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Tuesday, February 14, 2017

BOOK REVIEW: The Comet Seekers by Helen Sedgwick - BONUS RECIPE: Brisket Triple Decker with Bubbie's Sweet Vinegar Gravy


, , , (US) $25.99 (UK) £12.99, ISBN(US) 9780062448767,(UK) 9781910701737, Hardback, 304 pp.
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This spellbinding debut novel encompasses the past, present and future of two unexpected lovers whose lives and relationships are intertwined with the passing of great comets overhead. The characters’ complexity and the connections in their lives build as the book slowly gets to its climax.

The two primary characters first meet on a snowy white expanse of modern Antarctica and are immediately drawn to each other, knowing everything will change for them. They are completely different in personality and past. Older by a few years, scientist Róisín grew up in a tiny village in Ireland with her astronomer father. She is passionate and well suited for surviving and working on the remote base station. François, the chef for the base, has left his birthplace in Bayeux, France, never having been away from home before. They are each longing for a fresh start, their respective reasons for leaving home each tied to tragedy.

Time and its complexity are the book’s most magical elements. The destinies of the two lovers are shown by the glimpses of the past and future, the celestial visitation of comets, and the ghostly, almost watchful presence of their ancestors. The novel’s main story is contemporary, but each chapter provides a historical vignette going back as early as the 11th century.

Sedgwick’s style is demonstrative and tactile, with the sweet, casual poeticism of haiku. A skillfully crafted, and emotionally perceptive novel that gives the reader a chance to explore the choices we make, the connections we miss, and the ties that inextricably join our fates.

Review first published in The Historical Novel Review


BONUS RECIPE

Slow braised brisket triple decker with Bubbie's sweet vinegar gravy.

Ingredients:

3 pound fatty cut of beef brisket
2 medium onions
1/2 cup chopped fennel fronds
2 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
1/2 cup diced carrots
2 staves celery
Basil leaf
1 TBS each rough cut parlsey, rosemary, thyme, juniper berries
Handful of shitake mushrooms
3 quarts beef stock
2 TBS cornstarch, mixed with 2 TBS of the stock in a cup
3 TBS balsamic vinegar
2 TBS brown sugar
1 TBS apricot jelly
salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in slow cooker and set to low for 8-10 hours.

Remove meat carefully with two slotted spoons to a greased cookie sheet, fat side up.  Brush with apricot jelly and place close under broiler for 2-4 minutes or until well browned but not burned. 

Strain liquid into a saucepan over medium heat. Thicken with cornstarch mixture and adjust seasoning to taste.

Toast three slices of rustic rye or sourdough bread, add cheese if desired (melt in micro for 30 secs on bread). Slice brisket thinly on bias, place on bread and sauce.  Serve with tomato, thin sliced raw onion, horseradish, fried egg if desired. Pairs well with Stout.

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