HISTORICAL MYSTERY AUTHOR D.S. LANG SHARES A FAMILY FAVORITE SUGAR COOKIE RECIPE

D.S. Lang started making up stories to entertain herself as an only child, and she’s still making them up. Her historical mysteries are set in small-town Ohio after the Great War. They feature amateur women sleuths determined to catch the bad guys and gals. Learn more about her and her books at her website. 

In The Murdered Matron, the second book in my Doro Banyon Historical Cozy Mystery series, Doro helps plan her hometown’s annual Christmas celebration. A big part of the discussion revolves around refreshments. 

 

When I think of holiday treats, cookies come to mind—especially a family favorite sugar cookie. I do not know the origin of the recipe, but I recently found it handwritten in one of my mom’s old cookbooks. My mouth immediately watered! I have not made this cookie in many years, so I asked a friend who is a superb baker to help me figure how much flour is needed. The recipe, as you will see, calls for “enough to pat cookies out.” My friend has a similar old recipe, and she said about three cups should do the trick. 

 

In the novel, Doro and her best friend bake a batch to share with the town lawmen, who rave about the sweet treat. If you make them, I hope the cookies are just as popular with your family, friends, and neighbors!

 

Family Favorite Soft Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

1 cup butter

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp nutmeg

3 cups white all-purpose flour

 

Cream together the sugars, butter, and eggs. Add the buttermilk, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla, salt, and nutmeg.

 

Add enough flour to spoon cookies into your hand and pat out. This is tricky! Have 

3 cups of white all-purpose flour ready.

 

Bake @375-400 degrees for 10 minutes, watching carefully.

The Murdered Matron

A Roaring Twenties Cozy Historical, Book 2

 

As the fall semester ends, Doro’s hands are full as a professor, librarian, and volunteer. She looks forward to planning and celebrating her hometown’s annual Christmas festivities, but her enthusiasm is tested when the chairwoman’s dictatorial ways create dissension among the committee members. Dissension soon turns to malice, and threats fly among the matron and several others. When she is found dead, unsettling questions arise—and so do longstanding grudges. Who caused the woman’s fatal fall from a ladder? After the chairwoman’s handyman disappears, anxiety escalates among townsfolk. Doro and her best friend, Aggie, along with two local lawmen, work together to investigate. Can they catch the killer in time to save the holiday celebration? Or will others fall victim to the perpetrator?

 

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MYSTERY AUTHOR D.S. LANG BRINGS A "GHOST" TOWN BACK TO LIFE IN HER NEW SERIES

Not Mitchaw, but a reasonable facsimile found on Pixaby

D.S. Lang is a former teacher, tutor, and mentor. She writes historical mysteries set in smalltown America during the Roaring Twenties. Her books feature amateur sleuths dedicated to cracking cases, along with a team of colorful characters—often including a local lawman. Find more about her books and her books on her website. 

The Catalogued Corpse, the first book in my Doro Banyon Historical Mystery series, is set in the semi-fictional town of Michaw, Ohio. I use the term semi-fictional, because the unincorporated village of Mitchaw existed until the mid-Twentieth Century. In fact, it was my dad’s birthplace! Often called Mitchaw Corners, it was set at the intersection of two main roads. The town was tiny and surrounded by farms. These days, the area is part of Sylvania Township, but many more people live there because subdivisions have replaced farms.

I have taken considerable literary license in creating a fictional place. My town is much larger than the “Corners” ever was and even has a college, where my amateur sleuth works as a librarian.

In doing research, I found information about ghost towns (not haunted, just not in existence any longer) and forgotten places (they exist but not as actual jurisdictions.) Almost 4000 of these entities are in the United States. Texas has the most. The majority disappeared in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, often due to inhabitants heading to bigger cities. My dad’s family moved off their farm to a home in Sylvania, not a major city, when he was in high school. Sylvania isn’t a major city, but it still exists as a sprawling suburb.

Around the world, towns and cities have disappeared due to wars, famines, diseases, and disasters—both natural and man-made. During the Battle of Verdun in World War I, nine French villages were decimated. Mitchaw suffered a major tornado in 1920, which may have started its decline. Many surrounding towns have also shrunk or disappeared. One named Ai (and it was named long before artificial intelligence came along) is tiny now, but once had its own high school. I wanted to use it as part of my story. Then, one of my beta readers said people will think you are referring to new technology, so I had to choose another place!

