Synopsis

“They say one should never trust a thin chef. By this measure, Chef Maurice was very trustworthy indeed.”

It’s autumn in the Cotswolds, and Chef Maurice is facing a problem of mushrooming proportion.

Not only has his wild herb and mushroom supplier, Ollie Meadows, missed his weekly delivery—he’s missing vital signs too, when he turns up dead in the woods near Beakley village.

Soon, Chef Maurice is up to his nose in some seriously rotten business—complete with threatening notes, a pignapping, and an extremely well-catered stake-out.

Can he solve Ollie’s murder before his home-made investigation brings the killer out for second helpings?

Amazon US * Amazon UK * Kobo * iTunes * Googleplay

You can get a free short story intro into this series on Amazon

About the Author

J.A. Lang is a British mystery writer, and author of the Chef Maurice Mysteries series.

She lives in Oxford, England, with her husband, an excessive number of cookbooks, and a sourdough starter named Bob.

Webpage * Goodreads * Facebook

 

 

Giveaway

Win a signed copy of Chef Maurice and a Spot of Truffle, as well as an extremely cuddly Pillow Pet Pig (RRP $19.99)!  Visit J.A. Lang’s website to enter or click on the image above

 

 

 

Do you ever want to know more about the background and environment of the characters in a story? Here’s a chance to find out more about Rebecca York’s Off World novellas and short stories. Like what do the heroes and heroines in these science-fiction romances really eat? And where did they get the recipes? Or are they foraging for their supper in the forests, fields and streams of strange planets?

It’s fun to envision these future meals in strange environments and more fun to duplicate the dishes here on Earth–even the Farlian Celebration Cake pictured on the cover.

Some of the recipes, like the Backcountry Quick Bread from Assignment Danger, feature native foods, which you’ve never encountered. But you can make easy substitutions with ingredients found at your local grocery store.

Others like the Roasted Summer Vegetables or Cheesecake that the colonists on Jalar enjoy or the Fresh Cherry Compote made from the trees on Caleb Raider’s farmstead in Nightfall are made with ingredients originally brought from Earth and carefully cultivated in their new environments.

Some, like the Grilled Steak with Peppers and Onions from Conquest, are a blend of native and Earth traditions.

Each of these dishes is rich with the atmosphere of another time and place. Try them in your own kitchen. They’ll give you an–ahem–taste of what we have in store in the future when we venture into the unknown worlds of the galaxy and beyond.

 

Grazing animals which resemble the buffalo of old earth inhabit the lowland plains on Jalar. The Jalarians hunt them for furs and food. Like all of the native warriors, Rohan could eat their meat at every meal. For variety, Elena taught him to add a flavorful marinade and some vegetables. Here on earth, you can marinate the steak in a plastic bag.

Makes 4 servings

11/2 pounds sirloin steak, cut 1-inch thick
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1/2 Tbsp Dijon-style mustard
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp salt
2 sweet peppers (green and red, yellow, or orange) seeded and sliced

1. Place steak in a zip-lock plastic bag. In a small bowl, combine onion, oil, vinegar, Italian seasoning, mustard, garlic, and salt; stir to mix well. Pour into the bag with steak, distributing evenly over meat. Seal, lay on a large plate, and refrigerate 6 to 8 hours or overnight.
2. Adjust rack 5 inches from broiler.  Preheat broiler.  Transfer meat to broiler pan. Broil meat for 11 to 18 minutes, turning once, until desired degree of doneness is reached.
3. Meanwhile, transfer onions and marinade to a large skillet. Add 2 tablespoons additional oil. Add peppers, and cook over medium high to high heat, stirring frequently, 7 or 8 minutes, until onions and peppers begin to char.
4. To serve, slice meat on the diagonal, and arrange on a serving platter. Surround with pepper-onion mixture.

 

This is a very interesting way to present a cookbook.  I haven’t seen too many cookbooks that tie into fiction books, so it is always interesting to see how it all comes together.

