Saturday, July 31, 2010

Lemon Meringue Pie Murder ~ Food For Thought











I'm joining Food for Thought

the brainchild of the very talented Jain from

Once in Blue Moon and of Food With Style

with a review of

**


My sister picked up this book for me, knowing how I love to
"cook the books". Thanks Fritzie!
It was a fun & quick little read & a refreshing change from all
the heavy World War II era books I've recently been into.

I had never read a
"culinary cozy" type of a book before & was
unaware of this sub-genre category to
"cozy mysteries".
These are cute novels that ooze charm & are not hard crime thrillers.
No graphic violence... no sex or drugs either...just LOTS of
food mentions & the recipes to go along with them.


The main character, Hannah Swensen jumps in to help solve a murder when a
lemon meringue pie from her bakery,
The Cookie Jar
, is found at the crime scene.

I tried to re-create the look of her store front window here.


(The last of our Girl Scout cookies)

(Hubby's favorite: Nutter Butters)


(Homemade Butter Balls or Russian Tea Cakes)

She uncovers marital infidelity, lots of gossip & an old bank robbery.
The book moves along at a quick pace & is guaranteed to make you hungry,
although I found it to be very
predictable & a bit a la Nancy Drew.
I won't give away any more of the details so as not to spoil it.





The best part of making lemon meringue pie is licking the
leftover lemon filling in the pan.
Its "twice better" to quote a grandchild.







The recipe for my pie is on the back of the box of

Turns out perfect, every time.

The Lemon Meringue Pie Murder is
a cute, easy to read book with interesting recipes.
It is 4th in a line of at least 13 books by the same author.
This book features a total of 9 recipes & Joanne Fluke
has many, many more throughout her series of murder mysteries.
Get a load of these titles!!












I found it interesting to see how the author's
name
on the front cover
gets bigger & bigger as her series progressed.
Just a point of interest, that's all.

If you are someone who likes to bake you will love all the recipes that come with each story.
I understand the author is working on a cookbook now
that will showcase each of the recipes used in her books.




Thanks to Jain for continuing this fun
Food For Thought
party every other Saturday.

Be sure to visit her site & enjoy the other book reviews showcased this week.

Thanks also to those of you who visit the Gazebo House so often.

I'm constantly amazed that anyone wants to read what I have to say.
Nobody around here listens to me!!

Its been a very busy time here at the Gazebo House
with carpet cleaners disrupting everything &
the acquisition of a new sewing table
along with rearranging my sewing room
so I could complete some projects.
Matching nightgowns & robes for Caroline & her AG doll,
a mini quilted wallhanging & more to show next time.
Stay tuned for those!




fondly,
Photobucket

33 comments:

  1. Rett, I haven't heard of these books. Light reads are about my speed this summer with so much going on. And lemon meringue pie is perfect for summer or any time of year. I love to double the recipe for the meringue and have it a "mile" high. :-)
    Thanks for sharing this one. I finally got a FFT post done this week. I hope to get myself going again on this. FFT is a favorite for me! ~ Sarah

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  2. What a fun review~ I've seen this series but haven't read any of them...they sound perfect for fun, light summer reading, especially when you marry food with them!

    I love your re-created store front window. How do you have girl scout cookies, not eaten?? And that meringue looks picture PERFECT~ wow! I agree with the grandchild though, the leftover lemon filling is "twice better" LOL!

    P.S. I have a picture of your boat on my Seeing Red post :-)

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  3. Hi

    I don't know anything about the books or the author, I must look them up. That lemon meringue pie ummmmmmmmmm looks delicious, getting the taste buds going!!! ♥
    Have a great weekend, Jackie in UK.

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  4. Lemon meringue pie is one of my favorite things of summer and I haven't made one yet! I think I will this weekend though. Yummy!! I've never heard of those books either. I like light reads when things are busy too. I'll have to check those out!
    Laura

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  5. Who hasn't tried to make a mile high lemon meringue pie?! This series looks like a good summer choice.

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  6. Hi again, Rett. I just realized that I thanked someone else for the introduction to Michael Lee West's books - and it was you I should have thanked! I got all three of them and loved them. The only disconcerting thing was that a main character has my very unusual first name, in Mermaids in the Basement. That took some getting used to!

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  7. Not to worry, Pondsie (Renata?)...we both reviewed MLW's books, so your comment was appropriate for both Sara & I.

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  8. I haven't had Lemon Meringue pie since my MIL passed away. She could make the best - including the crust. (sigh)

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  9. Oh I just love your posts! I love it when you do these book posts as well! You are so creative in the way you present these! I should read more of these cooking type story books. I find myself imitating the characters and start cooking more interesting things. Your photos are so beautiful and clear. I just love your photography! Good luck with your new sewing room set up. Can't wait to see it!

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  10. Hi Rett, what a gorgeous gorgeous pie!!!! Thnaks for the comment on my post.

    I have been having a hard time tryin g to upload fotos onto my blog thru blogger. I just cant seem to upload anymore so now I cant even post. I have been deleting some fotos on picassa web album so Im not sure if that is teh reason that my fotos on flicker have disappeared as well.

    Di d you go to my flicker acount? Im a little confused by this whole thing. Im still trying to figure things out. hope fully i can. Ill take a look at the book you recommended. It must be good. tq so much for thinking of me.

    xoxo
    zurin

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  11. Rett, i went to the site on the link you left but I was wondering which book was it that you recommended. is it 'Murder takes the cake'? m guessing frm the link address.if it is i'll type in the name of the book n check it out. ;)

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  12. new author for me and sounds like I would like her- will check out- I admit the meringue in your title-got to me- I made meringue for coconut cream pie today and used a different recipe for fun- not sure how it will be as it is still cooling- I like the way yours looks- nice and fluffy.

    twice better- love that remark-they say the cutest phrases.

