Jennifer Moorman's Blog, page 19

Cooking Through Fiction: Lost Lake's Ham and Cheese Puff Pastry

Thomas Wolfe wrote a novel titled You Can’t Go Home Again in which the main character realizes that although he can literally go home again, his home will not be as he remembers. The phrase “you can’t go home again” has come to represent the idea that once you leave home for bigger and brighter places, every attempt you have to relive youthful memories will fail. Is this true? I say, “Not really. Not for me.” And not for Kate and a slew of others in Addison Allen’s Lost Lake.In fact, many cha...

Cooking Through Fiction: Emma's Fruity Pebbles Sweet Rolls

Mystic Water is a town steeped in enchantment and wonder. From its townsfolk to its businesses to its history, most locals know that anything can happen.Emma Chase, the local assistant librarian, loved the sweet rolls that Anna O'Brien baked at Bea's Bakery. When she was younger, her daddy bought her one at least once a month and always as a surprise.Emma would eat the sweet roll as slowly as possible to make it last as long as possible. When Anna moved to Wildehaven Beach, Emma knew she'd ne...

Cooking Through Fiction: Snicket’s Lemony Blueberry Sweet Rolls

What makes a great friend? Someone who is there for you when you need a person to listen to you ask thousands of questions during TV shows (I’m not saying this is me, but this is me.)? Someone who brings you chicken noodle soup when you’re sick? Or someone who doesn’t laugh when you trip over your own feet (Does this person exist?)?In Snicket’s second novel in the series All the Wrong Questions, Snicket would likely say a friend does these two things: 1) looks for you when you are missing, an...

Cooking Through "The Baker's Man": Oreo Christmas Truffles

Poet Pablo Neruda wrote, “Laughter is the language of the soul.” When was the last time you laughed? Can you remember when you last laughed so hard that your face and your stomach ached, when tears rolled down your cheeks?If you can’t immediately recall when laughter burst from your smile, then you need to stop by Bea’s Bakery in Mystic Water and order at least a half dozen Oreo Christmas truffles.If you haven’t closed your eyes, leaned back your head, and felt a laugh rise from deep in your...

Cooking Through Fiction: Extraordinary Apple Pop-Tarts

Extraordinary — (adjective) beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly exceptional, remarkableI am a lover of words (a logophile). I can admit to being so nerdy that I am saddened when a word (especially hundreds of words in a language) dies. The Oxford English Dictionary labels these words obsolete. I bet thousands of words are thinking, Man, I hope I don’t become obsolete—oh, no, there goes hugger-mugger! Hugger-mugger was a real, usable word once. Feel free to bring it back. It means “to act...

Cooking Through Fiction: Extraordinary Apple Pop Tarts

Extraordinary — (adjective) beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly exceptional, remarkableI am a lover of words (a logophile). I can admit to being so nerdy that I am saddened when a word (especially hundreds of words in a language) dies. The Oxford English Dictionary labels these words obsolete. I bet thousands of words are thinking, Man, I hope I don’t become obsolete—oh, no, there goes hugger-mugger! Hugger-mugger was a real, usable word once. Feel free to bring it back. It means “to act...

Cooking Through Fiction: Snicket's Chicken Pesto Pasta

There are likely many different types of TV watchers, but I’m going to talk about two kinds today. Type 1: watches TV and doesn’t talk about what’s happening on TV; and Type 2: watches TV and incessantly asks questions about what’s happening on TV. I’m Type 2 (to everyone’s annoyance around me). What can I say? I can’t help it. I ask a lot of questions.And my questions aren’t always valid. Sometimes there’s a real gem of a question in there, but mostly, I ask questions such as “Why is she wea...

Cooking Through "The Baker's Man": Forget-Me-Not Cookies

There are several legends surrounding the naming of the flower Forget-Me-Not, each one romantic and lovely in its own way. In one German legend, it is said that as God was naming all of the plants, one tiny blue flower did not want to be overlooked, so the flower called out, “Forget me not, Lord.”Another legend says that wearers of the flower would not be forgotten by their lovers. A medieval legend tells of a knight and his lady who walked along a riverside. The knight leaned down to pick fo...

Cooking Through Fiction: Blackberry Sunrise Scones

There are many reasons to move to Midnight Gulch, Tennessee. One reason is because the whole town smells like waffle cones, courtesy of Dr. Zook’s Ice Cream Company. Who doesn’t love the warm, vanilla scents of baking waffle cones?Felicity Pickle and her family arrive in Midnight Gulch in their van, the Pickled Jalapeño. They’re each looking for something; Felicity wants a home more than anything. She also wants a friend, but that’s not easy when you see words everywhere the same way others s...

Cooking Through "The Baker's Man": Ooey Gooey Butter Cake

The American writer Anais Nin said, “Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back, a new life, a new friend, a new love, a new country.” In one of the final chapters of The Baker’s Man, Anna has reached a point in her life when she must riffle through the mess and find her dreams. It’s time she tossed them into space.Anna is lucky enough to have people around her who love her and support her. She has friends and family, and she even has the whole town...