FRIDAY FEAST with Fleur McDonald

Oh, my lovely Feasters, what lucky people we are. Why? Because today on Friday Feast we’re off to the country, that fecund (ooh, I do so adore that word) land where so much of Australia’s fabulous produce originates. And who better to talk about country food and cooking than rural lit queen and best-selling author of Red Dust, Blue Skies and Purple Roads, Fleur McDonald.

Now, if you haven’t read any of Fleur’s books then someone ought to take you over their knee and paddle your bottom with a stale Iced VoVo because these are WONDERFUL books. Not only wonderful but important, because they’re stories about the people we so often take for granted – Australia’s farmers.

Here’s a look at Fleur’s latest release, Purple Roads, to give you a taste…

 

PURPLE ROADS

 

Anna and Matt Butler were childhood sweethearts with a dream of owning their own land, a dream they achieved through hard work and determination.

But as the seasons conspire against them and Matt is involved in a terrible accident, the couple face financial ruin and the loss of their farm.

As they fight for everything they hold dear, they suddenly find themselves caught up in events much bigger and more dangerous than they could ever have imagined.

Purple Roads is a story about maintaining faith in yourself, staying true to your ideals and, most of all, the belief that some things are worth fighting for.

 

Told you. A must-read. As is Fleur’s post!

Thanks Cathryn, for having me over today and especially to chat about one of my favourite things in the world; FOOD!

I am a foodie from way back, but I didn’t start off that way. Uh uh! My mum can’t cook anything but chops and three veg or chops and salad, so I didn’t have the best start into the world of food. However, both of my Nana’s were brilliant cooks – Nana Heaslip’s sponges, homemade bread rolls and chocolate chip biscuits were the world’s best and fed many a hungry shearer or workman. Nana Parnell’s Russian Toffee and pancakes were sublime.

Both Nana’s were also great gardeners (as all good station wives were) and in fairness to my Mum, she got the gardening gene as did my Aunty Jan, but she managed the cooking gene too. I only go the cooking one – can’t stand gardening.

My husband actually taught me to cook – oh I could do small things like chocolate cakes and pancakes, but anything else was a challenge, when I first met him. I remember cooking bacon and eggs for my brother one morning and he sent it back! ‘I like mine cooked a bit more.’ What? How rude!

So painstakingly and carefully, Anthony set about teaching me to read recipes and cook meals.

After a few dinner parties I realized how important food was in the social setting and making people feel comfortable. I announced no one was ever going to leave my house hungry, I was going to serve hearty home-cooked meals that people couldn’t get enough of. And I did. Well, still do. Lamb casseroles cooked on the grill of our tile fire, a joint in the Weber, chicken curries or crumbed lamb chops or steak. All served with homemade bread rolls… Yum! I admit I enjoy the eating side as much as I do the cooking!

I love to experiment with cooking and the place I like to visit most in my kitchen is Italian – an old friend turns forty the same year as I do (we have a little way to go yet, mind you!) but we’ve made a pact we want to go to Italy for our fortieths and eat. Not look at the scenery or anything like that, just eat! (I’m hoping I don’t come back the size of a house… That’s if I actually get to go!)

I think I have more recipe books than anyone I know! Maggie Beer is my all time favourite cook (along with my aunty and sister).

So, even though you may be met at the front garden with a pile of weeds knee high or a dead rose plant, you will be assured of a ‘good feed’ at my house. When are you coming?

 

Nana Heaslip’s Choc Chip Biscuits

Brilliant for hungry kids or shearers!

4 0z butter

2 oz sugar

2 tablesp Condensed Milk

6 oz SR Flour

2 oz dark chocolate (I put mine through a food processer so we get LOTS of little bits!)

Beat butter, sugar and condensed milk to cream.

Add flour and chocolate

Add a little bit of milk if you need to

Roll into balls and place on a tray

Cook in a hot oven for about 10 min until golden on top.

 

Thanks, Fleur. Those biccies sound wonderful. Mind you, anything with condensed milk in it is a winner in my book. AND  this recipe has the added bonus of only using 2 tablespoons of that moreishly sticky-sweet nectar, which leaves the rest of the tin for finger dipp—  er…I mean more *cough* cooking.

So, Feasters, how did you learn too cook? My grandmother taught me to bake but everything else I pretty-much learned myself. What about you? Were you one of those lucky children who, thanks to your foodie family, knew how to make a plate of pasta or cook a roast to perfection before you could walk? Perhaps you’re still learning the basics. Or maybe you’re a trained chef!

Share your experience and you could score one of Fleur’s gorgeous bookclub packs, including a shopping list notepad, bookmarks with bookclub questions, and a fridge magnet.

Closes midnight, Tuesday 17th April 2012 AEST. Australian addresses only.

If you’d like to learn more about Fleur and her rural literature please visit her website. You can also connect via Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

 

This giveaway has now closed. Congratulations to Bec who has earned herself a Fleur book club pack. Thanks to everyone for your wonderful comments. It’s been fun as always.

 

FRIDAY FEAST with Emmie Dark

Greetings, Feasters, and welcome to this Easter edition of Friday Feast. I hope you’re not overdosing on hot cross buns, and remember to be sensible with the chocolate on Sunday.

Actually, on second thoughts, don’t. Go silly. Life’s too short to be abstemious. As my guest today understands!

Emmie Dark is nothing like her surname. She’s light and lovely – just like her newly released debut novel Cassie’s Grand Plan.  I know this because I’ve met Emmie. Over lunch, funnily enough. And today she’s sharing an amazing foodie travelogue, with lots of photos and gorgeous descriptions for us to drool over. Got a hot cross bun handy? You’ll need it because you’re going to be pretty hungry after this post.

