Read and Cook – This Is How We Work: Stories, Memoirs and Poems about Social Dimensions of Work and Stained Glass Biscotti for the Annual Cookie Exchange
Posted: December 10, 2025 Filed under: Recipes, Review, Robbie Reads and Cooks | Tags: #baking, #Bookreview, #non-fiction, #ReadandCook, #RobbieCheadle 90 CommentsToday, I am delighted to share my review of a unique anthology centering around work experiences in the broadest sense of the word work. This Is How We Work: Stories, Memoirs and Poems about Social Dimensions of Work was compiled by contributing editor Yvette Prior.
This Is How We Work: Stories, Memoirs and Poems about Social Dimensions of Work
This Is How We Work is a unique collection of stories, memoirs and poems which all centre around the theme of the workplace. It is a most insightful and interesting collection as the various contributors from around the world all engage/engaged in different forms of work, many quite different from my own experiences in the corporate world.
Chapter 1 by Yvette Prior, the editor and a co-contributor, provides insight into why she selected this theme for the anthology and sets out the aims of the anthology for readers. It ends with a wonderful quote: “We work to live, but stories help us understand why we live, and sometimes, why we work.”
All of the contributions are compelling and give great insight into the evolution of the contributors careers and how their ideas on work changed over time. I have experienced this happening from my own perspective in my job so it is very relatable for me. I am going to share a bit more about the contributions that resonated the most with me.
Chapter 3, The Quiet Work of Love by Sherri Matthews was particularly useful and, in many ways heart rending, for me. Sherri depicts her journey as a caregiver to her mother as she aged and became less capable. I have followed this journey to a lessor extent with my aging aunt and am also following it with my own aging parents. The emotional angst of watching those we love giving up everything they enjoy and care about over time and becoming frail is hard – very hard. Sherri’s story was relatable and a mixture of encouraging and horrifying as I read it.
Chapter 4, The Creative Dream Job That Wasn’t So Dreamy, by Mabel Kwong also interested me greatly. I am a chartered accountant with a highly creative bend and spend a lot of my spare time writing and painting. Up until recently, I cherished the idea of turning these ‘hobbies’ into income producing activities. Prior to reading Mabel’s story, I had already arrived at the conclusion that turning creative outlets into work changed them in a negative way. When you paint commissions, you lose control over the creative output on many levels. Painting on demand is very different from someone seeing something you have created and asking to buy it as it is. Commissions means dancing to the purchasers tune which curtails your own creative ideas. It is the same with writing. If you write for the traditional publishing market, you write to the rules of the traditional publishers. That doesn’t work for me and I have never attempted to find a traditional publisher for my work. Mabel’s story of disillusionment with paid writing confirmed my own views, despite the fact that Mabel did gain a great deal from the experience and she grew as a writer. Anyone contemplating writing for a living should read this memoir.
Chapter 6, The Paper Knife Incident by Brian Martin-Onraet, was a delightfully entertaining story about working in Gabon, Africa. It highlights differences in work ethics and circumstances of workers and also focuses on management choices and behaviours. Brian is an excellent writer and I hope he publishes more of his fascinating stories.
Chapter 7, Serving The Patient, Resisting The System: Work Across by Career by Mike F. Martelli, is riveting reading. Mike’s journey in the field of mental health was insightful into how the health system has changed over time and is now focused on patient turnaround rather than patient service. It was sad for me as a reader and I’m sure its incredibly disillusioning for medical practitioners who enter the system full of the eagerness to make a difference of youth. Although this piece focuses on the health industry, its content applies to many other fields like teaching and even corporate work.
Chapters 11, Eighty-five Degrees For Me by Marsha Ingrao, and 13, Asylum Ghosts (And No Escape Room) by Frank Prem (Poetry), both give incredible insight into the worlds of teaching and psychiatric nursing, respectively. I learned a great deal about these professions, which are in my mind callings, and my respect for the people who enter these professions increased tenfold.
Chapter 16, Chapter Summaries by Yvette Prior, is a lovely summary of each of the contributions including her personal thoughts on how these pieces and poems can benefit readers. Yvette also contributed some beautiful and thought provoking poems to the collection.
I highly recommend this meaningful collection.
This Is How We Work: Stories, Memoirs and Poems about Social Dimensions of Work is available form Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/This-How-We-Work-Dimensions-ebook/dp/B0FWC6BMFP/
Recipe: Stained Glass Biscotti
My recipe for December is Stained Glass Biscotti. It is also my contribution to Staci Troilo’s annual Cookie Exchange. You can read more about it here: https://stacitroilo.wordpress.com/2025/12/01/thanks-deals-treats. You can find all the cookie recipes from the last four years of the Cookie Exchange here: https://stacitroilo.wordpress.com/recipes/
This recipe comes from The Australian Women’s Weekly Christmas miniatures finger food and tiny treats. I have this book as a paperback and have used it to make Christmas treats for years.
This is a gallery of the book cover and two of the recipe pages:
Ingredients
165 grams caster sugar
2 medium eggs
200 grams plain/all purpose/cake flour
50 grams self raising flour
300 grams multi glace cherries (a mix of colours is preferable)
80 grams sliced/diced almonds
Method
Preheat the oven to 180 C or 350 F. Prepare your cookie baking tray using grease or oil spray.
Mix sugar and eggs in a mixing bowl until well combined and then stir in flour, cherries and nuts. Knead the doub on a floured surface until smooth. Divide the dough into two parts and roll each part into a long sausage/log. Place logs on the prepared baking trays and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes.
Reduce the oven temperature to 150 C or 300 F. Using a serrated edged knife, cut the logs into slices. Place the slices in a single layer on prepared baking trays and bake for a further 30 minutes until dry and crisp. I turn the biscuits half way through the second baking session.
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and/or Happy Holidays
About Robbie Cheadle
Robbie also has two novels and a collection of short stories published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
You can find Robbie Cheadle’s artwork, fondant and cake artwork, and all her books on her website here: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/
Find Robbie Cheadle
Blog https://wordpress.com/home/robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com
Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/robbiecheadle.bsky.social
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVyFo_OJLPqFa9ZhHnCfHUA
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15584446.Robbie_Cheadle
_________________________________
Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
___________________________________
This segment of “Read and Cook with Robbie Cheadle” is sponsored by WordCrafter Press and their themed anthologies.
