ღ ☼ WINED ~ ღ ☼ ~ DINED ~ღ ☼ ~ AND READ ღ ☼

I was invited by Author, Blogger  Dellani Oakes , and a big thanks to Dellani for the invite to participate in this really clever blog hop! 

It is about pairing books with food and drink. As an avid home cook and a huge Foodie I could not resist.

Some of my answers are just too obvious! 

The characters in The Bridge Of Deaths do indulge from time to time on a particular wine, others answers did have to simmer a while.

 

1)      If your main character were a glass of wine, which one would they be?

There are three main characters in The Bridge of Deaths they would definitely be three very different wines. Whimsical carefree MAGGIE would be a Beaujolais nouveau; this because of her youthful exuberance and the wine is a girly girl purple-pink wine because it is such a young wine bottled only 6-8 weeks after harvest.

 

BILL  is a serious fellow with deep undertones and that would make him an irresistible wine whose elegance draws you subliminally into its orbit with high alcohol to intoxicate you with his phobias and with intense flavors, prolonging pleasure with its characteristic slightly bitter finish; Bill is an Amarone.

 

CATALINA has to be a Sauvignon Blanc, not just because she drinks copious amounts of it as the story unfolds but also because of her financial struggles and Sauvignon Blanc can be known as the poor man's Chardonnay. Also because she is torn and confused as to what she believes in regards to psychics and past life regressions and Sauvignon Blanc has a number of identities ranging from a clean, slight grassy white wine to an herbaceous, full-bodied wine backed up with oak aging.

** (And I confess , I am not THAT sophisticated I did have to look up my wines)

 

 

2)   Describe your book in one meal....

As my book took a good 18 years to research and it involved journeys to various countries the meal would be a fusion meal of Scandinavia, Mexican, Continental foods. It would also be seeking some sort of balance.

Amuse Bouche would have to be Scandinavian Salmon, Smoked or Gravlax with Avocado slices and paper thin jalapeño pickled slices, white wine.

Appetizer ying-yang Scallops in a white wine sauce over a think crostini and one in a tomato sauce, again white wine.

Small lemon sorbet to cleanse palate.

Main course Porterhouse steak marinated in Tequila and Soy, grilled to perfection. Side dishes whipped twice baked potato, steamed Zucchini and a spicy, fluffy light corn bread this with red wine.

Salad of crisp fresh greens with a nice French vinaigrette. No more wine the vinegar would ruin it.

Dessert would be a YING- YANG crème Brule vanilla and chocolate served with coffee and a nice choice of digestives liqueurs and cognacs. Mine would be Remy Martin.

 

3)   What candy would your book be?

Mexican Tamarindo from Acapulco,Swedish Fish of course and in heavy moments Cadbury chocolate.

 

4)   What does your book smell like?

What does intrigue, betrayal, death and love mingled together smell like? Maybe something musky but pleasant perhaps a combination of old books with a strong smell of tobacco, whiskey and salty sea water.

 

5)   Your book’s snack would be

Trail Mix, with nuts, raisins and chocolate chips. Might need a fun starch like pretzel bits.

 

AND NOW IT IS ABOUT ME!

1)   Describe your most memorable meal.    

This was very hard because I love to travel and have had some extraordinary dinners in my life. After some thought I chose a meal  we had sometime in November 2008 in Granada,Spain. The meal was fantastic but the view was what made it the most memorable ever it was of the Moor Fortress La Alhambra  the restaurant was  HUERTO JUAN RANAS .

We were meeting family and arrived first, our relatives had researched the area and suggested we ask our concierge to find us a good restaurant located in Mirador San Nicolas. The concierge a handsome  and witty young Spaniard, called the restaurant as my Spanish is fluent I understood the entire conversation, my husband and son only understood two words Bill Clinton.

When he finished I asked "Why did you tell them we were Americans and friends of Bill Clinton." He smiled and answered "You are American and President Clinton dined there and said that he had never had a meal with such a spectacular view, perhaps you'll get lucky as well"

We are pretty sure the private dining room we were given was indeed the same a Clinton!

This was our view

 

 

 

So what did we eat? We ordered just about everything all the traditional Andalusian dishes! Click here for their amazing MENU

 

My favorite was a breaded eggplant prepared in a way I had never seen and it was drizzled with honey. I know we did have Jamón ibérico , which if you have not had a chance leaves serrano ham a very distant second. It was absolutely magical!

 

 

2)    One food word to describe your writing style.

 

Savory ! 

 

 

3)   What will someone find you eating/drinking when you’re really into a good book? Drinking? 

It absolutely depends on the book. Years ago while reading Irving Stone’s book on Michael Angelo; The Agony And The Ecstacy  I probably cooked every dish they author described. Apparently Michael Angelo had a Foodie, home cook step mother who loved to feed him.

If there was some sort of odd wild game as protein I am sure I skipped those or replaced by chicken or pork.

Yes my eating or drinking is absolutely linked to the book I am reading.

4)   Sweet or Salty?

Not a choice! Some moments crave sweet others scream salty and then of course there are the chocolate covered salty pretzel moments, simply not a choice.

This was GREAT FUN and next week on September 5th  I look forward to visiting the three authors I invited.

TOI THOMAS

K.S. THOMAS

LYNELLE CLARK