or sipping neat. Each spirit reflects the rich cultural and geographical diversity of Mexico.

Tequila is not just about the taste; it’s also about the health benefits. Yes, you read that right. In moderation(the hard part) tequila can improve digestion, help with blood sugar regulation, promote weight loss, and even aid better sleep. Of course, moderation is key—an idea that’s often challenging for us tequila lovers.

So, whether you’re sipping a smooth, crisp blanco or a rich full bodied xtra anejo, remember that each glass is a celebration of Mexico’s rich cultural and geographical diversity. Viva Mexico!

Darrell Greenman is the founder and director of Tequila Taberna Y Café, located in Huatulco, Mexico.

Huatulco

Atole y más

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By Julie Etra

Atole is a prehispanic corn-based beverage consumed throughout Mesoamerica and South America, albeit in different forms and with varying ingredients. The word atole is derived from the náhuatl word atolli , which means “watered down” or watery, due to its root of “atl” = water. It is synonymous with atol as it is also called in Mexico, Spain, and Venezuela.

The Purépecha, indigenous people of the northwestern Mexican state of Michoacan, call it kamata. In Mayan it is known as sa’, in Costa Rica it is called chicheme and champurrado in Peru and Argentina. Its basic ingredient is milled corn or corn flour. In prehispanic times it was likely prepared with water, and perhaps honey, but with the conquering Spaniards came sugar, added as a sweetener. Of moderate viscosity from cornstarch, atole was historically prepared as hot as possible.

Ingredients
Other contemporary additions to the basic beverage include milk, honey, piloncillo (see below) cinnamon, vanilla and other sweeteners, such as fruit juice or fruit pulp. There are dozens of ‘recipes’ with additional ingredients as variable in flavor and texture as chiles, epazote, blackberry, plum, mango, coconut, walnut, and cheese. In Colombia eggs are added.

Piloncillo
As an interesting aside, Mexico produces a type of sugar called piloncillo. With its origins in Asia, sugar cane crossed the Mediterranean, landing in the Iberian Peninsula, and from there brought from Spain to the Island of Hispaniola, (modern day Haiti and the Dominican Republic), by Christopher Columbus; sugar mills and refineries were operating on Hispaniola by 1516.

Piloncillo is commonly found in the produce section. It is brown, cone-shaped unprocessed raw sugarcane. The canes are crushed, the juice extracted and boiled to create a thick syrup which is then poured into molds where it hardens. Currently (and historically), the largest producer of piloncillo in Mexico is San Luis Potosí where it was originally cultivated by the Spaniards, although the states of Veracruz, Quintana Roo, Nayarit, Jalisco, Hidalgo and Colima are also producers.

Pinole
Atole should not be confused with pinole although they rhyme. Pinole is a grain mixture, made predominantly of heirloom blue and purple maize that’s roasted with raw cacao beans, then ground into a fine mixture (yes, cacao is native to Mexico). It’s most commonly combined with milk to form a thick, warm porridge. In addition to cacao it is mixed with a combination of cinnamon, chia seeds, vanilla, or other spices, to make a beverage called pinolillo.

Champurrado
In Mexico, Champurrado is atole with chocolate, although masa (the same dough used for tortillas) is used instead of harina.

Chilate, Arroz, and Horchata
Atole should not be confused with another beverage, chilate, from Costa Chica, Guerrero. This beverage is prepared with cocoa, rice, cinnamon, and sugar, and is served cold. It is not to be confused with chilate in Central American countries such as Guatemala, where its base is corn. Rice, a component of this and other beverages like horchata, arrived after the Spanish conquest. Rice, of Asian origin, arrived in Mexico via the port of Acapulco, Guerrero, shortly after the Spanish conquest of the Philippines in 1565 by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi (Spain ruled the Philippines for over 333 years). Approximately forty years later Spanish ships known as the Manila Galleons brought rice to Mexico from the Philippines. Remember, dear readers, the fall of Mexico occurred in 1521.

Mexico does grow some of its own rice for domestic consumption, but the majority is imported from the United States. The popular beverage horchata comes from North Africa which was brought to the Iberian Peninsula with the Moorish conquest of Spain in the eighth century.

