Tuesday, August 9, 2011

GOOD MORNING!! Not a Fishy Breakfast

Sorry, no fish for breakfast on this party pavilion table! LOL  Just some fun discussions about food (hey, it's too early to talk about writing and all that business.) Besides, I love including food details into my books.

First, I'll tell you that you *MUST* comment on the blog posts in order to win either the drawings by Goddess Fish or the prizes by me. You *must* enter your email address when you comment (which means you'll get future info about my books via a newsletter) for a chance to win hand-made book earrings. If you *PURCHASE* Double Crossing and send the order confirmation # to megmims (at) yahoo (dot) com, you will receive a Kindle cover zipper pull. Okay, here we go!

My idea of a great breakfast to accompany a great read -- like Double Crossing, and I hope you agree! ;-) -- is Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice tea with scrambled eggs and fresh blueberry muffins. I make my own scrambled eggs, with light whipped cream (yep! just psssht from the can) because they make very creamy and delicious eggs. SO, you start with some butter in the frying pan, crack three eggs and add the light whipped cream (NOT Reddi-Whip, sorry) and then fold it all in, cooking until they're done. They will look very light yellow and taste delicious. Far better than just with milk! I got that tip while in England, long ago.
Oh, and don't forget the salt and pepper once they're on the plate.




Do I make blueberry muffins? Nah. I buy them - from Meijer, the nearest Panera Bread or whatever. But if you're into baking, check out the Lake Effect Living on-line magazine for a great recipe, and eye the delights of the Blueberry Store in South Haven, Michigan.

Harney & Sons has the best tea I've ever tasted. Believe me, I tried the Kroger brand Cinnamon Spice -- it's more cinnamon than spice, just okay -- so click here to see their selection. Perhaps you'd rather drink Earl Grey like my daughter (the bergamot flavor is her favorite) or brew coffee instead. Sorry. I'm a true blue tea drinker, although my daughter does like Biggby's coffee. Whatever floats your boat at the party!

Now to chat about DOUBLE CROSSING, my new release. Is there food in it? YOU BET!! Before Lily Granville even begins her life-changing adventure, she enjoys an afternoon "tea" with her father in his library. Check out my sample first chapter by clicking here or just enjoy the brief excerpt here.



Etta carried in a silver tray of refreshments and set them on the table between the desk and the leather sofa. I sank into the soft cushion with a whoosh. My feet still hurt from my downtown shopping venture and several hours of errands.

“I bought the handkerchiefs you wanted, Father, and that brass letter opener. I saw a pearl brooch at Marshall Field. The silver setting looked inferior, though.” I plucked up a golden-crusted pastry filled with creamed chicken and dill. “My seamstress had no open appointments today, and I couldn’t find one straw hat that I liked at any of the millinery shops.”

“If you’re serious about China, you’ll have to give up your notions of fashion.”

“True enough,” I said, licking a spot of gravy from my thumb.

“That young man has filled your head with nonsense, in my opinion.”

“Charles is dedicated to God. The China Inland Mission has accepted him, did I tell you? Now he’s raising funds for his passage.”

“You’ve never been dedicated to working in Chicago among the poor. Charity begins at home,” Father said. “Your mother was devoted to the Ladies’ Society at church.”

“Her charity circle sewed clothing and quilts. I can’t even thread a needle.”

“So we agree.” Father snagged a handful of candied almonds. “You need to gain valuable skills here in Evanston, or at a finishing school, before you run off to China.”

“I’m too old for school! I’ll be twenty in a month—”

“Ripe for marriage, then, and giving me grandchildren. I’d rather dandle a baby on my knee than read letters about you starving in a foreign country. I’m not going to allow you to wed Charles Mason, either. He might be full of the Spirit, but he’s more interested in using your inheritance for his own purposes. I never detected any love in him for you.”

His final words stung. I couldn’t protest much, either. Charles was a decent man, a hard worker, dedicated to his calling, but admiration wasn’t the best foundation for a love match or a lasting marriage. Father might be right about Charles’ interest in my inheritance, too, which nettled me. I changed the subject.

“Tell me about the Early Bird mine, Father. Is it like the Comstock Lode?”

“Quicksilver. Your uncle is set on new technology, hydraulic mining. It uses high pressure jets of water and is quite expensive. He knows more about it than I do.”

I chose a toasted point topped with cheese, tomato and spinach. “Then I’d better travel with you to California so I can ask him myself.”

“You need to stay here where it’s safe.”

“But you cannot protect me from the world forever, Father. I must choose a path—”

“Keep praying, Lily. The Lord will show you the way.” Father bit into an apple cinnamon tart. “You’d have accepted Charles’ marriage proposal last year if you truly loved him.”

After gulping some chilled lemonade, I set down the glass. I’d prayed on my knees every night and morning, waiting for some sign, but nothing changed. I didn’t love Charles, and didn’t share his missionary dream. If I rejected him, I might be stuck in a loveless marriage to someone else. If I married Charles, perhaps my inheritance money would come to good use once I turned twenty-one. 