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  13. There you go again, making my mouth water for something yummy! I suppose now I'll have to get out my lemon meringue pie recipe. LOL

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  14. That lemon pie is astounding! I want some! I've read some of those books.

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  15. omg, what an intro, just smack us hard right off the bat! i could barely leave the pie to read your review...

    i have read one of her books books, they are a light fluffy palette cleanser, perfect for an in-between snack from those heavy WW2 meals. i bot one recently for that very reason! how sweet your sister is shopping for you~

    oh your storefront window, i would break in there in a heart beat! TRUE CRIME CONFESSIONS!

    and that pie is perfect, you look like a 5 star bakery, and photographer!

    i have the chocolate chip cookie murder book to read, of course i am a total cookie junkie and bot it for that reason only! i read the cream puff book at least 15 years ago and thought it was time for one more :-)

    cute cute cute review, heck it should at least be 3 stars, that meringue makes it 5 stars, averaging out a delish 3* review!

    thanks so much for playing, your pie will stay with me for ages!

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  16. Your lemon meringue pie looks so yummy! It reminds me of summertime at my mother's! I must try this recipe!
    I've never heard of these books or the author but I think I'll have to look for them now!

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  17. I love to visit your blog Rett. I will have to look up the author, for when I want a nice quick read. The pie looks so good!

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  18. These look like fun reads! And your pie looks so yummy! I Iove lemon pie!

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  19. LOVED THIS!
    I haven't read this series but have you read the Jan Karon series based in Milford? Holy cow they cook all the way through it, makes it hard to concentrate, but then they very nicely give you most of the main recipes at the end. But then they came out with the Milford Cookbook! FABULOUS! Just don't plan on dieting any time through it. :)
    That pie!
    Man! I don't know if I should thank you or not . . .
    :)
    HAGE! Karen ~ Some days are diamonds

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  20. I LOVE that you recreated a scene from the book. This is one of the most original and fun blogging/book reviews I've ever seen. I'm a librarian and I read a lot of book reviews. Wish they were all as clever as yours.

    I wondered the same thing Mary did: How do you have left over Girl Scout cookies around?

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  21. Hey Rett, YUM YUM YUM!! ok now i'm wanting something sweet to eat...Hope you have a GREAT Sunday my friend...Hugs and smiles Gl♥ria

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  22. Hi Rett,
    I've never heard of these books, but will be sure to check them out. Love your lemon meringue pie! Great review! I can't wait to participate in Food For Thought. It looks like alot of fun!

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  23. These books are new to me so thanks for sharing. The pie looks fabulous! How do you make the meringue? I never have good luck with them so would appreciate any hints.

    Have a beautiful week!
    Pat

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  24. I've read them all and love them! I actually read quite a few authors who write with the light mystery/recipe combination. After listening to the news all day, I find them relaxing and refreshing!

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  25. Rett, you are exceptionally dangerous! I could eat my way through everything on this post! YUM!

    Oh, I want to dive head first into that pie SOOOO bad! I'm starved. Got some sweets you could send me???

    XO,

    Sheila :-)

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  26. What a fun book! Lemon m pie is my hubby's all time favorite. I've never used the box filling but am going to give it a try. I'm also going to look for the books.
    Can't wait to see the nightgown/robes. You put me to shame.

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  27. Rett, I grew up eating Jello lemon meringue pies and still love them. Call it "lazy" but why NOT make my filling this way? And you have to have a really "piled high" egg white meringue to put under the broiler! Yummers.... I might have to make a pie tonight! LOL
    hugs, Sue

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  28. I don't know about the book, but the pie looks fabulous! My mom always made lemon meringue, mile high! I used to remove the meringue! I am a whipped cream kind of gal, :)
    Great job on the window too!

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  29. Hi Rett:
    That lemon meringue pie looks FIERCE!
    I love all the curlicues on the top!
    One of my favorite pies!

    Thanks for commenting on my bobcat post. They're beautiful animals, but I'm not going to try to pet one any time soon...like my lifetime! lol

    I do hope you'll let me know when you're going to be back in FL this winter. I'd love to meet up with you. It would be one of those "dual-blog encounters" that we could both write about, too! ;-) Lots of photos, craft sharing and coffee. Sounds perfect to me, my friend.

    Have a wonderful, creative week, and we can chat again soon! Feel free to write to me directly at dliljegren (at) brynwoodneedleworks (dot) com.
    xoxo
    Donna

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  30. I cracked up at your comment that no one listens to you at home yet we read your blog...that's because it's interesting getting to know you and your family. No one ever listened to me around here either. Now that they're all on their own they listen and, a big shocker, ask for advice...who knew?!?!

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  31. How fun, this is the first I have connected with FFT, I love books with food as a central component. I also love hearing a review so that I know if I will like it. Your photos are gorgeous, especially your beautiful curls on the meringue! Yum, yum!

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  32. Mmmmm! I would love to attend any event that serves cookies like yours :)
    I had never heard of these books before. I'm going to give them a try. Which book would you recommend starting with?

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Thank you so much for leaving a comment. I read them all & each one is so very special to me & I try really hard to return the visit!

fondly,
~Rett~