Friday, March 10, 2017

Pekoe Most Poison & Elevenses



Laura Childs is back with us cooking up Elevenses to go with her new book, Pekoe Most Poison. 

In the latest Tea Shop Mystery from New York Times bestselling author Laura Childs, Theodosia Browning attends a “Rat Tea,” where the mice will play...at murder.
 
When Indigo Tea Shop owner Theodosia Browning is invited by Doreen Briggs, one of Charleston’s most prominent hostesses, to a “Rat Tea,” she is understandably intrigued.  As servers dressed in rodent costumes and wearing white gloves offer elegant finger sandwiches and fine teas, Theo learns these parties date back to early twentieth-century Charleston, where the cream of society would sponsor so-called rat teas to promote city rodent control and better public health. But this party goes from odd to chaotic when a fire starts at one of the tables and Doreen’s entrepreneur husband suddenly goes into convulsions and drops dead. Has his favorite orange pekoe tea been poisoned? Theo smells a rat. The distraught Doreen soon engages Theo to pursue a discreet inquiry into who might have murdered her husband. As Theo and her tea sommelier review the guest list for suspects, they soon find themselves drawn into a dangerous game of cat and mouse... 


I am sure everyone would enjoy a snack chosen from the recipes in Pekoe Most Poison. Perhaps one of Haley’s Banana Muffins or an Apple Nut Square would do. 

If ever you are feeling a bit puckish in the mid-morning and fancy an elevenses break, I have just the drink to accompany your pastry in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. I have heard that some people like to have a nice cuppa for their break and still others enjoy a bracing tipple of whiskey. ELEVENSES, a cocktail crafted from tea, fruit and Irish whiskey is sure to please everyone. Isn’t it the perfect St. Patrick’s Day drink?


ELEVENSES 

Ingredients:
3 ounces Irish whiskey
2 teaspoons raspberry preserves
1-ounce fresh lemon juice
2 1/2 ounces Irish breakfast tea

Put all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a Collins glass. Add ice if desired.

After the fine Irish music stops and the St. Patrick’s Day celebration has ended, you may want to sit quietly to sip your ELEVENSES and read a terrific book. I can highly recommend Pekoe Most Poison. Not only is it a sumptuous guilty pleasure but the plot moves at a thriller pace and will grip your attention until the very last page.


Sláinte
Laura Childs


LAURA CHILDS BIO 

Laura Childs is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. Under her real name of Gerry Schmitt, she is the author of the Afton Tangler Thriller series including Little Girl Gone and Shadow Girl. In her previous life she was CEO of her own marketing firm, authored several screenplays, and produced a reality TV show. She is married to Dr. Bob, a professor of Chinese art history, enjoys travel, and her two Shar-Pei dogs.

5 comments:

  1. A Big thank you to Laura! Great post.

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  2. Delicious drink especially with scones.

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  3. Excited to have found the link to this !!!!! Love your books and that Irish tea recipe sounds delicious !!!!

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  4. Deb, I am excited to be here with you and all the Mystery Playground friends. Happy St. Patrick's Day to one and all.

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    1. Thank you, Laura! Always great to have you stop by.

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