Eat, Pray, Love, Read, Eat again

I spent a glorious week in the mountains of North Carolina last summer, but insetad of merely enjoying the cool Blue Ridge climes, I found myself transported to an Italian pizzaria, an Indian Ashram and the hut of Indonesian medicine man.
My passport was Elizabeth Gilbert's "Eat, Love Pray," her autobiographical journey through three countries after a soul-splitting divorce. I have to admit after reading her saga I was a bit tempted to check out of my own live - though to be fair on her personal site she warns others not to try this at home.
The Italian portion of the book is filled with making connections to other people through food (an art Italians have mastered), but the most poignant part of the book is her inner journey at the ashram. Those chapters inspired me to return to my yoga practice and to remember the power of sitting still and meditating.
It also made me hungry for some Indian food. I'm lucky that a new Indian place just opened down the street from me so I now have a steady supply of my persona favorite - Naan.
But before then, I used this recipe to create a warm batch to go alongside some tandoor chicken


Naan

INGREDIENTS
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons salt
4 1/2 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons minced garlic (optional)
1/4 cup butter, melted
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let it rise 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.
Punch down dough, and knead in garlic. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, and place on a tray. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
During the second rising, preheat grill to high heat.
At grill side, roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle. Lightly oil grill. Place dough on grill, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter, and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from grill, and continue the process until all the naan has been prepared.

If reading be the food of love ... oh whatever

O.K. I totally mangled Shakespeare on that one, but the point is that great literature inspires - it inspires us to think, to love and - yes - to eat.
This is a book blog that also looks for food and related recipes inspired by recent readings. It's designed to whet your appetite for novels and perhaps give you a few ideas for nosh to have handy between the pages.
If you are hosting abook club, this blog will also suggest a few dishes (and of course wine pics) that will help get members dishing.
Enjoy!