FRIDAY FEAST with Jenny Schwarz

Happy Friday and welcome to another fabulous edition of Friday Feast. And what a treat we have this week!

Break out the good china and cock those pinkies because Carina Press author and proud West Australian Jenny Schwarz is here to talk about that most delicious and civilised of traditions, afternoon tea.

Jenny has the most marvellous book out at the moment. It’s a steampunk. Don’t know what steampunk is? Think a Victorian-era parallel world full of brilliant contraptions and technology advanced way beyond what we understand from the time, sometimes even beyond our own modern technology. A great example is the graphic novel series and film, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, but there are many more. Google and ye shall find.

But you know what makes Jenny’s book different and even more exciting? It’s Australian steampunk. How cool is that!

Check it out…

Wanted: One Scoundrel

All suffragette Esme Smith wants is a man. A scoundrel to be precise. Someone who can be persuaded to represent her political views at men-only clubs. As the daughter of the richest man in Australia, Esme can afford to make it worth the right man’s while.

 

Fresh off the boat, American inventor Jed Reeve is intrigued by Esme’s proposal, but even more interested in the beauty herself. Amused that she takes him for a man who lives by his wits, he accepts the job—made easier by the fact that he already shares her ideals. Soon, he finds himself caught up in political intrigue, kidnapping and blackmail, and trying to convince his employer he’s more than just a scoundrel…

Isn’t that fantastic? Definitely one for the to-be-read pile and available right now with a speedy click.

As usual I’ve rabbited on far too much, so time for me to shut up and hand you over to Jenny.

Hi, Cathryn!

Thanks for inviting me to Friday Feast. I’m here to celebrate the joys of afternoon tea, memory and writers’ inspiration—plus Mum’s custard sponge cake recipe

Last year I wrote a steampunk story, Wanted: One Scoundrel set in Western Australia during the goldrush of 1895. Back then, WA was known as the Swan River Colony and ambitious and/or desperate men from the eastern colonies flooded over here to try their luck. My great-granddad was one of them.

Strangely, when I wrote my history-with-a-twist story I didn’t realise great-granddad had arrived in the state that early or that my great-grandma had grown up here. Amazing what you can find out with three tools: Google search, Births, Deaths and Marriages registers and Trove.

But as I thought about my family history I realised that its traditions had been the basis for the afternoon tea scene in Wanted: One Scoundrel. Not that my family were rich—far from it! Great-granddad worked on the railways. But they did enjoy their afternoon tea.

As a kid in the ’70s and ’80s I grew up with Sunday afternoon tea at Grandma’s every other week. Three generations of an extended family would gather around Grandma’s kitchen table to eat, talk and then wander around the garden for more talking!

Social commentators and historians label things “colonial” or “interwar” or “modern”, but in real life, people don’t stop doing something just because the calendar or century has changed. I grew up with the experience of a working class Sunday afternoon tea tradition that started in the colonial days—and it was fun.

The best days were in winter. Grandma had a wood stove and I was allowed to feed it. Once tea was made in a big brown teapot and covered in a tea cosy to steep, another kettle of water was kept simmering on the stove for top ups. We ate scones—yes, even pumpkin ones!—sandwiches (ham and tomato, which when I think about it, maybe went all the way back to great-granddad’s habit of raising his own pigs and smoking his own ham), various biscuits and cakes that changed over time, but I really remember the lamingtons.

Ah, lamingtons. Mum experimented with them once. She’s Polish—which means an entirely different food tradition that Dad’s family never adjusted to. She used a light cupcake mix in place of the traditional sponge cake. It made dipping the squares in the chocolate syrupy mess and then in the coconut much easier. I wonder if anyone has ever taken that idea to the next step and made lamington cupcakes, dipping the mini-cakes?

But when I look back at childhood cakes, my favourite has to be Mum’s custard sponge. Even now, she still uses it as the basis for her famous Christmas trifle. The recipe is decades old, so I’ve no idea where she found it—apologies if I’m trespassing on someone’s copyright, but here is the yummy recipe.

Custard Sponge Cake

Oven temp: Heat oven to 220C (reduced to 160C when cake goes in)

4 eggs

6 oz sugar

4 oz custard powder

1 oz plain flour

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda

2 tablespoons water

Beat eggs and sugar together till thick and creamy, add water and continue beating for a few minutes. While the lovely mix master beats the concoction, sift the dry ingredients together 3 or 4 times then fold gently into the beaten concoction. Pour into a 9 inch greased tin. Heat oven to 220C then reduce to 160C when the cake goes in. Bake for 30 minutes. Don’t let anyone jump up and down in front of the oven during baking, though this actually a fairly robust sponge. Store in fridge, or better yet, in tummy!

I hope I’ve stirred up your memories of afternoon teas and childhood treats. I’d love to go all nostalgic with you, so please share them! Chocolate crackles, anyone? And looking to the future, well, how can we resist afternoon tea at the Writer’s Bar at the Raffles in Singapore? One day…when I’m rich and famous…or when I win Lotto…I hope to see you there!

