Dear Readers,
Are you a foodie? I am! In addition to having a passion for writing historical fiction, I have a love for cooking that was inspired by my parents who owned a mom-and-pop grocery store. While growing up, my parents taught me to cook. And my ardor for food often appears in my books.
The Book Spy is inspired by real-life librarians who served as spies in World War II. The story is set in neutral Lisbon, Portugal, and I enjoyed including a bit of Portuguese cuisine within the story. Below is a recipe for one of several foods in the novel, and it makes a great snack for book clubs.
Bom apetite!
– Alan Hlad
Maria’s Biscoitos (Portuguese Cookies)
Ingredients:
- ½ lb butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 5 eggs
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- Grated zest of 1 lemon
- 4 tablespoons of lemon juice
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream together butter and sugar until light in color and fluffy in texture.
- Add eggs, lemon zest and juice, and mix until blended.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder.
- Add flour mixture to creamed mixture, stirring until combined.
- If dough seems dry or flakey, knead slightly.
- Scoop ping-pong ball sized dollops of dough.
- Roll between your hands to form a 5-inch long “snake”, even throughout the length.
- Bring ends of the “snake” together, slightly folding one end over the other, to form a donut-shape with a small hole in the center.
- Place cookies 1-2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
- Bake 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Let rest on baking sheet 2 minutes before transferring to rack to cool.
- Enjoy!
Tiago’s Sardine Toasts with Tomato & Sweet Onion
Ingredients:
- 4 thick slices of crusty sourdough bread
- 1 garlic clove, halved
- Softened butter, as needed
- 1 large ripe tomato, thinly sliced
- 1 can sardines (6 to 7 ounces) *Based on preference, tuna can be used as a substitute
- ¼ small sweet or red onion, thinly sliced
- Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
- Fresh lemon juice, to taste
- Sea salt
- Coarsely ground black pepper
- Fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)
Directions:
- Toast the bread under a broiler (on both sides) or in the toaster.
- While the toast is still warm, rub it with the cut side of the garlic clove, then spread toast generously with butter. Top butter with tomato slices and lightly salt.
- Top tomatoes with sardines (or tuna) and then onion slices. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, then season with more salt and pepper. Garnish with basil and serve.
- Enjoy!
Spooky Season Reads With Rebecca Zanetti