But before you start salivating over Emmie’s foodie adventures, feast instead on this!

 

Cassie’s Grand Plan

 

Four steps to a brand-new life

Cassie Hartman knows what she needs to do to get her life under control. First, she’ll get herself promoted. Then she’ll update her appearance. Steps three and four—marriage and family—well, those will have to wait.

Then Ronan McGuire shows up. The too-sexy, too-polished business consultant has the power to derail Cassie’s plans before she’s even really started. If he doesn’t approve her promotion, she’ll be back to square one—and that’s not an option. Cassie needs to keep her focus on that first step, no matter how much Ronan tempts her to skip ahead to the third and fourth ones….

 

Tempting, huh? Well, you know what to do: shop! Cassie’s Grand Plan is in stores right now. You can also order direct from Harlequin, or from Book Depository and Amazon.

 

Keep on moving

 

Hi Cathryn! Thanks for inviting me to join you on your blog – it’s lovely to be here in such esteemed company! Not to mention being given the opportunity to talk about my two loves – romance writing and food.

I’ve just returned from a trip in the USA. I’m fortunate enough to be able to travel quite a bit for my (non-writing) work and one of the perks is getting to eat in some amazing places. On this trip, I managed to have some amazing meals that were all wonderful – but for very different reasons. I know most people talk about their own cooking on your blog, but if it’s okay with you, I’d like to tell you about some of the foodie highlights from one of my favourite cities in the world: San Francisco.

First up, breakfast. I’ve been to San Francisco many times, but on this trip I finally made it to Brenda’s French Soul Food – a San Fran icon, famous for its New Orleans-inspired cuisine. The menu, as you’d expect, is full of southern specialties like grits and biscuits. Can’t say I’m overly fond of grits, but the biscuits (pretty much an over-sized scone to an Aussie like me) were fabulous – light, fluffy and somehow just the right match for my omelette, potatoes and the sneaky but delicious sparkling rosé I indulged in. Intriguingly, the wine was served in a plain tumbler – which had no effect other than to make my indulgence less obvious to others!

Next, lunch. I know it’s not the height of cool or groovy, but I don’t think I’ve ever made a trip to San Fran without going to the Cheesecake Factory. Apart from the ridiculously broad menu and the insanely huge portion sizes, the restaurant’s location on the top of Macy’s department store overlooking Union Square is impossible to beat. And they just happen to stock a delicious chardonnay from Russian River that I’ve become quite keen on. (Don’t be too concerned for my liver – despite appearances so far, I didn’t have alcohol with *every* meal. Just nearly every meal… )

As for dinner? Well, there are so many wonderful places in San Fran it’s almost tough to have a bad night out. Let me tell you about two highlights.

I had an astonishingly good Vietnamese meal at Le Colonial. It’s a well-regarded San Francisco eatery and the food was excellent. I do have to admit that I was with a relatively large group of work colleagues, and we enjoyed some exotic cocktails in the bar upstairs prior to eating which made for some noisy and hilarious dinner conversation. (There I go talking about alcohol again! But really what is a good meal without an accompanying drop?)

Le Colonial’s cocktails were fantastic – not only unusual combinations, but prettily decorated with fresh flowers too. I had something called a Gigi, which included Grey Goose vodka, St Germain elderflower liqueur, Lillet Blanc and a dash of sparkling rosé. Yum!

While in town I was also fortunate enough to sample another San Fran icon – the Wayfare Tavern. Located in the financial district, even on a weeknight this place was pumping and due to our last-minute reservation we weren’t sitting down to eat until well after 9pm. Luckily the food was so good that even though I was feeling more like bed-time than dinner-time, I scoffed what I was served. The Wayfare is famous for its fried chicken, and so, of course, that’s what I ordered.
The reputation is deserved! The chicken was moist, crispy, not at all oily and the coating wasn’t too thick. Served simply with some lemon wedges, it was the epitome of simple elegance – something I have come to appreciate when travelling and eating out every night. There’s only so many dishes of complicated ingredients and complex flavours you can take after a while. Sometimes you need something simple – but good. Wayfare delivered on both counts.

I know that most of your guests contribute a recipe. Unfortunately given that I’ve spent my visit talking about other people’s cooking, it doesn’t really seem appropriate for me to provide one. However I will, if I may, give a plug to the SuperRomance Authors recipe book.

The photo on the front cover is my zucchini and pistachio spice cake with lime frosting – you can find the recipe three clicks in. It’s my never-fail-to-impress baking star and not only does it look fantastic and taste amazing, it’s incredibly easy to make.

Leave a comment and tell me about your favourite dining out dish and I’ll send one lucky commenter a copy of my debut novel, Cassie’s Grand Plan!

 

Okay, I am officially jealous of Emmie Dark. Like, really, really jealous. How sensational did that sound? And check out the SuperRomance recipe book. There are some excellent recipes and Emmie’s cake looks and sounds beautiful.

Now, see Emmie’s book up there with that gorgeous cover and enticing blurb? You could win it. All you need to do is share your favourite dining out dish. So you know the drill, Feasters. Get commenting!

Giveaway closes midnight Tuesday, 10th April AEST. Open internationally.

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

 

A fraction late with this announcement, but this giveaway has closed. Congratulations to our winner, Natalie, and thanks to all who to took the time to comment. Much fun was had!

FRIDAY FEAST with Kaz Delaney

Oh, my lovely Feasters, I am practically squirming with excitement. Today on Friday Feast we have one of the most talented Australian writers around, and if that wasn’t enough, she’s a funny, wonderful person to boot.

