Category: Book of the Month Recipes

Mrs. Markham’s Steak and Ale Pies with Mushroom and Caramelized Onion

Posted November 5, 2020 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 0 Comments

 

 

Say hello to Anne Bronte’s newest fan: me! * waves excitedly * Admittedly, I’m a bit late to the party (about 172 years too late). I have a habit of putting off hefty books if my library doesn’t have the audiobook, since my kids try to climb on me whenever I sit down. Still, I managed to eke out little parcels of time over the past month to read an ebook of Anne Bronte’s The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, and I’m SO glad I did! I like it even better than Wuthering Heights, my first foray into the Bronte books. The main characters are much more likeable, and I love the role books play in the story. For example:

Want to declare your undying fidelity and affection for someone? Give them a book!

Want to express your disdain for your husband’s paramour? Lend her a book and write a note on the flyleaf declaring her unworthy of consideration or respect!

Want to let your friends know your soul is filled with disquiet and anguish? Continually pick up and discard a book (alternatively, stare at the same page for several minutes while absorbing nothing).

Seriously, can we make the Victorian attitude towards books a thing again? Because I’m all for it.

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Mana Cookies from The Wizard’s Dessert Cookbook

Posted October 8, 2020 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 0 Comments

 

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Hi, folks! As I celebrate the release of my new cookbook, A LITERARY HOLIDAY COOKBOOK, I’m taking the opportunity to share recipes from other fiction food cookbooks as well. Today’s recipe is from THE WIZARD’S DESSERT COOKBOOK by Aurélia Beaupommier. With Halloween just around the corner, Aurélia’s book is just what I needed to get me in the mood for mysterious, magical, fantastical food!

When I first opened THE WIZARD’S DESSERT COOKBOOK, I expected to find references to pop culture staples like Harry Potter and D&D. This book has a lot to offer in that regard, but the recipes I appreciated most came from less obvious sources, like Baba Yaga, Stardust, Nostradamus, and Inkheart. I could see Aurélia did a lot of research to ensure her book was a comprehensive resource, and although there’s plenty of spooky food, she doesn’t confine herself to a Halloween theme. There are lots of magical foods perfect for Christmas, birthdays, or even game nights! I had difficulty choosing between so many delicious recipes…that is, until I came across one inspired by Magic: The Gathering.

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WICKED WAYS: Jekyll & Hyde Hard Cider Whiskey Potion & Apple Pie Truffle Antidote

Posted October 1, 2020 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 0 Comments

 

 

Every autumn, I like to read something spooky to get me in the mood for Halloween. Since I’m currently drafting a series of Edwardian paranormal short stories (like you do), I wanted my seasonal read to be set near the same time period as my stories to keep me in the right mindset. To that end, I found myself turning to an old favorite: “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.”

Jekyll & Hyde has that spooky Victorian Halloween aesthetic that makes my gothic-literature-loving heart go pitter pat. We’re talking foggy London streets, a troubled scientific genius, murder, mysterious potions, and the dichotomy between good and evil. What’s not to love? Plus it’s a super quick read—easily done in less than a day—which is just what I need in my chaotic mom-with-2-small-kids life.

I actually made a Jekyll & Hyde moon pie a looooong time ago as part of a set of classic monster moon pies, but I’ve always wanted to create a recipe dedicated to JUST this story. Granted, it barely mentions food, but that was ok with me. I already knew I wanted my recipe to riff off the famous potion that turns the good, kind Dr. Jekyll into monstrous Mr. Hyde.
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Father Brown’s Death by Chocolate Cupcakes with Mystery Filling

Posted September 3, 2020 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes, Holidays / 2 Comments

 

 

I’ve loved the BBC show Father Brown for years, but I only recently got a chance to read the collection of short stories on which it’s based. Like many adaptations, the show diverges from the source material in key ways, but I think it stays true in the ways that matter most.

Arguably the biggest difference is that the literary Father Brown is always traveling. I don’t think you ever actually visit his own parish, which means recurring characters like Mrs. McCarthy, Lady Felicia, and Sid exist solely in the show. But don’t worry—Hercule Flambeau, master thief and Father Brown’s nemesis, is still around to stir up trouble! 😉

When one of my readers requested a Father Brown recipe specifically inspired by the stories, I was intrigued to say the least. To fans of the show, the iconic food is Mrs. McCarthy’s strawberry scones. But no Mrs. McCarthy in the stories means no scones. I was going to have to get creative. And I LOVE getting creative! ^.^

The stories mostly only mention food in passing, but one reference stands out. In “The Flying Stars,” Father Brown has to turn out his pockets, and among a few coins and priestly paraphernalia is a stick of chocolate, heavily implying that he always likes to keep some on hand. After reading that, I knew my recipe was going to be a rich, chocolatey dessert.