Tales From the Hanging Tree: Imprints of Tragedy: There exists a tree that is timeless, spanning across all dimensions, which absorbs every life as those who are hanged as they die… and it remembers every one. The stories within are a select few of the Tales From the Hanging Tree.
Curses: Chronicles of Darkness:
There are all types of curses.
Cursed places, cursed items, cursed people, cursed families.
Curses that last throughout time. Curses which can’t be broken. Curses which are brought upon ourselves. Curses that will kill you and those that will only make you wish you were dead.
Legends: Monsters That Go Bump in the Night: Coming in 2026
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Read and Cook – Bridget Jones’s Diary (Novel) and Mom’s orange & chocolate birthday cake #ReadandCook #bookreview #baking
Posted: November 12, 2025 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Read and Cook, Recipes, Review | Tags: Bridget Jones's Diary, Helen Fielding, Orange and Chocolate Birthday Cake, Read and Cook, Robbie Cheadle, Writing to be Read 45 Comments
Today, I have selected a humorous book for my review. Bridget Jones’s Diary is very amusing but it does also have a more serious theme. The movie is different to the book from what I have read. I haven’t seen the movie so I can’t comment on it.
Bridget Jones’s Diary (Novel)
Bridget Jones’s Diary is a fabulous and humorous romp through the world of an unmarried 30 something woman living on her own in London. The novel is written in the form of a personal diary and every entry starts with a list of her daily calory count, cigarettes smoked, and alcohol units consumed. This introduction is very telling as it summarises how Bridget views herself and her life. Caught up in the modern ideas of love being linked to looks and, especially, being thin, Bridget is obsessed with her weight. Although couched in humour, this theme is actually a serious one and centres around women’s unfortunate association of looks and weight with popularity, self worth, and romantic love.
Bridget has a job, but she wants to achieve more, she has friends and family, but she wants a relationship and to be part of a couple. The pursuit of these two goals are the main threads of this book which involves a career change for Bridget and also two potential romances. The first possibility is Daniel, a Casanova and womeniser, who is also Bridget’s boss – big mistake. The second is the seemingly stuffy and serious human-rights barrister, Mark Darcy, whom Bridget dislikes when they are reintroduced at a New Year’s party. Bridget’s mother is keen on Mark as a partner for Bridget and reminds her publically that they used to play together as children.
Bridget has a group of single friends, including Tom and Jude who both have never-ending ups and downs with their own relationships. These ‘singletons’ stick by each other through thick and thin. Bridget also has several ‘smug married’ friends who are always seeking to get her married off so she can join their club. As the novel progresses, Bridget is exposed to the realities of imperfect marriages and relationships but this doesn’t change her rose tinted views or desire to be part of a couple.
If you are looking for an entertaining and humorous read to distract your from the trials of daily life, this novel will certainly fit the bill.
Purchase Bridget Jones’s Diary from Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Bridget-Joness-Diary-Picador-Classic-ebook/dp/B01GOG7966
Mom’s orange and chocolate birthday cake
This recipe is also for Jo’s BKD Cookbook Club – November. You can join in this challenge here: https://brookfordkitchendiaries.wordpress.com/2025/11/03/bkd-cookbook-club-november/
My mother turned 87 on 21 October. I decided to host a family lunch to celebrate and she asked for an orange and chocolate cake. I ordered the Terry’s oranges from an on-line supplier and they were delicious and an interesting decorative feature for this cake. This time, I did not marble the cakes, but rather made two cakes. The bottom layer is and orange cake and the top layer is a chocolate cake. I made an orange flavoured buttercream to ice the orange cake and used ganache to ice the chocolate cake. I broke up two of the Terry’s oranges for the orange slices decorations and used a nearly whole one for the top main decoration feature. I sprinkled the entire cake with edible gold glitter as a final touch.
Recipe for rich chocolate cake
Ingredients
2 large eggs
500 ml (2 cups) sticky brown sugar
250 ml (1 cup) vegetable oil
250 ml (1 cup) Greek (double thick) yogurt
500 ml (2 cups) cake flour (plain)
2 teaspoons (10 ml) bicarbonate of soda
190 ml cocoa powder
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla essence
250 ml (1 cup) boiling water from the kettle
Method
Line the bottom of a 23 cm x 30 cm round baking tin and spray the sides with no stick spray or grease with butter. Heat the oven to 160 C.
Beat the sugar into the eggs. Add the oil and the yogurt and beat well. Sieve the flour, bicarbonate of soda, and the cocoa powder and add, mixing well. Beat in the boiling water and the vanilla essence. The mixture will be thick and smooth. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking tin and bake for approximately 1 hour or until a cake tester comes out clean.
If you are baking in a humid and sticky climate, you will need to adjust the ingredients slightly by adding 1 additional Tablespoon (15 ml) of flour to the mixture. This is to combat the extra moisture the sugar and flour will have absorbed in muggy, moist climates.
This is my Youtube video of Mom’s birthday cake:
This recipe is out of Michael and my cookbook for children, Sir Chocolate and the Baby Cookie Monster story and cookbook which is available from TSL Publications here:
The ebook is available from Lulu.com and you will find the link on the TSL Publications page.
About Robbie Cheadle
Robbie also has two novels and a collection of short stories published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
You can find Robbie Cheadle’s artwork, fondant and cake artwork, and all her books on her website here: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/
Find Robbie Cheadle
Blog https://wordpress.com/home/robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com
Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/robbiecheadle.bsky.social
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVyFo_OJLPqFa9ZhHnCfHUA
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15584446.Robbie_Cheadle
_____________________________________
Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
_____________________________________
This segment of “Read and Cook with Robbie Cheadle” is sponsored by the Midnight Dark Fiction Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.