I can’t remember which Romance Writers of Australia conference it was – it might have been my first or second – but some woman called Kerri Lane aka Kaz Delaney was MC, and she was hilarious. Her Jenny Cruisie stalker speech in particular had the audience teary eyed with laughter. Now, I had no idea who this woman was (mind you, I didn’t know who Jenny Cruisie was either) but I can distinctly remember thinking, ‘Far out, this woman is funny. She should really write a book.’

Write a book. Yes, well, *clears throat in embarrassment*. It turns out Kaz has written a lot of books, as Kaz Delaney and Kerri Lane, for children, young adults and adults. She is, what you’d call, quite famous, actually.

Which brings me to her wonderful new release. Not so much famous (yet) as…

 

Dead, Actually

 

Dead, Actually is a scathingly funny and sexy mystery set in the depths of Gold Coast society (is that an oxymoron?). Whatever. You’re going to LOL and love it.

Description

Willow’s having a bad week. A dead body, a funeral and now she’s being haunted by the star of it all, the dead queen of Ruth Throsby High herself, JoJo Grayson.
Being dead hasn’t made JoJo any nicer. She’s still venomous and vacuous and, unfortunately, determined to stick around unless Willow finds out what happened.
But the mysteries keep multiplying. There’s a missing phone. An anonymous blackmailer. Dirty secrets that won’t stay buried. And the blame is being cleverly pointed right at Willow.
The only good thing? The gorgeous Seth Pentecost. He’s got his own agenda but it looks like he’s going to help Willow out. Could JoJo’s death be what it takes to finally bring Seth into Willow’s life?

And now I give you the famous funny lady herself, Kaz Delaney.

 

 

If you’ve never had a leg of lamb greet your guests at the door, you’ve never lived

 

Thank you Cathryn for inviting me to share Friday Feast – this weekly blog is indeed a feast for the senses and I adore it, so I’m thrilled to be here. I love reading all the recipes and tips, and want to come to dinner with you all, though after my offering today I suspect not many people will be lining up to come to my place for dinner!!! Mind you, if you DO decide to pop over, I can almost guarantee you of some excitement!

It may not be the kind of excitement that the characters in Dead, Actually are experiencing because, sadly, I don’t have any snarky ghosts on speed dial, despite having seen a few in my life. My dinner parties also won’t involve blackmail. Not often, anyway…

No, my specialty is dinner with that little bit extra thrown in. Sometimes I feel like Tim – that guy from the old Demtel ads: ‘But wait there’s more!’  Trouble is, none of us know what that ‘extra’ will be until it happens. So far it’s never involved a set of steak knives which is a GOOD thing considering every one of those ‘extras’, so far, has been classified under the heading of ‘DISASTER’.  And steak knives and disaster uttered in the same sentence? Ouch. Not even I’ve fallen that far. Yet.

However, before I reveal all and thus plunge myself into that cold, cold pool of humiliation let me say that I love to cook and bake. And though you’ll find it hard to believe – I’m quite good at it. My mother gave up accountancy to become a chef and she was always ahead of trends. Apart from that I love food and love being in the kitchen. I love experimenting and am notorious for never having recipes and have always believed cooking was one of my strongest talents. Closely followed by joke telling and party-karaoke (also called kerri-oke in some circles).

 I’m losing you already, right? ­ ☺ It’s okay – you’re safe. This is a karaoke-free blog.  And besides, no fermented liquids have passed my lips.

So here I am – plunging…

The first experience from my vast repertoire of disasters happened way back in our marriage. I was a (very) newbie-wife and it involved important people (as in dh’s boss) coming to dinner. I had baked a leg of lamb. How safe could you get, right? Besides, I was still a newbie cook as well.

Anyway, just as dh opened the door to our guests, I was pulling the roasting pan from the oven. Now, our flat was small and it had polished floors.

Yep – you can see where this is headed, right?

Distracted by the sound of jovial greetings, I fumbled. The pan tipped and I lost control. Wide-eyed, I watched the lamb joint slip over the edge and hit the floor.

And skate. Right across already mentioned polished floor.

And stop at the front door.

Right at the feet of our guests.

No one said a word. Silence.

I had two choices. I could scream out the back and never return, or pull on my big girl panties. I chose the latter. With as much dignity as I could muster, I simply, calmly, walked to the door, stepped in between the equally stupefied guests and husband, and picked up the errant leg of lamb, turned and carried back into the kitchen. I didn’t say a word.

No one did. Half an hour later, I served it.

I can’t remember those people ever coming back to dinner.

The second also involves a roast and this was only a few year ago. My daughter and her family were on a teaching exchange in Canada, and Nicole, her beautiful Canadian counterpart arrived and we were taking care of her. Introducing her, showing her around etc. On her second night here, we had them (she and her brother) here for dinner. What to serve? We had no idea of their preferences or beliefs so I decided on an array of Aussie things as we had the rest of the family over as well.

So, there I was. A wee bit frantic, ensuring the guests were comfortable. The evening began well, but it was typical of many nights with new people involved. Everyone was trying so hard, but there was just that hint of unease that happens when people don’t yet know each other. Laughing just a tad too heartily and then those moments of awkward silence that people rush to fill…

Well baby – did I have the panacea for that…

One of those food choices was a roasting joint and I was in the midst of making my special gravy to serve on the side when this particular disaster happened.

My gravy-making dish was an oven-proof glass roasting pan that had been passed down from Mum and used a trillion times. It was fabulous but apparently it was rapidly reaching its use-by date. So, there I was, standing over the hotplates, stirring the gravy when there was the most ear-shattering sound. Everyone rushed down to the kitchen…

And suddenly the laughter wasn’t forced. Or over-hearty.

