This post originally appeared on the blog Mystery Fanfare, a website of Mystery Readers.org, thanks to the support of Janet Rudolph
The Winery of His Dreams
Pinch me: Just like that, the Bennett Sisters Mystery series has been going strong for thirteen years already, starting in 2009 withBlackbird Fly. Sometimes it’s hard to believe. It’s humbling that readers still want to explore the world with the five sisters and their partners— and for me to come up with new and delicious adventures for them. It’s not always easy, which may explain why I’ve written two stories now featuring Pascal d’Onscon. He is middle sister Merle’s partner. As a member of law enforcement in France, he has access to the best things.
By which I mean criminals, of course.
I am writing fiction, I tell myself. Anything goes, as long as you can sell it properly to the reader. I can involve my five lawyers in any and all sorts of legal issues, secrets and lies and sketchy characters. But I do try to keep things on a somewhat realistic level. So far I have dealt with squatters, wine scams, drug deals, art theft, runaway dogs, and of course a bit of bloody murder. Stumbling over dead bodies in every book stretches credulity at times, especially if your characters are civilians. The five sisters are in various stages of midlife and are professional women, attorneys, not detectives.
Are my books cozies? Yes and no. They aren’t the typical cozy and yet they aren’t gritty either. I have been known to call them ‘women’s suspense’ which doesn’t actually exist as a sub-genre. International crime? Sure… but… You decide, reader. And, please, tell me your verdict.
The problem I faced with the latest novel,Château des Corbeaux (Castle of Ravens— #17 in the series), is that I have given my wine fraud detective, Pascal, an office job in Bordeaux. (What was I thinking? That this would create tension for him, what he needs to do versus what he wants to do? So that worked.) He works for the Republic’s agency that keeps wineries honest, assures that the grapes are from the proper AOC, honoring all rules and regulations the French have for their sacred nectar. Plenty of money in French wine, thus plenty of wine crime to go around.
In the 2020 book, the first starring Pascal, he is summoned to the Champagne region to investigate a bottle of still white wine with a Champagne producer’s label, a vigneron travesty. (There is no point in still wine if you have grapes growing in the proper Champagne AOC. Make bubbly and make money is the implied motto.) That book, Dead Flat, also chronicled Pascal’s dilemma about whether to accept a promotion in the agency. By Château he is out of field work and into the office, renting a smelly apartment, and hating every minute of that illustrious French invention called bureaucracy.
His dissatisfaction with office work bubbles up in his mind as the idea emerges of owning a vineyard of his own. The desire grabs Pascal— being back on the soil, feeling the terroir, the grape on his tongue, the sun on his face. Although he has never been a farmer and in the past disparaged them as being prey to the whims of weather, markets, and a hundred other things, the idea blossoms into an obsession when he spies an abandoned vineyard seemingly waiting for his loving attention.
Thus begins his struggle to become a vintner. Not an easy one for Pascal— one day discouragement and resignation that it will never come to pass because he is too poor to buy a Bordeaux vineyard. (They are often priced in the multi-millions and he is, as he often says, a simple public servant.) The next day a glimmer of hope with strapped owners needing a cash infusion. And then, a death in the vineyard to upset all dreams.
The beautiful countryside of France is again a character in the story, providing spectacular imagery, delicious recipes, and rich history. The rolling hillsides planted with undulating rows of vines, dotted with the turrets of châteaux. Wide rivers flowing to the sea. Quaint villages hiding their secrets behind the intoxicating smell of baking bread and the piety of charming churches. I love the long, bloody history of France and have managed to wind the prehistoric age into this book. There are archeological sites all over France but we tend to hear about Viking ships unearthed in England. France too had its ancient tribes and lost settlements. Iron Age and early Roman finds figure in the tale.
Will Pascal get his vineyard? Will Merle buy her cottages? What is ailing Francie? How did the man come to die in the vineyard?
After those questions, the main events of the mystery, are resolved a few loose ends remained. So I wrote a free bonus epilogue that you can link to at the end of the e-book. (Use the QR code in the paperback.)
