Advent 2023

It’s that time of year again – which is seriously, seriously insane! Time to hang up and fill the Advent calendars that Michael and I made (click the link for the ‘making-of’ post) when we realized that a Christmas tree and living in a one-room cabin really didn’t go well together. We’re in a bigger place now – yay! for completed additions/renovations – but we still aren’t doing a tree this year (life is a little overwhelming, but hopefully 2024 will feel a little less schedule-driven).

As I have since 2016, I’ll share my #ChocolateForBreakfast advent treat shots/posts on my Instagram account, rather than spamming my blog feed. Though I now have Instagram feeding onto my Facebook page as well. But! Here is a screenshot of my December 1, 2023 treat!!

Desbarres Monte Grande 72% Guatemala. Chocolatiers are based in Ontario. Awards: Silver from the International Chocolate Awards in 2020 and 2022. Tasting notes (via the bar): caramel, banana, and citrus. Tasting notes (MCD): immediately fruit forward (the banana, I guess?) but quickly resolving into an almost pungent citrus, heavy on the lemon zest. Creamy, smooth chocolate. Tasty, but definitely a challenge to my palate.

Money is crazy tight for all of us right now. Rent, etc, is way too high. Food and groceries are crazy outrageous. So we’re going to be celebrating a quiet holiday season. Doing our advent calendars and our Christmas movie and homemade pizza Fridays, but no tree or presents or expensive travel. I hope you will all find a spark of joy to ease you through the season. And, fingers crossed, hopefully 2024 is a bit … smoother, and easier.

If I remember, I’ll post my holiday baking round-up aka later in the month.

Happy December 1st!

F.A.Q: Dim Sum

An email from Barb that is currently sitting unanswered in my inbox (sorry, Barb!) has prompted this addition to my slowly growing FAQ posts. And yes, if you haven’t yet noticed over on my various social platforms, I freaking adore dim sum. I adore it so much that I wrote it into Artifacts, Dragons, and Other Lethal Magic (Dowser 6). (Click here to read the scene/excerpt).

Vancouver, BC has a number of great dim sum places, and the menus all differ slightly, but here are some of my and Michael’s favs.

MCD’s Dim Sum Must Haves:

Steamed prawn dumplings
Streamed scallop dumplings (hard to get/find these days?)
Pan-fried shrimp and chive or green onion dumplings (some have pork!)
Deep fried squid
Deep fried garlic shrimp spring rolls
Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli) in garlic (it’s normally served with oyster sauce)
Sauce: a touch of soy sauce

Michael’s Dim Sum picks:

Sticky Rice Wrap (often with pork, scallop, and shrimp)
Pan-fried Taro Root Cake
BBQ pork pastry
Anything new of the menu that looks tasty (MJH is always will to try everything once).
Sauces: mustard and/or hot sauce (add a touch to a dumpling, etc).

Other traditional picks (not necessarily personal favs but options) (Also MCD doesn’t eat pork):

Rice rolls (all different kinds. A little ‘starchy’ but MCD will order prawns or scallops)
Baked BBQ Pork Buns
Pork/shrimp Shu Mai (dumplings)
Veggie Dumplings
Bean Curd rolls (usually they have pork, but I’ll order if I can find a veggie or seafood option).

What have I missed? What are your go-to dim sum dishes?

A treatise on the nature of obsession and the justification of becoming obsessed. Also, homemade ice cream.

Homemade dark chocolate coconut ice cream

Am I only about 30k into writing a new series?

Yes.

Do I have any idea how long that series is going to be? Or how I’m going to brand it? Or if anyone will even read it?

No.

Do I vaguely regret making readers expect recipes from me every time I post a picture of anything dessert (or food) related? So much so that I actually carefully curate what I do post?

Yes. So much yes.

Am I considering using the main character of the new series’s (currently mild) obsession with ice cream (and milkshakes) as a way to justify buying an expensive (compressor) ice cream maker? And therefore, in order to fully justify the purchase, having to write up even more recipes?

