E.M. Markoff's Blog, page 5

Cinnamon Tea Recipe (Té de Canela): A Mexican Beverage in the world of 'The Deadbringer'

It’s day 38 of “sheltering in place” in San Francisco with the end date of May 3rd approaching soon. There’s a very good chance the shelter-in-place will be extended, but as of now no definitive word has yet been given. What is in full effect in San Francisco and many of the surrounding counties is the rule requiring everyone to cover their face when shopping, taking transit, seeking healthcare, among other activities. In addition, masks with one-way exhalation valves are not acceptable since despite protecting the wearer, droplets can escape from the mask’s valve and put those around you at risk. As always with COVID-19, I cannot stress enough the importance of staying informed

I’m very grateful to be able to work from home and have been keeping busy with working on the sequel to The Deadbringer. One of the chapters I was recently working on had a placeholder for a drink of some sort, and by placeholder I mean typing out the letters “XXX” or “YYY” into the sentence until I figure out what to add in. Like my sweet corn beverage recipe from To Nurture & Kill, right off the bat I knew I wanted it to be a drink that is common in Mexican culture. After thinking out a few logistics, I decided to go with cinnamon tea or té de canela. Despite cinnamon not being native to Mexico, Ceylon Cinnamon or “True Cinnamon” is so often used in Mexican dishes and drinks that it’s referred to as Mexican Cinnamon.

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Photo Credit: https://depositphotos.com/ | (Cinnamomum cassia) Chinese Cinnamon

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(Cinnamomum verum) Ceylon Cinnamon or “True Cinnamon” aka Mexican Cinnamon

I don’t remember when I first had it, but I must have been very young — cinnamon tea or té de canela has always been in my life. It was such a common drink growing up that I did not think twice about it or consider it a “Mexican drink.” Not until I was in college and tried my first cinnamon tea bag for conveniences’s sake did I realize that not all cinnamon tea was brewed the same. After a few more similar experiences with equally bland results, I began to realize why the cinnamon tea I grew up with was considered a Mexican drink. So today, I am going to show you how to make cinnamon tea exactly the way my mom taught me :)

One last note before I go into the recipe: All forms of cinnamon contain a chemical compound known as coumarin which is toxic to humans. While C. cassia has high levels of coumarin, Ceylon or Mexican Cinnamon (C. verum) “contains all of the health-promoting properties of cinnamon with none of the toxic properties.” Here is a great post breaking down the toxicity of the different types of cinnamon and which variety is the healthiest. The main way you can tell the difference between the two cinnamon types is by appearance (see above picture). In addition, Mexican cinnamon has a natural earthy sweetness that does not require sugar. I highly recommend you try it at least once without any sort of sweetener.

Onward to the recipe!

Ingredients:

Yields about 1.5 cups

1 Mexican Cinnamon stick

2 cups water

*Sugar or honey to taste

*Note: No sweetener of any type was used in this recipe

To a small pot, add the water + cinnamon stick. Close lid. On medium-low heat, slowly bring to a soft boil so the cinnamon stick can brew properly. This will take about 15-20 minutes.

If using sugar, now is the time to add it.

After simmering, remove pot from heat. At this point, the water will take on an amber tint, but the tea is still not ready!

Let the water + cinnamon stick steep with the lid on for another 15-20 minutes. As the water cools, the cinnamon will begin to release its full flavor and the color will change from amber to golden red.

Note the color difference in the below pictures (left picture is before steeping, right picture is after steeping).

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Finally, strain the tea and reserve the cinnamon stick. For hot cinnamon tea, simply reheat in the same pan or pour yourself a cup and reheat it in the microwave. For cold cinnamon tea, add ice to a tall glass or chill in fridge.

Sweeten if desired and enjoy!

Note: If the end result is too strong, add water to dilute the flavor.

Té de canela can be stored in the fridge for a couple of days, ready for you to enjoy cold or reheated, or add some to your cup of coffee, tea, or cocktail for a lovely warm kick.

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Tag me on Instagram @tomesandcoffee if you make this drink or the sweet corn atole from To Nurture & Kill :) I know this version of cinnamon tea is a bit more time consuming, but as the smell, taste, and color great your senses, you begin to realize why it’s worth the effort.