I’m so excited to share my latest mystery with you… continuing the Bennett Sisters’ adventures!
The new Bennett Sisters Mystery is right around a Parisian corner!
Blame it on Paris is the title of the new mystery, coming August 24. This time it’s Francie’s turn to be heroine, aided by Merle and Pascal in Paris. Francie is not having the best year at her law firm and is made to take a leave of absence while an investigation into allegations takes place. Around the same time she gets a letter from a young man whose friend has been arrested in Paris for drug crimes. When Francie realizes the connection to this American student, she agrees to help with his legal case.
Off to Paris! Where who does she run into at the Pont Neuf but an old boyfriend. His appearance brings back all Francie’s regrets and self-criticism for all her flighty, flirty ways that have gotten her into trouble over the years. Will he help her or hurt her here in Paris? Can American legal brains get a student out of one of Europe’s most notorious prisons?
And will spring ever come to Paris? Francie endures rain, dreary weather, and a search for flowering pink cherry trees as she works tirelessly to conquer her inner wounds, and save a young man from a stretch in a French prison.
Here’s an early review from Kathleen C:
The word “Paris” got me joining in, but it is Lise McClendon’s well-written story, well-developed characters, and engaging banter that kept me turning the pages. Francine Bennett, one of five Bennett sisters and a twenty-year veteran lawyer with Ward and Bailey, Esq., has been dealing with frustrating office politics, sudden illness of a named partner, and a disturbing “he said/she said” accusation that has facilitated a leave of absence. She has also been approached by a friend of Reese Pugh who is in a Paris jail without any friendly lawyer to stand for his defense against drug charges. Pugh’s parentage, personal letters, and inconsistent support from his parents have led to her decision to make a trip to Paris and deal with things in person. Ahhh, croissants, espresso, and the French legal system…mais oui!
This sixth book in the Bennett Sisters series is merveilleux! I was totally engaged in the entire story detailing personnel issues at Ward and Bailey, Esq., navigating the French legal system and language, insights into the delightful sisterhood, and the clever ranting channeling “Lawyrr Grrl” on her blog. Although there is a lot to unpack in this story, it is easy to follow along, and references to past events are not intrusive or a spoiler for those who are newbies wanting to go back and enjoy the series untainted. McClendon’s third-person narrative is informative including excellent descriptions to illustrate setting, cuisine, physical demeanor, and personalities, however, she doesn’t rely just on the narrative style. She pens delightful banter that also depicts tone and emotion. I enjoy the “sisterhood,” and am very taken with Francie. She may have regrets in her life, but she tries to support her sisters, colleagues, and clients to the best of her skill. “Oui!” I highly recommend this book. I was engrossed in all the stories that went beyond just a kid enmeshed in the drug community, and very pleased with the ultimate conclusions, pay backs, and Karma!
CHOCOLATE SAUCE
3 1⁄2 oz dark chocolate
scant 1⁄2 cup milk
To prepare the poached pears, peel the pears, cut in half and core. In a saucepan, combine the wine, sugar, orange, vanilla, cinnamon and honey. Bring to a boil. Add the pears and cook for 20 minutes over low heat. Remove from heat and let cool, covered.
To make the caramelized almonds, cook the sugar in a heavy saucepan over a medium heat until the sugar thickens to a rich brown caramel. Add the almonds, stirring to coat. Remove from heat and cool. Break up the hardened caramelized almonds and set aside.
To prepare the chocolate sauce, in a saucepan, combine the chocolate and milk. Heat on low, stirring occasionally until smooth. Keep warm.
Spread the batter onto a heated large, non-stick frying pan and cook until done. Fold the crêpe into a triangle and transfer to a plate.
Spoon some chocolate sauce over the crêpe. Top with a poached pear and sprinkle with caramelized almonds.
Taken from the book ‘Crêpes and Galettes from the Breizh Café’ by Bertrand Larcher – Originally published in the FrenchEntrée Magazine.
