5 from Fitch: June 2023
You know those friends you have who always offer great recommendations for books to read, movies to see and places to go? That’s us! Every month, our intrepid writers will share five recommendations based on their current favorite things. Have you read a riveting book lately? Seen a movie or show that deeply affected you? Eaten a surprising hors d’oeuvre? Please drop us a line in the comments!
Dianna
Delling
📺 Watching: “Patriot” (Amazon Prime)
What is it?
A two-season Amazon series, created by Steve Conrad, starring Michael Dorman as an aspiring folk singer who’s reluctantly working as an undercover CIA operative while posing as an industrial engineer at a piping company in Milwaukee — and chasing down a mysterious duffle bag on business trips to Europe.
Why I love it.
It’s hard to sell this very quirky drama in a couple of sentences. It’s silly, touching, and well-written, and Dorman is perfect. Not for everyone, maybe, but I think it’s genius.
Becky Oliver DiGenova
🍴 Eating: Caramelized Onions
What is it?
Onions cooked low and slow to remove the bite and bring out their natural sweetness. I slice them very thinly and cook on the stovetop, which breaks down the simple sugars in the onion — the same process that turns table sugar into caramel candy. It can take up to 45 minutes, and you have to keep them moving in the pan, but the only ingredients are onions, heat and patience!
Why I love it.
They have a savory-sweet flavor that’s both rich and delicate and elevates simple dishes, like omelets, turkey burgers and flatbread pizza. Heck, I put them on crackers. They’ll impress your dinner guests because they sound fancy too.
Christine Gibson
📚 Reading: “Circe,” by Madeline Miller
What is it?
A 21st-century retelling of the life of the original witch from the “Odyssey.”
Why I love it.
Spellbinding even if you already know the story. Every phrase is gorgeous, and Miller’s modern style still manages to evoke the chill of the ancient world.
Amy Kover
🌐 Traveling to: Asheville, North Carolina
What is it?
A cool little city with an art scene that is really impressive and accessible
Why I love it.
It’s really interesting to learn how Asheville became the "Paris of the South" when the Vanderbilts built their lavish Biltmore estate there in the late 19th century. A team of artisans moved down there to work on the house and never left!
Caroline Morris
🖼️ Visiting: The Seamus Heaney Exhibition at the National Library of Dublin
What is it?
An exhibition displaying Heaney’s personal life, the history of Irish political strife during The Troubles and his writing in all stages. Since Heaney only died in 2013, there are tons of audio recordings of him reading his poetry, which is a gift we don’t have for a lot of poets, and really brings the exhibit to life.
Why I love it.
Heaney is a poet that really influenced my academic career during college and changed the way I write poetry. He is also a winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature for his poetry on the Troubles in Northern Ireland, which is very significant to me as someone with deep Irish roots. I highly recommend (especially because you can buy his collections there and get them embossed for free!).