June Book of the Month! Lithuanian Chicago by Justin J. Riskus

Lithuanian Chicago by Justin G. Riskus

Link to buy Lithuanian Chicago (Images of America)

Story Rating: 5 out of 5

Blurb:

Today, there are more than 100,000 Lithuanians in Chicago, making the city home to the greatest concentration of Lithuanians outside of the country itself. Their presence in Chicago began in 1834 and drastically increased during the 20th century as immigrants and their descendants sought work in the stockyards and other industries. Lithuanians in Chicago were dedicated to celebrating and preserving their unique culture, evident in its churches, schools, museums, and community centers in neighborhoods such as Bridgeport and Marquette Park. They also maintained ties to the homeland and played an important role in Lithuanias struggles for independence throughout the 20th century. Many prominent Lithuanian Americans are from the City of the Big Shoulders, including football great Dick Butkus, actor John C. Reilly, and director Robert Zemeckis. The former president of Lithuania, Valdas Adamkus, was a resident of Chicagoland for nearly 50 years.

Review:

As a Lithuanian living in Chicago I found this book to be absolutely fascinating. There were so many topics in this book that I was familiar with while growing up in the Marquette Park area. The photos were a complete blast from the past and I even recognized people I knew as a teenager in high school in some of the dance photos. I found the history of the Sisters of Saint Casimir very interesting since I myself  am a graduate of Maria High School. I was thrilled to see Racine Bakery making it into the book since I think it is fantastic bakery that I visit often. So, all in all I was impressed with the history and culture that was presented in this book and I would recommend it highly to anyone interested in getting a look at Lithuanians in Chicago.

Reviewed by Annmarie

Review: The Addictocarb Diet: Avoid The 9 Highly Addictive Carbs While Eating Anything Else You Want by Bruce Roseman, M.D.

The Addictocarb Diet: Avoid The 9 Highly Addictive Carbs While Eating Anything Else You Want by Bruce Roseman, M.D.

Link to buy The Addictocarb Diet: Avoid the 9 Highly Addictive Carbs While Eating Anything Else You Want

Story Rating: 2 out of 5

Review:

The Addictocarb Diet is based on the idea that some types of carbohydrates are physically addictive, and if a person wants to lose weight, he/she must overcome that addiction and swear off those foods forever. Author Bruce Roseman believes that not all carbs are Addictocarbs, so it's okay to eat the non-addictive variety. In fact, he says that for the first three days of this diet, the only things that a person can consume are shakes made with milk, fruit, and flavoring powder like Slim Fast. Fruit juice isn't allowed because it's an Addictocarb. But fruits like berries and bananas are okay.

After the first three days of all shakes, all the time, Roseman says the addiction to bad carbs will be broken. At that point, it's acceptable to expand one's food alternatives to include vegetables, meat, cheese, etc. The only off-limits foods are the 9 evil Addictocarbs, which are bread, potatoes, pasta, flour, rice, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, fruit juice, and soda pop. Kiss these foods goodbye because this diet is intended to help people lose weight immediately, then keep it off by avoiding the 9 addictive carbs forever.

This book was similar to other low-carb diets, with some key exceptions. For one thing, Roseman is a huge fan of fruit, which is often restricted under low carb plans. This diet also allows people to substitute some of the off-limits Addictocarbs with other items that will serve the same purpose as so-called addictive varieties. For instance, pasta is a no-no, but Roseman allows dieters to eat a brand of pasta called Dreamfields. And while flour is off-limits, it's alright to eat Wasa Crisp & Light 7 Grain Crackerbreads, which are made from wheat.  They can even be crushed and used as bread crumbs in recipes.

Although this diet program seems like the familiar low-carb regimen, it's more confusing than regular low-carb. The book didn't provide a satisfactory explanation for why Dreamfields brand pasta is non-addictive and safe to eat, while other pastas are terrible. Roseman points out that one serving of Dreamfields contains 5 grams of fiber and 7 g of protein, which apparently makes it superior to other pastas. Out of curiosity, I checked my kitchen cabinet and found a package of Fresh Market organic whole wheat penne. It also has 5 g of fiber and 7 g of protein, just like Dreamfields. It's made out of durum wheat just like Dreamfields. Both pastas contain 41 g of total carbs. What's so special about Dreamfields? He does say at one point that if you must eat pasta, you can eat whole wheat, so why specifically mention a brand that doesn't appear to be whole wheat?

Another problem was that you aren't supposed to consume sugar because it's one of the Addictocarbs. At the same time, the author says that Slim Fast and other meal replacement powders can be added to the shakes that make up a central component of the diet. These meal replacement powders are often high in sugar. I went back to my kitchen and pulled out a can of Slim Fast powder. Sugar is the second ingredient on the label, yet sugar is one of the 9 forbidden Addictocarbs that I must avoid forever? What's the difference between the sugar in Slim Fast and the sugar in my sugar bowl that I want to put in my coffee? Which, by the way, is also confusing because Roseman says we can put a scoop of Slim Fast in a cup of coffee, but no sugar. Huh?

