Candied Orange Peel dipped in chocolate
It has been an exhausting couple of weeks, and today is the first day life has a semblance of normality. All Smalls, including the post-tonsillectomy twins, climbed on the school bus this morning, a housekeeper arrived for a week's trial, and Mummy was finally able to breathe.
I was due to go in to NYC for dinner tonight with my writing partner, Sarah Laurence, but Mohammed was unable to get to the mountain, so the mountain (apologies to Sarah who is quite spectacularly tiny), drove out to Mohammed in her Dad's car.
We ignored the mayhem and had a wonderful, easy lunch of leftover Coulibiac (I'm going to be eating this stuff for WEEKS), and had the bigger Smalls not arrived home, I could have stayed chatting with her for hours. I have committed to working the rest of this week, and I am finally on the home stretch with this book.
The bad news is, England and America can't agree on a title. What would work so spectacularly in America, has no resonance in England, and vice versa. I am entirely resistant to having two titles, as I have had hundreds of furious letters from people who bought To Have and To Hold, and then Spellbound, only to find it is one and the same, however we don't seem to be able to reach an agreement. I will let you know all titles as soon as I have them. Right now the contenders are Dune Road in the US, and Girl Friday in the UK.
I am also trying to find time to make Christmas gifts. A couple of years ago we made tea hampers: English tea, home-made scones, biscuits, clotted cream, and jam. This year I am planning candied orange peel dipped in chocolate. I have lifted the following recipe from both Giada di Laurentis and The Food Network, changing it only to dip half the finished peel in melted chocolate. I also think presentation is vital, and we have ordered green Chinese take-out boxes and forest green tissue paper to put them in.
We made some of these last week to take to The Actor and family, to thank them for welcoming us, yet again, for their fantastic Pizza Night. They were supposed to be a gift, but we all dug into them after pizza, and there weren't many left. I highly recommend them, and God knows I ate enough of them to be able to give a decent recommendation...
Candied Orange Peel dipped in chocolate
Ingredients
6 thick-skinned Valencia or navel oranges
4 1/2 cups sugar, plus extra for rolling
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions
Cut tops and bottoms off of the orange and score the orange into quarters, cutting down only into the peel and not into the fruit. Peel the skin and pith of the orange in large pieces, use the orange for another recipe. Cut the peel into thin strips. Put the orange peel in a large saucepan with cold water to cover, bring to a boil over high heat. Then pour off the water. Repeat twice more. Remove the orange peels from the pan.
Whisk the sugar with 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 8 to 9 minutes
(If you took the sugar's temperature with a candy thermometer it would be at the soft thread stage, 230 to 234 degrees F.) Add the peels and simmer gently, reducing heat to retain a simmer. Cook until the peels get translucent, about 45 minutes. Resist the urge to stir the peels or you may introduce sugar crystals into the syrup. If necessary, swirl the pan to move the peels around. Drain the peels, (save the syrup for ice tea.) Roll the peels in sugar and dry on a rack, for 4 to 5 hours. Return to the sugar to store.
Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Stir the chocolate in a small bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Dip 1 1/2-inches of each candied orange peel into the chocolate then place them on the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate until the chocolate is set, about 15 minutes.
That sounds yummy.....
That sounds yummy.....
I'm glad you got to take time out to be normal for a bit and relax. This time of year is so crazy it's hard to get a moment ever. I know that between working on my novel and doing the college thing my life has been hectic lately. That recipe looks stunning.
I'm glad you got to take time out to be normal for a bit and relax. This time of year is so crazy it's hard to get a moment ever. I know that between working on my novel and doing the college thing my life has been hectic lately. That recipe looks stunning.
Jane, thanks so much for lunch! I could happily eat your delicious Coulibiac all week, especially in your delightful company.
As an American, I’m not sure I get the “Dune Road” title – it makes me think of the Dune sci fi books. I googled it and found one on the Hamptons that gets washed out to sea. I do get “Girl Friday” and find it fun. Don’t Americans read (or at least heard of) Robinson Crusoe? I guess we don’t use the term for an office girl/assistant. Now I’m worrying about my “Not Cricket” on this side of the Atlantic, but it’s just a working title with plenty more of the novel to write. How exciting that you are so close to being done that the naming has already begun! It would be nice to have one title.
