Zelda Benjamin's Blog, page 4

Tuscany - Mangia! Mangia! Mangia!

Tuscan HospitalityArriving at the family-owned private estate, Relais Gli Ulivi ( the Olive Orchard) felt like we were visiting family. The tables were set for lunch and the food started coming - salad, grilled vegetables, and grilled meats.

Italians take eating seriously.  For some unknown reason at a restaurant in Rome, my husband was the only one not to scrape his plate clean. The chef actually came out to ask him if he didn't enjoy his food.





I love this Italian saying that expresses their love for food and sharing. Chi mangia e non invite, posse strozzarsi con ogni mollica. He who eats alone and invites no one, will choke with every               crumb.

Under the Tuscan Sun


While everyone finished lunch, the junior adventurers had a chance to swim and blow off some energy in this postcard perfect setting
 





Before eating dessert we were shown how to make the delicious Torta Della Nonna. Grandmother's Cake is a thin top and bottom layer of a sponge cake like pastry filled with a delicious light custard. Oh, yes. I am definitely going to make this.
 Room With a ViewFrom here we moved on to our hotel - Borgo di Cortefreda.



There was time to relax and enjoy the view before dinner with a wine and olive oil tasting.




 Wine and ...
We tasted Crema - a base di Balsamic with tartufo, Greppi Di Silli - an amazing jelly like honey that's flavored with herbs, vanilla nutella, and cheese. I couldn't resist buying the honey and balsamic.






And the wine...There was a Prosecco, of course chianti, and a limited edition of a blended summer white wine. Our case should arrive by the end of the month. 

  
There was still room for  dinner where we finished off the wine from the tasting plus an additional bottle or two.




Each day was more amazing than the one before. You'll have to wait until tomorrow's blog for our experience on a working Tuscan farm.
Ciao Bellas,Zelda

A Brief Stop between Rome and Florence - Up the Hill to Orvieto

After a bus ride from Rome and a fanicular ride to the top of the hill, we arrived in the medieval town of  Orvieto (old city). The town sits on a flat summit of volcanic tuff. Tuff is from the Italian word tufo, a type of rock made from volcanic ash. 
A short walk down narrow streets lined with ceramic, leather, and shops selling truffles leads you to the church and tower. July is sale time in Italy. I did manage to buy a pair of sandals on sale, but passed on the ceramic. We still had Florence and Venice to visit. 
Every little town in Italy is full of history. Our Disney guide told us an interesting story about the town during WWII.  A British tank battalion had reached Orvieto and was greeted at the bottom of the hill by a German officer. This officer had visited the town. He expressed his concern that the beautiful Italian Gothic church, the Duomo of Orvieto would be ruined in battle. Both sides agreed with a handshake to move the battle away from Orvieto. 



 The history of the area predated the Romans. Mysterious Etruscans ruled the area from the 8th to 5th century B.C.
This Etruscan roots pin was one of many our Disney guides presented to each member of our traveling famiglia.
At just the right time our Disney guides treated us to gelato.  They were always there, just like your mother, handing out wipes, water, and first aid.  Once we were refreshed from our gelato, we were ready to climb the Torro Del Moro. Forty seven meters high, it was not the worse climb I ever did.




At the top, the panoramic view was well worth it. The palazzo below, the town, and surrounding countryside were clearly visible.
I could have stayed for hours just looking out at the view, but our visit to Orvieto was only a short break on our way to our Tuscan B&B. Didn't realize I had so much to say about Orvieto. Anyway, Tuscany deserves it's own blog. Hope you'll be back for more

Ciao Bellas,
Zelda

The Colosseum, the Sistine Chapel, and a Sprinkle of Disney Pixie Dust

Traveling on a group tour is not our usual way to travel. However, when we decided to visit Italy this summer, Adventures by Disney seemed like the best way to go for our extended family. Italy is very crowded during the summer months and we were able to avoid the long lines to see the best sites.
In Rome we joined a group made up of other families who share a love for traveling. From the very first moment at our first dinner our adventure began.

Hidden treasuresOn our own we would have definitely passed by Chiesa di Ignazio Sant'lagnazio di Loyola, a church with a painted dome built atop layers of history. It's a short walk from the Pantheon on your way to the Trevi Fountain. The Trevi Fountain was under renovation when we were there. There was a small pool of water to toss your coins into and make a wish. It was a short visit and very crowded, but compensated with by a gelato stop. Stracciatella with chocolate shavings folded in has become my favorite. You knew I would mention chocolate some how. Just a tease - more Italian food to come in my next blog.