Have you had a busy spring? I know I have, thus I’ve neglected the blog! I’ve been trying to sell a house, move a houseful of *stuff*, finish a book (the next Bennett Sisters Mystery – yay! Details soon!), plus all sorts of fun travel opportunities popped up. My husband and I went to New York City to take in some much-needed theater and art and culture, then I met some high school friends in Sonoma County, California, for wine-tasting and good times, and now I’m in Seattle (again!) at my son’s place, celebrating a wedding anniversary.
To my lovely husband, who adores lamb, here is the latest in the Bennett Sisters French Cookbookseries. Happy anniversary, honey. I’m not cooking tonight — off to a French restaurant! But if I was, this would be it. ❤?☀
Lamb Shanks with Orange
Lamb Shanks — the lower leg of the lamb — are sometimes difficult to find. You may have to order them at your butcher. The meatier the better, but they vary. Use whatever combination of spices that you like: cloves, ginger, star anise, cardamom, and/or cinnamon. A delicious, warming meal that makes the kitchen smell amazing.
—- OR 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground clove or ground cardamom or ground ginger
1 navel orange, cut into eighths
1 tsp sugar
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup dry white wine
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown the lamb shanks in a large, heavy pot. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Turn over, brown other side, then remove from pan to a plate.
Add oil then onion, garlic, spices, and orange sections. Sauté until lightly browned, about five minutes.
Put the cover on the pot and place in the preheated oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Lamb should be tender and the sauce reduced. Transfer the meat to a platter and serve with sauce from the pot drizzled over them. Arrange orange slices and whole spices over and around them.
Taking a break from springtime French cooking (ha!) to enjoy this interview with John le Carré, done by the BBC in 1974.
One of my favorite writers, le Carré’s real name is David Cornwell. He’s now 86 and still going strong. His third George Smiley novel, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, published in 1963, established his worldwide reputation. The books were based on his own experiences in Britain’s intelligence service MI6. He’s never tried to hide his real name all these years and I don’t know if he ever explained why he chose a French name. [Carré in French can mean square, straight, or outspoken. Maybe that’s a clue.]
In his 2016 autobiography he dishes on all the “greats” he’s met, including film directors, prime ministers, and just the filthy rich. His father and mother don’t fare too well. His mother abandoned him at five; his father was a con man, often in prison. Some of his father’s characteristics no doubt served le Carré well in intelligence work.
His works have translated well into film and audiobooks. Many good memories of seeing the movie, The Constant Gardener, with Ralph Fiennes, then listening to the audiobook. Set in Kenya, it is a brutal love story, and vintage le Carré.
My last book of his to read is The Night Manager, about a man working in a Swiss hotel who is not exactly as he seems– ever.
What have you been reading? Love to hear your recommendations.
Celeriac, or celery root– céleri in French– is a bit of a mystery to most Americans. It’s simply the root of celery, the stalks of which we usually eat. It’s round, and white, and surprisingly tasty. Yes, it tastes like celery! Refreshingly light and crunchy.
Here are two French recipes using celeriac. The first, Cèleri Rémoulade, is a coleslaw-like salad, very common everywhere in France. Thanks to Helen Mulroney for making this with me.
Cèleri Rémoulade
Grate a medium-sized peeled celery root. Medium means 12 oz. or so, the size of large softball. Toss with 2 tbsp lemon juice immediately to keep it fresh.
Whisk together 1/3 c. mayonnaise, 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and (optional) 1 tbsp snipped chives.
Add the dressing to the grated celery root and toss to coat. Add more pepper to taste.
Makes a refreshing starter or salad course.
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Another way to use Celeriac is in this baked celery root mash with eggs.
Thanks again to master tester and food photographer, Judy Williams.
Celery Root Bake
before peeling
after peeling
1 medium celery root, about 12 ounces
5 tbsp butter
a handful of celery leaves or 1 green onion
4 – 6 eggs
salt
Peel the celery root- it peels easily with a peeler or paring knife. Cube it into 1-inch cubes, then boil the celery root in salted water for about five minutes, until tender.
Mash celery root with as much butter as looks tasty. Chop the celery leaves or green onion and stir into mash.
