Saralyn Richard's Blog
September 4, 2024
A Steady Diet of Murder Mysteries
A Steady Diet of Murder Mysteries
Did you know reading murder mysteries burns a lot of calories? It’s true. Studies conducted while readers were reading mysteries showed the nail-biting, edge-of-the-seat sitting, and heart-pounding scenes burned way more calories than those burned by reading books in any other genre. Well, at least we think so.
That gives mystery writers poetic license to include scenes filled with mouth-watering gastronomic delights, right?
Each of the books in the Detective Parrott Mystery series, taking place in Brandywine Valley, Pennsylvania’s lush horse country, includes lots and lots of delectable food and drink—enough to make the reader salivate.
For example, the menu for the extravagant dinner party in Murder in the One Percent is fit for royalty, and the wine pairings impress even the savviest connoisseur.
In A Palette for Love and Murder, Parrott enjoys a Thanksgiving dinner that includes a delicious mushroom-barley soup meant to comfort.
When I was writing Crystal Blue Murder, I decided to let my fabulous newsletter followers help to decide what Parrott would eat. I invited them to contribute dishes and/or recipes for Detective Parrott’s next meals, and what I received worked perfectly within the context of the book.
Here’s a recipe for one of the entrees served in Murder in the One Percent. The osso buco fills the house with the aromas of garlic and spices. The meat just melts in our mouths, and the taste is decadent—or maybe that’s not a good word to use, since someone turns up dead. Anyway, here’s the recipe for all the gourmands among you. Happy eating, and happy reading, too.
Osso Buco Ingredients
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 dry bay leaf
• 2 whole cloves garlic
• Cheesecloth
• Kitchen twine, for bouquet garni and tying the veal shanks
• 3 whole veal shanks (about 1 pound per shank), trimmed
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 small carrot, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 stalk celery, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 3 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
Directions
Place the rosemary, thyme, bay leaf and cloves into cheesecloth and secure with twine. This will be your bouquet garni.
For the veal shanks, pat dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Veal shanks will brown better when they are dry. Secure the meat to the bone with the kitchen twine. Season each shank with salt and freshly ground pepper. Dredge the shanks in flour, shaking off excess.
In a large Dutch oven pot, heat vegetable oil until smoking. Add tied veal shanks to the hot pan and brown all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove browned shanks and reserve.
In the same pot, add the onion, carrot and celery. Season with salt at this point to help draw out the moisture from the vegetables. Saute until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the tomato paste and mix well. Return browned shanks to the pan and add the white wine and reduce liquid by half, about 5 minutes. Add the bouquet garni and 2 cups of the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pan and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is falling off the bone. Check every 15 minutes, turning shanks and adding more chicken stock as necessary. The level of cooking liquid should always be about 3/4 the way up the shank.
Carefully remove the cooked shanks from the pot and place in decorative serving platter. Cut off the kitchen twine and discard.
Remove and discard bouquet garni from the pot.
Pour all the juices and sauce from the pot over the shanks. Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon zest.
If you subscribe to my monthly newsletter at http://saralynrichard.com, I’ll send you a pdf copy of Epicurean Feasts, the menu and recipes from the gourmet dinner in Murder in the One Percent.
Did you know reading murder mysteries burns a lot of calories? It’s true. Studies conducted while readers were reading mysteries showed the nail-biting, edge-of-the-seat sitting, and heart-pounding scenes burned way more calories than those burned by reading books in any other genre. Well, at least we think so.
That gives mystery writers poetic license to include scenes filled with mouth-watering gastronomic delights, right?
Each of the books in the Detective Parrott Mystery series, taking place in Brandywine Valley, Pennsylvania’s lush horse country, includes lots and lots of delectable food and drink—enough to make the reader salivate.
For example, the menu for the extravagant dinner party in Murder in the One Percent is fit for royalty, and the wine pairings impress even the savviest connoisseur.
In A Palette for Love and Murder, Parrott enjoys a Thanksgiving dinner that includes a delicious mushroom-barley soup meant to comfort.
When I was writing Crystal Blue Murder, I decided to let my fabulous newsletter followers help to decide what Parrott would eat. I invited them to contribute dishes and/or recipes for Detective Parrott’s next meals, and what I received worked perfectly within the context of the book.
Here’s a recipe for one of the entrees served in Murder in the One Percent. The osso buco fills the house with the aromas of garlic and spices. The meat just melts in our mouths, and the taste is decadent—or maybe that’s not a good word to use, since someone turns up dead. Anyway, here’s the recipe for all the gourmands among you. Happy eating, and happy reading, too.
Osso Buco Ingredients
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 dry bay leaf
• 2 whole cloves garlic
• Cheesecloth
• Kitchen twine, for bouquet garni and tying the veal shanks
• 3 whole veal shanks (about 1 pound per shank), trimmed
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 small carrot, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 stalk celery, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 3 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
Directions
Place the rosemary, thyme, bay leaf and cloves into cheesecloth and secure with twine. This will be your bouquet garni.
For the veal shanks, pat dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Veal shanks will brown better when they are dry. Secure the meat to the bone with the kitchen twine. Season each shank with salt and freshly ground pepper. Dredge the shanks in flour, shaking off excess.
In a large Dutch oven pot, heat vegetable oil until smoking. Add tied veal shanks to the hot pan and brown all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove browned shanks and reserve.
In the same pot, add the onion, carrot and celery. Season with salt at this point to help draw out the moisture from the vegetables. Saute until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the tomato paste and mix well. Return browned shanks to the pan and add the white wine and reduce liquid by half, about 5 minutes. Add the bouquet garni and 2 cups of the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pan and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is falling off the bone. Check every 15 minutes, turning shanks and adding more chicken stock as necessary. The level of cooking liquid should always be about 3/4 the way up the shank.