It was spontaneous and knee-weakening. People who’d met merely minutes before clung to each other. Some flopped onto the floor. Tears flowed freely down cheeks – though not one was cried in sorrow. Shrieks of laugher filled the whole house and my annoyed indignation did nothing to abate that.

Why? Exploding gravy. That scrumptiously tasty gravy exploded. Not only did the glass pan go off like a bomb, it rained gravy all over me. My face, my hair, my carefully chosen clothes. It dripped off my nose, my eyebrows.

That exploding gravy experience became ‘our story’, and as annoying as it was (and yes, potentially dangerous) it broke the ice (along with my fave roasting pan!) and cemented the friendship. Just last year she was back for a visit with her new husband the first thing Nicole asked was whether we were having gravy. ☺

So, there I am. Naked, exposed and humiliated. Anyone care to join me? To tell their own story and make me feel better? Or offer sympathy? Sympathy is good. Either one will afford you an opportunity to win a copy of my latest YA, ‘Dead, Actually’. A cross-over novel for everyone who can remember their first love and doesn’t mind the odd bit of ghostliness, blackmail and a mystery thrown in.  Under the circumstances, I decided against leaving you with a recipe. Might be safer… ☺ However, to make up, I’ll throw in a sparkly gold bouillon shaped key-ring!

Thank you for having me here, Cathryn!

 

Oh, thank you, Kaz for such a wonderful post, complete with skating lamb and exploding gravy. Such fun!

Now, Feasters, you heard our fabulous guest, offer your story or a big dose of sympathy and you could win a copy of the brilliantly titled and fabulously written Dead, Actually and a gold bullion-shaped keyring. Which is, let’s face it, pretty damn awesome. So get commenting!

Giveaway closes midnight Tuesday, 3^rd April AEST. Open internationally.

If you would like to learn more about Kaz please visit her website. You can also connect via her blog, Facebook and Twitter.

 

Kaz’s Dead, Actually giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Kelly, the lucky winner of this fabulous book. Thanks to everyone who joined in the fun. Who knew dinner parties were so fraught with danger!

FRIDAY FEAST with Rachel Bailey

Now, Feasters, lay down that checked tablecloth, plonk that bottle of chianti on top, shuffle the iPod to That’s Amore and channel your inner Sophia Lauren, because this week on Friday Feast we’re talking everyone’s favourite Neapolitan snack food, PIZZA.

And who better to discuss such a worthy topic than USA Today bestselling author and Romance Writers of Australia President Rachel Bailey. Hanging with the movers and shakers. Yep, that’s us.

Besides walking the corridors of power in RWA central, Rachel writes deliciously intense, fast-paced modern romances for Harlequin Desire. Now, if you’ve never read a Desire, then I suggest you duck down to your nearest store and grab yourself one (preferably a title by one of our many, very talented  Australian authors) because they are fabulous reads. Powerful, passionate and provocative. The sort you can’t stop gobbling down. A bit like pizza, really.

A prime example of what Desires are all about is Rachel’s newest release, What Happens in Charleston…  Take a look.

 

What Happens in Charleston…

Money has always given Matthew Kincaid whatever he wanted. Yet now his son needs something even his millions can’t buy. The widower’s sole recourse is the surrogate who gave birth to his child – for she is also the boy’s true biological mother.

Susannah Parrish needs no prodding to offer her assistance – a child’s life is at stake. But to their mutual surprise, the minute she’s back in Charleston and residing in Matthew’s home, passion consumes them. Is this a relationship doomed by deception? Or is it the one chance at a love they both secretly crave?

 

I’d buy this book from the title alone but that blurb? Ooh, la la!

Now here’s Rachel.

 

Two People, A Paddle and a Pizza Stone

Hubby and I went for a great lunch at a friend’s place a couple of months ago where we had pizzas that our friend made on his new pizza stone. We were hooked. It all looked so easy and the result was scrumptious. We couldn’t wait to buy our own stone and make great pizzas ourselves.

I should say at this point that I’m very fond of food. This will surprise no one who knows me. Or, I guess, anyone who’s read one of my books because I usually mention food somewhere (though sometimes I’m more subtle than others).

For example, in What Happens in Charleston…, Susannah is staying with Matthew and his little boy while the boy has some medical treatment and she takes on the job of cooking the meals. And every night, she ends the meal with a rich, decadent, sinful dessert. Coffee and hazelnut cheesecake. Crème brulee. Triple chocolate mousse.

Let me tell you, coming up with the actual desserts Susannah made was no chore – it was one of my favourite parts of writing the book. Hubby and I love eating dessert and love discovering and making new ones. In fact, we love cooking and experimenting with new methods and ingredients for savoury food as well.

So buying a pizza stone and making our own pizzas should be a cinch, right? Hmmm…

The first time we used it, hubby made a gorgeous roast pumpkin and caramelized onion pizza with a herbed tomato sauce over the home-made base. Only problem was, it was completely baked *onto* the stone. We had to pull it away, bit by bit, meaning the toppings fell off as we did. Once it was free (and we’d left half the thickness of the base on the stone), we reassembled the toppings and served. The base (what was left of it) wasn’t cooked through, but other than that, it was delicious.

Afterwards, I did something only the truly desperate do – I read the instructions. Oh, you’re supposed to put the stone in a *cold* oven? Well, that would probably make a difference. We had made sure the oven was up to temperature before putting the stone in. Right, we’ll know better for the next pizza.

