There were books, of course. But books for older people than nearly-four. There was wine and lovely food. And there were the most beautiful and delicious gingerbread foxes, created by Chris's talented wife Sally. There were lots and lots of foxes. At the end of the party, I begged a few to take home to MB, since she won't be old enough for the books for quite a while. Oh, how she loved them. Oh, what trouble I stored up for myself...
A couple of weeks later I went to another launch, this time in London, for Brian Keaney's first (brilliant) adult novel about Thomas de Quincey, The Alphabet of Heart's Desire. There were no gingerbread foxes. Luckily, it was next door to Fortnum and Mason. They had no gingerbread foxes either, so I bought brownies. Sally, if you are reading, your gingerbread foxes are way better than F&M brownies (though the brownies are very good). As I'd gone to the launch en route to Oxford for a couple of days, MB had forgotten about the launch by the time I got home and I got away with it (the brownies being long gone by then).
And now Julian Sedgwick has a book launch at which there will be NO gingerbread foxes, this time for Return to the City of Ghosts. There is nothing for it. I am going to have to learn to make gingerbread foxes. Anyone know any good gingerbread recipes? For thin, biscuity gingerbread, not the plump stuff for making houses for witches to lure children into. (Don't want to lure any more children—who knows what new demands that would bring?) And do you know where I can get some fox-shaped cutters? Come on, hive mind. I am depending on you. Otherwise I might just have to give up going to book launches.
Anne Rooney
Latest book:
Dinosaur Atlas (Lonely Planet), 2017
4 comments:
Have to admit I found my fox cookie cutter on Amazon, Anne. It sometimes has its uses.
Really Anne! Recipe coming up. I'll need your email - leave me a PM on FB - and let me know if you want me to post the Downunder biscuit cutters as well.
I made my first gingerbread men only last year, not foxes, sorry! But I was proud. And then a writer friend posted a picture of her 8-year-old granddaughter's gingerbread house...
Good luck with your gingerbread endeavour!
My Career In A School Library: Some Thoughts
It turns out the foxes were not gingerbread at all but the Dutch 'speculaas'. I now have recipe for it and have made some. It did not come out anywhere as beautifully as the foxes! But it did taste good :-)
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