Taylor Martin

2021

What I'll be reading in 2021

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Over the years, I have had a habit of buying and owning more books than I can keep up with reading. It always happens that I need to read other books for classes or I'm so faulted with being a mood reader that some books sit on my shelves for years without the hope of even being touched. Similarly, I'm a serial series starter and rarely a series finisher.

I've decided that, this year, I will cut through almost half of my owned TBR pile and limit my book accumulation until I have these completed. I will likely not read of all of these books, and maybe I'll go for other books that I own and haven't read, but these are the ones that I have been most eagerly wanting to read and haven't gotten around to yet.

Without further ado, this is what I will be reading in 2021;

Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff

Book two of the Nevernight Chronicle, I was enthralled, horrified, and incredibly intrigued by the first book. I have really high hopes for it, and as I read the first book a few years ago (hard to believe it was already a few years ago), I'm ready to explore this world of assassin boarding schools and vengeance.

Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson

On a similar note, I read Mistborn a few years back and, after recommending the series to my boyfriend, have been pressured to get through the rest of the books. I just finished book two and, though I don't remember as much of the first book as I wish I did, I think I preferred it to the first one. And from what my boyfriend has said while trying to avoid spoilers, I have a lot to look forward to in this installment.

Emma by Jane Austen

After seeing the trailers for the new movie and finding a new appreciation for classics in several literature courses, I knew I had to read this adorable story. I started this novel sometime in high school but the language just didn't connect with me. Now, anything with Regency era matchmaking has my full interest.

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

I do own almost the complete collection of Jane Austen novels, and I have yet to touch any of them. This year, I will change that. I don't know as much about this story as I do Pride and Prejudice and Emma, but I've heard that this is another favorite of many readers.

Circe by Madeline Miller

Just about every account on Instagram has featured this book and its gorgeous cover. I'm not innocent of this. But besides its beautiful design, I love Greek mythology. My Greek mythology course was one of the most fun classes I've taken, and it's one of few classes from which I can still remember most of the information I learned in it.

The Half-Drowned King by Linnea Hartsuyker

This was a surprise find online when looking for fictional Viking books--as one usually does. I'm not sure what to expect from it, but it is loosely based on the story of Ragnavald of Maer, and I love a historic fiction, as you are all well aware.

Enchantee by Gita Trelease

Speaking of historic fiction. This novel that also made its rounds around Instagram will be joined by a sequel sometime this year, so it's probably about time I read it. French is among the many things I've talked about loving to learn in this post, so that was its immediate appeal. Les Miserables holds a special place in my heart, so I am excited for another story based in the French Revolution.

The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

This has taken far too long for me to get to. It sounds exactly like what early high school me was looking for--a story about a very normal girl finding her way into a fantasy. Oh, escapist reading. If anything, I will this book for her and her irrational desire to be the main character of some other land.

The Lost Book of Salem by Katherine Hawk

Another historic fiction, and this one involves the Salem witch trials. Though I believe it takes place in at least fairly modern times, there are so many possibilities for writing stories of that time in U.S. history.

A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab

I wasn't as consumed by the first book, A Darker Shade of Magic, as most were. But I will read the sequel nonetheless because it was interesting and it's always fun to explore different magic systems. I will get better at finishing series!

Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas

And speaking of getting better at finishing series. I adored the entire Throne of Glass series, and part of me thinks that the reason I haven't read this book yet is because I don't want it to end. Another part of me is truly intimidated by its size.

These are the books required by paranormal, Gothic romance course this semester that I will also be reading within the next few months:

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

Soulless by Gail Carriger

Bitten by Kelley Armstrong

The Temptation of Demetrio Vigil by Alisa Valdes

Lost in the Light by Mary Castillo

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler

White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi

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baking

Preheating a passion | Taylor Is Baking

Friday, January 08, 2021

I want a home that forever smells of cookies in the oven. With a bread box that's always full and a pantry made from scratch.

Baking is something I've always enjoyed, but it's never been something I've really thought about. A teaspoon of baking soda here, a splash of lemon there, a resting period for whatever reason. None of what takes place in a recipe ever really made sense to me, I always just followed the steps and wondered where I went wrong when the cheesecake came out lumpy or the bread was a little dense.