Pox
Pox (pronounced “posh”), comes from the Mayan people of the Chiapas Highlands. It is a distilled, but weakly alcoholic beverage whose ingredients include water, sugar cane, corn, piloncillo and wheat bran, as well as a variety of herbs, such as mint, lemon grass, rosemary, and bay leaf, or the pulp of seasonal fruits. It is known for its silky consistency.

In addition to previously mentioned ingredients, anise, orange blossoms, orange leaves, and pineapple can be added to the basic recipe.

Here is a popular recipe for Atole de Piña:

Ingredients
·5 oz masa
11 oz pineapple pulp
·2 cups cubed pineapple

Preparation
·Stir the masa in 4 cups of water. Let stand for 15 minutes, then strain the water and set it aside. In a blender puree the pineapple in 1 ½ cups of water. Strain and set the pineapple water aside.

In a saucepan combine the strained masa water and the pineapple water and set over medium heat. Boil, stirring constantly for 15 minutes or until thickened.
Remove from heat, add the pineapple cubes, and stir for another 5 minutes. Serve hot.

What about those pineapples? Not imported by the Spaniards, pineapples most likely originated in the wild in the Paraná–Paraguay River drainages between southern Brazil and Paraguay and are thought to have been domesticated over 6,000 years ago. Archaeological evidence of pineapple use dates back to 1200–800 BCE in Peru and 200 BCE – 700 CE in Mexico, where it was cultivated by the Mayans and the Mexica (Aztecs) By the late 1400s, pineapples were a staple food of indigenous populations throughout Mesoamerica.

Atole in Religious Ritual.
Atole is considered indispensable in many religious events and Catholic ceremonies, including baptisms, first communion, wakes, patron saint celebrations, and posadas (see EYE archives December 2014 for a good description of a posada:
https://theeyehuatulco.com/2014/12/01/christmas-in-mexico-city-how-to-celebrate-it-like-a-chilango). In many indigenous communities it is an offering in prayer for a good corn harvest or one of thanks following a good one. Of course, corn, a staple and essential component of Mexican diets, has been worshiped for thousands of years, and atole is its liquid manifestation (see EYE archives for multiple articles on corn).

Today, the types of flavors that accompany atole are varied and regional, but it remains an original Mexican concoction.

Huatulco

2024 Fall Festival of New Books

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By Carole Reedy

Autumn’s seasonal foods, weather shifts, and sports and cultural events are good reasons to look forward to the fall interval, but so too is the arrival of the new end-of-year books. Publishers traditionally present their most accomplished authors at this time, likely in anticipation of holiday gift buying.

This fall release list has some gems by current notable authors as well as some favorite popular fiction writers.

New Books from Current Notable Authors

Entitlement: A Novel, by Rumaan Alam (due September 17)
Many of us were frankly amazed by Alam’s last novel, Leave the World Behind: A Novel (2021), which addressed fears of an unknown future and the scientific/computer events that could throw our lives into chaos. Alam’s engaging novel was made into a popular Netflix movie starring Julia Roberts that was true to the book from which it came.

Alam’s newest is a novel that seems to be about money. It stars a young protagonist who needs a sense of purpose while making a difference in the world. She also wants to impress her mother, spend time with friends, and establish her independence. Securing a job assisting a billionaire gives her proximity to wealth, which moves us to the core of her transition.

Pulitzer-Prize-winning author Louise Erdrich writes that this novel “should come with an undertow warning … I was pulled under. Rumaan Alam has mastered that eerie moment when an ordinary gesture has the potential for disaster.”

Death at the Sign of the Rook, by Kate Atkinson (due September 3)
Jackson Brodie fans, stand by! This is the next in Atkinson’s popular detective series. Not to worry if you haven’t read the others – you can enjoy each book individually.

This novel finds Brodie discontent in Yorkshire while investigating stolen paintings. He soon uncovers a string of unsolved art thefts that leads him down a confusing path to Burton Makepeace, a formerly magnificent estate now partially converted into a hotel hosting murder mystery weekends.

Fair warning: new readers may become hooked on Atkinson’s Jackson Brodie mystery series. If this describes you, we suggest you read Case Histories (2005), the first in the Jackson Brodie series, as well as Behind the Scenes at the Museum: A Novel (1995), Atkinson’s debut novel and a Whitbread (now Costa) award winner. Atkinson has also written several other gems, among them the popular Life After Life: A Novel, winner of the 2014 Independent Bookseller’s Award, which gives us a window on the many lives we can possess.