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Well, I can vouch for this cake because I made it yesterday and it turned out lovely, as you can see from the pics above and to the right. Naturally, I then had to make pot of tea cut myself a slice for my morning break. Gorgeous flavour and wonderfully light texture. I’ll be making this again and perhaps using it in a trifle as Jenny mentioned. Hmm…

Thank you so much for coming on Friday Feast, Jenny. It’s been a delight.

Does any else have any afternoon tea or childhood treat traditions? Honey crackles are mine. Oh, I LOVED those, and don’t get me started on caramel tart. To this day I still can’t resist its sticky sweet lusciousness. What triggers your childhood memories and turns you gooey with want? Please share. We’d love to hear.

If you would like to hear more about Jenny and her wonderful Australian steampunk and paranormal romances, please visit her website. You can also connect via Twitter, Facebook and Google+

Blog visit & giveaway alert

A quick heads up to let you know I’m chatting in the back paddock at Mission Romance this weekend, talking home towns and heartstrings.

Drop over and share the Australian place that resonates most in your heart and you could win a signed copy of my rural-set romance, Promises.

See you there!

 

FRIDAY FEAST with Christina Phillips

Oh, I do love Fridays. Not only is it the end of the week, which means fun, frivolity and very, very soon FOOTBALL, it’s Friday Feast time. And I don’t know about you, but I’m thoroughly enjoying these posts. Everyone has such wonderful food stories to share and today’s guest is no exception.

I am a huge admirer of Christina Phillips. Her writing is beautifully lyrical, her stories compelling and her heroes… well, let’s just say they make me gooey. A lot gooey, in fact. Maximus, Maximus, you sexy Roman hunk of….

Oh, sorry. Where was I? Yes, praising Christina. Wonderful writer. Fabulous books. You must check them out. No, seriously, you must. Forbidden, Captive and soon, writing as Christina Ashcroft, Archangel of Mercy.

Here’s a look at Forbidden to give you a taste.

He was a master of seduction – but no match for the magical allure of the woman he wanted most…

Carys knew from the moment she first spied on Maximus in his naked barbarian glory that he was a dangerous Roman centurion – his taut, battle-scarred flesh marking him as a fearless warrior. But her desire for him was as undeniable as it was illicit.

Charged by his emperor to eliminate a clan of powerful Druids in Britain, Maximus never expects his mission to be thwarted by the clan’s ethereal princess, Carys, his daring voyeur. Falling under her spell, he doesn’t realize her true heritage – until he captures her heart as well as her body.

As Carys’s loyalties are twisted, and freedom is no longer her single-minded obsession, an avenging former lover threatens to crush Maximus’s people into oblivion. Now Carys and Maximus must overcome the devastation of war and face the ultimate sacrifice if their forbidden love is to survive.

Think of it… Maximus in his naked barbarian glory. How can you possibly resist!

Oof. Look at me rabbiting on again. Without further ado, here’s Christina.

Thank you Cathryn for having me on your blog today! I love the idea of your Friday Feast blog posts and all the delicious recipes. I’m sure I’ve whacked on several kilos just by drooling over the photos!

Since I’m a bit of an undomestic goddess I thought I’d chat today about a recent wine tour we enjoyed in the gorgeous Margaret River region of Western Australia. It was to celebrate my husband’s birthday and my daughters discovered a fantastic villa right on the river – Riverzedge Retreat.

Two weeks before the weekend we sat him down and told him we were going away and he needed to take time off work (yes he does need to be told this!) The weekend arrived and the weather was perfect. The villa was stunning and our bedroom was fabulous. I’ve always had a craving to sleep in a four poster bed and although it didn’t quite have the four posts it did have the most gorgeous drapes, and combined with the breathtaking views it was a little slice of heaven!

On the Saturday morning the seven of us trudged down the hill to wait for the tour bus. Aha! As an added surprise we’d told him we were taking the tour bus and I will never forget the look of absolute astonishment on his face when instead of a bus, an amazing white limo pulled up!

I would now love to give a detailed description of every winery we visited and wines consumed. Unfortunately, I enjoyed myself far too much at the first stop with a selection of Chardonnays and Cabernet Sauvignon Merlots and the entire day is one very happy blur!!!

However, I do remember we stopped for lunch at the Voyager Estate with its magnificent Cape Dutch architecture. The grounds are absolutely beautiful and after we’d eaten (I believe more wine was also consumed!) we had a leisurely wander around the lovely rose gardens.

One of the experiences I’ll never forget is the adorable kookaburra that woke us each morning by dive bombing our windows. I’m originally from the UK and a total City girl, and even after living in WA for thirteen years the incredible wildlife still leaves me breathless. It was kind of surreal to hear this kookaburra doing his best to wake us up, then we’d walk out onto the balcony and there he’d be, perched on the rail and giving us the beady eye. It’s the closest I’d ever got to this cheeky bird and I discovered they are a lot bigger than I’d imagined when, as a child, I’d warble “Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree…” We also had a family of ducks who’d waddle right up to the back door looking for edible goodies.

