Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Death Comes Silently - Carolyn Hart, Author
Curried Chicken Salad
(A Carolyn Hart special)
Simmer deboned chicken breast until done, approx. 20-25 minutes.
Cool, remove skin, chop chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Combine 1/4 c. chopped celery
1/4 c. chopped green pepper
1/2 c. water chestnurs if desired
Mix then add to dry ingredients:
1/2 c. mayo
1/4 c. milk (or thin to desired consistency)
1 to 1 and 1/2 tsp. curry
Chill. Serve on lettuce. Serves two.
Death Comes Silently - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish
Annie was struck by the weariness evident in his broad face. He was Billy, big,
brawny, and muscular, but Billy without his customary equanimity. Tight lines
marked the corners of his eyes, bracketed his generous mouth. Instead of a
jacket and slacks or a suit, his usual dress for work, he wore a navy pullover
and jeans. His blue eyes had a lost look. "I know you support me, but that
isn't what matters at this point. There's a dangerous killer out there who will
remove anyone seen as a threat. Right now Henny is safe. Jeremiah's arrest
will reassure the killer that she doesn't know enough to be a danger. As for
the rest of you" - he looked at Annie, Emma, and Laurel in turn - "don't even
think of trying to investigate." Annie felt a deep twist of disappointment.
"Jeremiah's innocent!"
Annie Darling is owner of Death on Demand, a mystery bookstore. She is also a
volunteer for Better Tomorrow, a charity shop that offers groceries, clothing and
other needs for those in financial binds. Due to a scheduled booksigning for
author Emma Clyde, she switched days with Gretchen Burkholt. This switch turned
out to be fatal for Gretchen when she found a note in the pocket of a jacket
that had belonged to Everett Hathaway. Everett's body had been found two
weeks earlier floating not far from his overturned kayak. An autopsy listed
drowning due to unconsciousness as a result of hypothermia as the cause of
death. According to the voice mail messages from Gretchen to Annie's cell
phone, the note she found leads her to believe his death wasn't an accident but
murder.
There are three people who would benefit from Everett's death. His much
younger wife, his nephew who wants to manage the family advertising business and
his 16 going on 21 year old niece who wants to run her own life, with her own
money. So which hated him enough to want him dead? Could Annie be wrong and
Jeremiah is the guilty party? Or was Everett's death actually an accident and
has nothing to do with Gretchen?
I can't get enough of Author Carolyn Hart's books. She has entertained me with
all of her Death on Demand stories and I simply love her Bailey Ruth ghost
stories, which I hope she writes more of soon. With all of her books Hart
combines love, humor and a 'whole lot of mystery' making each page flip by
quickly to see what clue the next holds. You can't help but love this author.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
CRY into the WIND - Othello Bach, Author
This delicately flavored dish is a winner every time.
Unlike regular spaghetti, this dish is light and so tasty that no matter how
much you make, every bite is eaten. If you make it for friends and neighbors,
be sure to hand them the recipe at the same time; otherwise, they will hound
you to make it for them again and again.
Author Othello Bach
FIDEO – (Mexican Spaghetti)
Pronounced: Feh-they-o
1 c. stewed tomatoes, slightly chopped
2 c. chicken broth1 c. water
1 pkg. Fideo vermicelli (found in Mexican food section of market)
1 onion, minced
1 can chopped green chilies
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Garlic to taste
Brown vermicelli in a small amount of oil. Add garlic,
chilies, onion and tomatoes. Stir in 2 cups of broth plus 1 cup water. Simmer 8
to 10 minutes, until vermicelli absorbs liquid, but do not let it cook dry.
Serves 6.
Option, for complete meal: add 1 chicken, boiled and cut into bite sizes pieces.