Very much yes. On both counts.

😂😂😂

This post has been brought to you by MCD being pissy about having to wait 24 hours to chill her ice cream base and freeze her ice cream bowl. This dissatisfaction is also known in many philosophical circles as ice cream-blocking.

Editing and Allsorts

After nine weeks, I dropped the latest round of off-label headache meds yesterday – Candesartan, actually used for blood pressure regulation – because the side effects were becoming too detrimental and the constant/daily headache was completely undaunted. Already feeling slightly better, I happily spent the day working through the story editor’s notes on Compelling Infinity (Archivist 2).

Slowly but surely, I will get the next book in the Archivist series in your hands! Along with the first collection of the Moments of the Adept Universe stories. More info and release dates TBA!

But, more importantly, Michael bought me a treat to aid the editing/story pass.

On MCD’s desk today – editing Archivist 2 with the help of some liquorice Allsorts.

Liquorice (aka licorice) Allsorts!

Allsorts are definitely on the edge of too sweet for me, but I still enjoy the chewy texture. And the childhood connection/memory – one set (of four) of my grandparents always had a bowl of Allsorts on their coffee table when I visited in the summers.

I hope to get Archivist 2 back in the editor’s inbox by the end of next week. Wish me luck!

Archivist Series: bits of inspiration

When I start really digging into a new series, I deliberately surround myself with little visual touchstones. These items usually find a semi-permanent home on my desk or windowsill and I trade them out when working on different books/series. I was in the very first moments of brainstorming the Archivist Series last fall when I indulged in acquiring two new touchstones, one of which is the inspiration for Infinity itself (Dusk’s personal archive):

Under Infinity’s watchful gaze, I added 3800 words to Archivist 1 today for a total of 45k+. I’m pretty pleased with how those words are flowing onto the page this week and I hope the muse sticks with me through the first draft!!

***

Leather-covered sketchbook (aka Infinity): created by Mille Cuirs (who I discovered through Hailey Edwards – Thanks, Hailey!!)

Also enjoying: The 6th Scent Candle, Chocolate with a wood wick. And yes, I just realized I could burn a candle in my office without worrying about Leo singeing his whiskers. It only took me five years to realize that particular benefit of an exterior office.

Spying on Michael

The headache really spiked earlier (it isn’t great now either but I’m trying), and while I was trying to soothe myself (THC cream and peppermint oil on temples, controlled breathing, etc), I took a moment to sneakily spy on Michael cutting the rafters he’s installing today.

He caught me, of course. The addition can only be seen from within the cabin through one corner window, plus I was partly wedged behind the wood stove so I couldn’t step out of view terribly quickly. Then questions ensued.

Michael: What’s wrong? Are you okay?

Me: Head hurts, trying to decide if I’m going to write off the day by taking a triptan.

Michael: *grimancing* I’m sorry. I can come in.

Me: *grinning* That’s okay, I’m enjoying the view.

Michael: View … of …?

Me: You … measuring, cutting … carrying the rafters.

Michael: *laughing huskily* ogling me, are you?

Me, primly: Well, you are my husband.

Anyway – to my point – when you start hitting scenes in the Archivist series (specifically starting in book 1) featuring a sexy carpenter/contractor with strong hands, muscled wrists and forearms, carrying terribly heavy things, you’ll all be exceedingly aware of my inspiration.

Cabin Addition 2020: (far right to left) front door, two windows into the ‘flex’ room (workout space plus Murphy bed), door to the garage, with Michael’s studio in the back left corner. The aforementioned rafters are on the left side. No carpenter pictured because he refused to be splashed all over the blog. LOL

Back to writing the actual book!

Advent 2020

It’s that time of year again – which is seriously, seriously insane! Time to hang up and fill the Advent calendars that Michael and I made (<<< click the link for the ‘making-of’ post) when we realized that a Christmas tree and living in a one-room cabin really didn’t go well together.

