Flora, an art conservator, is working to clean Sondro Botticelli’s world-famous Birth of Venus. She realizes that there are no notes from the previous cleaning and begins to get suspicious as she removes the frame and looks at the paint’s sheen. Then she sees a smiley-face. < Back The Botticelli Caper Sarah Wisseman November 10, 2020 The Botticelli Caper (Wings ePress, 2019) is set at the Uffizi Galleries during a period, not long ago, when workmen were constantly coming in and out during massive amounts of reconstruction. Flora, an art conservator, is working to clean Sondro Botticelli’s world-famous Birth of Venus. She realizes that there are no notes from the previous cleaning and begins to get suspicious as she removes the frame and looks at the paint’s sheen. Then she sees a smiley-face. She’d seen it before in a forgery of another famous painting. In this light-hearted caper, Wisseman asks how some very skilled painter could make a nearly perfect copy of one of the world’s great paintings. But, how would the original have been removed from the museum with guards all around, night and day? Now a few more forgeries are discovered along with two bodies. Against the advice of all, Flora continues to meander through the beautiful old building, wondering where the original copies might be stored. What about all the doors, the unused corridors, the bridge and tunnel that lead to other palaces? Sadly, the real-life incidents of art forgery and theft have sometimes been even stranger, but there was no Flora Garibaldi to solve those crimes. Retired archaeologist Sarah Wisseman (aka Sally Underhill) completed her undergraduate degree at Harvard University and her M.A. and Ph. D in Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology at Bryn Mawr College. During her years working as an Archaeological scientist at the University of Illinois, she wrote non-fiction books and numerous articles on mummies, Greek vases, and archaeological science. Nowadays, Sarah splits her time between writing and painting. Starting in 2004, when she was a finalist for Best First Traditional Mystery Novel in the St. Martin’s Press/Malice Domestic Contest, she has based her fiction on thirty years of working in academia, museums, and on excavations in Italy, Israel, and the U.S. She writes two series, the Lisa Donahue Archaeological Mysteries (set in Boston and the Middle East) and the Flora Garibaldi Art Conservation Mysteries (set in Italy). Her paintings include mixed media landscapes, starscapes, and still lifes. Listen to Episode Buy Book Previous Next

A refreshing dessert in the summer and a pleasingly light dessert to nibble on after a heavy winter meal. < Back Chocolate Peanut Butter Frozen Pie December 13, 2019 Prep Time: 4.5 Hours Cook Time: 10 Minutes Serves: 8 Slices of Pie Tags: Vegan, Vegetarian, Baking, Cakes & Pies & Icing About the Recipe Fans of Battered (the first book in the Whipped and Sipped mystery series), might recall that the cafe’s pastry chef, Ruthie Rosin, is a vegan who doesn’t eat or bake with any animal products. This is the kind of pie she serves both at home and in the café.- it’s a refreshing dessert in the summer and a pleasingly light dessert to nibble on after a heavy winter meal. Ingredients Crust: 1½ cup unsalted raw or roasted pecans* ¾ cup (8 to 10) dried pitted dates or prunes 2 TBSP organic filtered coconut oil *Also, delicious when I replace the pecans with 10-12 of my own baked and frozen cookies Filling: 2 cups unsalted cashews or peanuts 1 cup canned whole coconut milk ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder ½ cup packed coconut or brown sugar 1 ¼ cup mashed ripe bananas (3 medium or 2 large bananas) 1 tsp pure vanilla extract ½ tsp pure almond extract ½ tsp fine-grained sea salt 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 TBSP instant coffee or decaf powder Optional: Sprinkle ½ cup mini-chocolate chips on top, or for a more dazzling presentation, add the chocolate chips and then finish with powdered sugar or whipped topping Preparation Crust: In a food processor, blend pecans (or cookies) until completely uniform, about 60 seconds Add dates/prunes and oil, pulse just until blended, about 5-6 times Add oil and pulse 4 or 5 times Press mixture into a greased tart pan, pie pan or lined muffin cups (with silicone or paper) Bake at 350°F/180°C for 8 minutes (in a muffin pan) or 10 minutes (in a pie or tart pan) Cool on the counter (not on top of the oven) while preparing the filling Filling: Don’t bother to rinse out the processor, just add all the ingredients except chocolate chips Blend until completely mixed and shiny (about 2-3 minutes) Smooth into the completely cooled crust (in either the pie pan or the muffin cups) Toss mini chocolate chips on top Freeze for at least 4 hours Remove from the freezer about 20 minutes before serving Add the optional topping – although it’s delicious without the final flourish Leftovers can be either frozen or refrigerated (for nibbling whenever you want something sweet but nourishing). When refrigerated, it gets a pudding-like texture. Previous Next

