Friday, April 12, 2019

A Spot of Sherry?



Edith Maxwell joins us today on Drinks with Reads to celebrate her new book, Charity's Burden. Edith writes the Quaker Midwife Mysteries, the Local Foods Mysteries, and award-winning short crime fiction. As Maddie Day she writes the Country Store Mysteries and the Cozy Capers Book Group Mysteries. Maxwell, with seventeen novels in print and four more completed, has been nominated for an Agatha Award six times. She lives north of Boston with her beau and two elderly cats, and gardens and cooks when she isn’t killing people on the page or wasting time on Facebook. You can find her on Instagramand at the Wicked Authors blog.

Edith is also giving away an autographed copy of the book. Simply comment below to enter. US Residents only. 


Quaker midwife Rose Carroll does not imbibe intoxicating beverages. But her quirky friend Bertie Winslow quite enjoys a spot of sherry after she arrives home from her job as postmistress of Amesbury, their bustling Massachusetts mill and factory town in the late 1880s. Sherry, a wine fortified with brandy, became a popular drink in nineteenth-century America.

I ran across this recipe for a fancier drink than simply sherry in a glass, and I imagine Bertie will be seen fixing it in my next Quaker Midwife mystery, too. The cobbler was apparently consumed widely. It was even mentioned in novels by Nathaniel Hawthorne, and by Charles Dickens after he toured the United States (https://www.saveur.com/sherry-cobbler-drink-of-an-era). Many of us think of baked fruit cobblers, but this use meaning a summer drink made with wine or liqueur, ice, and fruit slices is older. 

Enjoy!

Sherry Cobbler

4 oz. dry amontillado or oloroso sherry
14 oz. (or ½ tbsp.) simple syrup
2 slices orange, halved
Shake the sherry, syrup, and one half slice orange in a shaker. Strain it into a pretty glass filled with crushed ice or cubes and garnish with orange slices. Enjoy!

I’m delighted Charity’s Burden, Quaker Midwife Mystery #4, is out, and I am happy to announce the series is moving over to Beyond the Page Publishing. Look for Judge Thee Not to release this fall, and there will be at least two more books in the series after that. 

Charity’s Burden:
When Charity Skells dies in winter of 1889 from an apparent early miscarriage, Quaker midwife Rose Carroll wonders about the copious amount of blood. She learns Charity’s husband appears to be up to no good with a young woman, a mysterious Madame Restante appears to offer illegal abortions and herbal birth control, and a disgraced physician in town does the same. Rose once again works with police detective Kevin Donovan to solve the case before another life is taken. 



24 comments:

  1. I'm thrilled that this series will have more books in it. Love Rose Carroll and can't wait for the opportunity to read "Charity's Burden"! I'll be waiting with great anticipation for "Judge Thee Not" as well. Edith Maxwell is a great author whose books I thoroughly enjoy. Each new one is always tops on my TBR list.

    The recipe for Sherry Cobbler sounds yummy. I didn't realize that they were talking about a drink instead of a dessert. Might be able to use it as a code word for wanting something more than a sweet dessert from now on. :)

    Thank you for the chance to win a copy of a book that I'm dying to read!
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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  2. I can see Bertie with a Sherry Cobbler. I must admit I've never had sherry before, and haven't a clue about what it tastes like. I may have to give it a try. Thanks for being on Mystery Playground, Edith, and I'm so glad that Rose's books will continue ~

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  3. Brilliant. Recently at Watertown Library & displayed very promInently was an Edith Maxwell book. Go-Edith! Kudos on all of it. Congrats on your beautiful process of writing.

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  4. This novel sounds intriguing and unique. Edith is so creative and talented. Congratulations and best wishes. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  5. Congratulations on your iaccomplishments, rankings and new publisher and very importantly more books to come. I would be honored to win a signed copy of your book and share it with my daughter at the very least! My books "get around"!

    I'm sure you know that I'm a fan and wish you even more great things in the future!

    Cynthia B
    Cynthia Bayer Blain on Facebook as I don't leave email in blogs anymore. Thank you.

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  6. Congrats! Your books are fascinating and this historical interests me greatly. Wonderful writing and great books.

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  7. Oh Bertie! We would get along swimmingly. I cannot imbibe at the moment... or for another 27 days(4 wk elimination diet), but I will make this drink as soon as I'm cleared. Thank you for giving me something to look forward to.
    Konecny7(at)gmail(dot)

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    1. You are welcome, Marci. Good luck with the diet! My version is to eliminating elimination diets... ;^)

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  8. What a interesting sounding book I don’t think I ever read about illegal abortions in a story. I’d like to read it. Thank you for the opportunity.donakutska7@gmail.com

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    1. Donamae, random.org picked you! Please send your snail mail address to me at edith@edithmaxwell.com. Congratulations!

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  9. The recipes and the book sound very intriguing. Legallyblonde1961@yahoo.com

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  10. Love reading historical fiction and I really enjoyed the synopsis of the book. I'm looking forward to reading "Charity's Burden".
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

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  11. Taylor R. WilliamsApril 12, 2019 at 8:09 PM

    I can't wait to read this series - it sounds so good. Thanks for the chance to win. trwilliams(at)msn(dot)com

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  12. Random.org picked Donamae Kutska as our winner. Congratulations! Please send your snail mail address to me at edith@edithmaxwell.com.

    Thanks to all for your comments, and to Deborah for hosting me here. I wish I had a book for everyone.

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