For anyone who has grown up in the Upper Midwest during the mid-20th century this book presents, in short form, all the things you heard as you were growing up - Lutheran or Catholic. "Ya know, ya gotta watch out for those Lutheran/Catholic kids...they think different 'cause their church is done in Latin." What a hoot! Martin and Nelson have captured the essence of growing up Lutheran in North Dakota or Minnesota!

I was amazed, when I went to this page to get the ASIN # as I was preparing my "Pretty Good" Minnesota Fare list - "Pretty good" meaning real good in Minnesota speak - that this book had not been reviewed at all. Let me remedy that here and now.

For those uninitiated to Scandinavian-American Cuisine (I belong to those who glorify Mary but am familiar with the Lutifisk/Lefse/Rice crowd by geographical, social, and political proximity. See also "Cream Peas on Toast" by the same authors,) Glorified Rice is jello-ed, fruited rice - the recipe for which is helpfully found on page 84. When I first saw the review of this book in the Sunday Fargo Forum (1994), I rushed right out to my local bookstore and got one. (Which was a feat in itself, as North Dakota had only relatively recently repealed the "Blue Laws" mandating that all non-food stores be closed on Sundays so as to encourage employers, employees, and the general populace to sit around all day glorifying rice and God or at least not doing anything "heathen" like going to K-Mart to pick up cleaning supplies.)

The gist of this hilarious and thought-provoking series is that 2 American Norwegian Lutheran farm women got together and "it dawned on us that the world needed us to write a few little books comparing and contrasting such things as Lutheran and Catholic ways, ... and all the baggage and trappings that go with these kinds of things."

Here are some of their "findings":

"They had fish frys...We had Lutefisk suppers

They had Patron Saints... we basically fended for ourselves.

They believe in the infallibility of the Pope...We believe everyone has a few bad days now and then.

They had the shroud of Turin ... We had old bathrobes for wisemen, old sheets for Mary and Joseph, gunny sacks with rope belts for the shepherds in the Christmas play, and other miscellaneous swaddling clothes.

They had miracles...We had Miracle Whip

They danced...We couldn't risk getting that close

They worked on Sundays...We napped on Sundays. They worked in the fields on Sundays... We drove around and looked at the fields on Sundays

They sold indulgences... We sold church anniversary cookbooks and centennial plates.

They had cardinals who wore red hats for investiture ... we wore red hats for deerhunting

They went to St. Paul, MN ... we went to Minneapolis, MN."

I have a 9 month old son who would eat only bread type things! I make scones with fruit in them, with veggies in them, etc. and he loves them! I was so happy to find this book!

I searched high and low for a book on scones, and finally found this one a few years ago. Since then, it has been used frequently. I have tried many of the recipes in it, and without exception have found them to be delicious. The book also contains recipes for spreads you can use on scones. I would highly recommend it for anyone who loves scones.

Every recipe I have tried from this cookbook has been fantastic. There are some wonderful combinations such as orange and chocolate scones. The directions are easy, the ingredients are usually common items that are easy to find and all the recipes I have tried turned out yummy.

Although it is a small book, in size, it is not small in yumminess or easiness. I have to admit that scones have become a staple in our house, due in a large part, to this book.

Enjoy.

There is no waste in this little book. The general information on muffin baking is precise and informative. The recipes are unique, but not off the wall--in contrast to most one-item cookbooks, every one of them is appealing. Definitely try the Pumpernickel Raisin Muffins. They are a great breakfast treat. This is definitely the one book to have on this subject. Also try Totally Teabreads by the same authors for the same consistent excellence. Can't praise them enough!!

I have a lot of cookbooks on my shelf, but this tiny volume is one of my favorites and packs a lot of punch for its size. I have made the blueberry and banana muffins. Both were excellent. The value of this book is outstanding.

You can count on all the recipes in this book being tried and true. My copy is held together by a rubber band because I use it so much. The corn muffin recipe makes the best I've ever had (I add just a little extra sugar, and sometimes use buttermilk) and the cappuccino chip muffins are fantastic (try adding toffee chips). Be sure to try the new "More Muffins" as well as the other books in the series -- Totally Teabreads, Simply Scones, etc. All are reliable.

Well, ja. These women do write better the longer they do this, then. The Martin/Nelson collaboration is funnier - and not as strained - in their later books, (see They Glorified Mary... We Glorified Rice.) But this book is still pretty good. ("Pretty good" meaning "really good" in the self-effacing vernacular of the hardy populace.)

For the unfortunate few unfamiliar with the delicacy, the authors include variations of the basic recipe for Cream ("The correct way to say this is probably 'Cream*ed' Peas on Toast, but the 'ed' is silent like the 'p' in pneumonia") Peas on Toast. And note that: "One Thing that maybe made Cream Peas on Toast Special was that it was always Served on Town (Boughten) Bread. There was a Practical reason for this, too. Homemade Bread didn't fit so well in the Flip-Down-the-Sides Toasters. (See cover photo.) Topped with a Dish of Sauce for Dessert, this Meal was as close to Heaven as most thought they could get here on Earth." Oh, ja, then, and speaking of Heaven and Earth, there is also a 'Pea-in-cheek' explanation of the significance of Peas to Martin Luther and his Protestant Reformation.