I’m looking forward to sharing this drink with my readers in the forthcoming The Faceless God

Until next we meet,

EMM

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Masks for Covid-19: Where to Donate in the Bay Area & Resources on How to Make Your Own Homemade Masks

Welcome back! It’s day 31 of “sheltering in place” in San Francisco. Dear reader, I hope wherever you are in the world that you and yours are staying safe and healthy. For those of us who can stay home let’s keep trying to do our best to help #flattenthecurve and keep our essential workers—healthcare workers, grocery workers, delivery workers, immigrant workers—safe. Let’s also do our best for those who can’t afford to stay home. Everyone has a role to play; we’re in this together.

To that end, I’ve put together some links on how to make your own homemade non-medical masks and where to donate them as well as much needed PPE supplies. A caveat before I continue: I am not a medical professional, and information with respect to COVID-19 is still unfolding. Please do your own research as staying informed helps dispel harmful misinformation.

I know it’s not easy taking in the latest news about COVID-19, or how people are being racist, or how so many have lost their jobs or are facing eviction from their homes, and not have it negatively affect your mental health. The rage, depression, anxiety, fear, guilt that assails me when I read the news can leave me feeling rather bleak and set a dark mood for the rest of the day. To help keep my days productive, I’ve started leaving the news for the evening and talk the events through with the hub so I’m not alone with my thoughts. It isn’t foolproof, but being able to verbally vent has helped my mental health. I’m also learning to be kinder to myself on days I do fall apart, because sometimes falling apart is what it takes to get back up.

Where to Donate PPE & Homemade Masks

If you decide to make your own masks with the intention of donating:

First check to see where masks might be needed in your area

Contact the location to see how they want the mask sown as the facility may favor a pattern or construction (2-ply versus 3-ply)

The grassroots collective website Make Masks helps you identify which areas in your state need homemade masks and how many are being requested. There is also Mask Match whose aim is to “send your masks to healthcare workers without leaving your house.” Per their website as of the date of this post, Mask Match accepts medical grade filtration masks, all surgical masks, and homemade masks. They even have a handy G-doc guide for best practices for sewing and links to other homemade mask resources.

For San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area, many hospitals are also accepting donations and list on their website which supplies they are and aren’t accepting and where to drop them off. Some of the hospitals accepting supplies include:

UCSF

Chinese Hospital

In Berkeley, Councilwoman Rashi Kesarwani has a site where to donate PPE

This KQED article, updated 4/13, has an extensive list of hospitals accepting donations. They even have a useful “Map View” that allows you to see at a glance where you can donate supplies in the Bay Area.

If you prefer not to drop off supplies at a hospital, this article on Hoodline lists local businesses (and even the Oakland Public Library) that are accepting masks with the intention of donating them to the hospitals.

How to Make Your Own Mask

For those of you talented with needle and thread, this video by Angela Clayton takes you step-by-step on how to sew your own mask. Here’s a different link for those who prefer to read their instructions.

For those of us who can’t sew, myself included, here is a video by Asia Jackson showing you step-by-step how to transform a piece of cloth or bandana into a DIY face mask. Here’s a different link for those who prefer to read their instructions.

I hope this post was helpful in some way. Stay safe and healthy everyone

Until next we meet,

EMM

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The Assistant Sends His Love

It’s Day 26 of “sheltering in place” in San Francisco.

I admit that today I woke up not feeling that emotionally great. Some days are good; some days are bad. The struggle to climb out of the abyss is never easy, but I think realizing that is a step toward being kinder to myself. And to those around me.

Let all try to be kinder to each other and to ourselves.

We’re in this together

 

A Bookish Playlist for To Nurture & Kill

Gritty heroes, blood-soaked promises, and family bonds put to the test.

It’s day 24 of “sheltering in place” in San Francisco as the State attempts to help #flattenthecurve. Had Covid-19 not struck, I would be traveling down to Anaheim, CA for a weekend of vending and geeking out at WonderCon. The cancelation of WonderCon and subsequent conventions means lost income for me, but everyone’s health and safety comes first. More than anything, I want to see the faces of the readers I have met at conventions again, which means doing my part by staying home.

As a indie author, all I can offer is some form of entertainment while I keep working toward completing The Faceless God. I’ve gone deeper and deeper into the world with each draft and subsequent revision. It’s like the David Lynch quote I included in yesterday’s Twin Peaks 30th anniversary post: “I think that’s one of the great things about a continuing story: that you can go in, and go deeper and deeper and deeper. You begin to feel the mystery, and things start coming.”

