GIVEAWAY & RECIPE: Overnight of the Living Dead French Toast #ZPocEating


Just because the undead’s taste buds are atrophying doesn’t mean yours have to!

You duck into the safest-looking abandoned house you can find and hold your breath as you listen for the approaching zombie horde you’ve been running from all day. You hear a gurgling sound. Is it the undead? No—it’s your stomach.

When the zombie apocalypse tears down life and society as we know it, it will mean no more take out, no more brightly lit, immaculately organized aisles of food just waiting to be plucked effortlessly off the shelves. No more trips down to the local farmers’ market. No more microwaved meals in front of the TV or intimate dinner parties. No, when the undead rise, eating will be hard, and doing it successfully will become an art.

The Art of Eating through the Zombie Apocalypse is a cookbook and culinary field guide for the busy zpoc survivor. With more than 80 recipes (from Overnight of the Living Dead French Toast and It’s Not Easy Growing Greens Salad to Down & Out Sauerkraut, Honey & Blackberry Mead, and Twinkie Trifle), scads of gastronomic survival tips, and dozens of diagrams and illustrations that help you scavenge, forage, and improvise your way to an artful post-apocalypse meal. The Art of Eating is the ideal handbook for efficient food sourcing and inventive meal preparation in the event of an undead uprising.

Whether you decide to hole up in your own home or bug out into the wilderness, whether you prefer to scavenge the dregs of society or try your hand at apocalyptic agriculture, and regardless of your level of skill or preparation, The Art of Eating will help you navigate the wasteland and make the most of what you eat.


EXCERPT

Bugging In or Nouveau Home Cuisine

The recipes here are quick, simple, calorie rich, and, perhaps most importantly, comforting. Yes, that’s right, they’re the zpoc equivalent of the post-financial-crisis comfort food trend. So get ready for warm, indulgent, and satisfying meals that can be fixed in a jiffy and/or need minimal attendance. These recipes are geared to the first days of the outbreak—when the power is either still running or has just gone out—and so, will focus on perishable ingredients that most people would have on hand in their refrigerators and freezers.

Overnight of the Living Dead French Toast
Yields: 4 Hungry Survivor servings, 6 Regular Joe servings 

Welcome to the zombie apocalypse! Tomorrow is a big day: you will be losing your head (hopefully not literally) trying to fend off the newly infected. On top of that, those pesky little weak spots in your fortress will surely present themselves, leaving you overwhelmed with survival and physical defense–focused activities. Before you go to sleep tonight (if it even seems safe to do so), why not plan ahead for breakfast? Not only will it help use up some of your perishables (milk, eggs, butter, bread), it will also give you a calorie-rich jump-start to your undead-filled day. If the power has already gone out, reduce the amount of time you soak the bread to a couple of hours and use an Oven Hack (page 6) to cook this bad boy.

Requires:
Chef’s or survival knife and cutting board
1 bread knife
1 small mixing bowl
1 mixing spoon
1 fireproof baking dish (preferably 7" x 11")
1 large bowl
1 whisk (or fork)
Piece of foil, to cover baking dish

Heat Source:
Indirect, conventional oven or other Oven Hack (page 6)

Time:
10 minutes prep
4-8 hours inactive soaking time
35 minutes unattended cooking time

Ingredients:
¼ c. (4 tbsp.) butter, melted
½ c. brown sugar
12 oz. bread (challah, raisin, French baguette, Wonder—whatever you got, preferably a mix of several different kinds), sliced into strips 2–3 fingers wide
½ c. dried cranberries or raisins
6 eggs
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 ½ c. milk, cream, or combination
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
½ tsp. ground ginger
Pinch of salt
3 tbsp. rum, orange liqueur, or brandy (optional)
1 c. nuts (walnuts, pecans, or almonds), roughly chopped and preferably toasted
Maple syrup, to taste