There are chemical reactions happening from the moment the first ingredient enter the bowl. There is a science happening the moment the oven is preheated.

Maybe this was common knowledge, but to me, it felt like a well-kept secret.

Like most, each quarantine led to a plethora of new creations, several hours spent in a warm kitchen, and a well-fed boyfriend who looked so sweet when he tried to assure me the creations were good. After a couple of successes, a handful of failures, and a lot of dishes that were very okay, I decided I wanted to learn baking.

I want to learn this secret science.

So, this is the start of my baking journey. For those of you also interested in bettering your baking skills or learning what happens throughout a recipe, I'm creating this series to share my findings and hopefully get a clue as to what I've been doing wrong.

To start this series, I thought I would talk about oven temperatures & baking times.

The simplest way to talk about baking temperatures is probably with cookies because I assume everyone who is reading this has baked a cookie. And because Kansas State University had a nice break down on their website of their research.

They say that setting the oven above 350 degrees Fahrenheit gives the cookie a nice tan color and that caramelization starts at 356 degrees F. This gives you your usual grandma's cookies with the nice browned top.

Their research claims that the temperature of the butter can also play a role in how the cookie comes out. Using cold chunks of butter in the batter means that the butter will melt in the oven and cause the cookie to spread less than when using melted butter. Using melted butter will cause the cookie to spread more. This is because the batter will already be wetter and will spread more.

So for cookies shaped more like small mounds, use colder butter, and for flatter disk-like cookies, use melted butter.

The temperature of this ingredients also changes the texture. Air pockets change the crumb of the cookie. While in the oven, they say that the water in the butter converts to gas and using melted butter creates more, smaller holes and a chewier cookie. Using cold butter creates larger holes and a fluffy cookie.

But back to the oven.

Fine Cooking says that if you wish to make a thin, crispy cookie, use a low temperature and a long bake time. For the opposite, a soft, thick cookie, use a hotter temperature and a shorter baking time. They also recommend baking on the center rack, presumably for achieving the best heat circulation.

My ideal cookie is thick and chewy, so I believe my experiments will best be spent trying cold butter and hot, short bake times. While this will be a trial for the future, I'll be sure to document it on my Instagram at @taylorisreading as I always do.

If you put anything you've learned in this post to use, be sure to tag me on Instagram and use #TaylorIsBaking so I can see and we can learn together!

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college

University: things to note as an incoming English major

Sunday, December 20, 2020

If you love reading, you may want to consider an English major at university. There are so many careers that the skills you learn in this major can apply to--careers that deal with books and learning and careers that don't. Here are some things I've learned and dealt with as a senior with a major in journalism and a minor in English.

The major

Scatter your English classes

The worst feeling is finishing your first week of classes and learning that you have three short essays due a week, four 10-page final papers, and so much reading you have no time for your own. Rather than getting all of your general education classes out of the way as someone in another major might, take some of your major-specific courses every semester and some of your university-required courses every semester.

Don't believe what people say about English majors

If you don't already have a plan in mind for after graduation, speak with your advisor about possible paths that interest you. This resource is so underused for English majors. There are so many different ways to use and English degree and your advisor can point you to credible resources. Also, consider a certificate program through your school early on to advance a specialization. I wish that I had looked into certifications earlier on so I could broaden my scope of careers--areas that interested me were education, library science, and dietary science.

Befriend your advisors

Not only will they help make sure you're on track for graduation, but they will also help you find classes you didn't know existed or help you get into classes that are full. Sometimes there's nothing you can do about a full class, but it doesn't hurt to try! And this tip isn't limited to academic advisors. I frequently email financial aid advisors, advisors for other colleges within the university, library advisors anytime I have a question no matter how small. It's better to ask an easy question and know the answer than not ask and wonder.

Beware of burnout

One thing I've recently struggled with is reading burn out. I've loved reading since I was twelve years old, and it's been hard to catch me without a book since then. Until my to-be-read list was bombarded by Mary Shelley, Charles, Dickens, George Elliot... I've loved all the books I've had to read for class if only because I was being graded to read books and share my opinions on them, but I just haven't had the same zeal for reading in a while because of them. I'm such a mood reader that when people tell me to read, I will find anything else I can do (i.e. my newfound passions for yoga and baking). It's hard to fit so much reading into an otherwise busy schedule, but try to find time for books that pique your interest between the required readings and I think that can help combat the burn out.