But I’d be thousands of miles away from home, among foreigners, and might never see Father again. Neither choice led to happiness.

Tiny dust motes danced in a ray of late sunshine beaming through the window’s lace curtain. Cicadas droned outside among the trees. The mournful sound, buzzing low and then high, sent a shiver down my spine.

I hope you're enjoying the "First Course" of my Launch Party offerings! Check back for Second Breakfast (Elevenses), Lunch, High Tea, Supper and a Midnight Snack.

20 comments:

Cheryl St.John said...

Now I have to go make eggs! That picture made me hungry.

Cheryl St.John said...

I always have a pot of tea on my sideboard. My favorite is chai. Also love PLAIN and Earl Grey.

I have a teapot collection and dozens of pretty china cups and saucers. Love me some tea and scones.

Meg said...

I am enjoying Hot Cinnamon Spice tea and blueberry mini muffins. I also have a collection of tea cups and pots. Love the patterns!

Cheryl St.John said...

I'm back! I had my eggs with diced tomatoes, since we have a bounty from our garden. DeLish!

Patricia Kiyono said...

What a nice party! I'm so glad I stopped in. I'm enjoying your excerpts, along with a nice hot mug of cappuccino.

Patty Kiyono
(PS. Instead of leaving my email addy here, I'll send a facebook message so it's not out here for everyone to see!)

Anonymous said...

I make scrambled eggs several times a week. I'll have to put whipped cream on my grocery list and try this out. And the tea sounds delicious.

Anonymous said...

Yum, eggs! I like mine poached with an English muffin and Morning Thunder tea. And, of course, some good reading material! Congrats on your release, Meg!

Meg said...

Lee - you won't regret it. And that tea is mmmmmmmmm. Slurp slurp... Nik! If I drank Morning Thunder, I'd be up for 24 hours. Whoa. Prefer the Harney. Cinnamon.... spice.... :-D

Thanks for stopping by, y'all!

Melanie said...

Hi, Meg. This is your twin. Many congratulations. I am off to brew a spot of tea in honor of Double Crossing. Well done you.

Maria D. said...

I'll have to try the eggs with th whipped cream (I'll use the canned one too)it sounds good and I'm curious now...lol...I do love a good blueberry muffin and have a new recipe to try out that uses sour cream so I'll have to give that a go..and I do like tea but it's been so hot this summer that I've switched to iced tea in the mornings but can't wait for winter when I'll go back to my hot tea...I'll have to remember Harney and Sons - have never heard of them before now.

junegirl63(at)gmail(dot)com

Sharon Pisacreta said...

Just stopping by for a quick sip of my favorite tea, but I'll have to wrap the muffin in a napkin to take to work. Btw, what whipped cream do you use in your eggs? I didn't know there was a brand besides Reddi Whip. ;-) Thanks for the shout out to Lake Effect Living. Must run. I'm already late for work. And throw two muffins in that napkin. Congrats again! Enjoy your party. You deserve it.

Meg said...

Hey, Melanie! Enjoy that tea!!

Maria, click on the name and it will take you to the Harney & Sons site. Enjoy! The sour cream blueberry recipe sounds fab. :-)

Sharon, you can have a whole box of muffins! I buy Kroger Light Whipped Cream - the real stuff. Reddi-Whip is fake, fake, fake. YUK. ;-D And congrats on the newest issue of Lake Effect Living!

Cynthia Ravinski said...

oooh that tea looks so good! My local tea store sells a lot of Harney & Sons. I'll have to check it out. I wish I had a teapot in my cubicle...

Meg said...

Later on I'll post a link to cool teapots. I luuuurve Harney & Sons!

eledhiel said...

Mmm, cinnamon spice! Great complement to a good read. Although yes, earl grey is also magnificent.

I love the excerpt! Sounds very engaging right from the start.

Meg said...

Thanks, Eledhiel - or El. That's easier to spell. :-)

Country Girl said...

Congratulations! I'm sorry I did not attend the launch party earlier at 8am. I lost track of time. Thanks for the invite. Yes, the pics make me crave breakfast at this very moment.Yum!
Even though, it is 8pm here in Texas.

Meg said...

Thanks for stopping by! And for the congrats. Don't forget to check out the other posts! not too late. :-D

Karen C said...

I love breakfast but hate cooking it so really enjoy it when we go out for breakfast.
I usually get some type of omelet, unless I want to throw caution to the wind and have a waffle (with lots of maple syrup!).
Any kind of scone is also a favorite!! And, I enjoy both tea and coffee.
Have a wonderful day!!
kacbooks(at)hotmail(dot)com

Meg said...

I luuuurve omelets stuffed with spinach and cheese... mmmmm! Love going to Ida Red's in Saugatuck for breakfast. Thanks for stopping by!