Midnight Roost: Weird and Creepy Stories: 20 authors bring your nightmares to life in 23 stories of ghosts, paranormal phenomenon and the horror from the dark crevasses of their minds. Stories of stalkers, both human and supernatural, possession and occult rituals, alien visitations of the strange kind, and ghostly tales that will give you goosebumps. These are the tales that will make you fear the dark. Read them at the Midnight Roost… if you dare. https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Roost-Kaye-Lynne-Booth-ebook/dp/B0CL6FPLVJ
Midnight Garden: Where Dark Tales Grow: 17 authors bring you 21 magnificent dark tales. Stories of magic, monsters and mayhem. Tales of murder and madness which will make your skin crawl. These are the tales that explore your darkest fears. Read them in the Midnight Garden… if you dare. https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Garden-Where-Tales-Anthology-ebook/dp/B0DJNDQJD3
Midnight Oil: Stories to Fuel Your Nightmares: 14 authors bring you 16 dark tales that explore your deepest fears. These are the stories which nightmares are made of. Tales of monsters, mayhem, and madness which will make you shiver in the dark. Read them while you burn the Midnight Oil… if you dare. https://books2read.com/Midnight-Oil
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Read and Cook – Hotel Pastis: A Novel of Provence by Peter Mayle, and my new cake art and baking books series #ReadandCook #bookreview #cakeart
Posted: October 8, 2025 Filed under: Adventure, Book Review, Books, cooking, Creativity, Fiction, Nonfiction, Read and Cook, Recipes, Review, romance, Suspense | Tags: Baking, Cake Art, Fondant Art, Hotel Pastis, Peter Mayle, Read and Cook, Robbie Cheadle, Something Fancy, Writing to be Read 34 Comments
Hotel Pastis: A Novel of Provence by Peter Mayle
What Amazon says
A beguiling novel of romance, adventure, and tongue-in-cheek suspense set in the South of France, from the beloved, best-selling author of A Year in Provence.
Simon Shaw, a rumpled, fortyish English advertising executive, has decided to leave it all behind, and heads of to France to transform an abandoned police station in the Lubéron into a small but world-class hotel. On his side, Simon has a loyal majordomo and a French business partner who is as practical as she is ravishing. But he hasn’t counted on the malignant local journalist—or on the mauvaise types who have chosen the neighboring village as the site of their latest bank robbery. Slyly funny and overflowing with sensuous descriptions of the good life, Hotel Pastis is the literacy equivalent of a four-star restaurant.
My review
I read a few of Peter Mayle’s autobiographical books about life in Provence when I was in my twenties. I came across this novel a short while ago and was eager to revisit Provence, this time through Peter Mayle’s fiction. I was not disappointed. After a bit of a slow start, Peter Mayle’s typically humorous style of writing and his deep dive into the food and culture of Provence were very evident in this entertaining novel. What was new was his descriptions of life in the advertising industry in London.
I’m making an educated guess that this novel is set in the 70s in London as that is when the author worked in London as an advertising executive. The characters all smoke heavily which was quite interesting for me given that I’ve always worked in a no smoking inside buildings culture. I found the author’s descriptions of his work colleagues, spoiled wife and her equally over privileged friends, and super wealthy clients very entertaining. Of course, these scenes are depicted through a humorous lens, so the negative attributes of these people are all exaggerated but as someone who has always worked in corporate, it had the ring of truth. I could also relate to Simon’s exhaustion with this fast and fake lifestyle. It can be hard to feel sympathy for people caught up in this sort of all work with short intermissions of excessive play lifestyles because of all the money they have, but it is not a nice way to live your life. Having to work all the time and appease others and wine and dine them isn’t as glamorous as it appears on the outside. This is evident from the general wreckage you see in such people’s personal lives including broken marriages, alcoholism, and drug addiction. I really hoped that Simon would find a better way of living that brought him more personal happiness.
There is a romance between Simon and a fascinating woman from Provence, a butler who is very competent and savvy and equally weary of Simon’s (and thus his own) life in the London fast lane, as well as a ring of local petty criminals who are planning the heist of their lives.
This book is not a classic and does not contain intense and serious messages about life, relationships, and saving the world. This is a slice of escapism and is light and enjoyable like pavlova. If this is the sort of book you are looking for, then you will enjoy Hotel Pastis.
Purchase Hotel Pastis: A Novel of Provence from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0679751114
Cake art and other confectionary related delights
I have wanted to publish a book containing my favourite baking recipes and cake and other confectionary art for some years. I have finally gotten around to it and the first book in my new series, Something Fancy: A Winter Wonderland Celebration book 1 is now available for pre-order on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Something-Wonderland-Celebration-Celebrating-Confectionary-ebook/dp/B0FTX21BXL
This book isn’t just about cake art and baking, it also includes some history about the origin of Christmas cakes in a number of different countries and the origin of gingerbread and gingerbread houses in Europe and other places. It also includes several of my baking related poems and poets written specifically for various cake creations.
Blurb
Robbie’s cake and fondant creations are full of imagination and enchantment as demonstrated by her gingerbread bakery, populated by three mince pie figurines, and her Ice cream Rainbow Fairies Christmas Cake, decorated with seven fondant fairy figurines for each colour of the rainbow.
This book is intended as a celebration of Christmas in poetry, cake art, and gingerbread constructions and includes several of Robbie’s delicious Christmas recipes as well as design ideas for Christmas themed confectionaries. Bite sized smatterings of historical information relating to various culinary delights are also included.
Robbie Cheadle is a poet, writer, and artist. Over the past twenty years, she has created art cakes, gingerbread constructions, and fondant figurines for a variety of purposes including as illustrations for the Sir Chocolate children’s book series she wrote with her son, Michael Cheadle.
These are examples of the type of cake art featured in this book:
The gallery sets out my Ice cream rainbow fairy tiered Christmas cake with two close up pictures of the details on this cake.
Gingerbread houses, from small and easy …
to large and complex …
Advice and assembly instructions are included in the book.
About Robbie Cheadle
Robbie also has two novels and a collection of short stories published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
You can find Robbie Cheadle’s artwork, fondant and cake artwork, and all her books on her website here: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/
Find Robbie Cheadle
Blog https://wordpress.com/home/robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com
Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/robbiecheadle.bsky.social
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVyFo_OJLPqFa9ZhHnCfHUA
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15584446.Robbie_Cheadle
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Like this post? Are you a fan of this blog series? Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
__________________________________________
This segment of “Read and Cook with Robbie Cheadle” is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.