It was a wonderful weekend away with great company, plenty of wine and delicious food (none of which I had to cook and in my book that is a huge bonus!!)

As a side note, when I was researching for my Roman/Druid romances I came across several fascinating tidbits. Apparently the Romans thought it was common to drink wine neat and instead they’d cut it half with water. But what really knocked me sideways was how during the earlier Republic period it was against the law for Roman women to drink wine at all. The reasoning behind this was because, naturally, women were unable to control themselves and if they drank wine they would sleep around. A man was within his rights to kill his wife if he discovered she’d been drinking and in order to discover if she had he would kiss her on the lips! So much for romance Needless to say none of my heroes harbour such barbaric prejudices!

Sigh. That sounds so wonderful. Thanks, Christina. Fabulous post. Margaret River is one of the few Australian wine regions I’ve yet to visit and this just makes me want to go there more. Although I’ll definitely have to drag along the golf clubs so I can wear off all that delicious food and drink with some exercise.

Now, Christina has a special gift for ten lucky commenters. Share your favourite wine region or, if wine isn’t your thing, simply your favourite tipple, and you could score a very attractive and handy present!

Get commenting because entries close midnight, Tuesday, 21^st February Australian Eastern Standard Time. And don’t forget to include your email address or a link so we can contact you. Open internationally.

If you’d like to know more about Christina and her beautifully written books, please visit her website. You can also connect via her blog, Twitter and Facebook.

 

The contest is now closed. Christina has generously offered a prize to all who participated, with details on how to claim in the comments section.

Thank you for joining in the Friday Feast fun!

 

This Writing Life – Gettin’ Back Into The Groove

I can’t believe it’s been nearly a month since I posted about something other than food or cooking. Not that there’s anything wrong with food and cooking. No way. Food is good! Cooking is fun! But change is like a Belgian chocolate truffle. It does the soul much good.

After a month of wrangling boxes, building new bookshelves (oh, thank you, IKEA!), and generally smacking things into some form of organisation, my office is at last looking like a workplace instead of a forgotten back garden shed. I now have a semi-tidy desk and planners on my wall, and my white boards are looking suitably scribbled on with character notes for my next book, up-coming promos and important things like conference and book release dates.

Yes, I have a release date for my next rural set romance, Heart of the Valley. April 26^th is the big day and the start of what will be a very, very busy but fun month, with a library tour of South East S.A. and guest blogging like there’s no tomorrow. I’ll make sure to keep you up to date on all my adventures via my website, Facebook, Twitter and, of course, here.

In the meantime, I’m knuckling down to my next book in between appearances in blogland. This Saturday sees me over at Mission: Romance as part of their “In The Paddock With…” series, discussing places that really resonate in your heart, like home towns. Drop by and share the place that means the most to you and you could win a signed copy of Promises.

Speaking of home towns, if you’re interested in a bit of history then check out this wonderful mini documentary of a typical day in 1960’s Mount Gambier. The film was part of the Department of Immigration’s “Life In Australia” series and it’s incredible to see how much the place has changed.

 

Life In Australia: Mount Gambier

And watch out for Heart of the Valley’s blurb and cover. Coming veeeeery soon!

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FRIDAY FEAST with Loretta Hill

This week on Friday Feast we have the girl in steel-capped boots herself, Australian women’s fiction author Loretta Hill. If you’ve been into a book shop or the book section of a chain store recently, which of course you have, you would have noticed the bright, fun cover of Loretta’s debut release, The Girl In Steel-Capped Boots.

I have this book on my to-be-read pile but I’ve heard some wonderful things from others who have read Steel-Cap, and the reviews have been fantastic. So I’m very much looking forward to reading this book.

Here’s the blurb, and if that whets your appetite and want to read more, check out the excerpt at Loretta’s website.

Let me burst your city bubble for you. This is the Pilbara. And it’s the Pilbara that makes the rules…’

Lena Todd is a city girl who thrives on cocktails and cappuccinos. So when her boss announces he’s sending her to the outback to join a construction team, her world is turned upside down.

Lena’s new accommodation will be an aluminium box called a donga.

Her new social network: 350 men.

Her daily foot attire: steel-capped boots.

Unfortunately, Lena can’t refuse. Mistakes of the past are choking her confidence. She needs to do something to right those wrongs and prove herself. Going into a remote community might just be the place to do that, if only tall, dark and obnoxious Dan didn’t seem so determined to stand in her way . . .

The Girl in Steel-Capped boots is a delectable tale of red dust and romance, and of dreams discovered in the unlikeliest of places…

How cool does that sound? Nearly as cool as Loretta’s foodie adventures in the Pilbara. So without further ado, here’s Loretta to tell you all about them!

I’ve never been a very good cook. Anything that you just slap together, tip out of jar or shove in the oven seems to be my forte. Eating on the other hand… I am the ultimate expert! Ask anyone. I’ve tried it all. Of course, I have my

favourites and I need chocolate at least once a day. But in terms of eating exploration…  I love it! The combination of eating and travelling. Travelling to eat. Travelling to try new eating. Or eating and travelling at the same time. I’m in heaven.

