Viking Cheese w/ Guest Author Gina Conkle

Please join me in welcoming Gina Conkle, author of Georgian and Viking romance (with a foray into contemporary romance with WAITING FOR A GIRL LIKE YOU releasing just last week)! Gina, so glad to have you visit today. 

Thank you, Alyssa, for hosting me on your blog. I’m sharing one of my adventures—eating like a Viking. Last summer my family took a dip back in time with my Viking garden and Viking recipes.*

We learned a lot. One point of interest: Vikings ate a lot of kale. Another interesting point: Reading about seasonal foods and how the Vikings solved those problems.

The Cheese Alternative

Dairy products were the midsummer answer to food shortages. By spring, regular Viking folk would’ve plowed and planted their fields. Winter stores of dried and pickled veggies and whey treated meat would’ve dwindled. Fresh fish would be the answer in some places, but even large schools of herring don’t pass through southern Scandinavian waters until summer’s end.

Enter Cheese Lovers

Milk products from goats or cows would’ve been the protein mainstay, but the wise farmer made sure the kid goat and calf gets their fill first. People got leftover milk to drink and make into cheese. Yes, even hearty Viking warriors guzzled milk. Here’s a snippet from the Sagas:

Tables were brought forth and they were given food: bread and butter. Large boxes with skyr** were also placed on the table. Bard said: “I regret much that I have no ale to offer you, though I would  have liked to.” You will have to suffice with that which is here. Olvi and his followers were very thirsty and drank the skyr.  At that Bard brought out some buttermilk and that they drank as well.

~Egil’s Saga

Viking Cheese

The process is like making mead: a little labor intensive at first with well-timed follow ups. This is how I made my Viking cheese.

 

~ 10 cups whole milk in a pan and cook on medium heat (stirring it often) until the milk reaches 39 degrees Celsius (102.2 deg. F)

~Stir in 1 tbsp. of rennett, cover the pan, and let this mixture sit for 30-40 minutes.

~When you lift the lid, you’ll see a lumpy white-ish, yellow-y mass with watery edges. That watery liquid under the coagulated mass is whey.*** Grab your ladle and remove all the whey into a separate container. Nothing’s wasted. Vikings used everything.

 

 

 

~Now here’s the interesting part. You keep pressing the curds (even punching them!) to get the last of the whey out and to form your cheese. I tried punching my cheese, but a flat wooden spoon worked better.

~ Cover your cheese with a plate, a pan lid, whatever works, and let it sit for 6 hours.

~For 3 days you’ll turn your cheese over once in the morning and once in the evening, patting it with a little salt and wrapping it in fresh cloth. Keep the cheese at 17 degrees Celsius (62 degrees F).

 

 

~Days 4-28 turn your cheese twice a day like before, wrap it in a clean cloth, but NO salting. At the end of the month, you’ll have fresh Viking cheese. My cheese turned out like a crumbly version of mozzarella. I’ll have to keep practicing to perfect a firmer block cheese.

 

*This “Eat Like a Viking” adventure started when a history writer sent me a link to this book, An Early Meal. Two historians studied seven Viking archaeological sites for clues to what Vikings ate and how they prepared their foods. It was nerd-vana for me.

** Skyr (pronounced skeer) is a type of Icelandic yogurt that seems to be catching on worldwide now. Cattle and goats were scant in Iceland’s early days. The prized animals were a sign of wealth, thus, consuming their milk was preferred. By the late tenth century, horse was actually a favored Viking meat.

***Whey is the thin watery part of milk. Vikings used it for meat preservation among other things. Vats big enough to hide a man were commonplace on Viking farms. In fact, there’s one saga tale of a Viking warrior on the run. He’s being chased and ends up on a farm. One of the women agrees to help by hiding him in a vat of whey.

 

 

 

And now a bit about one of Gina’s Viking romances, To Find a Viking Treasure.

 

Survival’s in his blood

Rough-souled Brandr’s ready for a new life far from Uppsala, but the Viking has one final task —protect the slave, Sestra. Her life’s been full of hardship…until she learns the location of a treasure.