I have not read any of the author’s books but I don’t think that is necessary because she includes little tidbits about the characters and how they would use earthly foods to tie in with the other world norm.  The recipes look simple enough that I think even a novice cook would be able to make these dishes and they turn out delicious.

We give this 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

A New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly best-selling and award-winning author, Rebecca has written over 145 books and novellas. In 2011 she became the dozenth author to receive the Romance Writers of America Centennial Award for having written 100 romantic novels. Her Killing Moon was a launch title for Berkley’s Sensation imprint in June 2003. Five more books in the series have followed.

Rebecca has authored or co-authored over 65 romantic thrillers, many for Harlequin Intrigue’s very popular 43 Light Street series, set in Baltimore, and many with paranormal elements.

Her many awards include two Rita finalist books. She has two Career Achievement awards from Romantic Times: for Series Romantic Suspense and for Series Romantic Mystery. And her Peregrine Connection series won a Lifetime Achievement Award for Romantic Suspense Series.

 

Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ Website ~ Newsletter

 

 

 

 

 

I am very excited to have author Daryl Wood Gerber (aka Avery Aames) here today on StoreyBook Reviews and especially with a “killer” cheesecake recipe.  My friends know I adore pie, and well, cheesecake is pie shaped and could sort of be considered pie…at least more than cake!

Bon Appétit

 

Killer Chocolate Cheesecake

By Daryl Wood Gerber

 

I adore cheesecake and I adore chocolate. How could a combo of the two be bad?

When I joined Mystery Lovers Kitchen, a blog by authors who love to cook up crime, I was just starting out with the Cheese Shop mysteries. Now I write the Cookbook Nook mysteries, too. This recipe, found in a cookbook and made with cheese, is the perfect blending of using both of my series for an inspirational cake!!

Which cookbook? I found this in Luscious Chocolate Desserts while I was doing research for my next Cookbook Nook mystery, FUDGING THE BOOKS. In the series, I cite lots of cookbooks. This one is terrific! By the way, STIRRING THE PLOT, the 3^rd in the series, comes out September 30, just in case you wanted to know.

Anyway, I was searching for ideas for a chocolate something that I could make. I saw this and had to make it right then!! FYI, I never copy someone else’s recipe and use it in my books. Mine are all original, but I’m not above finding inspiration in someone else’s recipe. Also, because I need to eat gluten-free, I often have to tweak a recipe that might be ideal for all you “normal” eaters. Note: the tweaks to the original recipe are minor at best. Nothing got lost in translation. This cheesecake is killer!

 

Killer Chocolate Cheesecake

Tweaked from Luscious Chocolate Desserts

Ingredients:

Crust:

One package 4.6 ounce chocolate wafers [Cookbook recipe asks for 9-ounce package chocolate wafers]

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted or room temp

 

Filling:

1 pound bittersweet or semisweet baking chocolate, chopped

¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temp

1 cup sugar

4 large eggs

pinch of salt

1 ½ cups sour cream, at room temp

2 teaspoons vanillin (if real vanilla is gluten-free, may use real vanilla)

 

Directions:

For crust:

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan, place a sheet of parchment paper on the bottom. Wrap the entire outside tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Have a roasting pan (can be disposable) ready. Put a kettle of water on to boil for the water bath (*see below).

Pulse the chocolate wafers in a food processor until finely ground. With the motor running, add the butter, and process until blended. Press the mixture onto the bottom of the springform pan (on top of parchment paper).

Bake the crust for 8 minutes until it is set. Let cool on a wire rack.

 

To make the filling:

Melt the chocolate with the butter. [The cookbook says over simmering water – I did this in the microwave, on medium heat for 3 minutes.] Remove from microwave and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the cocoa powder. Let the mixture cool to room temp.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer, starting on low and increasing to medium-high. Beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. [Note: I put all the eggs into a measuring cup and poured one in at a time. Amazing how that works!] Beat in the pinch of salt. Beat in the chocolate mixture until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the sour cream and vanilla. Beat until smooth, scraping down the sides.

