Announcements

10 Year Anniverary & New Releases Winners: Carrie Fancett Pagels' Butterfly Cottage - Melanie B, Dogwood Plantation - Patty H R, Janet Grunst's winner is Connie S., Denise Weimer's Winner is Kay M., Naomi Musch's winner is Chappy Debbie, Angela Couch - Kathleen Maher, Pegg Thomas Beverly D. M. & Gracie Y., Christy Distler - Kailey B., Shannon McNear - Marilyn R.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Brickbat and Fairings


Hello CQ Readers,

This month marks the release of Beyond the Valley, the final book in the Daughters of the Potomac series. You may have noticed with many of the authors you have read that we writers like to share some interesting facts about the stories we write. We often include them at the end of our books. Here is the glossary I included at the end of Beyond the Valley of actual things you would have found in Colonial times. Oh, and if you have a book club, there are Discussion Questions after the Glossary page.


Can you imagine General and Mrs. Washington partaking of these at their table?
Ginger fairing:  A sweet and spicy ginger cookie.
Pasties: Chunks of beef, potato, swede (yellow turnip), and onion wrapped in pastry glazed with milk or egg white.

Molasses dumplings: A type of doughnut fried in oil and dipped in hot molasses.

Stout porter: Strong beer.

What you might walk up at a grand estate. Brickbat: an antique form of paving that made use of the inevitable accumulation of broken bricks at a colonial house. 

Can you picture a lady wearing one of these on her way to church or to tea? Bergere: (French for shepherdess) A flat-brimmed straw hat with a low crown, trimmed with ribbon and flowers.

A Book Launch Tea Party is schedule here on Colonial Quills for February 22 with Rita Gerlach and C. J. Chase. Come by for tea and scones!




8 comments:

  1. Very interesting Rita! I love the lady with the hat. :-) Again, congratulations on your newest release!

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  2. Did someone say Tea Party? :) Those ginger cookies look really good. They should be served at the party.
    Congrats on your new release, Rita!

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  3. February 22, eh? I'll have to mark my calendar.

    Congratulations, Rita!

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  4. I love brick walkways, even broken bricks. Those hats are very popular here at Colonial Williamsburg.

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    1. I love those hats, Janet, but I've resisted the urge to buy one--so far!!

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  5. What a delightful cover! Pasties are common here in Australia. Must be our British roots showing. They're yummy when filled with good veggies and meat. And my kids slather them in tomato sauce.
    Congratulations, Rita. :)

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    1. Pasties are really popular in the upper peninsula of Michigan where I grew up. I eat mine with ketchup. Some people nowadays like gravy and that is good, too! This is a big deal in upper Michigan--one of my fave foods! I was told it originated with Welsh miners. We have mining up there, too.

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  6. I love all this wonderful historical stuff you put here and in your books. History was my all time favorite subject in school and I still love to read history. I love your books even though I haven't gotten the last yet. I'd love to win this cup. Thanks for offering it to us.

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