Cooking With Author Susan G Mathis

Today's treat is a new novel and recipe from author Susan G. Mathis. Susan, welcome! We're glad to have you here to share with us! Take it away.

Traditional Thousand Islands Shore Dinner

Traditionally, the Thousand Islands Shore Dinner a big fishing party. Several skiffs rallied at one island, dispersed to fish until noon, partook of a shore dinner, and then fished again until late afternoon. Fine folk like George Pullman, Frederick Bourne, and J.P. Morgan—and even President Ulysses S. Grant when he visited the islands in 1872— took time to get away from big-city life and find a quiet fishing vacation in the islands. The main boat would often be a small steam yacht. They would leave around 7 a.m., towing up to ten skiffs trailing behind them. The captain would choose an uninhabited island to use for a shore dinner, prepare the meal himself or drop off the meal preparers, and send the fishing guides off to row their guests to different fishing spots.

Around noon, the fishing guides row the guests back to the steamer for a relaxing shore dinner, and then take the fishermen back out for an afternoon of more fishing.

You’ve likely heard of the shore dinners of New England. But the traditional Thousand Islands shore dinners include fresh fish, French toast, and a sandwich with fried pork strips. And, of course, a salad with Thousand Islands Dressing.

Appetizers consisted of fatback and onion sandwiches and a salad with Thousand Islands dressing, of course, and crumbles of fatback. The main meal includes plates of fish and potatoes. And dessert was coffee and French toast.

When they made the camp coffee—they add a cracked egg, shell and all. That way, the grounds stick to the yolk at the bottom of the pot and the shells remove the bitterness. Hmmm…

Then comes the French toast for dessert, also fried in the same pan as the pork and fish, and topped with lots of local maple syrup. Again, one needn’t count the calories; just enjoy the unique flavors of the shore dinner.

Today, uninhabited islands are few and far between, so shore dinners became a little more complicated. But several companies still serve patrons who want a traditional shore dinner. In fact, the NY State parks were, in part, established to provide a place for shore dinners. Maybe one day you, too, can visit the Thousand Islands and enjoy a traditional shore dinner.

Do you think you’d enjoy this meal? In Peyton’s Promise, they served fatback sandwiches to boaters sheltering on Calumet Island. Here’s a recipe for Thousand Islands Dressing!

Thousand Island Dressing

2 cups mayonnaise

1/4 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon onion, finely chopped

1 hard-boiled egg, finely chopped

1 tablespoon green pepper, finely chopped

1 tablespoon red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped

1 tablespoon scallions, finely chopped

Mix all ingredients together and chill to blend flavors.

About Peyton's Promise:

Summer 1902

Peyton Quinn is tasked with preparing the grand Calumet Castle ballroom for a spectacular two-hundred-guest summer gala. As she works in a male-dominated position of upholsterer and fights for women’s equality, she’s persecuted for her unorthodox ways. But when her pyrotechnics-engineer father is seriously hurt, she takes over the plans for the fireworks display despite being socially ostracized.

Patrick Taylor, Calumet’s carpenter and Peyton’s childhood chum, hopes to win her heart, but her unconventional undertakings cause a rift. Peyton has to ignore the prejudices and persevere or she could lose her job, forfeit Patrick’s love and respect, and forever become the talk of local gossips.

About Susan:

Susan G Mathis is an international award-winning, multi-published author of stories set in the beautiful Thousand Islands, her childhood stomping ground in upstate NY. Susan has been published more than twenty-five times in full-length novels, novellas, and non-fiction books. She has seven in her fiction line including, The Fabric of Hope: An Irish Family Legacy, Christmas Charity, Katelyn’s Choice, Devyn’s Dilemma, Sara’s Surprise, Reagan’s Reward, and Colleen’s Confession. Her newest, Peyton’s Promise, came out in May 2022 and Rachel’s Reunion releases October 7, 2022. She just finished writing book ten, Mary’s Moment. Her book awards include two Illumination Book Awards, three American Fiction Awards, two Indie Excellence Book Awards, and two Literary Titan Book Awards. Reagan’s Reward is a Selah Awards finalist.

Susan is also a published author of two premarital books, two children’s picture books, stories in a dozen compilations, and hundreds of published articles. Susan makes her home in Colorado Springs and enjoys traveling around the world but returns each summer to enjoy the Thousand Islands. Visit Susan's website for more. And head over to Amazon to get your own copy of Peyton's Promise.