Saving others is her purpose

With war coming, stealing the enemy’s riches will save lives, but only one man can watch over Sestra —the fierce Viking scout, Brandr. The two have always traded taunts, now they must share trust. Passions flare as secrets unfold, leading one to make a daring sacrifice that changes everything on their quest To Find a Viking Treasure

Amazon    |    B&N    |    Kobo

 

 

 

Gina Conkle writes Viking and Georgian romance, with a recent foray into contemporary romance. She grew up in southern California and despite all that sunshine, Gina loves books over beaches and stone castles over sand castles. Now she lives in Michigan with her favorite alpha male, Brian, and their two sons where she’s known to occasionally garden and cook.

 

 

Find Gina online!

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Guest Author Diane Burton

Congratulations on your new release, Diane! Thank you so much for being here today!

Alyssa, the pleasure’s all mine.

Your latest release, The Case of the Fabulous Fiancé, is the second book featuring Alex O’Hara. Tell us about Alex.

Alex is small town girl who’s taken over her dad’s investigation agency. Although she’d worked for her dad and his business partner (collectively known as The Pops) through high school, college, and seven years since, she’s still trying to prove to The Pops that she’s good enough. She’s self-deprecating, has an oddball sense of humor, and can be a klutz. She does solve cases, though sometimes by accident.

You write in multiple genres, including mystery and sci-fi romance. Do you find yourself getting genre whiplash as you move back and forth between them?

Never thought of whiplash. LOL Not really. They are two different worlds—one, a Lake Michigan resort town; the other, a frontier colony in outer space. When I’m in one, I stay there until the book is finished. No bopping back and forth. There are similarities, though. Small towns, except one is lush green and the other on the edge of a desert. People are people, with the same needs, desires, emotions. Greed, jealousy, crime will always exist, and someone has to stop the effects.

What is your favorite aspect of writing?

Beginning a new story. I’ll have the idea whirling around in my mind for weeks/months/years. When I finally start writing, it’s like going on an adventure. Right now, I can’t wait to start the next Alex O’Hara adventure. But between promoting The Case of the Fabulous Fiancé and the holidays, I know I need to wait until January to give the story justice.

And now for a little bit about you in a lightening round of questions:

What’s on the top of your bucket list?
An Alaskan cruise

Pepsi or Coke?
Diet Coke

Who is your favorite TV hero?
NCIS’s Leroy Jethro Gibbs

If you could live anywhere in the world (beside your current home), where would it be?
Arizona, to be close to my new grandbaby.

What is your very favorite book of all time?
Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier

Books or movies?
Tough question. Both

Favorite candy?
Dark chocolate with nuts

Alex O’Hara - The Case of the Fabulous Finance - 750 CoverAnd now for a bit about The Case of the Fabulous Fiancé:

Alex O’Hara wants to take her investigation agency in a new direction—background checks for potential spouses. She hopes this new case will do the trick when a high-powered executive asks for info on her new boyfriend. Is the man she met on a cruise her Mr. Right or is he too good to be true? On the same day, Alex gets another case—finding a deadbeat dad. And both women want to double her rates so she’ll give them highest priority. She can’t believe her luck. Her finances are on the upswing. If only Nick Palzetti was around to share her good news. He disappeared on Christmas Eve, and she hasn’t heard from him in almost three months. But glitchy phones and no internet bring everything to a screeching halt.

 

The Case of the Fabulous Fiancé (An Alex O’Hara Novel) by Diane Burton

This PI mystery is available at:
Amazon: http://amzn.com/B0195K8F6G
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/599181
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/the-case-of-the-fabulous-fiance-an-alex-o-hara-novel
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/nz/book/case-fabulous-fiance-alex/id1066537800?mt=11
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-case-of-the-fabulous-fiance-diane-burton/1123120297?ean=2940157702533

 

Diane Burton(1)Diane Burton combines her love of mystery, adventure, science fiction and romance into writing romantic fiction. Besides the science fiction romance Switched and Outer Rim series, she is the author of One Red Shoe, a romantic suspense, and the Alex O’Hara PI mysteries. Diane and her husband live in Michigan. They have two children and three grandchildren.