I have a book out this month. It’s called, The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots, set on the Pilbara.  The story is based on some of my own experience living and working in this gorgeous part of Australia. While I was there, I really got into the food. Particularly, the seafood. That’s what the Pilbara eating is all about really. Fish, crabs, prawns, bugs, mussels, eels. I’m talking fresh, top shelf stuff, very reasonably priced and lick your fingers delicious. My mouth is watering just talking about it. In fact, if you’re into fishing, you can have all this and more for free. The number one leisure activity on the Pilbara is fishing. Heading on down to your local beach with a fishing rod or spear gun is like visiting a buffet.

Unfortunately, like cooking I wasn’t that skilled at fishing either so instead I made lots of friends and just tagged along on these fishing expeditions with a packet of buns, a tub of butter and a bag of lemons. Some of best weekends I had was sitting on rocks eating barramundi or coral trout cooked in foil on a portable hotplate. Sometimes the only other accompaniment is a can of beer. Nothing can make you feel more native than knowing lunch was swimming not half an hour before.

If fishing is not your thing and you just want a quick fix. I recommend the Point Samson Yacht club. I loved this place so much I had to put it in my book. So when my heroine needed to take stock I sent her off to this venue to stuff her face full of sea urchins and think- Like you do!! The place is a paradox. It doesn’t look like much. No real landscaping. Most definitely no surrounding yachts docked in the bay. More like a tin shed with a sailing mast pushed into the ground beside it- the only outward indication of it’s true calling.

But the seafood! OMG! We had a work function there one night and I was just stunned by the quantity and quality.  For entree I remember sitting around a couple of wine barrels that were filled with prawns on ice and just shelling and eating. Shelling and eating. It was amazing.

You know, someone should have warned me that after writing this blog I was going to feel hungry. Too bad I’m fresh out cray fish! Oh well, there’s always the back up. Time to raid my chocolate stash.

Eat and be merry!

Oh, Loretta, for a girl who adores seafood that sounds perfect! Think I might have to plan a trip…

Thanks so much for coming on Friday Feast and sharing your adventures.

Now, I bet there are a few readers out there with their own seafood heavens. So fess up, folks. Where’s your favourite seafood place?

For myself, I can’t go past our family’s beach shack in the tiny fishing village of Nene Valley on South Australia’s far southern coast. We used to eat so much crayfish us kids would whinge, “Aww, Mum, not crayfish sandwiches again!” before pleading for a barbecue. Imagine!

If you’d like to know more about Loretta and The Girl In Steel-Capped Boots clomp on over to her website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter and via Loretta’s blog.

FRIDAY FEAST with Helen Lacey

It is with great delight that I welcome this week’s guest, Helen Lacey, to Friday Feast.

Helen hails from from a small coastal town at the southern most point of the Great Barrier Reef, where she lives with her husband, many horses, three spoiled dogs and writes her gorgeous books. Which, I have to say, sounds all rather blissful!

Anyway, from the moment I heard about Helen’s debut novel, Made For Marriage, I couldn’t wait for its release. I mean, she could have written this book just for me!

Take a look and you’ll see why…

MADE FOR MARRIAGE

Equestrian Callie Jones was used to difficult parents at her riding school. But Noah Preston took the cake. How dare he question her teaching abilities, after his headstrong daughter paid no heed to rules—her teacher‘s or her father’s?

Single dad Noah was ready to apologize for overreacting. But he wasn’t sorry for the way the stunning American riding instructor made him feel. And he soon learned that there was more to Callie than her smarts, sass and fire: a shattered heart that threatened to splinter even further. Could he make her see that he—and his family—were for keeps?

See? Romance and horses. What more can you ask for?

Made for Marriage is available now from: Harlequin, Amazon, Amazon UK and Book Depository 

And now, please welcome Helen.

Thank you Cathryn for inviting me to be a part of Friday Feast. It’s fabulous to be able to talk about two of my favourite things – romance novels and food.

Heroes . . . love them in the bedroom and boardroom.

But what about the kitchen?

I’ve been reading romances since I was eleven years old. One fateful day I‘d picked up two novels that were on the bookshelf at my oldest sister’s house – one was called Winds of Enchantment by Rosalind Brett, the other, Bride at Whangatapu by Robyn Donald. I read them quickly and fell hopelessly in love. In the first book, the hero was a tall, blond, rubber plantation owner in Africa named Nick. In the second book, the hero was a tall dark and handsome self made businessman from New Zealand called Logan. These two heroes set me on my path for wanting to read about strong willed, broad shouldered men who have raw vulnerability when it comes to the heroine. The love affair has lasted a few decades, and now as a Harlequin author, I get to spend my days falling in love over and over again with my very own heroes.

