Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Have you ever had a Scotch egg? Delish! Plus book #giveaway from @DarylWoodGerber


 From Daryl aka Avery:

Happy Valentine's Day. This is NOT a Valentine's post. Although I "loved" writing it, does that count? FYI, I am having a giveaway below.  Now that's true love, right? LOL

*

When I researched foods I wanted to share in my upcoming Pressing the Issue, the 6th Cookbook Nook Mystery that features a Renaissance Fair plus a wedding at a vineyard (hence why I used "pressing" in the title), I was astounded by the variety. There are Renaissance Fair sites that specify which foods they feature, like hawker's mush and roasted legs of turkey, and creamed spinach, and yes, Scotch eggs. The vendors have charming names, too. Like Mayhawke Armory and Faire-icatures and Wicks and Woods.


As a writer, I like to make up my own names for venues, so check them out as you read along. I particularly like Thistle Thy Fancy, a crafts and hair wreaths.

As a foodie mystery writer, I like to make up my own recipes. This Scotch Eggs one is really simple and since there aren't many ingredients, so I couldn't quite pretend that I came up with all the ingredients; however, I made a gluten-free version that was very tasty. A few weeks ago, I mentioned using gluten-free panko crumbs for a veggie recipe. Well, they work for this, as well, so if you need to eat gluten-free, or you're just trying to avoid the wheat belly syndrome that is so popular right now, give them a try. (*I used Ian's brand.)

Enjoy, you varlets.

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Scotch Eggs
(Serves 4)

1 pound bulk pork sausage
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon salt
4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
Flour or cornstarch (to make gluten-free, use cornstarch or rice flour)
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup panko crispy breadcrumbs (if necessary, use gluten-free crumbs)

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mix pork sausage, parsley, and salt. You’ll need to use your hands. Shape mixture into 4 patties.

Roll each hard-boiled egg in flour (or cornstarch/rice flour) to coat.

Place egg on sausage patty and cover egg by wrapping sausage around it. Dip each hard-boiled/sausage egg into beaten egg. Coat with panko breadcrumbs to cover completely (you may use gluten-free panko crumbs).

Set on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 35 minutes or until sausage is thoroughly cooked through and no longer pink near the egg.


How to Make the Perfect Hard-Boiled Egg

In a medium saucepan, cover 4 eggs with water. Bring eggs to boil. This takes about 7 minutes. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 13 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and immediately pour off hot water. Add cold water to the saucepan.

Meanwhile, fetch a dozen or so ice cubes from your freezer. Pour off the water from the eggs, and add fresh cold water and ice cubes. Let sit for 20 minutes. Remove eggs from water. Store in refrigerator until using.

THE ABOVE RECIPE IS IN THE BOOK. My daughter-in-law swears by another method, which I just tried this weekend and it worked like a dream. She brings a pot of water to boil. Inserts the eggs (using tongs) one at a time, and boils them on high boil for 10 minutes. She removes the eggs and they are done. Much simpler than my method. Both work.  :)







What is PRESSING THE ISSUE about?


The annual Renaissance Fair serves up a helping of crafty courtiers, damsels in distress, and medieval murder . . .

As the annual Renaissance Fair comes to Crystal Cove, Jenna Hart’s Cookbook Nook is packed with tasty treats and all things medieval, while her pal Bailey is ready to swoon over her upcoming nuptials at a local vineyard. But when the two friends discover the body of the vineyard’s owner bludgeoned by a wine press, all their merriment fades, along with their hopes for a vintage year.

Which churlish varlet did the deed? Was it the victim’s errant brother, who stood to inherit the vineyards? Or the owner’s crestfallen ex-girlfriend? Mayhap it was the newly arrived lusty wench, or her jealous husband. Fie on them all! Verily, Jenna can’t rest until justice is served, and she vows to track down the killer. But can she sniff out the truth before the villainous culprit strikes again? 


Pressing the Issue will come out Feb 20 in e-book and print on demand. You can order the e-book now and the POD on the day of release. PREORDER NOW 





GIVEAWAY

To celebrate the upcoming release of PRESSING THE ISSUE, I'm giving away to one commenter a choice of any of my currently published titles. Tell me, what kind of medieval food would suit your fancy?
-->Remember to include your email (cryptically if necessary) so I can contact you if you win. -->


Savor the mystery!


Friend Daryl and Avery on Facebook
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Plus check out my website.

A DEADLY ÉCLAIR, the 1st in the French Bistro Mysteries.

Can Mimi clear her name before the killer turns up the heat?
Click here to order.

GRILLING THE SUBJECT, the 5th Cookbook Nook Mystery!
The Wild West Extravaganza has come to Crystal Cove. Click here to order.

FOR CHEDDAR OR WORSE, the 7th Cheese Shop Mystery is out!
Finally there's going to be a cheese festival in Providence!
Click to order.