The second time we used it, we were careful to assemble the pizza on the stone *before* we turned the oven on. This pizza was olive, fetta, semi-dried tomato and char-grilled capsicum. I couldn’t wait! We were ready to pop it in the oven when I had an idea so brilliant, so fiendishly simple, that it will impress you. I decided to read the instructions to the *end* (instead of stopping after the bit about a cold oven like last time).

Turned out we had a slight problem. Yes, the stone goes into a cold oven and warms more evenly as the oven heats up, but the stone goes in that cold oven *without* the pizza. Oh.

It made total sense – a hot pizza stone would sear the bottom of the base enough that it wouldn’t stick. Brilliant! Problem was, our pizza was already on the stone and not keen on coming off again. It took four hands and several kitchen implements but we eventually got the base off, onto the floured paddle that had come with the stone (we’d wondered what that was for!), cleaned the stone and put it in a cold oven.

The resultant pizza was again delicious, if slightly misshapen after all the extra handling.

This weekend we’re planning on making our third pizza on our new pizza stone. We intend to 1) heat the pizza stone in a cold oven until it’s hot, 2) make the pizza on the paddle (that has a layer of flour to stop it sticking) before slipping it onto the stone, and 3) have different toppings to the first two.

So I’ll make you a deal: I’ll share our easy peasy pizza recipe if you give me some suggestions for vegetarian-friendly toppings for our third attempt. I’ll give away a copy of What Happens in Charleston… to one commenter.

 

Easy Peasy Pizza Base:

1¾ cup self raising flour

½ cup grated cheese

¼ cup oil

½ cup hot water

Mix together and press into the base / plate / pizza paddle.

Then I spread with a tomato-y base (fried onion and garlic, with tinned tomato added when onion is cooked, and herbs to taste). Or with pesto, depending on my mood. Then top with all manner of yummy toppings and bake for 35 minutes.

 

Ahh, pizza, such a joy. Although perhaps not so much when it sticks to the stone. Thanks, Rachel, for your hugely entertaining post. Glad that stone is coming good for you. We love our ours at Chez Hein. We had two until I dropped one on the tiles and shot stone shards all over the kitchen and into my foot. There was a stage when we used to sprinkle the surface with polenta before slapping on the pizza, but now we just turn the oven up to flat out and the stone gets so hot the dough seals straight away. Not as good as a proper pizza oven but it beats a takeaway any day.

 

So, Feasters, you heard Madame Prez, share your favourite vegetarian pizza topping and you could win a copy of her fabulous new Desire release, What Happens in Charleston…

Entries close midnight AEST, Tuesday 27^th March 2012. Open internationally.

 

If you’d like to learn more about Rachel and her wonderful books, please visit her website. You can also connect via her blog, on Twitter, and on Facebook.

 

This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to our lucky winner, Imelda. A copy of What Happens In Charleston… will be winging its way to you soon. Thanks to all who visited and commented. We had some absolutely delicious-sounding suggestions for pizza toppings.  Enough to keep Rachel (and the rest of us) going for quite a while.

FRIDAY FEAST with Helene Young

Well, are we in for a treat today on Friday Feast. This post is a hoot!

I am absolutely thrilled to host Helene Young this week. Helene is not only an award-winning romantic suspense winner, with two Australian Romance Reader Awards and a prestigious Romance Writers of Australia Romantic Book of the Year to her name, she’s also an accomplished pilot and senior Check and Training Captain with Australia’s largest regional airline.

Yeah, I know. Over achiever. I’d rather like to hate her but I can’t. She’s far too talented and nice.

Helene’s new book, Burning Lies, the third novel in her Border Watch series, releases in July and we don’t have a cover to tempt you with yet, but if you watch her website it’ll be appearing soon. In the meantime, here’s a taste of Shattered Sky, the ebook of which Helene has very generously offered to give away to one super-lucky commenter. But not until you’ve read her wonderful post!

 

SHATTERED SKY

Surviving a missile strike on her aircraft suddenly seems like the easy part for Lauren Bennett. A year after being attacked mid flight, Lauren is sure she’s overcome her guilt at losing a friend in the ensuing crash. Her brittle, glossy veneer doesn’t fool Callam Granger, though. But the naval patrol boat captain knows he’s got no right to an opinion. He wasn’t there when she needed him most and she’s not going to let him forget it.

On a routine surveillance assignment Lauren uncovers an operation trafficking sex slaves. Pursuing the women – and their captors – will take her deep into the Australian outback and a reluctant Callam knows this time he can’t let her go alone. Is it possible for Lauren and Callam to put aside old enmities to outwit, outrun and ultimately out-fly the traffickers? Or will the frantic race to free the women simply ignite their emotions, endangering yet more lives?

 

Excitement, danger, romance. Oh, I’m swooning right now, but before I wander off to pour a jug of water over myself Flashdance style, please let me welcome Helene Young!

 

Put a little bounce in your life.

Thanks for inviting me to ramble on your Friday Feast, Cathryn. Your blog is a must read for me every week!

Today I’m admitting to an eclectic employment history.  Before I was a writer, I was pilot (or still am, I suppose…) Before I was a pilot I was an Adventure Sports instructor. Before that I was a cook (although I was never qualified except in my imagination…).  I’ve been a gardener, a junk mail deliverer, a waitress (several times), and a McDonald’s chick – fries were my specialty. I enjoyed all them while I was gainfully employed, but the cooking gigs were right up there with flying and writing.

I love to cook. My passion for food originally grew out of need. Mum was an unadventurous, albeit healthy, cook who clearly looked on meal prep as her duty. It was never going to be her first love. She was happy to surrender her place in the kitchen and let me experiment. Predictably I had some disasters – blood rare lamb, fallen pavlovas, fiery hot curries, chewy bread, and tastes that really, really should never appear on the same plate. But I had fun!