Jane, thanks so much for lunch! I could happily eat your delicious Coulibiac all week, especially in your delightful company.
As an American, I’m not sure I get the “Dune Road” title – it makes me think of the Dune sci fi books. I googled it and found one on the Hamptons that gets washed out to sea. I do get “Girl Friday” and find it fun. Don’t Americans read (or at least heard of) Robinson Crusoe? I guess we don’t use the term for an office girl/assistant. Now I’m worrying about my “Not Cricket” on this side of the Atlantic, but it’s just a working title with plenty more of the novel to write. How exciting that you are so close to being done that the naming has already begun! It would be nice to have one title.
i have always wondered... what exactly is "clotted cream"??
i have always wondered... what exactly is "clotted cream"??
Am I v v thick here? (Rhetorical question). Why wouldn't 'Dune Road' work in UK? Is it supposed to conjure up something v specific? Likewise, why wouldn't 'Girl Friday' work over here? Any release dates to share yet?
Am I v v thick here? (Rhetorical question). Why wouldn't 'Dune Road' work in UK? Is it supposed to conjure up something v specific? Likewise, why wouldn't 'Girl Friday' work over here? Any release dates to share yet?
Girl Friday makes sense to me. It makes me think of the Romantic Comedy His Girl Friday with Rosalind Russell and Cary Grant. I don't know if that is an appropriate frame of reference for your new novel, however, you could call it My Next Book and I would buy it immediately.
I'm glad your world is getting back to normal. I am catching up on your blog entries having spent the entire week of Thanksgiving touring around Ireland with my husband and mother-in-law. It sounds like you have had one of those times where the fabulous and fun and the insanely stressful are all sort of blended together. I honestly can't imagine how you work, raise 4 children plus assorted pets and seem to effortlessly throw these amazing meals together while keeping everything looking nice. All I do is work full time and take care of one dog and one cat while the thought of throwing together a "poor man's" beef stroganoff and some steamed broccoli for tonight's dinner seems like it might be too much.
Girl Friday makes sense to me. It makes me think of the Romantic Comedy His Girl Friday with Rosalind Russell and Cary Grant. I don't know if that is an appropriate frame of reference for your new novel, however, you could call it My Next Book and I would buy it immediately.
I'm glad your world is getting back to normal. I am catching up on your blog entries having spent the entire week of Thanksgiving touring around Ireland with my husband and mother-in-law. It sounds like you have had one of those times where the fabulous and fun and the insanely stressful are all sort of blended together. I honestly can't imagine how you work, raise 4 children plus assorted pets and seem to effortlessly throw these amazing meals together while keeping everything looking nice. All I do is work full time and take care of one dog and one cat while the thought of throwing together a "poor man's" beef stroganoff and some steamed broccoli for tonight's dinner seems like it might be too much.
I don't care what the title is- I still can't wait to read the book! Have to say, Dune Road makes me think of Science fiction. Do you have a sci-fi geek girl as a character? That would be fun, we are so under-represented. If you need help with great Star Wars quotes, you know where to find me.
I don't care what the title is- I still can't wait to read the book! Have to say, Dune Road makes me think of Science fiction. Do you have a sci-fi geek girl as a character? That would be fun, we are so under-represented. If you need help with great Star Wars quotes, you know where to find me.
I like Dune Road - sounds like a wonderful beach read. Girl Friday is certainly understandable for this Yank but doesn't seem as catchy to me for some reason. Sometimes I think publishers don't give their readers enough credit, i.e. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was re-titled Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone for it's US release. Why? And I've noticed cover art varies as well ... bizarre.
P.S. Can't wait for the new book Jane. Not to push you along but do we have an ETA yet
I like Dune Road - sounds like a wonderful beach read. Girl Friday is certainly understandable for this Yank but doesn't seem as catchy to me for some reason. Sometimes I think publishers don't give their readers enough credit, i.e. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was re-titled Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone for it's US release. Why? And I've noticed cover art varies as well ... bizarre.