Put the mash into a baking dish or four ramekins and make 4 (or more) indentations. (Amount of mash will differ depending on size of celery root.) Fill each one with an egg. Season each egg with salt and top with a dab of butter. If using ramekins, place on a baking sheet.
Bake in a 475 F oven until the eggs set but the yolks are still runny, about 12-15 minutes.
Garish with green onions or chopped celery leaves
For a special dish add shaved truffles to the mash.
Bon appetit!
adapted from Fergus Henderson in Nose to Tail Eating
The name ‘Quatre Quarts’ translates as four fourths, to make up one whole, in this case one pound cake.
The Quatre Quarts cake is something French housewives throw together for afternoon tea, or in case a neighbor drops by. It would be impolite not to have something to serve. The ingredients here are so simple: eggs, butter, sugar, and flour, that anyone can keep them on hand. Merle Bennett is exposed to this cake on her first visit to Malcouziac, the fictional village in the Dordogne in Blackbird Fly.
Because I live at high altitude I had to experiment with this cake. Also the fact that only the small oven in my range is working made me a little nervous. Experiment with it yourself. There are other recipes out there, like Eugenie’s and Jacques Pepin’s.
Here is the one I used.
3 large eggs
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter, salted or unsalted (1 1/2 sticks).
Pour the sugar in a bowl. Add the melted butter and blend it in with a wooden spoon until smooth. Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Set the whites aside. Add the egg yolks to the sugar-butter mix. Stir well. The more you beat, the lighter the cake. Slowly add the sifted flour and incorporate it gradually Add some salt (up to a whole teaspoon) if you’re using unsalted butter only. Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites and beat until stiff. If the egg whites have been beaten enough you should be able to flip the bowl upside down, in other words, very stiff peaks.
Incorporate the egg whites to the batter, a big spoonful at a time, carefully making under-and-over motions until evenly blended. The foam of the meringue should stay intact. This is important in getting a fluffy cake. Pour the batter in a buttered 9-inch round metallic cake pan.
Bake at 350F for about 45 minutes or until golden (if you stick a knife in the center of the cake it should come out dry).
how it should look!
I won’t show you the photo of my cake as it was rather sad. I decided to use the labor-saving, baking powder method instead of beating the egg whites: NOT recommended. It did not rise at all and began to over-bake by 35 minutes. It still tasted pretty good though (we ate it for breakfast) and I will try it again with my mixer to beat those egg whites! No short-cuts allowed.
Do you make pound cake, French or otherwise? Do you add almonds or fruits? Love to hear in comments about your successes!
To say that I hate January is an understatement. It is long, cold, and dark in Montana, and I often go a little bit crazy inside the house! This year we’ve flown south, as snowbirds do, and seem to be managing the month with a daily dose of sunshine. January isn’t the cruelest month… they are all variously cruel, especially when you lose favorite authors and longtime friends.
Today I heard about my pal, Bill Moody, who began publishing mysteries with me at Walker & Company Publishing, back in the early ’90s, has passed away. We each published about four books in our series (me starting with The Bluejay Shaman and Bill with Solo Hand, about his jazz pianist who loses use of one hand so begins sleuthing.) We shared an editor and publisher, as well as two different agents for a time. Bill was an accomplished jazz drummer who worked all over the world with Lou Rawls and many others. He introduced me to people at conventions, and vice versa, and we became convention buddies.
In 1996 at Left Coast Crime in Boulder, Colorado, he played drums unrehearsed as I recited my little tone-poem, Rides a Black and White Horse, told from the point of view of a mystery novel.
John Harvey, Lise, Jerry Healy, Alan Russell
One of the highlights of my life, that night, and Bill just did it, impromptu and without an anxious moment. (Bill is in the back, out of sight, in this photo. Jerry Healy in the red shirt is also sadly gone.) John Harvey, a fellow jazz aficionado with Bill, played tambourine for me and Alan Russell did his finger-snapping.
