Spotlight and Giveaway: Just One Taste

If anyone wanted to know what happened to Olive after Manifest ended, now's your chance! Just kidding. The main character of Lizzy Dent's latest rom-com, Just One Taste, shares her first and last name with that iconic Manifest character though. It will be on shelves next week to add to your mid-summer TBR. This sounds like a sexy, foodie love story that you will be devouring in no time. Thanks to Putnam, we have TWO copies to give away!

When Olive Stone and her Italian pseudo-celebrity chef father fell out fourteen years ago, annoyingly handsome Leo Ricci slipped right in as his surrogate son and sous-chef. No one is more surprised than Olive when her father wills her his beloved (and now failing) restaurant. Or that his dying wish was for Olive and Leo to complete his cookbook…together.

She’s determined to sell the restaurant. Leo is determined to convince her not to. As they embark on four weeks in Italy, traveling from Sicily to Tuscany to Liguria, they’ll test each other as often as they test recipes. But the more time Olive and Leo spend together, the more undeniable their attraction grows. Olive finds herself wondering whether selling the restaurant might be running away, and what it might be like to try Just One Taste of Leo Ricci. Because he isn’t who she expected, and this trip might reveal more about who Olive is than she’s ready for. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

“Follow Lizzy Dent to Italy and you will smell the oranges, feel the sunshine and taste the first perfect kiss. Just One Taste is a deliciously romantic and emotional exploration of love and loss, with Dent’s signature humor and sense of fun. Five big stars from me.”
—Annabel Monaghan, national bestselling author of Same Time Next Summer
 
"Dent's cozy, slow-burn romance is a heartfelt journey through Italian cuisine and culture. Readers will delight in the rich descriptions of food and dream of a summer holiday in Italy.” 
—Booklist
 
“In vivid prose, Dent brings the Italian countryside to life while building a simmering attraction between her leads. Hopeless romantics looking for an armchair vacation will want to check this out.” 
—Publishers Weekly

Credit: Kerstin Weidinger 2021

Lizzy Dent is the author of The Summer Job, The Setup, and The Sweetest Revenge. She (mis)spent her early twenties working in Scotland in hospitality and after years travelling the world making Music TV for MTV and Channel 4, and creating digital content for Cartoon Network, the BBC and ITV, she turned to writing. She now lives in Austria with her family. (Bio courtesy of Penguin Random House.)

Visit Lizzy online:

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 

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Giveaway ends July 14th at midnight EST.

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Spotlight and Giveaway: Kissing Kosher

Only one week left until Jean Meltzer's latest rom-com, Kissing Kosher, is released! We're here to tell you more about it today. Melissa loved this novel and gave it a five star review. She's also planning to meet Jean at an event next week. (Sara Goodman Confino will be there too.) Thanks to Harlequin, we have one copy of Kissing Kosher for a lucky reader!

Step 1: Get the secret recipe. Step 2: Don’t fall in love…

Avital Cohen isn’t wearing underpants—woefully, for unsexy reasons. Chronic pelvic pain has forced her to sideline her photography dreams and her love life. It’s all she can do to manage her family’s kosher bakery, Best Babka in Brooklyn, without collapsing.

She needs hired help.

And distractingly handsome Ethan Lippmann seems the perfect fit.

Except Ethan isn’t there to work—he’s undercover, at the behest of his ironfisted grandfather. Though Lippmann’s is a household name when it comes to mass-produced kosher baked goods, they don’t have the charm of Avital’s bakery. Or her grandfather’s world-famous pumpkin spice babka recipe.

As they bake side by side, Ethan soon finds himself more interested in Avital than in stealing family secrets, especially as he helps her find the chronic pain relief—and pleasure—she’s been missing.

But perfecting the recipe for romance calls for leaving out the lies…even if coming clean means risking everything.

"I loved every word of this proudly Jewish and sexy romance that highlights the importance of finding joy even in the most painful of times.” 
—Meredith Schorr, author of As Seen on TV and Someone Just Like You

"Take the sweetest, most tender love story, braid it with the beauty of Jewish tradition, bake until it heats up with a family feud, and you've got Kissing Kosher. This delicious romance is more satisfying than the best dessert." 
—Amanda Elliot, author of Best Served Hot and Sadie on a Plate

“Readers will devour this one-of-a-kind novel, that covers everything from relationships, intimacy, and sex, to family dysfunction and intergenerational trauma. Jean writes romance the way your Bubbe bakes challah—with devotion, delight, and loads of love.” 
—Lynda Cohen Loigman, bestselling author of The Matchmaker’s Gift and The Two-Family House

Credit: Lisa Damico

Jean Meltzer studied dramatic writing at NYU Tisch and has earned numerous awards for her work in television, including a daytime Emmy. She spent five years in rabbinical school before her chronic illness forced her to withdraw, and her father told her she should write a book—just not a Jewish one because no one reads those. Kissing Kosher is her third novel.

Visit Jean online:
Website * Facebook * Instagram

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 

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Giveaway ends August 27th at midnight EST.

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Samantha Vérant is the spice of life...plus a book giveaway

Photo by Elvire Vérant

Today we are pleased to welcome Samantha Vérant back to CLC. Her latest novel, The Spice Master at Bistro Exotique, releases on December 6th and we are so excited for you to read it soon. Thanks to Berkley, we have one copy to share with a lucky reader!

