I've downloaded A Town Like Alice on Spotify so I can listen to it on my commute. The writing & characters pull me right in. Thanks for the recommendation! Hope your recovery is going well. Sounds like Andy is taking excellent care of you.❤️
Just ordered A Town Like Alice. Sounds up my alley. Just finished watching the Australian series A Place To Call Home which is set in the ‘50s. (Recommended by Sari Botton of Oldster Magazine) So good!
What are we going to do without the World Cup. My family is in mourning. My 12-year-old son and I are still messaging people online and mailing Panini World Cup stickers back and forth around the country to complete our album, so that's keeping the spirit alive ;) Count down the days until we have our Premier League and beloved Rebecca Lowe back on our screens, I guess. Thank you for these much-needed three things, I have requested that book from my library and made a note that our next taco night will be with hard shells. So glad you are recovering and doing well ❤️
Those tacos look amazing and my family will definitely be trying them soon. But I am concerned that your shells look uncooked! We love a hard shell taco, but only if they're cooked in the oven for three minutes.
Absolute World Cup withdrawal over here. It seriously was one of the best summers ever…have had my 4 boys (the biggest soccer fans around) home (2 are about to be in college) and it was a dream all of us watching as we could…felt bad for my husband as many near the end were during the day…but ohhhh, we loved it!!!
Excited to try these new sparkles and can’t believe I’ve not heard of this book! Thanks for the rec, I’ll be trying!! 💜
I have not yet read A Town Like Alice, but I Loved Loved Loved the miniseries many years ago. So much so that at the time I bought the VHS cassette of the movie. More recently when I was clearing out the garage with my husband and he wanted to toss all our old cassette tapes, I held that one longingly for a moment with such memories.
Jenny — I took a look at your turkey burger recipe “special sauce” as I’m making burgers tomorrow. All of the recipes from that Substack issue look great and easy!
Can I ask — how have you found it having a Boston when you’re in the city? My childhood dog was a Boston, and I’d love to have one again, but am worried that we live in an apartment.
I am alllll about the salad sparkles! My latest obsessions are crunchy chickpeas (Biena Sea Salt), roasted pumpkin seeds, or fried won ton strips. A salad with no crunchies is a sad salad.
And thank you for your basic said dressing recipe which I continually riff on and get wildly complimented. :) (and I do give you credit!)
Maybe not related to this post but I always reach the end where you have pictures of the two cookbooks & wonder what happened to Dinner A Love Story, the first cookbook? Do you not mention it because it’s no longer in print? Should I hunt for a used copy?
It is definitely still in print, but believe it or not it’s almost 15 years old. I’ve written six books, and I just usually like to promote the most recent ones, which reflect the way I’m cooking and living today, 2026, in the most accurate, most relevant way.
Have been buying those Sigdal crackers for years in Vancouver as they are readily available. Have a few different flavours & are excellent on their own, but great with cheese, dip, or...
There was an Australian series based on the book back in the 80s. It was on PBS, Masterpiece Theatre. There were some scenes so moving they are still with me today.
I've downloaded A Town Like Alice on Spotify so I can listen to it on my commute. The writing & characters pull me right in. Thanks for the recommendation! Hope your recovery is going well. Sounds like Andy is taking excellent care of you.❤️
Just ordered A Town Like Alice. Sounds up my alley. Just finished watching the Australian series A Place To Call Home which is set in the ‘50s. (Recommended by Sari Botton of Oldster Magazine) So good!
What are we going to do without the World Cup. My family is in mourning. My 12-year-old son and I are still messaging people online and mailing Panini World Cup stickers back and forth around the country to complete our album, so that's keeping the spirit alive ;) Count down the days until we have our Premier League and beloved Rebecca Lowe back on our screens, I guess. Thank you for these much-needed three things, I have requested that book from my library and made a note that our next taco night will be with hard shells. So glad you are recovering and doing well ❤️
It’s so nice to hear from your during your recovery. Thank you for your beautiful posts, and I’m wishing you lots of healing!
Thank you, Sarah!
Those tacos look amazing and my family will definitely be trying them soon. But I am concerned that your shells look uncooked! We love a hard shell taco, but only if they're cooked in the oven for three minutes.
lol, thank you for your concern. They are not uncooked, but definitely could've used a little more time in the oven.
Whew! So glad you aren't raw-dogging them! I once had a friend serve them out of the box and then tell me her family hated hard shells...
hahaha, also I love the term raw-dog.
Absolute World Cup withdrawal over here. It seriously was one of the best summers ever…have had my 4 boys (the biggest soccer fans around) home (2 are about to be in college) and it was a dream all of us watching as we could…felt bad for my husband as many near the end were during the day…but ohhhh, we loved it!!!
Excited to try these new sparkles and can’t believe I’ve not heard of this book! Thanks for the rec, I’ll be trying!! 💜
Re crunchy tacos: Every brand I have tried breaks into several pieces after the first bite. Any recommendations for a crunchy taco with integrity?
Siete Corn taco shells made w avocado oil
I have not yet read A Town Like Alice, but I Loved Loved Loved the miniseries many years ago. So much so that at the time I bought the VHS cassette of the movie. More recently when I was clearing out the garage with my husband and he wanted to toss all our old cassette tapes, I held that one longingly for a moment with such memories.
Jenny — I took a look at your turkey burger recipe “special sauce” as I’m making burgers tomorrow. All of the recipes from that Substack issue look great and easy!
Can I ask — how have you found it having a Boston when you’re in the city? My childhood dog was a Boston, and I’d love to have one again, but am worried that we live in an apartment.
Take care — and get well soon!
She is great in the city. She was great in the suburbs. She is great everywhere she goes, I love her so much!
I am alllll about the salad sparkles! My latest obsessions are crunchy chickpeas (Biena Sea Salt), roasted pumpkin seeds, or fried won ton strips. A salad with no crunchies is a sad salad.
And thank you for your basic said dressing recipe which I continually riff on and get wildly complimented. :) (and I do give you credit!)
Crunchy chickpeas is such a good one. I like the storebought ones that are more crispy than crunchy if you know what I mean. I used them in this old fave: https://dinneralovestory.substack.com/p/slaw-with-crunchies-and-curried-yogurt?utm_source=publication-search
Another terrific Neville Shute novel is “Trustee from the Toolroom” which I learned about from this podcast episode, which is also worth a listen: https://www.backlisted.fm/episodes/200-trustee-from-the-toolroom-by-nevil-shute
Hope you are continuing to feel better. It takes a long time to get over any surgery.
I appreciate that, Leakie. And: yes.
Maybe not related to this post but I always reach the end where you have pictures of the two cookbooks & wonder what happened to Dinner A Love Story, the first cookbook? Do you not mention it because it’s no longer in print? Should I hunt for a used copy?
It is definitely still in print, but believe it or not it’s almost 15 years old. I’ve written six books, and I just usually like to promote the most recent ones, which reflect the way I’m cooking and living today, 2026, in the most accurate, most relevant way.
And here is the link for anyone curious: https://amzn.to/4wk0jJ4 (it IS on backorder on bookshop)
Have been buying those Sigdal crackers for years in Vancouver as they are readily available. Have a few different flavours & are excellent on their own, but great with cheese, dip, or...
There was an Australian series based on the book back in the 80s. It was on PBS, Masterpiece Theatre. There were some scenes so moving they are still with me today.
I just put that book on hold at my library. My mother loved Nevil Shute so I’m sure she read it.