Bill taught creative writing at Sonoma State in Santa Rosa, California. My last contact with him was last fall, when I asked on Facebook if anybody knew if he was out of harm’s way of the raging fires there. He sent me a friend request, said he was fine, then disappeared again… Bill could be irascible but he had a big heart. He once told me that our editor was saying things about me at a convention, which you might find cruel, but it was actually something I really needed to know. He didn’t pull punches, he told it like it was. Bill was 76 (and a heavy smoker… We traveled to Nottingham Bouchercon in the UK together about the time smoking was banned on all flights, and I remember how pissed off he was! I mention this just to show you that smokers do sometimes beat the odds.)
He died in his sleep on January 14, and was found when he didn’t show up for a gig. I will miss you, Bill. We all will. Rest in peace.
•••
Another author who recently passed away is Peter Mayle, author of the hilarious memoirs and crime capers set in southern France. His success with A Year in Provence was unexpected and huge, creating problems for Mayle and his wife, Jennie, especially when the BBC created a television series based on their lives. They decamped to the US for awhile then relocated in a secret location in Provence. My friend Helen and I hiked through the Luberon last spring near where they lived and missed our chance to meet Mr. Mayle! (Not that we tried, but it would have been fun.) I loved his books, read them all, especially his later novels like Hotel Pastis and A Good Year, made into a delicious film with Russell Crowe. The closest we came was drinking a bottle of wine from the real vineyard where A Good Year was filmed. (Very good!)
As the British newspaper The Telegraph noted in revisiting its success in a 2006 article, the book [A Year in Provence] “somehow tapped deep into a slumbering, latent, hitherto unknown British desire for sunshine and fine wine, for peeling shutters and croissants, for distressed armoires and saucisson and the good life in the French countryside.”
My Bennett Sisters Mysteries owe a huge debt of gratitude for Mayle, who not only kindled that desire in the British but also Americans, Australians, and just about everyone else. No more of that delectable, dry British wit. ? Mayle was 78.
What could be more warming and satisfying on a cold winter’s night than this delicious French veal stew? Blanquette de veau is a classic dish that is served all over France. Blanquette is the French term for a ragout of white meat (veal, lamb or poultry) cooked in a white stock or water with aromatic flavorings, without browning in butter thus keeping it “white.” It requires some time… as my friend and fellow francophile Judy Williams discovered when she made it recently but will be appreciated by your friends and family. Thank you, Judy, and thanks to your tasters, Malcolm and Ainsley too.
NOTE: This recipe has been edited for clarification… If you copied it, please check it out again! Sorry about that.
Blanquette de veau
Ingredients (serves 4-6):
2-1/2 lbs. veal shoulder (cut into 2-inch cubes) NOTE: To save time have the butcher cube the veal for you. You will need to get this from a specialty butcher anyway.
2 carrots (sliced into chunky sticks)
2 leeks (sliced, white part only)
1 small onion
2 garlic cloves (sliced)
2 small shallots (sliced – keep one half uncut)
1 celery stalk (sliced)
4 cloves
1/2 pound white mushrooms
1/3 pound pearl onions (peeled)
4 tbsp white wine (optional)
2 tbsp butter (or olive oil, for frying the mushrooms)
Salt and pepper, for seasoning
For the bouquet garni:
A bunch of thyme
One bay leaf
A few sprigs of parsley
For the sauce:
A few squeezes of fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup crème fraîche
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup butter
2 egg yolks
Chop the carrots into chunky sticks, coarsely slice the onion, shallots, leeks, celery, and garlic. (Tip to peel pearl onions: trim the root and put in a heat-proof dish, pour boiling water over them and let stand about 4-5 minutes, then plunge into cold water. The skins will peel right off.) Keep half a shallot and stick the cloves in.
Make a simple bouquet garni with a few sprigs of thyme, parsley and bay leaf (tie with some twine or wrap in cheesecloth).
Blanch the cubed veal in about 8 cups of boiling salted water for 1-2 minutes. Add the onion, shallots, garlic, bouquet garni and all the other vegetables– except mushrooms and pearl onions but including the half shallot with cloves. Add the wine. Bring to a soft boil for 2 minutes. Season with salt. Cover and cook on a low heat for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Remove all the meat, bouquet garni, vegetables and set aside. Cover to keep them warm. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve, reserving four cups of broth. Then boil down the broth to 2 cups for the sauce.
