Cyrus (Persian: کوروش) is a male given name and the name of several Persian kings, particularly Cyrus the Great (c. 600–530 BC), but also Cyrus I of Anshan (c. 650 BC), King of Persia and the grandfather of Cyrus the Great, and Cyrus the Younger (died 401 BC), brother to the Persian king Artaxerxes II of Persia.  Find list of real and fictional characters named Cyrus at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrus   

Gnocchi, pronounced ‘n(y)oh-kee’ (singular ‘gnocco’), are a type of pasta consisting of soft, fat and chewy dumplings, typically paired with ragú, tomato or butter sauce.  Traditionally, gnocchi dough is made of semolina or plain wheat flour, egg, and mashed potato.  That being said, gnocchi ingredients may vary, with the additional ingredients or substitutions including cheese, vegetables, and herbs.  Once the dumplings are formed, they are often pressed against a fork, or traditional gnocchi board, to form ridges that improve gnocchi’s ability to adhere to sauce, and create the signature gnocchi shape.  Alternatively, the gnocchi are left as smooth-edged lumps.  Did you know, ‘gnocchi’ in Italian translates to ‘lumps’?  While gnocchi are a traditional Italian pasta shape, what makes them distinct is that they use potatoes as the main ingredient.  Therefore, they're commonly considered to be a dumpling.  Like many dishes in Italian cuisine, gnocchi vary in both name, appearance, and recipe across the regions of lo Stivale.   For example, ‘malfatti’ (literally poorly made) from Tuscany are a version of gnocchi made from spinach, ricotta, and flour.  Also from Tuscany, ‘gnudi’ more closely resembles traditional gnocchi, though contains less flour, resulting in a looser, less chewy dumpling.  Link to recipes at https://pastaevangelists.com/blogs/blog/what-is-gnocchi#:~:text=Once%20the%20dumplings%20are%20formed,create%20the%20signature%20gnocchi%20shape  Thank you, reader!   

Reese Witherspoon has written her first novel, in collaboration with bestselling author Harlan Coben, publisher Penguin Random House (PRH) has announced.  The Oscar-winning actor and the author of the Myron Bolitar series have joined forces to create a thriller, which is to be published in autumn 2025.  The novel, the title of which is still under wraps, is said to be based on an original idea from Witherspoon, and the co-writers “have been developing the concept, creating characters, and writing pages over many months,” according to PRH.  “To say I am a fan of Harlan’s body of work is a massive understatement,” Witherspoon, who founded Reese’s Book Club in 2017, said.  “Scheming with Harlan on how to thrill audiences with mysterious characters and complex narrative twists and turns has already been more fun than I can describe.”   https://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/oct/02/reese-witherspoon-announces-first-novel-co-written-with-harlan-coben   

overling (plural overlings)  noun  (rare) A superior. quotations ▼

From over +‎ -ling on analogy with underling, or as a revived or dialectal term from Middle English overling (“a superior”), equivalent to over +‎ -ling.

A superior. quotations ▼ (UK dialectal) A ruler; master.  Wiktionary  Thank you, reader. 

The earliest known use of the noun overling is in the Middle English period (1150—1500).  OED's earliest evidence for overling is from 1340, in Ayenbite of Inwyt.  https://www.oed.com/dictionary/overling_n?tl=true   

http://librariansmuse.blogspot.com  Issue 2868  October 23, 2024