CRY into the WIND – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of
Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; and A Book and A Dish
‘The shovel of the backhoe
came down and for the next several minutes, the stranger dug a trench in
the field. When he had finished, a gaping hole about six feet wide and twenty
feet long lay before us. The pile of freshly scooped dirt called fiercely to my 8-year-old brother Thurmond, who couldn’t stay
out of it. He tried to run up it and only slipped and slid because it was so
loose. The rest of us simply stared. When the digging was finished, the man
drove the backhoe onto his trailer, hopped into his truck, and pulled it up next
to ours. He and Daddy unloaded our headboard and dresser, set them on the back
blade of the backhoe, and tied them in place with rope. Without another word,
the stranger climbed into his truck and slowly drove on down the road. Momma
didn’t even try to blink away her tears. Eyes wide open, fixed on the trench,
the tears flowed, uninterrupted. She didn’t even look away when Daddy said,
“I’ll be back later with a tarp.” Clinging to Gordon, her skirt whipping in the
wind, her hair blowing curls around her head, she just stared. Don and Mason
glared at Daddy. I was six and had no idea what
was happening and didn’t understand their menacing faces. Daddy turned and
left. As the truck’s engine faded into the wind, I realized that I was looking
at our next home, and I couldn’t have been more pleased. This was a thousand
times better than living in the truck. In fact, as far as I could see, this was
the greatest place anyone could live. Like rabbits! Sliding into our house and
burrowing beneath the earth.’
CRY into the WIND is the childhood/teenage life of author
Othello Bach. She was the oldest girl and the middle sibling of seven. When
her father wasn’t crating them up and running from the landlords he was out
drinking away his week’s earnings while she, her brothers and sisters and mother
fended for themselves. The ‘home’ described above was one he created for them
in a field. He never lived in the hole in the ground but spent his time in town
going from bar to bar and woman to woman.
Tragedy is something Othello as well as her siblings grew up
with and knew very little of anything else. The ultimate disaster hit when
their mother died and the kids were put in a orphanage in Oklahoma and then another one later in Texas. The
trials and tribulations experienced by not just these kids but other kids in the
same situations is something I could never have imagined. From the abuse -
sexually, mentally and physically – while living with
their father, to the same abuse in the
orphanage, I personally don’t know if I could have handled it. It took
and takes a very strong person to endure what these kids went through. In CRY
into the WIND, Othello tells and expresses it all, allowing you to feel not just
her own pain but the pain of the other children too. She takes you through the
lives of those who made it and those who didn’t. My question is – how can
anyone make it under the circumstances these kids lived through?
I’ve never read a book quite like CRY into the WIND. It took
me back to my own childhood when I was in 1st grade. We had a
student, much like Othello’s and her brothers and sisters. He came from a very
poor family and it showed in the clothes he wore and the shoes he didn’t wear
because he had none. I can remember feeling so sorry for him. He had six toes
on each foot and the other kids called him a freak, telling him he should be in
a circus. The teachers weren’t much better. They allowed the kids to make fun
of this little boy. Me? I just stood back and did nothing. Now I feel bad for
not trying to either befriend him or stand up for him.
CRY into the WIND shines a lot of light on the way life of
the poor was like in the 40s and 50s. Is it still like that today? Most of us
will say no but I bet if we really opened our eyes and took off the blinders we
might discover that some things never change. Read the book. It will make you
more aware of your surroundings as it has me.
Friday, April 13, 2012
The Ocean and the Hourglass - Dan O'Brien, Author
Traditional Beef Stew
(An O'Brien favorite)
3 lbs boneless chuck roast, cut into 2-inch pieces
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp freshly ground pepper
2 yellow onions, cut into 1-inch chunks
1/4 cup flour
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup red wine
3 cups beef broth
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp dried thyme
4 carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch slices
2 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch slices
3 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut in eighths
fresh parsley to garnish (optional)
On medium-high heat, add the vegetable oil to a large
heavy pot (one that has a tight fitting lid).
