Chanterelle & Green Bean Casserole

Chanterelle & Green Bean CassaroleThis is a popular Pacific NW version of the traditional Thanksgiving side dish, Green Bean Casserole. Stephanie Kimmel, chef/owner of Marché restaurant in Eugene, turned Thanksgiving’s well-worn green bean casserole into a refined dish. The colorful fresh green beans and chanterelles baked in a homemade white sauce are a serious improvement over the 1950s three-can combo. For toppers, the golden shallot and bread crumb crust out-crunches canned french-fried onions any day. To make things easy on the big day, prepare the beans and sauce ahead. Continue reading →

Can this sourdough starter be saved?

Freeze-dried starterSince it’s October, I decided it was time to dig out my sourdough starter from the back of the fridge and get it ready for some fall baking. The last time I used it was in May, but as always, I fed it well and closed the lid, sure that I would be able to revive it this fall. Normally, a thin layer of green sludge forms on the top, so I remove that to uncover the creamy yellow pudding underneath. I then scoop some of that into a jar, add water and flour, and usually within a week I have an active starter again. Continue reading →

Marketing to Libraries

Librarian checking out booksWhile many indie authors have mastered online sales, even strong-selling writers tend to see distribution to libraries and bricks-and-mortar stores as difficult to impossible. However, they should consider giving it another go. Industry experts and indie authors who have tried to get wider distribution have recently found surprising success—both in expanded availability and greater awareness of their work, in the library marketplace.

According to the American Library Association (ALA), there are over 9,000 public libraries in the United States alone. Each of these libraries is a potential buyer of your book, and even if they buy only one copy, that’s enough to get the ball rolling and have the word about your book spread. Continue reading →