Oven-baked risotto requires a Dutch oven for fluid movement between stovetop and oven.  Dutch ovens have a heavy bottom that delivers even, constant heat.  Paired with a tight-fitting top, the lid locks in the heat, ensuring that the top layer of risotto rice bakes at the same rate as the bottom.  Arborio or carnaroli rice are medium-grain rice varieties traditionally used for risotto.  When it comes to rice and starches, there are two types:  amylose and amylopectin.  Amylose is a straight chain, while amylopectin is branched like a tree.  Risotto-friendly rice has a high proportion of amylopectin.  When liquid is added, the liquid finds its way between the branches, loosening them, and breaking them off.  Suspended in the broth, the baby branches thicken the sauce and create its creamy consistency.  Traditional wisdom says that constant stirring aids in the breaking of branches, but a similar result can also be accomplished with vigorous and constant stirring at the end of cooking.  Patty Catalano  Find recipe and pictures at https://www.thekitchn.com/easy-oven-baked-risotto-256190

Bob Dylan is a major writing addict.  His love for literature knows no bounds and, when talking about his favourite authors, speaks with the utmost admiration.  See a list of Bob Dylan’s 40 favourite books at https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/bob-dylan-favourite-books-list-ginsberg-kerouac/  See also https://longreads.com/2020/06/24/tangled-up-in-bob-stories-a-dylan-reading-list/ 

The Dorothy Molter Museum preserves and interprets Northwoods wilderness heritage through learning opportunities inspired by Dorothy Molter, the last non-indigenous resident of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW).  As a private, non-profit organization representing part of the unique and rich history of northeastern Minnesota, the Dorothy Molter Museum strives to not only honor the legacy of its namesake but also, be an active and positive member of the Ely Area community and family of Minnesota museums.  Link to location, hours, exhibits and programs at https://www.rootbeerlady.com/visit/ 

The Fabaceae or Leguminosae (commonly known as the legume, pea, or bean) family is the third largest family of flowering plants, consisting of over 20,000 species.  Legumes are a nutritious staple of diets around the world.  They are an inexpensive source of protein, vitamins, complex carbohydrates, and fiber.  Although used interchangeably, the terms “legumes,” “pulses,” and “beans” have distinct meanings.  A legume refers to any plant from the Fabaceae family that would include its leaves, stems, and pods.  A pulse is the edible seed from a legume plant.  Pulses include beans, lentils, and peas.  For example, a pea pod is a legume, but the pea inside the pod is the pulse.  The entire legume plant is often used in agricultural applications (as cover crops or in livestock feed or fertilizers), while the seeds or pulses are what typically end up on our dinner plates.  Beans in their various forms (kidney, black, pinto, navy, chickpeas, etc.) are just one type of pulse.  https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/legumes-pulses/  See recipes containing legumes at https://www.drgourmet.com/mediterraneandiet/legumes.shtml

Sesame seed has been used as a condiment and a source of edible oil for over 5,000 years.  Its use is as common as topping a sesame seed hamburger bun, sprinkled on a wide variety of Asian dishes, and studding crackers and sweets in South Asian, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Caribbean cuisine.  Sesame seed is the seed of the sesame plant (Sesamum indicum).  The plant is an annual herb with foxglove-like flowers that produce pods containing the edible sesame seeds.  The pods burst open with a pop when the seeds are mature.  The hulls are removed as they contain oxalic acid, which gives a bitter flavor.  The seeds can also be pressed for sesame oil.  Besides use as a condiment, in Asia, the toasted seeds are used to make sesame paste, which is often used as a peanut butter substitute.  In Middle Eastern and Asian cuisine, the untoasted seeds are used to make tahini paste.  White and black varieties of sesame seed are available.  The white has a delicate flavor and can be used in all dishes calling for sesame seeds.  The black seeds have a richer flavor and stronger aroma and are best used alongside other bold ingredients so as not to overwhelm the dish.  Peggy Trowbridge Filippone  https://www.thespruceeats.com/sesame-seed-selection-and-storage-1807805 

Open sesame  phrase  From its use in Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, translating French Sésame, ouvre-toi in Antoine Galland's version of the Ali Baba story in the One Thousand and One Nights, possibly based on an oral Arabic source.  Open up (especially referring to doors)  Open sesame  noun  open sesame (plural open sesames)  Any successful means of achieving a result, especially means that are magical or technical, or otherwise beyond the understanding of most people.  https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/open_sesame 

On November 10, 1969, “Sesame Street,” a pioneering TV show that would teach generations of young children the alphabet and how to count, makes its broadcast debut.  “Sesame Street,” with its memorable theme song (“Can you tell me how to get/How to get to Sesame Street”), went on to become the most widely viewed children’s program in the world.  It has aired in more than 120 countries.  The show was the brainchild of Joan Ganz Cooney, a former documentary producer for public television.  Cooney’s goal was to create programming for preschoolers that was both entertaining and educational.  She also wanted to use TV as a way to help underprivileged 3- to 5- year-olds prepare for kindergarten.  Sesame Street” was set in a fictional New York neighborhood and included ethnically diverse characters and positive social messages.  Taking a cue from “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In,” a popular 1960s variety show, “Sesame Street” was built around short, often funny segments featuring puppets, animation and live actors.  This format was hugely successful, although over the years some critics have blamed the show and its use of brief segments for shrinking children’s attention spans.  From the show’s inception, one of its most-loved aspects has been a family of puppets known as Muppets.  Joan Ganz Cooney hired puppeteer Jim Henson (1936-1990) to create a cast of characters that became Sesame Street institutions, including Bert and Ernie, Cookie Monster, Oscar the Grouch, Grover and Big Bird.  https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/sesame-street-debuts 

Steamboat Bill, Jr. is a 1928 silent comedy film starring Buster Keaton.  Released by United Artists, the film is the last product of Keaton's independent production team and set of gag writers.  It was not a box-office success and became the last picture Keaton made for United Artists.  Keaton ended up moving to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer where he made one last film in his trademark style, The Cameraman, before his creative control was taken away by the studio.  Charles Reisner directed the film, and the credited story writer was Carl Harbaugh.  The film, named after a popular Arthur Collins 1911 song, "Steamboat Bill", also featured Ernest Torrence, Marion Byron, and Tom Lewis.  In 2016, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.  The film is known for what might be considered Keaton's most famous film stunt:  The facade of an entire house falls on top of him while he stands in the perfect spot to pass through the open attic window instead of being flattened.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steamboat_Bill,_Jr. 

http://librariansmuse.blogspot.com  Issue 2285  November 16, 2020