For what its worth, Michelle Obama created a kitchen garden at the White House. I only know this because I am happy that she is promoting healthy eating and gardening as one of her causes. It's one of mine. From one of my favorite passages in "Farmer Boy." My grandmother also made these. Doughnuts 2 lbs. lard 1 egg 1 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt Pinch nutmeg (that comes from my grandma, not the cookbook) 1 cup sour cream 2 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour Powedered sugar for dusting Safety notes: lard can reach really high temps so use a candy thermometer and don't let it get above 400 degrees (WOW!). Also make sure your utensils are bone dry, since water and oil makes a dangerous splattering situation here! Don't leave this kettle of boiling oil unattended. Also, keep the space next to the kettle on the stove clear in case you have to quick take it off the stove. And last but not least, keep a fire extinguisher (or a box of baking soda) handy if there's a flare up! Melt lard in a kettle over low heat. Beat egg, soda, salt and sour cream in the bowl. Beat in 1 cup of flour until well mixed. Continue towork in the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until you have a dough that can be rolled out. Roll the dough in a strip about 4x16x1/4 inches. With a floured knife, cut into 4 inch strips about 5/8 inch wide. Heat the lard to 375 degrees. Twist a strip like a corkscrew (it will strecth as you do this). Bring ends together and pinch them. Drop the twisted dough into the hot fat. In about 2 minutes the doughnuts should be cooked through. If they brown in less time the fat is too hot, if it takes more than 3 minutes the fat is not hot enough. Remove the hot doughnuts from the pot and drain on brown paper (special kraft paper or old paper grocery bags). Coat generously with powdered sugar. Serve immediately. Note, you can cut these out with a doughnut cutter, but then they have to be turned over in the fat. To me they seem a little bland (which was exactly how grandmas were and I was not super crazy about them) so you might add a little bit of sugar to the mix. Or just squeeze some honey on them to taste!

The Little World of Don Camillo - Giovanni Guareschi (wonderful stories about an Italian small-town priest and his 'chats' with God and his fights with the communist mayor)

Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music? -- Gregory Alan Thornbury

The Non Existent Knight and the Colven Viscount - Italo Calvino