Samantha Vérant is a travel addict, a self-professed oenophile, and a determined, if occasionally unconventional, at home French chef. She lives in southwestern France, where she's married to a sexy French rocket scientist she met in 1989 (but ignored for twenty years), a stepmom to two incredible kids, and the adoptive mother to a ridiculously adorable French cat. When she’s not trekking from Provence to the Pyrénées or embracing her inner Julia Child, Sam is making her best effort to relearn those dreaded conjugations. (Bio courtesy of Samantha's website.)

Visit Samantha online:
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

Synopsis:
Kate Jenkins has finally achieved her lifelong dream: after years of studying to be a chef and meticulous financial planning, she is just about to open her very own restaurant. Bistro Exotique is set to be the most chic spot in Paris, if Kate has anything to do with it – until it all goes wrong. Within a matter of days, a series of catastrophes derail Kate’s plans, and all her staff quits.

But just as Kate is down on her luck, she meets Garrance, the self-proclaimed Spice Master of Paris. And this chance encounter may be just the thing to jumpstart Kate’s new business. Garrance establishes a partnership between Kate and her moody, yet totally sexy, son, who also happens to be a chef. Sparks fly in and out of the kitchen, and that’s before Garrance gifts Kate some of her rare herbs and spices. When Kate and her customers taste the dishes infused with Garrance’s spices, they are whisked away on their wildest fantasies. Is a taste of magic enough to turn Kate’s new venture into a dream come true?

"The Spice Master of Bistro Exotique is a romantic and culinary delight, from its delicious start to its tantalizing finish! In Samantha Vérant’s signature style, mouthwatering recipes are woven into a steamy rom-com, resulting in a story that will leave you sated and smiling and deeply satisfied. With a gorgeous Parisian setting, mouthwatering recipes, and two hilarious and worthy protagonists, Vérant knocks it out of the park with this laugh-out-loud funny romantic comedy.”

—Lori Nelson Spielman, bestselling author of The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany

"The Spice Master at Bistro Exotique is a Parisian delight! Samantha Vérant has created an enchanting novel with a sprinkle of magic that will leave readers incredibly satisfied. We highly recommend you treat yourself to this delicious story!"

—Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke, authors of How To Save A Life

What is something you've learned from writing your previous novels that you would apply to Spice Master?
Bringing more flavors into my stories–whether I’m writing about food, the place/places, or the characters. With that said, I had a lot of fun with this book, whether creating quirky characters or recipes. Nuances– every recipe, every person has them and it is so much fun exploring the seasonings.

What were the biggest rewards and challenges with writing Spice Master?
The challenge with writing Spice Master was coming up with recipes for the book (in the prose and actual recipes), finding the spices (thanks, Google), ordering them, and testing the recipes. I mean, if you have a book called Spice Master, you need spices! The reward (after a few failed, but eatable, attempts) was coming up with recipes my family loved. I’m now a huge fan of urfa biber flakes and grains of paradise.

If Spice Master were made into a movie, which songs would be on the soundtrack?
In addition to any music created by Hang Massive (my protagonist’s eccentric mom plays a hang drum), I refer to the following artists/songs in the manuscript:

"All About the Bass" by Meghan Trainor
"We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" by Taylor Swift
"Prayer in C" by Lilly Wood and the Prick
"Shape of You," "Perfect," and "Shivers" by Ed Sheeran
"I Got Sunshine" by Avery Sunshine
"Pour Moi La Vie Va Commencer" by Johnny Hallyday
"Run the World (Girls)" by Beyonce

Voilà! We have a play list!

What are your favorite spices to use when you're cooking?
I use a lot of ginger, turmeric, and fresh ground pepper. Thanks to my research and recipe testing for this book, urfa biber flakes are now on this list too.

Which TV series are you currently binge watching?

The latest season of Dead to Me, Extraordinary Attorney Woo, and The Watcher.

If we were to visit you, what are some places you would take us to see?
If I were to meet you in Paris I’d take you to the 10th arrondissement and show you some of the places that inspired Spice Master. Should you come to Toulouse, where I live, I’d take you into the city for a tour, then the following day we’d take off for Albi, Cordes-sur-Ciel, voted one of the most beautiful towns in France, and we’d hit some more beautiful villages on La Route des Bastides. If there was time, it might be fun to head up to a château in Gaillac for a wine tasting, to Carcassonne with its famous medieval citadel for a little French history, or to the Pyrenees for a hike. It would depend on what you would like to do! At the end of our day, I’d definitely cook for you…adding in spices to your taste, of course.

Thanks to Samantha for chatting with us and to Berkley for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 

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Giveaway ends December 6th at midnight EST.

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Sara and Melissa Talk About...Starbucks

We've been running a column series (for over two years now!) to get more personal with our readers. This month, we're talking about Starbucks. We both enjoy getting drinks from Starbucks, as do our kids. Melissa even got Sara a Starbucks gift card as a college graduation gift and we call ourselves Basic Bs whenever we get something from Starbucks and report back to each other about it. Coffee shops feature a lot in chick lit novels, so this is relevant to our blog, as well!

We're always open to topic suggestions, so please don't hesitate to share those in the comments. We'd also love to know if you can relate to anything we've said or hear your own thoughts on the topic. So don't be shy. :) We look forward to getting to know you as much as we're letting you get to know us. You can find our previous columns here, in case you missed them.

Sara Steven:

Hi there. My name is Sara, and I’ve got a problem. 

I’m a Starbucks addict.