While I continue diving further into the world of the Ellderet, I wanted to share a playlist I made back in 2017 for To Nurture & Kill. These are the songs that “made it” to the final draft of the story, the ones that when I listen to them I see myself in my mind’s eye writing the scenes. Most of the songs are instrumental, although a few have lyrics.

Let me know if you’ve read To Nurture & Kill or if any of the songs strike a chord!

We’re living in strange times. Let’s all be kind to each other, and don’t be racist.

See you soon,

EMM

Happy 30th Anniversary Twin Peaks! Or, My Non-English Speaking Mom's Love of Surrealism

Originally posted on my Instagram @tomesandcoffee 4/8/2020 . Minor edits were made to the text for the post. Videos and external links were added.

Hello!

It's day 23 of "sheltering in place" in San Francisco. With all the shit that had been going on, it was nice to escape for a bit into a world that has most definitely inspired me: Twin Peaks. Thank you @kyle_maclachlan and @madchenamick!! ☕️

SATURDAY 3/28!! Live Instagram Reading of My Short Ghost Story, "Leaving the #9," at 3pm PDT/6pm EDT

Tune in tomorrow for a tiny distraction to hopefully take your mind off of everything that is going on

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Happy Friday! ICYMI: I'll be doing an Instagram Live reading of my short ghost story, "Leaving the #9." When? Tomorrow, Saturday 3/28, at 3pm PDT/6pm EDT! If you've never seen me read, this is what to expect

To Nurture & Kill is FREE as a Kindle Giveaway until Friday 3/27/20!

Cat not included

Hello, hello!

It’s day 7 of “sheltering in place” in San Francisco. I know isolation is tough and a lot of people’s jobs are in danger right now, so I wanted to help out in some way by making the ebook of To Nurture & Kill available for free. Starting today 3/23 and ending 3/27, To Nurture & Kill will be available for FREE as a Kindle giveaway! If you feel so inclined, please help spread the word

The Assistant Meets the Dolls

“One by one the Deadbringers came,
bringing with them their Dolls to play.
Will your strings be cut? Not on this day!
The Dolls have found someone else to maim.”

— The Deadbringer

 



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E. M. Markoff

Happy #Caturday: The Assistant Meets the Dolls

“One by one the Deadbringers came,
bringing with them their Dolls to play.
Will your strings be cut? Not on this day!
The Dolls have found someone else to maim.”

— The Deadbringer

 

Writer's Life Blog RSS

E. M. Markoff

Feb + March 2020 Bay Area Conventions: Indie Uncon, FogCON, and Oddities & Curiosities Expo

Feb 21-23: 2020 San Francisco Indie Uncon

Convention season for me starts this Friday! First up is the San Francisco Indie Uncon, a three day convention dedicated to helping indie authors learn more about the business-side of writing. This will be my first time attending, but what I’m excited about from the con’s description is that it’s supposed to be about indie authors coming together to freely share their knowledge. It’s authors supporting authors instead of “come learn about our paid services.”

You can learn more about the 2020 San Francisco Indie Uncon at https://kellymcclymerbooks.com/san-francisco-indie-uncon/.

March 6-8: FogCON 10 Walnut Creek, CA 2 Panels + 1 Reading All my books will be available at the Borderlands Bookstore table in the Dealers Room

I’m going to be on two panels at this year’s FogCON, and I will also be reading from my work alongside authors L. S. Johnson, Loren Rhoads, and Sian Jones. I still haven’t decided what to read but, with nearly 16 minutes of reading time, I’m leaning toward an excerpt from The Deadbringer.

The two panels I will be on are (1) Things I Wish I’d Known Earlier: Writing Edition, and (2) Shades of Fear: Color in Horror.

For more detailed information about the panels head on over to my events page.  

Oddities & Curiosities ExpoSan Mateo Event Center | San Mateo, CAAll my books will be available for purchasePrints by The Ellderet Series cover artist, Pink Pigeon Studio, will be available for purchaseI will be joining Loren Rhoads (199 Cemeteries to See Before You Die) and L.S. Johnson (Rare Birds)

As the title suggests, this is a convention celebrating all things dark