November 2020
A must-read for feminists, a favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, and sales at some of my favorite brands
Hello friends. If I land in your inbox before midnight, it can still count as a November 2020 edition of From Holly, right? I’m going with yes.
Welcome to the latest installment of my monthly newsletter to share about books, recipes, and other internet-based tidbits. Before we dive in, I want to introduce you to our new puppy, a 10-week-old mini Bernedoodle named Twyla. She’s been with us a week and we are both bleary with exhaustion and overwhelmed by the cuteness. She is very pro-cuddles and straight up adores Jackson. Makes two of us, little girl.
Thanks for that brief indulgence. I’m glad you’re here and hope you are starting to get into the holiday spirit. Without further ado…
Bookshelf
Despite it being Nonfiction November — a month that screams my name! — I had a slower reading pace than usual, due in part to the election, my birthday, Thanksgiving, and the aforementioned new family member. Ultimately, I finished and reviewed three books which I’ll share a bit about below. I’m also going to highlight a book called Impact that released a couple of weeks ago. I had the pleasure of speaking with author Tammy Tibbetts on my first ever Instagram Live.
Reads in October:
Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall |★★★★★
This collection of essays highlights the ways that white feminism has ignored the basic needs of low-income communities and communities of color, creating a false division between feminist issues and issues that affect marginalized groups. It is fantastic and merits attention.
With each chapter focusing on a topic ranging from gun violence to housing to negative stereotypes, Mikki Kendall expertly rides the line between admonishment and invitation. She is not afraid to call out those who would rather focus on "leaning in” than promoting safety for all women. The writing is unapologetic, well-argued, and honest. Kendall urges readers to expand their imagination of what flourishing truly means and what needs to happen to secure that reality for everyone.
Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo | ★★★★★
Girl, Woman, Other is a delightful, unique, and unlike anything I’ve read before. The book follows a group of loosely connected Black womxn across the UK. What struck me most about Evaristo’s work is the way that she highlighted the humanity of each character, never making one out to be better than another, showing the virtues and flaws of each person. Written in an experimental style that is sparsely punctuated and reminiscent of a train-of-thought, reading it felt like sitting at a loud dinner party with people who love each other actively reminiscing and telling stories simultaneously. Once I got into the flow of it, I found it perfectly fit the spirit of the book. I would really recommend this one to most people, especially if you like TV shows like Modern Love.
Waste by Catherine Coleman Flowers | ★★★☆☆
Waste is ostensibly about how sewage issues exasperate poverty, and while author Catherine Coleman Flowers is a respected voice in this space, the book was mostly a memoir of her experience as a community activist over the course of her whole life. While those stories were deeply powerful and interesting, I felt somewhat misled by the subtitle and would have liked more of the nitty-gritty about the issue mentioned and suggested solutions. Had I gone in with different expectations, I bet I’d have liked it a bit more.
Impact by Tammy Tibbetts & Christen Brandt | ★★★★★
I know Tammy & Christen personally and can tell you they are the realest of real deals. They founded She’s the First together which has grown, evolved, and adapted over the years as these two women strive every moment to be their best selves and make a true lasting impact. Their book speaks to those who want to make a difference but need help honing in on the how. Drawing on personal experience and guided exercises to take intention and convert it into action, Impact really has the potential to catalyze lasting change by empowering people who care.
For regular posts & reviews, follow along at @fromhollysbookshelf and in my Bookshop storefront. For my monthly staff picks, visit my WORD page.
*Note: Links listed above are to Bookshop, where I'm an affiliate. I make a small commission off any purchases using those links, and Bookshop uses its profits to support local bookstores. If you have a favorite indie shop, please purchase from them instead!
Kitchen
For my birthday this month, Jackson gifted me such a cool experience: a virtual baking class with a Great British Bake-Off alum, Ian Cumming! We made an opera cake and while my sponge didn’t really turn out, the experience was great fun. In that spirit, I wanted to share with you my current go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe, courtesy of Displaced Housewife.
Toasted Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes ~24 cookies
Ingredients
• 227 grams (1 cup) unsalted butter
• 90 grams (3/4 cup) oat flour
• 220 grams (1 cup, packed) light brown sugar
• 200 grams (1 cup) granulated sugar
• 14 grams (1 Tbsp) olive oil
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 13 grams (1 Tbsp) vanilla extract
• 188 grams (1.5 cups) all-purpose flour
• 5 grams (1 tsp) baking soda
• 3 grams (1 tsp) sea salt
• 213 grams (1.25 cups) roughly chopped dark chocolate
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350*F and line a few baking sheets with parchment paper.
Place the butter in a saucepan and melt over medium heat. Once melted, crank up the heat to medium high. Continue stirring and look for small golden bits settling on the bottom of the pan. It will smell deliciously nutty and caramel-y. This should take ~3-5 minutes. Once there are lots of bronzed bits on the bottom of the pan, take it off the heat and pour into the bowl of an electric stand mixer and place in the fridge to cool down while you prepare and gather the rest of your ingredients. Be sure to scrape all of those delicious brown flavor bits into the bowl.
Add the oat flour to a medium cast-iron skillet and stir over medium high heat until it starts to deepen in color and smell toasty, about 3 minutes. Pour into a medium bowl and set aside.
Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, olive oil, and 1 Tbsp water to the cooled mixer bowl with the browned butter. Run the machine with the paddle attachment on medium for 3 minutes or until thick and well blended. Add in the eggs one at a time, making sure the first is well blended before adding in the second. Add the vanilla and run the mixer for 1 minute more. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure that everything is well blended and set aside.
To the bowl with the toasted oat flour add the all-purpose flour, bread flour, baking soda and sea salt and whisk until well blended. Add to the browned butter mixture stirring until just barely combined and you still see streaks of flour. Add in the chopped chocolate and stir until just combined.
Scoop dough (about 50 grams at a time), roll into a ball, and place on the prepared baking sheets leaving 2 ½ inches between each dough ball. Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for 10 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 10-15 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature.
For snippets of my home cooking with occasional tips & recipes, follow along at @fromhollyskitchen.
Miscellany
A few of my favorite brands are having holiday sales: Conscious Clothing (wonderful clothing made with linen or hemp cotton; code is SHOPSMALL), Bombas (the best socks ever made & who donate to local homeless shelters), Perennial Closet (plant-dyed velvet & silk loungewear) and Hoppe Shoppe (curated home goods).
Last month I release my personal gift guide and I hope you found it useful! For even more ideas, I’d like to direct you to Sarah Bessey’s Gift Guide to Empower. She puts it together every year and I’m always amazed at the variety and care amongst her highlighted shops. She’s the First also compiled a list of products that directly benefit their mission!
I loved this piece from TIME that showcased some of RBG’s collars. Particularly tickled by the one that the Met Opera just gave her when she complimented seeing it on one of the performers.
Introducing your new favorite fun fact! Jackson & recently learned that Brussels sprouts had a real-life glow up when some scientists improved them by breeding out bitterness by crossing modern crops with heirloom breeds. So neat!
As the holidays approach, many families will find themselves short on food or necessities or the means to cover life expenses. Consider using Giving Tuesday (tomorrow!) or any day this season to support local organizations working to meet those needs. Check out food pantries or mutual aid groups as on-the-ground options. If you aren’t sure where to look, start with World Central Kitchen and Feeding America.
…aaaaand that’s a wrap. I’ve got to get a teensy bit of sleep in before our little Twyla girl needs to go outside again! Thanks for coming along, and I hope your December is full of joy & light.
Warmly,
Holly