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Read and Cook with Robbie Cheadle – The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera and Filled Heart-Shaped Meringue Shells #bookreview #fiction #desserts
Posted: April 9, 2025 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Fiction, Read and Cook, Recipes, Review | Tags: Milan Kundera, Read and Cook, Robbie Cheadle, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Writing to be Read 59 Comments
The Unbearable Lightness of Being, by Milan Kundera
I knew when I started reading this book that it was unusual and had a big focus on extramarital affairs and womanizing, but I decided to try it anyway and see what all the fuss was about. The Unbearable Lightness of Being is set in Prague, Czechoslovakia during the Prague Spring of 1968 and the subsequent Soviet invasion. The story revolves around four central characters who are all facing their own problems and difficulties with relationships. Both of the men are womanizers and unable to remain faithful to a single woman, even one they profess to love. One of the women is also unable to settle down with a partner and has a string of affairs with men, married and otherwise.
Tomas is a successful surgeon at the beginning of the book. He fears commitment and this has already led to one failed marriage. He does not have anything to do with either his ex-wife or his son. When Tereza arrives on his doorstep, huge bag by her side, he is effectively bamboozled into taking her into his home. She fascinates him and he does have feelings of great attachment for her which lead to him marrying her. He fights these feelings and continues to have his countless affairs, in particular, he has an on-going sexual relationship with Sabina, a beautiful artist. Tereza loves Tomas very much and when the Russian Invasion begins, she goes with him to Zurich where she expects him to give up his infidelities. This does not happen, and he continues to see Sabina who has immigrated to Geneva. Tereza decides to leave Zurich and return to Prague. Tomas, despite his desire for freedom, follows Tereza, knowing he will not be able to leave Prague again. His attachment to Tereza is strong but it does not result in a happy ever after due to Tomas becoming involved in a political situation that destroys his career.
Throughout, Tomas and Tereza’s relationship, Sabina has another on-going affair with Franz, a married man who lives in Geneva. Sabina and Franz don’t understand each other at all and when Franz ultimately leaves his wife to live permanently with Sabina, she disappears, leaving him alone with no-one.
The central theme of this book is the philosophical concept of eternal return which assumes that everything in life repeats itself continuously into infinity. The author, however, uses the characters in his story to dismiss the theory of eternal return while maintaining the view that it is the only path to true happiness and as each individual’s life path is a straight line, lasting happiness is not achievable.
This was not an easy read for me, and I returned to it several times in order to finish it. The philosophy is very different from my personal beliefs and while it was a worthwhile read in the long run, it is not a book that everyone will enjoy
A few quotes from The Unbearable Lightness of Being
“Anyone whose goal is ‘something higher’ must expect someday to suffer vertigo. What is vertigo? Fear of falling? No, Vertigo is something other than fear of falling. It is the voice of the emptiness below us which tempts and lures us, it is the desire to fall, against which, terrified, we defend ourselves.”
“Making love with a woman and sleeping with a woman are two separate passions, not merely different but opposite. Love does not make itself felt in the desire for copulation (a desire that extends to an infinite number of women) but in the desire for shared sleep (a desire limited to one woman).”
“There is no means of testing which decision is better, because there is no basis for comparison. We live everything as it comes, without warning, like an actor going on cold. And what can life be worth if the first rehearsal for life is life itself? That is why life is always like a sketch. No, “sketch” is not quite a word, because a sketch is an outline of something, the groundwork for a picture, whereas the sketch that is our life is a sketch for nothing, an outline with no picture.”
Filled Heart-Shaped Meringue Shells (copyright Robbie Cheadle)
To go with this rather extraordinary book, I am sharing a dessert from my children’s book, Sir Chocolate and the Valentine Toffee Cupid.
Ingredients:
• 4 large egg whites at room temperature;
• ½ teaspoon cream of tartar;
• Pinch of salt;
• 1 cup castor sugar;
• Pink food colouring (liquid); and
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
What you need:
• Electric hand mixer or stand mixer;
• Baking trays;
• Wax paper cut to fit the baking trays;
• A large heart shaped cookie cutter;
• Pencil;
• Large piping bag or a strong plastic bag with the end snipped off; and
• Large star piping tip.
Method:
• Preheat the oven to 120 degrees Celsius.
• Combine egg whites, cream of tartar and salt in the bowl of the mixer (it must not be greased and must be clean and dry).
• Whisk the egg mixture on a low speed until the mixture becomes foamy.
• Increase the speed to high and gradually add the castor sugar, one tablespoon at a time. Allow for 20 seconds of mixing in between new additions of sugar.
• When the mixture is thick and glossy i.e. the spoon can stand up in the bowl, stir through the vanilla essence and a few drops of pink food colouring.
Instructions:
• Using a pencil, draw six heart shapes on the non-wax side of a piece of wax paper that fits inside the baking tray.
• Fit the star piping tip into the piping bag.
• Spoon the meringue mixture into the piping bag.
• Squeezing the bag, draw a thick line of meringue around the heart shape. Repeat twice to form three meringue layers, one on top of the other to form the sides of the meringue shell.
• Using the piping bag, fill in the bottom of the heart with meringue mixture.
• Pipe another layer of meringue around the sides of the heart.
• Pipe a few meringue stars to use up the last of the meringue mixture in the piping bag.
• Place the meringues in the oven and bake for 3 hours.
• Switch off the oven, and open the door half way. Leave the meringues to cool overnight.
Filling for the Heart-Shaped Meringues
Ingredients:
• A handful of chopped strawberries;
• A handful of chopped raspberries;
• Whipped cream; and
• Melted chocolate.
Method:
• Whip the cream and spoon a quantity into each shell. Don’t overfill.
• Add a small quantity of chopped strawberries and chopped raspberries.
• Drizzle tempered dark chocolate over the filling.
Tip:
Only fill the meringues just before serving or they will go soggy.
Sir Chocolate and the Valentine Toffee Cupid is available from Amazon US here:
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
_____________________________________________
This segment of “Read and Cook” with Robbie Cheadle is sponsored by The Women in the West Adventure Series and WordCrafter Press.
Historical Women’s Fiction
Get Your Copy Today!