As I have since 2016, I’ll confine my #ChocolateForBreakfast advent treat shots/posts to my Instagram account, rather than spamming my blog feed or all my social media pages. But! Here is a screenshot of my December 1, 2020 treat!!

Michael has two advent calendars this year – the chocolates I filled for him, and beer. Though we couldn’t find a proper beer advent on the island so I modified a 12-day specialty case for him. He’s posting pictures of the beer on his Instagram (maybe)(social media isn’t really his thing).

This is going to be an odd holiday season for all of us, but I hope you’re able to find some spark of joy to help get you through. Please take care of yourselves and others by physically distancing as much as possible and wearing a mask when you can’t (covering your nose and mouth!). Plus wash your hands, of course and always.

Remember chocolate can be shipped!!

🙂

The mystery of the disappearing caramels.

I feel like the only possible way I could have eaten the nine salted caramels that came in this box from Hummingbird Chocolate Maker in twenty-four hours is if Michael has been ‘helping’ me.

However … I’m somewhat concerned about accusing him of stealing caramels from my stash. Because, if he hasn’t, I’ve just admitting to eating nine caramels. In twenty-four hours.

It’s a mystery that is doomed to remain unsolved.

Just as long as I get the box into the recycling bin without Michael noticing.

Baking: measuring butter

Recipe found in the Dowser Series Cookbook.

I celebrated getting Reconstructionist 2 off to the editor this morning by making brownies (as posted on Instagram) and it occurred to me that the recipe calls for a truly ackward measurement of butter – 6 tablespoons. And that most of my butter icing recipes aren’t any better – using 1/3 of cup.

Measure cups, tablespoons, ounces, and grams!

I dug out my handy Butter Measuring Guide, and thought that it might be worth mentioning.

Yes, that’s the refection of my phone taking the picture.

My Dad bought the stainless-steel guide pictured above for me as a Christmas gift many years ago (apparently from Lee Valley). And honestly, it sat in my drawer for awhile unused. I tended to fudge odd measurements when baking, simply using the guide that was printed on the foil wrapper. Then I took a closer look at the butter measuring guide and it’s crazy handy!

So that is my random baking tip.

What obscure kitchen item do you find is more useful than you thought it would be?

Chocolate Peanut Butter Marshmallow Bar

Randomly on a Friday …

It’s been a tough week. I always have issues when writing first drafts – it often feels as if I’m forcing every word onto the page – but Reconstructionist 2 is heavily influenced by my personal history (though, obviously, a completely fictional, fantastical accounting) and I’m ending most of my writing stints in tears. So it’s been a slog. The second draft will be much smoother.

Yesterday, I took an hour off before dinner and made banana bread before the bananas were only good for compost, and I spotted an unopened bag of marshmallows in my baking drawer. We’d bought them to use for candied yams, then didn’t end up making any yams for Christmas dinner.

I immediately decided I desperately needed to make some marshmallow bar with this unexpected but welcomed bounty. And that, besides being tasty, the bars (and making of) would mollify my bruised soul, as chocolate always does.

According to my notes, I’d been working on this recipe in the Spring of 2015 but had yet to perfect it. I’m pleased to say my slight tweak last night made it perfectly sharable.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Marshmallow Bar

1/8 cup/28 grams of butter

1/2 cup/120 ml peanut butter*

1 – 250 gram/8 ounce (?) bag of mini marshmallows

170 grams/6 oz of dark chocolate**

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add chocolate and peanut butter, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Fold in marshmallows. Spread in a parchment paper lined 8- or 9-inch square pan. Chill until firm (at least 2 hours). Cut into squares, or rectangles, as preferred. Store in refrigerator.

The key with this simple recipe is to use the highest quality ingredients you can get your hands on. Butter, not margarine. Old-fashioned peanut butter (the type with no added ingredients that you need to stir the oil into), and, of course, quality dark chocolate.

*I might have heaped the peanut butter. 😀

**I used 72% cacao, single origin, Venezuela from Cacao Barry.

I find something joyful hidden in the texture of these simply decadent bars. And I believe I shall publish this post and eat another before dinner.