Attica Locke: Black Water Rising < Back Attica Lock Author of Black Water Rising March 14, 2022 Attica Locke’s (b 1974) first novel, B lack Water Rising was nominated for an Edgar Award, an NAACP Image Award, as well as a L os Angeles Times Book Prize, and was short-listed for the Women’s Prize for Fiction. She came out with H eaven, My Home (September 2019) as the sequel to her Edgar Award-winning B luebird, Bluebird. Her third novel, P leasantville was the winner of the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction and was also long-listed for the Bailey’s Prize for Women’s Fiction. T he Cutting Season was the winner of the Ernest Gaines Award for Literary Excellence. I love the steamy atmosphere, the Texas Rangers, and the southern experience. Locke covers moral issues, greedy developers, white supremacy. Solid writing with no artifice. A former fellow at the Sundance Institute’s Feature Filmmaker’s Lab , Locke works as a screenwriter as well. Most recently, she was a writer and producer on Netflix’s W hen They See Us a nd the also the upcoming Hulu adaptation of L ittle Fires Everywhere. A native of Houston, Texas, Attica lives in Los Angeles, California, with her husband and daughter. Previous Next

I make this version of hummus when I’m out of tahini. < Back Easy Hummus November 5, 2020 Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Serves: 2 Cups of Hummus Tags: Dips and Sauces, Vegan, Gluten Free, Vegetarian About the Recipe I make this version of hummus when I’m out of tahini. Ingredients 1 15 oz can of chickpeas, drained (save ¼ cup liquid) and rinsed 1 TBSP fresh lemon juice from about ½ of a medium lemon 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar (it brightens just about everything) 1 TBSP toasted sesame oil 1 clove garlic or 1 tsp garlic powder ½ tsp kosher or sea salt 1 tsp dried basil ½ tsp each: cumin, all-spice, turmeric ¼ cup of the chickpea liquid, or water Optional: serve topped with a dab of olive oil and handful of pine nuts Preparation I make this version of hummus when I’m out of tahini. Mix everything in a food processor (using a high-tech blender turns it into baby food). Once you start mixing, slowly add in the chickpea liquid or water until it turns into a smooth, creamy dip. Add extra liquid as needed. Taste it. You might want more salt or lemon. Sometimes I had a handful of fresh parsley. If you prefer a more traditional hummus, just stick with the garbanzos, lemon, salt, sesame/oil. Add pepper if you like more oomph. You can also thin it out enough to use a salad dressing. No need to ever buy pre-made hummus again! Previous Next

Victoria Thompson: Gaslight Mystery Series < Back Victoria Thompson Author of The Gaslight Mystery Series June 6, 2019 Even though I like reading lesser known authors and mystery series, I couldn’t help spending a few bitter Chicago winter evenings this year devouring several in the Gaslight Mystery Series by Victoria Thompson. Winner of the Career Achievement Award for Mystery from RT Book Reviews in 2011, Thompson currently teaches in the master’s degree program for writing popular fiction at Seton Hill University, where she earned her Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree. Victoria is a founding member and past president of Novelists, Inc., a national organization of published writers of popular fiction. She is also co-founder and past president of PENNWRITERS, a statewide writer’s organization in Pennsylvania. Victoria has served on the board of directors of Romance Writers of America (RWA) and was co-founder and the first President of New Jersey Romance Writers. She is also a member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. Victoria lives in a suburb of Chicago with her husband and a very spoiled little dog. I wonder if our children went to the same high school. Chicago is pretty spread out though, with many suburbs. Hint: the one we lived in had a mall. I emailed her because she said: Please send me an email at victoria@victoriathompson.com to let me know what you think of the books and to get on my mailing list so I can send you a reminder each time a new book comes out. Because of the large volume of email I receive, I may not be able to personally reply to each one, but I do read them. You may also visit me on Facebook at Victoria.Thompson.Author and Twitter @gaslightvt. I’ll keep you posted on upcoming releases and appearances. Haven’t heard back yet , but I’ll keep you posted. I’m apparently not the only one who is charmed by Frank Malloy, an NYC detective sergeant until he married wealthy, wise, midwife and champion of women’s health, Sarah Brandt. How fun to wander the streets of late 19th century New York City from Battery Park to Washington Heights, watching as Malloy hops on curbs to avoid horse-drawn carriages or those new-fangled automobiles in a city struggling with corruption and ineptitude. And although he has no need to work, he still finds himself ferreting out con men, thieves and murderers. All in good fun and well done! Previous Next

