Welcome Wednesday – Food, Glorious Food!
Welcome to this week’s edition of Welcome Wednesdays!
With Thanksgiving (and massive Thanksgiving dinners!) coming up next week, it’s a great time to talk about food. Today, your challenge is to share a scene from one of your books involving dinners, snacks, meals, dessert, cooking – anything food-related…
And be sure to leave a link to your book so we can read more about it, too!
I’ll begin…
It took a couple of minutes to convince him. “Oh my God, you must feel so gross,” was what finally clinched the deal. Once he got in the shower, he took his sweet time, which surprised Jane. She hadn’t figured him for someone who’d primp and preen forever in the bathroom. By the time he was done, they’d lost most of one of their extra hours.
They lost the rest of it and half of the other one in a little café half a mile down the road, but there was no helping it. They were both ravenous, and neither of them displayed exemplary table manners. Jane was pretty sure that, in the eyes of everyone else in the café, she’d confirmed every single stereotype of the Ugly American, and maybe invented a couple of new ones. But she’d never see any of those people again, and, besides, she was properly fed for the first time in more than twenty-four hours, which left her feeling too good to care about anyone’s opinion anyway.
That’s from book #1 of the Jane Barnaby Adventures, FINDERS KEEPERS…
Now it’s your turn!
by 
7 Replies to “Welcome Wednesday – Food, Glorious Food!”
Hi All: This is from my visionary novel, Trusting the Currents, which was positively reviewed by Publishers Weekly on Monday!
“I don’t like that Mr. Orchard.” Mama rubbed her arms. “Somethin’ about him makes my skin crawl. No good gonna come from knowin’ the man.”
Now for Mama to say anything bad about anyone including the devil, that was something, so I knew his presence in our lives was not a good sign. Jenny said not to bother with such sorts because it’s not worth inviting their spirits near our own. “Some folks best be avoided, even in merely thinking of them.”
That made sense so I ripped him from my mind, directing it towards a more appealing subject, asking Mama what was up for supper that evening.
“You are!” Mama folded her earthy arms over each other and grinned wicked. “It’s time you start cookin’ for yourself, child. How you plan on feedin’ Rawley an’ your family? What kinda girl you be not knowin’ how to cook yet? I must be a darn poor excuse for a mama lettin’ you get away with such a lackin’ all these years. I was talkin’ to Rawley today an’ he be worried, not ever tasted your cookin’, so I invited him by near six for your ready morsels.”
My mouth wobbled trying to say something, anything that might save me but she pushed her face straight to mine.
“That ain’t too much for an almost husband to expect now, is it?” She nudged me in her don’t-give-me-no-lip tone.
I shrugged. Mama’s demanding eyes sliced through me. I swallowed hard, looking to Jenny for help. She was snorting to high heaven.
They say timing’s everything in life, and I must admit there was never a time I hankered to learn what other girls were learning in their mama’s kitchens. Even Jenny had more usual leanings towards it, maybe because of already being a mama herself. For most of my friends, it flowed natural as running water. I was sort of clogged up in that area. Could be my mind was stuffed with too many of Miss Blanchard’s words or maybe that’s simply excusing my failings; but by the time supper was parked in front of Rawley, I was half covered in it and Mama was waggling her disgraced head. Rawley looked scared of putting any part of the thing in his mouth.
“What is it?” he asked, gentle as he could.
Mama fidgeted with the frayed pockets of her apron. I didn’t mind the question. He merely wanted to know what he was getting into before committing to the act. More than any other prisoner in the kitchen that evening, I understood that cautious consideration.
“Don’t you know?” Mama put her hands on her hips and tapped her foot, waiting to hear what I would say next. “They be my secret recipe for Laughin’ Cow Peas. Can’t you see them smilin’ at you, Rawley?”
Unlike Mama’s, these peas weren’t laughing. They looked more like the faces around the table. Even Uncle Joe’s mean puss held a bit of fear. Jenny was trying real bad not to burst apart. She was the first to show pity and actually put them to her mouth. Turned out my peas didn’t taste bad as they looked. That was a sure comfort. Regardless of that grateful lick of luck, we all knew I’d need lots more of Mama’s wife lessons before being able to feed my Rawley as expected of me. Problem was I didn’t want any more.”
https://www.amazon.com/Trusting-Currents-Lynnda-Pollio/dp/0989195309/
Here is a scene from my new release, Hello, Forever (contemporary Christian romance).
https://www.amazon.com/Hello-Forever-Cornerstone-Book-1-5-ebook/dp/B01KTSCU7I/
Simon pulled her chair out like a true gentleman. She felt so special at that moment, so adored, so … spoiled. Her eyes darted from the menu to Simon. “Can you afford this?” she whispered.
“Have anything you want. Don’t worry about the cost.”
Half the items on the menu she had never heard of, but she settled on Chilean Sea Bass, something she had not tried before.
Simon ordered a ribeye, sushi, and sashimi.
Maggie wasn’t sure about the raw fish. She had never tasted sushi before either.
“Try one.” Simon grabbed a spicy tuna roll with his chopsticks and held it out to her.
She took a chance and tasted it. “Pretty good.” She was not brave when it came to food—the James family were meat and potato people —but being with Simon made her feel adventurous.
“This place is really nice. It’s so beautiful here.” She couldn’t take her eyes away from the ocean. The sun had dropped below the horizon, and the sky was now streaked in gorgeous shades of pink and purple. When Simon didn’t reply, she looked over and found him watching her instead.