In a saucepan melt ¼ c. butter and add 1/3 c. flour, cooking over low heat until smooth and golden. Add the stock from the pot and cream. Pour the roux sauce into the blanquette pot. Mix well with a whisk and cook for 5 minutes on a low heat, until the stew sauce starts to slightly thicken. Return the veal and strained veggies to the pot and simmer about 15 minutes.
At the same time, sauté the sliced mushrooms and peeled pearl onions in 2 T butter. Drizzle with Lemon juice and add to blanquette.
In a separate bowl combine the crème fraiche, lemon juice, and 2 egg yolks. Add 1 – 2 ladles of blanquette sauce to the bowl – you don’t want to curdle the eggs. Stir well, then add to the blanquette. Warm through and serve immediately with rice. Garnish with parsley.
NOTES: Two-and-a-half pounds of veal shoulder before trimming was plenty for 6 people. The ancient version of this recipe recommends pasta instead of rice. Sometimes even potatoes are used as a base.
Judy says: This was time-consuming, but OMG so good!
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Just a quick update… I’m giving away two ebook copies of ‘The Things We Said Today’– the fourth book in the Bennett Sisters series. This is the story where the whole family goes to Scotland for Annie and Callum’s wedding. The sisters (and Pascal) stay in the family’s hunting lodge in the Highlands. When a torrential storm hits they end up cut off from the rest of the wedding party. Mayhem ensues! And rain, lots of very Scottish rain.
The French translation of ‘Blackbird Fly,’ first in the Bennett Sisters Mystery series, is now available. Woo hoo! Or, excuse me, Ooh-la-la! Emma Cazabonne translated the novel and Gaelle Davis proofread the translation. Both native French speakers, Emma lives in the Chicago area now while Gaelle lives in France.
The title in French, À Vol de Merle, translates to ‘As the blackbird flies.’ One of the issues we had to deal with was of course a French title, and how to capitalize it. The French don’t use capitals as much as we do in English, generally only capitalizing the first word in a title. I overruled my native French speakers however after reading that often the first important noun in a title is also capitalized. (In this case ‘vol’ is the noun ‘flight.’) We also capitalized ‘Merle,’ which means blackbird in French, because it is a proper name in the book. Merle Bennett is unaware of the meaning of her name until late in the book. (That aspect of the story may be a bit awkward.)
I am not fluent in French myself, although I took a number of years in high school. So I’m going to read À Vol de Merle as a way to brush up on my French. I know the story but I will keep my dictionary close at hand (along with a glass of wine of course.)
À Vol de Merle is on sale on Amazon &KOBO. Coming soon to Nook and iTunes.
One of my favorite writers, le Carré’s real name is David Cornwell. He’s now 86 and still going strong. His third George Smiley novel, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, published in 1963, established his worldwide reputation. The books were based on his own experiences in Britain’s intelligence service MI6. He’s never tried to hide his real name all these years and I don’t know if he ever explained why he chose a French name. [Carré in French can mean square, straight, or outspoken. Maybe that’s a clue.]
Put the mash into a baking dish or four ramekins and make 4 (or more) indentations. (Amount of mash will differ depending on size of celery root.) Fill each one with an egg. Season each egg with salt and top with a dab of butter. If using ramekins, place on a baking sheet.
The name ‘Quatre Quarts’ translates as four fourths, to make up one whole, in this case one pound cake.
At the same time, sauté the sliced mushrooms and peeled pearl onions in 2 T butter. Drizzle with Lemon juice and add to blanquette.
Just a quick update… I’m giving away two ebook copies of ‘The Things We Said Today’– the fourth book in the Bennett Sisters series. This is the story where the whole family goes to Scotland for Annie and Callum’s wedding. The sisters (and Pascal) stay in the family’s hunting lodge in the Highlands. When a torrential storm hits they end up cut off from the rest of the wedding party. Mayhem ensues! And rain, lots of very Scottish rain.