And while I like to shake up the occupations of my heroes – cops, cowboys, carpenters, CEO’s  etc, it occurred to me that I never really make them accomplished in the kitchen. Kind to kids and animals, for sure. Good at their job, yes. Skilled in the bedroom, for sure. But in the kitchen – not so much. Which, considering I love to cook, has me wondering why. My heroines do tend to fair a little better – well, some of them. Callie, the heroine in Made For Marriage can’t cook at all and even despairs over slicing and chopping the ingredients for a cold salad. Perhaps it’s my way of making them less than perfect, or some subconscious anti-feminist thinking that I don’t want them intruding into what my mother always called a traditional female domain . . . the mighty kitchen. But since my very talented critique partner is currently writing a book about a chef hero, it’s got me thinking that men who can cook are actually very sexy.

A couple of years ago one of my sisters attended a very fancy function in honour of an uber successful and well known celebrity chef. Now, this gentleman isn’t what I’d call handsome. He has a kind of lived-in, craggy face and what can only be described as an interesting public demeanour. My sister, however, assured me that up close and personal he was certainly attractive. So I asked her why. Self assurance, she quickly explained. The man simply oozed charisma and confidence while he demonstrated his culinary expertise in front of a room full of people. He stood on stage and filleted and flipped and whisked and created dishes with an easy going charm. According to my sister he even made an apron look manly.

Right, so it’s charm and confidence . . . the qualities of many a romance novel hero. Remember Aaron Eckhart’s character Nick, in the romantic comedy/drama No Reservations?  Sexy? Totally. His character had charm and confidence by the bucket load. So my sister and critique partner are clearly onto something. A man who can cook is a man to hook. Wouldn’t a romantic dinner be even more romantic if the meal was prepared by the same man who can close a business deal or rope a steer? I’m thinking absolutely.

So my next hero is definitely going to know his way around the kitchen. I might even give him a speciality dish – like sauces, or spaghetti and meatballs. Or . . . cakes. Right up my ally, because I love cake. I don’t think I’ve ever had a cake I didn’t like. There’s something supremely satisfying about cake. Cupcakes, mud cakes, fruitcakes . . .  a list of endless possibilities. When my husband and I had our sea/tree change a few years ago, I discovered something I’d never had before . . . time. Time to write of course. But also time to make cakes from scratch. No longer was I slave to the quick cooking packet variety. I made Hummingbird cake, banana and walnut cake and an obscenely sweet coconut ice cake. But my favourite was a simple but scrumptious peach upside down cake. Here it is, and I hope you enjoy.

PEACH UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Ingredients –

Topping  

- 500g of ripe peaches (or 1 pound) You can use the tinned variety if fresh are out of season. You have to peel and pit them.

- 75g unsalted butter (or ¼ of a cup)

- 1/3 cup granulated sugar. (Just use normal white if you can’t find)

- 1/3 cup brown sugar

Cake

1 ¼ cups of plain flour

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ cup of unsalted and softened butter

A good pinch of nutmeg and salt

1/3 cup of low fat milk

2 large eggs

½ cup sugar

½ teaspoon of vanilla extract

Prepare

1. Preheat oven
2. To make topping – melt butter, add sugars, crumble the brown sugar through. Cook over medium heat, simmering until mix looks smooth and creamy. Remove from heat.
3. Pour into cake pan (You can touch the sides of pan with a little melted butter) Arrange peaches in pan in concentric circles.
4. To make cake – Mix dry ingredients together. In an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Then beat in eggs. On low speed beat in half flour mixture. Add milk, extracts then the remaining flour mixture until batter is smooth.
5. Spoon batter into cake pan and gently spread an even layer over peaches. Bake for 35 – 40 mins until top is golden brown and a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.
6. Cool on rack and then run knife around edge. Invert onto a serving dish (you might have to replace any peaches that have stuck to pan) Serve warm or cold with whipped cream, ice cream or custard!

So, do you like a man who can cook? Or what has been the best meal the man in your life has cooked for you?

Thanks again Cathryn for having me here today. To celebrate the release of my novel Made For Marriage, I am giving away a copy to one commenter today. Also, everyone who leaves a comment goes into the draw for a chance to win the grand prize of a $50.00 Amazon voucher, and for those who like a little bling, a fabulous silver Pandora Bracelet.

Helen, thanks so much for coming on Friday Feast and sharing your gorgeous recipe. And I concur, a man who can cook is indeed a man to hook!

Want to know more about Helen? Then pop on over to her website for a crawl around. You can also keep in touch via Twitter, Facebook, Helen’s blog and her page at RomanceWiki.

If you’d like to follow the rest of her Made For Marriage Celebration Tour then you’ll find the full itinerary here.

As for the best meal the man in my life has cooked for me, well, I have to say he makes the BEST beef in beer casserole. But he’s also learned to poach eggs just the way I like them. Throw in a nicely brewed cup of tea and a slice of toast, and we’re talking a perfect lazy Sunday breakfast.

And he does the dishes afterwards!

Can’t wait to hear about your kitchen-whizzing menfolk. Don’t forget there’s a great prize up for grabs. Entries close midnight Tuesday, Australian time (which I think is 8am EST in the US), so comment away.

