Saturday, February 10, 2018

Tea Totally Terrific

Hello everyone!
My name is Bree Baker, and I’m the author of Live & Let Chai, the first in a a fun new cozy series coming this July. I’m over-the-top excited to be part of Mystery Lovers Kitchen today. In fact, I’ve been toiling over what sort of recipe to share for weeks. To be honest, I’m not the greatest in the kitchen, but I LOVE to read recipes, watch the cooking shows and pretend I don’t burn toast. Thanks to my new Seaside Café series, I’ve found a few recipes I can’t possibly burn, namely iced tea! You see, the seaside café from my series is called, Sun, Sand & Tea, and it’s an iced tea shop on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I’ve made more iced tea in the last six months than I’d ever imagined I would in a lifetime. I’m going to share one of my favorites with you today. The world is covered in snow where I am, but that never keeps me from dreaming of the beach. Maybe this refreshing shot of iced tea will have you dreaming of sand between your toes right along with me!



Summer Strawberry & Peach Tea
Nothing compliments a hot summer day like this Swan Family Favorite, so dive in and enjoy!
Prep Time: 20 minutes                  Yields: 8 servings

Ingredients:
5 cups of cold water divided
½ to 1 cup strawberry preserves (to your taste *I* go with 1. Yum!)
4 herbal peach tea bags
6 fresh strawberries, cored and sliced
Ice



Directions:
Add 2 cups of water, strawberry preserves and peach tea bags to a saucepan and bring to a boil
Remove from heat and steep 15 minutes.
Pour in remaining 3 cups of cold water
Remove tea bags and cool completely
Add strawberry slices and stir
Refrigerate until ready to serve
Pour over ice






Live & Let Chai, coming July 2018 from Sourcebooks!
Trouble is brewing in Everly’s new café. Can she bag the culprit before it’s too late?
Life hasn’t been so sweet for Everly Swan over the past couple of years, but now she’s back in her seaside hometown and the proud owner of a little iced tea shop and café right on the beach. Things are finally starting to look up – until a curmudgeonly customer turns up dead on the boardwalk.  With one of her hallmark iced tea jars lying right next to him and an autopsy that reports poison in his system, it doesn’t look good for Everly or her brand-new business.
As the townspeople of Charm turn their backs on Everly, she fights to dig up clues about who could’ve had it in for the former town councilman.  With a maddeningly handsome detective discouraging her from uncovering leads and a series of anonymous attacks on Everly and her business, it will take everything she’s got to keep this mystery from boiling over.

For a chance to win an Advanced Readers Copy of Live & Let Chai leave a comment with your e-mail. Sorry US only.




Find me online anytime at:

About Bree:

Bree Baker is a Midwestern writer, obsessed with small town high jinks, sweet tea and the sea. She's been telling stories to her family, friends and strangers for as long as she can remember, and more often than not, those stories feature a warm ocean breeze and recipe she's sure to ruin. Now, she's working on those fancy cooking skills and dreaming up adventures for the Seaside Cafe mysteries. Her debut title, Live & Let Chai releases from Sourcebooks in July 2018. Bree is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers and the Romance Writers of America. She is represented by Jill Marsal of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.

58 comments:

  1. Hi, Bree! Love this tea recipe and the book sounds great. EMS591@aol.com

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    1. Thank you! I'm so excited to be writing cozy mysteries about my favorite drink and my favorite place!

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  2. It's nice to "meet" you Bree and your new series! lnchudej@yahoo.com

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  3. Can't wait to read your new series. Thanks for the giveaway. doward1952(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  4. Love this. I really like the peach/strawberry fizz from Sonic, so this would be right up my alley. moodiesmum(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. Me too! Peach-strawberry is my favorite every time!

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  5. Replies
    1. Thank you for having me, Denise! I'm a little star struck and loving it!

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  6. Great title! I can hear the song in my head.
    browninggloria at hotmail

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    1. Hahaha! Sometimes my favorite thing about cozies are the fantastic titles!! (and the covers)

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  7. Can't wait for this series. pwtish171@gmail.com

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  8. I’m boring, I only like iced tea plain, no sugar or other flavors.
    sgiden at verizon(.)net

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  9. This looks delicious! I will be sure to give it a try. Thank you so much for the chance to win!
    magicgirl2357@yahoo.com

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    1. Thanks! I hope you like it. My kids like MORE jam in the tea :) So, feel free to load it up!

