Showing posts with label award winning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label award winning. Show all posts

12/31/2011

Hewitt's Guide to Slam Poetry and Poetry Slam with DVD Review

Hewitt's Guide to Slam Poetry and Poetry Slam with DVD
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Geof Hewitt's Guide to Slam Poetry and Poetry Slam with DVD: This book is a must for all teachers of English and Creative Writing. Hewitt has an easy to understand and charming style which he uses to lay down the Ways and Means of Slam in the classroom. For all the noise about scores and tests, if kids aren't engaged in language - as writers, speakers and creators, educators will have missed the boat. Taking classroom writing to active performance, where, what you say and how you say it becomes IMPORTANT, SCARY, EXCITING, is a brilliant and effective (sometimes even FUN) way of getting kids to value the WORD and how you use it. I use elements of this book in teaching creative writing in rural New York and I find it pays off, not only in wonderful writing and readings , but, by the end of the year, I can hear them from the back of the class, when they read/perform a report on Newton's 3rd Law. And, the book is full of ways to lighten up the competitive aspects of Slamming, so that kids with varied apitudes all can win the language game.

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The history, the rules, organizing, performing, scoring: all these are the elements of a fascinating phenomenon known as "Slam Poetry."Designed and concocted more than 20 years ago in Chicago and what has come to be a "new American artform," slam poetry and poetry slams are lushly written about by veteran poet, Geof Hewitt.Vermont's 2004 state champion, Hewitt is a master of the game but reminds us that"the point is not the points, the point is the poetry."

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2/27/2011

Blue Ribbon Preserves: Secrets to Award-Winning Jams, Jellies, Marmalades and More Review

Blue Ribbon Preserves: Secrets to Award-Winning Jams, Jellies, Marmalades and More
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This book is wonderful! The recipes are outstanding and the selection is impressive -- from jams and jellies to ice cream toppings and pie fillings, and everything inbetween. The text at the beginning of each recipe chapter and the separate chapters on tools and ingredients are very interesting and informative. I appreciate the author's attention to detail and her emphasis on using proper canning techniques so that the food you prepare for your home table will be both delicious and safe to serve.
I have made dozens and dozens of recipes from this book and they have all turned out great -- outstanding flavor with beautiful color and perfect texture. The Salsa Jam, Banberry Jam, Cherry Marmalade, Peach-Pineapple Preserves, Jalapeno Jelly, Strawberry-Raspberry Jelly, Asian Marinade, Basil Marinara Sauce, Pineapple Upside-Down Ice Cream Topping, and many more have become family favorites.
I never had much luck with jams made using the long-cook method, or homemade pectin. They took forever to make, it was nearly impossible to figure out when they were done, and they just never worked right. My jams ended up being either thin and watery or overcooked and hard as rubber. So, I really appreciate the wide variety of traditional and exotic soft spread recipes the author offers that use packaged pectin. Now, my jams turn out perfect every time and they are very quick to prepare. For people who still prefer to make spreads using the long-cook method, there are several chapters in this book filled with many other wonderful recipes that make it well worth the purchase. There are recipes for butters, curds, fruit, juices, vegetables, pickles, sauces, vinegars, syrups, liqueurs, pie fillings and ice cream toppings.
I had never thought about entering my canned goods in a fair competition but, after reading this book, I just might try it myself for fun. It was interesting learning how judges use the USDA standards to evaluate the entries plus the flavor and texture criteria that are used to choose the winners. I now understand the reasons why it is so important to only use the approved, modern methods of canning and processesing, not just for fair competitions, but also for the foods I will serve daily to family and friends.
This is an excellent cookbook and I highly recommend it for both experienced home canners and those who discovering the fun and joy of home canning for the very first time.

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