 


Arches of triumph
     
       
  ColosseumChristina, our wonderful local guide was an endless source of information. She also had a way of keeping us moving with purpose and keeping the street vendors and other tourists from cutting into our group. 



We were mesmerized with stories of the animals that fought in the Colosseum.

The seating arrangement for events was pretty simple, the Emperor and his entourage had special seating. Everyone else- including women and slaves had general admission with the masses                                                   The steps were steep and slippery. Below is a section showing the original marble.                                                 .                                      

   


Junior adventurers got to burn off energy in a mock gladiator fight. Everyone must have thought it was part of the show. A large crowd gathered around them with their cameras and iPads.





Sistine ChapelOne of the highlights of the trip was our private evening tour to the Sistine Chapel. Only 150 people a week are granted this opportunity.
The massive doors opened just for us at promptly at 7pm.
Photos are not allowed inside the chapel. Thanks to Christina's endless knowledge on the history of The Creation of Adam and The Last Judgement, the experience will always be a vivid memory. You're never to old to learn. I never knew that painting the Sistine Chapel was Michelangelo's first attempt with an art form other than sculpting. He never let anyone see his work. The controversial details in the Last Judgement  had even the junior adventurers paying attention to Christina's every word.




On our way to the Sistine Chapel was pretty impressive. As was the grand staircase that took us out.

I hope you'll stop by in the next couple of days for more on my Italian adventure. There's so much to write about - Orvieto, Florence, Venice, Tuscany, and the food. Just so you know, Disney had nothing to do with this blog. It is written unbiased from my experiences.
Ciao Bellas,Zelda

Reading & Writing Romance Without Sex

When I wrote my first book for Avalon Books the guidelines were specific. They described their books as wholesome adult fiction, suitable for family reading. No graphic sex,  no premarital sex, or sexual tension was allowed in their novels.

In June, 2012 Amazon Publishing bought the 62 year old company. The LA Times headline for the article read - Amazon Publishing buys Avalon Books, Gets 3,000 Squeaky-Clean Titles.

Back in the day before e-readers, readers who wanted these "squeaky-clean" books knew exactly where to find them. Avalon Books catered to the library market and often had their own shelves for their monthly releases. Avalon books is gone and searching online sometimes takes us through a list of sexy books before finding that sweet/clean story we're looking for. At the end of this blog, I list some links to sweet romances. Check them out.
No Sex ScenesI like to say I write sweet, sensual romance. My stories end with a happily ever after that is earned through conflict and growing respect between the hero and heroine. My characters flirt and find each other attractive. The push and pull of the sensual tension is important to bring them together, but goes no farther than an emotion packed kiss.  A recent Amazon review  described Chocolate Couture as a story about "Nice people being nice while going through the realistic trials of life."

No Profanity The first book in my Love by Chocolate series, Chocolate Secrets is about a sexy firefighter who bakes chocolate cakes.
While joking around at the firehouse he made a reference to fame, fortune, and good sex. The 'good sex' was edited out because I couldn't have the reader think there might be a sex scene in the story.  The edited line was changed to fame, fortune, and a good time. Even with the change, a reviewer on Amazon said she enjoyed the story but found it a bit suggestive.




Sweet vs CleanSweet/Clean romance are not to be confused with Christian or Inspirational romance which are faith based.  A sweet romance won't have profanity, but might have some mild language. Although sweet and clean are often interchangeable, clean romance can have a darker plot without the sex and profanity or violence.

Looking for a sweet romance? Here's some help finding one.

Visit my amazon page
http://www.amazon.com/Zelda-Benjamin/e/B001JS8IPG/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1


Some sweet romances for you to enjoy.

click to link

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The Dooney's Journey - A Tribute to My Mother

I love the bag.
Thanks. I love your plume.



If you've read my recent FB posts, you might be wondering what's with the orange Dooney bag.











Prologue

In April a co-worker bought my orange Dooney's cousin in green.
She was an instant success and everyone wanted one. Two days later,
my husband and I were on our way to the Dooney & Bourke outlet in
Vero Beach, FL. where 21 pre-ordered bags were waiting for us.






The New York segment

Several months ago my sister, my husband and I, and our good friend, Rochelle planned a trip to NYC in my mother's honor. My mother, a true native New Yorker passed away last year at 96. She never drove a car and walked everywhere. Before she retired, she worked for US customs at the WTC and shopped the streets of lower Manhattan. Back then, her favorite shopping was done on Nassau Street. Even before it was a popular walk, she loved to walk over the Brooklyn Bridge and catch the subway home. No doubt  her walking contributed to her longevity.