Delilah: https://books2read.com/DelilahWiW1
Sarah: https://books2read.com/Sarah-Women-in-the-West
Marta: Coming in 2025
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Read and Cook with Robbie Cheadle – Ghost Train by Natalie Anna Jacobsen and a Japanese cooking class #Japan #bookreview
Posted: February 12, 2025 Filed under: Book Review, Books, Fiction, Read and Cook, Recipes, Review, Supernatural | Tags: Book Reviews, Read and Cook, Recipes, Robbie Cheadle, Writing to be Read 59 CommentsGhost Train by Natalie Anna Jacobsen
What Amazon says
“A haunting and immersive read.” – Eva Wong Nava, author of The House of Little Sisters. “With lyrical prose that evokes the mystique of 19th-century Kyoto, this meticulously researched narrative weaves together historical authenticity with the ethereal allure of ‘yokai’ folklore.” – Jake Adelstein, journalist and author of Tokyo Vice and The Last Yakuza
Set in 1877 Kyoto during the early years of the Meiji “Restoration” Era, Ghost Train tells the story of Maru Hosokawa, a samurai daughter who is thrust into a life opposite how she grew up. Her father has surrendered his sword with other samurai, assimilating into a role as a civilian merchant. As his work takes him further and further from home, she is left to find work of her own to help rebuild the family wealth — and protect herself, “just in case,” her father says. But during the summer festivals, ghosts begin appearing before Maru. Unsure of where to turn or who to trust, Maru fends for herself, facing an abusive employer, unreliable friends, and insecurity at home. In the search for answers, a kitsune offers to help in exchange for Maru’s aid in confronting a demon rampaging Kyoto at night. As summer passes on, more ghosts appear, plagues sweep through the city, and a stench of blood in the streets, and rumors of a samurai rebellion obscure reality, driving Maru to make a choice against all instincts, to save herself, her father — and Kyoto. Inspired by true historical events and based on myths of yokai, this story began taking shape first in 2010. With guidance by historians both in Japan and the US, subject matter experts in geisha, kimono, and samurai life, and countless beta readers and supporters, Natalie Jacobsen has carefully crafted this historical fantasy to reflect 19th century life during the tumultuous, society-altering leadership of Emperor Meiji… just with a few more ghosts.
My review
Having recently visited Tokyo, Japan, and being exposed for the first time to the concepts of Japanese Yokai and other supernatural beings, this book immediately caught my attention. During my short time in Japan, I also learned a little bit about the coming of the Black Ships to Japan in 1853, which marked the beginning of the end for the Tokugawa shogunate, and the last Shogun. This book, set in Kyoto in 1877 during the Meiji Restoration Era, addresses both of these fascinating aspects of Japanese history and culture.
The story revolves around a young girl, Maru, the daughter of a former-samurai, and her journey to understanding and acceptance of the end of the reign of the samurai and transitioning of her city (and country) into a new era of progress under the ‘young’ emperor.
Maru’s father has gone away, theoretically on ‘business’ and left her in the care of the geiko of an okiya – a traditional geisha house, in the role of shikomi, a junior position to the geiko and maiko of the house. Maru clearly dislikes her new role and is struggling to make the adjustment from the daughter of a former-samurai to her new life having to survive as a woman in a misogynistic, male dominated society where women were either wives, geiko/meiko (entertainer of men) or oiran (prostitute). The fate of women, in the new society under the Emperor, was worst than before and many girls had no option but to resort to prostitution in order to survive. Maru clings to the thin hope that her father will soon come for her and her life will return to how it was in the past.
Maru is traumatised by scenes of death and destruction from the past during the period of the demise of the samurai and daimyo, and has blocked out memories relating to her father and his decisions in order to adapt to her new situation. She is also surrounded by anxiety in the general population as people, especially women, struggled to integrate their superstitions and beliefs of the past with a new society including technology like trains. Maru hears stories about yokai and disappearing girls, and is conflicted about strange metallic smells caused by rain on the new electrical wires and which are reminiscent of blood. Many people believe the train and electrical wires are killing girls and feeding on their blood as well as causing general illness. All of this anguish and mental strain ultimately manifests as visions by Maru of various yokai and also kitsune, foxes that possess paranormal abilities that increase as they get older and wiser. Maru meets a kitsune which has the ability to shapeshift into various forms but which is ‘damaged’ by the new technology and needs her help to survive.
Maru must walk her path alongside her kitsune manifestation to find acceptance of her father’s decisions, her own rejection by her former friends and acceptance of her new life and progress in general.
This is an exciting tale with an abundance of amazing historical information and Japanese folklore woven throughout. There are exciting scenes of conflict and a grand finale which, the way I understood this story, are effectively all part of Maru’s spiritual and mental healing, in other words, in her imagination.
This is a clever and well research story, the history is fascinating, and the folklore mesmerising. It is a complex tale that requires attention throughout and the understanding of Maru’s mental state and internal conflicts for the story to pull together effectively.
An excellent book for people who are interested in Japanese history and folklore. It helps to have some knowledge and understanding of this era of transition and cultural shock in order to best appreciate the historical nuances and information presented.
I wrote this review as a member of Rosie Amber’s book review team. You can find out more about Rosie’s reviews and review team here: https://rosieamber.wordpress.com/.
Purchase Ghost Train from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Train-Natalie-Jacobsen-ebook/dp/B0DHSXH8FM
Cooking Sun Tokyo
During my recent trip to Japan, TC and I attended a 10-course Japanese cooking class. It was great fun and the food was delicious.
The basis of Japanese cooking is dashi stock made with water and 1 – 2 kombu strips (dried kelp seaweed). The cold method for making good dashi stock is simple. Put water into a bottle with the kombu and let it steep overnight.
The dashi is used in all the recipes of which I am sharing two here.
Dashimaki Tamago (rolled egg)
Ingredients: 1 egg, 1 TBsp dashi, 1/2 tsp light soy sauce
Method:
In a small bowl, whisk the egg, dashi and light soy sauce.
Heat the prepared Japanese rectangular egg pan after drizzling the pan with a little cooking oil. When its hot, pour half the egg mixture into the pan ensuring the egg covers the full surface. Once the egg is starting to set, use cooking chopsticks to roll the egg to the far end of the pan. Pour the rest of the egg mixture into the pan. Allow it to go under the rolled egg by lifting the roll using the cooking chopsticks. Once the fresh egg mixture sets, roll it up over the previous rolled egg to make a bigger role. Remove from the pan and place on a bamboo mat. Shape the egg roll into a rectangular shape with patterns.