Transer the filling to the springform pan. Set the pan in the roasting pan, place it in the oven, and carefully pour in enough boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake for 45 minutes. Center will STILL be slightly jiggly; do not overbake—the cake will firm as it cools. Remove the roasting pan from the oven (carefully!!!) and let the cheesecake cool in the water bath for 15 minutes.

Remove the springform pan from the water bath and let cool on a wire rack, completely, about 2 hours. Remove the foil (messy) and refrigerate the cheesecake, loosely covered with saran wrap, utnil thoroughly chilled, at least 12 hours.

To serve, let the cheesecake stand at room temp for 20 minutes. Remove the pan sides, smooth the sides of the cheesecake with a table knife, and cut into wedges.

 

Serves at least 12 because this is SOOOO rich!

* * *

Below is a tidbit about STIRRING THE PLOT, the next in my Cookbook Nook mysteries. It comes out September 30! FYI, though I write a series, each book is a stand-alone and can be read first, even if you haven’t read the others in the series.

STIRRING THE PLOT

(3^rd in Cookbook Nook Mysteries)

Halloween in Crystal Cove, California, is a big deal, involving a spooky soiree where the Winsome Witches, a fund-raising group, gather to open up their purse strings and trade superstitions. But party magicians, fortune-tellers, and herbalists are only the beginning of this recipe for disaster. Jenna Hart has packed The Cookbook Nook chock-full of everything from ghostly texts to witchy potions in anticipation of the annual fund-raiser luncheon. But there’s one unexpected addition to the menu: murder. When the Head Priestess of the Winsome Witches is found dead, there’s plenty of blame to go around, and Jenna will have to use more than just sleight of hand to conjure up the truth…

[This is NOT a paranormal story. It is a traditional cozy mystery.]

 

It is a little late, but today’s Mystery Monday feature is the first book in the Italian Kitchen Mystery series by author Rosie Genova.  Come back tomorrow as I have a guest post and a review of her second book in this series, Wedding Soup Murder.

 

 

Synopsis

Hit whodunit writer Victoria Rienzi is getting back to her roots by working at her family’s Italian restaurant. But now in between plating pasta and pouring vino, she’ll have to find the secret ingredient in a murder….

When Victoria takes a break from penning her popular mystery series and moves back to the Jersey shore, she imagines sun, sand, and scents of fresh basil and simmering marinara sauce at the family restaurant, the Casa Lido. But her nonna’s recipes aren’t the only things getting stirred up in this Italian kitchen.

Their small town is up in arms over plans to film a new reality TV show, and when Victoria serves the show’s pushy producer his last meal, the Casa Lido staff finds itself embroiled in a murder investigation. Victoria wants to find the real killer, but there are as many suspects as tomatoes in her nonna’s garden. Now she’ll have to heat up her sleuthing skills quickly…before someone else gets a plateful of murder.

Review

This is what happens why a mystery writer goes home to learn how to cook the family way and runs across a murder…they solve it of course. Of all the cozies I have ever read, I don’t think I have read one where the main character was a mystery writer. And then you throw in some good ol’ Italian food (with recipes at the end), well it is a good combo.

There was a good cast of characters and I have to admit I probably missed most of the clues. I truly did not expect the murder to be who it was…definitely a surprise for me.

We give this book 4 paws!

Maria Loggia’s kitchen door is always open. Her home and garden are a gathering place for friends and family, who come to share her easygoing enthusiasm and generosity – and her inspired Italian cuisine. In this, her second book, Loggia celebrates the seasons with 16 sumptuous menus – from a spontaneous al fresco garden party to a slow-simmered midwinter feast and a traditional Sunday family lunch.

Try One of the Recipes!

 

An Interview with Maria Loggia

 

Maria Loggia from Pierre Blais on Vimeo.

[vimeo http://vimeo.com/14703373]

 

Enter the Giveaway!