Cream Peas on Toast can be the Full Nutritious Meal Deal:
"Grains and Cereals in the Bread Portion,
Dairy from the Cream Portion,
Green Vegetables in the form of Peas
[and] ... if ... Served...with a Side of Spam and some Rhubarb Sauce [there you] have a complete Meal."

In the Beginning, the authors write "A Note ... To Our Former Teachers: In case any of you are reading this Handy Dandy Book, we would like to explain that you taught us well - especially grammar. However, in keeping with the Tradition of many of our general readers and Relatives, you will find that the important words ... are capitalized. These are Comfort words like Services, Congregation, Bread; words for White Foods or things that come from a Cow, words related to God, Religion, Country, ... words for staples such as Lard or Fat ... Moral Decay, Hot as in Hot Meal, Wholesome Wife, Normal, ... 'Puttin'Up,' and 'Makin'Do,' ... The Mrs., The Wife, ... Snow, Prairie." This gentle Minnesota reader found the style somewhat disconcerting - like someone SHOUTING AT ME ONLINE! Being a congregant of the "Minnesota Nice" Synod, all this Shouting makes me uncomfortable.

Also included are nice surprise bonuses - like "A Kryssord for N-LFK's." But the Crossword, and the book, are fun for all. As the full title says, this is "Comfort Food for Norwegian-Lutheran Farm Kids (and Others.) Enjoy!

I have to agree with most of what was written by others. If it were not that this book was written for charitable purposes ... I probably wouldn't have given it 3 stars. I was hard press to find three stories that were worth reading from beginning to end.

I did enjoy looking for the "thick" book, steak and fog in each story. In most of the stories it seemed that the authors stuck in the 3 elements listed as an after thought. The stories I enjoyed most were stories where there was some thought put into the plot.

Because this book was written for charity, I would encourage others to purchase it, read and review it.

With most short story collections, there's usually a common theme. In "The Plot Thickens," each author was required to incorporate the following three things into their story: a thick fog, a thick steak, and a thick book. Most are concealed cleverly and seamlessly in the story, but I still found myself looking for them like it was a Where's Waldo? game. Not surprisingly, most of the authors use a restaurant setting to integrate the steak, but at least Westlake does a little play on of words in his story.

Anyway, on to the following 11 short stories:

"How Far It Could Go" by Lawrence Block is a largely conversational story set in a restaurant, where a woman meets with a man she intends on hiring to "rough up" her ex-boyfriend over a cash settlement. I kept expecting some great twist at the end (never happened); still, not a bad story. >> "Foolproof" by Edna Buchanan -- An Egyptian mummy autopsy reveals a 1000+ year-old murder victim with the same fingerprints as a notorious gang member. Again, the ending didn't impress me, and the story seemed to jump unevenly from scene to scene. >> "The Man Next Door" by Mary Higgins Clark -- A woman's creepy next-door neighbor breaks into her house through their shared basement wall (quite ingenious, in my opinion), in order for him to abduct her and keep her a prisoner in his home. Mary, being the brains behind this whole eradicate-American-illiterarcy thing (which this book donates a percentage to), not surprisingly has the longest "short" story in here, at approximately 40 pages, but it doesn't feel that long. It has an engrossing plot, and good characterization and alternating p.o.v. One of my faves in here.

"Too Many Cooks" by Carol Higgins Clark -- An aspiring actress is called in to play the role of a chef in a commercial, but accidents start occurring on the set. A little predictable about the bad guy, but still good. >> "Revenge & Rebellion" by Nelson & Lauren DeMille -- A woman meets with an old college friend who's now a literary agent, in the hopes he'll accept her manuscript. Another restaurant setting; in fact, two restaurants in this one. Good story, but the suspense twist doesn't happen until the last page. >> "The Last Peep" by Janet Evanovich -- A bounty hunter and her partner-in-training search for the missing body of a Peeping Tom. Strong, unique characters. Quite funny. >> "Going Under" by Linda Fairstein -- A policewoman agrees to go undercover as a dental patient in order to catch a molesting dentist. Reading this one made me glad I never chose to go under while at the dentist's--just to be safe.

"Thick-Headed" by Walter Mosley -- Two men find a dead body in the trunk of a car and get involved in solving the crime. A little confusing, probably because there were so many characters--dead and alive. >> "Love's Cottage" by Nancy Pickard was told in letter form and based on an actual mass murder in 1914. Short, good ending; however, since no motive was ever given in history, it's up to the reader to speculate on it. >> "The Road Trip" by Ann Rule -- A woman is harassed and followed by two guys in a semi-truck while on a road trip. Started out slow, but got better. >> "Take It Away" by Donald E. Westlake -- A police officer and his associates are on a stakeout in order to catch an overseas art smuggler. A great finale to this anthology. I got a laugh out of the ending.