At the end of school a girlfriend and I got a summer job instead of indulging in the madness of schoolies week. Kev’s Diner at Coolangatta was not the height of culinary excellence, but we were dab hands at hamburgers, anything that could be deep-fried, and smoothies.  The local surfers called it Chew and Spew as it was the only place open after midnight so the inevitable outcome of too much alcohol and greasy food was a deposit in the gutter… Not necessarily a comment on our cooking… We were probably the straightest chics the place had ever hired in our white uniforms and no dating policy. Ah the lost opportunities… sigh…

Sorry, I digress.

After a stint at Uni, and a close encounter with a lawn mower, I moved up the summer employment ladder to Jo Jo’s restaurant at Southport where desserts, dips and quiches were my domain. That was a fairly tumultuous but highly educational stint. Most importantly it looked great on a resume.

One thing led to another and after a couple of detours (including meeting my husband to be) I pitched up in North Wales at Llandudno working as a cook in a nursing home – with a difference. It was a psychiatric nursing home for dementia patients in a rambling 1800’s manor house with three floors of locked doors and a cavernous kitchen. My job was to do lunch, and prep dinner for the night cook.

Being a lover of all things fresh I decided I could make huge savings by swapping the frozen veg for something a little more gourmet. I sailed along for a couple of weeks with empty plates returning to the kitchen and the nurses even eating my food. I was on a roll!

Then the boss deposited a sack of brussel sprouts on my bench. They’d been on special, apparently. Hmmm. I hated them as a kid, over cooked, mushy baby cabbages. But then I’d eaten them more recently – lightly boiled, tossed in butter and garlic with a scattering of crispy bacon. Yum. They’d love it. I just knew it.

I peeled and scored, sautéed garlic and butter, baked wafer thin bacon to a crispy crunch. The smell was divine. Lunch was served and I leant against the bench with a smug smile. Five minutes later even I could hear the peels of laughter from the dining room. In came one of the nurses laughing too hard to speak. It was so entertaining they unlocked the doors and dragged me in to watch.

Turns out lightly boiled brussel sprouts bounce very well off ceilings and floors… Off tables and chairs even… No one complained about the mess because everyone was laughing too hard. Except me, initially… Hard to be offended in the face of real honest-to-god belly laughter.

The mere mention of sprouts or brussel sent the staff into fits for weeks to come. And it’s amazing how many conversations can give those two words a home…

Brussel sprouts still have a place in my heart, but twenty-five years later I make darn sure there’s no bounce left in the little suckers!

 

Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Vinegar

500 gms fresh Brussels Sprouts

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons butter

Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Trim off the stems and remove any limp leaves from the brussels sprouts. Blanch the sprouts in boiling water to cover for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Heat a large frying pan and add the olive oil, garlic and onion. Sauté a few minutes until the onion just becomes tender. Add the blanched, drained brussels sprouts. Sauté a few minutes. Add the vinegar and toss so that all the brussels sprouts are coated with the vinegar. Add the butter and salt and pepper to taste and toss again.

So, over to you. Time to ‘fess up. What culinary disasters have you had??

 

Oh, Helene, far too many to mention in the Hein household! One of these days I’ll get over my embarrassment and blog about my flambéing adventures. Still figuring out how we survived the Great Cognac Fire of ‘05…

So it’s up to you, dear Feasters. Start typing your disaster stories because one super fortunate commenter will win an ebook copy of Helene’s RuBY and ARR Award winning romantic suspense, Shattered Sky.

Giveaway closes midnight AEST, Tuesday 20^th March, 2012. Open internationally.

Right, I’m off to test out Helene’s delicious-sounding sprout recipe and remind my other half that not all vegetables taste like they did at boarding school!

If you’d like to learn more about Helene and her wonderful books please visit her website. You can also connect via www.australianromanticsuspense.com, on Twitter and Facebook.

 

Helene’s giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to Rob H, who has won an ebook copy of Shattered Sky, and thanks to everyone who took the time to pop by and say hello. I hope to see you again. And don’t forget to keep an eye out for Helene’s next book, Burning Lies, which hits the shelves in July.

FRIDAY FEAST with Fiona Palmer

Ooh, I’m feeling just a little bit excited and giggly here in Feast Central. Why? Because rural romance royalty is paying a visit, that’s why. Yes, folks, Fiona Palmer is on the show. Yeehaa!

Fiona hails from the tiny Western Australian town of Pingaring, three and a half hours from Perth, and her stories are so vivid with small town and country life you can taste the wheatstalks. The Family Farm was her first hit and a wonderful story about following your dreams. Heart of Gold, with its honest hero and heroine and excellent portrayal of the stones life can throw at us, followed The Family Farm into best-sellerdom. Fiona’s much-awaited third novel, the evocatively titled The Road Home, releases at the end of March. Let’s take a peek…

THE ROAD HOME

When your life is at a crossroads, how do you find the road home?

Lara Turner has a boyfriend, a nice house in the city and a chance at a big promotion. So when her brother calls asking her to come home, she hesitates. Can she face the memories that inhabit the beloved place of her childhood? And how does she feel with the news it’s to be sold? Is she the answer to saving the family farm?

Jack Morgan has memories of his own to contend with. A falling-out with his family and a bitter end to a past relationship have left a big chip on his shoulder. When his best mate’s beautiful sister arrives on the scene, he finds himself deeply conflicted.

Lara and Jack have a powerful attraction but are constantly at odds. Will their love of the same land keep them apart, or grow into a love of a different kind?