 

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About the Book

Filled with delicious tried-and-true family favorites and oh-so-easy-to-make dishes, A Year with Six Sisters’ Stuff features all-new recipes using basic ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. Each menu is designed to make your dinner plans as easy as possible—and with such wide variety and a photograph accompanying every recipe in the book, you can easily mix and match menus to create a year’s worth of dinner ideas. In addition, the Sisters share some of their favorite family dinner traditions and crafts, as well as 52 dinner conversation starters, a list of pantry staples, and, food storage plan for beginners.

Review

For those that don’t know me, my second love behind reading is cooking.  Or maybe cooking is my first love and reading is my second?  Either way, they are pretty close together either way and so it is always a bonus to be able to review a cookbook – combine the two!   My husband has actually gotten into cooking recently so it is always nice to have a new source for dishes to try out on the family.  Luckily my stepson eats pretty much anything you put in front of him!  That aside, I have to say that all of the dishes I have tried so far have been quite tasty.  So far we have tried these dishes:

Chicken Cordon Bleu Bites (actually made it as a whole one vs. the bites)
Garlic Roasted Potatoes
Slow Cooker Philly Cheese-steak Sandwiches
Baked Seasoned Steak Fries (they got a little burnt but still good!)
Parmesan-Crusted Catfish (instead of Tilapia)
Spinach Lasagna Rolls

I have several more dishes on the “to try” list for the coming week and LOTS of yummy dessert recipes I want to try.  All of these dishes were simple to make, even the lasagna rolls.  In fact they were much easier than I expected.  I liked that the dishes used common ingredients and it was easy to do substitutions for items we don’t normally purchase (like Ritz crackers in the Parmesan crusted fish, I just used bread crumbs).  I also liked that there were DIY projects and ideas to bring the family together.  I want to make the menu board!

I LOVE this cookbook and can’t wait to try more of these dishes.  I think they will all be hits with the family.

We give this book 5 paws and if you don’t win a copy below, definitely look at purchasing it at your favorite bookstore.

About the Authors

The Six Sisters—Camille, Kristen, Elyse, Stephanie, Lauren, and Kendra—grew up in Utah, but a few of them have lived in other parts of the country since moving out of the house. Between them there are five nieces and three nephews, and all of the sisters love playing “aunt.” The sisters started the blog in February 2011 to keep in touch while they were apart, but it has since gained popularity, garnering more than 9 million viewers per month and more than 307,000 followers on Pinterest.

 Facebook * Pinterest * Website/Blog * Twitter

The Giveaway

10 copies of this cookbook, open to US & Canada

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I have access to a great service that allows me to read books before they are published. This service is called Netgalley and I love being able to get a sneak peek at books from my favorite authors or even books from new authors that happen to catch my eye. This book caught my eye because I am always interested in how food affects my body and trying to fuel it with healthier foods.

Synopsis

P90X creator Tony Horton, the Old Spice Man, and hundreds of others lost weight, boosted their immunity,and increased their energy levels—undeniable proof that The Clean in 14 Detox really works!

Millions of people are embracing cleansing because it rids the body of accumulated slow poisons that cause a sluggish metabolism, inflammatory and digestive issues, a host of chronic diseases, and unwanted weight gain.

The Clean in 14 Detox is a whole foods, vegan- and juice-based cleanse that not only flushes the body of toxins, but frees the mind of negative patterns, allowing the entire system to reset itself to a place of balance.

From leading successful group and private cleanses,Melissa Costello pulls no punches: She explains that the key to kick-starting health is to eliminate the CRAP (Caffeine, Refined Sugars, Alcohol, Processed Food) and the SAP (Sabotaging Addictive Patterns). Costello encourages readers to make the commitment, teaches them how to prep their minds and kitchens, and shares practical tips to succeed through the program with minimal withdrawals or cravings. The best part of this cleanse is that it’s user friendly and the participant will never feel deprived, unlike most other cleanses out there. A wide variety of delicious, unprocessed foods are allowed and there are no diet pills or chalky shakes. The Clean in 14 Detox features 14 days of mix-and-match meal plans and more than 75 irresistibly fresh and simple recipes, including Baja-style fajitas,chopped salad with creamy pepita dressing, coconut yam soup, oven-baked sweet potato fries, and more.