P.S. Can't wait for the new book Jane. Not to push you along but do we have an ETA yet
I just finished To Have and To Hold and it mentions Alice and Harry's relationship, as well as Josie and Al's, as being stories for other books. Any plans to make those happen? I greatly enjoy your books. The characters are lovable and relateable.
I just finished To Have and To Hold and it mentions Alice and Harry's relationship, as well as Josie and Al's, as being stories for other books. Any plans to make those happen? I greatly enjoy your books. The characters are lovable and relateable.
Girl Friday, definitely. Much more resonant. Who thinks that Americans won't get this? Why are we always so mis-underestimated, as our soon-to-be-former President once said?
I was really interested in your gift box ideas . . . but peeling those oranges sounds like a terrible palaver. I am doing chutney, biscuit tins from M&S, and cheese this year. I think that chutney is easier than orange peel, but I'm sure the latter perfumes the kitchen more pleasingly. (The family complained for two days about the vinegary smell.)
Girl Friday, definitely. Much more resonant. Who thinks that Americans won't get this? Why are we always so mis-underestimated, as our soon-to-be-former President once said?
I was really interested in your gift box ideas . . . but peeling those oranges sounds like a terrible palaver. I am doing chutney, biscuit tins from M&S, and cheese this year. I think that chutney is easier than orange peel, but I'm sure the latter perfumes the kitchen more pleasingly. (The family complained for two days about the vinegary smell.)
Girl Friday, from a Canadian in UK, sounds wonderfully romantic. I like it much better!! The choc orange sounds good, but not my cup of tea. Much prefer the scones etc... Nice idea and very English. Glad the twins are back at school so you can get back to routine. xx
Girl Friday, from a Canadian in UK, sounds wonderfully romantic. I like it much better!! The choc orange sounds good, but not my cup of tea. Much prefer the scones etc... Nice idea and very English. Glad the twins are back at school so you can get back to routine. xx
ok, I'm neither american nor english, but I think dune road is reminiscent of maeve binchy books, so I don't think it would be a good ide to go with this. Girls friday sounds better, but still not too convincing. Obviously, all of us reading the blog will leap at the book not even bothering with the title, but it's the ones who have not yet been introduced to your work you should really be looking at, in my opinion.
ok, I'm neither american nor english, but I think dune road is reminiscent of maeve binchy books, so I don't think it would be a good ide to go with this. Girls friday sounds better, but still not too convincing. Obviously, all of us reading the blog will leap at the book not even bothering with the title, but it's the ones who have not yet been introduced to your work you should really be looking at, in my opinion.
Came here by way of Sarah's blog. What a wonderful visit the two of you had and how lovely to have a writing partner!
I think Girl Friday works very well for this Yank!
Came here by way of Sarah's blog. What a wonderful visit the two of you had and how lovely to have a writing partner!
I think Girl Friday works very well for this Yank!
Thank you for the recipe for the candied orange peels dipped in chocolate. I made them for my boss and coworker and they just loved them! I used dark chocolate chips because they both love dark chocolate and my boss said that they were better than anything she has bought in a store.
Thank you for the recipe for the candied orange peels dipped in chocolate. I made them for my boss and coworker and they just loved them! I used dark chocolate chips because they both love dark chocolate and my boss said that they were better than anything she has bought in a store.
I have heard of these treats! I think they are called Orangette's...but I've never tried them. I may have to attempt to make these on my own.
By the way, what exactly does a writing partner do? Is it like a writing group?
I have heard of these treats! I think they are called Orangette's...but I've never tried them. I may have to attempt to make these on my own.
By the way, what exactly does a writing partner do? Is it like a writing group?
I think your title, "Girl Friday" works if you intend to suggest an eariler decade-or your character is a spunky type. I like the personal approach you have here at your blog; your writing is accessible and intelligent.
I think your title, "Girl Friday" works if you intend to suggest an eariler decade-or your character is a spunky type. I like the personal approach you have here at your blog; your writing is accessible and intelligent.