#COOKING WITH CLORIS--GUEST AUTHOR SHARON STRUTH AND VIENNESE ORANGE #COFFEE RECIPE

Bestselling author Sharon Struth believes you’re never too old to pursue a dream. When she’s not writing, she and her husband happily sip their way through the scenic towns of the Connecticut Wine Trail. Learn more about Sharon and her books at her website. 

Coffee Shop Inspiration, Small Town Fun, and Easy Viennese Orange Coffee

The town I live in is small, very New England, and a perfect setting to inspire my stories. One of my favorite hangouts is a coffee shop located in an old Victorian house along my town’s main street. Sounds like a good book setting, doesn’t it?

While drinking my coffee there one cold winter morning, in fact, I decided it would be a great place to open my book, The To-Do List. In my book, Maggie Harris returns to her hometown to get over a bad divorce and take ownership of her aunt’s former used bookstore. Through the magic of fiction, I took the old store and transformed it into the place Maggie’s aunt always dreamed of owning with the new name Books, Beans & Beyond. Level one is a colorful café where patrons walk into the scent of roasting beans and baking scones. On the upper level is the bookstore with new books and the attic level dedicated to used books.

Sounds perfect, right?

And it is, at least until Maggie receives a threat to leave town. From this point, The To-Do List takes off and combines my love of coffee houses with mystery, romance and a few Lucy-Ethel worthy comedic moments. If you want a meaty mystery, a truly heart-twangy romantic storyline, and a little light comedy, check out my book.

If you want to try an easy, delicious, and fancy coffee treat, check out my recipe for Viennese Orange Coffee. This one comes from my very old cookbook collection and shouldn’t be missed.

Viennese Orange Coffee.

2 teaspoons grated orange rind (make a little extra for the topping)

ground coffee to brew 4 to 5 cups

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon brandy extract

water to make 4-5 cups

whipped cream

Place the orange rind in the paper filter/filter basket. Top with coffee then sprinkle with cinnamon. Pour brandy extract over the coffee mixture. Add water to coffee maker and brew.

Serve immediate with cream and sugar. Add whipped cream on top and sprinkle with a few orange rinds.

Perfect for a cold winter’s day…

The To-Do List

Relax, she’s got this…

Maggie Harris has her ultra-organized life well in hand, until she finds her neighbor and husband together, in her bed, and the tight hold she keeps on her world unravels, leaving her grasping for an escape. So how can she refuse when she’s handed the dream job of running her aunt’s bookstore and a chance for a fresh start? Even though the bookstore is in Brockport, Connecticut, her former hometown, and a place she’d vowed to leave behind forever.

When someone breaks into Maggie’s new business and leaves a threat on the wall, Detective Cooper Stanton is assigned the case. It’s been twenty years, but Coop hasn’t forgotten the way Maggie once charmed him at every turn—even with her controlling ways. This time, though, Coop refuses to let her seize the reins. What he doesn’t know is she plans to grab them anyway…and she’s got a secret she never shared.

Buy Links

paperback 

ebook (currently on sale for .99 cents)