Eric Wilder's Blog, page 18
March 29, 2012
New French Quarter Murder Mystery
City of Spirits front coverIt's Mardi Gras in the Big Easy and two boats have sunk in the main channel of the Mississippi River, denying river passage both in and out of New Orleans. When detective Tony Nicosia's partner is stabbed during a Carnival parade, the Chief assigns him a new partner with the unlikely name of Marlon Bando.To make matters worse, Tony's wife Lil is demanding he retire; a woman named Venus who is half his age is making a serious play for him; and a killer is on the loose. French Quarter sleuth Wyatt Thomas has problems of his own: his ex-wife's wake; a new client that wants proof that he isn't a passeblanc; beautiful twin sisters named Desire and Dauphine; and a voodoo curse likely cast by Marie Laveau herself. Get ready for a ride!
If you like New Orleans, check out the sequel to Big Easy, the original French Quarter murder mystery by Louisiana mystery writer Eric Wilder.
Eric'sWeb
March 18, 2012
Jupiter and Venus Aligned
Kate and suspended broom
Solstice CrowTuesday is the spring solstice. Jupiter and Venus are in alignment. Here are a couple of pics. I took the broom pic an hour or so ago. Yes, the planets are in alignment.Eric'sFacebookPage
March 15, 2012
Venus-Jupiter Conjunction
Beginning March 12, the two brightest planets in the sky will be so close together that you'll be able to block both of them out with a few fingers held at arm's length. The celestial action peaks Thursday March 15, when Venus and Jupiter line up in what's known as a planetary conjunction. Venus-Jupiter conjunctions are fairly special events, occurring roughly every 13 months. And this one should be the best conjunction for several years to come for viewers in the Northern Hemisphere, experts say, because the two planets will be visible for so long in the evening sky. At mid-northern latitudes on Thursday, the pair should blaze bright over the western horizon for about four hours after sunset.Eric'sWeb
March 3, 2012
February 26, 2012
Mama Mulate's Oysters and Champagne - a weekend recipe
MamaMulate, voodoo mambo and character in the mystery novel Big Easy, loves oysters. This is one of her favorite recipes whenever she's noteating them on the half-shell.Ingredients · 24 oysters, in shells· 1 c fresh cream· 1 T butter· 1 c champagne brut· 3 shallots , finely chopped· ¼ lemon, juice only· 3 egg yolks· 1 sprig of dill , finely chopped· 1 dash horseradish· 1 pinch saffron· Pepper to taste
Directions
Placecheesecloth over a bowl. Open the oysters over the bowl and recover all liquid.Separate the oyster shells and reserve the oysters. Combine egg yolks, cream, ½c champagne, chopped dill, horseradish, saffron and lemon juice. Mix well. Addpepper to taste.Heat½ T butter in skillet over medium heat. Add chopped shallots with ½ c ofchampagne. Reduce the mixture for 5 minutes, or until there is only a smallamount of fluid in the pan. Add the cream mixture, egg and oyster liquid to thepan. Reduce by half for about 10 minutes over medium heat while stirring. Don'tlet the mixture come to a boil.Addoysters and poach for 3 minutes. Remove the oysters and place them in theirshells. Stir ½ T butter into champagne sauce and whisk vigorously over the heatto combine. Coat each oyster, in its shell, with sauce.
To stabilizeoysters in the oven and keep them parallel with the cookie sheet while cooking,position them on about ¼" of coarse salt. Cook for 3 minutes in preheated ovenat 250 °. The sauce should be nicely browned. Serve with toasted French bread.Eric's Big Easy Page
February 19, 2012
Mama Mulate’s Bread Pudding with Jamaican Rum Sauce
You wouldn’t know it by Mama’s slender frame, but she has a real sweettooth. Here is one of her favorite New Orleans’ desserts, along with her own special sauce.
Ingredients
• 1 loaf stale French bread
• ¼ can evaporated milk
• 1 pound butter
• 1 ¼ cups sugar
• ¼ pound raisins
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 3 tablespoons vanilla extract
• ¼ cup brown sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wet the bread and squeeze the water out of it. Melt the butter and mix with all other ingredients. Pour mixture into a well-greased 4 x 10-inch baking pan. Bake for 2 ½ hours. The pudding will rise in the first hour. After an hour, remove pan from oven and stir the mixture to tighten it. Return to the oven for the second hour of cooking.