Method:
1. Mix together the melted butter and brown sugar in a small mixing bowl. Spread the mixture along
the bottom of the baking dish.
2. Put down a layer of bread fingers, overlapping and filling gaps where needed. Sprinkle with dried
fruit. Repeat with remaining bread and fruit.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs and granulated sugar together until the sugar has dissolved,
about 1 minute. Add the milk/cream, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, pinch of salt, and
liquor/liqueur (if using). Whisk until incorporated.
4. Pour the custard over the bread and dried fruit, sweeping back and forth to moisten the whole top
layer, filling any nooks and crannies. Cover with foil and let sit for 2 hours (no refrigeration) or at
least 4 hours to overnight (in the fridge).
5. Preheat oven (for perhaps the last time!) to 375°F or set up an Oven Hack (see Judging
Temperature, page 7).
6. Remove foil from the baking dish and sprinkle with the toasted nuts (if using). Drizzle lightly
with maple syrup.
7. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, then cover and bake for another 15 minutes to avoid
over-browning. Check after 20 minutes or so—cooking time will vary widely depending on your
setup.
8. The French toast is ready when the custard at the center feels set (i.e., not jiggly, squishy, or raw).
Let stand for 5–10 minutes, then drizzle liberally with more maple syrup before tucking in.

AUTHOR


Lauren was infected with a rare strain of undead enthusiasm over a decade ago while fighting off the zombie menace of Raccoon City in the original Resident Evil. From video games to comic books, zombie walks to online communities, there are few corners of the culture she has not explored. And she’s got a decent zed t-shirt collection, to boot.

When not nerding out about zombies, space, or Adventure Time, Lauren works in the world of food as a professional cook and writer. Since completing her culinary training at Toronto's George Brown Chef School in 2008 she has done a variety of work—from restaurant cooking to cheesemongering, online sales to catering, teaching cooking classes to writing for print and online media. She completed research and course development work at George Brown examining the career motivations, ambitions, and expectations of students with the aim of better understanding low female representation at the executive level of professional kitchens.

After eating up all the good bits of Toronto, Lauren followed a trail of crumbs to Brooklyn, where she is cooking, eating, writing, and teaching happily.


The Art of Eating through the Zombie Apocalypse: A Cookbook and Culinary Survival Guide

REVIEW: Magic Bites

Magic Bites (Kate Daniels, #1)


Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up magical problems. But when Kate’s guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta’s magic circles. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realizes she’s way out of her league—but she wouldn't want it any other way…

This special edition includes in-depth information about the world of Kate Daniels, with descriptions of its characters and factions. Explore Kate’s Atlanta like never before with answers to FAQ and a quiz to find your place there. And don’t miss the prequel story “A Questionable Client,” as well as scenes of events in Magic Bites from Curran’s point of view.


REVIEW

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was one of those first-in-series that had been recommended to me countless times. I had high hopes, but it fell flat. The rhythm of the story flickered like a fey lantern. Sometimes, I was completely enthralled. Other times, I was bored out of my mind. Reading the special edition was helpful as there are a ton of extra features at the end (including a prequel novella). I read A Questionable Client after finishing book one, but it didn't help very much in filling in the holes. I loved the magic versus tech concept and the fact that vampires are actually monsters instead of just another glammed up love interest. I'm still a bit confused about the role of each faction but looking forward to book two, nonetheless. Kate was likable enough though I certainly don't feel invested in any of the other characters at this point. Hopefully, the next in series will captivate me. Otherwise, I won't be continuing with Kate Daniels.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Violet Storm

Violet Storm: Modi #1 by Anna Soliveres

Several hundred years into the future, The Cleansing, known to some as the End of Days, forced the government to create Arks to shelter its people. When Earth became habitable again, new territories rose up from the ashes: Agria, the City of Light, and the Outer Boundaries. For a while, they lived in peace.