The Clean in 14 Detox is a proven program that will set anyone on a course to increased immunity, a more efficient metabolism, better digestion, glowing skin, and revitalized health.

Review

There are all sorts of detox/cleanse books out there but this one is highly recommended by people that do Beachbody. The detox is vegan which I find interesting and while I’m not sure I’m going to do this, some of the recipes sounded delicious and I plan to try a few out. Or at least some of the salad dressings!

The book offers sound suggestions and incorporates some exercise and journaling to clear the mind along with the body. I do like how she tells you to prep the week before you actually start and gives you the steps to carry that out.

We give this book 4 paws and is one you should consider if you are looking to do a detox!

About the Author

Melissa Costello (Santa Barabara, CA) is the founder of Karma Chow and the personal chef to celebrity fitness guru Tony Horton, creator of the highly popular fitness system, P90X®. A certified nutritionist and wellness coach, Costello is constantly finding creative ways to keep Tony and her many other clients happy, fit, and healthy through a whole foods, plant-based way of life. She works one-on-one with clients and leads food-based cleanses with large groups, teaching how to implement changes that will yield a lifetime of great health.

Website * Twitter * Facebook

 

Today I am featuring the first book in another cozy mystery cooking series…yes, I LOVE food and eating and reading about it.  Sometimes I think I should have been a chef…probably just a personal chef because doing it large scale in a restaurant is just mind blowing!

Anyway, so today I’m showcasing author Shelley Costa and her first book You Cannoli Die Once.  The second book, Basil Instinct, is due out in June 2014.  Shelley also has an older mystery series called The Bad Medicine Lake Mysteries and they are currently available as an eBook on Amazon and Smashwords.

Synopsis

At Miracolo Northern Italian restaurant, one can savor brilliantly seasoned veal saltimbocca, or luscious risotto alla milanese, but no cannoli. Never cannoli. Maria Pia Angelotta, the spirited seventy-six-year-old owner of the Philadelphia-area eatery that’s been in her family for four generations, has butted heads with her head chef over the cannoli ban more than once. And when the head chef is your own granddaughter, things can get a little heated.

Fortunately, Eve Angelotta knows how to handle what her nonna dishes out. But when Maria Pia’s boyfriend is found dead in Miracolo’s kitchen, bludgeoned by a marble mortar, the question arises: Can a woman this fiery and stubborn over cream-filled pastry be capable of murder?

The police seem to think so, and they put the elder Angelotta behind bars, while Eve, sexy neighborhood attorney Joe Beck, and the entire Miracolo family— parenti di sangue and otherwise—try every trick in the cookbook to unravel a tangle of lies and expose a killer.

 

Freezer I’ll Shoot (A Vintage Kitchen Mystery)
A Vintage Kitchen Mystery (Book 3)
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley (November 5, 2013)
ISBN-10: 042525237X
ISBN-13: 978-0425252376

Synopsis

Trying to escape her overbearing mother, vintage kitchenware enthusiast and soon-to-be columnist Jaymie Leighton retreats to her family’s cottage on Heartbreak Island. While there she hopes to write an article about the Ice House restaurant, owned by good friends and neighbors, siblings Ruby and Garnet Redmond. Once an actual icehouse, the restaurant is charmingly decorated with antique tools of the trade, including a collection of ice picks.

One night, while working on her article, Jaymie overhears an argument and, ever the sleuth, sets out to explore. But when she stumbles upon a dead body her blood runs cold. It’s Urban Dobrinskie, whose feud with the Redmonds is no secret, and he’s got an ice pick through his heart. Now Jaymie’s got to sharpen her sleuthing skills to chip away at the mystery and prove her neighbors’ innocence—before someone else gets picked off…

Review

This is another great installment in this series!  Jaymie is thrown into the middle of another murder when the body is found in her backyard.  The murder weapon throws the light onto some characters but I will say that I never suspected the killer to be this person!  There are quite a few motives by various individuals and any one of them could have done it and one of them did!  Add to the top of this, friction between her mom and her boyfriend’s mother…who is a bit overprotective.  Hello, he is a grown man not a teenager!  Anyway, a lot happens in this book and Victoria leads you around some corners while laying out the clues for you to figure out who-done-it.

