Welcome to Cozy Wednesday!
I hope you have enjoyed the weekly Iced Chiffon
I am so happy that Duffy is here today! The series takes place in Savannah, Georgia. That city is full of treasures. Duffy is going to tell us about a few. Please help me welcome her to Escape With Dollycas today!!
Hi Duffy!
Hi Everyone!
Southern Food
I love Savannah, visit there a lot of times and did a ton of research on the place when I wrote Iced Chiffon. Things like what streets are one way, how many squares are there, and is the Pirate House really haunted?
One of the things I love researching the most is the food! Eating my way across Savannah is a delicious, lip-smacking, calorie-overload adventure. Is there anything more delicious than Southern cooking?
You can have your sushi and broiled skinless/boneless chicken breast but give me a good old pork something-or-other anytime. I read somewhere that there are two religions down South…Baptist and Barbecue. This is where the pork comes in, a cookout over a hardwood fire. Pulled, shredded, chopped, diced or sliced, it’s all pure heaven.
Then there’re the pies. Lord have mercy, pies! My Kentucky mother in-law taught me to make crust that crumbles if you look at it sideways. And the filling… I have a pecan pie recipe that makes grown men cry, a peach cobbler recipe bequeathed to my eldest daughter and a sweet potato pie recipe that Paula Deen’s broken into my house twice now trying to swipe.
Some of my friends just don’t get it. North food, South food, what’s the difference? Lots! Here’s a list and you tell me if it’s on a Northern grocery list or a Southern one. First off there’s the grocery itself…just try and find a Winn Dixie or Piggly-Wiggly in New Jersey.
Bagels or hush puppies, granola bars or bread pudding, soft pretzels or jambalaya, baguette or grits, penne or grits, 12-inch Italian sausage or grits. You get the idea.
So what about you? What is your favorite Southern dish? Is there one passed down in the family or one you found in an old Southern Living magazine in your doctor’s office? Share the good food! I’ll give away three Iced Chiffon totes from the answers. Yummmmm!
~Duffy
Thank you so much for stopping by today Duffy!!! Now I am so hungry!! I hope you will come back often!!
To find out all about Duffy Brown and Iced Chiffon
You can find here on Facebook and here on GoodReads.
Iced Chiffon
(A Consignment Shop Mystery)
Brand New Series
A Berkley Prime Crime Mystery
The Berkley Publishing Group (October 2, 2012)
Published by The Penguin Group
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0425251607
Cover Illustration by Julia Green
Cover Design by Diana Kolsky
Reagan’s messy divorce has left her with nothing but fixer upper Victorian home and a bunch of designer clothes. She needs to make a living so she turns her first floor into a consignment shop and starts out selling her own wardrobe. She starts to think things may turn out o.k. until she borrows her ex’s Lexus and finds his new girlfriend dead in the trunk. Of course her ex is the prime suspect and expects Reagan to sell the house to pay his attorney, Walker Boone. Reagan decides to find the murderer herself before Boone to keep the attorney’s costs to the bare minimum. Turns out her customers give her much more than their old clothes to sell. “They have information more precious than a vintage Louis Vuitton” that can help her solve the case and save her house.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
This is a fantastic debut!!
It is outrageously funny with larger than life characters.
Reagan has the worse possible luck and she gets herself in situations that reminded me of Lucille Ball in I Love Lucy. The very best intentions always seem to just go wrong.
Aunt Kiki is Reagan’s perfect cohort in this crazy investigation. Aunt Kiki was a roadie on one of Cher’s tours and at times I believe she still thinks she is on tour and Cher is her best friend. For example: Cher says “If you really want something, you can figure out how to make it happen.” While Cher wasn’t an actual character, Kiki quotes her often, so much you almost think she may appear right there is Savannah. Maybe in a future story 🙂
Elsie and AnnieFritz are a hoot, think Mrs. Kravitz from the old Bewitched television show. They just have to know everyone’s business and what they don’t hear around the neighborhood they pick up at funerals. Elsie and AnnieFritz are professional mourners.
At times I thought Walker Boone was sweet but then I just wanted to slap him. The jury is still out on him for me.
How could I not fall for a pup named Bruce Willis? They perfect pet for Reagan as long as she keeps his favorite treats handy.
I hope the author sent a copy of this book to Cher and another to Bruce Willis. I know they would both enjoy the way their personas were used in this story!