The readings

You don't have to read every text

English classes have a lot of assigned reading, that's not a secret. But you don't have to read every single text that you're told to. You will be able to judge what you need to do and what you don't for the course, and often times just learning about a book and its history and listening to in-class discussions is a great supplement to reading the actual book. That's not to say don't read a required text because it doesn't interest you, always give it a try, but if you don't have time for it or you just can't bring yourself to do it, listen to yourself.

Read the supplemental material

There's often a lot of hidden themes and momentum in a work that isn't readily available in most course discussions. There is a wealth of background information found in the history of the work's time period. Learning about the time period, genre, or author's history often provides context that takes the book a level deeper and can lead to more complex paper theses.

Summarize your readings

Reading is likely already a passion of yours if you're an English major, but it's important for in-class discussion to comprehend every section of reading. Details and context mean a lot when discussing themes and characters. Try to highlight at least two or three things that caught your attention that you would like to mention in class.

The organization

Write your own calendar

In a planner, bullet journal, desk or wall calendar write out what you have due each week and when you should have readings done by for the entire semester. Set time aside to add detail to it and personalize it, and find an attractive place to document it that makes you happy to look at it and use it. Use this to track your progress in each class all in one place so you know when you need to work ahead to alleviate work in busier weeks.

Have two checkpoints

In addition to a planner, I also keep a running to-do list for the week. I find that having these two checkpoints where I have written and scheduled each assignment, class, errand leaves little room for me to miss something. It also allows me be aware of what I have coming in the future or later in the week so I can account for how much time I'm going to have then--if I need to start on something earlier than I thought, I'm aware of that.

Look at criteria for large assignments early on

Thinking about midterm and final papers early on leads you to composing theses and ideas while still reading a text. If you're sure that is what you want to do the paper on and maybe you've talked about the idea with your professor, start it then while the text is still fresh in your mind.

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baking

Healthy, vegan lemon & poppy seed scones

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

A note about vegan recipes

A healthy scone doesn't actually exist. Without sugars and thickeners, it just wouldn't be a scone. But there are so many easy, affordable ways to alter foods for a vegan diet or a gluten-free diet or just a clean diet, and I used several of them for this recipe.

I've been on a slow transition to veganism lately. I wouldn't have a strictly vegan diet, at least as of now, but I've always enjoyed vegan foods and just eating a cleaner, veggie-filled diet. I have been reacting differently to dairy products over the past few months, so I believe it was time for the switch anyway.

Looking for vegan recipes on Pinterest is now a hobby--as if I needed more reasons to spend time on Pinterest. One thing I've found interesting is how easy it is to make vegan substitutions. With just cashews and some nutritional yeast, you're about halfway to a block of vegan cheese. And so with this discovery, the baking journey begins.

About the recipe

For this recipe, I made my own oat flour by simply blending up oats in the blender until I had the amount I needed. I did find that I needed more oat flour to get the thickness I wanted than I would have needed for normal all-purpose flour. However, I appreciated the flavor of oat flour much more than normal flour as well as the nutritional aspect of oat flour.

I would like to point out that honey isn't vegan; there may be some kind of vegan honey substitute which wouldn't be shocking in the slightest, but I haven't taken the time to find one. For this recipe, I used honey, but you can use maple syrup or agave nectar or another thick sweetener.

Also, I think we should recognize all the health benefits of poppy seeds! I had no idea how many ways those little, black seeds can help your body. They're full of iron, so if you have genetically low iron like I do, these make great additives to so many recipes to help boost your intake. The seeds also help with sleeplessness, blood pressure, bone strength, body pain, inflammation, diabetes, heart health--the list goes on.

This recipe has been adapted using several other scone recipes and my own taste until I got this mixture that I was pleased with, so I hope you enjoy these healthier lemon & poppy seed scones! If you decide to bake them, I would love to see your creation on the #taylorisbaking hashtag on Instagram.