When it begins to smoke slightly, add the beef and brown
very well. Do in batches if necessary. Add the salt and pepper as the beef
browns. Once browned, remove the beef with a slotted spoon
set aside. Add the onions and sauté for about 5 minutes, until softened. Reduce
heat to medium-low, and add the flour and cook for 2 minutes stirring often. Add
the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add wine and deglaze the pan, scraping any
brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. The flour will start to thicken the
wine as it comes to a simmer. Simmer wine for 5 minutes, and then add the
broth, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, and the beef. Bring back to a gentle
simmer, cover and cook on very low for about 1 hour. Add potatoes, carrots, and
celery, and simmer covered for another 30 minutes or until the meat and vegetables
are tender. Taste and adjust seasoning. Turn off heat and let sit for 15
minutes before serving. Garnish with the fresh parsley if desired.
The Ocean and the Hourglass – Review by Martha A. Cheves,
Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish
“What kind of book is this, Mr. Thompson?” his voice cracking
as he asked. “Open the cover, Nicholas.” Nicholas met the librarian’s gaze and
the old man’s trustful not restored his confidence. Opening the cover, the
thick black hand cover gave way to cream-colored sheets that did not smell of
musk or salt. They were blank. “The book is empty?” Nicholas was now
thoroughly confused. The librarian, however, seemed utterly amused by the
situation. “That is why there are rules, Nicholas. The book alone cannot work
without the hourglass. And of course, it will not function with the imagination
of one as special as you are.” “I don’t understand.” “Let me explain,” offered
Mr. Thompson as he rose from his chair. Clasping his hands behind his back, he
resembled a lecturer preparing to give a speech. “There are five rules to using
the Book. They must be followed as I lay them down…
“The first rule is that you must always read the book alone.
Never tell anyone that you have the book nor let anyone read it.”
“The second rule is that you must always read the book with
the hourglass. Never are you to activate one without the other. Disaster lies
in that course.”
“The third rule is that when reading the book you must never
lose track of either item. If you were to be reading and the hourglass was
lost, then you too would be lost. Keep both together.”
“The fourth rule is to always read the book as you wish it to
be read. Never lose hope in the story, for you will be lost if you do.”
“The fifth and final rule is as important as the others, even
more so if you believe as you should. You must never stop believing in heroes,
Nicholas. You must believe with all your heart that good will prevail, that
heroes will triumph no matter the odds.”
Nicholas Miles was from what has become such a common state
of being for so many young boys and girls. He is being raised by a single
mother who works hard but enjoys the bottle a bit more than she should. He has
also become the punching bag for the bullies within his school. One morning,
after his usual confrontation with these boys, Nicholas just couldn’t bring
himself to go inside the school. This time the boys had torn his favorite comic
book in half tossing it on the wet ground. Nicholas’ hero was the Mariner and
the destruction of this book was the destruction of his comic book friend. With
no money to replace the book, the next best place was the library where he could
read until his heart was content as he enveloped himself with those who cared…
the heroes of the oceans of a world far, far away. What he never dreamed of was
Mr. Thompson introducing him to the very old, very special book and the
hourglass which he had stored deep within the library waiting for that special
person to come along. This book allowed Nicholas to write his own story and
live it as it happened. Only he could create the beginning and the end and only
he could decide the effect his decisions would have upon everyone involved in
his story.
The Ocean and the Hourglass is one of the deepest books I’ve
ever read. It awakens the reader to right and wrong in says that I personally
have never give thought to. You may ask the question “what is right and what is
wrong?” Easy answer? Maybe but “who interprets what is right and wrong?” We
all know the 10 commandments, which are cut and dry in definition – aren’t
they? What about the gray areas? Can we tell black lies, white lies and gray
lies? Or are they all lies? Can we kill people to benefit the masses and it
be ok? Are there black killings, white killings and gray killings or again are
they just all killings? Are the killing wrong if they will save more then they
kill? Are we in our current position by choice or by events and chance? Do
events really play a role in the choices we make? As I said, The Ocean and the
Hourglass is a deep book of thought. It started out as what I expected to be a
children’s book but boy was I wrong as I got deeper and deeper into the thoughts
it evoked within me.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
The President Has Aids - Joan Meijer, Author
Shai
Holzharts Curried Chicken
(I knew
Shai back in the '60s. She was a Jewish Indian dancer and wonderful
woman....She served this with rice and vegetables and was gracious enough to
share the recipe. - Joan Meijer, Author)
12
pieces skinless chicken breast
1 pint sour cream
1 cup heavy cream
1 stick butter
1 cup slivered almonds
4 tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1 pint sour cream
1 cup heavy cream
1 stick butter
1 cup slivered almonds
4 tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoons salt
Stew all
together until the chicken is completely cooked all the way through and falling
apart about one hour.