Jamaican Rum Sauce
Ingredients
• ¼ stick butter, melted
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup flour
• ½ cup Jamaican rum
Directions
Place all ingredients in double boiler and cook for 10 minutes. Beat until fluffy.
Eric'sBigEasyPage
Ingredients
• 1 loaf stale French bread
• ¼ can evaporated milk
• 1 pound butter
• 1 ¼ cups sugar
• ¼ pound raisins
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 3 tablespoons vanilla extract
• ¼ cup brown sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wet the bread and squeeze the water out of it. Melt the butter and mix with all other ingredients. Pour mixture into a well-greased 4 x 10-inch baking pan. Bake for 2 ½ hours. The pudding will rise in the first hour. After an hour, remove pan from oven and stir the mixture to tighten it. Return to the oven for the second hour of cooking.
Jamaican Rum Sauce
Ingredients
• ¼ stick butter, melted
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup flour
• ½ cup Jamaican rum
Directions
Place all ingredients in double boiler and cook for 10 minutes. Beat until fluffy.
Eric'sBigEasyPage
Mama Mulate's Bread Pudding with Jamaican Rum Sauce
You wouldn't know it by Mama's slender frame, but she has a real sweettooth. Here is one of her favorite New Orleans' desserts, along with her own special sauce.
Ingredients
• 1 loaf stale French bread
• ¼ can evaporated milk
• 1 pound butter
• 1 ¼ cups sugar
• ¼ pound raisins
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 3 tablespoons vanilla extract
• ¼ cup brown sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wet the bread and squeeze the water out of it. Melt the butter and mix with all other ingredients. Pour mixture into a well-greased 4 x 10-inch baking pan. Bake for 2 ½ hours. The pudding will rise in the first hour. After an hour, remove pan from oven and stir the mixture to tighten it. Return to the oven for the second hour of cooking.
Jamaican Rum Sauce
Ingredients
• ¼ stick butter, melted
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup flour
• ½ cup Jamaican rum
Directions
Place all ingredients in double boiler and cook for 10 minutes. Beat until fluffy.
Eric'sBigEasyPage
Ingredients
• 1 loaf stale French bread
• ¼ can evaporated milk
• 1 pound butter
• 1 ¼ cups sugar
• ¼ pound raisins
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 3 tablespoons vanilla extract
• ¼ cup brown sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wet the bread and squeeze the water out of it. Melt the butter and mix with all other ingredients. Pour mixture into a well-greased 4 x 10-inch baking pan. Bake for 2 ½ hours. The pudding will rise in the first hour. After an hour, remove pan from oven and stir the mixture to tighten it. Return to the oven for the second hour of cooking.
Jamaican Rum Sauce
Ingredients
• ¼ stick butter, melted
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup flour
• ½ cup Jamaican rum
Directions
Place all ingredients in double boiler and cook for 10 minutes. Beat until fluffy.
Eric'sBigEasyPage
February 16, 2012
January 12, 2012
New Wyatt Thomas French Quarter Murder Mystery - Coming Soon!
Eric Wilder's City of SpiritsIt's Mardi Gras in the Big Easy and two boats have sunk in the main channel of the Mississippi River, denying river passage both in and out of New Orleans. When NOPD homicide detective Tony Nicosia's partner is stabbed during a Carnival parade, the Chief assigns him a new partner with the unlikely name of Marlon Bando. To make matters worse, Tony's wife Lil is demanding that he retire; a woman named Venus who is half his age is making a serious play for him; and a killer is on the loose. Wyatt has problems of his own: his ex-wife's wake; a new client that wants proof that he isn't a passeblanc; beautiful twin sisters named Desire and Dauphine; and a voodoo curse likely cast by Marie Laveau herself. City of Spirits, Eric Wilder's newest full-length novel, coming soon. Get ready for a ride!Eric'sWeb
