Remarkably Bright Creatures with Novel Finds (March Bonus)

May 2026 Bonus: Lord of the Rings

The time has finally come to journey to Middle Earth and break down Lord of the Rings. On a scale of 1-10, this series is an 11. I love the books and the films for so many reasons, and couldn’t resist featuring them in this month’s bonus. Research Methods: using Amazon and Goodreads, I filtered to find 60 4 or 5 star reviews for each of the three Lord of the Rings books. Using R, I did some qualitative analysis for common threads, terms, and topics. For example “characters” was a topic so any review containing the word “characters” was flagged for that. From there, I was able to cluster the common themes mentioned in the episode. Recipe: You will need: 1 ¾ cup flour, 1 cup warm water, 2 teaspoons sugar, 1 packet active rise yeast, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 3 tablespoons olive oil for baking, and 2 teaspoons of sea salt for topping if you wish. In a large bowl, whisk together the water and sugar. Then sprinkle the yeast over the surface of the warm water and let it develop for 15 minutes, or until the surface of the water is frothy and doubled in size.In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and Italian seasoning. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl of the stand mixer on medium speed. Continue to stir until a thick, sticky dough forms—about 10 minutes. Cover and let the dough rest for 15 minutes. Grease a baking sheet with olive oil, then spray it with cooking oil to help give the bread a crispy bottom. Pour the dough onto the baking sheet. Do not roll or knead the dough. Drizzle olive oil over the top of the dough. Use your fingertips to press into the dough to make divots. Gently tip the pan from side to side to help the dough reach almost all the way to the corners (it shouldn't fill the pan completely but should reach about ½ inch from the edges all the way around). Cover with plastic wrap greased with cooking spray. Let the dough rise in a warm spot until doubled in size—if your house is on the cooler side, this can take 90 minutes or longer. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Sprinkle additional Italian seasoning on top as desired. Bake for 20-30 minutes, checking every 5 minutes after the 20-minute mark, until the focaccia is puffed up and baked through. The bread should be pale but golden brown around the edges. It will be ready when it is pulling away from the edges of the pan. Let the bread cool on the pan on a cooling rack for 30 minutes. Then lift the bread from the pan and finish cooling on the rack. Sprinkle on the sea salt and enjoy! Follow me on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/themenuscript/] to see the mouthwatering meals I’m making and amazing books I’m reading. You can order this book, or any book, using my Bookshop [https://refer.bookshop.org/rachelschwartzbard] link! Artwork by @stephanieilana [https://www.instagram.com/stephanieilana?igsh=MXRwcnU5ZnV1cWhocw==] Editor: Alex Schmitz Song: Clementi Piano Sonatina Op. 36 No. 3 in C Major ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Restoration Garden and Astral Library

Serving up two books for this grand tour of an English manor. We’ll be dining in the gardens and the library (carefully not spilling crumbs) as we serve up The Restoration Garden by Sara Blaydes and The Astral Library by Kate Quinn. Recipe: You will need: ½ a cup of olive oil, ⅓ cup of lemon juice, 2 Tbsp minced garlic, 1 tsp dijon mustard, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp paprika, salt and pepper to taste, a pound of fingerling potatoes, an onion, 1 pound of chicken breasts, and crumbled feta. Preheat the oven to 425ºF. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, paprika, and salt and pepper until combined. Halve the potatoes vertically, or you can use cubed yukon gold potatoes. Chop the onion into large chunks. Place potatoes and onion on a large sheet pan and pour half of the marinade. Toss with your hands to coat them, then spread the potatoes and onions evenly across the sheet. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes. While that’s cooking, add the chicken to the remaining marinade and make sure they’re fully coated. Take the tray out of the oven, flip the potatoes, and add in the chicken pieces wherever there is space. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked. Garnish with the crumbled feta, serve and enjoy! Pairs well with broccoli, asparagus, or brussel sprouts. History [https://ukbotanicalhistory.com/manor-gardens.html] of the English garden Want some great book recommendations? Check out Book Huddle [https://www.instagram.com/bookhuddle/]! Follow me on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/themenuscript/] to see the mouthwatering meals I’m making and amazing books I’m reading. You can order this book, or any book, using my Bookshop [https://refer.bookshop.org/rachelschwartzbard] link! Artwork by @stephanieilana [https://www.instagram.com/stephanieilana?igsh=MXRwcnU5ZnV1cWhocw==] Editor: Alex Schmitz Song: Clementi Piano Sonatina Op. 36 No. 3 in C Major ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

