Manic Bookstore Cafe

This week my university, Ohio State, starts our second academic year on semesters. My 19th year at Ohio State. Yikes. But it doesn't really feel like the second time. Last autumn I was working half-time at the Graduate School and only taught one class -- my students and I met three times a week to talk about Russian poetry. It was fabulously fun, but it doesn't really help me with starting this week. In spring semester I was in Warsaw -- again, great teaching experience, but I taught two courses which met once a week for 90 minutes each. Not particularly helpful as I prepare to teach my two undergraduate Russian literature courses this semester -- especially since the autumn semester will actually last about 16 weeks. One thing from last autumn will help -- I remember telling my students that as compared to quarters we were bound to experience several lulls, when we became sick of each other and the course material. I do feel that it's important to prepare -- and control...

I am an enthusiast. There's no doubt about it. When I read something, go somewhere, learn about something, I want to try. I want to share. I want to do it again and again. Since I'm a New York Times reader and an amateur cook, this does not always go well. This week, for example, I tried making jam for the first time (with blackberries, not the NYT recipe blueberries, and the jury is out on whether it jelled or not...). I also made coconut cardamom panna cotta (a true flop). But the sweet corn blini were a hit. Oh wow. We joined our CSA again, Patchwork Gardens , and I picked up the first box of veggies today. The result? Russian-style cucumber and heirloom cherry tomato salad (yum), sauteed zucchini and summer squash with honey and mint (interesting), and sweet corn blini. To be fair, the corn didn't come with the CSA share. But having read the blini recipe the other day, I headed straight for the Brentlinger Farm truck after picking up my beets, tomatoes, onions...