12 Comments

i'm so glad you wrote about Jules Feiffer and i need to put in a word for my personal favorite, a sleeper of a book from 2002 called By the Side of the Road. The story starts innocently: A boy and his brother are fighting in the back seat of the family car when their father loses it. The kid is given a choice: behave or get out. In a normal book, the character would suffer on the side of the highway for a few hours, learn his lesson, and give in. But in this twisted story, the boy ends up LIVING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE, and happily so, eventually building a deluxe underground bunker for himself, his parents begging to be forgiven. Basically, it's about a kid who sulks, never apologizes or gives in to his parents and in the end wins out of sheer stubbornness. It is an insane book and I love it.

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That is the most Jules Feiffer conceit I have ever heard...and I was counting down the minutes until you commented, Catherine! xoxox

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Your daughter is hilarious, spot on and crazy talented; your NYC ideas, stories, events, wanderings, food-centric stuff and general just plain fun are so great; I'm loving the city -based you to the fullest - thank you Jenny!

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I love the meditation of shelling peas, but totally agree that the frozen ones are one of the great frozen foods that always live in our house. Some great uses listed - thanks

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We had haggis for dinner for Burns Night.Luckily it was a weekend! So delicious.

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Not a haggis fan, and I just read that it is illegal to import haggis into the U.S. Was it made locally?

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I’m in the UK! But this one was made locally to me…

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Thank you for the frozen peas ideas - I *always* have some on hand to boil for my kiddos as an easy veg, but can never think of how to spruce them up for myself. Will try the toasts this week!

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Nigella has a good traybake recipe using frozen peas - https://www.nigella.com/recipes/chicken-and-pea-traybake - I have to adjust it (usually cook it in a deeper dish so the peas don't dry out as much, but it's an easy win and a good escape from potato-based traybakes

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Pretty!!

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As a Scot I appreciate your words on Burns! I too have a wee dram! I also appreciate your words on Jules. The Phantom Tolbooth blew my mind as a child and I loved his illustrations.

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hey

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