Harlequin Historical May 2020--Box Set 2 of 2
Page 67
The brightly coloured orange-red stigma of the crocus flower—saffron—turns food to gold when cooked and, because of the necessity to harvest the spice by hand, it is worth its weight in gold, too.
A natural aphrodisiac, saffron was often used in marriage customs. Rather than rose petals, the marriage bed was once sprinkled with strands of saffron to ensure happiness and good fortune.
The Stories of Scheherazade
Scheherazade’s fairy tales are some of the most famous and fabulous fairy tales ever told. Known as The Arabian Nights or One Thousand and One Nights, her tales embroidered flying carpets, magical lamps and wish-granting genies.
Scheherazade told her stories to save her life and those of other women. As vengeance against his wife, who had betrayed him, a sultan vowed to take a new wife every night. One of these was Scheherazade, but she had a plan of her own.
On her wedding night, she told stories full of such adventure and intrigue that the Sultan could not resist asking her to continue to tell them. She told her tales for a thousand nights and by the end of them the Sultan had fallen in love with her and seen the errors of his ways.
Do read more about Scheherazade, or listen to the famous music by Rimsky-Korsakov, inspired by her tales.
Poetic Inspiration
Interwoven into my story is Tennyson’s poem Maud (1855). Full of desire and conflict, it is the inspiration for Maud and Dominic’s story—which for them ended happily ever after.
Visit elizaredgold.com for more.
Saffron Revel Buns
Saffron revel buns have long been made in Cornwall. Believed to have desire-enhancing properties, they were once part of marriage or anniversary feasts.
Like all good things, saffron buns take time.
This is a traditional version of these festive treats.
Enjoy!
Ingredients
A pinch or two of saffron strands
Half a cup of milk
A handful of raisins
400 grams of plain or all-purpose flour
A pinch of salt
Half a cup of butter
Half a cup of double cream—or Cornish clotted cream, if you can get it
28 grams fresh yeast or dried yeast equivalent
1 teaspoon of caster sugar
Method
Grind the strands of saffron in a pestle and mortar into a fine red-gold powder. Mix with the milk to make a paste. Set aside overnight, for the saffron to dye the milk gold.
Place the raisins in a small bowl and cover with warm water. Set them aside to plump.
The next day, sift the flour and salt. Rub in the butter by hand.
Strain the saffron milk. Warm until it is lukewarm. Do not allow it to boil.
Place the warmed milk in a bowl and mix in the sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over top of the milk and let it stand for ten to fifteen minutes. The yeast will soften and begin to bubble.
When cool, gradually stir in the raisins, cream and beaten eggs.
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the milk mixture little by little, until it forms a firm dough.
Turn it on to a lightly floured board and knead for five minutes. Make a ball and return the dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a damp tea towel and stand in the refrigerator overnight, until doubled in size. Alternatively, you can place it in a warm place and it will double in size in approximately two hours.
Once it has risen, shape the dough into twelve to sixteen buns. Roll each piece into a ball, place on a baking tray and allow them to rise again in a warm place for about fifteen to twenty minutes. Again, let them double in size.
Glaze with warm butter or milk and sprinkle with caster sugar if desired.
Place in a preheated oven at 375°F—190°C—for about fifteen minutes, until they are firm and golden.
Acknowledgements
A big thank you to everyone at Harlequin Mills & Boon Historical in London, especially editor Nicola Caws—a complete star, who is always fantastic to work with.
Thanks also to the Harlequin Hussies—the online group of Historical authors, past and present, who are so fabulous, funny and full of wisdom.
Thanks to my erstwhile critique buddy, author and creative practice academic, Dr Carol Hoggart, who dived into an early draft of this work and helped get it into shape—and share some ‘Writer’s Tears’ whisky while doing so.
Thanks to Dr Rose Williams, whose critical reading has become my favourite part of the process.
Thanks also to Pamela Weatherill and Pearl Proud—I hope you know how much your friendship and support mean to me.
To Anne Symes—whenever an encouraging email was needed, it arrived from you.
And to Joanne Macdonald—who left a bluestocking badge on my university office door at the ‘write’ moment.
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ISBN: 9781488065699
The Master’s New Governess
Copyright © 2020 by Eliza Redgold
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ISBN-13: 9781488069208
Copyright © 2020 by Harlequin Books S.A.
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Falli
ng for Her Viking Captive
Copyright © 2020 by Harper St. George
The Mysterious Miss Fairchild
Copyright © 2020 by Sarah Mallory
The Master’s New Governess
Copyright © 2020 by Eliza Redgold
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