Thicken
gravy with
1
tablespoon corn starchmixed in 3 tablespoons cold water.
Serve on large platter of white rice decorated with lightly steamed broccoli....Serves 6
The President Has Aids – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish
Sure glad nothing bad happened to you, Sir,” Metcalfe
said, easing the older man back against the comfort of the leather seat.
“Press’ll eat it up,” Ripley laughed. “I bet it’ll help my poll numbers.” He
coughed and a gout of frothy, bright red blood spilled down his chin and a
spread in a widening stain over the front of his light blue shirt. The look, on
Metcalfe’s face was that of pure horror. He rapped on the window between the
front and back of the limo, “Bill! Eagle is down. Eagle is down.” The
President looked confused. Even though he was aware of the codes in which his
Secret Service spoke, he could not figure out what was happening. He knew he
was Eagle, but he wasn’t down. Down meant trouble and he wasn’t in trouble.
“Hand me a tissue would you Joel?” Harris Ripley said, preoccupied with the
fact that he could feel something like spittle running down and tickling his
chin. Annoyed at being soiled, he dabbed at his chin with the tissue. Blood
smeared across his jaw, but he was still unaware that he had been shot.
Harris Ripley is the president of the United States. While
leaving a the Washington Hilton Hotel after giving a speech to the UAW, a lone
gunman opens fire at Ripley as well as several others within the group
protecting him. Secret Service Agent Joel Metcalfe literally throws Ripley into
the limo and lays on top of him acting as a human shield. But unknown to Metcalfe
nor the President, it’s too late. The President has been shot and neither
realize this until after the limo pulls out heading for the Whitehouse.
Political reporter David McLaughlin was at the Hilton for
this disastrous event in history but instead of being in a position to report he
was in the nearest bar and had no idea as to what was taking place right before
him. Instead of firing him, McLaughlin’s publisher moved one of his most
brilliant reporters to the Obit section where he runs into Dr. Reginald
Hotchkiss. Dr. Hotchkiss is not only the husband of McLaughlin’s ex-wife and
step-father to his daughter but also a doctor of hematology. He has requested
that McLaughlin call him later. He has some disturbing news that he feels must
be made public. The meeting never takes place. Someone gets to Hotchkiss
before McLaughlin.
The name The President Has Aids is a giveaway as to what the
story builds up to but… the build-up is worth the read even if the title does
give it away. The events and actions that take place to cover up the fact that
The President Has Aids keep the pages turning. But who is behind this action?
Is it the Vice President? The Surgeon General hopeful? The President’s wife?
Or is it the President himself? And how did the President contract Aids? I had
my own suspicions and couldn’t wait to see if I was right.
The President Has Aids is a very well written book that kept
me hanging on to every word.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Talon, come fly with me - Gigi Sedlmayer, Author
Hungarian
Goulash – serves 4
(a Gigi Sedlmayer favorite)
800g Beef shin (cut into chunky cubes, seasoned with a little salt and pepper)
600g White Onions (sliced into rings)
1 pc Red Pepper (cut into small cubes)
3 pcs Tomatoes (cut into large cubes)
3 Tbsp. oil
1 Tbsp. Paprika
1 clove garlic (chopped finely)
1 tsp. Marjoram
1/4 tsp. Cumin seeds
2 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
1 Tbsp. Flour
1 litre Beef broth (from cubes)
1 pc Lemon Peel (from half of lemon)
Some Tabasco
Method:
1.
