Jodi Picoult chose a Mississippi Mud Cake to pair with a book club discussion of her novel A Spark of Light, set in Mississippi. Mississippi mud cakes and pies are thought to be named for the rich dark mud lining the banks of the Mississippi River. This cake recipe, adapted from Down Home: Treasured […]
Tag Archives | book club
Max’s Manhattan Cocktail Recipe from Sold on a Monday
In my latest historical novel, Sold on a Monday, I was thrilled to include a swanky New York supper club from my previous book, The Edge of Lost—along with a cameo from a certain underworld character. Hence, to celebrate the end of Prohibition, I hope your book club will love the sweet Italian twist of the […]
Amber Brock’s Lady Be Good Hemingway Daiquiri
Set in the 1950s, Lady Be Good marks Amber Brock’s mesmerizing return, sweeping readers into the world of Kitty Tessler, the mischievous, status-obsessed daughter of a hotel magnate, and the electric nightlife of three iconic cities: New York, Miami, and Havana. “This daiquiri was Ernest Hemingway’s favorite Cuban drink, and he tended to prefer doubles. For Kitty […]
Amy Poeppel’s LIMELIGHT Goat Cheese Phyllo Tortes from Pascalou
Limelight is an incisive, uproarious, and heartfelt story about the allure of Broadway and the magic of New York City, as a new Manhattanite and mother of three finds an unexpected opportunity that she’s perfectly suited for, but that just might turn her—and her family’s—world upside down. “Limelight is a book that celebrates New York City, its theater, […]
Mark Sullivan’s Beneath a Scarlet Sky Sicilian Broccoli and Sausage Recipe
“I just finished reading Mark Sullivan’s Beneath A Scarlet Sky, an incredible novel. There is a dish mentioned in the book for Sausage, Broccoli and Garlic that has me salivating. The main character savors this dish. The book is set during World War II Italy and even the […]
Tara Westover’s Grandma-over-in-town’s Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies with EDUCATED
In the tradition of The Glass Castle, Educated is an unforgettable memoir about a young girl who, kept out of school, leaves her survivalist family and goes on to earn a PhD from Cambridge University. I was spending the afternoon with Grandma-over-in-town. I’d had a bath that morning, even though it wasn’t Sunday, and […]
That’s What She Said Kleinur (Icelandic Pastries) recipe
Iceland is the No. 1 country in the world for gender equality, and while researching That’s What She Said: What Men Need to Know (and Women Need to Tell Them) About Working Together in Iceland, I quickly became addicted to kleinur, a traditional Icleandic confection. Flavored with cardamom, they are similar to crullers or twisted doughnuts, and […]
Addie’s Crispy Salmon and Rice recipe from RESCUED
One of the most gratifying aspects of writing Rescued was speaking with so many thoughtful and insightful people about their second-chance dogs and their relationships with them. I spoke with Elissa Altman, the James Beard-award winning food writer at an especially tender time. Just a few weeks earlier, Elissa, her partner Susan, and their other rescue, […]
A Gentleman in Moscow Latvian Stew recipe from Amor Towles
In writing a novel, I work from an extensive outline that describes in detail the events of every chapter, the settings, and the psychological states of the characters. As a result, when I began composing the “Advent” chapter in A Gentleman in Moscow, I knew that the Count would visit the Piazza (the main restaurant […]
Alexandra Risen’s Maple Granola
I lived in Montréal for almost two decades and cherished its multicultural culinary treats. Traditional neighborhoods abound, and I wandered from French bistros to little Italy to Schwartz’s smoked meat deli to my favorite shawarma restaurant whose pita sandwiches fueled me through university. I carry two beloved Montréal memories with me: the sweet beauty of […]