A brilliant surgeon known for his invention of Modi’s—the only cure for the deadly disease, vaincre—has gone rogue with his experiments, and the Monarchy is desperate to shut him down. That's where Aeva Storm comes in, a champion athlete with an ego to match. Aeva is the surgeon's secret weapon against the Monarchy. And they'll never know what hit them. After reconstructing her body to become a Modi unlike any he's ever created, Aeva is forced into a fight against all odds. She'll have to break loyalties, hurt family, and turn her back on newly awakened love. Thousands of lives hang in the balance in a battle that will set forth a new era.

Join Aeva on her quest to see whether she's got what it takes to go up against the most powerful humans ever created.


Violet Storm (Modi #1)
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INTERVIEW

Q: As a self-proclaimed avid reader, what is the last book that you read and immensely enjoyed? 
A: I just got started on the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series and I must say, it’s good, real good!

Q: List three (3) movies that have inspired you as a writer.
A: Here are the three movies that inspired the world of Violet Storm: iRobot, The Road, and The Book of Eli. I drew quite a bit from these movies to create the VS world!

Q: Who is your favorite super hero?
A: I grew up loving X-Men, Smallville, and a slew of anime. I’d have to say Rogue is probably one of my favorite super heroes. She’s got this great ability to absorb others powers and their memories. Which is great if you’re battling other mutants. But it comes at such a personal cost: not being able to touch people without harming them. Unlike Superman and many other super heroes, her ability doesn’t give her much choice in pushing away people. She’s forced to in order to keep them safe from her. That’s the kind of character you can do so much with!

Q: Photography seems to be one of your passions. Share three (3) of your recent photos with us.
A: I’ve been obsessed with my kitten lately. He’s getting so big so fast! I’ve been trying to capture him in many stages. Here are some of my favorite photos.


Q: Through all of your traveling adventures, where is your favorite place to visit and why?
A: This is a tough one! Internationally, I’d say that my favorite place was Zurich. I spent quite a bit of time there and it was an amazing experience. Domestic, I’d have to say Chicago was a ton of fun!

Q: Describe the environment that best stimulates your personal creativity.
A: I’ve learned that being at home is where I am most able to tune out the world and focus solely on writing. When I’m out at cafe’s, even out on my balcony, I am overstimulated and can’t quite focus as well on my work.

Q: Exactly, how fast can you run? Yes, I’m calling you out on the cop story!
A: Haha! I used to be able to run 1 mile in under 7 minutes. My sprints (quarter miles) were even faster--I was always the fastest girl in the group. I wanted to be a cop back when I was in high school after having been a Police Cadet for almost two years. During boot camp, my Drill Sergeant said that I ran like a deer.

Q: Tell us about a few of your guilty pleasures.
A: I love getting massages. I get these bad knots on my neck and shoulders that only a deep tissue massage can work out. I like going to the gym at least three times a week to work off the stress built up by my full-time job. I like cider over beer, and will have wine with a meal. I love ice cream, but don’t have too terrible of a sweet tooth!

Q: Violet Storm is book one of the Modi series. Can you tell us anything about Modi #2?
A: If there’s anything I can say; it’s that there’s going to be a lot more world building. I want to take my imagination and the readers imagination to a whole new level. Clearly Modification is proving itself to be somewhat limitless. There are a lot of unanswered questions from book one, more secrets to discover, and a world still left to save. And let’s not forget what might happen between Karth, Ruven, and Aeva!

Q: If you could live in a world of dolls, what would it be like?
A: Great question. You’ll just have to read it in Snow Dolls! I’ve written this world out to be just the way I would imagine if dolls were fact and not fiction. The challenge so far is building a believable world in which we can fathom that such a practice (of Purification) exists! 

AUTHOR


Anna Soliveres has always been a storyteller but it wasn’t until her early twenties when she began writing novel length works. The result was an enthusiasm to get better at the craft until her work could be shared with the world. Releasing in March 2014, VIOLET STORM is her debut novel. Anna is currently working on another young adult sci-fi series, titled SNOW DOLLS, set to release in late 2014.

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