Friday, July 10, 2026

1918 Potatoes Sauté @MaddieDayAuthor #Birthday #Giveaway

MADDIE DAY here, with a yummy side dish for your next birthday meal. Who doesn't love fried potatoes?


I've mentioned here before that my paternal grandmother was born on July 4th, 1900. Dorothy -- Dot -- Henderson was a close part of my life growing up.

As a child, it was fun to remember that, after Independence Day, Mama Dot was the same age as the year. As an adult, it was a treat to discover Dot's diary from the trip her family took driving two cars from Indianapolis to Berkley, California in 1918. As the eldest, Dot drove one of the automobiles, and the diary includes the menu for her 18th birthday dinner at a Salt Lake City hotel on Independence Day.



Knowing what a strong person my grandmother was inspired me to create a historical character a bit like her, the lady PI in the Dot and Amelia Mysteries.

I thought I'd bring you one of the items on her birthday menu. I had my whole family here for the 4th weekend. 



I cooked so much, I kind of ran out of steam for making anything complicated, so I selected Potatoes Sauté to fix.
 

Potatoes Sauté

From Dorothy Henderson's 18th birthday dinner, July 4, 1918, at the Hotel Utah Roof Garden restaurant.

Ingredients


3 medium red potatoes, scrubbed and thickly sliced
2 tablespoons butter
1 sprig rosemary chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt


Directions

Steam potatoes (2026 version) in microwave steamer or (1918 version) on stove until nearly tender.

Heat butter in cast iron skillet. 



Saute potatoes, turning, until toasty and crisped. Sprinkle on rosemary. Add salt and pepper to taste. 



Enjoy with steak and mushrooms, stuffed tomatoes, corn muffins, or anything else you please. And happy birthday to Dot, the USA, and anyone else who shares the day!

Readers: What's your favorite hot side dish? I'll send one commenter a signed copy of A Case for the Ladies!

🥔🧈🎂

A Poisonous Pour is out and available wherever books are sold!





Next up is Murder at the Toy Soldier, Cozy Capers Book Group #8, which releases in late August.



My most recent releases are Murder at Cape Costumers,




Scone Cold Dead, #13 in the Country Store Mysteries,








Check out all my writing.




We hope you'll visit Maddie and her Agatha Award-winning alter ego Edith Maxwell on our web site, sign up for our monthly newsletter, visit us on social media, and check our all our books and short stories.


Maddie Day (aka Edith Maxwell) is a talented amateur chef and holds a PhD in Linguistics from Indiana University. An Agatha Award-winning and bestselling author, she is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America and also writes award-winning short crime fiction. She lives with her beau and sweet cat Martin north of Boston, where she’s currently working on her next mystery when she isn’t cooking up something delectable in the kitchen.

5 comments:

  1. One of my favorite hot dishes is macaroni and cheese, another is mixed vegetables.
    Becky Prazak
    rjprazak6@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My all time favorite is lobster Mac and cheese!
      Kathryn Damren
      Kdamren@aol.com

      Delete
    2. I've never had that but it sounds delicious.

      Delete
    3. My favorite hot side dish is Corn On The Cob
      All the books look and sound like fantastic reads looking forward to reading them especially in print format
      Crystal Stewart
      don.stewart@zoominternet.net

      Delete