It wasn’t always that way for me. I never understood it when friends would talk about their Starbucks apps. I couldn’t even fathom putting anything Starbucks-related onto my phone, let alone use an app to attempt to achieve coveted stars. I’d buy Starbucks gift cards, but it was always for my oldest son who is a self-professed Starbucks #basicB, and I’d roll my eyes when he’d beg me to take him through the drive-thru.

I’m trying to pinpoint the exact moment it changed for me. Maybe it was the discovery of their chai tea lattes–I get mine tall, hot, with no water added. And then there are the cheese and fruit and PB & jelly protein boxes that seem to pair nicely with my drink. My latest find is their grilled cheese sandwiches, and I’m not even a fan of sourdough bread ordinarily. Yet I like it! I joke and say that the key to anything from Starbucks is that the food and drink must be laced with something that causes an immediate addiction, and maybe I’m not far off from that assumption. All I know is, I need it. I want it. I gotta have it!

Now I’m just another Starbucks convert who deftly flashes her cell phone screen at the barista at the window, eager to collect the two for one stars–or more stars than that, depending. Sometimes they offer various specials and deals and I can really stack up those points in order to score some tasty freebies. (Yes, I realize they’re not really “free” since I had to pay for the merchandise in order to qualify for anything “free,” but let me live in my ignorance, please.) When my son says, “Mom, let’s go to Starbucks,” I rarely hesitate. I don’t even feel the guilt. It’s too easy when there’s a Starbucks located within our grocery stores and on nearly every corner. 

Like other Starbucks addicts, I think I can break the routine and live without my Starbucks. I tell myself I can go without my latte for one day. Or if I succumb to the temptation, that I deserve my drink. I earned it. 

And now with all of this reflection, I’m seriously craving my chai tea right about now…  

Melissa Amster:

My younger son is a barista...at our house. He loves Starbucks' Frappuccinos so much that he is now making them at home. My husband even got this Starbucks brand flavored creamer from Costco to assist in these efforts. He enjoys making them on his own and they look close to the real thing (at least the Vanilla Bean Crème kind). 

He's not the only kid in my house who is addicted to Starbucks. My older son and daughter love their strawberry açaí refresher and usually get that every time we go there. Sometimes my daughter will get a Frappuccino instead, if there's a new flavor that interests her. I'm mainly a fair weather friend when it comes to Starbucks...and that fair weather is usually the winter, when I can get hot cocoa, preferably with peppermint. Sometimes I'll get an iced tea during the summer and I am always glad to enjoy one of their delicious chocolate chip cookies, especially when they are warmed up. However, I frequent Starbucks in the winter. It may or may not be because of their festive holiday cups. ;)

I really like the atmosphere of Starbucks. The low lighting and soft music just add to the ambience and it feels so cozy every time. The baristas are always so friendly and courteous, as well.

My only complaint about Starbucks is that when they have kiosks in Target or Safeway, they don't work with the app and you can't get points on purchases at those locations. (The points that I usually use toward the aforementioned chocolate chip cookies.) I only go to these locations if I'm desperate for hot cocoa, now that I have had the experience of not being able to get points. (I hope Starbucks corporate is reading this post...) #FirstWorldProblems

One last thing: I heard this song at a show the other night and thought all you Starbucks lovers might appreciate it.

 

Do you like Starbucks? If so, what is your go-to beverage?

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Maggie Knox cooks up a delicious holiday story...plus a book giveaway

L to R: Karma and Marissa
Photos by Jenna Davis and Eugene Choi

Karma Brown and Marissa Stapley have written some great novels over the past years. Now they have come together as Maggie Knox to write an adorable and heartwarming winter romance novel, The Holiday Swap. Melissa really enjoyed this novel and will be reviewing it soon. In the meantime, you can check out her Bookstagram post. Today, they are here to talk about holiday food with us, so don't read this on an empty stomach! Thanks to Putnam, we have one copy for a lucky reader!

Visit Maggie Knox on Twitter and Instagram.

Karma Brown is an award-winning journalist and bestselling author of five novels, including the #1 national bestseller Recipe for a Perfect Wife, as well as the non-fiction bestseller The 4% Fix: How one hour can change your life. Her writing has appeared in publications such as Self, Redbook, Today’s Parent, and Chatelaine. She lives just outside Toronto with her family and a labradoodle named Fred. 

Visit Karma online:

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

Marissa Stapley is a former magazine editor and the internation­ally bestselling author of four novels: Mating for Life, Things to Do When It’s Raining, The Last Resort, and Lucky. Marissa’s journalism has appeared in magazines and newspapers across North America, including The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Elle, Today’s Parent, and Reader’s Digest. She lives in Toronto with her family and a pre­cocious black cat named Oscar.

Visit Marissa online:

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

Synopsis:

All they want for Christmas is a different life.

When chef Charlie Goodwin gets hit on the head on the L.A. set of her reality baking show, she loses a lot more than consciousness; she also loses her ability to taste and smell--both critical to her success as show judge. Meanwhile, Charlie's identical twin, Cass, is frantically trying to hold her own life together back in their quaint mountain hometown while running the family's bustling bakery and dealing with her ex, who won't get the memo that they're over.

With only days until Christmas, a desperate Charlie asks Cass to do something they haven't done since they were kids: switch places. Looking for her own escape from reality, Cass agrees. But temporarily trading lives proves more complicated than they imagined, especially when rugged firefighter Jake Greenman and gorgeous physician assistant Miguel Rodriguez are thrown into the mix. Will the twins' identity swap be a recipe for disaster, or does it have all the right ingredients for getting their lives back on track? (Courtesy of Amazon.)

