Savory Salons » Bread & Butter

The Pie Bird Sings!

admin — Mon, 30 Jun 2014 18:43:50 +0000

I never plan the discussion topics, no even know where they might go when I invite authors to come join us. Amy’s salon went in all directions from justice in the prison system to ghostwriting in France. Is there another way to describe that conversation than eclectic and educational?

I saw at least six people pair off and talk about how much they wanted to be in touch outside of the salon. That makes me happier than pie. It’s like an adult playground, only without the skinned knees, and with more wine.

Susan Henderson Called the Salons a “Godsend”

admin — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 18:48:50 +0000

Susan, apparently, enjoyed the salons very much. No pressure, Susan, you get that second book done and I hope you’ll come back and let me bake more pies for your. A group of people fell in love with you that Sunday in my living room.

Cai Shared an Early Draft

admin — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 01:26:46 +0000

The first time I met Cai was about 45 minutes before the salon started. I instantly fell in love. She was all I expected and more. She’d been introduced to me through my good friend Meredith Resnick who writes The Writer’s [Inner] Journey. Mer had said Cai would be perfect for one of my salons because she’s so personable and energetic. That’s exactly right.

The day went along famously with the bubbly talk of characters and inside scoop on the writing life. I’ll admit we did gossip a bit about authors we know. If you’ve been nice to us we said so, but if you’ve treated us badly, well, we let it out. Sometimes these salons are a little bit therapy. Sometimes it’s just girlfriends bonding. Sometimes it’s the truth about the literary world today. Cai’s was all of that and more.

Cai had shared with us a story about her next book, the book she’s still writing and editing to prepare for her agent and editor. A story about a character, a very vulnerable character. She offered to read to us the section where the reader is introduced to this character. This piece was from her freshly typed pages. How daring is that, to share a piece of writing with folk who were strangers only a few hours before. But that’s how these salons work. We’re strangers and then we are sharing our deepest darkest secrets. And some really juicy gossip. Thanks Cai, for sharing your fresh draft with us. We were more than impressed.

I decided I would ask future salon guests of honor to bring a raw piece of writing to share with us. The intimacy of the salons warrants it, I believe.

Now, I’m busy packing for my MFA program in Vermont at the end of the year. Nervous and giddy with excitement all at the same time!

Plenty of Sparkle at Christine’s Salon

admin — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 18:35:59 +0000

We shared everything from gossip, to foot massages, to pie and a few literary secrets after several champagne cocktails. We learned how Christine Schwab would restyle Donald Trump’s hair. We learned to NEVER EVER wear tight white pants. But most importantly we learned that ARTHRITIS is never said allowed in Hollywood. Christine is the official spokesperson for Rheumatoid Arthritis and is doing all she can to push the knowledge that there is help for folks with RA. She’s trying to get some big name celebrities to come forward so RA isn’t a behind the scenes debilitating painful disease, but instead folks can hear about the successes the medical world has already achieved and those in need can be made aware. As well as those already getting help can not be ashamed.

The salon followed many roads of discourse, as usual, but this salon especially carried an air of celebration as Christine shared so many moving, funny and inspiring details from her new memoir TAKE ME HOME FROM THE OSCARS. By the end of the day, we felt as though we had all walked the red carpet. It was a lavish day from head to toe:

Pies: Beef Bourguignon in a Cottage Cheese Pastry, Veggie Khoresht-e (see Persian Pie recipe from Susan Salon) in a seedy lavosh crust.

Dessert Pies: 4-cherry pie, only I forgot the 4th cherry. But you couldn’t really tell! In an all butter crust.

Champagne cocktails to pretend we were Gatsby’s friends: Kir Royale, Bellinis, Mimosas & Ghosts (green with midori!)