Showing posts with label Suspense. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Suspense. Show all posts

Saturday, September 13, 2025

A TASTE OF THE 1950s: WHEN SPAM AND JELL-O MOLDS RULED THE TABLE by Ellen Butler

 

Since my next book in the Ariadne Winter mystery series, Deadly Secrets at Ballyford Castle, will be arriving on October 1, I’ve decided to discuss another interesting aspect of the 1950s that I have researched. Food.

The 1950s were a defining decade for American cuisine—a time when the kitchen became the heart of the suburban home and convenience was king. It was the era of TV dinners, canned goods, and brightly colored cookbooks that celebrated innovation, even if the results were sometimes questionable by today’s standards. Among the standout stars of the 1950s dinner table were SPAM and Jell-O molds—two iconic staples that defined the culinary culture of the time.

After World War II, America was booming. Suburbs were expanding, appliances like refrigerators and electric ovens were more accessible, and grocery stores were brimming with processed foods that promised to save time for the modern housewife. Home cooking adapted to this new lifestyle with recipes that were equal parts creative and efficient.

SPAM, the infamous canned meat introduced by Hormel in 1937, found its heyday in the '50s. Though it gained popularity during the war due to its long shelf life, it remained a household favorite afterward. Its versatility made it a star ingredient in many meals. Fried SPAM slices were served with eggs for breakfast, diced SPAM was baked into casseroles, and it often appeared in sandwich form. Housewives praised it for its affordability and convenience, despite its mysterious texture and salty flavor.

But if SPAM was the workhorse of 1950s cuisine, Jell-O was the showstopper. No dinner party or potluck was complete without a dazzling, multi-layered Jell-O mold. These gelatin-based creations weren’t limited to sweet desserts—savory versions, known as "aspics," included ingredients like olives, tuna, chopped vegetables, and even shredded chicken, all suspended in a quivering, translucent dome. As seen in the photo above. Served on a bed of iceberg lettuce with a dollop of mayonnaise, they were as much a conversation piece as a side dish.

The fascination with Jell-O molds reflected the decade’s obsession with presentation. Cookbooks encouraged women to make food look impressive, even if it meant encasing ham in lime gelatin or adding hard-boiled eggs to a tomato aspic. It was all about entertaining with flair—menus were designed not only to satisfy but to impress.

Beyond Spam and Jell-O, 1950s food was a playground of new ideas. Casseroles made with condensed soup, deviled eggs, molded salads, and pineapple-glazed hams were fixtures of the American table. Recipes leaned heavily on processed ingredients—instant pudding and margarine were pantry must-haves. While modern sensibilities may raise an eyebrow at tuna suspended in lime Jell-O, these dishes represented creativity, resourcefulness, and a sincere attempt to embrace the future.

Today, vintage 1950s recipes resurface as a mix of nostalgia and novelty. Some home cooks have become social media influencers by replicating these dishes and sharing them on various platforms.  Others incorporate SPAM as a staple in their meals and share the fun of Jell-O molds with their children and families. Either way, SPAM and Jell-O molds remain unforgettable icons of a decade that dared to dream—in pastel colors and gelatin.

Saturday, May 10, 2025

THE WOODSMAN BY B.C. LIENESCH - BOOK REVIEW By: Kimberly R. Thorn

                                                                

Photo by: Kimberly R. Thorn

Scares That Care AuthorCon V was celebrated March 28-30, 2025 in Williamsburg, Virginia this year.  I have to admit that I am more of a cozy mystery lover than the bloody, gore, scary lover.  Scooby-Doo is as scary as it gets for me.  Occasionally though, especially at Halloween, I do like to be scared out of my wits.  Maybe John Grisham for Halloween?  Or the old Friday the 13th movies?  I know, not most people’s ideas of scary.  But the movies Saw and Carrie (the original) still haunts me to this day.  As you can see, I’m not a lover of gruesomeness.  Being scared and being grossed out are two very different things.  I tell you this as I must admit my hesitation at attending my first STC AuthorCon.  But I am oh so glad that I went!  Not only did I get to see the grim reaper with a bra on.  Yes, I said what I said!  But I found some great reads that seriously put my TBR pile in jeopardy of falling over.  It is starting to look like the Leaning Tower of Pisa!



How it Started

I was pleasantly surprised to find that there were several crime fiction writers there with their books for sale.  As I walked in the first author section, I walked past a book, The Woodsman by B.C. Lienesch, that caught my attention (I mean, come on, what's not to love about this cover, am I right?).  So much so that I walked past it, I then stopped and backed up.  I picked up the book (the hardback one, that I never get) to read the summary and said to the author, ‘Oh, I’d like this one please!”.  He asked me if I wanted the paperback, which I didn’t even see, walked right past it (again usual for me).  I acknowledged that I wanted the hard back, please.  He signed it, thanked me and I left.  I was so excited to read this book, that I started reading it the very next day.  In three days, I finished it.