Back to the Dooney
My sister and Rochelle have an aversion to any form of social media. They refuse to have their photos posted on FB. As for me - I'm a FB junkie. I love sharing my travel photos, but a continuous flow of pictures of me and my husband would be boring. And so, the Dooney appeared in the shots that my sister and Rochelle would not let me post. Like a character in a story, she (the orange Dooney) developed a fan base and personality of her own.  

Dooney on the Brooklyn Bridge
Giveaway
For Mother's Day, in honor of my mother's kind generosity, I'm giving away one of Dooney's cousins filled with books from my Love by Chocolate series. All you have to do is post a comment on this blog or on a FB post with the link to this page. On Mother's Day, I will randomly pick a winner and contact them. (US only)

Wishing you a happy Mother's Day.
Zelda

Those Pesky T-shirt Holes - It's Earth Day - Recycle

Today, Earth Day seems most appropriate to talk about what we can do to help preserve the rain forest. Can you imagine a world without chocolate and lots of other important and life saving things that originate there? 

While researching my upcoming novella, Chocolate and Sensibility, a tropical romance set in the rain forest, I came to appreciate even more the value of this precious ecosystem.  

SNEAK PEEK AT THE COVER
THE SEQUEL TO CHOCOLATE  COUTURE
On what might seem like a small scale, there is something we can do every day to help the environment.  I'm a crazy recycler. Nothing in my house escapes the recycling bin. 

We all get them - those pesky T-shirt holes that appear out of nowhere. So, what do you do with the shirt? You can trash it, or toss it in the rag pile, or you can cover those holes and recycle the shirt. Small buttons work just as well as these cute little flower decals I found.  Each one the flowers covers a pinpoint hole.


Share your recycling tips. 

Wishing you chocolate and happy and creative recycling.
Zelda

Chocolate Recipes are Everywhere

I dipped into the chocolate pot and pulled out the name of my winner from the Authors in Bloom Blog Hop.  Congratulations, Nancy. 

No one is a loser. I'm sharing my favorite Passover recipe for a flourless Chocolate Hazelnut cake as a thank you to everyone who participated in the hop. It's a great recipe for anytime of the year.

It's no secret that the Easter/Passover season is up there on the list of the big 4 of peak chocolate sales. Valentine's Day, Christmas, and Mother's Day each have a special chocolate associated with the day.

Right now, chocolate factories and stores are full of chocolate bunnies and Easter eggs. And what's Passover without matzoh - chocolate covered matzoh. 

In Chocolate Muse, Pastry Chef Maddie Higgins hits a downward spiral when a horrific review trashes her signature Torta di Chocolate. Maddie learns to trust and create again with help from the last man she ever wanted to see.


Here's the link to the recipe that inspired the story 
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Flourless-Chocolate-Hazelnut-Cake-241088

 I make it without the frosting and it's just fine. I like it with whipped cream or cool whip on top. My husband likes raspberries. What ever topping you decide on, the cake is delicious.

                                                       
                                           Excerpt from Chocolate MuseA half eaten pint of Ben and Jerry’s melted on the floor next to Maddie Higgins' sofa. The reality TV show she had recorded the night before blared on the TV screen. If not for the loud banging on her door, Maddie would still be asleep. “You in there Miss Higgins?” Her doorman pounded on the door. “I’ve got your mail. The mailman said you have to start taking out your mail.”“Leave the mail, Matt.” Maddie sat up, stretched, and shouted at the bolted door. “I won’t do it again.” Before shutting off the TV, she took a moment to commiserate with the contestants. If that one unfortunate turn of events in the script of her life had been part of a TV reality show, Zest’s former pastry chef, Maddie Higgins, would surely have been the star. There were no hidden cameras that night and the unexpected incident had sent her tumbling from stardom. Would the culinary world ever forget her careless oversight? She couldn’t. The look on that man’s face after taking the first bite of her award winning torta di chocolate would have made good reality TV. Instead it left her spiraling in self-pity compounded by sleepless nights and an over indulgence in sweets.If she had only known he had been there to review her most popular dessert, she might have been more diligent. Looking through the little round window, she had watched and had waited for the first sign of pleasure on the handsome customer’s face.That’s when everything turned ugly. The expected smile of decadent satisfaction had melted into a cough and sputter. No one choked on her delicious desserts. Too late someone discovered the cause - soap powder mistaken for sugar. Maddie and the kitchen crew searched for a hidden camera. They hoped an inconspicuous TV camera had accompanied the food critic and this was all a setup.Paul, executive chef at Zest had no one else to blame. He dismissed her before the horrific review hit the morning papers. Instead of TV stardom Maddie found herself an unemployed pastry chef with a runaway culinary muse.Even thought she hadn’t actually added the offensive powder, she knew when the chocolate hit the fan it would be aimed straight at her. 

