A few days ago my niece told me of a great Icelandic tradition called the “Jólabókaflóð” – literally, the Christmas Book Flood. Apparently Icelanders love books perhaps more than any other nation in the world, and every Christmas everyone will find at least one book under their Christmas tree. In fact, it’s a tradition in…… Continue reading Happy “Jólabókaflóð” – an Icelandic tradition for book lovers at Christmas!
For the past few weeks I’ve been running a series of posts featuring authors’ favourite holiday recipes…and I can’t believe this is now my last author recipe before Christmas Day! During the course of this run of posts I’ve sometimes had to “translate” ingredients as we don’t always use the same terminology around the world,…… Continue reading Author Helen Pollard’s #recipe for Christmas oat cookies, and a sweet romance
Je suis vraiment enchantée to welcome French author Marie Laval to my blog today. Marie is from Lyon, but has lived in the north of England for many years, and she’s actually a friend in real life as well as in cyber-space. So we have a great European mix today – a French author, an English…… Continue reading A delicious recipe for almond macaroons, plus a dramatic Scottish romance
A few weeks ago I wrote an article about an anthology of Christmas romance stories put together by 21 authors of the group Exquisite Quills. Exquisite Christmas: 21 romance authors share stories and recipes is an ideal Christmas gift and the perfect book to dip into over the holidays. With around forty heartwarming stories and…… Continue reading Beverley Bateman’s recipe for Christmas Quick Bread – plus, the perfect Christmas gift
Well, the weather outside really is frightful, but sadly not in a “Let It Snow” sort of a way. It has rained and rained and rained. Thanks very much to my guest today, Jill Barry, for taking a break from her house move and travelling over from wet and windy Wales to cheer us up.…… Continue reading Jill Barry’s Crazy Days of Christmas, plus a scrumptious recipe for trifle
Have you ever had a Christmas guest you could cheerfully murder? Author Susan Bernhardt, my visitor today, gives a brilliant description of such a guest in her latest murder mystery. She also has a recipe for a delicious British favourite, Beef Wellington (yay – the British do know how to cook!) Welcome to Yorkshire, Susan,…… Continue reading Author Susan Bernhardt’s recipe for Beef Wellington…and a cosy Christmas murder
I’m really thrilled to announce that our holiday short story anthology – Exquisite Christmas: 21 romance authors share stories and recipes – is now available for pre-order. The anthology was put together by a group of authors I belong to called Exquisite Quills. Romance authors are well-known for being supportive of one another, and this …… Continue reading Exquisite Christmas: 21 romance authors share stories and recipes
Do you have certain recipes that HAVE to be cooked at Christmas, and cooked in a certain way only? Well, I’m delighted to welcome author Terry Shames to my blog today with one of her family’s much-loved holiday recipes. Note: for previous visitors from America, I’ve had to painstakingly translate all the measurements from US…… Continue reading Controversy at Christmas! Author Terry Shames and a non-recipe #recipe
Today US author E. Ayers is here with a Christmas recipe she told me she thought “unusual” when she first read it. I had to laugh when I read what the recipe was. It’s not odd to us in the north of England – we eat pork pies a LOT. Available in every butcher’s and…… Continue reading A recipe for Tourtière and a fabulous book collection – all part of Christmas on Main Street!
Christmas comes but twice a year…in the Fairfax household, at any rate. In December I wrote that I spent Christmas in Cornwall with Mr Fairfax and his lovely daughter and our bonkers dog. And we had a great time! Sadly, my two daughters were missing. My oldest daughter is working in New Zealand and my…… Continue reading The best recipe for chocolate pudding ever
Helena Fairfax 