Grilled stuffed lotus roots with chicken
Ingredients: 30 gram portion of lotus root, 30 grams of minced chicken, finally diced Japanese leek, finally diced carrot, a little fresh ginger, 1 tsp sake, sprinkle of salt, 1/2 tsp potato starch, 1 TBsp dashi
Method:
- Dice Japanese leek and carrot and mix into chicken mince. Add the grated ginger, sake, salt and potato starch.
- Powder one side of the lotus root with additional potato starch. Stuff the meat mixture into the lotus root holes and layer the rest of the meat on top of the lotus root.
- Heat the frying pan and place the lotus root into the pan, meat side down. Cook for approximately 3 minutes. Turn the lotus root over, pour on the dashi and steam in the pan with the lid on for about 5 minutes until cooked.
About Robbie Cheadle
South African author and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, has written and illustrated seventeen children’s books, illustrated a further three children’s books, and written and illustrated three poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.
Robbie also has two novels and a collection of short stories published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
You can find Robbie Cheadle’s artwork, fondant and cake artwork, and all her books on her website here: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
_______________________________________
This post is sponsored by the My Backyard Friends Kid’s Book Series and WordCrafter Press.
The My Backyard Friends kid’s book series is inspired by the birds and animals that visit the author Kaye Lynne Booth’s mountain home. Beautiful illustrations by children’s author, poet, and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, bring the unique voices of the animal characters to life.
Get Your Copy Now.
Heather Hummingbird Makes a New Friend (Ages 3-5): https://books2read.com/MBF-HeatherHummingbird
Timothy Turtle Discovers Jellybeans (Ages 3-5): https://books2read.com/MBF-TimothyTurtle
Charlie Chickadee Gets a New Home (Ages 6-8): https://books2read.com/MBF-CharlieChickadee
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Cook and Read – My review of A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute and Peach Chicken #CookandRead #fiction
Posted: January 8, 2025 Filed under: Books, Read and Cook, Recipes, Review, romance | Tags: A Town Like Alice, Nevil Shute, Peach Chicken, Read and Cook, Robbie Cheadle, romance, Writing to be Read 45 CommentsMy review of A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute
This was my favourite classic book read of 2024. A delightful romance initially set in Malaysia during World War II and then moving between post-war London and Australia, Jean Paget’s story of strength, endurance, and leadership made for an amazingly uplifting read.
The novel commences with the main character, Jean Paget, a secretary in a leather goods factory, receiving notification from a solicitor, Noel Strachan, that she has inherited a large sum of money from an uncle she never knew. Noel is the trustee of the funds until Jean can inherit at the age of 35 years old (this age was set by the uncle who believed that women were incompetent fools who couldn’t be trusted with money until they had a family and life experience). Strachan acts as Jean’s financial advisor and, over time, a good friend. His part of the story is all the more interesting because of the secret love he develops for Jean. Noel is the narrator of the story.
Jean announces to Noel that her first priority is to build a well in a village in Malaysia and this introduces her poignant backstory as a prisoner of war in Malaysia during WW2. This part of the story is based on a real survival story which makes it all the more fascinating. Jean was working in Malaysia when the Japanese invaded and she was taken prisoner along with a large group of other European women and children. The Japanese authorities doesn’t know what to do with the group so they end up walking from one village to another for months. The lack of good food, exposure of the elements and hardship results in the deaths of a large number of the group. Jean meets an Australian soldier, Joe Harman, who is also a prisoner of war and is driving a lorry for the Japanese invaders. He tries to help the women and ultimately steals five chickens from a local Japanese commander. He is eventually caught and beaten, crucified and left to die by the Japanese soldiers. Jean believes that Jo Harman is dead. Soon after, the women’s Japanese guard dies and they take shelter in a Malaysian village for the rest of the war. Jean wishes to build a well in this village as a gesture of gratitude to the villagers who saved the lives of the remaining women and children by taking them in. During the construction of the well, Jean discovers by accident that Joe survived and returned to Australia. She decides to go in search of him in Australia and this sets the stage for the rest of the story and the romance. Joe had mentioned the town of Alice Springs during their short time as friends, and this is where Jean heads.
The writing is completely engaging and the characters of both Jean and Joe are well developed and admirable. As a reader, I become completely involved in both their stories and was rooting for their romance and success as individuals and a couple. Jean is portrayed as a strong willed survivor with a strong sense of compassion and responsibility. She is a remarkable leader and an excellent role model for young women.
Joe is portrayed as being recklessly brave and this results in his undoing. He is a very determined and strong willed person, however, an these characteristics result in his miraculous survival.
I read this book because I am interested in learning more about the war in the Pacific and the Japanese involvement in World War II. I have read several books on this topic and A Town Like Alice is the one that stands out the most in my memory. I highly recommend this book to lovers of romance and war literature.
You can purchase A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1842323008
Recipe for Peach Chicken
This recipe is based on Matt Preston’s recipe for Apricot Chicken in his book, Cook Book. I made some variations. If you are interested in purchasing Matt Preston’s book, you can do so here: https://www.amazon.com/Cook-Book-recipes-incredibly-popular-ebook/dp/B016NIBORU
Ingredients
8 chicken thighs and 8 chicken drumsticks, on the bone with skin
160 ml olive oil
1 Tbspn garlic flakes
1 heaped Tbspn dried oregano
5 ml dried thyme
1 tin peaches and the juice
24 caperberries
24 green olives, pits removed and cut in half
2 bay leaves
1 Tbspn chicken stock (powder)
Ground black pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) white wine
Method
Heat the over to 180 C. Line the bottom and sides of a oven baking dish with silver foil. Lay the chicken skin up on the bottom on the dish. In a separate bowl, mix the oil, wine, herbs and caperberries. Pour the tinned peaches over the chicken. Add the wine mixture. Lastly, place the olives over the chicken. Cover the dish with tin foil.
Bake in the oven for 45 minutes. Turn the oven to grill. Remove the tin foil and grill the chicken until nicely browned. Do not let the peaches burn. About 15 – 20 minutes.
Enjoy with rice.
About Robbie Cheadle
South African author and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, has written and illustrated seventeen children’s books, illustrated a further three children’s books, and written and illustrated three poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.
Robbie also has two novels and a collection of short stories published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
You can find Robbie Cheadle’s artwork, fondant and cake artwork, and all her books on her website here: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/
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Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
_______________________________________
This post is sponsored by the My Backyard Friends Kid’s Book Series and WordCrafter Press.