He didn’t seem to notice the breathtaking sunset. He only had eyes for her.
The corner of her mouth lifted in a shy grin.
“I’m glad you like it.”
“I would’ve been fine with In-N-Out again.”
He chuckled and took a bite of his food.
This is from my novel, “Broken Bonds”
Nidrani pushed open the door and lugged the two shopping bags filled with
food from a local farmer’s market through to the kitchen. She’d never purchased a
sorrier collection of produce, but the prices for the imports made her shudder. She
unpacked the bag of vegetables and put some away; leaving the ones on the
counter the old woman who’d sold them to her assured her would make a fine
vegetable stew.
She cut up the vegetables and put them into a pot with water, some of the beans
the old woman sold her, and a selection of spices. The stew had reached a simmer
when the front door slammed, and Orodi, Darus, and Jozi burst into the house. Jozi
held a carry sack Nidrani thought contained a rill.
Orodi ran into the kitchen and grabbed Nidrani by the sleeve. “They’ve arrested
Keth.”
She reached to pull Orodi into a hug. “What happened?” She held out a hand to
Jozi, who hesitated for a moment and, then clasped it. “Come, sit down.” She led
them both over to the couch, and all three sat, with the two girls on either side of
Nidrani.
“Jozi and I went to the university to meet Adam. He’s made the rills, and Jozi
wanted to try hers out right away. We invited Keth and Darus to come along. After
we finished playing, we went nearby for a meal. As we left the restaurant, a group
of guards marched up to us. They surrounded Keth and without a word, took him
away. I wanted to help him, but Darus and Jozi stopped me.”
“They’d have arrested you, chyissi. You did the right thing.”
“But what are we going to do now?”“What was the charge?” Nidrani asked.
“They wouldn’t tell us,” Orodi said.
Nidrani stood. “I’ll find Imra, and we’ll speak to Yukal. Come along.”
“What good will it do?”
Nidrani smiled. “The Federation can’t arrest Aleyni citizens who hold diplomatic credentials or hold them in Federation prisons. It’s in the treaty. Imarin obtained the proper credentials for you.”
“How about Brad?” Darus asked.
“He’s covered, technically, because he is Arda’s rolor’in. It depends on whether
the judge agrees. The Federation will try to argue he’s not an Aleyni.”
Darus stopped walking. “He’s not. He’s a Terran.”
Nidrani shook her head. “We have jurisdiction because he and Ardaval swore
rolor. It’s what we intend to claim.”
Darus hung his head in disbelief. “I hope it works.”
Nidrani nodded. “So do I. You three wait here. I’ll find Imarin. Then we will
contact Keth.”
Sorry, forgot the link:
https://www.amazon.com/Broken-Bonds-Novels-Aleyne-Book-ebook/dp/B00E5SGVSS/
Here’s a little something entitled, “Dummy’s Party”. http://jennospot.blogspot.fr/2014/12/dummys-party.html
The hall grew noisier, as more people got up and strolled about, greeting old friends and enemies with cries of surprise or joy. I could understand why Elowyn didn‟t spend long hours in this setting until she had to. Courtesy demanded that Aileen speak at least occasionally to her right-hand neighbour, so eventually, when we‟d exhausted the amusing anecdotes about a three-year-old girl with an appetite for injudicious wandering and no sense of self-preservation, I was left to toy with the food still in front of me and nurse my wine.
I was longing for this ordeal to end. Between the wine, which was unwatered and far too sweet, the dizzying array of rich food set before us, and the heat and noise generated by too many people, I was becoming exhausted. I began to wonder how long it would be before I could slip away.
Yet another series of dishes was served, this time composed of sweets, fruits and cheeses. None of it appealed to me; I‟d felt stuffed to the gills for the last hour or so. But it was cheering, all the same: we must be nearing the end of the meal, and if the Queen retired soon after, I would be free to seek my own room. I propped myself forward on my elbows and tried to stay awake.
– from “A Spell in the Country”
books2read.com/u/brgoxz
Thanks for the chance to share, James!
This is from my brand-new release, Snowbound with Mr. Wrong. The hero and heroine are snowbound with a trio of unrelated kids, and in this short excerpt, our hero Nick – AKA Santa – is trying to pacify a cranky five-year-old::
“Well, anyhow, look at all this good food. You’ve got a whole bowlful of chicken wings, right in front of you.”
“Don’t like chicken wings. I like drumsticks.” Tommy flung himself back against his chair and crossed his arms.
Swallowing a smile, Lyssa passed close behind Nick’s chair. “Need any help?” she asked.
“No problem,” he muttered. “Tommy, my man,” he said more energetically, “let me give you a lesson in life. Sometimes you have to negotiate.”
“What’s that?”
“That means talk things over, figure out how you can compromise.”
“What’s ***that***?” Tommy’s tone clearly said his limited patience would soon run out.
As Lyssa took her seat, she looked at Nick in surprise. Compromise certainly hadn’t been high on his list of priorities with her a few months ago.
“Compromise,” Nick said, “means you have to give and take.”
“I got it!” The little boy flung himself forward again, grinning and thumping his fist against the tabletop. “I give you chicken. And I take dessert.”
~ ~ ~
You can read Chapter One and find a link to the book here: http://bit.ly/swmw-pg
Thanks for reading, and Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate it next week!