In summary: "The Plot Thickens" is a pretty good mystery anthology. There are some dull stories, some entertaining ones--which can be said for most short story collections--but the majority are very good. Definitely worth reading if you're a fan of one or more of the authors in here.

"The Plot Thickens" is an anthology containing eleven stories from eleven of today's top mystery and suspense writers. To be honest, I hunted this book down solely for Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum short story, but found I enjoyed the whole thing. "The Plot Thickens" was written for a great cause, to raise money to fight illiteracy in the U.S., so you can feel good about where your money is going. Some of the stories are better than others and individual opinions will undoubtedly vary, but each tale includes a thick fog, a thick book, and a thick steak, and it's fun seeing how each author chose to work in those three elements.

1. "How Far it Could Go" by Lawrence Block is probably my least favourite story of the anthology. A man and a woman meet in a restaurant to discuss using violence to dissuade the woman's ex-husband from suing her, but how far will it go? Thin on plot, but Block creates an interesting mood. **1/2

2. "Foolproof" by Edna Buchanan tells the tale of an ancient Egyptian mummy autopsied and fingerprinted for interests' sake. But the findings bring to light a millennia's old unsolved murder and cast doubt on the only foolproof form of crime scene evidence. An intriguing and enjoyable story. ****

3. "The Man Next Door" by Mary Higgins Clark is a great, suspenseful story. When a young woman becomes the latest unwilling houseguest of her serial killer neighbour, the race is on to find her before it's too late. A well-written and exciting tale. *****

4. "Too Many Cooks" by Carol Higgins Clark introduces a struggling young actress who gets a break when she's chosen to play a cook in a steak sauce commercial. But she soon finds herself caught up in some real life drama and betrayal. A fun and entertaining story. ****

5. "Revenge and Rebellion" by Nelson & Lauren DeMille is a deliciously twisted tale. When a woman gives her treasured autobiographical manuscript to her good friend who works as a literary agent, he gets a disturbing glimpse of the world through her eyes. But the aspiring author doesn't take criticism lightly, and lost in her own delusions, there's no telling what she'll do. A very good story. ****

6. "The Last Peep" by Janet Evanovich is a Stephanie Plum story well worth tracking down. This time, bounty hunter Stephanie is on the trail of a burg resident with a penchant for peeping in windows and showing off his personal wares. But when she discovers his dead, naked body, which subsequently disappears, she's thrust into the middle of an exciting, and very amusing, mystery. A mystery that she is bound and determined to solve, with a little help from sidekick Lula and Grandma Mazur. A hilarious, well-written, and wonderful story. *****

7. "Going Under" by Linda Fairstein is a fun and original tale. An ambitious young police officer gets her big chance to make detective, as long as she's willing to let a dentist with wandering hands have his way with her once he puts her under! I really liked this story. ****

8. "Thick-Headed" by Walter Mosley is a good story, though a bit tough to follow. When a man hired to transport a car finds a dead body in the trunk of that car, he goes to his closest friend for advice. And the two of them get themselves in deeper and deeper with angry mobsters, more bodies, and criminal schemes. ***1/2

9. "Love's Cottage" by Nancy Pickard is an original and enjoyable tale. A black servant details her arrival in a strange new household with her husband, and the events that led to a terrible tragedy. ****

10. "The Road Trip" by Ann Rule is an excellent story and one of the anthology's best. When a newly divorced woman heads on a business road trip, it provides her with the welcome opportunity to get away from her maniacal, jealous, and possessive ex-husband. But instead of getting some much-needed relaxation, she finds herself in the midst of a new and infinitely worse nightmare when she becomes the next target of an infamous serial killer. A tightly plotted and thrilling story. *****

11. "Take it Away" by Donald E. Westlake rounds out the anthology nicely. When an FBI agent on a stakeout of a notorious art thief goes to get fast food for his team, a coincidental conversation with the next man in line turns out to be much, much more than it seems. A fun and intriguing tale. ****

Overall, "The Plot Thickens" is an entertaining mystery anthology that will satisfy readers. My favourite stories were the ones by Mary Higgins Clark, Janet Evanovich, and Ann Rule, but each and every one was worth reading. So give "The Plot Thickens" a try, and do your part in the fight against illiteracy.

This book does a poor job of summarizing the actual framework. Probably because Tivoli continues to change the product to keep in the running with its competitors.

As a new Tivoli Administrator, I thought that this book (copyright 1998) would give me a good overview of the product. Unfortunately, the product is a moving target, with frequent updates and patches. Major architecture changes are in the works, with a new version of TME 10 due out in Sept. '98. Unless updated, this book will not be the least bit useful then.