How do I love thee? Nom nom nom - Karen Bush



          Well it's nearly that time of year - yes, Valentine's day is almost upon us once again.
Mostly it makes me cringe, but although part of me wants to exclaim "Pfffftttt!" and throw up my hands in disgust, I'm not totally without a heart. You may find it hard to believe but beneath this gruff exterior hides a true romantic: just not the slushy sort.  
           For this post I was going to pose the question "If you were a book, which one would it be?" but with Valentine's Day looming, it sounded too much like the sort of thing Cilla would ask contestants on Blind Date. Once that image was in my mind it was too horrible to pursue and I could feel my teeth beginning to grind.
           Then I thought a bit more about it. One of the Valentine's Day rituals is of course the Special Meal, with the table cosily set for two, ambient lighting provided by a candle, a bottle or two opened in readiness, some low key background music ... But supposing you could substitute books for the food?  The menu for my perfect romantic literary feast would be as follows:

Hors d'oeuvre
A few sonnets from Shakespeare.
(But don't gorge or you'll spoil your appetite and be fit for nothing else.)

 Entree
Wuthering Heights
(Ghost story or love story? A starter from Charlotte Bronte that will tease and leave you panting for more as you turn the final page)

Entremets
Joan Aiken's short story The Serial Garden, a tale of love lost, found and lost again
will give pause and sharpen your appetite ready for the next course. 
 Main course
Blackout and All Clear
(Substantial, stick-to-the-ribs reading from Connie Willis which involves time travelling historians lost in the middle of WW2: but at the heart of it, what we really want to know is whether the love-lorn Colin will find them - and more importantly will he get the girl?)
or
Fire and Hemlock
(A lighter bite for those who want an earlier night, but none the less a very satisfying offering from that masterchef of literary cuisine Diana Wynne Jones. An updated Thomas the Rhymer: not your usual sort of love story and definitely not slushy.)

Entremets
Ray Bradbury's short story The Swan, a tale of timeless but out-of synch love is the
perfect palate cleanser before embarking on the next course. 
Dessert
A Sterkarm Handshake
(A medley of ingredients from Susan Price includes reivers, a dash of history, a soupcon of time travel and a bit of swashing of buckles as well as a fair bit of 'will she or won't she?' ... but really, it's that perfect bittersweet ending which you will never forget - it will linger on long after you have devoured the last sentence.) 

Petit fours and coffee
One for the Money
(A bit of Stephanie Plum from Janet Evanovich is the perfect brain candy to finish off with: there are bounty hunters, and crimes and take downs, but the real action involves the eternal love triangle of Stephanie, Morelli and Ranger. Not over filling but just enough to satisfy that sweet tooth and leave you with a smile on your face as you finally totter off to bed.)


OK, that's me sorted, now what would you like to order?





Comments

Elizabeth Kay said…
A Sterkarm Handshake for dessert? Apart from the character Sweet Milk, it strikes me more as a main course, and a particularly carnivorous one... Do agree it ought to be on the menu though.And what about Cooking the Books? Maybe later, with Making Cocoa for Kingsley Amis?
madwippitt said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
madwippitt said…
I do like a decent pud that you can get your teeth into Elizabeth - none of those tiny little blobby things that gets lost on the plate for me!
And I haven't covered supper so plenty of room for topping up - or maybe a midnight feast for insomniacs :-)
Bill Kirton said…
I have to disagree on the prime ingredients of your final course, Mad. For me the 'real action' centres around Grandma Mazur (and that's not just because I'm a geriatric).
skyelectra said…
My order would be an Asian evening with delicate meals from Chinese poetry that guide you through the centuries:

"Night Snow" (5-ch. chüeh-chü)
"Viewing the Waterfall at Mount Lou"
"Offering Wine" (9th cen.)
"Pine Sounds" (5-ch. old style)
"The Joy of Union" (YangFang,4th cen)
"Viewing the Ocean" (4-ch.)

We had it all at the same time, choosing what you want and for how long.

Finally, a dessert:
A japanese haiku.
Susan Price said…
Skyelectra - what a wonderful menu! Lovely - and thanks for entering into the spirit.

Thanks for the mention, Madwippet. And Liz, I don't think the Sterkarms would mind turning up for any part of the meal. Glad to get their feet under the table. The other guests might be too nervous/outraged to eat, though.
madwippitt said…
Skyelectra, I suspect I would rise from the table feeling a better person inside and out ... thank you! And I liked the clever dessert suggestion!
Sue - didn't you realise that all along you had been writing a luuuurve story?
And Bill, much as I love Grandma Mazur, I suspect she would be the gristle between my teeth rather than the love interest :-)
Lydia Bennet said…
some delectable treats here! And interesting choices too.
glitter noir said…
Delightful post, Mad!