Oof, better late than never? My 2022 media listing is abridged, compared with previous media listings (i.e., in the last few years): For short fiction I list only works for which I had given 10 out of 10. I usually list everything I rated 9 and higher (in my handy-dandy spreadsheets), but if I do that this time, it’d take even longer to publish!
I use links to my Goodreads shelves, instead of manually listing every book here. The works I finished in 2022 covers most longer fiction and non-fiction books, some graphic novels, a few shorter works, and my did not finish (DNF) lists. Unfortunately, Goodreads doesn’t easily offer a way to filter shelves based on genres, such as delineating fiction from non-fiction.
N.B. I connect only with persons on Goodreads that I know IRL.
I’ll continue listing webcomics, comics, and some DNF works not listed on Goodreads, and short fiction.
To jump to a section:
(Continued)
Indeed, my beloved theme veryplaintxt is too old for the latest version of WordPress. It’s one of several WP tasks to investigate.
Moreover, many of the plugins are either no longer supported or no longer working under WP 6 or later. Because of the upgrade from PHP 7 to PHP 8, I’ve deactivated the following plugins:
- OpenID (1)
- ZenShow (1)
- Extended Live Archives (1)
- Spam Karma 2 (1)
- CyStat (1)
- Search Everything (1)
- StatPress (1)
- Live Comment Preview
- Custom Query String
- Comment Email Responder
- Login Stayput
- Link Library Listed (2)
Notes
- Deactivated a while ago, alas.
- Hence, the broken Resources page. Likely will remove it, since many of the links are dead; my browser bookmarks contains more relevancy, but is of course too unwieldy to post (as well as huge to weed through these days).
- Displaying comments has been broken for a while. Unfortunately, switching to a newer theme doesn’t seem to help.😞 On the list to debug.
- I’ve installed the WP Mail SMTP to help with errors being sent to me. But the free lite version appears disabled for multisite administration, e.g.,
lis.iwaruna.com. Another item to investigate, though the latter site is more up to date, infrastructure-wise.
I have links to my Goodreads shelves, instead of manually listing every book. Unfortunately, Goodreads doesn’t easily offer a way to filter shelves based on genres, such as delineating fiction from non-fiction.
N.B. I connect only with persons on Goodreads that I know IRL.
I’ll continue listing webcomics, comics, and some DNF works not listed on Goodreads, and short fiction.
To jump to a section:
(Continued)
I have a link to my Goodreads shelves below, instead of manually listing every book here. This will cover most longer fiction and non-fiction books, some graphic novels, and my did not finish (DNF) lists. Unfortunately, Goodreads doesn’t easily offer a way to filter shelves based on genres, such as delineating fiction from non-fiction.
N.B. I connect only with persons on Goodreads that I know IRL.
I’ll continue listing webcomics, comics, and some DNF works not listed on Goodreads, as well as short fiction.
To jump to a section:
(Continued)
Wednesday, 12 February 2020
I finally updated this post’s title to reflect that I consume more than just books and short stories — although the lion’s share is from reading and listening to podcasts. O:)
Starting this year, I’ll be adding a link to my Goodreads shelves, instead of manually listing every book here. This will cover most longer fiction and non-fiction books, some graphic novels, and my did not finish (DNF) lists. Unfortunately, Goodreads doesn’t easily offer a way to filter shelves based on genres, such as delineating fiction from non-fiction.
N.B. I connect only with persons on Goodreads that I know IRL.
I’ll continue listing here webcomics, comics, and some DNF works not listed on Goodreads, and short fiction.
To jump to a section:
(Continued)
I should’ve noted in previous annual reading lists that I typically skim non-fiction books, especially if they are cookbooks or cover travel or languages. My friend Jed wrote an excellent article about skimming content. I have so many items to read that skimming helps me to judge if I want to read a work more in depth, if I wish to purchase something as a useful reference work, or if I want to both spending additional time reading it at all. The last reason is particularly relevant to fiction and long-form comics.
As usual, the 💡 (lightbulb icon) indicates a recommendation on my part, with the exception of the shorts section.