Wash the meat, cut into cubes and season with salt and pepper.
2.
Cut the onions in half and then thin rings.
3.
Heat the oil and put the onions in the oil until they are glassy. Add the meat
cubes and let it roast.
4.
Mix the paprika, pepper pod, garlic, marjoram, cumin and tomato pulp. Add to
the meat.
5.
Roast at high heat. Add the flour, stir well and then the broth.
6.
Add the tomatoes and the red pepper.
7.
Close the saucepan and let the meat braise for 1 ½ hours on a low flame.
8.
Season the goulash with paprika, Tabasco, lemon skin and salt & pepper.
9.
Tastes better the next day. Add some sour cream for a creamier flavour.
Happy
cooking!
My website:
amazon.com
my
Blogspot
Talon, come fly with me – Review by Martha A. Cheves,
Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A
Dish
The male condor spread his huge wings and hopped to the
ground. Matica had to jump clear, out of the reach of his huge wings. Instead
of flying off, as he normally did, he kept standing, turning around and looking
at her. Matica’s eyes nearly popped out of her sockets. He’s so huge,
she thought. Standing stock-still and not folding his wings to his body, the
bird blinked and waited for what Matica would do. Since nothing happened for the
next few minutes, the bird tilted his head and grunted. Matica interpreted it
as: what now? His mate screeched from the sky in surprise. Matica couldn’t
move. She was frozen stiff with fear and her face was as white as a ghost. The
bird looked way bigger on the ground than he had looked on the branch. He
folded his wings very slowly to his body now as if he knew he might frighten
her, then he made another sound. Matica felt so small and thought: Will he
kill me? But no, I’m alive. He can’t kill, just like Dad said. Matica
gasped for air and her pink colour came back into her face. She was amazed that
this had really happened and she wondered: What should I do now? I think
he’s afraid of his own boldness, and so am I. He’s watching me. I should move,
do something. After all, I told him to come down…but he’s so big.
Matica and her family moved from Australia to a little remote
village called Pucara which is about twenty kilometers away from the Andes in
the northern part of Peru. Matica’s parents are missionaries to the Peruvian
Indians who spoke little or no English. Through her father Crayn, this has
started to change.
Matica has a medical problem that prevents her body from
growing to its normal size. When they first moved to Pucara Matica was five but
her body looked as if she were only two years old. Even though Crayn had
explained this disability to the Indians they still thought she was odd or even
possessed by an evil spirit. They were so afraid of her that they refused to
let their own children play with her. This left Matica alone and lonely. To
solve her lack of friendship, Matica took to the sky, making friends with a pair
of Condors.
When I started reading Talon, come fly with me, I knew
nothing about the Condors. After reading Talon, come fly with me, I had to
appease my curiosity by looking them up on the internet. They are large birds
weighting from 20-23 lbs. with body lengths of 50” and wingspans of 9-10 feet.
They mate for life and live 50 plus years producing 1-2 eggs every 2 years.
They can fly up to 15,000 feet at speeds of 55 miles per hour. And they are on
the endangered species.
Matica’s story of befriending these birds, helping them
rescue their egg from poachers and then the actual raising was a story that took
my breath away. Only a child such as Matica can see the beauty in an animal
that everyone else calls ugly. And only a child would have the tolerance to do
what had to be done to keep ‘her’ birds surviving. This is a beautiful book for
all ages, especially for kids.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Creative Cooking for the Global Kitchen - Chef David Jean Marteau, Author
Duck Carpaccio and Poached Quail Egg in a Tea Scented
Broth
(David
Jean Marteau's all time favorite recipe/idea, that he created here for a VIP)
8 cups cold water
1 duck carcass, chopped
1/2 med. onion chopped
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1 Tbsp. whole black pepper
sea salt, to taste
2 English breakfast tea bags
For the qual eggs:
2 cups water
2 tsp. white vinegar
6 quail eggs
For the duck carpaccio:
1/2 lb. small duck breast, trimmed
1 Tbsp. sea salt
1 tsp. finely chopped thyme
To make the tea sented broth, place the cold water in a medium-size soup pot over medium heat and add the duck carcass with the onions, carrots, black pepper and sea salt. Bring to a boil at first, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the 2 tea bags and simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it rest so that the solids settle, and then gently strain the stock into a large bowl, making sure you get only the clear stock, and not any solid particles.
