We Three Kings: Bearing the Gift of German Cookie Inspiration

We Three Kings: Bearing the Gift of German Cookie Inspiration
Monday, January 8, 2024 by Sally Jo Pitts

Categories: Books & Food / Recommended Books

Investigating Food Used in Novels

This month’s recipe inspiration comes from We Three Kings, A Romance Christmas Collection by Crystal Caudill, Cara Putman, and Angela Ruth Strong.

The book is a generational compilation that follows the Weise family and German traditions handed down in three different time periods: the late 1800s, post WWII, and present day.

In the first story, the character Celestia takes in her first Weihnachtsmarkt in Frankfurt, Germany. Author Crystal Caudill explains that the traditional open-air German Christmas market was made from timber with twinkling lights, music, German foods, hot mulled wine and everything was locally produced and handmade.

My grandmother’s side of the family is German and I always enjoyed sampling specialties like German potato salad, and bratwurst and sauerkraut. But this story reminded me of the German cookie, Pfeffernusse, that my great aunt always made at Christmas time. (Pfeffernusse means peppernuts and the recipe uses black pepper.) I believe this cookie would surely have been offered at the Weihnachtsmarkt featured in We Three Kings!

Pfeffernusse

For the recipe Click Here.

More about We Three Kings, A Romance Christmas Collection:

Best-selling romance authors Caudill, Putman, and Strong follow three generations of the Weise family.

"Star of Wonder" by Crystal Caudill

The Christmas-themed maiden voyage of his family's grand steamer ship was supposed to be Aldrich Weise's chance both to instill investor confidence and to romance Celestia Isaacs. Instead, he must foil a criminal and leave his lady love behind forever.

"Beauty Bright" by Cara Putman

Lieutenant Charles Weise served as a Monuments Man after World War II and now works to restore stolen art to rightful owners. Captain Lillian Thorsen pairs up with him not only to return treasures but also to fix the war-torn lives around them.

"Perfect Light" by Angela Ruth Strong

Essential oils mogul Brendon Wise is drawn to Lacey Foster, the event planner for his huge Christmas lights festival. But when he inadvertently makes a spectacle of her on television, Lacey wants nothing to do with him. Will a chance to give gifts to those in need at Christmas be the key to discovering common ground--and maybe love?

Comments

Jan Hall From Texas At 1/9/2024 10:47:01 AM

I absolutely love Pfeiffernusse. Yum!

Reply by: Sally Jo Pitts

It is a unique cookie.

Cara Putman From At 1/8/2024 8:12:39 PM

Thanks so much for highlighting our book! It's such fun to see the inspiration you took from it.

Reply by: Sally Jo Pitts

I enjoyed reading about the Weise men!

Crystal Caudill From Kentucky At 1/8/2024 1:38:47 PM

These cookies sound wonderful! I've had a store-bought version from Aldi's, and I can only imagine how much better homecooked ones would be fresh from the oven.