A Christmas Gift for My Readers: It's a Gingerbread Christmas! By Connie Vines #Round Robin, #GingerbreadCookies , #Free Read, Christmas

This month's post is a gift to our readers (Thank you, Skye).  A short story, poem, or essay.  

I, as usual, am standing on my own island, located between a short story and an essay.

As I've mentioned, frequently before, I love gingerbread. I have a special fondness for gingerbread cookies.    

In the case of the cookies, it is more about the process. Of course, the cookies are delicious. 

A Chef might describe gingerbread cookies as: A complex and comforting symphony of flavors: warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cloves dance with a subtle sweetness, creating a unique taste profile that is both festive and deeply satisfying. The molasses, a key ingredient, contributes a rich, slightly bitter note that balances the sweetness and provides a distinctive depth of flavor.

I notice: the spice blend. Ginger provides a sharp, pungent bite that is both warming and invigorating.  Cinnamon adds a sweet warmth, while cloves contribute a substantial aromatic complexity. Nutmeg has a subtle nutty undertone. The exact proportions of these spices vary, resulting in a diverse range of gingerbread cookie flavors. A heavier hand with ginger yields a spicer, more intense cookie, while a more generous amount of cinnamon creates a milder, sweeter cookie.

Molassas Magic.  Molasses, the dark, viscous byproduct of sugar refining, is crucial for the characteristic gingerbread flavor. Its deep, slightly bitter taste adds complexity and richness, preventing the cooking from becoming overly sweet. The type of molasses used: light, dark, or blackstrap (my grandfather's favorite), significantly impacts the final flavor. Light molasses offers a mild sweetness, while dark molasses contributes a more robust and slightly bitter taste.  Blackstrap molasses, the most intense, adds a distinct, almost burnt caramel taste that can be overpowering if used excessively. 

Sugar, typically brown sugar, adds sweetness and moisture, contributing to the cookie's soft texture. The sugar also impacts the overall sweetness and crispness. Butter or shortening provides richness and tenderness, while influencing the cookie's texture. Butter adds a buttery flavor, while shortening makes the cookie more tender and crumbly.

The texture of gingerbread cookies further enhances the tasting experience. The cookies can range from soft and chewy to crisp and snappy, depending on the recipe and the baking time. A slightly chewy gingerbread cookie allows the flavors to linger on the palate, while the crisp cookie provides a satisfying crunch.

My Q and A  

What is the difference between gingerbread cookies and gingerbread cake?

Yes, I love gingerbread.

Ready for the oven :)

My kitchen table has a custom tablecloth.

Do you have a favorite gingerbread recipe?

Are you a gingerbread lover or a gingerbread hater?

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

Connie

For more Holiday Adventures, please stop by and visit the talented authors posting today. 

(and in a bit of self-promo) My rodeo romance "LYNX" is available in audio (Amazon)

Blog Hop:

Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea

Anne Stenhouse http://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com (Graham)

Connie Vines http://mizging.blogspot.com/ (you are here )

Diane Bator https://escapewithawriter.wordpress.com/

Helena Fairfax http://www.helenafairfax.com/blog

Victoria Chatham http://www.victoriachatham.com

Sally Odgers https://behindsallysbooksmark2.blogspot.com 

YA and Middle Grade Novels--Aren't Just for YA Readers Any Longer! By Connie Vines #BWLAuthor, #MFRWAuthor, #YANovels, #MiddleGradeNovels, #RandomThoughtsScatteredAbout

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Weekly Feature #3

Hello, My Lovelies,

Who says young adult novels are just for kids? Reading YA offers adults a world they don’t often find in more grown-up novels. The settings can be more fantastical, and the emotions can feel downright nostalgic. Whatever your reason for diving in, here are some YA reads that can easily be appreciated by an older audience.

Did you know:

A 2012 survey by a market research firm found that 55 percent of these books are bought by people older than 18. (The definition of YA is increasingly fuzzy, but it generally refers to books written for 12- to 17-year-olds. Meanwhile, the cultural definition of “young adult” now stretches practically to age 30, which may have something to do with this whole phenomenon.)

The largest group of buyers in that survey—accounting for a whopping 28 percent of all YA sales—are between ages 30 and 44. 

Today’s YA, we are constantly reminded, is worldly and adult-worthy. 

 Most importantly, these books consistently indulge in the kind of endings that teenagers want to see. YA endings are uniformly satisfying, whether that satisfaction comes through weeping or cheering. 

These endings are emblematic of the fact that the emotional and moral ambiguity of adult fiction—of the real world—is nowhere in evidence in YA fiction. These endings are for readers who prefer things to be wrapped up neatly, our heroes married or dead or happily grasping hands, looking to the future. 

Great works of fiction for YA Readers include: 

• To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. 
• Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott.
• The Diary of Anne Frank, by Anne Frank.
• Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, by Mildred D. Taylor.
• Don't Ask Me Where I'm From, by Jennifer De Leon. 
• Bloom, by Elizabeth Scott.

I began my writing career in YA fiction. I wrote on spec for Junior Detective Magazine, Humpty Dumpty Magazine, Brilliant Star, and AIM Magazine. Several of my non-fiction articles became part of the Benjamin Franklin Educational Series.

Artwork: Al Michini

My article received promo on the front cover of the magazine!  I was so excited!!

Artwork: Larry Simmons

During this time, and for the next fifteen years, I judged local and international writing contests, spoke at libraries and in middle school classrooms and assemblies.  

I always requested student topics in advance so I could discuss topics of interest with the current group.  Afterward, I held Q & A.

My favorite appearance was during the school district(s) yearly "Young Author Awards." I served on the board of the Pomona Valley Writers Association. Our members read every entry (K - 8th grade). We fundraised for our specially designed metals. Each school and every grade level in each school had categories: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd award winners. as you can see, it was a well-attended event.

One of the first guest speakers of the PVWA was famed poet, Carl Sandburg

(for more on the Pomona Valley Writers Association visit this link). 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1og9HgYkGg

We held the award ceremony at our famous high school auditorium  (once a college, attended by Beverly Cleary) and, when a high school, holds bragging rights to authors: Joseph Wambaugh  

Also, performer and Chaffey alumni,  Daniel Durston (Here is a clip from Peter Pan where he plays Captian Hook). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQEBhUWJoOY

and in Las Vegas, on television.

Now back on topic 😄✍:

My current YA/MG Release (available in English and Spanish) print and ebook

National Book Award, Nominee

Independent E-Book Winner, Historical Fiction

Frankfurt ebook, Nominee

Kindle Unlimited #1 Best Seller in Native American Historical Fiction

Thank you for stopping by,

XOXO

Connie

Available at These Book Sellers  (Just click on link)

Joan Reeves: Review of Paradise Perfume! #Joan Reeves, #SlingWords

Joan Reeves: Review Paradise Perfume



Thanks Joan!

Please visit Joan's blog for FREE STUFF, Reviews, and more!  And, of course, to read her review!



Joan Reeves is a New York Times and a USA Today bestselling author of Contemporary Romance. Her novels--Keeping Romance Alive...One Sexy Book at a Time--have been published in a half dozen languages, and her ebooks are available at most ebook sellers with audio book and print editions also available.