“An utterly adorable, pitch-perfect romance with just the right amount of Christmas cheer. The Holiday Swap is a pure delight, I couldn’t stop from smiling.”

—Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author of Daisy Jones & The Six

“I devoured this delightful romantic comedy in two nights. It's like Gilmore Girls meets The Parent Trap meets Cake Wars. In other words, it's perfect.”

—Colleen Oakley, USA Today bestselling author of You Were There Too

“The Holiday Swap is the cozy holiday rom-com you crave, complete with double the swoony meet-cutes, scrumptious desserts, and happily-ever-afters. With small-town gossip and reality-TV drama, Maggie Knox serves up a treat that will have foodie fiction fans begging for seconds.”

—Amy E. Reichert, author of The Kindred Spirits Supper Club

“This debut from Maggie Knox about twins who swap places for 12 days at Christmas is twice the fun, double the trouble and all the feels. Warm cozy bakeries, cold snowy nights, holiday traditions and two-TWO!-romances to steal my heart—what’s not to love? The smart, quick-paced writing, witty dialogue and swoon-worthy date scenes had me up all night, turning the pages to see what would happen next. I absolutely adored this book—and I can’t wait for more rom-coms from Maggie Knox!”

—Chantel Guertin, bestselling author of Instamom

Taken in 1974

Karma Brown:

I grew up baking with my mom, especially during the holidays, as showcased in the photo below (this was during Canadian Thanksgiving, and I was about two years old). One of my favorite family traditions, which we continue to this day, is gathering to bake my Great-Grandmother Helen (Nellie) Christie's Christmas Cake. Each year a few weeks before Christmas my mom, sister and I spend a morning gabbing, singing carols, and making the cakes--in the very same pans my great-grandmother used over a hundred years ago. And just like my great grandmother (and then grandmother) did, we continue to line the pans in folded brown Kraft paper, which keeps the batter nestled safely inside during baking. The recipe makes both a light and dark version of the cake (for those unfamiliar with Christmas cake, also called "fruit cake", it's a dense vanilla/butter/flour based batter that is dotted with blanched almonds, raisins, currants and candied fruits), and we typically double the batch so we each go home with enough cake to last well into the new year. I have been known to keep some in the freezer so I can enjoy my Christmas cake in the off-season, too! 

Now, I understand fruit cake can be a touch controversial (there are those who believe raisins and candied fruit are inedible items, and should be kept far away from cake of any kind), but it remains my absolute favourite sweet treat at Christmastime. All it takes is one whiff during baking and I am filled with nostalgia and a deep sense of family legacy. It's a tradition I plan to continue with my daughter, and I'm hopeful she'll carry it on with her own family one day. I love imagining that hundreds of years from now my great grandmother's Christmas cake continues to grace the ovens of future generations. 

Marissa Stapley:

Grandma Jean’s Prizewinning Peanut Butter Fudge

My older brother and I adored this fudge, which our Grandma made for us every Christmas —  even when we got far too old to be eating recipes where mini rainbow marshmallows figure so prominently. Just one bite of this takes us back in time to family Christmas dinners we could hardly eat because we’d stuffed ourselves with rich, peanut buttery goodness.  In keeping with the way my Grandmother (and my mom) cooked and baked — by instinct; this could go either way, to be honest — this recipe of mine has no measurements. You just have to wing it.  Decide for yourself if you want a higher butterscotch chip/peanut butter to coloured marshmallow ratio or vice versa and conduct yourself accordingly. 

No matter how hard I try, I can’t quite seem to make this fudge taste exactly the way Grandma’s did (I suspect she used margarine and imitation vanilla extract) — and that’s okay. She was one of a kind, a spunky, Faye-type character who always told it like it was and never gave away her secrets. One thing I know for sure: she was quite smug about her fudge, and in an informal annual holiday fudge-making competition she had going with my stepdad and his chocolate fudge, always declared herself the prizewinner. 

Ingredients: 

• Peanut butter (never crunchy; and I do not recommend using all-natural peanut butter here, either)
• Butter (salted if you’re into sweet and salty)
• Butterscotch chips
• Rainbow mini marshmallows
• Vanilla

Method: 
Combine peanut butter, butter and butterscotch chips in a large pan; turn the heat to medium low. Stir patiently and frequently until the chips are all melted and the consistency is smooth. Let cool for a few minutes, then splash in vanilla and fold in marshmallows. Using a spatula, transfer the mixture into a parchment paper lined or well greased 8 x 8 or 9 x9 inch pan. Spread evenly. (It helps to put a bit of butter on the spatula so everything doesn’t stick.) Allow to set in the refrigerator, cut into squares and enjoy! 

Thanks to Karma and Marissa for whetting our appetites and Putnam for sharing their book with our readers.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here.

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Giveaway ends October 12th at midnight EST.

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Sara and Melissa Talk About...Food

We've been running a column series to get more personal with our readers. Since lots of chick lit novels focus on food and cooking, we decided to share our own thoughts on this topic. 

We're always open to topic suggestions, so please don't hesitate to share those in the comments. We'd also love to know if you can relate to anything we've said or hear your own thoughts on the topic. So don't be shy. :) We look forward to getting to know you as much as we're letting you get to know us. You can find our previous columns here, in case you missed them.

Sara Steven:                                                                                                                                          I’m in my final year at Arizona State University, and I find myself with nothing but electives to get me through the next two semesters. One of the classes I’m enrolled in for this semester is a food and human health course, because I love food. And I love health.                                                                                                                                      But now I’m sort of regretting it.