 

UPDATE: Congratulations to Serena who has won a copy of Helen’s debut release Made For Marriage. Please check the comments on how to collect your prize. And a hearty thanks to everyone who joined in the fun!

FRIDAY FEAST with Anne Gracie

This week on Friday Feast it’s my great pleasure to host Regency historical romance author Anne Gracie. I have a lot to thank Anne for. It was during one of Anne’s tutorials at a Romance Writers of Australia conference that I experienced the light bulb moment that changed the way I wrote. So I’m thrilled to welcome Anne today and unashamedly pimp…er…promo her books. Mind you, she’s also about to share something deeeeelicious, so it’s a win-win all round.

Now, I know it’s unlikely but it’s possible you may never have heard of Anne Gracie and her wonderful Regencies, but I bet you’ve heard of the TV series The Tudors. Well, Anne’s responsible for the novelisation of the smash-hit series. Impressive, huh? Yes, we’re talking one seriously talented lady here. A talent perfectly reflected in her latest release, Bride By Mistake.

Eight years ago, Lieutenant Luke Ripton made a hasty wartime marriage-in-name-only to protect a young girl from a forced union and left her protected in a remote mountain convent. Now, Luke is Lord Ripton, but he has been unable to obtain an annulment. Which leaves him no choice but to collect a wife he doesn’t want.

For eight years Isabella has waited like a princess locked in a tower, dreaming of her handsome, dark-eyed prince. Her dreams are shattered when Luke reveals himself not as a prince, but an autocratic soldier, expecting her unquestioning obedience, which is something Isabella’s fiercely independent nature will not tolerate.

Hooked? I bet you are. You can find more information on Bride By Mistake, including an extract, on Anne’s website. And don’t forget to check out Anne’s other books. I can highly recommend her Perfect series. They’re utterly delightful!

Oof, have a look at me rambling on like the besotted fan-girl I am. It’s time I welcomed the lady herself.

Enjoy!

 

The Secret of Gnocchi…

  …. or not, as the case may be.

After the last few Friday Feasts, I thought if I didn’t make a change from the gorgeous chocolate and sweet confections we’d all explode. (Well, I would!)

So I cast around for something a bit different, on which I could actually offer something. And I thought, I know the secret of gnocchi.

It’s not precisely my secret however; it was given to me, many years ago, by that goddess of romance writing, Helen Bianchin.

I still remember my first taste of gnocchi. I was a student, and a group of us had just got back from a camp. We were damp, cold, tired and hungry, and, since we all lived in students digs, nobody was home to make us dinner. So we went over the road to one of the many cheap, delicious Italian restaurants that Lygon St in Melbourne is famous for.

The others had pizza or pasta, but I thought I’d try gnocchi. It was delicious; little oval dumplings of potatoey goodness soaked in rich tomato sauce and topped with cheese. Heaven on a dish.

After that, I’d tried to make gnocchi myself, with conspicuous lack of success. I invariably produced little rubbery chewy things. Horrible, stodgy bullets.

I tried making different kinds of gnocchi — semolina (yum!) pumpkin (delish!), spinach and ricotta (fab!). They all tasted delicious, but whenever I tried to make potato gnocchi — disaster! I tried different kinds of potatoes, tried using bread flour instead of ordinary. Still horrible.

One day I happened to mention to Helen Bianchin that no matter what recipe I followed I always ended up with hard little rubbery lumps.

Helen, being a goddess of Italian cooking, as well as romance writing, checked my recipe. Yes, I used old, floury potatoes. Yes, I had mashed the potatoes well, even tried pushing them through a sieve. No, it wasn’t too wet a mixture.

I assured her that I’d kneaded the mix really well, as the recipes had said, until the dough was smooth.

“Noooo,” she said. “You make gnocchi like scones, using the lightest touch possible.”

So the next time I made potato gnocchi, I treated the mix like scones, mixing it just barely together before forming the little gnocchi balls.

And it was brilliant. From then on, my potato gnocchi have always turned out as they should, and every time I serve up a successful batch, I mentally thank Helen.

So the plan for this blog was to make up a batch of yummy potato gnocchi and take some pics. The trouble is, I’ve been doing a course all week, and going out to dinner after it, and not getting anywhere near shops, and I have no potatoes.

Then I remembered how much I like other kinds of gnocchi, and thought, why not share the spinach and ricotta recipe I use so often? It’s quick and dead easy and delicious. I love it especially at this time of year as I make a variation with lots of fresh basil and pine nuts. It’s light and herby and fresh-tasting, filling without being heavy.

But though I had fresh basil and spinach growing, and I always have pine nuts on hand, I didn’t have any ricotta. I usually buy it fresh, by the wedge, from the market, but because of this course, and the going out afterward, I couldn’t get there in opening times.

Then late last night, driving home past the late night convenience store, I had a brainwave. I whizzed in and sure enough there was ricotta in a 250g tub. Perfect. Or so I thought….

