Love & Saffron

October 8, 1962
Los Angeles, Calif.

Dear Mrs. Fortier,

I hope this letter finds you well. For that matter, I hope it finds you, since I am sending it to Northwest Home & Life magazine, where I so enjoyed your recent tale about digging for clams. I laughed out loud at your smug heron and briny crown of kelp. I admire women who do not care if they look foolish in front of others, even though I am not one of them.

I am a dedicated reader of "Letter from the Island," and I send my congratulations for your ten-year anniversary as its author. I have known it from the beginning when I was seventeen. Mother loves her magazine subscriptions, and every month, as soon as they arrive, she folds back the pages to her favorite columns. The first two she reads are always yours and Gladys Taber's "Butternut Wisdom" in Family Circle. I prefer yours. It makes me feel like I am having a conversation with a good friend, and your enthusiasm for life has taught me to be more aware of my own world around me, and especially the outdoors. Believe it or not, Los Angeles has much to offer in the way of natural beauty if you pay close attention.

I notice you have written about mussels a few times, but you only ever mention cooking clams. I recently learned a creative mussel recipe from a Frenchwoman I met on a voyage to the Far East. I am enclosing a packet of saffron from that voyage. It is my small way of thanking you for "Letter from the Island."

For steamed mussels, in a stockpot add a generous pinch of saffron, coarsely chopped garlic, and parsley to a half cup melted butter. The red enamel pot you mentioned in your column about racing Dungeness crabs, the one with the pockmark from your niece's Red Ryder BB gun, will do perfectly. If you can't find fresh garlic, shallots can be substituted, but in my opinion, without fresh garlic the dish isn't worth making. The Frenchwoman told me the addition of a cup or so of white wine is considered standard for this broth, but

Kim Fay

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Impossible to put down By the end, I was shedding tears along with the characters, and felt as if I d made two friends. This is an irresistible story of two women from a lost time, both determined to make the best of things." The Seattle Times

Delicious food, wonderful characters, and adventures abound in this delightful story that simmers with affection. Christian Science Monitor

Food is far from the only thing to provide nourishment: I absolutely loved this novel .I wanted to go on reading it forever. Nigella Lawson, author of Cook, Eat, Repeat

Insanely cozy and has stayed with me for months. Be prepared to crave literally every dish mentioned including a cold glass of Chablis and clams From recipes to sickness, racism, and love, two unlikely women face the worlds they live in and find comfort in each other. Zibby Mag

Unutterably delightful Perfect for those burned out by current news cycles, Love & Saffron is a gentle escape to the past, and also a reminder both that others have survived unprecedented times, and that deep connections can be made even when people are physically separated. Shelf Awareness

Part historical fiction, part friendship saga, and part carnival for the senses, Love & Saffron isn't just for food lovers it's an ode to risk-takers, trailblazers, and the chefs in all of us .A sweet, savory, and emotional pleasure. It's like a dinner with friends you won't want to end." J. Ryan Stradal, author of Kitchens of the Great Midwest

The story leaves the reader wanting more-more