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  10. I love tea! Thank you for the delicious sounding recipe! Congratulations on the book! Thank you for the change to win it.
    debprice60@gmail.com

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    1. You're welcome! I hope you'll love it if you get a chance to try it. Best of luck on the giveaway!

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  11. Welcome, Bree -- we're delighted to have you on the Kitchen today! Congrats on the new book and series!

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  12. Welcome. New series looks good. Thanks for the opportunity.
    kckendler at gmail dot com

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    1. Thank you! I'm honored to be here! I hope you'll enjoy the tea and the book, and that you'll get the chance to try both!

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  13. Welcome. Tea is my drink all year round and it gives me comfort and is so soothing and cures my ills. Thanks for this lovely recipe and giveaway. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Me too :) Tea is wonderful for all that ails you. Best of luck on the giveaway!

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  14. Welcome Bree. Your tea recipe is enticing and your book would be wonderful and very special. I would enjoy the book as I am an avid tea drinker and love hot tea since tea gives me such help for my major ailments. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  15. I think your book sounds great! Murder and ice tea! I've never seen a tea recipe with preserves in it. I wonder how it would work with sugar-free preserves if you don't want all that sugar.
    patdupuy@yahoo.com

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  16. Always love to read new cozy series! Rmbrave@gmail.com

    Thanks!

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  17. The tea sounds like a fun new taste.
    libbydodd at comcast dot net

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    1. Thanks! If you get the chance to try it, I hope you'll really enjoy it!

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  18. Love the cover and the title. I enjoy first in a series too. RUTH NIXON ruthenixon(at)sbcglobal(dot)net

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    1. Thank you! Cozy covers and titles always make me smile :)

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  19. Welcome Bree. Thanks for sharing your yummy summer tea recipe.Congrats on your book. I can picture my self sitting on a beach chair reading "Live and Let Chai",while sipping on delicious summer peach and strawberry tea by the lake.Anticipating for the summer,while snow is everywhere .
    BakingCookies32@gmail.com

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    1. Thank you! I'm so excited to be writing mysteries about iced tea and the beach! I'm ready for summer right now!! *adjusts ski mask and snow boots in Ohio*

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  20. Oh my gosh -- I am ready for summer! Strawberry Peach tea sounds amazing, as does your new series. I'm looking forward to its release. Thanks for visiting Mystery Lovers' Kitchen! bobandcelia@sbcglobal.net

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    1. Thank you! I hope you will get a chance to enjoy the tea. And best of luck on the giveaway!

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  21. Sounds like the book has the perfect setting to take me away from my snowy reality.

    acm05 at Juno.com

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    1. I love the beach SO much, and I am ready to put my toes in the sand right beside you!

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  22. Hi, Bree! Thanks for the recipe and congratulations on the new series. I love finding out about new series and I'll put this one on my TBR list now. aut1063(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Thank you!! That's wonderful! Good luck with the giveaway!

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  23. I’m adding this one to my TBR list! I can’t wait to read it. cking78503(at)aol(dot)com

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    1. Thank you SO much! I hope if you get a chance to read it you'll enjoy!

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  24. I love the name of the cafe & that tea looks tasty.
    turtle6422(at)gmail(dot)com

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  25. Clever title. Loved the premise. I'm going to save the recipe, looks amazing and perfect for summer. Thanks for the chance to win.
    scarletbegonia5858(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. My kids love this tea. It's so easy to make, and you can add jam to taste. The kids get a little crazy with the jam! LOL

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  26. Thanks for sharing the recipe! Looks like a fun new series! njcar22(at)aol(dot)com

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    1. Thank you so much! best of luck with the giveaway!!

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  27. Thanks for the tea recipe!

    jtcgc at yahoo dot com

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  28. Looks like a fun read! Thanks! nani_geplcs@yahoo.com

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  29. You made a great choice to share this recipe, can't wait to try the Summer Strawberry & Peach Tea. And always love a new series can't wait to read your book!!! bcollin981(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Thank you so much! I hope you will enjoy the tea, and that the book will make you smile if you have a chance to read it!

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  30. This sounds like a lot of fun! Murder and ice tea! I wonder if sugar-free preserves can be used to cut back on the sugar? I'll have to experiment.
    patdupuy@yahoo.com

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  31. Love to find new authors and new series! The cover is great, I will add this to my TBR list. Thank you for the opportunity. rainbowwarriorl@yahoo.com

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