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What I'm writing in YEAR OF THE DOG

I just finished writing Year of the Dog ! It had a massive plot hole that I had to fix which turned out to be more work than I expected. Here’s a snippet: “Hey, Auntie Nell.” He wrapped his arms around her, bussing her on the cheek and breathing in pikake flowers and shortbread cookies. And suddenly he was nine years old again, and her solid presence had made his chaotic world stable once more. “What are you doing here?” He usually took her to dinner on Wednesday nights, but today was Tuesday. The edges of her smile faltered a little before brightening right back up again. “What, I can’t visit my nephew?” She angled around him to enter his home. “Is this your new house? Looks lovely.” Which was a blatant lie, because the fixer-upper was barely livable, much less acceptable to a neat-freak like his aunt. She also left four matching pink and purple floral suitcases on the stoop behind her. Only then did Ashwin notice the cab driver standing slightly to the side of the walkway. “Can ...
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Mincemeat tarts

Captain's Log, Stardate 01.19.2009

Naturally, since I’m giving away healthy living books today, I have to blog about food. LOL

I have never had mincemeat, although I read about them in my Regency historical romances and I had an English coworker once who described them to me. I know they’re traditionally eaten at Christmas, and I wanted to try one at some point but never had the opportunity.

Then Captain Caffeine saw this box of commercially made mincemeat tarts at Marshall’s right after Christmas.

The fact they’re made with Glenfiddich single malt scotch whiskey is the main reason he bought it, but it happened to coincide with my desire to try mincemeat.

So we heated them up according to the package directions and tried them.

They weren’t bad, but BOY OH BOY was the whiskey strong in those puppies. I liked the currants in them, but Captain Caffeine didn’t care for them because he dislikes raisins, and the currants were too much like the texture of small raisins for him.

All in all, an interesting flavor but not mind-boggling. I’d probably feel differently if they were homemade and fresher, but it was good just to try.

Anyone who likes mincemeat out there?
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Comments

Anonymous said…
You're brave. I haven't even tried them yet. I'm such a wimp when it comes to trying new food.

My stepmother is English, so it's even around my dad's house when I visit. But like I said, I'm a wimp.
Mon Jan 19, 05:55:00 AM 2009
MARY IN SCOTLAND said…
I'm in Scotland, and at Christmas EVERYONE eats them, warm or cold. I like the pastry better than whats in them!
But they aren't bad at all!
You should try Haggis! now that's something different!
Mon Jan 19, 02:47:00 PM 2009
Barb said…
When I was a child my mom would make mincemeat pies (without alcohol). I don't think I ever tasted them, though, because they didn't seem appetizing to me. My dad is Canadian and I'm thinking it all had something to do with his family.
Mon Jan 19, 03:30:00 PM 2009
Anita Mae Draper said…
Hey Camy, I love mincemeat tarts but not the traditional ones with suet.

When the green tomatoes are in season, I make vegetarian mincemeat and preserve it in pint jars. Then, during the holiday season, I buy a pkg of ready made tart shells, open a jar of mincemeat and after a bit of baking, voila - mincemeat tarts.

If anyone is interested, I posted the recipe awhile back on the veggie recipe message boards at http://community.eharlequin.com/forums/cafe-social/recipe-file/main-course-vegetarian but I'll copy and paste it here:

Green Tomato Mincemeat

Chop 8 lbs green tomatoes
Cover with water
Add 1 tbsp salt
Cook until tender. Drain.

Add:
1 cup vinegar
1 tbsp mace
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp cloves
½ cup butter
1 lb raisins (or 2 lbs if no currants)
1 lb currants
2 lbs grated apples
4 lbs brown sugar

Cook everything together for 2 hrs on stove or in roaster in oven at 350 deg for 2 hrs.
Seal in sterile jars.
Makes about 10 pints
Mon Jan 19, 09:30:00 PM 2009
Camy Tang said…
Awesome! Thanks so much, Anita Mae!
Camy
Tue Jan 20, 02:07:00 AM 2009
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