Marquise > Status Update

Before you ask what does this have to do with books . . . #118: What food or dish you read about in a book did you like so much you had to eat it and loved?

Oooh! I love this question! For me, it would be Opera Creams, which I first read about in a mystery novel. It wasn't even a focal point of the plot, but I loved the name and was intrigued. They're light but decadent with a very creamy center and a firm shell of chocolate, (I like the dark chocolate variety the best). They come in raspberry, vanilla and chocolate flavors, but the original is the best. In fact, I love them so much that I've incorporated them into my own writing! I couldn't resist. I've always wanted to try Turkish Delight because of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe but have never done so. I kind of hate the thought of being disappointed.

I think I’m one of many that was obsessed with the idea of Turkish Delights from reading how Edmund sold out his siblings for them in The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. Can’t say I’d betray a sibling for one.😆

I don't think I ever had one specific meal/treat, but I remember reading the Redwall books as a kid and thinking the food sounded incredible, haha.

Nothing better than discovering a good pastry shop 🥰

Food in a book: Black Cake, while the book was fine, the recipe included in it was nothing short of amazing and I dream about it on the regular (I need to start rum soaking a few fruits again!!)
Murakami also perpetually makes me want to cook (nothing specific though).

Meanwhile, I've been to Germany and yet I've yet to taste apfelstrudel. Glad you found such a good patisserie, Marquise.

As for the question, I don't think I've come across something I really wanted to eat in a book. Though I have devoured some stories over the years.

I had apple pie today. Didn't like it. lol

Persephone's Pomegranate wrote: "I had apple pie today. Didn't like it. lol"

You're asking for a Hans Landa strudel psychological torture session 😄


Honestly, though, I was mentally prepared for the worst as:
a. It could be a shite strudel (it was overpriced, for sure, but I paid gladly because nostalgia and the place was a high-end shop),
b. Maybe nostalgia was playing a number on me and I had romanticised strudel because Childhood and because The Shire.

But it was even better than I expected! Pretty delicious, the secret is that the baker was a proper humourless tall Bavarian lady. 😄

Thibault wrote: "Meanwhile, I've been to Germany and yet I've yet to taste apfelstrudel. Glad you found such a good patisserie, Marquise."

Waaat...! The horror! Go back to Germany immediately, it's just across the street from you! 😄

(Psst... was it the Indian recipe that traumatised you away from trying food you read about? 😄)

Leilin wrote: "Nothing better than discovering a good pastry shop 🥰

Food in a book: Black Cake, while the book was fine, the recipe included in it was nothing short of amazing and I dream about it on the regular..."

Yeah! I'm a sweet tooth, always have been. 🥰

Hey, that sounds excellent! Where was it in? And which Black Cake? Google shows me a number o' 'em...

Mariella wrote: "I don't think I ever had one specific meal/treat, but I remember reading the Redwall books as a kid and thinking the food sounded incredible, haha."

Any dish or food you remember from there? 🥰

Victoria wrote: "I think I’m one of many that was obsessed with the idea of Turkish Delights from reading how Edmund sold out his siblings for them in The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe."

I used to think Turkish Delights was kebab. 😄 Silly things one believes when young...

Meredith wrote: "Oooh! I love this question! For me, it would be Opera Creams, which I first read about in a mystery novel."

I'd never heard about them before you mentioned them, they sound delicious. What novel was it?

To answer the question: mushrooms. As a child I wouldn't eat them until I read about the dish of mushrooms and bacon at Farmer Maggot's in Tolkien. Then I loved them.
On strudel: I haven't had apfelstrudel in a long time. Honestly I would much rather have a good Dobos torte, if we are doing desserts from Mitteleuropa. On the other hand, my wife makes an excellent apple pie with homemade paté brisée (Julia Child's recipe), which is not the same as strudel.

Wonderful! Can Mrs Fred adopt me? 🥰

Yummy! Although this update furthers the path of confusion for me in trying to figure out where you're from. Maybe people who have been friends with you longer know, but the little clues you throw out lead me to one conclusion---and then another---and yet another!

Betsie wrote: "Yummy! Although this update furthers the path of confusion for me in trying to figure out where you're from."

Haha, that's funny! 😄

Marquise wrote: "Hey, that sounds excellent! Where was it in? And which Black Cake? Google shows me a number o' 'em..."

So, the book is this one and it came with the recipe... I believe I took a picture of it but I can't seem to find it. Took some digging through the reviews but I found a link that has the book's recipe: instagram[dot]com/p/CaVH2CurzB_/
Edit to clarify: the fruits need to be soaked in rum (or maybe rum and port) for a while - the book mentioned 4 months or so.

(I read that for a book club and someone in the group made the cake for our meeting - the fruits had only soaked a month but it was amazing!)

Soba noodles in general because of My Hero Academia, lol. 😆 It’s not even in there much but it’s the favorite food of Todoroki, one of the main characters.

Leilin wrote: "So, the book is this one and it came with the recipe... I believe I took a picture of it but I can't seem to find it..."

Thank you, Lei! <3 That recipe sounds delicious! I'm noting it down in my list of stuff to try.

One of my dreams for when I have my house in the US (large kitchen, hopefully) is to try baking. I have some old recipes from my Mum, some stuff my friend Becks here bakes, and assorted things I see about that I'd love to eat. The Cub is a good cook but doesn't like baking, so that's the realm I could rule. :D

Sarah wrote: "Soba noodles in general because of My Hero Academia, lol. 😆 It’s not even in there much but it’s the favorite food of Todoroki, one of the main characters."

I've had them! And authentic ones too, they're delish. 😆

In the romcom Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie, the main character adores Chicken Marsala, and the description was so delicious... alas, I didn't like the actual food in particular. I felt terribly betrayed!

Marquise wrote: "Persephone's Pomegranate wrote: "I had apple pie today. Didn't like it. lol"

You're asking for a Hans Landa strudel psychological torture session 😄


Honestly, though, I was mentally prepared for ..."

Finding a decent strudel can be quite a challenge. The women in my family make it often, and I must admit, it’s always delicious. However, there's one thing I absolutely can't tolerate: cinnamon. I refuse to eat anything that contains it, but thankfully, no one in my immediate family likes cinnamon either, so I really hit the jackpot. We’re a cinnamon-hating family. 😆

Persephone's Pomegranate wrote: "I refuse to eat anything that contains it, but thankfully, no one in my immediate family likes cinnamon either, so I really hit the jackpot. We’re a cinnamon-hating family. 😆"

But... but... but! How am I gonna ship my amateur cinnamon rolls to you once I'm settled at home? *wipes tears*

Oh, well, there must be some cinnamon-free cinnamon roll recipes out there... 😆 Gonna have to start noting down my friends' favourite treats so I can ship them books and baked goods so they can experience food poisoning at my hands like all proper friends! 😆

Karen wrote: "In the romcom Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie, the main character adores Chicken Marsala, and the description was so delicious... alas, I didn't like the actual food in particular. I felt terribly betrayed!"

Hahaha! I can sympathise. All the Indian food I've tried has been a disappointment (yeah, yeah, I know they'll always be someone who'll say it's because this or that or yonder, like with every ethnic food one happens to try and not like...). But at least in my case it wasn't motivated by a book. 😆

Marquise wrote: "(Psst... was it the Indian recipe that traumatised you away from trying food you read about? 😄)"

Hahaha.
No, the one recipe that was a bit too spicy for me didn’t scare me off delicious Indian food :)

Thibault wrote: "Hahaha.
No, the one recipe that was a bit too spicy for me didn’t scare me off delicious Indian food."

It served a good purpose, to teach you to measure spice better! ;)