“The jam!” He pointed to the pot she had removed from the heat a little while before. “You never did tell me the secret.” “Oh, yes!” She grabbed a spoon and a mouthful of the jam. “It’s not set yet, but trust me, it will. What you’re tasting for is brightness. A bit of lemon juice cuts the sweetness, but you have to add it early or the jam might not set correctly.” Ella approached him slowly, cheeks freshly pinkened from the heat of the stove, and held the spoon up to his mouth. August swallowed and carefully ate the jam. Never before had he been so aware of how easy it was to get food on his
...more