Tasha Alexander: Lady Emily Historical Mystery Series < Back Tasha Alexander Author of The Lady Emily Historical Mystery Series January 30, 2020 Tasha Alexander studied English Literature and Medieval History at the University of Notre Dame. She wrote a novel, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, and the long-running Lady Emily Series. She is married to British novelist Andrew Grant and lives in Chicago and Wyoming. Lady Emily, who first appeared in Tasha Alexander’s 2005 novel, And Only to Deceive, is one of the characters I return to again and again. The author delves into British history with an eye for historical accuracy combined with the ability to create fully human characters who are capable of wit and subtlety. She’s also managed to combine dazzling historical fiction (fabulous descriptions of England through the centuries) with well-planned, gripping mysteries. Royalty is often involved, and Alexander conveys an urgency – the Crown is at risk unless the mystery is solved. I always get immersed in the rich details; servants are plentiful, clothing is magnificent, Emily travels into the underbelly of London to get to the bottom of a murder, and her dashing husband Colin reports directly to the queen or king. The inner workings of Britain are portrayed from the Victorian through Edwardian periods, with occasional visits to the distant past, as in Uneasy Lies the Crown, which includes a story line from 1415 that later ties in with the current day mystery. I admire the ease with which Lady Emily Hargreaves travels around the world — it makes me feel silly for complaining about long flights. But then again, we’d all be better prepared for a few weeks in Moscow if we engaged a retinue of servants to carry our trunks. These are delicious books (best enjoyed with a cup of tea that your trusted maid brings in with the afternoon mail). There are fourteen books in the Lady Emily series thus far, and I hope Tasha Alexander is not yet finished. Previous Next

Sometimes wry, sometimes charming, occasionally a story will make you gasp, especially the one-pagers. In 78 pieces of fiction, flash fiction and micro-fiction, Alford’s writing is soothing, sparkling, opaque or mysterious, but it always packs a punch. < Back A Girl Goes into the Forest Peg Alford Pursell September 26, 2019 The stories and fables in A Girl Goes into the Forest (Dzanc Books, 2019) twist and turn with the sorrows and challenges of family, lovers, growing up, and aging. Sometimes wry, sometimes charming, occasionally a story will make you gasp, especially the one-pagers. In 78 pieces of fiction, flash fiction and micro-fiction, Alford’s writing is soothing, sparkling, opaque or mysterious, but it always packs a punch. Peg Alford Pursell , author of Show her a Flower, A Bird, A Shadow , the 2017 Indies Book of the Year for Literary Fiction, has had work published in many journals and anthologies. Her micro-fiction, flash fiction, and hybrid prose have been nominated for Best Small Micro-fictions and Pushcart Prizes. She is the founder and director of WTAW Press, a nonprofit publisher of literary books, and of Why There are Words, the national literary reading series. Also, she enjoys walking through her neighborhood with its redwoods and Little Free Libraries. One of the most fascinating dreams she's had was creating a crossword puzzle in her sleep and being able to remember the lower left section when she awoke. Listen to Episode Buy Book Previous Next

