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Investigating Food Used in Novels

This month’s food scene and recipe comes from Zoe M. McCarthy’s novel, Adjacent on the Lake—A Hidden Valley Lake Book. (Zoe is offering a chance to win a free ebook. Read on!)

Heroine, Rachel Bradbury learns to make Irish Soda Bread from her new Irishman neighbor Michael Doyle’s grandad, Harry.   

Here’s the Scene:

Before Rachel and Harry tackled the soda bread recipe, Rachel helped him get the stew simmering on the stove. She jotted notes for preparing the stew below the directions for baking soda bread and looked forward to giving her friends loaves made from the new recipe.

Harry emptied the plastic shopping bags of nonperishable items Michael had brought from the grocery store. “Since we don’t have an iron skillet, we’ll bake the bread in the oven.” He inspected the ingredients on the counter, then looked inside the empty plastic bag and a few of the cupboards. “Where are the raisins? Soda bread in my kitchen must contain raisins.” He grabbed his cane leaning against a kitchen chair and headed for the foyer. He veered into the living room and peered through the front window. “The boyo isn’t outside. Where is he? Michael!”

Rachel wandered just outside the kitchen. Harry raised his head toward the upstairs railing.

“Michael!”

Michael came to the railing overlooking the foyer. “What’re you givin’ out about?”

“Where are the raisins for the soda bread?”

Rachel moved closer.

Michael dug into his jeans pocket. “Raisins weren’t on your list.”

“I must have included them in the messages.”

Michael let the folded list drop over the railing. “Check it yourself.” He turned and strode toward the room at the end of the hall—Olivia’s old room.

Harry caught and fumbled the paper. He leaned his cane against his hip, unfolded the page, and scanned the list. He dropped his hand holding the paper to his side and turned toward the kitchen. When he saw Rachel, he shook his head. “We won’t be bakin’ or enjoyin’ soda bread with our tae. So it is.”

Rachel snapped her fingers. “I may have a solution. I don’t have raisins at home, but I do have sweetened dried cranberries.”

Harry pursed his lips, then his face brightened. “That would work!”

Within minutes, Rachel returned with the cranberries and breathed in the stew’s heavenly aroma. They stirred and kneaded the dough and placed it in the baking pan, then slid the pan into the oven.

                                          Irish Soda Bread

Harry says this bread is sooo good and Zoe shares this Irish Soda Bread recipe that she adapted from Grandma’s Irish Soda Bread recipe at sallysbakingaddiction.

For the recipe click here.

For additional recipes on this blog, click here.

More About Adjacent on the Lake:

Why has the attractive yet unpleasant Irishman uprooted his grandad from Ireland and moved them to “Obscure Community,” USA?

Irishman Michael Doyle has a lot on his shoulders: settlin’ Grandad into their new gaff on the lake; convincin’ the auld man to stick to their story script; and avoidin’ their wee next-door-neighbor, Ms. Bradbury.

Rachel Bradbury, a widow of six years, is a levelheaded bank manager in Hidden Valley. She’s counseled her widowed friends during their dating-again troubles, but she’s clueless how to escape her own current funk. Time is running out to start a family. Dating distresses her, and prospects are few.

Michael’s delightful grandfather, Harry, is the perfect remedy for Rachel’s slump. Like Harry, she’s hooked on movies—her mainstay during chronic insomnia. And their mutual love for baking will allow her to collect his Irish recipes.

Now, Michael’s in bits. Grandad has invited Ms. Bradbury to watch old movies in their sittin’ room. It may help the auld man cope with leavin’ Ireland, but it poses a risk to their current situation.

While stuffed-shirt Michael monitors Rachel and Grandad’s friendship, Rachel is suspicious about Michael’s motives for moving to Hidden Valley. Can their future relationship hold anything other than aloof tolerance?

Free eBook Opportunity:

In the comments below, share the favorite country (besides the U.S.) you have visited or would like to visit.

(Offering a free ebook of Adjacent on the Lake  to one lucky commentor. The book is also available on KindleUnlimited.)

About the author:

Zoe M. McCarthy was pegged an expressive analytic in a personality test. Isn’t that an oxymoron? But it’s true. Zoe couldn’t survive without expressing her creative imaginings. Yet, this retired actuary* and introvert receives her energy from being alone in her home overlooking a lake in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Believing opposites distract, Zoe creates heroes and heroines who learn to embrace their differences Her ten romances involve tenderness and humor. Her two books of Christian allegories are quirky and to the point. She also has a book on writing, Tailor Your Fiction Manuscript in 30 Days. Zoe the introvert, a grandmother of seven, enjoys spending time on the lake, leading Bible studies, and writing in her cabin—alone.

 *Actuaries perform all the mathematical analysis for insurance companies, pricing products and estimating reserves to pay claims.

The winner of Paula Peckham’s Accepted is

              Laurel M.

Congratulations, Laurel.

For more books and food scenes, click here.

For more recipes inspired by novels, click here. 

Visit me again as I Investigate Foods Used in Novels!