To jump to a section:
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It’s getting hot here in California, so while it’s technically spring, it feeling more like summer. Here are a couple more syrups that I developed last year: blackberry with honey and vanilla, and passion fruit with ginger. We tend to use fruit syrups for sodas and other drinks, but these could also work nicely on ice cream or yogurt.
Ingredients for blackberry syrup with honey and vanilla
- 1 pound blackberries, rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup vanilla sugar
- 1/4 cup mild-tasting honey, such as blackberry or sage
- 1/2 cup water
Ingredients for passion fruit syrup with ginger
- 14 ounces (400 grams) passion fruit pulp, without seeds, either frozen or fresh
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste, or minced ginger
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup water
Method
- Place everything in a non-reactive sauce pan, bring to a simmer.
- Stir every minute or two to prevent scorching. For the blackberry syrup, occasionally mash gently (I use a potato masher) to help release berry juice.
- Simmer for a total of 10 minutes. For the blackberry syrup — not really needed for passion fruit, unless the pulp is particularly fibrous or stringy — pour through a strainer; press the liquid out from the mixture using the back of a large spoon or spatula.
Pour syrup into a glass bottle or jar, and store in the refrigerator. Yields 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cups.
Thursday, 27 December 2018
I’ve been pretty dissatisfied with the (admittedly few) garam masala mixtures I purchased (from admittedly Western/Eurocentric vendors). I think I’ve hit upon a good spice combination here. My version is sweetly aromatic with nutty overtones. Use in sauces, baking, rubs, and of course, curries. Adapted from Show Me the Curry and Serious Eats.
I use whole spices; they will be ground after roasting (most of) them in a pan. This yields about 1/2 cup, which I store in a small jam jar. Because it’s a small amount, I use a digital scale; for accuracy, and if you have access to one, try using a jeweler’s scale.
Ingredients
- 6 grams cinnamon stick
- 6 grams cloves
- 3 grams black cardamom pods
- 3 grams green cardamom pods
- 3 grams star anise
- 3 grams black peppercorns
- 6 grams coriander seeds
- 6 grams cumin seeds
- 3 grams black cumin seeds (a.k.a., kala jeera; but not to be confused with nigella or kalonji)
- 3 grams fennel seeds
- 3 grams fenugreek seeds
- 4 grams dried rose petals
Method
- Roast the larger spices over low-medium heat until fragrant: cinnamon, cloves, both cardamoms, star anise, and peppercorns.
- Spread them out on ceramic or glass plate to cool.
- Roast the remaining, smaller spices—except for the rose—again, until fragrant.
- Again, spread out on a plate to cool.
- When completely cool, lightly crush the cinnamon, black cardamom, and anything else more that 1cm (1/2 inch) long (or wide).
- Mill the spices and rose in batches, into a powder. One of those small electric coffee grinders works nicely. It won’t be as fine as store-bought spices, but that’s okay! I use a strainer to remove larger bits, which I run through the mill again.
- Store in an airtight container, preferably glass.
The stand mixer makes quick(er) work of brioche. I use some sourdough starter for flavor, as well wholegrain flours. This recipe is dedicated to Jeremy F., who has requested it.
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I had an accumulation of limes sitting on our counter, and rather than squeezing them one or two at a time to make citrus water or soda chanh, I made lime-mint syrup. It’s easy: make a concentrated simple syrup, add flavorings, infuse, filter, then store. I’d imagine that this syrup would also work in cocktails and desserts like sponge cakes and fruit. 🙂
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar; I use organic cane sugar from Trader Joe’s.
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup water
- zest and juice of enough limes to yield 3/4 cup juice — about 8 (give or take) limes
- a fistful of spearmint leaves, washed and roughly chopped
Method
- Place the sugar and water into a sauce pan and heat until simmering. Stir and simmer until all sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and cool so it isn’t too hot to the touch.
- Meanwhile, put the chopped mint into a quart glass jar.
- Once cool enough, zest the limes over the sugar syrup.
- Stir in the lime juice, the pour the syrup into the jar.
- Cap off the jar, and let it steep in the fridge for 2 to 5 days.
- Filter off the solids: I use a fine meshed strainer lined with 4 layers of cheesecloth.
- Store the resulting lime-mint syrup in a well-sealed bottle (or jar) in the fridge.