I don’t know exactly why but this story reminded me of the old sitcoms I liked to watch but in a modern day setting. Maybe Hollywood should be scoping out the current cozy mysteries for new sitcom ideas.
This story truly is a perfect escape, I loved it! I didn’t want to leave Savannah. I guess I will just have to wait for the next installment. Write fast Duffy!!!
Don’t forget to leave a comment for Duffy’s tote bag giveaway!!
Thanks to the people at Penguin I have 2 copies of Iced Chiffon to giveaway!!
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If you publicize the giveaway anywhere you will receive
5 Bonus Entries For Each Link.
Contest Will End October 17, 2012 at 11:59 PM CST
Winners Will Be Chosen By Random.org
Winners Will Be Notified By Email
and Will Be Posted Here In The Sidebar.
I’m hungry just reading that! I’m not FROM the South, but I live in NC now. I think my very favorite Southern food is fried okra. But the pies are good! Look forward to reading the book.
My favorite Southern dish isn’t really a “Southern” dish, but my mom found it in the cookbook from Southern Living: Our Best Easy Weeknight Favorites. Filet Mignon with Horseradish Gravy has now become our traditional Christmas dinner. For a more traditional Southern dish, I’d have to go with pecan pie…bourbon pecan pie, especially.
Chess Pie!
Probably grits, seeing I eat them all the time. Thanks for the giveaway.
Hi, everyone! Wonderful being at Escape with Dolly!
Thank you, Dolly, for the wonderful review. I’m thrilled you enjoyed Iced Chiffon and visiting Savannah. One of my fav places. If I didn’t live in Cincy I’d live in Savannah for sure.
Kat…I looove Southern Living. Always a must have in my house. I’ve gotten the best recipes from there. Got my recipe form an advice columnist, Dear Abby, years ago. I need to try the bourbon one.
Sherry, grits is such a great dish, you can dress it up or plain and it’s always delish. My fav is shrimp grits from the Pink House in Savannah. Lordy, they do some fine cooking there.
Deanna, I’ve never had chess pie, what is it?
Sheila, fried okra is the best! And I love okra in vegetable soup. I hunt around and eat all the okra out before anyone else can get to it. Bad Duffy! LOL
Duffy,
Loved your post! Being from Georgia, I have a serious grits obsession. And yes, I remember going to Winn Dixie and Piggly Wiggly.
As far as recipes go, my mother has an absolutely mouthwatering one for Sour Cream Pound Cake. Love, love, love. Also a stellar one for good old fashioned southern dressing – – not stuffing! Dressing. 🙂
Thanks so much for the giveaway. Glad to stop by here – – love the sound of your new book!
Hi, Lori. From Georgia! I love it. I adore pound sour cream pound cake…so rich and delish and my grandma called it dressing and not stuffing as well…so we still call it that. LOL
Thanks for sharing the good eats.
catfish bake I was surprised with it. also love black eye peas’ Love your cover.
Favorite southern dish is sweet potato casserole. Most of the people that I know are transplants from the west and midwest, so I don’t have any one to share recipes with.
Thanks, Rhonda. Berkley gives me such great covers!
Baked catfish. I’ve had it fried and soooo good. Yummmm.
Do you catch your own fish? I can’t imagine doing that but I’m sure it’s good eats!
Hi, Christine. I love sweet potato casserole. Could eat the whole thing by myself…actually I probably have. In Cincy sweet potato fries are big and I love them too.
Thanks for the spotlight on this author and book. I appreciate the chance to read more! We have so many Southern dishes;we love in our family. We like fried green tomatoes! Its good to get to use the green tomatoes. You can use corn meal and fry them. The next Southern dish is a favorite this time of year,especially the dish at a Holiday meal. Its Sweet Potatoes in a Orange Half. They are so good~they go quick!
I’ve already won a book and bag but I wanted to drop by to help publicize and thank you for the book and bag!
I just moved to Texas, so I am finding all kinds of new foods. I love the ZBBQ, lira and hush puppies that is what I have tried so far.
In Columbus, OH we’re yankees. Well maybe its just us — we were transplanted yankees when we came to Columbus. We grill. We don’t eat grits. We cook our green beans without ham hock. But I love Kentucky Derby Pie, sweet BBQ and black eye peas. And I absolutely believe in putting crazy relatives out on the porch for display. Its a silly yankee thing to hide them in a closet. I already read ICED CHIFFON and LOVE, LOVE, LOVED it. Can’t wait to read Killer in Crinolines in May.
