Hello my lovely tea, tarot, book and baking aficionados!
And firstly, I'd have to say, you dear readers! This is for the readers that emailed me and asked for the recipes mentioned in the trilogy, Maggie McCready's Travelling Tarot Adventures.
But baking began much earlier than that...
I found myself at the age of eleven becoming the main meal maker in my family, as my mother worked in the family business seven days a week… and at eleven I was, I have to say, rather resentful of the responsibility!
We lived in regional New Zealand and when it was beyond a doubt that I had a God given gift of singing it was decided I should be sent to boarding school to learn from one of New Zealand’s best teachers at the time, Dame Sister. Mary Leo. It was a privilege to learn from her and be surrounded by the talents and dedication of the sisters of Mercy. I learned a lot, but cooking was not one of these skills. I had to wait until I was sharing a flat in my early 20s to realize I’d need to learn how to cook myself, if I was to eat the kind of food I wanted to try.
Fortunately, my singing mates were always keen to come for brunch on Sundays, after 2 performances the day before and a bit of a lie in to recharge our batteries. Although if I was offering croissant or brioche at brunch the likelihood was, I’d be up early to work the dough!
It took me a while to understand offering a safe space, food and a non-judgmental ear, were all parts of my love language and that baking offered me the opportunity to tap into skills learned long ago as an alchemist and herbalist. Interestingly my father’s mother, who was dead long before I came on the scene was a herbalist and midwife, so I suppose you could say it was in my genes!
So began a study of flavour families, as I played with what herbs and spices suited which protein or vegetable. And this was greatly enhanced when I started teaching English as a Second Language in my 30s and was wrapped in the many cultures that make up a multicultural country like Australia. It’s amazing how much can be learned about others through food preparation and conversations and the sharing of a meal. It is a rich, fulfilling experience and I encourage you to take part if you have not done so before.
So, I collected recipes on scraps of paper, hastily written down and stuffed between the pages of other cookbooks until it was time to write fiction.
It began with A Tipsy Man Goes Naked – Love, Tales and Recipes which is a collection of short stories, recipes and the musings of the Muse of Aroma and Taste who came to me insisting I needed to write his book for him, and it’s continued with Maggie McCready’s Travelling Tarot Adventures.
And so here we are…
A cookbook with a difference…
A cookbook filled with the recipes mentioned in The Angel Tea House, The Pilgrims’ Way Café and The Pendragon Tea Rooms plus the magic of wish bombs and how to fill your lives with more love, laughter, health and joy, by learning the art of baking spells.
Food is not just a way to fuel your body…
It is there to nourish your heart, mind and soul by sharing the food you make with others.
It is our first medicine, comfort and memory from our childhood.
It is an expression of our cultural heritage.
It is love, made manifest.
Step into the magic with the angels, Maggie and me.
Come into the kitchen… let’s make some magic.
Books, brews and blessings,
Melody
Wish Bombs, Baking Spells and Recipes is available online as an e-book and also paperback from 22 April 2025. It would make the perfect Mother's Day present!
You can find it at: https://books.by/melody-r-green-books
#AuthorSpotlight #MelodyRGreen #mothersday