Singer/author Patti LaBelle to sign cookbook at King of Prussia Wegmans store

The new Wegmans store (opened May 2012) in King of Prussia has announced that Patti LaBelle will be signing her third cookbook, "Recipes for the Good Life" next week.

LaBelle, best known for her singing career, also a chef and author, will be at Wegmans King of Prussia on Thursday, Oct. 25, from 6 to 8 p.m., for a free "meet-and-greet" book signing. 

While the event is free, space is limited and purchase of the book at the store (at or in advance of the event) is required. Wegmans advises those who wish to attend to pick up a voucher at any Wegmans service desk ‘That’s T.H.E. Ticket’ location to reserve a space.

"Recipes for the Good Life," written by LaBelle, Judith Choate and Karen Hunter (Gallery Books/Karen Hunter Publishing, 2008, 224 pages) is on sale now at Wegmans for $17.50, a 30% discount off the list price. Books must be purchased at Wegmans to attend.

Wegmans King of Prussia is located at One Village Drive, King of Prussia, PA 19406. It's pretty close to the King of Prussia Mall. For more information, call the store at 484-690-3500. 
For three sample recipes from the book, including Over the Rainbow Macaroni and Cheese, visit the recipes page of Labelle's website. 
 
About the book (from the publisher):
 
"A lot of my memories with my loved ones are set around a dinner table, sharing a meal and sharing good conversation. Food has always been at the center of my joy, from the fish fries my parents had every weekend to the barbecues I have in my backyard today. Food can bring people together, to laugh, to eat, and to simply celebrate life. Most people know me for my voice, and that is truly a gift from God. But food and the ability to share it with others is also a gift — a gift that you can give to those you love. It is with that spirit that I share my third cookbook." — Patti LaBelle

Miss Patti is back, as fierce as ever, sharing more than 100 new recipes that will have your mouth watering and your guests begging for seconds! With dishes ranging from the Over the Top, Top, Top Macaroni and Cheese (with shrimp and lobster!), to the Poached Salmon with Basil Cream Sauce and Fettuccine, to the Tender and Juicy Barbecued Baby Back Ribs, to the Fried Apple Pie, there's something perfect for every occasion. She not only walks you through the preparation of her favorite dishes with ease, but also shares heartfelt and witty stories about food, family, and life throughout the book. Her first two cookbooks were hits and this one is sure to please as well.  

About the author:

Patti LaBelle is an American R&B soul singer and songwriter who began her career fronting the group Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles. The group later changed its name to LaBelle and enjoyed worldwide success with the hit "Lady Marmalade." LaBelle then went solo and had a number of chart-topping songs. She is best known for her passionate stage performances, wide vocal range and distinctive high-octave belting. Her autobiography, "Don't Block the Blessings," remained at the top of The New York Times bestseller list for several weeks. She has also had success with her two previous cookbooks, "LaBelle Cuisine: Recipes to Sing About" and "Patti LaBelle's Lite Cuisine: Over 100 Dishes with To-Die-For Taste Made with To-Live-For Recipes."

'Midwife of Venice' delivers a thriller & a love story

"The Midwife of Venice" by Roberta Rich, Gallery Books (Simon & Schuster), February 2012, 352 pp.

It's obvious Roberta Rich did her research when writing "The Midwife of Venice," her debut novel. Set in the Jewish ghetto of Venice as well as on the island of Malta in the late 1500s, the story is rich in details and history as it follows Jewish midwife Hannah and her beloved husband Isaac Levi, a merchant.

The book was originally published on Valentine's Day, and while it is certainly a love story on one level I would say it's more of a testament to the strength of and rights of women, the gifts of midwives, the sanctity of the Jewish religion, and early gynecological experimentation.Yes, there's a lot going on here.

After delivering many babies, Hannah has invented a contraption she calls "birthing spoons" to assist in difficult deliveries. It seems a lot of babies were gruesomely dismembered in attempts to save the mothers when they were breach or difficult births back in the times of this novel. But Hannah's contraption - similar to forceps, I would guess, but usually seen as witchcraft by an outsider - has helped her to improve her birthing success rate greatly.

Hannah's husband Isaac, whom she deeply loves, has encountered misfortune on a trip to sell some wares. He ends up being sold into slavery on the bleak island of Malta but his quick-thinking and ability to read and write keep him from certain death as a galley slave. He tries everything he can think of to find passage on a ship back to his beloved Hannah.

Meanwhile, Hannah is summoned in the middle of the night to assist in the birth of a nobleman's child. This nobleman is a Christian, and at the time, Christians and Jews were great foes. Hannah's decision to defy her own Rabbi to attend to the birth of a Christian child is considered a great offense. But she does so only because the job will pay enough for her to rescue Isaac.

Rich does a good job of creating suspense, as each chapter of the novel jumps from Hannah to Isaac and each ends with a veritable cliffhanger. I won't give away the ending, but suffice to say there's a lot of suspense to this story. The characters, from Hannah and Isaac to Hannah's sister, Assunta - the nun who helps Issac, and the Count who seeks Hannah's help in the very challenging birth of his child are well developed. But for me, something in the telling was unorganic. I had problems with the flow of the story. It wasn't coming together for me as best or as compellingly as it should.

I was interested enough to finish the novel, and I don't regret reading it. I just didn't love it.

Special thanks to Gallery Books for providing a review copy, which has been claimed by my sister-in-law Sherri who is quite a voracious reader!

Book description from the publisher:

Hannah Levi is renowned throughout Venice for her gift at coaxing reluctant babies from their mothers — a gift aided by the secret “birthing spoons” she designed. But when a count implores her to attend to his wife, who has been laboring for days to give birth to their firstborn son, Hannah is torn. A Papal edict forbids Jews from rendering medical treatment to Christians, but the payment he offers is enough to ransom her beloved husband, Isaac, who has been captured at sea. Can Hannah refuse her duty to a suffering woman? Hannah’s choice entangles her in a treacherous family rivalry that endangers the baby and threatens her voyage to Malta, where Isaac, believing her dead in the plague, is preparing to buy his passage to a new life. Not since The Red Tent or People of the Book has a novel transported readers so intimately into the complex lives of women centuries ago or so richly into a story of intrigue that transcends the boundaries of history. 

ROBERTA RICH

About the author:

Roberta Rich divides her time between Vancouver, British Columbia and Colima, Mexico