2011 Book Review #12: Saturnalia

Title: Saturnalia
Author: Lindsey Davis
Genre: Historical Mystery--Ancient Rome (18th in a continuing series)
Thingummies: 3

Synopsis: A Germanic rebel priestess, brought to Rome to be the centerpiece of an ambitious politician's triumphal parade, has escaped and is loose in Rome only days before the festival of Saturnalia. She left behind her host/captor's son--his body in one room and his head in the foyer pool. Marcus Didius Falco's been assigned to find her--before the chief spy can. Of course, poor Falco has a personal stake. His brother-in-law is the priestess' former lover, and Falco's in-laws are not pleased that their son has disappeared as well. Add in some wacky relatives, a crazy ghost, and the fact that a lot of the beggars in the city have been mysteriously turning up dead, and Falco has more to worry about during the Festival of Misrule than what to buy his wife for a present. Although he still does need that present.

Thoughts: ( So, what did you think? )

Mah spoon is too...small?

Unlike "Rejected", my spoon is most assuredly not too big. Mostly because I accidentally brought a tea spoon instead of a soup spoon.

My soup, on the other hand, is delicious. I made stock from a leftover hambone yesterday. I was inspired by the very nice glaze on the original ham and tried for a similar smoky-sweet-spiciness in the soup. Molasses, ancho, and a little liquid smoke, along with garlic, onion, chipotle, marjoram, savory, black pepper, coriader, and a bit of sherry. (With carrots, celery, pidgeon peas, and butter beans.) It is an awesome soup.

Also good is the new rye bread recipe, which included sour cream, balsamic vinegar, more molasses, and more coriander. It is amazing how much sweeter and more fragrant fresh ground coriader is than the powdered stuff.