Carefully remove the cooked shanks from the pot and place in decorative serving platter. Cut off the kitchen twine and discard.
Remove and discard bouquet garni from the pot.
Pour all the juices and sauce from the pot over the shanks. Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon zest.
If you subscribe to my monthly newsletter at http://saralynrichard.com, I’ll send you a pdf copy of Epicurean Feasts, the menu and recipes from the gourmet dinner in Murder in the One Percent.
February 22, 2018
New Release: MURDER IN THE ONE PERCENT
In Murder in the One Percent (2018, Black Opal Books), the characters attend a birthday party at a mansion in the horse country of Pennsylvania. That Saturday night, they dine from an elegant nine-course menu with wines selected for their best years and perfectly matched to each course. Murder in the One Percent
We would expect nothing less from the wealthy and powerful hosts in the one percent, right?
Just for fun, I priced the wines being served, using today’s market quotes. Following are the prices per bottle:
Champagne Krug, 2000 $225
Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos, 1990 $350
Sauterne Chateau d'Yquem, 1990 $265
Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru, 2006 $125
Richebourg Leroy, 1991 $3122
Chateau Lafitte Rothschild, 1982 $2400
Graham's Vintage Port $139
Hennessy Paradia Cognac $693
That adds up to a hefty $7319 for just one bottle of each. Knowing these characters as I do, they would consume at least two and probably three bottles during the party, bringing the cost of libations to a whopping $21,957.
No wonder the guests had such a fun time at that dinner party! They ate and drank like royalty and went to bed happy. Too bad the next day, one of them woke up dead.
We would expect nothing less from the wealthy and powerful hosts in the one percent, right?
Just for fun, I priced the wines being served, using today’s market quotes. Following are the prices per bottle:
Champagne Krug, 2000 $225
Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos, 1990 $350
Sauterne Chateau d'Yquem, 1990 $265
Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru, 2006 $125
Richebourg Leroy, 1991 $3122
Chateau Lafitte Rothschild, 1982 $2400
Graham's Vintage Port $139
Hennessy Paradia Cognac $693
That adds up to a hefty $7319 for just one bottle of each. Knowing these characters as I do, they would consume at least two and probably three bottles during the party, bringing the cost of libations to a whopping $21,957.
No wonder the guests had such a fun time at that dinner party! They ate and drank like royalty and went to bed happy. Too bad the next day, one of them woke up dead.
January 17, 2018
Brandywine Valley
Are there any goodreads readers from Brandywine Valley in Pennsylvania? That beautiful area of the country is the setting for Murder in the One Percent's elegant birthday party--a party to die for!
January 14, 2018
Murder in the One Percent
Less than five weeks till release, and I'm itching to chat about Murder in the One Percent. Who's in?
December 19, 2017
Murder in the One Percent
Just two months until Murder in the One Percent is released (©2018 Black Opal Books).
"Someone comes to the party with murder in his heart and poison in his pocket."
Be one of the first to read this debut mystery novel featuring Detective Oliver Parrott and an ensemble cast of ultra-wealthy, ultra-powerful characters.
Enter the giveaway now to win one of three galley copies, and put Murder in the One Percent on your want to read list.
"Someone comes to the party with murder in his heart and poison in his pocket."
Be one of the first to read this debut mystery novel featuring Detective Oliver Parrott and an ensemble cast of ultra-wealthy, ultra-powerful characters.
Enter the giveaway now to win one of three galley copies, and put Murder in the One Percent on your want to read list.
December 7, 2017
Adventures with Naughty Nana
Thrilled to share Adventures with Naughty Nana with The Write Way Cafe today, and grateful to have you stop by and comment.
https://thewritewaycafe.blogspot.com/...
https://thewritewaycafe.blogspot.com/...
December 2, 2017
Murder in the One Percent
Current giveaway for one of three advance galleys of MURDER IN THE ONE PERCENT.Murder in the One Percent
May the best three win!
May the best three win!
November 22, 2017
Murder in the One Percent
Giveaway for a galley copy of Murder in the One Percent ends at 11:59 tonight.
Release date is February 17, 2018.
Release date is February 17, 2018.
November 9, 2017
Naughty Nana is going to be a Big Sister
Naughty Nana will welcome a baby sister or brother into the family of books written by Saralyn Richard. The due date is February 17, 2018.
The new sibling will be named Murder in the One Percent, published by Black Opal Books and represented by Caitlin Hamilton Marketing and Publicity, LLC.
Check out www.saralynrichard.com for early reviews, tour schedule, and more.
We can't wait to introduce our new baby to you!
Are you a children's book reader? A mystery reader? Or both?Murder in the One Percent
The new sibling will be named Murder in the One Percent, published by Black Opal Books and represented by Caitlin Hamilton Marketing and Publicity, LLC.
Check out www.saralynrichard.com for early reviews, tour schedule, and more.
We can't wait to introduce our new baby to you!
Are you a children's book reader? A mystery reader? Or both?Murder in the One Percent
June 13, 2017
Naughty Nana
Review by Shannon Caldwell, mother of two: "Nana, the sheepdog puppy with a flower on her rear, just can't behave! Written with care and compassion with illustrations dog owners will love, this feel-good story is perfect for children and adults to share. Children love seeing naughtiness at work, and they'll identify with Nana's boisterous adventures, while adults will appreciate how Nana learns to face the consequences of her actions. Naughty Nana is as irresistible as its fluffy puppy star. Cuddle up with a copy for story-time fun."
