Pancakes and ‘Last Letter Home’
The book: Last Letter Home by Rachel Hore
Genre: Romance/ historical fiction
Published: 2018
The bake: Pancakes with a cheesy chicken mayo filling
What’s the story?
This book stands with one foot in the present, and one in the past. Exactly like I love it! In the present, historian Briony Wood visits Italy with her friends Aruna and Luke. She discovers a family connection to a ruined villa outside Naples when she spots her grandfather in an old wartime film shown to her by a local woman. This woman also gives her a bundle of old letters. This sets Briony on a course to discover the fate of the letter writer, Sarah Bailey, and the man she wrote them to, Paul Hartmann. Along to way to unraveling this mystery, Briony learns more about her own family and discovers a love interest right under her nose.
In the past, the story takes place in Norfolk, starting in 1938. We meet Sarah Bailey (and her mother and sister) who has returned to England after the death of her father in India. The Bailey women take up residence in the little village of Westbury. Their paths cross with Paul Hartmann, who fled from Hamburg with his mother. Paul is now working as a gardener at the local manor house for the Kelling family. Paul and Sarah share a love for gardening and strike up a friendship. However, with war looming and anti-German sentiments on the rise, will Paul and Sarah’s friendship have the chance to blossom into something more?
Why read it?
I’ve read a few of Rachel Hore’s books, and she never disappoints. This book has an interesting storyline flowing through different eras, and strong, believable characters. Briony is a likable character and I found myself rooting for her to find out the truth, and to find love. Sarah as the main character in the storyline taking place in the past, is a strong woman who had to endure many challenges during the war years.
I love when the ending of a novel is unpredictable. It’s not often that the last few chapters surprise me. This was the case with Last Letter Home, although I had my suspicions due to hints dropped here and there during the course of the story. Both storylines end with a very satisfying twist. This is an easy read that promises a relaxing escape from the present. In my case, the present is currently a very cold winter in Johannesburg, coupled with lots of power outages. So, reading this book, even by candlelight, helped me to relax and let go of my anger at our incompetent government!
Pair it with: Pancakes with a cheesy chicken filling
This book is about home, the idea of a place to call home, a place to make your own. And, having a place to come home to. For me, if I had to bake the concept of ‘home’, I would make pancakes. I never met my mother-in-law as she passed away in 2003, two years before I met my husband. My sisters-in-law gave me her signature pancake recipe. Whenever I make it, I feel that I somehow have a connection to the woman who raised the wonderful man I now share my life with. This recipe makes a lot of pancakes, and in my house, that is a must! They are wonderfully thick and fluffy and equally delicious with sweet or savory fillings.
I made a yummy chicken mayo filling for these pancakes and smothered them in a rich cheesy sauce before baking in the oven. To me, this is the ideal winter warmer. I feel this the perfect pairing for Last Letter Home as this dish gives me a sense of belonging, and this is what the characters in the novel are searching for.
Pancakes with a cheesy chicken mayo filling
5
servings1
hour40
minutesIngredients
- For the pancakes:
6 cups cake flour
6 teaspoons baking powder
1,5 teaspoons salt
6 eggs, separated
1,5 cups oil
1,5 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice
1 liter water
1 liter milk
- For the filling and topping:
500 g chicken fillets
olive oil
salt, pepper, mixed herbs
80 ml creamy mayonnaise
15 ml fresh lemon juice
50 g butter
50 g flour
1 cup milk (extra if you prefer a thinner sauce)
5 ml Dijon mustard
250 ml grated mature cheddar, plus extra for sprinkling over the top
Directions
- Make the pancake batter: Mix together the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Whisk the egg yolks, oil, vinegar, water and milk together.
- Mix the dry and wet ingredients, mix thoroughly to ensure no clumps form in the batter. If the mix seems too stiff, add a bit more water or milk.
- Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into the batter with a large metal spoon until just mixed in – be careful not to knock the air out of the egg whites. Adjust the thickness of the batter if necessary with more milk or water. Allow the batter to stand (covered) for about 30 minutes.
- Make the filling while the batter rests. Fry the chicken pieces until cooked and season with salt, pepper and mixed herbs. Allow to cool and then chop until fine.
- Mix the chicken with the mayonnaise and lemon juice, taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Make a cheese sauce by melting the butter, stirring in the flour and then gradually adding the milk until smooth and thickened. Stir in the cheese and mustard, taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat your pancake pan and swirl in a little oil for the first pancake. Pour in enough batter to cover the base of the pan. Bake until bubbles form on the top and the batter seems set. Flip over and bake another minute. Bake six pancakes and fold into a triangle, ready to fil.
- Fill each pancake with a big spoonful of the chicken mixture. Place the filled pancakes in an ovenproof dish. Pour over the cheese sauce and sprinkle over some extra cheese.
- Bake at 180 °C for about 25 minutes until golden brown and bubbling. Serve immediately with an extra squeeze of lemon juice.