From the bestselling author of The Family Farm and Heart of Gold comes a heartwarming novel about finding your true place in the world, and the healing power of the land.

 

I am so looking forward to getting my teeth or, rather, my eyeballs, into this one!

And now I bring you….FIONA!

 

Thanks Cathryn for having me, I love reading the Friday Feast blogs. I love cooking shows too, I just don’t like cooking! I love EATING especially anything with chocolate. So you could imagine I’m loving and hating the fact that Easter is just around the corner. Easter chocolate for some reason is just yummo and the kids and hubby know that their eggs are always in danger if they sit opened in my fridge for too long. I call it the ‘mummy tax’.

So for that reason I’m going to share with you a chocolate chip crunch bicky recipe my mum gave me. She told me she got it from one of my Auntie’s but when I told my Aunt about the awesome bicky recipe of hers, she had no idea what I was on about and said she’d never made them. Ha. So the whole origin of this recipe is unknown. Who cares where it came from, I’m just glad that I have it. I don’t make it that often as I can’t seem to stop eating the mixture, before and after cooking! Hey, when we were kids out on the farm with my cousins we would all make a raw cake to eat, and buy the time we actually cooked what was left no one was hungry.

This recipe is really simple. (It has to be for me to use it lol) Sometimes I use Cornflakes and sometimes Special K, depending on what’s in the cupboard.  And once they are made, and cooled I put them in a ziplock bag and freeze them. The kids just take them straight from the freezer to eat. In summer they are really nice frozen, they don’t go hard, but are nice and cold. I just love the crunch factor. Oh and the chocolate…did I mention that bit?!

Choc Chip Bicky’s

250gms butter/marg

1 cup castor sugar

Cream together, then add 2 eggs and mix

½ teasp vanilla

2 cups S/R flour

4 cups of cornflakes/special K slightly crushed.  (I just pour it into my hand, crunch it and drop into the bowl)

Mix through and add Choc bits (I like to use a whole packet but it’s up to you. Me, chocoholic remember!)

Put onto a tray in small balls. (I have been known to make huge size ones…you get more choc bits that way)

Bake 180º 15-20 mins or until starting to brown.

I have doubled this recipe and frozen the whole lot so I have a huge supply for the kids school lunch boxes.  (I hate having to cook again, so if I’m turning my oven on I like to make the most of it and do a big cook up)

Well I hope you enjoy these as much as I do, and big thanks to Cathryn for having me.

Also I’d love to offer up a signed copy of my new book The Road Home which is due out 21st March.  Please tell me something you used to eat when you were younger, like my raw cakes or sometimes when we were craving a sugar fix my cousin had taken a packet of jelly and we ate that! (This is back when TimTams weren’t readily available in cupboards!)

 

Thanks so much, Fiona. Love the way you can freeze these biscuits. Very handy and a very delicious treat in the summer I imagine. As for teenaged snack-fests, I found culinary heaven after the delivery of our first microwave. This is going to sound gross, but after school sometimes I’d come in and unwrap a whole stack of cheese slices – those really plastic-y ones because proper cheese didn’t work the same – tear them up into pieces into a cup then zap it until it turned all gooey and luscious, then gobble it up with a teaspoon. Poor Mum used to do her nut over how the cheese slices kept disappearing. In the traditions of good sisterhood, I blamed my brother.

So come on Feasters, Fiona and I have shared ours, time you shared your naughty and not so naughty eaty-secrets. There’s a wonderful prize up for grabs.

Entries close midnight Tuesday, 13^th March. Open internationally. And please provide a way for us to contact you in case you win!

If you’d like to learn more about Fiona and her fabulous books, please visit her website. You can also connect via Facebook and on Twitter.

 

Fiona’s giveaway has now closed. Congratulations to Jenn, the lucky, lucky winner of a signed copy of The Road Home. 

Thanks to all who entered and for your wonderful comments. I bet there’s been a few tubes of condensed milk purchased thanks to Fiona’s visit!

 

FRIDAY FEAST with Louise Cusack

Brace yourself, dear readers, because this week on Friday Feast we’re entering another realm. Think romance, think fantasy, think the most gobsmacking savoury pie you’ve ever seen…

Oops. Got ahead of myself. Bit hard not to though when your guest is international award winning fantasy author Louise Cusack. Among other achievements, Louise’s best-selling Shadow Through Time trilogy with Simon & Schuster Australia was selected by the Doubleday book club as their ‘Editors Choice’.  In Feb 2012 the series was released digitally by Pan Macmillan’s ebook imprint Momentum Books. Which means you can buy these superb stories right now! On your Kindle! On your Sony, Kobo, phone, tablet, computer, you-name-it!  With just a little click! Instant booklove! Ahh, technology, we readers so love you.

Louise’s resume is incredible. Not only is she a wonderful author, she’s also a highly respected writing tutor, with her own business Writers: Working with Louise Cusack. Louise has completed 150 manuscript assessments, tutored over 80 writing workshops and mentored over 300 hours with more than 50 clients.  There’s more, but I’m feeling awed enough as it is and I’m sure you’d much prefer a peek at the first in the Shadow Through Time trilogy, Destiny of the Light.

DESTINY OF THE LIGHT

Ennae is a parallel world joined to our own world by the Sacred Pool, a portal that can only be opened by one with the Guardian blood running through their veins. It is through this watery gateway that Khatrene leaves her modern-day life behind forever, drawn into a quest that will take her into the depths of the unknown.

Khatrene must fulfil her destiny as The Light, the woman whose child will unite the four elemental worlds. At each turn are real and imagined enemies who will do everything in their power to prevent her from fulfilling the prophecy, including the ethereal and erotic shadow woman, the enigmatic tattooed man, even her beloved brother Mihale.