We enjoyed this book and can’t wait for the next one and give this book 4 paws.

About The Author

Victoria Hamilton, nationally bestselling author of the Vintage Kitchen Mystery series, is the pseudonym of Donna Lea Simpson, bestselling author of romance and historical mystery novels.

Victoria starting reading mystery novels at the age of 12 and devoured Agatha Christie mysteries, as well as those of Dorothy L. Sayers and Ngaio Marsh. She still adores mysteries, especially the cozy mysteries of Janet Bolin, Krista Davis, and others.

She loves to cook, and collects teapots and teacups, as well as vintage kitchen utensils and bowls. She also enjoys crafts, especially cross-stitching and crocheting, and spends summer days in the garden, drinking tea or wine. Besides the Vintage Kitchen Mystery series Victoria also writes the Merry Muffin Mystery series (Bran New Death – September 3rd) and the Teapot Collector Mystery series which debuts with Tempest in a Teapot, out June 3rd, 2014.

Website * Blog * Facebook (author) * Facebook (series) * Twitter * Amazon * Goodreads

 

Buy the Book

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Giveaway

 

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Tour Participants

November 2 – rantin’ ravin’ and reading – Review, Interview, Giveaway

November 3 – Cozy Up With Kathy – Review, Interview, Giveaway

November 4 – My Recent Favorite Books – Review, Giveaway

November 5 – According to Squenn – Interview

November 6 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – Review

November 7 – The Bookwyrm’s Hoard – Review, Interview, Giveaway

November 8 – Queen of All She Reads – Review, Giveaway

November 9 – A Chick Who Reads – Review, Interview

November 10 – Kaisy Daisy’s Corner – Review, Giveaway

November 11 – A Date with a Book – Review, Giveaway

November 12 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – Review, Giveaway

November 13 – Community Bookstop – Review, Giveaway

November 14 – StoreyBook Reviews – Review, Giveaway

November 15 – Mochas, Mysteries and More – Review, Giveaway

 

I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

 

This week I bring you books 1 and 2 of the Gourmet De-Lite series by author Peg Cochran.  The first book is Allergic to Death and the second book is Steamed to Death.  Loved both of them….but once again, food was involved but this time more health conscious!  I enjoyed both books and give them both 4 paws!

 

 

Synopsis:

Preparing calorie-conscious meals for the dieters of Woodstone, Connecticut, Gigi Fitzgerald knows a cheater when she sees one. And when murder is on the menu, she’s ready to get the skinny on whodunit…

Business is looking up for Gigi’s Gourmet De-Lite, thanks to her newest client, restaurant reviewer Martha Bernhardt. Martha has the clout to put Gigi’s personal meal plans on everyone’s lips. But instead of dropping a few pounds, Martha drops dead from a severe peanut allergy…right after eating one of Gigi’s signature dishes.

When the distractingly debonair Detective Mertz identifies traces of peanut oil in Martha’s last meal, Gigi suddenly finds her diet catering business on the chopping block. Now she’ll have to track down who tampered with her recipe before her own goose is cooked.

 

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Synopsis:

Gourmet health food caterer Gigi Fitzgerald is used to helping dieters drop a dress size. But when her clients start dropping dead, she’s ready to switch her chef’s hat for a detective’s cap and track down a killer. . .

Aging soap star Felicity Davenport is looking to revamp her image, and she’s using Gigi’s Gourmet De-Lite to help her shed a few of those unwanted pounds. Having such a high-profile client is definitely good for business, but when Felicity is found murdered in her sauna, things start getting too hot for Gigi to handle.

The list of suspects is a mile long, and Gigi’s best friend, Sienna, is at the top. Refusing to let her friend get blamed for a crime she didn’t commit, Gigi is determined to hunt down the real killer. But, as the case reaches a boiling point, Gigi will have to be careful or she could be the next one getting burned.

 

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