It’s not the class. The instructor is great, and I feel like I’ve learned so much so far. But that’s the problem. Last week we learned about the changes that have occurred in our food sources--the amount of nutrients derived from food, the soil our fruits and vegetables come from. The thing is, it’s not nearly as good as it once was, before industrialization took over. Before pesticides, before the dreaded GMOs. It’s all about supply and demand, which means producing produce and food that lasts longer and is convenient and available, but this means producing food that isn’t as high in quality.

In the back of my mind, I know this. In fact, when we moved to Arizona six years ago, I discovered that our next door neighbor was in charge of a food co-op and we were lucky enough to receive fresh fruits and vegetables grown locally by surrounding farms, all for a very affordable price. Twenty-five dollars a week. But then the co-op shut down. And the new grocery store just two miles down the road called out to me, and while it’s easy to buy the organic produce in the store, it’s just as easy not to. 

We have farmer’s markets out here. In over one hundred degree temperatures. I know. It sounds like I’m making excuses, doesn’t it? And I am. Because the convenience factor is so nice to have, but the more weeks that go by, I can’t ignore all of the factual information I’m learning in this food class. 

Courtesy of The Sugar Free Diva

I’ve always said that I’m a fairly healthy person, but I notice that as I age, some of the comfort foods I’ve always enjoyed are the same ones that cause a lot of chaos now. I can’t out-eat anyone at a buffet anymore--trust me, that was a sight to behold. I can’t outrun the calorie-laden meals, most likely due to my metabolism or my age or the fact that I’m not as strict about exercise like I once was. Certain foods cause me misery, and the ones full of sodium make me feel like I’ve taken up salt licking as a hobby. I figure I can try to make some small changes right now, like eating more produce, produce that comes from local farms. I put in a little research and found that there’s a market that’s close by, open seven days a week, and why not check it out, just to see what’s out there. It’s a small step, but it could be a huge step into living a healthier lifestyle, while helping out the local farms and businesses nearby. It can’t hurt. 

First step: eating healthier produce. Second step: curtail the daily sweets rations. Huh. Well, maybe I shouldn’t be so hasty with that...

Melissa Amster:                                                                                                    I realize that I am sharing this post right before a fasting holiday is about to start. However, it's fitting for this topic as I wanted to talk about something significant that has to do with what I eat. If you didn't know this already, I keep Kosher. Simply put, I follow some rules about eating based on commandments given in the Torah, such as not mixing meat and dairy and not eating shellfish or pork. There's more to it than that, such as dipping new utensils, glassware, and metal ware (such as pots and pans) into a mikvah before being able to use those items. I also keep separate sets of dishware, pots and pans, utensils, cups, etc. My house has two ovens and two sinks, as well. 

The food items that I purchase need to have a symbol, known as a hecksher, in order to be allowed in my house. Usually this is a circle around a U, known as OU, or a star with a K inside, amongst a few other certifiable symbols. Thankfully, a lot of name brand foods I like (and the store versions) are usually Kosher, such as Oreos (and most Nabisco products), Kellogg's cereals, most ice cream brands, you know...the important stuff. ;) Unfortunately, Kraft macaroni and cheese is not certified, but I've found some decent Kosher substitutes. Also, I need to buy specially certified meat and cheese products. 

One of my favorite lines from The Office

I didn't always keep Kosher and only started about eighteen years ago, after my husband and I got engaged. We eased our way into it with baby steps instead of just going cold turkey on giving up items we were used to. I had stopped eating at McDonald's a little while before we started on our Kosher journey. I don't even miss it now. There are some things we both miss, but my husband is an amazing chef and has been able to recreate a lot of the things we used to enjoy prior to keeping Kosher. 

A few years ago, we started purchasing Gardein vegan products. (Thankfully, those are sold at our local Kosher supermarket!) That has made a huge difference for us, as it has opened up a lot of cooking options. When we want to have tacos or put meat into lasagna, we get the Gardein soy crumbles and my husband flavors them according to what we're eating them with. They're really good! When we want chicken parmigiana or chicken Fettucine Alfredo, we use the crispy chick'n patties. They are perfect for either meal. We've also enjoyed their meatless meatballs ("it tastes the same...if you close your eyes"--Rent) with spaghetti and parmesan cheese, or their chick'n strips in fajitas. We also enjoy their Mandarin crispy chick'n. (And then we can have ice cream afterward.) 

When Passover comes around, there's a new set of Kosher rules that we have to follow, which means no bread, pasta, green beans, corn, rice, and some other products, as well. We also have different sets of pots, pans, plates, utensils, etc (also for both meat and dairy). However, my husband has been able to make some delicious dishes where you can't even tell they're for Passover. He adapts a lot of his regular recipes for the holiday. I make matzah lasagna and matzah mac n' cheese, as well. Both are favorites in our house. And then there's matzah pizza, which tastes best on shmurah matzah, as it is thinner and crispier. 

I hope this gives you some insight into what it's like keeping Kosher. I'm always glad to answer any questions you may have. Sara has heard me talk about all the rules and products so often that she could easily keep Kosher if she ever wanted to. :)

Talk about food with us! Just share your thoughts on the topic in the comments.

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Book Review: Simmer Down

By Cindy Roesel

Sarah Smith offers up two delicious enemies-turn-lovers in her new rom-com, SIMMER DOWN. Please, I'm not giving the ending away. It's a romantic comedy.