When Life Gives You Stale Bread Make Chocolate Bread Pudding

Joining a group of authors/bloggers for 10 exciting days of recipes and garden tips. To be eligible for the grand prize ( a Nook or Kindle along with a $25 gift card for the same)  you must visit each and every author on the hop and leave a comment. Giveaway ends April 16th at 11:59 PM EST. Open to Legal Residents (18 years of age or older) of the US only. Prizes cannot be shipped to PO Boxes. Leave a comment and your email. Here's the link to the list of authors.

http://new.inlinkz.com/luwpview.php?id=369110

My giveaway includes a $10 DD gift card, recipes, and fun baking stuff. There's also a print copy of Chocolate Magic. One winner will be picked randomly at the end of the event.
 Open to Legal Residents (18 years of age or older) of the US only. Prizes cannot be shipped to PO Boxes. 
Here's the much anticipated recipe I promised to those of you who visited my blog yesterday.
In  CHOCOLATE COUTURE, my hero finds himself in a mess when his hard of hearing uncle orders too many hamburger buns. Lucky for Noah, Lily takes pity on him and offers a recipe for a delicious chocolate bread pudding. 

 I'm not a fan of bread pudding, but if you add chocolate I just might try it. I'm also a semi-homemade kind of baker which makes step 5 my favorite. It's okay to skip to that one if you'd prefer.
Here's a recipe from Real Simple.


Michael PaulMakes 8 servings, with leftovers| Hands-On Time: 15m| Total Time: 2hr 00m







4 cups milk4 eggs1/2 cup sugar8 tablespoons butter or margarine12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips1 tablespoon vanilla extract1 loaf white bread, crusts trimmed1 pint heavy cream, whippedDirectionsWhisk the milk, eggs, and sugar in a medium saucepan. Add the butter and chocolate and heat over low heat, stirring only until the butter and chocolate melt. Stir in the vanilla.Lightly coat a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange the bread slices in 3 layers. Pour the chocolate sauce over the bread.Cover with plastic wrap and place another baking dish on top to weigh down the bread. Set aside for 1 hour to allow the bread to absorb the sauce. (Can be made to this point up to 1 day ahead. Refrigerate.) Heat oven to 325° F.Remove the top baking dish and plastic. Bake uncovered 35 to 40 minutes or until set. Serve warm with whipped cream.To fake It...and save 1 hour, 10 minutes:Thaw two 13-ounce packages frozen French toast and cut into 1 ½-inch cubes. Heat oven to 325° F. Lightly coat a 13-by 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Place the toast in the dish. Beat 4 cups milk, one 12-ounce can chocolate syrup, and 2 eggs; pour over the toast. Cover with foil and bake 10 minutes. Remove foil and stir. Bake, uncovered, 20 to 25 minutes longer or until set. Serve warm with canned whipped cream. Total time: 50 minutes.

Colors of Spring and Some Chocolate Too.

 I like to keep a copy of each recipe that inspired the recipes in my Love by Chocolate series. While preparing for tomorrow's  Authors in Bloom Blog Hop, I found a non- chocolate recipe, but it didn't make the cut. 



I hated not being able to share this colorful marshmallow angel food cake, so I decided to post it here instead. Here's my semi-homemade version. I used a bakery angel food cake, topped it with key lime frosting, and covered it with fruity marshmallow.  Not bad for an amateur. If you prefer to make it like a pro, here's the link to the from scratch recipe.
http://www.make-fabulous-cakes.com/angel-food-cake-recipe.html





Here are some recipes I found in my file. Tomorrow I will post one these recipes as part of the Authors in Bloom blog hop. There will also be giveaways and prizes. Giveaway ends April 16th at 11:59 PM EST. Open to Legal Residents (18 years of age or older) of the US only. Prizes cannot be shipped to PO Boxes.  For more details go to http://diannevenetta.com/events/authors-in-bloom-blog-hop/

In Chocolate Couture, hearts melt and emotions sizzle when pastry chef Lily Peradou shares her chocolate bread pudding recipe with the King of Burgers and Fries.
In Chocolate Muse, all Maddie's problems start when a critic chokes on her chocolate di torta.
In Chocolate Magic, Chloe makes a wicked cup of hot chocolate. In Chocolate Secrets, Mike a NYC firefighter bakes a decadent chocolate cake.