Summer Reading: Novels, Autographed and Ready to Send

Need a book to read this summer?

In an era where print novels are not as readily available as e-book versions, I have three of my novels ready to sign and send to you. That's right, paperbacks, the kind where you can turn and smell the pages. Each price includes shipping to anywhere in the USA. The novels retail for $13.99 and $14.99, but you get to save here.

Rain Song -- My first novel, a Christy-Award Finalist, set in the pickle capital of the world, Mount Olive, North Carolina! Middle-school teacher, Nicole, has a lot of questions about her past in Japan, and a mysterious man enters her life to help her solve them.

How Sweet It Is -- Also, a Chirsty-Award finalist, this one is set in the mountains of North Carolina, where cake decorater Deena, finds herself teaching cooking to some wayward teens per her deceased granddad's request.

A Wedding Invitation -- Samantha gets invited to a wedding where she knows no one. But her mistake leads her to a man from her past who broke her heart, and a Vietnamese girl she taught in a refugee camp.

To order an autographed print novel, select from the Buy Now menu below. Prices include shipping to anywhere in the USA. Or if you'd rather send a check for $15.00 per novel, make it out to Alice Wisler and mail to:

201 Monticello Avenue

Durham, NC 27707

Select Novel

Rain Song $15.00 USD How Sweet It Is $15.00 USD A Wedding Invitation $15.00 USD

Cooking with Author Adam Blumer!

Today we welcome author Adam Blumer to the Patchwork Quilt Blog. Adam has a new novel coming out next week. And since this is a Cooking with Author segment, he has a recipe for us to try. 

Welcome, Adam! Glad to have your here. First let's get to the recipe.


Soft Pretzels (Yield: 16)

1 T sugar
1 T dry yeast (or one envelope)
5-6 c flour
1 T salt
2 t oil
2 T baking soda
1 large egg
coarse salt

Soften yeast in two cups hot water (110 degrees) and let stand until it bubbles. Beat 1 cup flour into yeast on low. Beat in salt and 4 cups of flour until combined (about 30 seconds). Using a dough hook, knead 1-1/2 minutes or until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, adding 1/2 cup of flour or so if needed and knead another 30 seconds. Place 2 t oil in a bowl and place dough in the bowl, making sure oil covers all sides of the dough. Let rise one hour or until doubled in bulk. Divide dough into 16 pieces, keeping the pieces covered as you work on each pretzel. Roll each into an 8" rope and twist into a pretzel shape. Put on baking sheet and cover. Let rise 15 minutes. Using a large but shallow skillet-type pan, fill with about 2" of water and boil. When boiling, add the baking soda and 3-4 pretzels. Poach for one minute. Remove with slotted spoon and return to baking sheet. Beat egg with 1 T water and brush pretzels sparingly then sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake at 425 for just under 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack and eat warm. Enjoy! Pretzels are best eaten the same day, but once they’re cool, you can store them in a Ziploc bag for a day or so. 

About the novel  . . . . 

Kill Order, Adam's third novel, releases on August 15th by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. 

Here is a short description:

When he sleeps, the forgotten terrors of the past come alive.

Grammy-winning pianist Landon Jeffers’s brain cancer has given him only a few years to live. But when he sleeps, the forgotten terrors of his past torment him. When he wakes, shameful memories come rushing back. Desperate for answers, Jeffers discovers that a brain implant intended to treat his cancer is really a device to control him, forcing him to commit terrible crimes. Now he’s being manipulated by an evil crime syndicate and a crooked cop. 

What if free will isn’t? What if your every move is predestined? If you kill, are you guilty of murder?


 About Adam . . . .

Adam Blumer is the author of three Christian suspense novels: Fatal Illusions (Meaningful Suspense Press); its sequel, The Tenth Plague (Kirkdale Press); and the upcoming Kill Order (Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas). A print journalism major in college, he works full-time from home as a book editor after serving in editorial roles for more than twenty years. He lives in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula with his wife, Kim, and his daughters, Laura and Julia.


Where you can find Adam:

Website
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
Pinterest

Instagram

Purchase a copy of Kill Order on Amazon.


Thanks, readers, for joining us today.