Talis, her appointed Guardian, must help her through the dangerous terrain of Ennae, sacrificing everything to ensure her safety in a land where magic prevails and nothing is as it seems.

From an exciting new voice in Australian fantasy fiction comes the first book in the Shadow Through Time trilogy. Beautifully crafted and written, Destiny of the Light combines intrigue, magic and horror to create a reality that is out of this world.

Out of this world indeed! An absolute must-buy for romance and fantasy fans alike.

And now, without further ado, here’s Louise…

Thanks for inviting me to share my signature dish King Island Pie.  It’s one I invented myself, and every time I make it I reflect on the fact that cooking is so very much like writing.  Creating a meal is like creating a story where we bring together all the ingredients we like and mix them in pleasing combinations.  Sometimes we surprise ourselves.  I’ve been a vegetarian for over thirty years, and had no idea that my eating choices would impact on my writing, not even when the sepia world of Ennae that I had created for my Shadow Through Time fantasy romance trilogy had no animals or insects in it.

Publishers who bid for the series were excited by the novelty of such a world, peopled only by humans and plants, and for my part I was happy they liked it, but I felt as if I couldn’t take credit.  As a seat-of-the-pants writer I’d simply been describing the world my heroine was entering, as seen through her eyes.  After the first novel was published a friend who knew me well pointed out the obvious, that every brawny, protective hero I’d fallen in love with while writing the series had never eaten meat.  I’d been falling in love with one gorgeous vegetarian man after another, and clearly that’s where my subconscious had been heading while it had been constructing Ennae.  I knew that worldbuilding was a component of what we call a writer’s “voice” and what makes it unique, but will readily admit I was surprised that I’d inadvertently revealed so much about myself!

Still, I was thrilled to have the books print published, and am now delighted to see this series have a new life, recently republished as eBooks by Pan Macmillan’s digital imprint Momentum Books.  I’m also excited to be sharing my recipe for King Island Pie with you!  As the name suggests, the pie is iconically  Australian, and for those non-Aussies reading, King Island is a lush jewel that sits in Bass Straight between Tasmania and mainland Australia.  It’s main claim to fame is the King Island Dairy which produces some of the most decadent and delicious dairy products in the world.

When sourcing ingredients for this recipe, try to find as many King Island brand as you can to ensure the rich flavour of the pie.  But when substituting other brands (or lower fat options) you’ll find this is still a fabulous vegetarian meal that will please even the most ardent carnivores.  Trust me, it’s Tradie tested!

LOUISE’S KING ISLAND PIE

Ingredients:

• a 500g bag of washed baby spinach wilted in the microwave then chopped
• half a small pumpkin cut into 2cm cubes and roasted in oil
• a cup of roasted cashews
• 6 eggs
• 200-500ml of King Island cream (you can substitute sour light cream)
• one King Island triple cream brie cut into tiny chunks (you can substitute crumbled Persian fetta and use the fetta oil to roast the pumpkin and brush over the puff pastry)
• a cup of grated tasty cheese or, for more flavour, shredded Cracker Barrel extra sharp
• sheets of puff pastry and oil to coat

Method:

• Mix the eggs and cream together and season with salt and pepper
• Line a big lasagne dish with Glad Bake and lay out the oiled puff pastry (oiled side towards the paper) to form a shell for the pie.  Seal any joins so wet ingredients won’t leak out and spoil the crusty bottom of the pie
• Put a layer of pumpkin interspersed with cashews on the bottom, then sprinkle tiny chunks of brie (or crumbled fetta) over that.  Dust with a smattering of grated cheese.  Then layer your chopped up wilted spinach over that and carefully pour the well mixed egg & cream over the top.  Finish off with the rest of the grated cheese and pop into a moderate oven (200 degrees C) for as long as it takes to cook the puff pastry and set the filling.  A clean knife in the middle will tell you if it’s set or still mushy.
• When cooked, take out of the oven and sit for five minutes before cutting and serving with either salad or light vegetables.  This is a very rich pie, so if you serve it without accompaniment try to have fresh fruit for desert to clean the palate.

As you’ll see from the recipe I’m a bit loose with quantities, and this ensures that every time I bake the pie it tastes different, which I love.  So don’t concern yourself overly with details.  Feel free to put in more or less cheese, to substitute mushroom for cashews or chives for spinach, or potato for pumpkin (roasted potato & well-cooked leek is a particularly delicious combination).  See what new forms you can come up with.  This also works well to make baby pies in cupcake moulds for lunchbox treats.

Enjoy experimenting!  And thanks again Cathryn for giving me the opportunity to share my books and my pie recipe!

I’d love to give the first eBook of my trilogy away to one commenter.  Please tell me the most surprising thing you’ve ever cooked/eaten in a pie, and why you loved/hated it.

Thanks, Louise, for your fascinating post and that completely drool-worthy pie recipe. I’m definitely making this baby. It sounds incredible.

Your question reminds me of an enormously popular pie shop on the Pacific Highway at Frederickton, on the NSW north coast. Fredo Pies produces the most weird and wonderful pies. Among other marvels, you can even eat our coat of arms!

If you’d like to know more about Louise please visit her website. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

Contest entries close midnight Australian time, Tuesday 6^th March and open to all. Please remember to include a way to contact you in case you win.

Let the drooling begin!

Congratulations to Nicole H. who has won an ebook copy of Destiny of the Light, the first in Louise’s Shadow Through Time trilogy. Thanks so much to everyone who visited and commented on Friday east.