Ruthie dropped off a tray of frozen sweet potato-black bean empanadas. < Back Oven-Baked Sweet Potato-Black Bean Empanadas July 23, 2019 Prep Time: 45 Minutes Cook Time: 15 Minutes Serves: 24 Servings Tags: Entrees, Vegetarian, Vegan About the Recipe 125 Battered: A Whipped and Sipped Mystery That night, Brianne invited the sixth-floor neighbors for dinner, including Joan, who didn’t answer her phone or respond to Brianne’s text. Elderly neighbor, Gloriadine declined, explaining that the funeral had exhausted her for the day. Alene vowed to have Kacey join them instead of sitting alone in her room but she wasn’t sure how she was going to manage it. Brianne was planning to order in, but Ruthie dropped off a tray of frozen sweet potato-black bean empanadas with fresh garlic bread, a big salad, and a jar of her homemade, garlicky salad dressing. Alene decided to send Sierra to get Kacey, who wasn’t responding to texts. It was a chance, but Sierra could be very persuasive. Quinn and Noah were reading comic books on the couch in front of Brianne’s coffee table while Alene and her father joined Brianne at her round kitchen table. Sierra rushed back into the kitchen looking flushed. “Joan just screamed at me,” she said in a hushed tone. “It was unbelievably scary.” Brianne gulped and Cal covered his mouth in surprise. “What did she say?” Alene asked. How dare she scream at a child? Sierra reported the story as if it had been a big adventure. “She opened the door and said, ‘Get away from me, you little shit. I’ve had just about enough from all of you.” “Oh, my goodness,” said Cal, “kindness really doesn’t come naturally to that woman.” Brianne shook her head. “She’s in mourning. We should be patient with her – but who talks that way to a little girl?” “I’m nearly twelve-and-a-half. I’m not exactly a little girl,” said Sierra with a sigh. Ingredients 3 cups all-purpose or bread flour 2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp kosher salt 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 TBSP apple cider vinegar ¾ cup ice cold water 1 cooked medium sweet potato 1 cup black beans (reserve some of the liquid from the can to moisten the filling) 1 red pepper (or poblano if you want heat) roast, remove seeds and membrane, chop 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (toss in heated pan until fragrant, or use powdered cumin) 1/3 cup chopped scallions 2 or more tablespoons chopped cilantro (use parsley if someone hates cilantro) ½ to 1 teaspoon chili powder (depending on how much heat you want) 1/2 teaspoon salt Preparation Use a food processor to pulse together flour, baking soda and salt Add in oil, cold water, and vinegar: pulse 2-4 times just to combine Remove from the food processor and form into a loose ball Wrap in plastic and place in refrigerator for at least one hour Mash the sweet potato with the rest of the ingredients (add more liquid from can if needed) Remove the dough from the fridge, divide and shape into 8 equal balls On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball of dough into an approximately 5” circle Spoon about 2-3 TBSP of the sweet potato mixture onto each circle Moisten edges of the dough with water and fold over the filling Seal edges with a fork on both sides Place on a large greased baking sheet (or parchment paper/silicone mat) Cut diagonal slits across each empanada and bake at 400° 15 minutes until golden Great for appetizers (Serve 2-3 per adult with salad, guacamole and salsa for dinner) Recipe also works with store-bought pie dough Previous Next

"There are only six sweet potato muffins left," said Alene. < Back Vegan Sweet Potato or Pumpkin Muffins August 13, 2019 Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 10 Minutes Serves: 12 Servings Tags: Muffins and Breads, Vegan, Breakfast About the Recipe p. 8 Battered: A Whipped and Sipped Mystery “Your new pastries are going to be a huge winner, Nine,” she told Ruthie, using her college nickname. “There are only six sweet potato muffins left.” “That, my dear Six,” Ruthie responded, with Alene’s college nickname, “is because no one wanted the ugly ones.” Just then, Olly Burns pushed through the swing-door into the kitchen carrying dirty dishes and bad news. “Jack Stone’s out front,” he said in his sing-song voice. “Apparently he wants to work here. With us.” Alene rested her knife on the counter and cringed. She’d once smacked Jack Stone when he’d drunkenly tried to feel her up, about a decade before. He might have been somewhat attractive if he matured and cleaned up, but as far as Alene knew, he’d never been able to overcome his drinking problem. “Gary Vanza asked me to hire Jack, as a favor, to last week,” she said, “but he’s probably never held a job longer than a few months.” She paused with her knife in the air, imagining Jack Stone working in her café with his long, greasy hair and torn jeans. Alene glanced briefly at Kacey and added, “I’m a little worried about trying to teach an old dog new tricks.” Ingredients ¾ cup unsweetened almond or coconut milk ¼ cup EVOO, canola or coconut oil ¾ cup cooked, mashed sweet potato or canned pumpkin 1 cup packed dark brown sugar ¼ cup unsulphured molasses (use same cup you use to measure the oil) 2 tsp pure vanilla extract 2 TBSP apple cider vinegar 2 cups all-purpose flour (or 1 ½ cups all-purpose and ½ cup whole wheat flour) ½ tsp salt 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice 1 tsp cinnamon 2 tsp baking soda Preparation Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray oil into 12 cupcake liners Combine first 7 ingredients in a blender or processor and blend until smooth Stir together flour, salt, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and baking soda Add to blender and pulse 3 or 4 times just until blended Pour into sprayed cupcake liners (about ¾ full) Bake about 10 minutes in preheated oven Lower oven to 350 degrees, bake an additional 10 until tops are springy Remove from oven Cool and remove from baking pan Serve with maple syrup, berries, whipped coconut milk, chocolate frosting, or jam Variation: stir in a package of mini chocolate chips before baking Previous Next