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Strega Nona’s Pasta Buffet

Posted August 6, 2020 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 2 Comments

 

 

Tomie dePaola, who passed away earlier this year, was one of my favorite author-illustrators. I loved how his sweet, seemingly simple stories were steeped in cleverness and culture. As a Catholic, I especially appreciated how he infused his Catholic upbringing into his work. I was naturally saddened to hear of his death, but it made me all the more determined that my children should be familiar with his stories. In the past few months, they’ve enjoyed a surplus of dePaola books from the library: The Art Lesson, Pancakes for Breakfast, and Quiet . . . but most especially Strega Nona.

One of dePaola’s most popular books, Strega Nonna is the story of a “grandmother witch” with a magical pasta pot. She hires an assistant, Big Anthony, to help out around the house. He sees Strega Nona perform part of a spell to make her pasta pot cook endless pasta, but he runs into trouble showing it off to the villagers (despite her warnings) because he never saw her perform the part of the spell that makes it STOP.

As with many of dePaola’s stories, the magic is in the details: the historically accurate clothing, the peacock perched on Strega Nona’s roof that soundlessly flies off (possibly to warn her) when the trouble starts, and the priest and nuns praying for deliverance from the deluge of endless pasta threatening to overtake their village. Quiet depth pervades the story, rewarding us for stopping to look and listen rather than just grab what we need from the plot and move on.

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Madeline’s Lemon Madeleines and Blueberry Ice Cream

Posted July 2, 2020 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 2 Comments

 

 

Hellooooo, summer!

This isn’t usually my favorite season. In Illinois the summer months can get monstrously hot and humid. Plus, I have severe allergies, and I’m a favorite snack of the mosquitoes. Yet this year my allergies have been surprisingly absent, and covid restrictions have made even a homebody like myself appreciate a chance to get out in the fresh air.

When I decided Madeline would be my book of the month for July, my mind immediately went to madeleine cookies because of their similarity to Madeline’s name. I couldn’t pass up a perfect pairing like that, could I? Still, I really wanted something refreshing I could eat while enjoying the sunshine. Like ice cream! So I decided to combine them and do a double recipe. Read More

Green Eggs and Ham, All Grown Up: Avocado Deviled Eggs with Sweet and Spicy Bacon

Posted June 4, 2020 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 0 Comments

 

 

When we think of classic books, we don’t often imagine cute picture books, but you can’t deny that Dr. Seuss’ “Green Eggs and Ham” is a classic. Combine that with the fact that it is literally about nothing but food, and you’ve got a book I can’t resist. 😉 I’ve had my heart set on making a sophisticated version of the titular dish from “Green Eggs and Ham” for years now. I wanted to make a highfalutin version because Pinterest is already teeming with simple, Seuss-inspired green-dyed egg and ham dishes. Nothing wrong with that; there’s just so many I figured one more would just be a drop in the ocean. Plus, almost all those recipes are aimed at kids, and I wanted to make something for us adults who grew up with Seuss and feel nostalgic about it.

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Blueberry Oatmeal Bars from “Blueberries for Sal”

Posted May 7, 2020 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 0 Comments

 

“Blueberries for Sal” first came on my radar almost 20 years ago. My mom had just started homeschooling me and my younger brothers, and for the boys she started using a reading curriculum called Five in a Row. With this program, you read the same picture book each day for five days, followed by activities that are relevant to the story. At the start of the next school week you, start a new book. I was too old for it, but I remember my brothers really enjoying particular stories, especially “How to Make Apple Pie and See the World,” “The Story About Ping,” and “Blueberries for Sal.”

When I started light homschooling with my toddler earlier this year, the preschool edition of Five in a Row was the only curriculum I purchased (we do more subjects, they’re just not curriculum-based). I’m a big believer in focusing on building enthusiasm for learning in the very early years of education, and I like that Five in a Row adopts this philosophy.

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Thumbelina’s Fairy Wing Thumbprint Cookies with Homemade Raspberry Lavender Jam

Posted April 2, 2020 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 0 Comments

 

 

Today marks the end of my Hans Christian Andersen recipe series, which started in January. We’ve constructed delicate meringue swans from The Ugly Duckling, chilled mini ice cream cakes from The Snow Queen, and created sea foam marshmallows from The Little Mermaid. You may have noticed a sugary theme here.

Completely by accident, this has been a desserts-only only blog for all of 2020. It just seems like every time I encounter an Andersen story, inspiration draws me in the direction of something sweet. We’ll get back to savories soon, I promise…just not this week! 😉 The dessert I’m sharing today pairs too perfectly with its story to swap for something savory. And maybe there’s a reason for that.

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