1/15/2013
1. Do you prefer sweet or savoury foods (ie cheese or chocolate)?
What d’you mean by ‘or’? I’m having both.
2. Red wine or white? (wine obviously)
See above.
3. Do you have a favourite food memory?
It has to be the fabulous chocolate cake we had for our wedding (July 2012).
4. Does food feature in your novel(s)?
Absolutely. It features in all the ones I’ve written so far and is likely to be in all future ones. That’s not just because it’s my favourite part of the research either.
The things we eat say quite a bit about us, don’t they? How much we
eat, where we get it, how we prepare it (or have someone prepare it for us) any allergies, foods we avoid for cultural/emotional/religious reasons and who we share our food with all reveal aspects of our character.
5. What recipe are you sharing with us and why?
Rather rashly I thought I’d have a bash at making apricot florentines. I love them and they’re made by Daphne, one of my main characters, for a party at an Italian restaurant. Unlike her I’m not a chef
…
Apricot Florentines
Melt 1 oz butter in a pan. Stir in 1/2 oz of plain flour. Keeping on a gentle heat stir in 2 1\2 fl oz of single cream. Once you’ve got a kind of gloopy sauce, add 3 oz of soft brown sugar, about 20 chopped dried apricots and 4 oz flaked almonds (other dried fruit or nuts could be used if you prefer)
Spoon this onto a greaseproof paper covered tray and bash flat (Flatter than mine – I thought they’d spread out more on their own) Cook in a hot oven until golden (about 10 mins) Leave on the tray for a few minutes, then slide the paper onto a cool surface.
Once the florentines are cool you can decorate with white or dark chocolate. Or maybe some of each.
Excerpt – A Year and A Day
The waiter appeared to ask if they’d like to see the dessert menu. Luigi’s, “but of course,” soon made Stella forget about past irritations and concentrate instead on forthcoming pleasure.
“I’m going for the mango creme brulee. Creamy and toffee-ey and almost one of my five a day.”
“You eat five desserts a day?” Luigi asked.
She’d started explaining the government’s healthy eating advice before she saw he was teasing her.
When the waiter offered coffee Luigi further went up in Stella’s estimation by saying, “Please and my friend will require plenty of cream and chocolates with hers.”
blog link
–
http://patsy-collins.blogspot.co.uk/
facebook –
http://www.facebook.com/PatsyCollins.writer
You can find A Year and a Day at
UK
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Year-Day-ebook/dp/B00B0OWHQU/ref=la_B004O08LRQ_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1358154877&sr=1-9
US
http://www.amazon.com/A-Year-Day-ebook/dp/B00B0OWHQU/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1358281423&sr=1-3&keywords=Patsy+Collins
Comments
patsy
1/15/2013 06:39:14 pm
Thanks so much for inviting me over, Monique!
Susan
1/17/2013 02:56:47 am
Apricots and almonds are my favourites, oh Patsy I’m going to make these soon…
Reply
Patsy
1/18/2013 01:24:45 am
You won’t be disappointed!