September Blusters In: A New Novel and Chowder For Lunch

" It's a serious thing just to be alive

on this fresh morning 

in this broken world."

MARY OLIVER

A mere flip of the calendar page and the season has shifted....noticeably. The wind howls outside my window this morning, and there is a decided nip in the air. Frost warnings have been given in regions nearby, but thankfully not for us yet. I don't hanker to sit out in the garden at present. Rather, it's a day for cozying up inside, doing laundry, writing a post, making a quick and yummy soup for lunch. PLUS, I am eagerly awaiting Louise Penny's newest Inspector Gamache crime novel which is guaranteed delivery at my house any moment now. I'm following the tracking link like it's Christmas (haha).

Just in case you don't know, Louise's latest novel All the Devils Are Here—being released today—is set in Paris, where the First Family of crime fiction, as one reviewer aptly termed the Gamache family, has gathered. From all accounts, it promises to be as evocative in Paris as any of her novels that are set in cozy Three Pines.

The St. Louis Post Dispatch says, "Penny excels at creating a sense of place, and she brings Paris to life with scenes small (a favorite garden at the Rodin museum) and big (the top of the Eiffel Tower). We walk—or, when necessary, run—through the streets of Paris, taste lemon tarts and mourn the fire damage to Notre Dame.”

And, as Wall Street Journal writes, "Penny's novels unravel criminal schemes that have moral consequences... what stays with the reader are the tender passages, the human insights, the reminders of what makes life worth living.” 

Oh yes, that's it exactly! This is the very reason why I became an ardent admirer and fan of Louise's novels. They are wild stories sometimes and are often nail-biters, but in the midst of the terrible things going on, goodness is always present.

To learn more about this new novel, click HERE.

" Soup puts the heart at ease, calms down the

violence of hunger, eliminates the tension of the

day, and awakens and refines the appetite. "

AUGUSTE ESCOFFIER

As I anticipate my book delivery, I gather the ingredients and begin sautéing onions and bacon for a quick and easy corn chowder, based on my sister's yummy recipe. I'm making a potful to serve two, with leftovers, but the recipe is easy to double if you need a larger amount.

Quick Corn Chowder

4 slices thick bacon

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1 stick of celery, chopped

1 can niblets corn

1 can creamed corn

1 can mushroom soup

3 - 4 cups of milk

1 - 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce

Sprinkle of black pepper

Sprinkle of paprika

Chives or green onions, chopped

1. Fry the bacon, chop into bite size pieces, and set aside.

2. In a medium to large pot, saute the onion and celery.

3. Add the corn, mushroom soup, and milk.

4. Heat slowly and simmer for 20 - 25 minutes.

5. Just before serving, add Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and paprika.

6. Sprinkle the green onions and chopped bacon over top.

Serve with hot buttered toast, biscuits, or crusty bread.

 

* * *

Wishing you a beautiful day. Stay safe.

Heart Hugs,

Brenda

xox

Top Photo: Image by congerdesign from Pixabay

PS.PS.PS.

It arrived!