To make the quail eggs, crack them one by one into a cup to make sure they are fresh. Fill a small skillet with water and add the vinegar. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and add the quail eggs. Poach the eggs for about 2 minutes, making sure the yolks remain soft. Lift the eggs out of the pan with a slotted spoon and place them in a bowl of ice-cold water and then set them aside in the refrigerator.
Once you are ready to serve, bring the tea sented broth to a boil. Remove the quail eggs from the refrigerator. Remove the duck breast from the refrigerator and wash thoroughly under cool running water to remove all excess salt and thyme. On a small chopping board, cut the duck bre4ast as thinly as possible and place them directly onto the serving plate. Add one quail egg into each plate. Place the hot tea sented broth into the individual tea pots and pour it gently on top of each plate. The duck and quail eggs will finish cooking with the hot broth. Yield: 6 servings.
Creative Cooking for the Global Kitchen – Review by Martha
A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and
A Dish
Lunch is served. Our first course will be Saffron Soup with seafood, beautifully served in a whisky glass with a side of spicy mayonnaise and a simple rustic garlic bread. Next will be a pan fried, breaded goat cheese cake with fresh lettuce and a nice lemon olive oil vinaigrette, garnished with caramelized walnuts and a cherry tomato. For the first main course, you will have a wonderful cod fish on a bed of beef truffle sauce (yes beef sauce with fish is amazing). For the second course, a nice roasted beef tenderloin with a red pepper coulis, served with snow peas. And finally for dessert, a small tiramisu in a chocolate cup and strawberry mousse.
A meal fit for a queen?! Well the queen didn't actually have the pleasure of enjoying this delicious meal but the Princess of the Nederland sure did. This is just one meal prepared for celebraties by David Jean Marteau, Executive Chef of the Parkyard Hotels and Catering in Shanghai, China. This award winning chef has been cooking and traveling around the world for over 20 years. From being the sole Executive Chef in charge of the food for ALL of the soccer teams during the 2008 Olympics in China, Chef Marteau has cooked for Halle Berry, Queen Latifa, Jacques Villeneuve, Robert Carlyle, Yao Ming, Liu Xiang and even the U. S. President George Bush (senior) and ex-governor of California Arnold Schwarzzenegger.
Chef Marteau started cooking in his grandmother's kitchen at the age of 9 and hasn't stopped. His knack for 'marrying' foods that most would never consider is bringing him fame, as with his beef sauce served with cod fish. And now he has blessed us with a cookbook full of simple dishes that will fit just about anyone's taste.
When I started looking through Chef Marteau's cookbook Creative Cooking for the Global Kitchen, I couldn't help but think about my own book Think With Your Taste Buds. This is also what Chef Marteau is trying to teach us to do with our cooking. If it sounds like something that might be good together, try it. You have nothing to lose and possibly a lot to gain.
Some of my favorite recipes from Creative Cooking for the Global Kitchen are Risotto With Grilled Chicken. I love Risotto and I love chicken so this fit my taste buds perfectly. Chef Marteau's Clam Chowder is rich in flavor and oh so creamy. And his Hazelnut Vinaigrette is to die for. I have recently bought a bottle of Hazelnut oil with no idea as to what I would do with it. This recipe solved that lttle problem for me. I'm really anxious to give Chef Marteau's Broccoli and Shrimp Soup with Almonds a try, as well as his Creamy Bread Soup made with stale bread. This book has opened up more recipe ideas for me to try and as I do with all of my own cookbooks, Chef Marteau offers suggestions for ingredient changes as well as tips. This is a must have cookbook!
