“A Solemn Curfew”

A while ago I was asked to contribute to an anthology called “The Secrets of Castle Drakon.” Being me, my thoughts didn’t go to the dungeons or the battlements or the Great Hall, they went straight to the kitchens.

And I wrote “A Solemn Curfew” a tale of greed and corruption and fun and mushrooms all set in the kitchens of a castle. The title comes from Shakespeare’s The Tempest

“Is to make midnight mushrooms, that rejoice

To hear the solemn curfew…”

 My “hero”, a vegetable cook called Quine starts out on a path to fame and glory, but on the way he does a lot of cooking and one of the things he cooks is salsify. Isn’t it pretty!

Actually, once you’ve peeled it like a carrot, cut it into batons, boiled it until just tender; then egged and bread crumbed the bits and fried them crisp, it is absolutely delicious. Never judge by appearance.

Unfortunately the anthology is no longer available, but the story is. And currently free if you have Kindle Unlimited.

Find out more here