Crepes Suzette, a cozy mystery

CREPES SUZETTE

A Cozy Mystery

        The idea for this book came to me many years ago. I was attending College and had a roommate who was in the process of searching for her biological family. She was unfortunate to have had a difficult childhood with her adoptive parents but fortunate to have found a wonderful relationship with her biological mother. She was in the process of finding her father when we graduated and went our separate ways. I hope she was successful. To read more about this mystery go to http://essaysbyjanet.blogspot.com/

Crêpes Suzette is a French dessert consisting of a crêpe with caramelized sugar and butter, tangerine or orange flavoring and, topped with liqueur served flambé.

CREPES  SUZETTE

4 eggs, well beaten

1 cup milk

1 cup sifted all purpose flour

1 Tbl brandy

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

Melted butter

Suzette Sauce

Mix well, add ingredients except Suzette Sauce. Let stand in refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours. When thicker than heavy cream, add a little or milk. Heat a 7 or 8 inch skillet and brush with melted butter. Put in 1 generous tablespoons of batter working quickly, tip and tilt the pan so that the batter flows evenly over the bottom. Cook quickly. As soon as the pancake browns on one side, turn quickly and brown the other side. Proceed until all of the batter is used. Reheat the Suzette Sauce. Makes 32 crepes.

Suzette Sauce

Cream 1 cup unsalted butter until light and fluffy. Add grated rinds of 1 small orange and 1 lemon and ¼ cup of sugar. Melt in top pan of chafing dish over direct heat. Add juice of 1 orange and heat to reduce mixture to half.  Add 2 oz. (1/4 cup) each of brandy and Curacao or Cointreau and 1 oz (2 tablespoons) Kirsch. Ignite with a match. Then add the crepes, one at a time. Bathe each in the sauce, fold in quarters, and put to one side of the pan. When all are ready to serve, sprinkle with a little sugar, pour on about 2 oz of brandy and ignite.

SLIVERS OF GLASS, 1955 Noir Murder Mystery

SLIVERS OF GLASS

1955 Noir Murder Mystery

People often ask me why I wrote a noir murder mystery in 1955.

As I was contemplating this book, memories of my mother came flooding back. A native of New York, I was young and impressionable. Sitting on my mother's bed watching her get ready for a day of shopping.

HI remember how she would stand in front of her vanity mirror adjusting her hat so it would sit just right with her hair style. Then she would put on her left glove, hold her right glove in her left hand, slip her purse over her left arm and hold my hand as we left for the bus.

I’ll never forget her high heel shoes. They matched her purse, belt and hat, always a perfect match! My mother was a lady in dress, style and manner.

She passed away 2 years ago. Regardless of the era, she was in style to the end.

This book is written in my mother's memory

For a peek at this inspired novel see      http://slivers-of-glass.blogspot.com/

Ambrosia

A very popular dessert in the 1950’s, served at the famous Coconut Grove Night Club in Los Angeles. The “Grove” was known for its great cuisine. The Coconut Grove is featured in one of the scenes in Slivers of Glass, a Noir murder Mystery.

Ingredients

2 oranges or tangerines

Sugar

2 bananas

Shredded coconut, unsweetened

Direction

Peel the oranges or tangerines, pull the pieces apart; cut the pieces across the middle. Peel the bananas and cut them into thin slices.

Cover the bottom of the bowl with orange pieces. Sprinkle 1-2 teaspoons of sugar over the oranges (depending on the sweetness of the oranges/tangerines). Put some banana slices on oranges, and then sprinkle a little coconut over bananas.

Do the same thing for the next layer, first the oranges, sugar, bananas and coconut. Make more layers, using all the fruit.

Sprinkle coconut on top. Cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate for 1 hour. Serves 3-4

April Tax Time

TAX TIME

I found this joke and had to share it:

What's the definition of a good tax accountant?
Someone who has a loophole named after him.

For other humorous jokes, poem, etc see. They are great!

http://www.butlerwebs.com/jokes/taxes.htm

St/ Patrick's Day

St. Patrick's Day

          March is the perfect time of year to bring out your green and enjoy everyone being Irish with their positive outlook in life. Here is an animated greeting for the special day for the Irish and everyone who celebrates with them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de7MNyFeZy0

Enjoy!

The Romance of the Tango

The Tango

    I have always enjoyed watching people dance the Tango. (I’ve never been coordinated enough to even attempt it.) The dance exudes romance and love when performed.

    I found out that the Tango is a dance came from European and African cultures.  The dance originated in lower-class districts of Buenos Aires and Montevideo. The word "tango" was first connected with the dance in the 1890s. It soon became popular throughout society.

    In the early years of the 20th century, dancers and orchestras from Buenos Aires travelled to Europe, and the first European tango craze took place in Paris, soon followed by London, Berlin, and other capitals. Towards the end of 1913 it hit New York.

    In Argentina, the Great Depression, and restrictions introduced after the overthrow of the Hipólito Yrigoyen government in 1930 caused tango to decline. Tango became widely fashionable and a matter of national pride under the government of Juan Perón. Tango declined again in the 1950s as a result of economic depression and the banning of public gatherings by the military dictatorships. Slowly the dance has gained popularity again.

    Talk about a history!!

For a fun look on “How the Tango Conquered the World” click on the link below.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3AHow_Tango_Conquered_the_World.webm

Snow Man

Happy Holidays

Happy Holiday to everyone!

Here is an animated holiday greeting for you. Just click on the link below and be sure your sound is turned on. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkaPrqbRCAc

Hope you enjoy your holiday,

Janet