Nikki Dimarco knew life on the island of Maui wouldn't be all sunshine and Mai Tais when she moved there to help her mom run their food truck, Tiva's Filipina Kusinao. But then newcomer and candy for the eyes, British bad boy, Callum James rudely breaks the rules and moves his truck, Hungry Chaps in too close for comfort. Soon things are heating up and the smoking hot competition breaks out in a public fight that goes viral.

But the longer their rivalry simmers, the more Nikki starts seeing the sweet side of Callum and vice versa. But are they too proud to call a truce? Are they willing for their relationship to jump from the frying pan into the fire?

I absolutely loved SIMMER DOWN. This is Sarah Smith's sophomore effort after penning the successful FAKER. Her characters and plotting show a talent for making readers smile and enjoy happy endings. Let's all hope, one: we get to go to Maui and two: we meet a delish guy like Callum. I promise you'll end up loving to hate him.

Thanks to Berkley for the book in exchange for an honest review.

What's cooking with Carol M. Cram....plus a book giveaway

We're pleased to welcome Carol M. Cram to CLC today. Her latest novel, Love Among the Recipes, sounds like a real treat. Carol is here to talk more about it and she has TWO e-books to give away!

Carol M. Cram loves the arts, food, travel, and writing novels about people who follow their passions.

Carol writes about women in the arts in her first three award-winning novels of historical fiction, The Towers of Tuscany (Lake Union Publishing, 2014), A Woman of Note (Lake Union Publishing, 2015) and The Muse of Fire (Kindle Press & New Arcadia Publishing, 2018) and matches her travel-inspired vignettes with pastel drawings created by her husband, Canadian artist Gregg Simpson in Pastel & Pen: Travels in Europe (New Arcadia Publishing, 2018). 

Carol expresses her enthusiasm for the written word, the arts, and her love of travel on Artsy Traveler and Art In Fiction, and on the Art In Fiction Podcast in her chats with authors who write novels inspired by the arts. She also teaches writing courses and mentors new authors--one of her favorite things to do.

Carol holds an MA in Drama from the University of Toronto and an MBA from Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh. She lives with her husband, painter Gregg Simpson, on beautiful Bowen Island near Vancouver, BC, where she also teaches Nia, a holistic dance/fitness practice. (Bio adapted from Amazon.)

Visit Carol online:

Website * Facebook * Twitter 

Synopsis:

Paris may be for lovers, but cookbook author Genna McGraw is definitely not looking for love. She’s looking for escape and she's looking for a good runny Brie to pair with a smooth Bordeaux. Where better than Paris?

In Love Among the Recipes, Genna goes to the City of Light to get away from her philandering husband and write a “crossover cookbook/guidebook” that matches Parisian sights such as the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre with recipes for bistro-style French dishes. She also dabbles in romance with dishy French lawyer Pierre Leblanc and makes friends at her French class with Colorado transplant Marsha Renfrew and her snooty English boyfriend.

And then there’s big, blunt Bill Turner from Australia. Does he really eat crocodile steaks for tea?

But when Genna’s family crashes her new life in Paris, a crisis forces her to choose how she wants to live. Will she have the courage to embrace an uncertain future and risk losing everything? (Courtesy of Amazon.)

How do you get past writer's block?
Ah, there’s the rub! I once suffered for several years from writer’s block (at least in relation to writing fiction) before I finally had my first novel published (The Towers of Tuscany in 2014). My problem was that I couldn’t get past needing to be perfect. I wanted every word I wrote to be exactly right the first time I wrote it. Of course, that’s impossible! I got over writer’s block when I finally gave myself permission to “be bad”; that is, to just get the words on screen and then to do the editing later. 

Now, I’m able to start writing a scene without worrying whether what I’m writing is “good”. And very often, when I reread the passage I just wrote, I discover that the writing is much better than I expected. 

I think the trick to getting over writer’s block is to just do a lot of writing and to be confident that you’ll correct errors and polish the words during the editing process. As I’ve discovered after completing four published novels, I’ll be reading every word I write countless times before I even let beta readers take a look, and then many more times after that until the book is ready to be published.

Another good way to combat writer’s block is to write every day. I set myself a word limit and make it a priority to meet it before I start any other activities such as marketing, blogging, or consulting.

Has the pandemic changed your writing in any way?  If so, how?

I’ve been writing full time for several years now so the pandemic didn’t have that big an impact on my writing process. However, two interesting things happened to my writing career as a result of the pandemic. First, I had to give up going to cafés to write—something I used to love to do. Now that restrictions are starting to ease here in British Columbia, I’m able to go to my local café again, but I don’t do so nearly as often as I used to. I just got out of the habit and so I do the majority of my writing at home. At least I’m saving a ton of money! 

Second, when the pandemic started, I was writing the sequel to The Towers of Tuscany which is set in medieval Italy. The novel was historical fiction and included all sorts of scenes involving plague, violence, etc., because, of course, 14th-century Italy wasn’t the safest of times. When our own 21st century plague hit, I decided that I wanted to work on something fun and light. As a result, I took out the manuscript for Love Among the Recipes that I’d written a few years ago and decided to get it ready for publication. I figured that if I wanted a break from the grim realities of this year, others may want the same. Love Among the Recipes is intended to be a fun, food-infused romp through Paris that is as crisp, sweet, and smooth as the perfect macaron!
 