When I opened the tub an hour ago, it looked nothing like the ricotta I was used to; it was smooth, as if it had been whipped. But I carried on regardless. I steamed a handful of spinach and chopped it finely. I minced up some basil and a couple of spring onions, and I mixed it all into the ricotta with an egg and some parmesan, salt, pepper and nutmeg.

All as I usually do.

The mix was a bit looser than usual, so I mixed in a bit of flour, and formed the little dumplings — again, as usual — a spoonful of the mix, lightly rolled in flour.

I slipped them gently, one by one, into boiling salted water… and watched as the dumplings broke up and the salt water turned into a milky-looking brew with green flecks and white lumps…

This was NOT the plan. This is my foolproof and delicious herb gnocchi recipe! These gnocchi were supposed to be firm, tasty and delicious — fit for a foody blog!— not limp blobs in a loose savory custard! The remaining lumps tasted all right, but they looked… well, this is how they looked.

So I dug out another egg, and mixed in some dried instant potato (I keep it on hand to thicken stews.) I tipped out the milky brew and boiled up another batch of salted water.

And lo, this time the gnocchi stayed together. This is how they looked.

I usually serve it simply with melted butter and parmesan and some pine nuts, put under the griller for a few minutes so the parmesan melts and goes toasty, or for something a little more substantial I’ll make a rich tomato sauce, or maybe mushrooms.

But this lot is going in the freezer for another day.

And the moral of the story is… use the ingredients you know and trust.

And also, be flexible. The second lot of gnocchi with the instant mashed potato tastes lovely even if it wasn’t what I’d planned.

But here’s the original recipe — it’s a variation of an old one from the Women’s Weekly.

Ingredients:

250 g fresh ricotta

1 egg

5 or 6 large spinach leaves, steamed, squeezed dry and finely chopped.

Fresh herbs– basil, parsley, mint, whatever, finely chopped.

50 g grated parmesan

salt, pepper, nutmeg.

Mix together, form into little balls, roll in flour, and slide into gently boiling salted water. They’re cooked when they float to the top, a minute or two.

Lift out and put in heatproof dish.

When all are cooked, dot with butter and extra parmesan and pine nuts and bake for a few minutes until cheese is toasty. Or pour over a sauce of your choice, and bake a few minutes until heated through.

So there you are; the secret of gnocchi, the tale of a gnocchi disaster and a recipe that I promise you normally works beautifully. As long as you don’t have strange ricotta.

Do you remember the first time you ate some delicious food? Have you ever taken a tried and true recipe and had it fall apart on you when you least wanted it to?

 

Ahh, this reminds me so much of my first gnocchi attempt. It was like eating a plate full of rubber super balls. Urk!

Thanks, Anne, for such a wonderful, fun post and for sharing your secret. No excuse for rubbery gnocchi now. And I couldn’t agree more about using ingredients you know and trust. So important with cooking.

If you’d like to learn more about Anne and her wonderful Regencies – and I’m sure you do – please visit her website. You can also keep in touch on Facebook, Twitter, her personal blog and with the WordWenches group blog (which is fabulous, by the way).

Now fess up. Like Anne, I want to hear your tried and true disasters. I can’t be the only one who’s suffered this embarrassing fate!

 

FRIDAY FEAST with Shona Husk

Greetings from our first Friday Feast for 2012! And what a great year it’s going to be with a fantastic line up of guest authors interspersed with the occasional ramble from me.

This week I’m delighted to welcome paranormal and fantasy romance author Shona Husk to the series, and not just because of the drool-worthy recipe she’s about to share. Shona’s August 2011 release, The Goblin King, the first in a paranormal romance trilogy about cursed Celtic heroes and their struggle to be free of the Shadowlands, has been generating loads of buzz in romance land, with good reason. Everyone I know who’s read it, loves it and I’m very much looking forward to getting stuck into my copy.

But Shona’s here to celebrate in indulgent chocolately style the release on January 31^st of her novella, BRIGHTWATER BLOOD, from Samhain Publishing. How cool is that title? My mind starts swirling just reading it. But have a listen to this blurb:

To survive, they’ll have to think outside the circle.

Were-lion Lachlan Garvey is closing in on the Brightwater women, the last of a Shamanic line that the Council wants eradicated for their murderous use of magic. One minute he’s in his animal form, examining a dead body in a patch of charred grass. The next, he wakes up human – naked, shot, and lying in a circle of his own blood.

Dayna Brightwater is sure the man she’s bound with a blood spell is the one who just murdered her twin sister. Yet even if she did have the stomach for revenge killing, she doesn’t have the power. But what to do with him now? If she lets him go, he’ll kill her, too.

Trapped in the path of a deadly magical fire, Lachlan has to think fast–and talk faster–to convince the beautiful Shaman he’s innocent. As the roaring flames creep closer, Dayna must choose. Trust Lachlan and use magic to save them both…or flee. And live with the knowledge she caused his death, proving that no Brightwater is capable of love.

Warning: Contains a naked hero who’ll do anything to save his life…including saving hers.