The Catalogued Corpse 

A Doro Banyon Historical Mystery, Book One

 

College librarian Doro Banyon discovers the body of her nemesis, Professor Hemet Corlon, near the card catalogues when she arrives for work. Evidence points to a terrible accident, but the new school security officer disagrees. Because Doro and Corlon have been at odds over the status of women at the formerly all-male school, she falls under suspicion—and she isn’t alone. Most professors and students supported women’s suffrage and welcomed coeducation, so they stand steadfast against the old-fashioned ideas of Corlon and his handful of powerful cronies. More than one person wanted to see an end to the professor and his ilk. But who made his departure permanent? In seeking answers, Doro joins forces with her best friend to solve the mystery of the catalogued corpse.

 

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#COOKING WITH CLORIS--HISTORICAL MYSTERY AUTHOR D.S. LANG ON THE DONUT DOLLIES OF WORLD WAR I AND A DONUT RECIPE

WWI Donut Dollies

Author D.S. Lang has been making up stories since she was a little girl. Along the way, she’s taught at the junior high, high school, and college level, and worked as a program coordinator, a golf shop manager, and an online tutor. Now, she spends much of her time reading, researching, and writing. Most recently, she has delved into the Great War era and the years immediately after it. Her Arabella Stewart Historical Mystery Series was inspired by her Great Uncle Brice who served in the American Expeditionary Force during World War One, and by her love of historical mysteries. Learn more about D.S. and her books at her website. 

My Arabella Stewart Historical Mystery series is set shortly after the Great War (World War I). The main character, Bella, was a United States Army Signal Corps operator. Her childhood friend, Constable Jax Hastings, served as a lieutenant in the American Expeditionary Force.

 

In doing research for the series, I have found many interesting details to weave into the books. One involves “Donut Dollies.” The “Dollies” were active from World War I through the Vietnam War.

 

The “Donut Dollies” of World War I brought a taste of home to the American Expeditionary Force serving in the trenches of France. All were Salvation Army volunteers who were best known for providing coffee and donuts at the front, where they faced being gassed and bombed along with the troops. More than 100 ladies were involved.

 

Because the donut-making machine was yet to be invented (that happened in 1920), the women had to be creative in producing the fried concoctions. Sometimes, they used baking powder cans to cook the donuts, tin cans to cut them, and used artillery shells to roll out dough. 

 

In addition to making donuts and coffee, the women mended uniforms, helped nurse the wounded, and wrote and read letters for illiterate soldiers.

 

The original Salvation Army recipe has very basic ingredients. Some were provided to the women; others (like eggs and fresh milk) were purchased from local farmers. The recipe is available from various sources. The following one is from https://centralusa.salvationarmy.org/metro/famous-donut-day-recipe/

 

Salvation Army Donuts

Yield: 4 doz. doughnuts

 

5 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 3/4 cup milk

5 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 tablespoon salt

1 tub lard

 

Combine all ingredients (except for lard) to make dough.

 

Thoroughly knead dough, roll smooth, and cut into rings that are less than 1/4 inch thick. (When finding items to cut out donut circles, be creative! Salvation Army dohnut girls used whatever they could find, from baking powder cans to coffee percolator tubes.)

 

Drop the rings into the lard, making sure the fat is hot enough to brown the doughnuts gradually. Turn the donuts slowly several times.

 

When browned, remove donuts and allow excess fat to drip off.

 

Dust with powdered sugar. Let cool and enjoy.

 

The Salvation Army began conducting “Donut Day” in 1938. The event is still marked the first Friday in June.

 

A Lethal Arrogance

An Arabella Stewart Historical Mystery, Book 3

 

After returning home from serving in the Great War, Arabella Stewart’s goal, to save her family’s resort, seems within reach as the summer season progresses. She and her business partner look forward to re-establishing a successful championship golf tournament, once the signature event of the resort’s year. Trouble arises when a participant clashes with more than one person, including Bella’s best friend Ida Byington. When the man is found dead as the result of a suspicious automobile crash, Ida becomes a top suspect. Eager to clear her friend and ravel the mystery, Bella once again helps Constable Jax Hastings investigate and discover if the man fell victim to his own lethal arrogance.  

 

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