What experience has had the greatest impact on your writing career?
I think one of the best things I did to jump start my writing career was to work with a mentor prior to publishing my first novel. I always advise new writers to find a mentor who will help them structure their novel and provide good advice about style and character development. When I worked with a mentor, I took the leap from wannabe writer to “real” writer capable of creating stories that people might actually want to read! I remember being so thrilled after my initial meeting with my first mentor (I’ve had a few) when she told me that I was on the right track. Yes, I had a lot of work to do to get my manuscript into shape, but I was encouraged to know that I wasn’t wasting my time. That was a good day!

The one thing no one would ever guess about me is . . .
I’m really, really good at wasting time! I have developed a reputation over the years as someone who works hard and is pretty productive most of the time. While that is true on the surface, I never really feel like I’m as productive as I could be because I know how much time I don’t spend working. Fortunately, I’m getting much better at not being so hard on myself and on recognizing that downtime isn’t wasted time!

If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, which book would that be?
Emma by Jane Austen (although any of her novels will do!). I frequently re-read Austen’s six novels and never cease to be amazed at how they can still make me laugh out loud. I’ll never tire of reading about Mr. & Mrs. Elton, Miss Bates, and fussy old Mr. Woodhouse. Austen’s characters are so incredibly memorable and yet how did she do it? No matter how many times I read her novels, I can’t quite put my finger on what exactly she did to make them so good. I just wish I could do the same!

What is your favorite "go-to" fall recipe?
Pumpkin pie, of course! As I write this, I’m about to start baking my first pie of the season for Canadian Thanksgiving (second weekend in October). I confess that often I buy my pumpkin pies, but this year I’m baking one from scratch. Since March, I’ve spent a lot more time in the kitchen cooking and baking.

~Interview by Tracey Meyers

Thanks to Carol for visiting with us and for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 

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Giveaway ends October 27th at midnight EST.

Spotlight and Giveaway: The Cookbook Club

Today we are featuring The Cookbook Club by Beth Harbison, which published this week. The cover is as tantalizing as the synopsis and it even has recipes. Thanks to William Morrow, we have THREE copies to give away!

MUST LOVE BUTTER: The Cookbook Club is now open to members. Foodies come join us! No diets! No skipping dessert!

Margo Everson sees the call out for the cookbook club and knows she’s found her people. Recently dumped by her self-absorbed husband, who frankly isn’t much of a loss, she has little to show for her marriage but his ‘parting gift’—a dilapidated old farm house—and a collection of well-loved cookbooks

Aja Alexander just hopes her new-found friends won’t notice that that every time she looks at food, she gets queasy. It’s hard hiding a pregnancy, especially one she can’t bring herself to share with her wealthy boyfriend and his snooty mother. 

Trista Walker left the cutthroat world of the law behind and decided her fate was to open a restaurant…not the most secure choice ever. But there she could she indulge her passion for creating delectable meals and make money at the same time.

The women bond immediately, but it’s not all popovers with melted brie and blackberry jam.  Margo’s farm house is about to fall down around her ears; Trista’s restaurant needs a makeover and rat-removal fast; and as for Aja, just how long can you hide a baby bump anyway?

In this delightful novel, these women form bonds that go beyond a love grilled garlic and soy sauce shrimp. Because what is more important in life than friendship…and food?

New York Times bestselling author Beth Harbison started cooking when she was eight years old, thanks to the Betty Crocker Boys and Girls Cookbook. After graduating college, she worked full-time as a private chef in the D.C. area, and within three years she sold her first cookbook, The Bread Machine Baker to Random House. She published four cookbooks in total before moving on to writing bestselling women’s fiction, including the runaway bestseller Shoe Addicts Anonymous, and When in Doubt, Add Butter.

Visit Beth online:

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Pinterest

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 

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Giveaway ends October 26th at midnight EST.

Go-to-Gay: The "tricks" vs. the treats

Today our Go-to-Gay, Keith Stewart, is here to get us into a Halloween mood by telling us what he hopes to see in his trick-or-treat bag and what he'll be re-distributing to fellow trick-or-treaters. (Admit it...we all "re-gift" the candies we don't like.)





The Candy Man

Halloween season is here. Finally. It is the celebration that really kicks off the Holiday Season. We get the ball rolling with scary stories, dressing up in costumes, and eating tons of candy. How could one improve on that? It is just about perfect.

However, you have be careful. As adults, we can’t just blow our entire caloric budget on any willy-nilly piece of trick-or-treat candy. I mean, a few careless bite-sized Baby Ruth’s and you have filled up on nothing but a minor-league, not-ready-for-prime-time piece of candy.

Don’t worry, I am not going to start harping on nutritional value. I hate those people who post pictures of how many minutes of exercise you must do in order to burn off each fun-sized chocolate bar. “Fun-sized calories don’t count, Karen. It’s Halloween. Look it up.”

Instead, I am going to rank my favorite and least favorite Halloween candy for you. That way, if you are unsure what to splurge on this year, you can check the list and see if what you are about to gorge on is worthy or not. Let’s get started.

KEITH'S LEAST FAVORITE HALLOWEEN CANDY

Candy Corn

Why is this still a thing? No. Just no. Never have I seen anyone sit down and eat a bag of this, and if I ever do, I think I will gouge my eyes out.

Whoppers

In my opinion, malted milk balls are made by the Devil. It is a cruel joke he plays on people, luring them in with the promise of a chocolate candy. Then, he smacks them in the face with the taste of crap and texture of chalk. NOT TODAY, DEVIL, NOT TODAY.

Jelly Beans

Look, I get it. I do. Jelly beans are good, and they have their place in the candy world. JUST NOT AT HALLOWEEN. There is nothing more disappointing to a trick-or-treater than seeing a baggie of these dropped into their goodie bag.