Sounds awesome, doesn’t it? Well, it’s available for pre-order direct from the publisher and on Kindle, so start clicking!

Anyway, enough from me. Take it away, Shona.

 

I love to cook, especially if it involves chocolate. Ice cream, brownies, cookies. Yum. Of course my family reaps the benefit of these tasty treats.

Today I’m going to share a recipe that started as a bit of a challenge. I wanted Toblerone brownies (who wouldn’t, brownies and Toblerone in one mouthful, yum!). The internet was most unhelpful so I set about amending a recipe I had. I have since modified this recipe again so make white chocolate and raspberry brownies (OMG to die for!)

The best part of this recipe is that it’s all done in 1 pot and you don’t need beaters, so there’s very little mess.

If you don’t like chocolate, or calories, look away now.

TOBLERONE BROWNIES

 

Ingredients:

200g unsalted butter chopped

125g dark cooking chocolate

250g brown sugar

3 medium size eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

250g all purpose (plain) flour

40g cocoa powder

125g Toblerone chopped (or choc chips)

100g Toblerone chopped extra. (I like dark, but milk also works or you could mix and match)

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 180C

Line a rectangular cake pan/lamington pan (33 x 23cm) with baking paper.

Melt butter and chocolate in a medium saucepan over low heat until melted.

Stir in sugar, eggs and vanilla.

Then stir in flour and cocoa. Mix well. (I use a whisk)

Add 125g chopped Toblerone and pour mixture into cake pan.

Bake approximately 20-30 minutes. If you like them fudgy 20 mins, or if you like them cakey 30 mins (I always go for fudgy so they are squishy in the middle).

Take out of oven. Sprinkle with chopped extra Toblerone and press into brownies—gently.

Cool, cut and eat. (in that order—trust me they do not cut well hot and they taste better cold)

These will keep in the fridge for four days…maybe longer but I’ve never had the chance to find out as they get eaten too fast.

Because Brightwater Blood is set in Margret River I thought I should offer a wine selection to go with the brownies. I’m not much of a port drinker but hubby recommends Gralyn Cellars White Port.

 

Phew! Now that’s what I call an indulgent recipe. Thanks, Shona. I think I’m going to test this out on my niece and nephews when they come to visit. That way I’ll get to try a slice while remaining safe in the knowledge there won’t be any leftovers for me to scoff.

If you’d like to learn more about Shona and her wonderful paranormal and fantasy romances, please visit her website. You can also keep in touch with Shona via Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

All this chocolate has given me severe cravings, but seeing as I’m trying to be good at the moment – boring, I know – I have to live vicariously through others so would love to hear about your favourite chocolate indulgence. Come on, fess up. I’m sure you have plenty!

I’m baaack!

A belated happy New Year to you all!

It’s been a busy start to 2012 for us, with a big interstate move and all the joy of unpacking and re-organising the house. We are now officially inhabitants of footy central, aka Melbourne, and I never thought I’d say this, but it’s a bit of a culture shock. It’s been twenty years since I finished my agriculture degree at Roseworthy College and moved here to work for a pasture and turf seed company, and while I’ve visited plenty of times in the interim, and wandered around even bigger cities than Melbourne, I can’t seem to get over the traffic and noise and sheer number of people hustling and bustling their way around.

Adjustment will come though, and it’s not like this is forever. Given Jim’s job next year could see us somewhere else. In the meantime, I’ll just enjoy the experience.

And now for some wonderful news. Promises is a finalist in the Favourite  Contemporary Romance section of the Australian Romance Readers Association Awards. I’m so proud to be on that list and offer a very heartfelt thanks to all who voted. Award winners will be announced at the ARRA Awards dinner on the 11th February at Cello’s Restaurant, Castlereagh Hotel, Sydney.

Check out the ARRA website for the full list of awards and finalists. There are some great names there.

And if you aren’t already a member of ARRA, please take a look at joining. It’s a great way to connect with other romance readers and to keep up with all that’s going on in the Australian and international romance world. Plus members have benefits. Lots of book giveaways and other swag type benefits, as well as a very informative newsletter, a conference, lunches, a dedicated discussion loop…the list goes on. All for $20 a year. Bargain.

Friday Feast returns this week with a special guest – paranormal and fantasy romance author Shona Husk. You will not believe the recipe she’s sharing. Talk about drooly. Which is almost the word I’d used to describe the list of authors I have booked for guest appearances this year. Friday Feast is going to be so much fun and if Shona’s recipe is any indication, very, very fattening!

Finally, my Hunter Valley set rural romance, Heart of the Valley, is on its final run through and will soon be off to the printers. Keep your eye out for the cover and blurb, coming soon.

Speaking of which, I’d better get back to work.

Enjoy your summer!

 

Promises now in the Kindle store!

Did you receive a Kindle for Christmas, or perhaps another e-reader? Well, the good news is you can now find Promises in the Kindle store as well as Kobo, Borders and many other e-book retailers.

Pretty damn happy about that!