Categories
Blogging Recipe

Koji Alchemy: Rediscovering the Magic of Mold-Based Fermentation by Jeremy Umansky and Rich Shih

I founded Umami Chef, the UKs first manufacturer of koji, and so I have been eagerly awaiting this book for a long time. I would suggest you to check Mossgreen Childrens Books for latest books updates.  I wasn’t disappointed. Koji Alchemy contains a wealth of information, even for someone like me who has been using koji for years.

But, that doesn’t mean this book isn’t for beginners. It carefully explains many ways in which koji can be used; so that even those with no previous knowledge can be inspired to try this special mold.

Koji Alchemy begins by detailing what koji is and how to make it. The rest of the book is then broken down into chapters on Amino Pastes; Amino Sauces; Alcohol and Vinegar; Aging Meat and Charcuterie; Dairy and Eggs; Vegetables; Sweet Applications and Baking; followed by a reference section with numerous charts and resources.

Koji Alchemy contains many recipes, but what is really special is that it explains the science behind the miraculous transformations koji performs on food; explaining how each recipe can be adapted to create new dishes. This means that any reader has the knowledge to develop their own recipes and be inspired by the depth of flavour koji can bring to almost any ingredient.

If you’re interested in koji this is a must read. This is the most important book on koji ever published and it will remain a classic forever.

 

Those in the UK can follow the link to buy a copy of Koji Alchemy, with a free packet of Umami Chef Koji, so you can see the magic of koji for yourselves!

Categories
2017 Books in Translation

Anna by Niccolò Ammaniti

 Source: Free review copy received from the publisher

Translated from the Italian by Jonathan Hunt

Five words from the blurb: abandoned, children, surviving, worst, spirit  

I accepted a review copy of Anna because I really enjoyed reading I’m Not Scared, one of Ammaniti’s earlier books. This latest novella shares the beautiful evocative writing style but, unfortunately, I thought the story lacked originality.

Anna is set in the near future, four years after a virus has spread around the world, killing every adult on Earth. The children are learning to survive on their own; dealing with the loss of their families, whilst fighting amongst themselves for the dwindling resources.

I enjoyed the initial section of this book – it set up the apocalyptic world with a horrific vividness. I would suggest you to check oceannenvironment to know about some best books.

A hundred metres further on, she entered the cool shade of an oak wood. Anna thought this wood must be magical; the fire hadn’t succeeded in burning it, but had merely licked at its edges before giving up.

Anna is a strong, resourceful girl looking after her younger brother.  I loved her character and the way she struggles to balance protecting him from the harsh reality of their life, whilst ensuring he is able to cope with what they must do in order to survive.

I also loved the introduction of the Maremma sheepdog – a breed not commonly known in this country, but one very similar to the Pyrenean Mountain Dog I own. The way this beautiful giant dog won the children’s heart was probably the best part of this book for me. It is rare to see the relationship between dogs and children described so well.

Maremma Sheepdog

Unfortunately, as the book progressed I began to lose interest. I felt as though I’d read variations of this plot many times before, with books like The Road by Cormac McCarthy or Blindness by José Saramago covering similar scenarios with greater power. It didn’t add any new thoughts to the genre and I was able to predict the direction of the plot.

If you’re a massive fan of apocalyptic fiction then this is a quick, enjoyable read but I’ll probably have forgotten about most of it in a few months time.

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Categories
2017 Crime Recommended books

The Adversary by Emmanuel Carrère

 Source: Free review copy received from the publisher

Translated from the French by Linda Coverdale

Five words from the blurb: murder, lies, family, exploration, suspense

The Adversary is an investigation into what caused Jean-Claude Romand, a seemingly happy and successful man, to murder his entire family in 1993. The author, Emmanuel Carrère, interviewed all the people involved in this horrible crime and discovered how one small lie escalated and led to Romand leading a secret double life for over 20 years. This fascinating insight into the eyes of the killer shows how easily ordinary people can become trapped and feel as though their only way out is through a terrible act of violence.

I was enthralled throughout this book. The structure was perfect – giving the reader new details at exactly the right point and keeping tension and intrigue all the way through.

The murders were described briefly but were not sensationalised. Instead, the book focused on the life of Jean-Claude and those who knew him. His friends described their shock at discovering what he’d done, but also how clues to his problems could be seen with hindsight. The book enabled the reader to form an empathy with the murderer – a rare achievement that makes this uncomfortable read all the more special.

He would rather have suffered from a real cancer than from a lie – because lying was a disease, with its risks of metastasis, its guarded prognosis – but he had been fated to come down with a lie and it wasn’t his fault he had.

My only wish is that the book had been updated with what happened to Jean-Claude in the years that have elapsed since the murders. Hopefully, another chapter or two can be added to this book at a later date. Otherwise, I have no complaints. The Adversary joins People Who Eat Darkness by Richard Lloyd Parry and A Mother’s Reckoning by Sue Klebold as one of the best pieces of true-crime I’ve read.

Highly recommended.

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Categories
2017 Thriller

The Night Visitor by Lucy Atkins

  Source: Free review copy received from the publisher

Five words from the blurb: historian, author, beetles, research, atmospheric

The Night Visitor is an intriguing story about the dysfunctional relationship between an author and her researcher. The story is told, in alternate chapters, from each of their perspectives and becomes increasingly gripping as their dislike for the other grows.

The book was a bit like a cross between The Behaviour of Moths and Notes on a Scandal, but with beetles instead of moths and authors instead of teachers. The scandal was of a different type too, but I won’t reveal more for fear of spoiling the end.