Ever Have One of Those Days?

Today an old friend posted on fb about the trials and tribulations of her airline experience. She arrived at the gate and discovered the flight was overbooked. She accepted another flight with an upgrade. On her way there her long skirt got caught in the escalator.  OMG, can you imagine. Luckily she was wearing bike pants underneath. Not exactly a silver lining, but one that worked. To add to the mayhem,  of course her upgraded flight was delayed due to a mechanical problem.

The bright side of her experience is her ability to laugh at the whole thing and the inspiration for this blog.

In Chocolate Couture, my heroine, Lily is a talented, but klutzy pastry chef. The book opens with Lily having an experience that could ruin her day, but there is a bright side.
Read an excerpt.

LILY PERADOU WATCHED as a tray of her lime- elderflower cupcakes toppled to the floor. Like a line of ballerinas falling into an orchestra pit, two-dozen of her most popular pastries now lay at her feet.“Oh, Chef. What a mess.” Olivia, her assistant looked down at the floor. “I tried to warn you. It all happened so fast.” Friends and co-workers, embarrassed by Lily’s clumsiness, often tried to minimize the experience with excuses.Lily knew better, she had no one to blame. She had caused the cupcakes’ demise. “I’ll clean up. You open the shop.”Olivia stepped over the squished chocolate cakes and inched her way between Lily and the prep counter. A plethora of pans and mixing bowls hung from every available inch of wall space. Ovens, coolers, and baking appliances covered the opposite wall. In this cramped, but organized narrow kitchen, Lily managed to create the finest cakes in Brooklyn.The shop at 41⁄2 Smith Street would be considered limiting to anyone. No one suspected that the showcases filled with the sweetest desserts ever created held hidden dangers for a klutz like Lily.Many years ago her brother, Zach had appropriately nicknamed her Clum, a sticky matter in the universe that makes things go wrong. Being near Lily had the potential of a dormant volcano waiting to erupt. This morning’s big bang proved that not much had changed since that day when he bestowed the name on her.This was not the time to think about past events. The mess at her feet needed immediate attention. She reached over the fallen sweets and grabbed her broom and dustpan. In minutes, the work-area sparkled.Miraculously, two halves of the cupcake hung precariously at the edge of the counter. Lily worked best under pressure. Could she still make something out of this mess?Her customers would soon be lining up for what they had voted Brooklyn’s Best Cupcake. She needed to do something fast. It might not be what they were expecting, but she wouldn’t disappoint them.She cut the remaining pieces into bite-sized servings and placed a delicate slice of lime on each piece. A drizzle of elderberry juice over the top completed the free samples. That should satisfy her elderberry addicts until the next batch hit the shelves later in the day.Before joining Olivia at the front counter, she carried the trash out the back door to the dumpster.Lingering winter weather greeted her as she hurried outside. At first glance, the alley appeared like any other dusty Brooklyn alley. A closer look revealed it was more than another deserted street hidden behind rows of old buildings.This alley had personality. Graffiti covered walls revealed the history of the merchants behind the brick facades. BeforeLily owned her shop, several movie crews used the street and its hidden artwork as a backdrop. It was not unusual for tourists to come searching for this back street.From the corner of her eye, she noticed a man poking around the back door of 5 Smith Street. The old gray brick wall around the door was decorated with abstract designs of women’s fashions. It marked the back entrance to the late Sally James’ popular dress shop.The man jiggled the door handle. It was locked, of course.Maybe he was a relative of Sally’s. If he were related, she would like to talk to him and make an offer for the store. The perfect solution for her space problem was 5 Smith Street.Dwarfed by the giant metal container, Lily felt a temporary sense of security. She used her advantage to assess the situation and the stranger. He didn’t look like a tourist. There was no sign of a camera or guidebook. He didn’t walk with a leisurely stroll of someone sightseeing. His stride was with purpose.Was he a thief? If he were, he was a neatly dressed thief. But his shiny leather cowboy boots looked out of place on this Brooklyn street. Stylishly worn jeans hugged all the right places. His face was handsome, definitely not the look of an axe murderer. There was something ridiculously sexy about him.