Overall

I have absolutely nothing bad to say about this book. It was AMAZING! The writing was clear and concise.  There was not too much description.  Just enough to be able to picture the scene but not an overabundance of it.  You know, where it’s two pages of description and you wanted to stop reading the description already for goodness sakes.......(now I'm out of breath).    

Plot Review

It had a great plot, which was the biggest mystery however there was another mystery that was intertwined within the bigger plot/mystery. It kept me on the edge of my seat, and I could not wait to find out the true culprit.  It stumped me all the way through he book and I was shocked by the ending.  I had not expected anything that happened.  I tend to zone out during some action/fight scenes because it’s just too much for me to follow, but I could follow the action with no problem.  There is plenty of action and it flows well.  There is no lull in the story where you get bored and think to yourself, 'come on what happens next, this is boring.'  It just doesn't happen in this book.  Make no mistake though, the action isn't over the top either.  Like Tom Cruise and Mission Impossible where he never seems to be able to stop dodging bullets.  The action, then breaks move at a nice steady pace but still enough to keep you guessing. 

Main Character

Honestly, I trusted only the main character, Jackson Clay.  I knew he was a good guy but I wasn't so sure about anyone else.  You learn a lot about the main character and why he does what he does.  (If you’re wondering what he does, then you’ll have to read the book because I don’t want to give anything away.  Trust me, you will thank me later!)  I could tell you the summary but I don't feel that I could do it justice.  Believe me when I tell you that you WILL fall in love with Jackson Clay and want to learn as much as you can about him.  

Sequel?

Currently, the second book, Country Roads and third book, Chasing Devils are out in this series.  No I have not read them, yet.  Lienesch has the fourth book, Happyland coming out later this year.  You can check out his author page at www.bclnovels.com

 

Saturday, July 20, 2024

IS THIS A MYSTERY OR IS IT SUSPENSE? by Maria Hudgins



Question: The book you are reading has a murder on page twenty. Is it  a) mystery b) thriller c) suspense  d) adventure. Answer: It's a mystery.

I bet most of you got it right without even thinking about it. I remember a mystery conference I attended where a well-known mystery writer said, "I try to have a dead body on page one if I can." I think that's going a bit too far. It puts a cramp in your scene-setting plans. But the idea is fairly sound. Mysteries are about figuring out what happened. Suspense stories build up to something that happens.

This week, the third week in July 2024, is both. I have been glued to my laptop for more on the happenings in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. In November we will have a coast-to-coast event that will involve all of us.Are we in a mystery, a suspense drama, or, as Joe Rogan suggests, a simulation? The events in Butler, Pennsylvania have left me with unanswered questions about what happened and why. Mystery. What will happen between now and our November election? Suspense. What are the odds something unexpected will happen between now and then? A denouement? A clash of philosophies? A meeting of minds?

The story I am writing now is morphing back and forth in my head between mystery and suspense. I am wondering if I have to stick with one or the other, or if I can sort of straddle the two. I haven't finished my outline, but I have already written the first chapter. I think this may be the problem. I should first do the outline. Then start writing.

There is a book I know will help me and I already have it on my bookshelf. It's Carolyn Wheat's How to Write Killer Fiction. She talks about "The Funhouse of Mystery" and "The Roller Coaster of Suspense." In a mystery the main character, the sleuth, is mentally challenged to figure something out, and the reader is, too. In a suspense story the main character, the hero, is emotionally, if not also mentally and physically, challenged to overcome a daunting problem. 

I have a slight problem with writing suspense. I love my main character and I hate having to put him or her through the coming challenge. But I have to steel myself against the misery and do it for the sake of the story. No misery, no story.

 Writing a mystery is more comfortable because the challenge is mainly mental. The problem here is that I have to keep it from becoming a dry mental exercise that nobody wants to read. Here's where the first-or-third person choice may help. I often choose first person because we can know what the main character is feeling as well as what he is thinking and you don't have to worry about head-hopping when it's all coming from one head.

And speaking of our current national challenge to choose a political leader, I am grateful to be the fly on the wall who observes the suspense and thinks about the challenge, but doesn't have to personally enter the fray. Thank goodness for TV and YouTube. 





A TASTE OF THE 1950s: WHEN SPAM AND JELL-O MOLDS RULED THE TABLE by Ellen Butler

  Since my next book in the Ariadne Winter mystery series, Deadly Secrets at Ballyford Castle , will be arriving on October 1, I’ve decided ...