The My Backyard Friends kid’s book series is inspired by the birds and animals that visit the author Kaye Lynne Booth’s mountain home. Beautiful illustrations by children’s author, poet, and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, bring the unique voices of the animal characters to life.
Get Your Copy Now.
Heather Hummingbird Makes a New Friend (Ages 3-5): https://books2read.com/MBF-HeatherHummingbird
Timothy Turtle Discovers Jellybeans (Ages 3-5): https://books2read.com/MBF-TimothyTurtle
Charlie Chickadee Gets a New Home (Ages 6-8): https://books2read.com/MBF-CharlieChickadee
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Read and Cook with Robbie Cheadle – Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien and a recipe for Christmas cake #bookreview #recipe #Christmas
Posted: December 11, 2024 Filed under: Books, Read and Cook, Recipes, Review | Tags: Christmas, Christmas fiction, J.R.R.Tolkien, Letters From Father Christmas, Read and Cook, Robbie Cheadle, Writing to be Read 43 Comments
My review
Letters to Father Christmas is Tolkien at his absolute best. A series of letters written to his own children and featuring Father Christmas as a very real and relatable person who experiences lots of setbacks, both small and large. Set over an extended period, the letters also run through World War II and explains how the war and its deprivations impact on the folk at the North Pole. Although WWII is a long time past, this messaging of resilience and making the best of things is still relevant in our modern time of uncertainty and warfare.
Father Christmas relies on his number one helper, Polar Bear, to help him in his work. As time passes and more and more children are born, Father Christmas also gets help from the elves. His elven secretary also starts assisting him with his letter writing. Polar Bear is a delightful character, full of fun and very naughty, he is always getting into trouble and creating mishaps. Father Christmas has to move house after Polar Bear tries to rescue his hat from blowing away in a wind and falls through the room and into the family room.
Father Christmas also faces adversity in the form of the hostile goblins who keep attacking his home every couple of hundred years. The goblins are mean and treacherous creatures and the folk at the North Pole have to call upon the red dwarves for assistances from their attack. An interesting way of explaining war and its meaning to young children.
A delightful book for children and adults and one I highly recommend.
You can purchase Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0618512659
Quotes from Letters from Father Christmas
“if you remember him, is still fast asleep, and quite thin after so much fasting. He will soon cure that. I shall tickle his ribs and wake him up soon; and then he will eat several months’ breakfast all in one). More love, your loving Father Christmas There is audio content at this location that is not currently supported for your device. The caption for this content is displayed below. Christmas Eve 1934”
“I hope you will like the little things I have sent you. You seem to be most interested in Railways just now, so I am sending you mostly things of that sort. I send as much love as ever, in fact more. We have both, the old Polar Bear and I, enjoyed having so many nice letters from you and your pets. If you think we have not read them you are wrong; but if you find that not many of the things you asked for have come, and not perhaps quite as many as sometimes, remember that this Christmas all over the world there are a terrible number of poor and starving people. I (and also my Green Brother) have had to do some collecting of food and clothes, and toys too, for the children whose fathers and mothers and friends cannot give them anything, sometimes not even dinner. I know yours won’t forget you. So, my dears, I hope you will be happy this Christmas and not quarrel, and will have some good games with your Railway all together. Don’t forget old Father Christmas, when you light your tree.”
Christmas cake recipe
Ingredients for Christmas cake
250 grams currants
240 grams sultana
200 grams mixed berries
240 grams raisins
120 grams mixed peel
180 grams chopped cherries
300 grams plain white cake flour
pinch salt
2.5 ml mixed spice
2.5 ml cinnamon
300 grams softened butter
300 grams sticky brown sugar
30 ml lemon zest
6 eggs, lightly beaten
45 ml brandy
Method for Christmas cake
Preheat the oven to 140 degrees Celsius. Double line the cake tin with thick baking paper.
Beat the sugar and butter in an electric mixer. Add the lemon zest. Add the eggs, beating in one at a time.
In a separate bowl mix the dried fruit, spices, salt cherries and flour. Add the egg mixture and mix well. Lastly, pour in the brandy and combine.
Scoop the mixture into the baking tin and level with the back of a spoon. Wrap a layer of tin foil around the base of the baking tin and place in the oven. Bake for +- 3 hours.
Last year’s Christmas cakes had a roses theme:
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About Robbie Cheadle
South African author and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, has written and illustrated seventeen children’s books, illustrated a further three children’s books, and written and illustrated three poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.
Robbie also has two novels and a collection of short stories published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
You can find Robbie Cheadle’s artwork, fondant and cake artwork, and all her books on her website here: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/
_______________________________________
Did you know you can sponsor your favorite blog series or even a single post with an advertisement for your book? Stop by the WtbR Sponsor Page and let me advertise your book, or you can make a donation to Writing to be Read for as little as a cup of coffee, If you’d like to show your support for this author and WordCrafter Press.
_______________________________________
This post is sponsored by the My Backyard Friends Kid’s Book Series and WordCrafter Press.
The My Backyard Friends kid’s book series is inspired by the birds and animals that visit the author Kaye Lynne Booth’s mountain home. Beautiful illustrations by children’s author, poet, and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, bring the unique voices of the animal characters to life.
Get Your Copy Now.
Heather Hummingbird Makes a New Friend (Ages 3-5): https://books2read.com/MBF-HeatherHummingbird
Timothy Turtle Discovers Jellybeans (Ages 3-5): https://books2read.com/MBF-TimothyTurtle
Charlie Chickadee Gets a New Home (Ages 6-8): https://books2read.com/MBF-CharlieChickadee
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Read and Cook with Robbie Cheadle – To Wake the Giant: A Novel of Pearl Harbor and American Crabcakes #bookreview #cooking #crabcakes
Posted: November 13, 2024 Filed under: Books, cooking, Read and Cook, Recipes, Review | Tags: American Crabcakes, Jeff Shaara, Read and Cook, Robbie Cheadle, To Wake the Giant, Writing to be Read 47 CommentsNovember 11 is Remembrance Day or Poppy Day, a memorial day observed in Commonwealth member states to honour armed forces members who have died in the line of duty. With this in mind, and to feed my growing interest in USA history, I selected To Wake the Giant: A Novel of Pearl Harbor by Jeff Shaara for this month’s book review. Last month, the month of Halloween, I reviewed Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice. If you missed that post, you can read it here: https://writingtoberead.com/2024/10/09/read-and-cook-with-robbie-cheadle-interview-with-a-vampire-by-anne-rice-and-new-orleans-gumbo-bookreview-recipe-readandcook/?_gl=1*akw5pe*_gcl_au*MjgyNDk3NjkzLjE3Mjg3OTgxMTQ.
