Review: The Flying Circus

The Flying Circus by Susan Crandall
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Once again, I am gushing over the latest Susan Crandall book. Like Whistling Past the Graveyard, Crandall tells a story of unlikely characters that come together through unlikely events to build an unlikely family bond. The Flying Circus finds Henry, Cora, and Gil, all running from their past and a broken family life. It is 1920s in America, a time when hucksters go from town to town making a living by entertaining the crowds. Henry is a mechanic, Gil a pilot, and Cora is a daring stunt woman on a motorcycle. They reluctantly form a barnstorming "flying circus" in order to make ends meet and survive another day. In a matter of a few months, they become a strong team and a close family. But they each hold a secret that rocked their past and if exposed, threaten to tear apart the family they have created. This book is a reminder that friends are often the family you pick and also that you really can never run from the past. At some point, it will catch up to you.

I really enjoyed this book and the colorful characters that Crandall paints. The middle of the book started to wane a bit for me, but it was needed story to help the reader understand the true spirit of each of the characters. For those that like a tidy ending, this has one. It will certainly make you go "Awww" at the end.

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Orange Tarragon Croissant French Toast

This past week, we had a chance to stay at the lovely Mt. Gainor Inn located in Dripping Springs, TX. I wish we could have stayed longer but we were only in town for one night.  Breakfast was wonderful.  They served Orange Tarragon French Toast.  The picture below does not do it justice.  I went in search for a recipe online that will hopefully come close to this yumminess.  I found *ONE* recipe that could be close, if not the recipe that they may have used. 

The recipe I found is on the Stonewall Jackson Inn Bed and Breakfast website and is titled:

Recipe:  Stonewall Jackson's "French Toast".  They state on this page that the recipe comes from "Virginia Bed & Breakfast Cookbook, 3rd Edition".

I would have pinned the recipe on Pinterest right from their page, but there is no image associated.  So I place here so I and others can enjoy!

Stonewall Jackson's "French" Toast

Author: Stonewall Jackson Inn Bed & Breakfast

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp orange juice
• ¼ tsp finely chopped tarragon leaves
• small pinch each: salt, white pepper, sugar
• 2 large day-old croissants

Instructions

1. To make the egg wash: Use a 5x8-inch dish and an egg beater or hand blender. Break the eggs, add all ingredients except croissants, and blend thoroughly until mixture just begins to foam.
2. Cut the croissants in half lengthwise, dip them in the egg wash, and press so that the air is forced out and replaced by the egg wash.
3. Place cut face down on hot (375° F.) lightly greased heavy skillet or grill and toast to a golden brown - 3 or 4 minutes - flip and lightly brown the uncut side 1 to 2 minutes, then flip them back to the cut side for 1 minute.
4. Place on a warm plate, stuffing or topping the open faces with the Southern Fried Apples (recipe at StonewallJacksonInn.com). Serve with a patty of fresh sausage and lightly scrambled eggs. If you don't stuff or top them, dust well with powdered sugar and serve the fried apples as a side, using link instead of patty sausage. Garnish with a quarter slice of freshly cut pineapple (husk on) and a sprig of parsley.

Our Newest Adventure

We're all about adventures here at the Beckelheimer household.  Our latest endeavor is beekeeping.  I'm keeping a separate blog detailing our new apiary.  So go on over to the Goofy Ranch Bee Company blog and check things out.  And stay tuned here to see what we're making with our eventual honey supply.