Jennifer Ashley: Kat Holloway Mysteries < Back Jennifer Ashley Author of The Kat Holloway Mysteries February 20, 2020 Jennifer Ashley is one of those writers with limitless energy and a treasure trove of untold stories in her head. She writes historical, paranormal and contemporary romance as Jennifer Ashley; mysteries as Ashley Gardner; and paranormal romance/urban fantasy as Allyson James. Her over 100 books have been translated into over ten languages, and she is a N.Y.T and U.S.A. Today bestselling author. Her website informs us that although she loves reading and writing above all else, she also has a bunch of hobbies including cooking, hiking, playing flute and guitar, painting, and building miniature rooms and dollhouses. One can only assume she is another one of those people who requires no more than four hours of sleep at night (or she is the most organized woman in the world). I love reading Kat Holloway mysteries, each of which is carefully researched so that the young cook’s preparations and meals are what might have been served in Victorian England. I was so enamored of her seed-cakes that I’ve spent the past two weeks trying to recreate a healthy version without butter or eggs. I love her evening preparation of yeast dough that rises all night so that she can do the second rising in the morning before baking it – exactly how I do it! It’s delightful to hear how Mrs. Holloway plans and executes the meals she’ll serve ‘above stairs,’ in addition to how she puts together her own and the other servants’ meals. There’s usually something in the oven that needs tending, or a complete meal that needs serving when Mrs. Holloway leaves to help a friend solve a problem. Ancillary characters like vivacious, cross-dressing Lady Cynthia, mysterious, renaissance man Daniel Macadam, and snooty butler Mr. Davis are well-drawn and interesting. Mrs. Holloway is always putting on her apron and getting to work in the kitchen or removing her apron and donning her coat, hat and gloves to venture into the bustling city. She treasures her days off with her little daughter, tries to convey proper behavior to her staff, and strives to make the lives of poor beggars a little easier with coins and extra food that she brings outside after the evening meal. Solid Mrs. Holloway is indeed a most charming and dependable hero. Previous Next

Alene was proud of the recipe that she invented. < Back Green Bean and Walnut Spread September 10, 2020 Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 15 Minutes Serves: 4 cups of dip Tags: Dips and Sauces, Gluten Free, Vegetarian, Vegan About the Recipe A great way to sneak in your veggies. Ingredients 2 TBSP olive oil 1 large onion, sliced 2 cup roasted or raw unsalted walnuts 2 cups frozen or one 15 ounce can of green beans (or peas) 1 tsp salt ½ tsp pepper Optional: Toss a handful of fresh parsley into the processor to see specks of green Preparation In a large pan, sauté sliced onions in the oil until they’re soft, about 6-8 minutes. Add walnuts and beans or peas, stir for 2-3 minutes. Scoop into a food processor and blend everything together until the texture is uniform. Remove to a bowl and taste before serving (it might need more salt). Sprinkle with chopped parsley or basil. Serve with vegetables, pickles and crackers, or spread on a piece of fresh bread. If you’re out of peas and green beans, 6-8 large sliced mushrooms will also be delicious. Previous Next

It's hard to resist snagging these from the cookie sheet while they cool! < Back Pistachio Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies December 22, 2020 Prep Time: 45 Minutes Cook Time: 12 Minutes Serves: 24 Servings Tags: Gluten Free, Cookies and Brownies About the Recipe Ingredients ½ cup unsalted pistachios ¼ cup olive or canola oil ¼ cup tahini ½ cup packed brown sugar (light or dark) 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 3 cups old fashioned oats 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp baking soda Pinch of salt 2 eggs ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips Preparation Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C and set out two cookie sheets. In a food processor, blend pistachios until roughly ground. Add everything except chocolate chips and blend 30-60 seconds until it’s all mixed together. Add chocolate chips and briefly pulse a few times to mix them in. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes while you clean up. With wet hands, form 24 balls and space them on the cookie sheets – they will spread. Bake for about 12 minutes until slightly golden, and remove. Cool for at least 5 minutes (If you try to nab one before it’s cool, it will fall apart!) Previous Next