April 2026 Bonus: Celebrating Booky Spaces

Celebrating independent bookstores and libraries! Thank goodness for these wonderful spaces for book lovers and communities as a whole. Please share your favorite indie bookstores! Also recapping some April reads and sharing excitement of upcoming books. Follow me on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/themenuscript/] to see the mouthwatering meals I’m making and amazing books I’m reading. You can order this book, or any book, using my Bookshop [https://refer.bookshop.org/rachelschwartzbard] link! Artwork by @stephanieilana [https://www.instagram.com/stephanieilana?igsh=MXRwcnU5ZnV1cWhocw==] Editor: Alex Schmitz Song: Clementi Piano Sonatina Op. 36 No. 3 in C Major ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Ft. Laura T)

What do you do when the truth isn’t something people want to hear, and which some are actively denying? That is one of many questions facing Harry in the fifth installment of the Harry Potter series, Order of the Phoenix. In this episode, I enter the Great Hall with Laura from Mugglecast to serve up the emotional core of the story, shifting dynamics at Hogwarts, and the ways Harry and his friends begin to push back when the system fails them. Expect plenty of thoughts on authority, trust, and why this book hits differently on a reread—plus, of course, some fun along the way. Recipe: for the gingersnaps! You weill need: ½ cup of softened butter, ½ cup of brown sugar (white sugar for a crispier cookie), an egg, ½ cup of baking molasses, 2 cups of flour, ½ teaspoon salt. 1.5 tsp baking soda, 1.5 tsp ground ginger, ½ tsp cloves, and ⅓ cup of granulated sugar. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and molasses until well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, ginger, and cloves. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing until combined. Chill the dough in the refrigerator, covered, for 2-3 hours. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Roll the dough into roughly 1-inch balls, roll in the granulated sugar, and place on the baking tray. Bake for 12 minutes and allow to set on the tray for 4-5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Small Business Spotlight: If you’re in or near Essex County in NJ, you must check out The Order [https://www.theordernj.com/]! Located in downtown South Orange, this cafe serves up brunch with fresh, seasonal ingredients and is clearly owned by Potterheads. Dine on “The Dumbledore” - a breakfast option featuring lots of goodies.  Curious to hear more from Laura? Check out Mugglecast [https://mugglecast.com/] for LOTS of Harry Potter coverage spanning every topic you can think of! You can also hear her talk about current events and life on Millennial [https://millennialshow.com/]. Artwork by @stephanieilana [https://www.instagram.com/stephanieilana?igsh=MXRwcnU5ZnV1cWhocw==] Editor: Alex Schmitz Song: Clementi Piano Sonatina Op. 36 No. 3 in C Major ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

ACOTAR (Ft. Jon, That Team Rhysand Guy)

Kicking off season five with a trip to the faerie lands of A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas—a story that proves one questionable decision in the woods can turn your world upside down. That goes for the characters and the readers. I’m joined by That Team Rhysand Guy, Jon, for a talk about fairy tale vibes, dramatic world-building, suspiciously charming characters, and why communication could solve at least 60% of the problems in this book. Whether you’re a longtime ACOTAR fan or just getting into romantasy, this is the podcast for you! Book Recommendations: By the Book by Jasmine Guillory, The Kindred’s Curse Saga by Penn Cole. Recipe: Test your culinary skills with this delicious beef ragu [https://pinchofyum.com/slow-cooker-beef-ragu-with-pappardelle]! Find Jon on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/that.team.rhysand.guy/] to see more of his booky thoughts and Rhysand love! Artwork by @stephanieilana [https://www.instagram.com/stephanieilana?igsh=MXRwcnU5ZnV1cWhocw==] Editor: Alex Schmitz Song: Clementi Piano Sonatina Op. 36 No. 3 in C Major ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.