Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Shannon's Law VBT

February marks the start of my “Pinterest Reveal Virtual Book Tour” in the run-up to the launch on the 28th February 2014.


Every day there are feature posts on topics relating to SHANNON’S LAW on blogs all around the world.  They’re all linked together on one big Pinterest Board. Each post replaces a ‘mystery’ silhouette that was posted in January. I saved all  my notes and photos as I was writing, on a private Pinterest Board and now I can share them with you.


Today’s subject is:  Food of Love – companion recipe book to Shannon’s Law plus a recipe for Traditional Sherry Trifle.


All-action all-loving cops need fuel. In the course of Shannon's Law she and others chomp their way through a fair bit of food.  As I was writing it occurred to me that readers might like to experience some of the dishes for themselves. So it was that my companion cook-book Cop’s Kitchen came into being. Where a dish is mentioned I have created a recipe.  All the food has been tried out  at home. Now you can too. The color photos are all my own work as well.  As a special treat during the run-up to launch of Shannon’s Law –  every reader who enters the Rafflecopter Draw below gets a FREE digital  copy of Cop’s Kitchen!



The companion cookbook for Shannon’s Law – Cop’s Kitchen!
Shannon is a working girl. Between love and crime action she often has little time to consider her diet let alone slave at the stove or go shopping for herbs and spices.  As a true English girl she is well acquainted with take out fish and chips. She has a favorite Curry house to beat anything she could make. Although she buys some dishes ready made, I have recreated the real thing in my own way, using traditional methods. Very often it is the police canteen that keeps her fueled up for drama and passion. My ex cop partner appears to have spent a lot of his career sustained by a famous police dish – Sausage Toad with chips. In the book, Shannon has an important meeting with her boss over such a feast.


Excerpt:
“Now, that’s what I call true Force feeding!” he said.
Shannon laughed and treated the delicacy with brown HP sauce. She missed stuff like this in her new life. Her hips were cheering. They sat down by the window looking out onto the urban swirl of cars and Croydon concrete.



A recipe from Cop’s Kitchen to whet your appetite: Traditional Sherry Trifle.


This dessert was served at a lunchtime reception held at Bloxington Manor.  Sherry trifle is a wonderful pudding and I know few people who dislike it.  You can jazz it up with different fruits according to season, or even go for a chocolate version with chocolate sponge and adding cocoa to the custard – maybe try pitted cherries as the fruit with this version.


It does require some pre-planning and forethought – the custard needs time to cool.  I usually make it the night before (do steps 1-7 below) and add the cream and nuts on the day.  This gives time for the sherry to really infiltrate the sponge too! You will need a large glass serving bowl – around  30cm (12 inches) diameter and 20cm (8 inches) depth – or about 1.6 litres (4 pints) capacity.



Ingredients to make a trifle to serve 8:
1 large family-size ready made swiss roll sponge, preferably with ‘jam and cream’ (or if not available a pack of sponge fingers each spread with a little red jam.)
200ml (8 fl oz) sherry
Orange juice 100 (4 fl oz)
1 pack of frozen mixed berries – sold in the UK in 400g packs in most supermarkets (or around 400g fresh mixed raspberries and strawberries if available)
3 heaped tbsps custard powder
2 rounded tbsps sugar.
750 ml (1.25 pints) whole milk
500ml  (1 pint) double cream (whipping cream)
100g (4 oz) Flaked almonds.



Method:
Make up the custard with the powder and sugar and 1 pint of the milk as per the instructions on the custard powder tin.

Add the remaining cold milk to the hot custard and mix in thoroughly. Allow to cool slightly.


Cut the swiss roll into 2.5cm(1 inch) slices.  Arrange in the bottom of a large round glass fruit salad bowl/serving bowl.  Press into the gaps.  (If using trifle sponges cover the base of the bowl and break up to fill the gaps.)


Slowly pour the sherry evenly over the sponges so that they are moist.


Add some of the orange juice to the sponges, as necessary,  so that they are a bit wetter but not floating or dissolving!  You could of course add more sherry if you prefer as a substitute...hic!)


Tip the frozen or fresh berries onto the sponges and spread evenly – press them into the sponge lightly.


Pour the cooled custard onto the fruit.  N.B. Make sure it has cooled a little as boiling custard on glass will split the bowl.


Toast the flaked almonds (or buy some ready toasted!) under a grill for a few minutes until lightly browned.  Allow to cool.


Leave the trifle covered in the fridge until cold – a couple of hours.


Whip the cream until stiff and spread over the custard.


Sprinkle the flaked almonds over the trifle.




Book Blurb for “Shannon’s Law”:
Wild child inner-city cop Shannon Aguerri walks a dangerous line between her methods and justice. When the bosses lose their nerve, after yet another maverick mission, she is transferred to green pastures to play out the role of a routine village cop. When she encounters signs of slave and drug trafficking she hones in on serious millionaire criminals.


As a loner she has attracted men but nothing has stuck. When she meets Spencer, the hunky and widowed Earl of Bloxington, there is an immediate rapport between them. Their social differences mean nothing to their passion and need.


Already in the mix is an upper class female rival – who has long plotted her way into the Earl's bed. The jealousy is an evil shade of green and the anger is a violent scarlet.


Often inhibited by a sense of duty and honour, Spencer is slow to reveal his feelings. When Shannon confronts him with the need to choose between her word and that of her rival, he does not immediately support her.


All issues are set aside, when they are forced together to carry out a desperate rescue mission. Their love is stronger than everything ranged against them.




SHANNON’S LAW comes out on February 28th 2014 in print and digital formats for all e-readers.



Amazon are offering some great discounts for pre-orders of the paperback version


You can pre-order the digital version at a pre-launch special price from Nook, Kobo, and iTunes. It will also be available in all digital formats on Smashwords


See this post and others from my tour as they go live on Pinterest or click the Goddess Fish panel below to visit the other blogs in the tour.


Follow Shannon’s Law on Facebook


Visit the Shannon’s Law Website for book details and pre-order information.




To celebrate the launch of SHANNON’S LAW, there is a special FREE gift for you in my RAFFLECOPTER draw. As well as great, unique prizes to win, EVERY ENTRANT will get their own digital copy of – COP’S KITCHEN. There are many ways to get bonus chances – by commenting on this post, liking Facebook Pages etc.



The draw will take place randomly on Rafflecopter on the 7th March 2014.


Shannon’s Law comes out in paperback and digital formats for all e-readers
on February 28th 2014.




5 comments:

  1. Hi Emily, Thanks for having me aboard today. By coincidence I'm doing a trifle this evening for some French guests....here's hoping! Emma x

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  2. This sounds like such a good story. I love the idea of having recipes for all the food mentioned in the story.

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  3. Sounds like a great book and I love the recipe companion. Thanks for sharing it and the giveaway. evamillien at gmail dot com

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  4. The trifle recipe sounds divine. I'm not a big chocolate fan, so this is perfect for me.

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  5. Hi Guys, I survived the wine and the French seemed to like the trifle. There's a bit left for lunch! Emma x

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