Circus Peanuts

I don’t know why I am still having to talk about these things, but they are still being sold, so here we are. They are so, so, so bad. They even look disgusting. If you find one of these in your trick-or-treat bag, you have been tricked. Big time.

Any Off-Brand, No Label, Wrapped in Foil Candy

These candies always taste like the leftovers from the candy factory. They have an artificial flavor, and usually have random bits and pieces of dirt and grime clinging to the foil. Always a disappointment to see this handed out on Halloween. Always.

Honorable Mentions in Least Favorites: Smarties, Tootsie Rolls, Dum-Dum Suckers

KEITH’S FAVORITE HALLOWEEN CANDY

First off, let me say that I am not selecting the big boys of candy in my favorites. Snickers, Hershey’s, Reese’s, Three Musketeers. We all love them. They are always a favorite, but I wanted to pick some of my favorites that were not so popular.

Peanut Butter Chews

Courtesy of Grocery.com

I love these! I don’t even think they have a real brand name of any sort. The only time you can find them is Halloween, which makes them even more valuable. If you are a fan of peanut butter, this is your chew candy.

Bit-O-Honey

Oh, Bit-O-Honey, how much do I love, thee? Let me count the ways: 1. You taste like no other candy out there. 2. Chewy, but not sticky enough to pull out my teeth. 3. Honey. What else needs said?

Anything Homemade

Popcorn balls, candy apples, caramel apples, Rice Krispy treats. Any of the old-time treats that used to be given out during Halloween are heaven sent. You just can’t get any better than that.

Honorable Mentions in Favorites: Nerds, Sweet Tarts, Twizzlers

I hope this helps you navigate the tricky waters of Halloween binge eating. Do you agree with the list? Disagree? Let me know!

Keith Stewart is the author of Bernadette Peters Hates Me – True Tales of a Delusional Man. A native of Appalachia, he splits his time between his hometown of Hyden and nearby Lexington, Kentucky. His blog is www.astrongmanscupoftea.com. You can find him on Twitter at @Shiglyogly and Facebook at @AMSCOT (A Strong Man’s Cup of Tea). He is a regular contributor to HumorOutcasts.com and the GoodMenProject.com. He lives with his husband, Andy, and their two dogs, Duke and Dudley.

Book Review: The Ice Cream Parlour

By Sara Steven

Giovanna Tonioli is a successful stockbroker with a famous sports star boyfriend, but things aren't as sweet as they seem. When life in the city of Bath goes from Vanilla to Rocky Road, she takes herself off to Italy for an 'Eat Pray Love' style tour of all things gelateria. What she doesn't expect to find on her travels is one smooth, hot dollop of temptation that she just can't shake.

How will her spiteful twin sister react when Giovanna returns to open a rival ice cream parlour? Will Natalia get her just desserts? Or will things become even stickier? All's fair in love, war and ice cream. Isn't it? (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads)

In the beginning, it feels as though Giovanna is a modern day Cinderella, trying to make her way in spite of her family. The noted black sheep, there’s constant struggle within her to do her very best for her family, yet distant herself. Thrown into the scenario is her lothario boyfriend, a man she is madly in love with, but doesn’t give her the respect she deserves. With so much discord, it’s no wonder she chooses to leave behind the mess and chaos and embark on a soul-searching, taste testing journey in Italy, a place where she attempts to find herself.

I’m a self-professed lover of all things ice cream, but I was blown away by the wide range of flavors and creations that Giovanna indulges in. I’d never heard of so many of the flavors and textures and even the colors that are presented, an important vein that pumps life blood into The Ice Cream Parlour. With a background for delectables, there is obvious passion, and it shows in every bite that Giovanna takes. Her reputation and pride are on the line, in opening up her own parlour, but where the lines blur are in the motivations behind it. Are those motives pure, or is it a way to stick it to those who have hurt her?

There’s a large part of the novel that feels a little like the French movie He Loves Me… He Loves Me Not. Initially, the story is shown from only one perspective, like in the case of Giovanna. This enables us to side completely with her. Yet midway through, there’s a unique rewind into the past, now showcasing the perspective from a completely new vantage point, turning the reader’s ideas and opinions completely on its head. Who’s side are we on, now? It got me thinking on how past hurts, even when they’re from long ago and deep seeded, can often have a larger influence on the choices made today and how ultimately, there really isn’t a clear-cut wrong or right answer when family is involved.

The backdrop is steeped in Italian landscape, an almost cinematographic view through internal dialogue. While I’ve never been, I felt like I was right there with Giovanna while she traveled to Tuscany, Lake Como, Milan, and more. Even the experiences she has in Bath made me want to venture out to the UK. An undercurrent plot to all of this is an interesting twist to the story, the kind of dealings her family has been involved in since she was a child, always lurking in the dark, coming to fruition when she least expects it, but more than expects it. With so many distinctive events going on, The Ice Cream Parlour proved to be a delightful read!

Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for the book in exchange for an honest review. Purchase the novel here.

Isabella May lives in (mostly) sunny Andalusia, Spain with her husband, daughter and son, creatively inspired by the sea and the mountains. Having grown up on Glastonbury's ley lines however, she's unable to completely shake off her spiritual inner child, and is a Law of Attraction fanatic.

Cake, cocktail, gelato, and travel obsessed, she also loves nothing more than to (quietly) break life's 'rules'. The Ice Cream Parlour is her fourth novel.

Visit Isabella online:
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

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