Are you noticing the book choices are themed? They are, to the extent possible, and next month is Christmas. I’ve got a treat in mind for you …
To Wake the Giant: A Novel of Pearl Harbor by Jeff Shaara
I have read a few of Jeff Shaara’s books and they have all be entertaining, informative, and well researched. My historical knowledge of both WW1 and WW2 is much greater as it relates to events in Europe and from a British, Dutch, French, and Polish perspective. I have been making a point of learning more about WW2 from an American perspective and this book did not disappoint. It provided copious detail about the events leading up to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour and the USA’s entrance into a war they fought on two fronts, in an interesting and relatable way.
The author tells his story through the eyes of three main characters, two of whom are real historical people and one who appears based on a real person but whose life would have been more fictionalised for purposes of this book. These main characters are as follows:
Cordell Hull is President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Secretary of State and the real historical figure who tried to negotiate for continued peace with the Japanese through Ambassador Admiral Kichisaburo Nomura and Special Envoy, Saburo Kurusu. He failed and the Japanese launched their attack on Pearl Harbour on Sunday, 7 December 1941, marking the USA’s terrible and spectacular entrance into WW2. Cordell tells the story from the US government’s point of view and perspective.
Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto is the force behind the attack on Pearl Harbour. A real historical figure, he understood that war was inevitable and planned for an early victory and delay tactic for an American response by destroying the United States Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbour in a preventive strike. Yamamoto believed that aviation was the way forward and opposed the building of the battleships, Yamoto and Mushashi, proposing investment in a strong Japanese arial force instead. Yamamoto tells the story from the Japanese perspective.
Seaman Tommy Biggs is an ordinary nineteen-year-old from a small town in Florida. Having finished school, he is faced with no job opportunities as a result of the Depression. When his best friend decides to join the Navy, Tommy is convinced to sign up too. Tommy has aspirations to work in the military hospital service and, after successfully completing boot camp, manages to get assigned to the USS Arizona as a hospital apprentice.
Seaman Biggs’ role in this book is the one that interested me the most as he represented the ordinary seaman. The reader learns about his life on the USS Arizona and the abuse he suffers at the hands of the military system which allowed senior personnel to bully junior staff. Through his eyes, I experienced daily life aboard the ship which was repetitive and boring, and off short time in the town. Most of the seamen spent their time ashore drinking cheap booze and making use of prostitutes. The boredom of the life on board ship, eroded alertness and interest and, in my opinion, helped set the stage for an attack that was such a complete and utter surprise.
This book is fascinating and shares details of the historical event in a heart rending and personable way. The descriptions of the event of the day were a shock to me, I didn’t know about the terrible fires and the oil the water that burned and horribly maimed many of the seamen. Having read this book, I understood the mindset of the American people and how the events that followed came to unfold the way they did.
If you are interested in books about and like to learn and expand your knowledge in a fascinating and compelling way, this book is for you.
You can purchase To Wake the Giant: A Novel of Pearl Harbor here: https://www.amazon.com/Wake-Giant-Novel-Pearl-Harbor-ebook/dp/B07X8D1B1Y
Quotes from To Wake the Giant: A Novel of Pearl Harbor
“We believed we knew everything they were thinking. Those Magic intercepts made us feel invulnerable. No, a better word is cocky. Their diplomats are chatting back and forth with Tokyo about the weather or color of their new Cadillacs while their military put a plan together to kick us in the teeth. We thought we knew everything. We didn’t.
-President Franklin Delano Roosevelt”
“All I propose is an attack that will paralyze the Americans, for perhaps six months. This attack is not about victory, about winning a war…It is about delaying them, keeping them back, damaging their military might and pride.
-Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto”
“How were we taken so by surprise? Everything we have gone through at the State Department, for most of the past year has pointed unmistakably to Japanese aggression, to their deceitfulness, duplicity, and backdoor actions. We knew exactly what they were doing in Southeast Asia in the Netherlands East Indies in China. We had access to their diplomatic communications we have outstanding people in our intelligence offices, both army and navy. How could this have happened?
-Former US Secretary of State, Cordell Hull”
THIS IS A SMASHING BOOK. IF YOU HAVEN’T READ IT, YOU REALLY MUST!
And now, on to the recipe. I made three dishes for this post and I loved them all. I decided to share the crabcakes recipe today and will keep the others for another post.
Robbie’s version of American Crabcakes
Ingredients
2 large eggs
90 ml mayonnaise
2 Tbspns (30 ml) onions grated
120 ml lemon juice
10 ml dried tarragon
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
500 grams uncooked crab meat
30 ml melted butter
1 1/2 cups (750 ml) crushed melba toast slices (you can use any plain savoury biscuit)
Method
Mix the eggs, mayonnaise, onions, lemon juice, tarragon and pepper flakes together in a mixing bowl. In a frying pan on a medium heat, cook the crabmeat in the butter. Add the crabmeat to the egg mixture and combine. Add the crushed melba toast and ensure everything is properly mixed together. I always use my hands.
Shape the mixture into cakes and fry in a little olive oil until nicely browned. We enjoyed the crabcakes with rice and Greek lemon roasted vegetables.
About Robbie Cheadle
South African author and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, has written and illustrated seventeen children’s books, illustrated a further three children’s books, and written and illustrated three poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.
Robbie also has two novels and a collection of short stories published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
You can find Robbie Cheadle’s artwork, fondant and cake artwork, and all her books on her website here: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/
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This segment of “Read and Cook” with Robbie Cheadle is sponsored by The Women in the West Adventure Series and WordCrafter Press.
Historical Women’s Fiction
Get Your Copy Today!
Delilah: https://books2read.com/DelilahWiW1
Sarah: https://books2read.com/Sarah-Women-in-the-West
Marta: Coming in 2025