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Southern Superstitions - B. J. Robinson, Author
2 1/4 cups self-rising flour
1 cup milk
2-3 eggs
1-2 pints strawberries for mixture
strawberries for toppping
Whipped cream of your choice (I use light Cool Whip)
Stir
margarine to soften and gradually add sugar. Cream together and add the
vanilla. Beat eggs. Add ingredients and mix. Fold strawberries (washed,
drained, sliced or mashed) into batter. Grease two round cake pans or use
spray. Bake at 375 degrees until done. When it’s lightly brown and you can pull
out a toothpick clean, it’s done. Let cool and remove from pans.
Note:
Some people may opt to leave the berries out of the batter and just use them as
topping, but I like them in the cake for true homemade shortcake. Also, some
may like a white icing, but I only use the whipped cream topping.
Eat
and enjoy.
Southern Superstitions – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author
of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish
Tears filled June’s eyes, as she watched the strawberry
fields become lakes. They sat on their front porch and looked across what were
once their strawberry fields into an immense span of nothing but water as far as
the eye could see. Still, Andy refused to leave the farm. “If the river gets
too high, we have the tractor and the dump truck. We’ll be able to ride out on
one of them, if it gets to the point where we have to leave. God will spare us.
Our berry crop may have gone under, but we won’t have to leave our farm. Taking
a loss on the strawberries is heartbreaking, but we can claim the loss.” June
spoke in a firm voice as though she dared Myrtle to say different as her mother
took a seat in the porch rocker. Andy leaned back in the swing and placed an
arm around June’s shoulder. “Ed told me the people loaded onto the National
Guard truck for evacuation endured a hot, cramped, long, tiring ride, as well as
unbearable sights. They were jam-packed into the back of the truck like
sardines in a tin can. The truck continuously stopped to load other occupants,
making the progress to higher ground slow, to say the least. Homes and
businesses were flooded with water up to their roofs in some areas. People
could only hope and pray the homes they left behind would not end up the same
way.”… “I heard about it on the news,” Myrtle interjected. “A bulletin informed
people about the different locations. I told you we’d have bad luck from that
black cat. It was bound to happen sooner or later.”
Andy and June have known each other since they were kids
attending the same school. June had always had a crush on Andy but never knew
he had one on her too. They have finally been brought together due to him being
a strawberry inspector/grader and June and her mother Myrtle being strawberry
farmers. It became a match truly made in Heaven.
On their way into town to have their strawberries inspected
and graded, a black cat crossed in front of them. Myrtle, being the
superstitious person she is, declared bad luck wasn’t far behind and she was
right when Andy downgraded her strawberries leaving a bad taste for him in her
mind. Andy on the other hand, decided he wanted June and the only way to have
her would be with her mother’s consent and blessings. To receive these he would
have to endear himself to her. This task actually became fairly simple since
Myrtle had always been disappointed that June wasn’t the son she had always
longed for.
Growing up in the Georgia, I know how stubborn superstitious
people can be and no matter what you say they will always cling to their
beliefs. Myrtle was like that. She was a God fearing, religious woman who
believed that everything happened for a reason known only to God but she also
believed that a lot was pure luck – good or bad. In Southern Superstitions June
does everything possible to convenience her mother that luck has nothing to do
with life, God does. Myrtle, on the other hand, blamed the flooding on the
black cat. She also blamed everything else that happened over the years on that
same black cat. But when tragedy really struck bringing an unplanned separation
of June and Andy, Myrtle finally understood that only God will listen to our
prayers and supply us with the ‘luck’ we need to survive.
This is such a beautiful story of love, compassion, life,
strength and belief. It takes a strong person to endure what June went through
and still keep her faith and belief. May we all have the same trust in God that
June had.
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