And speaking of the shakes that are supposed to break dieters' Addictocarb addiction, Roseman says that regular milk can be used in them, as well as nondairy alternatives like almond or soy milk. I ran back to my trusty kitchen and checked the label on a container of Silk soy milk. Cane sugar is the second ingredient. One cup contains 16 g of sugar.

Overall, this diet plan doesn't seem to add much to the world of low-carb eating, except for a few of its recipes. There were some in the back of the book that sounded good, and which I intend to try. There's even a guacamole that's garlic-free, apparently created for those of us who would like to both eat guacamole and have a love life. But beyond some recipes, this version of low-carb eating left me confused and frustrated. While it would be nice to enjoy a low-carb diet that still includes pasta, wheat crackers, and processed sugar, it's bizarre that those items are simultaneously forbidden and encouraged in Addictocarbs.

Reviewed by Peter 

Review: The Art of EatingThrough the Zombie Apocalypse by Lauren Wilson

The Art of Eating Through the Zombie Apocalypse by Lauren Wilson

Story Rating: 3 out of 5

Link to buy The Art of Eating through the Zombie Apocalypse: A Cookbook and Culinary Survival Guide

Blurb:

Just because the undead’s taste buds are atrophying doesn’t mean yours have to!

You duck into the safest-looking abandoned house you can find and hold your breath as you listen for the approaching zombie horde you’ve been running from all day. You hear a gurgling sound. Is it the undead? No—it’s your stomach.

When the zombie apocalypse tears down life and society as we know it, it will mean no more take out, no more brightly lit, immaculately organized aisles of food just waiting to be plucked effortlessly off the shelves. No more trips down to the local farmers’ market. No more microwaved meals in front of the TV or intimate dinner parties. No, when the undead rise, eating will be hard, and doing it successfully will become an art.

The Art of Eating through the Zombie Apocalypse is a cookbook and culinary field guide for the busy zpoc survivor. With more than 80 recipes (from Overnight of the Living Dead French Toast and It’s Not Easy Growing Greens Salad to Down & Out Sauerkraut, Honey & Blackberry Mead, and Twinkie Trifle), scads of gastronomic survival tips, and dozens of diagrams and illustrations that help you scavenge, forage, and improvise your way to an artful post-apocalypse meal. The Art of Eating is the ideal handbook for efficient food sourcing and inventive meal preparation in the event of an undead uprising.

Whether you decide to hole up in your own home or bug out into the wilderness, whether you prefer to scavenge the dregs of society or try your hand at apocalyptic agriculture, and regardless of your level of skill or preparation, The Art of Eating will help you navigate the wasteland and make the most of what you eat.

Review:

This is the type of book that is best skipping around instead of trying to read straight thru. The author has taken a popular cultural theme and has attached it to a humorous version of “live off the land” survival book. To someone not into the zombie apocalypse, the material gets old fast. I do commend the author for combining the two themes and coming up with a book that rides the current zombie wave.

Reviewed by Joseph

Review: Lithuanian Chicago by Justin G. Riskus

Lithuanian Chicago by Justin G. Riskus

Link to buy Lithuanian Chicago (Images of America)

Story Rating: 5 out of 5

Blurb:

Today, there are more than 100,000 Lithuanians in Chicago, making the city home to the greatest concentration of Lithuanians outside of the country itself. Their presence in Chicago began in 1834 and drastically increased during the 20th century as immigrants and their descendants sought work in the stockyards and other industries. Lithuanians in Chicago were dedicated to celebrating and preserving their unique culture, evident in its churches, schools, museums, and community centers in neighborhoods such as Bridgeport and Marquette Park. They also maintained ties to the homeland and played an important role in Lithuanias struggles for independence throughout the 20th century. Many prominent Lithuanian Americans are from the City of the Big Shoulders, including football great Dick Butkus, actor John C. Reilly, and director Robert Zemeckis. The former president of Lithuania, Valdas Adamkus, was a resident of Chicagoland for nearly 50 years.

Review:

As a Lithuanian living in Chicago I found this book to be absolutely fascinating. There were so many topics in this book that I was familiar with while growing up in the Marquette Park area. The photos were a complete blast from the past and I even recognized people I knew as a teenager in high school in some of the dance photos. I found the history of the Sisters of Saint Casimir very interesting since I myself  am a graduate of Maria High School. I was thrilled to see Racine Bakery making it into the book since I think it is fantastic bakery that I visit often. So, all in all I was impressed with the history and culture that was presented in this book and I would recommend it highly to anyone interested in getting a look at Lithuanians in Chicago.

Reviewed by Annmarie