Culture

REVIEWS

Verbatim will be reviewing new and old books, movies, music, and any other cultural production that sparks interest within the BT community. If you have any recommendations for something newly released or a lost gem that's worth another look, let us know on Instagram @btverbatim.

This month we celebrate the 50th anniversary of a classic American album and revisit a family favorite documentary that makes our cold winter weather seem like a walk in the park.

Carole King's Tapestry Turns 50

By Mary Schinzel

Released in 1971 and making its 50th year anniversary this year is the beloved album Tapestry by Carole King. The album swept the nation with her beautiful voice and intricate songwriting. In the 1970s it seemed like every home had a copy of her album; in 1995 it reached Diamond status (10,000,000 units sold), making it one of the few albums to achieve this milestone.

The album contains twelve beautifully crafted songs that reached across America. Carole King was 29 when she recorded the album, and it features hit song after hit song. The album focuses on the journey that one takes to find him- or herself. The name Tapestry refers to our own “tapestry of life,” and the experiences we have that shape us into who we become. It is a reflection of the past that continues on to the future as we add on, just like a story on a tapestry. King’s music moves people through her poetry and incredible voice with lyrics that stand the test of time, such as in her“Beautiful”:

You've got to get up every morning

With a smile in your face

And show the world all the love in your heart

Then people gonna treat you better

You're gonna find, yes you will

That you're beautiful

You're beautiful

You're beautiful as you feel

The album has become a national treasure that has grown through the decades. Whether it is 1971 or 2021, her music remains popular and continues to enchant listeners.

Happy Feet: Behind the Scenes of One of Nature's Most Amazing Stories

By Kidman Ip

March of the Penguins (2005) is an 80-minute documentary narrated by Morgan Freeman about the journey that emperor penguins take to find a mate and start a family. Although this march doesn’t sound too terribly difficult, there are many obstacles the penguins have to endure, such as finding a mate, mating a healthy chick, and surviving the bitterly cold weather. When the movie begins, the scenery instantly pulls the viewer in. It shows gorgeous sunsets of the Antarctic and the music compliments the cinematography. The first challenge the penguins have to overcome is the walk to find a mate. The path the penguins take is not the same, but the destination results in the same place, year after year. When a penguin seeks interest in another penguin, some females will interrupt this courtship. Then the movie shows an intimate scene of a penguin couple producing life. However, amidst the reproductive event, the weather is only getting colder and the egg is warmed by the penguin’s body. The egg is then passed on to the father while the mother seeks food.

Although the movie shows what happens if the journey is successful, it also shows the hardships many penguins have to go through. Sometimes affairs can go away, and the movie highlights a couple’s relationship that has ended and the penguins go back to the sea. While the mom is searching for food for 125 days, fathers will have no food to take care of the chick. The weather has intensified and the penguins will take turns spending time in the huddle. At this point, the march is only getting harder as time passes because the weather is getting colder and the penguins are getting tired of the long walk (70 miles). The penguins finally find a place to eat food and have hit the ice. When searching for food, they can hold their breath for 15 minutes. The movie then shows a graphic scene where a seal kills a penguin. The fathers are drained but must keep moving, if not, they will die. If the mom doesn’t come back after looking for food, the child will be abandoned so the dad can eat. The moms come back and this is their first time seeing the chick. Sadly, the bitter winds have caused the birds to lose their children. The loss is sometimes unbearable and that the chick doesn’t survive. Some grieving moms will even steal other children. Then a big albatross grabs a baby chick by the neck and pecks at it. The movie ends with the baby chicks living on their own and the parents have to go to the sea. March of the Penguins is an eventful movie and doesn’t stray away from the hardships facing these birds in some of the harshest conditions in the world. Although there are many tragic scenes, there are also many cute and heartwarming scenes. The documentary was an insightful movie that gives a lot of information the audience may not know about. Overall, if you have time and are fascinated by animals, I would recommend this movie to you over spring break!

RECIPES

Spring is right around the corner. Here are some easy and delicious recipes to get in the spring spirit.

By Mia Hatcher and Berlyn Thompson

Spring Salad-

Ingredients-

- 1 bunch of asparagus

- 1/2 cup of peas

- 2 radishes thinly sliced

- 1/2 cup of crumbled feta cheese

- 1/4 cup toasted pistachios

- 1/2 cup roasted Chickpeas

- 1/2 cup avocado

- 1/3 cup fresh herbs (basil, mint chives)

- 1 1/2- 2 cups of salad greens

Dressing Ingredients-

- 1 tbsp lemon juice,

- 1/2 teaspoon of zest (optional)

- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar

- 2 tbsp olive oil

- 1/4 cup basil

- 1 small garlic clove

Directions-

1. put all ingredients together in large bow, mix ingredients together

2. top with dressing

Directions-

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt butter until foaming subsides. Add onion, carrot, celery, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook until vegetables are softened and just beginning to brown, 5-8 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, until aromatic. Stir in split peas.

2. Add ham bone, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon fresh thyme. Stir in chicken stock and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 60-90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until split peas are cooked down and soup is thickened to desired consistency. (Stir more frequently as the soup begins to thicken and add a little additional stock or water if it gets too thick for your tastes.)

3. Add diced ham during the last 15 minutes of cooking. When ready to serve, remove and discard ham bone and bay leaf, and stir in remaining 1 teaspoon fresh thyme. Season to taste with salt, if needed. Serve hot with croutons and cracked black pepper.

Split Pea Soup-

Ingredients-

- 1/4 cup unsalted butter

- 2 cups chopped onion

- 1 cup diced carrot (1/4-inch dice)

- 1 cup diced celery (1/4-inch dice)

- 1/4 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt , to taste

- 1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper , plus

- additional to taste

- 2 cloves garlic , minced

- 1 pound dried split peas , rinsed and sorted

- 1 meaty ham bone

- 1 large bay leaf (or 2 small)

- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves , chopped and

- quantity divided

- 6 cups chicken stock

- 2 cups water

- 1 cup diced ham (1/4-inch dice)

- Garlic croutons for serving

Directions-

1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in eggs, lemon zest and juice. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually stir into creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition.

2. Pour into a greased 8x4-in. loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Combine glaze ingredients; immediately drizzle over bread. Serve warm.

Lemon Bread-

Ingredients-

- 1/2 cup butter, softened

- 1 cup sugar

- 2 large eggs, room temperature

- 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

- 2 tablespoons lemon juice

- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

- 1 teaspoon baking powder

- 1/8 teaspoon salt

- 1/2 cup 2% milk

Glaze-

- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

- 2 tablespoons lemon juice

CREATIVE WRITING

Call for Submissions: The Ivy and the Ashlar

Brownell Talbot's annual creative writing publication is now accepting submissions for its Spring 2021 issue. Students (of all grade levels), faculty, and alumni are encouraged to submit poetry, short fiction, creative nonfiction, drama, photography, and illustration to editor Crystal Huang (crystal.huang@brownell.edu) or through Verbatim's Instagram (@btverbatim).

Our theme this year is hiraeth, which is a Welsh word that expresses "a longing for a place to which you can never return." This theme was chosen to capture the challenging circumstances that many have faced in the past year, and our collective wish that life could return to "normal," but also recognizing that what we once thought was "normal" isn't likely to exist in the future.

Submitted work can reference this theme, but is not required to do so. We're excited to see creative work inspired by any topic or subject matter!

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