About BooksNBrew-WA

A little background about Books N Brew

When I started this blog, I didn't know how popular the name Books N Brew was.  There are many Books N Brew companies out there.  This happens to be my little blog about how I love to read and cook.

Here's a little about my background and how this whole thing got started!

I've been an avid reader since the 4th grade.  I took a reading comprehension class that taught you how to look at a word, imagine the word in your mind, and then play it back like a movie!  Wow did this help!  I was reading the Jean Auel Books and that was an eye opener for sure! In the 7th Grade I was reading on a College Freshman Reading Level.  I read young adult books in hours, not days and I even understood it all!

Over the years I've bought, sold, and gave away hundreds of books (my mom says I have gained and lost so much over my "investment").  I always wanted a book store, a cafe, or a Bed & Breakfast.  I love to cook, try new things, and my nose is always in a book! I've been known to toss 50 books in a box and take them to the nursing home to donate.  No I don't ask for the tax deduction,  I just do this to share my books (and at 8+ bucks a pop, it makes me feel good!)

I had never joined a book club, nor had I wanted to.  Reading was a ME time experience.  Until my friends started coming over regularly, treating me like the local library.  I would give recommendations, we'd chat, make some good food and 1 book changed it all!  We all read it, wanted to share it.  Son of the Morning by Linda Howard.  It's a good women's fiction book.  Love, Lust, War, Scotland, need I say more?

We decided that we wanted to share our love of reading, and my knowledge of all these books with some more friends and family.  We wanted to start a book club.  We joked that some of these books were like housewife porn.  These women didn't need a movie, just a good book, we imagine the scenes ourselves!  Since we all loved to cook, we came up with Between the Lines Book Club (it was that or Between the Sheets!).  It was our Girl Night In.  I'd drag out the big suitcase and load a few hundred books for those that came to browse.  We'd each bring some new dishes we wanted to sample and the wine would flow like a flooding Cascade river in winter.

Then life got in the way.  See I was the single, unmarried, kidless reader.  They were either married, had kids, full time jobs, etc, etc. So the visits got farther until we us original three got together with one more book, White Hot by Sandra Brown.  Yeah, it was steamy.  And we loved the lead female character!  So much that our pregnant member decided that it would make a great name for her newborn baby girl.  Sayre.  We all pronounced it Say - Ree.  Between the Lines book club has since retired since the original three no longer live in the same zip code, but I still remain the library.

When BNB began back in 2008, I thought I'd just write down my recipes and make my own cookbook.  Well a Blog is so much better!! And it's instant.  No need for expensive publication, no paper, just write and be read!  If you want to print out a recipe, that's your choice.

BNB does have a few traditions.  The annual St. Pat's Dinner.  It used to be hosted at different kitchens and now family and friends will be begging for the Invite!  We also now host a Gumbo Night in August (can we say yummy!).

Alas our favorite tradition is our Christmas Holiday Gifts.  The very first year it was a decorated Pillar Candle; then came the BNB spice packets (Chipotle and Dill anyone), then my first attempt at applesauce, Irish Soda Bread Mixes and more applesauce AND grape jelly.

2013 was a rough year while I recovered from Viral Meningitis.  I didn't get a chance to make any applesauce, but I did make a few batches of some Special Peanut Brittle.

Every year I look forward to making gifts in my kitchen and sharing them with others.  If you are one of the lucky ones, you know who you are!!

So thank you for stopping by. Hopefully our adventures inspire you to create some of your own!!

Feel free to ask any questions or make comments!!