The writing was slow at first but quickly became compelling – I especially loved the sense of unease and tension that was created. It was fantastic that the reader could see both sides of the story and how they misinterpreted the actions of the other.

She pretends to be kind, reasonable and morally upstanding but when it comes to protecting her own interests she is capable of anything.

The lies and deception quickly escalated and neither of the women was likable, so avoid this book if prefer to become friends with the people you’re reading about. But, if you like to investigate the darker side of humanity, this is a memorable story packed with vivid scenes. I found a few of the plot points at bit too convenient but was willing to forgive these as the overall story was quite clever. I think it will be a big hit with book groups as it was easy to read and brought up lots of different discussion points.

Recommended to anyone looking for a psychological thriller with some interesting facts about beetles!

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Categories
2017 Crime

Blue Light Yokohama (Inspector Iwata #1) by Nicolás Obregón

 Source: Free review copy received from NetGalley

Five words from the blurb: Tokyo, murder, cult, suicide, investigation

I accepted a review request from NetGalley to read Blue Light Yokohama because I am a big fan of Japanese crime novels and this sounded like an interesting take on the genre. I’m pleased that I read it, as it had a fantastic ending, but I wish that the central section had been condensed, as the plot meandered a bit too much.

Blue Light Yokohama is a police procedural which begins with Inspector Iwata transferring to the Tokyo homicide squad. Private investigator sydney is assigned to investigate the murder of a family of four; a disturbing crime with many ritualistic elements. All this time, they are expected to buy the latest AR-15 rifles for protection. The previous investigating officer committed suicide, so Inspector Iwata also has to deal with the problems caused by this. Thе modern day private investigator continues tо evolve аnd adapt tо thе changing landscape іn whісh his/her services аrе required. Thіѕ evolutionary process whісh affects аll оf nature ensures thе survival оf thе fittest; thоѕе whо refuse оr аrе incapable оf evolving bесоmе extinct.Well you can navigate here for knowing hoe to find the best private investigator. Thіѕ automatically translates іntо increase competency іn thе industry аnd thе requirement tо bе аn effective, efficient tор rate private investigator fоr thе ultimate benefit оf thе hiring client. Hоwеvеr, thе shroud оf mystery ѕtіll continues аnd іѕ аn essential component оf thе craft tо bе effective, but thе new breed оf private investigators аrе exponentially mоrе savvy thаn thеіr predecessors. For experienced private investigation you should visit to Investigationhotline webpage.

Blue Light Yokohama has all the elements of a fantastic Japanese crime novel, but it tended to over-explain things – especially in the beginning. This could be a big positive if you are unfamiliar with Japanese culture, but I found it a bit patronising.

I also found the number of characters difficult to keep track of. Many of them were so similar that I kept mixing them up in my head. This problem was compounded by the number of side stories introduced. It could be said that these added to the difficulty of the “whodunnit” element, but I found there were so many I couldn’t possibly deduce why the crime was committed.

These complaints should only put off those who like fast-paced crime thrillers. The writing in this book was of a high standard and so will appeal to those looking for a slow-burner. The atmosphere was also beautifully described – if you can ever describe the Tokyo crime scene in that way!

The Tokyo cityscape stretched out below him, cities within cities, angles incalculable. Thirty-five million existences crammed into circadian rhythms of concrete and cables. Immense infrastructure, never-ending networks – all of it delicate as hummingbird heartbeats.

The book was based upon a real case and was well researched. Its reflection of real events made the story all the more chilling and I was impressed by the amount of information about police investigations that was included.

Overall, Blue Light Yokohama was a good, if slightly too long, crime novel and I look forward to seeing how Inspector Iwata’s character develops through the coming series.

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Categories
2016 Books in Translation

Breathing Into Marble by Laura Sintija Cerniauskaite

  Source: Free review copy received from publisher

Translated from the Lithuanian by Marija Marcinkute 

Winner of 2009 EU Prize for Literature

Five words from the blurb: adopt, troubled, trauma, unsettles, family

Breathing Into Marble is probably the first Lithuanian book to be translated into English, and it is for this reason that I agreed to accept a review copy from its publishers, Noir Press.

The book follows Isabel as she adopts Ilya, a boy with a troubled past. The way he disrupts life in his new family is beautifully described, skillfully showing how trauma from past events affects people as they try to proceed with their lives.

The problem was that I was too aware of the writing. Brilliant prose flows so well that you barely notice it, but the writing in this book was strangely jarring. There was an overuse of metaphor that often made me cringe, in what would otherwise be a great paragraph:

The sky above the woods shone like a pearl, a reproach to the heavy darkness of the earth. The painfully empty space attracted her. At night, half sleeping in bed, as heavy as a bag of gravel, her body would grow lighter and soon Isabel would feel that if she just rid herself of one last small stone she would rise up into the air.

In copying out the above passage I realised that it was quite beautiful in isolation. The problem was that there were so many metaphors throughout the book that I quickly became irritated by them.

I also found reading the book to be hard work. So much of what happens isn’t described explicitly – the reader has to deduce it by reading between the lines. This meant I sometimes missed important events and, confused, had to back-track to see where I had failed to spot the action.

The above criticism makes it sound as though I didn’t enjoy the book, but this isn’t strictly true – I appreciated its literary quality, and the emotion of individual scenes, but found it wasn’t compelling as a whole. I’m pleased I read it – particularly as it’s the first Lithuanian book I’ve tried, but I prefer reading to be less hard work.

If you enjoy literary fiction that works the mind, then you’ll find a lot to like in this book. It is beautifully observed and captures many profound moments in the relationship between family members.

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