The book this round is Free to Fall, another dystopian teen novel, but this one has some elements that could be happening now (and, as you keep reading, you realize seeds are planted in the early 2010s... creepy!) and may give readers pause to focus so much on technology. Rory is an excellent student, so it's no surprise when she is accepted into Thedan Academy, an elite post high school program in Boston. Her life turns upside down, though, when she discovers her mother (who died giving birth) also went to this school, and left under mysterious circumstances. Rory is determined to uncover the truth, and along the way, uncovers a scandal so big, she isn't sure what to do with her new information.
One of the major plots of the book ties into the food I've chosen to feature. Lux is the thinking app and basically runs your life for you--she (or he, depending on how you set it up) lets you know how long it will take to get somewhere, the best way to spend your weekend and even what coffee order to place. Rory is in a coffee shop, ready to order her usual vanilla latte, when the barista insists she try something else. This turns into a strange friendship, but one that helps Rory break out of Lux's grasp. North, the barista, invites her to join him for lunch.
I was expecting a fast-food place, but Giovanni's was a sit-down restaurant with a handful of white-clothed tables. Giovanni himself was in the kitchen. He greeted North with a bear hug that left a tomato sauce stain on the back of North's T-shirt and quickly went to work on the sandwiches, which, North explained, weren't on the menu. (p 118-119)
He took a bite of his sub. Marinara sauce dribbled down his chin. I examined my own sandwich, wishing I had a knife and fork. 'Just go for it,' North said. 'There's no un-messy way to do it. But after your first taste, you won't care.' He was right. The ingredients by themselves were pretty unremarkable, but somehow together they became oh-my-gosh-you-have-to-try-this delicious.I wished for a second that Lux were running so I could mark this sandwich as my favorite. Then again, Giovanni's meatball sandwich, like North's matcha latte, weren't on anybody's menu, so its flavor profile couldn't be cross-referenced against my consumption history or added to my preference hierarchy. (p 122-123)
Now to track down a meatball sub to make.
I started with my Cook's Illustrated index and pulled out the spaghetti and meatballs recipe, planning to only make the meatball and sauce portion. Then I remembered watching The Barefoot Contessa make some fabulous bread for the garlic bread part and looked up her recipe. I was set!
Meatballs
2¼ c panko (6 oz)
1½ c buttermilk
3 eggs, beaten
2 lbs ground beef
1 lb ground pork
6 oz prosciutto, chopped
3 oz Parmesan, grated (about 1½ c)
6 T parsley, minced
3 garlic cloves, pressed
1½ t powdered gelatin, dissolved in 3 T cold water
1½ t salt
½ t pepper
1. Combine panko and buttermilk in a large bowl, stirring occasionally to form a paste (takes about 10 minutes). Spray two wire racks with oil and place in two foil-lined baking sheets and preheat the oven to 450ºF.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and use your hands to thoroughly (but gently) combine the mixture. Form 2 in round meatballs (about 2 oz each), placing each on the rack as you go.
3. Roast until browned, about 30 minutes, rotating the trays halfway through.
4. Place sauce of choice in a large dutch oven and place browned meatballs in the sauce. Cover and let bake at 300ºF for an hour.
My notes: I halved the recipe and got 21 meatballs. I'm not including the sauce recipe because I recommend using your own favorite sauce, whether that comes from a jar or you make it yourself. This one wasn't 'saucy' enough for a sandwich, so I don't want you to be disappointed. I used french bread instead of ciabatta, as I knew I'd be making subs, and it worked just fine.
It was nice and messy to eat!
Book recommendation: Free to Fall by Lauren MillerRecipe recommendation: Meatball subs
New product recommendation: LaCroix Curate
2 comments:
If you ever need to "unfile" this future NOVEL BOOK EVENT (with or without Giovanni's meatballs), have I got the Piquant Place to do it. Calls for 2017. You host, we read. Miss your presence and picks.
Your excerpt makes me curious to read the rest of the book. I am glad some author is taking up the theme of reliance on technology to run our everyday life. In trying to interpret the little one's expression in the photo, I've come to the conclusion that he was eager for your to finish with photos so he could dig in ;) Thank you so much for your contribution to Novel Food!
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