Cyndee! I need to do sweet potatoes in an orange half. Love the idea and all things sweet potato. I’ll gouge it. Thanks for the heads up! Sounds delish!
Hi, Amanda. Wonderful hearing from you and so nice of you to stop by and comment on Iced Chiffon. I truly appreciate it. Hugs
Hi LeAnna. I hear Texas BBQ is the best on earth. I need to get to Texas to try some. We can meet for lunch!
Hi, Margaret. Wonderful seeing you at COFW conference. KY Derby Pie is incredible. Nothing like eating it on Derby Day! O do the sweet BBQ and add a cup of whiskey for a kick. LOL Thanks so much for the kind words about Iced Chiffon. I really appreciate it. Thrilled that you liked it. You made my day. Hugs
Hi, Duffy. I am so glad that Dollycas had you as a guest. I have to admit I had neighbors who fed me bacon when I was young (it’s the only pork, I’ve eaten) and I had collard greens. I have had collard greens since then. There is a restaurant we like that makes walnut pie which is the closest to good pecan pie that I have had here. I also love grits and hush puppies. Looking forward to Killer in Crinolines and the third book especially!
Thanks, Rachelle for stopping by. I love hush puppies. I try and make them and they never turn out right. Collard greens are delish and I have to add a little bacon and then they are perfect. I do walnut pie to mix things up a little and IMO the walnut pie is richer than the pecan.
I love pork on the grill. I have this fantastic recipe where you brine the pork shoulder all night then cook slow in the grill for 5 hrs. Food of the gods!!
Duffy, earlier this year when I was in Beaufort, SC I had… I kid you not… Tomato pie. It was quite possibly the most amazing thing I’ve eaten in five years. I’d never heard of such a thing, and I can’t even imagine the calories in it, but it contained tomatoes (of course), mayonnaise, two different kinds of cheese, and the butteriest crust I’ve ever tasted.
Let’s hear it for Southern cooking!
Nothing like Southern cooking! I’ve never had tomato pie but I’d sure like to give it a try. No one does food like the South…except maybe Italy but that’s another blog. LOL
I love southern fried chicken!
I loooove fried chicken too and that cream gravy. My kids call it bathtub gravy because they want that much of it. I’m getting so hungry. Supper time! And peach cobbler for dessert!
Fried chicken is still my favorite. Although I do love a good pecan pie. Your book looks great- thanks so much for the chance to win a copy!
I like Fried Chicken with mash potato and fired okra. I had that with cousins a while back , but I still remember like it was yesterday.
I like Chicken with mash potato and fired okra. I had that with cousins a while back , but I still remember like it was yesterday.
I may live in the Midwest now, but for a short while, I lived in TX. Still love (and now make) good old Texas Sheet Cake! Yum! Thanks!
Hi Duffy, I will be finishing “Iced Chiffon” tonight. It is great fun. Love the characters and the setting. I am an Ohio girl, born and raised. My favorite dishes include fried potatoes, potato pancakes….well just about any way you can serve up a potato. Must be that German heritage.
Pecan Pie!!!!! My Mom loved pralines. Thank you for hosting this giveaway.
wfnren(at)aol(dot)com
I guess I would have to say fried chicken with extra crispy skin is my favorite southern food.
Good southern dinner is fried chicken, greens along with baked Mac and cheese.
I’m in Florida which is sort of South. 🙂 I like any kind of fruit desserts, specially fruit cobblers.
My favorite southern dish is hush puppies and pecan pie. Congrats Duffy on your new release book. I can’t wait to read it. 🙂
Pecan Pie , sweet potatoe casserole , fried chickens, hush puppies so many good foods
I like fried chicken.
My favorite southern dish has to be Deep Fried Chicken! Yummy! I like fried tators to go with it!
I enjoyed meeting you, Ms. Duffy. Never heard it put that way. Two religions Baptist and barbecue made me really laugh.Hope I get the chance to read Iced Chiffon.
1dozenstars@gmail.com
I am a Northerner but I learned to love grits with lot of black pepper and butter in them from my first mother-in-law.
I just love biscuits and gravey—that’s a southern food isnt’ it?
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
wallpaper is great!!
want to WIN!!!!
Hi, Everyone.
Wonderful chatting with you.
Tote winners are:
Ronda Laney
Amanda Ray
Orchid7
email DuffyBrown@DuffyBrown.com
Have a great Sunday.
Hugs, Duffy