GIRL ON THE RUN, a stand-alone suspense.
When a fairytale fantasy night becomes a nightmare, Chessa Paxton must run for her life...but will the truth set her free?
Click to order

DAY OF SECRETS, a stand-alone suspense
A mother he thought was dead. A father he never knew.
An enemy that wants them dead.
Click here to order




44 comments:

  1. I would probably keep it simple with some sort of cabbage dish, if I had to live during the Medieval time period and eat the food, haha. Would love to read any of the books! EMS591@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Liz, a simple cabbage dish sounds good. Comfort food. ~ Daryl

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  2. Turkey legs! I love those at the KC Ren Faire! moodiesmum(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm a huge fan of turkey legs, Raquel. I love the protein and they take a long time to eat! ~ Daryl

      Delete
  3. If I lived in medieval times, I think roast beef with boiled potatoes and cabbage would be my meal of choice. I might even try Scotch eggs!
    lynne.baxter075@sympatico.ca

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lynne, roast beef is our go-to meal for Christmas dinner. ~Daryl

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  4. Rabbit stew. That’d be pretty safe.
    sgiden at verizon(.)net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sandy, I've never had rabbit anything. Though I did have a beautiful baking dish with a rabbit lid. Sadly, it cracked in one of our moves. ~ Daryl

      Delete
  5. roast beef and baked potatoes with beans
    jcook22@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh, I so love scotch eggs, delicious! I am not totally certain what were medieval foods, I am guessing that I would love some kind of meat pie. Raised meat pies and ale sound great to me.
    little lamb lst at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lil, I have a meat pie recipe in the book, too. That was fun to make. ~ Daryl

      Delete
  7. Not sure how medieval this is but probably a big old turkey leg lol or those scotch eggs looked pretty good! barbie17(at)gmail(dot)com

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    Replies
    1. Tari, glad you like the look of the eggs. My taste testers loved them. ~ Daryl

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  8. I've been to a few faires in Minnesota and Texas. They all had turkey legs, dill pickles on a stick, and lots and lots of beer and mead. And funnel cakes!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've had one of the dill pickles on a stick, Pat. They're delicious! And mead. ~ Daryl

      Delete
  9. Funnel cakes and pickles. Until I read your recipe I did not know a Scotch egg contained sausage.
    browninggloria@hotmail(dot) com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gloria, I know. Amazing, isn't it, what we learn when we read recipes? ~ Daryl

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    2. Gloria, by random selection, you have won this giveaway. I'll write you an email for your info. Congrats and tell a friend. ~ Daryl

      Delete
  10. Lamb stew with roasted potatoes. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have a shepherd's pie recipe in the book. I adore lamb. Not everyone does. In fact, having lamb for dinner tonight. ~ Daryl

      Delete
  11. I think something made with beef and maybe bread. I would keep it safe, not to adventurous.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm not sure there was anything too un-safe back then. Maybe haggis. Ugh. LOL ~ Daryl

      Delete
  12. If we are talking about a Ren Faire, then funnell cake or fried dough and to drink mead or ale.
    scarletbegonia5858(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm going to have to learn to make a funnel cake gluten-free. It's basically a waffle, and I can make those. :) ~ Daryl (On a mission)

      Delete
  13. Scotch eggs can be quite tasty. I think if I were to make them I'd under-cook the eggs. They get cooked extra during the final baking.
    libbydodd at comcast dot net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Libby, that's not a bad idea, though these were "perfectly" cooked eggs and didn't overcook. So maybe the sausage protects them because it's cold until it's "not"??? ~ Daryl

      Delete
  14. I want one of those huge turkey legs that are always being waved about at the table.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bailey - I'm thining Tom Jones right now. LOL ~ Daryl

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  15. Roast chicken (because turkey legs are too big), soup and bread. Everything has to be able to be eaten with the hands since they didn't have utensils (so they say at Medieval Times).
    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

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    Replies
    1. Linda, you've got me wondering who invented utensils. Going to check right now. But didn't cavemen have spoons? Curious. ~ Daryl

      Delete
    2. Okay, had to check, and this is the first answer: The personal table fork was most likely invented in the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, where they were in common use by the 4th century (its origin may even go back to Ancient Greece, before the Roman period). So Medieval Times people just didn't care about using forks. LOl

      Delete
  16. I think I'd fit right in during medieval times as I love simple breads, soups, & stews. turtle6422(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  17. I think I would enjoy a feast of all the food. I love that name (of the shoppe) too. Oh I read about another way to make the perfect hard boiled egg recently. Here it is - Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
    Put 1 egg in each of 12 muffin cups.
    Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
    Plunge baked eggs in a large bowl filled with ice water until cooled completely, about 10 minutes.
    For me that works since I always forget I am boiling water, lol. kayt18 (at) comcast (dot) net

    ReplyDelete
  18. Meat pies

    jtcgc at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  19. My thing would be meat, pie, leg, whatever. Love Scotch Eggs, with a bit of mustard. The book was great. If picked. Girl on the run or Grilling the Subject. Della at deepotter (at) peoplepc (dot) com

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  20. I love this recipe--I've always wanted to try Scotch eggs, but thought they'd be too difficult. I could do this, though. And as for Medieval food, I love shepherd's pie or probably anything! legallyblonde1961 at yahoo dot com.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I have heard of 'boiling' eggs in the oven, but haven't tried it yet. I haven't had the opportunity to have Scotch Eggs, but at our local Ren Fest, really love the turkey legs!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  22. I would a love a turkey leg! Messy yes, but t worth it.

    ReplyDelete