Blessings, 

Sally Jo

Investigating Food Used in Novels

This month’s food scene and recipe comes from Paula Peckham’s Accepted—San Antonio Series Book 3. (Paula is offering a chance to win a free book. Read on!)

Heroine, Quenby Martin, learns to make butter on the Texas frontier.

Here’s the Scene:

The older woman called the others to the kitchen. She and Missouri lugged a cup-towel-covered bucket. Yaideli set it with a thump on the worktable next to her sink.

“Abby, did you wipe down the churn?”

“Yes, ma’am. It’s right here and ready to go.” Abby pushed the wooden barrel closer to the worktable.

Quen studied it. The one Mother used was similar.

Abby pulled the top and the long staff out of the way.

Yaideli reached for a large flat spoon. “This milk has had time to separate. We’re gonna scoop off the fat that rose to the top.” She slipped the utensil into the milk and drew it toward her with a steady hand. Cream built up like the swell of a wave. She dropped it into the barrel with a splat. Continuing until only small bits of disturbed cream bobbed on the surface of the milk, she replaced the towel and pushed the bucket aside.

Quen leaned over and peered into the barrel. A pint of cream covered the bottom of the churn. “How much butter will this produce?”

Yaideli pursed her lips. “Maybe half a pound.” She reached for the dasher-staff and placed it into the barrel, then slid the lid over the pole, settling it against the lip. “Now we move this up and down, stirring the cream with the dasher. Eventually, the liquid will separate, creating a clump of butter, leaving buttermilk behind. After that, we wash the milk off the butter with water to keep it from spoiling.” She leaned back, one hand on her hip, one balancing the pole. “Who wants to go first?”

The four young ladies grinned at each other. Missouri raised her hand. “I’ll go.”

Forty-five minutes later, one bowl sat in the sink, holding buttermilk, and another held a large clump of washed butter.

Yaideli plopped it onto a piece of wax-coated fabric.

“Now we add the special flavors. Do you want this to be savory o dulce?”

“Can we do both?” Quen looked eagerly at Yaideli.

“Por supuesto. We’ll start with sweet. I like to add a splash of vanilla and a spoonful of honey.” She divided the mound of butter into two sections, then placed one back into the bowl with the sweeteners. Sarah stirred the ingredients until the color was consistent and the texture smooth.

“Scrape that back onto the waxed cloth,” said Yaideli.

Quen ran her finger around the bowl and snuck a taste. “Mmm, this is delicious.”

Yaideli pulled two wooden butter paddles from the cabinet and patted them with a rhythmic motion against the sides of the yellow mound, forming it into a square. She wrapped the finished butter in the waxed cloth and set it aside.

They repeated the process, adding thyme, rosemary, and garlic on the second attempt. Quen’s mouth watered at the savory smell of the herbs.

In Accepted, special flavored butter is made with different seasonings to sell in hotels and boarding houses in San Antonio to help clear a financial crunch.  Click on the recipe below to learn how Author Paula Peckham makes these flavored butters without an old fashioned churn.

                                   Butter, Special Flavors

For the recipe click here.

For additional recipes from various authors on this blog, click here.

More About Accepted:

Against the backdrop of the Civil War, spirited Quenby Martin despises the monotony and restrictions imposed on women. Then, San Antonio's most respectable widow befriends her. Unbeknownst to Quenby, her genteel companion harbors a life-threatening secret.
Soon after, Quenby meets Jonathan Campbell, a Texan farmer struggling to make ends meet, and eagerly offers her help. Despite Jonathan's reservations about trusting his future livelihood to the pretty young know-it-all, he accepts. As their relationship develops, Quenby's confidence and knowledge lures Jonathan in.
Quen draws the attention of a bounty hunter, whose charms cannot hide his evil intentions. Danger puts Quen's wavering belief in God to the test. With the hunter on her heels, she embarks on an important mission that inadvertently involves Jonathan in a web of kidnapping and murder. His efforts to keep her safe expose his growing feelings.
Will Quenby have enough courage to face the perils of standing up for what she believes in? And at what cost?

Immerse yourself in the Texas frontier in Book Three of the San Antonio series that vividly depicts love, faith, and bravery amid shifting societal times.

Free Book Offer:

Share which flavor of butter sounds best to you in the comments for a chance to win a copy of Accepted.  (Your choice of paperback or ebook; offer good through March 7, 2025)

About the author:

Paula Peckham is a fifth-generation Texan. Her debut novel, Protected, was an ACFW Genesis semi-finalist in 2020 and won a Gold Medal in the 2022 Global Book Awards. Book two in the series, A Father’s Gift, placed third in the 2022 Selah Award contest. Book three, Accepted, placed third in the 2023 Selah Award contest and first in the 2023 Bookfest Award contest. She also wrote several articles for The Journal and The Guide magazines.

Paula has contributions in the 2021 releases Christmas Love Through the Ages and Texas Heirloom Ornament.

She serves as president of ACFW DFW Ready Writers.

She enjoys speaking to writers groups. Paula also edits and formats books for self-publishing authors. For more information about Paula, follow her at paulapeckham.com.