The Drowned: A Novel, by John Banville (due October 1)
John Banville won the Booker Prize in 2005 for his novel The Sea, and is the bestselling author of 15 novels, a short story collection, and a mystery series written under the name Benjamin Black.

This latest is a mystery that takes place in rural Ireland in the 1950s. It concerns a missing woman whose husband thinks she may have taken her own life and the subsequent investigation. It is as much a mystery as an observation into our shrouded worlds. Detective Inspector St. John Strafford is aided by his pathologist friend Quirke (the protagonist of preceding novels in the series) in discovering what happened to the missing wife.

Banville has been described in many reviews as “the heir to Proust, via Nabokov,” but he himself cites W.B. Yeats and Henry James as the two major influences on his work.

The Empusium: A Health Resort Horror Story, by Olga Tokarczuk (due September 24)
Move over Thomas Mann. Nobel Prize winner Tokarczuk’s new novel is set in 1913 in a sanatorium at a health resort in the village of Görbersdorf in the Silesian mountains in Poland. Sound familiar? Esoteric evening discussions among the sanatorium’s residents center around the great issues of the day, accompanied by an hallucinogenic drink.

I will leave the description at that while noting that subtitle – A Health Resort Horror Story. Who could resist? Many of us have read and admired Torcarczuk’s well-known Flights (2018) as well as Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead: A Novel (2019).

New Books from Notable Popular Writers
The following books are authored by the crème de la crème of their genres. Each author possesses stature in the field and thousands, if not millions, of loyal followers.

Blood Ties, by Jo Nesbø (due November 2)
Jo Nesbø is one of the world’s best-selling crime writers. By 2021 he had sold 50 million copies of his novels worldwide in more than 50 languages. (Nesbø also is lead singer of the Norwegian rock band Di Derre.) In his latest crime novel, Nesbø reunites two brothers, Carl and Roy Opgard, from The Kingdom (2020), who return to their small town in crisis as they find themselves fighting for everything they have – ill-gotten as that might be.

We Solve Murders: A Novel, by Richard Osman (due September 17)
Known for the popular The Thursday Murder Club series, Osman started a career in television, where he wore many hats. His book series about retirement home sleuths was an immediate success, and now in We Solve Murders he has gifted us with a new detective duo, the retired investigator Steve Wheeler and his ambitious daughter-in-law Amy. Osman reassures us, though, that his astute elderly crew from the Thursday Murder Club will return in the future. In the meantime, enjoy the new series.

The Grey Wolf: A Novel, by Louise Penny (due October 29)
This is the bestselling writer’s 19th mystery set in Three Pines, the fictional Quebec village beloved by all Penny fans. In The Grey Wolf, Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, the engaging detective and hero of the series, receives a phone call on a quiet Sunday morning that triggers rage and upsets his wife deeply. But this is just the first of the strange events that will unfold.

The Great Hippopotamus Hotel, by Alexander McCall Smith (due October 15)
It is hard to fathom that this is book 25 in the well-regarded No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series. All our favorite characters – including J.L.B. Matekoni and Mma Makutsi – return to assist the amiable, competent, and stubborn head detective Precious Ramotswe. McCall Smith writes four or five novels a year, so there is never a worry about exhausting his selections.

Identity Unknown, by Patricia Cornwell (due October 15)
Cornwell sold her first Kay Scarpetta novel, Postmortem, in 1990, and the rest of the story is a thrilling history. Her experience working at the office of the chief medical examiner in Richmond, Virginia, launched Cornwell’s writing career and that of her beloved fictional medical examiner. Postmortem won the Edgar, Creasey, Anthony, and Macavity Awards, as well as the French Prix du roman d’aventures – the first book ever to claim all these distinctions in a single year.

Cornwell’s newest brings the Kay Scarpetta series to 28 books. When summoned to an abandoned theme park to retrieve a body, Dr. Scarpetta realizes the victim is an old lover of hers … and he has left her a clue.

Cornwell has also written the definitive book on Jack the Ripper’s identity, as well as several cookbooks and a children’s book.

It certainly appears that end-of-year reading promises hours of intellectual and emotional stimulation. Enjoy every precious moment!