Weekly Veracity
Walking the path of truth May 9th, 2022
“It’s your road, and yours alone. Others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you.”
-Rumi
This feels especially relevant in our current times. Grouping people by identities based up race, gender, political affiliation and social and personal ideology. What I hate most about this is how it lessens the importance of individuals. You are so much more than a group. You alone are responsible for your life.
This week on the podcast
Jen and I are back. Too many great topics to list here but you don’t want to miss this discussion.
“Culture will reward you for victimizing yourself. They are not going to reward you for finding yourself.”
This week’s reads!
As I start to provide weekly book reviews, you may notice I don’t read much fiction, other than historical fiction and classics. That’s because I like to read to learn, not to escape. (Unless I’m on a plane and need to escape an incessantly loud conversation between two strangers who appear to have finally found the friendship of a lifetime in one another. In that case, I read a work of fiction;)
I have created a “dog-ear worthiness” rating system. Dog ears are awarded upon:
readability
relevance of topic
worth the time
teaching
emotional connection
While some books may be spectacular reads, they won’t always fulfill these main elements I look for in a book.
The War on the West by Douglas Murray
I was first introduced to Douglas Murray’s work when I read The Madness of Crowds (which I highly recommend as well). His level of knowledge of both historical and current events is mind boggling. Yet, unlike many intellectuals, he is approachable and down to earth. His wit makes reading about the startling realities of our times a little bit easier to digest. I read nearly the entire book in one sitting, which I do not recommend. You will be angered and down right disgusted to hear of the dismantling of other people’s work that is occurring right before our eyes. These are things you need to know, but consume it in smaller doses than I did. Murray is so approachable that I have now set out to have a conversation with him in person.
Sunflower by Simon Wiesenthal
After this book was mentioned in The War on the West, I immediately ordered a copy from Amazon to find out more. It was a must after exploring forgiveness in Murray’s work and thinking about forgiveness in my own life. Incredibly thought provoking and something I plan to use for discussions with my daughter, Scarlett. Just what is our moral obligation when it comes to forgiving others? This book will help you form an opinion of your own.
Daily Truths
You have a responsibility to know what you believe in and why you believe it.
We need to change the narrative of motherhood.
You can also find more short, daily inspirations and truths on my Twitter account.
EAT Better
Traditional Strawberry Shortcake (gluten-free)
2 pints ripe strawberries, sliced
½ cup organic cane sugar
4 cups gluten free flour ( I use Bob's RedMill one-to-one)
3 tablespoons organic cane sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
5 teaspoons baking powder
1 ¼ cups grassfed butter
3 cups A2 whipping cream
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Gently crush about a quarter of the berries with a fork to release their juices. Mix with remaining berries and the 1/2 cup of sugar. Set aside, covered, for about half an hour to develop flavor.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, salt and baking powder. Add 3/4 cup of softened butter, and rub into dry ingredients. Add 1 1/4 cups cream, and mix to a soft dough. Knead the dough for one minute on a lightly floured pastry board, then roll it out to about 1/2-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter, to cut into even number of rounds - 2 rounds per serving.
Use a little of the butter to grease a baking sheet. Place half the rounds on it. Melt remaining butter and brush a little on the rounds; place remaining rounds on top. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
Remove from the oven, and pull shortcakes apart. Brush the insides with some of the remaining melted butter.
Beat remaining cream until it thickens. Add vanilla. Beat again just until thick.
Place a bottom half of a shortcake on each plate. Top with a generous spoonful of berries. Cover with a top half, add a few more berries, and top with whipped cream. Serve immediately or freeze extra rounds and defrost at room temperature as you plan to serve them.
This is a traditional shortcake, not too sweet. The recipe is a little longer than I usually share but it isn’t complicated or time consuming.