For more info and excerpts from her books, visit Diane’s website: http://www.dianeburton.com
Blog: http://dianeburton.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/dmburton72
Facebook: http://facebook.com/dianeburtonauthor
Goodreads: Diane Burton Author
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/dmburton72/
Sign up for Diane’s new release alert: http://eepurl.com/bdHtYf

 

So I’m doing a GIVEAWAY…

Because it’s Monday. Blurgh…

I hate Mondays! I love routine, and routine is great for kids and families so everyone knows what’s what during the week. But I still hate Mondays when I come down off that lovely weekend high of free time.

So, to perk up this Monday, I’m doing a giveaway. All ebook, all the time, winner’s choice Kindle, Nook or Kobo! Featured authors are some of my Mid-Michigan Romance Writers of America chapter-mates. They are the best group of women you’ll ever meet. This prize package includes:

 

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Diane Burton THE PROTECTOR

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Lucy Naylor Kubash SKY OF MAGIC

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Nancy Gideon MIDNIGHT KISS (Book #1 in the Moonlight series)

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Elizabeth Meyette   THE CAVANAUGH HOUSE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Winner chosen from the commenters by random . org! Giveaway is open to US and International entrants age 18 or older. Winner to be chosen, oh, Friday around 5 o’clock, when the weekend starts again!

Guest Author – Nicola Davidson

Hello My Lovelies! I have a fabulous author visiting today, and I just want to say congratulations to her on the Book Birthday of TO LOVE A HELLION!

Wait a minute…Nicola, did you borrow that from my life? Because I’m pretty sure Mr. Alexander might be thinking we’re talking about him. 🙂

Really, though, I’d love to introduce everyone to Nicola Davidson! I asked her a few simple questions so you could get to know her.

 

Blue jeans or party clothes?
Blue jeans, always.
Sushi or steak?
I’m a country girl, so steak! Mmmm.
Cats or dogs? (Or hamsters?)
Cats
(ALYSSA: Me too! Me too!)
Beer, wine or water?
Water. With some vodka, to you know, kill the bugs.
Coke or Pepsi? (If you answer Pepsi I hereby disown you. Ask my father.)
Coke!
(ALYSSA: Good answer. You may stay.)
Favorite color?
Black
Favorite word?
Adverbs. Just ask my editors. 😀
Least favorite word?
Cleaning. Blurg.
(ALYSSA: Hm. Are we sisters separated at birth?)
Coffee or tea?
Neither. I am fueled by the blood, sweat, and tears of Regency reprobates. Er, hot chocolate.

And now, for a little bit about TO LOVE A HELLION. I haven’t had the opportunity to read it yet, but it should be arriving on my Kindle any minute!

 

To Love a HellionTwo years after the shocking deaths of his father and older brother, life is finally improving for Stephen Forsyth, Earl of Westleigh. His mother has rejoined society, the estates are flourishing, and according to his mathematical calculations his new betrothed is a sensibly near-perfect match. What better way to celebrate than attending a pre-Season country house party? Yet on Bruce land, the world is utterly awry. Strange happenings, bizarre hosts, seven spinsters stalking, and assistance comes from the least likely source – Caroline Edwards, his best friend’s hellion sister and fiercely dedicated nemesis. An unwanted sizzling attraction soon scorches their war of words, but a far sterner battle lies ahead: an old enemy sworn on vengeance is closing in, and won’t rest until Stephen and everyone he loves is destroyed.

 

Amazon USA  |  Amazon Canada  |  Amazon UK  |  Amazon Australia

 

 

NICOLA DAVIDSON worked for many years in communications and marketing as well as television and print journalism, but hasn’t looked back since she decided writing wicked historical romance was infinitely more fun. When not chained to a computer she can be found ambling along one of New Zealand’s beautiful beaches, cheering on the champion All Blacks rugby team, history geeking on the internet, or daydreaming. If this includes chocolate – even better! Keep up with Nicola’s news on Twitter (@NicolaMDavidson) Facebook (Nicola Davidson – Author) or her website www.nicola-davidson.com