Recipe Weekend & Book Review: Benny & Shrimp/

BENNY & SHRIMP COVERI like to venture off into the foreign book section every now and then. I usually come out with an unique, interesting and engrossing book! Benny & Shrimp is no different!

The book follows 2 people as their lives intersect at the local cemetery (in Sweden), and what happens next.

Shrimp is a widow whose sparse all white apartment echoes the emptiness in her soul and character. She mels into the background as everything she wears is neutral or beige. yet her strong intellect serves her well as a childrens librarian. She is coping, but not really enjoying life, when she meets Benny.

Benny has recently lost his mother and he is having a hard time running the family farm by himself. His commitments to family have eclipsed his own yearnings, and now he is adrift, immersing himself in work, to keep his mind occupied. his fear is becoming an old bachelor and having no one to pass the farm on to. yet, he finds it hard to voice his true needs and wants.

When Benny and Shrimp meet, there are no sparks or immediate feelings for each other. It is when a chance occurence in the cemetery makes them both laugh at the same time, that they see possibility and a fellow soul in each other.

The story goes back and forth between their characters points of view, each telling their version of events that have occurred. It was cute that when it was Benny's time there was a row of cows across the page. Shrimp got a stanza of poetry.

As time goes on, they both realize that they are polar opposites-she abhors his mother's cross stitch pictures and the echoes of settling down in his house. He hates her modern world of opera, avant garde plays and fancy dinner parties. Yet....they share something unique- they are either totally right for each other or totally wrong for each other- and they know it.

The precursor to the ending is expected, the ending is not! the author surpizes us, as her characters surprise themselves, giving us hope when things see unsurmountable.

It is easy to get beyond the Swedish localities, culture and names for things, once you get nto the book. the story is universal, it could be west coast/east coast, Southerner/Yankee, young/older-the basic idea is the same. This is a rare little book- it will keep you hooked and keep you wondering what happens later, if there will be a sequel. Always a plus when you don't want to leave the characters!

So go check out this book- I know you'll love it!


Recipe Time! Somehow every time I read the title of this book I thought of Paula Dean and her brother Bubba. Don't ask me why, I just did. So it seemed natural to pull a recipe from her cookbook, The Dean Family Cookbook, to go along with my review of the book!

And lo and behold there it is- my FAVORITE fall chowder recipe-

Corrie's Creamy Corn and Shrimp Chowder

Ingredients:

6 ears corn, kernels cut off the cobs, cobs reserved
2 Tbsp (1/4 stick) butter
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 Cp chicken broth
1/2 Cp heavy cream

salt and pepper
1 1lb.
large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 green onions (scallions), white and light green parts, trimmed and chopped

Directions:

  1. Put the corn cobs into a large pot with just enough water to cover (break the cobs in half if they don't fit). Boil gently for 20 minutes. Discard the cobs and reserve the corn-infused water.
    Substitution: If you're out of fresh corn, you can use frozen corn from the grocery store- it would be 3 cps needed of the frozen corn. Frozen is WAY better than canned, so try to substitute with it. Cook it per bag directions, if you don't have enough water left over for step 2, add water to make needed 3 cps total.
  2. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the corn kernels, chicken broth, cream, and 3 cups of the corn water. Season with salt and pepper to taste and bring to a boil. Lower the head and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the shrimp and simmer until just opaque, 2 to 3 minutes.
  3. Ladle the chowder into soup bowls and garnish with the green onions. Serve hot.
Note: you can also add Ore-Ida O'Brien Hash Browns and reduce amount of corn if using frozen for a really great Fall chowder! You can also sub crab, lobster or crawfish for the shrimp- YUMMY any way you try it!

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