I Found A Gem of a Tea Room in Manchester, Maryland by Karen Rose Smith

After all these years, it is difficult for my husband to find different venues to celebrate my birthday.  This year he happened across a newly opened tea room only about twenty minutes from our home.  Considering that my Daisy's Tea Garden cozy mysteries are set in a tea room in nearby Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, this new establishment seemed the perfect place to celebrate.  They were featuring a "Starry Night Tea" on the weekend of my birthday...so he made reservations and we headed for the Steeped Tea Cafe in Manchester, Maryland on a sunny December Sunday afternoon.

The tea room was festively decorated with Christmas merriment and the tea rooms were also adorned with traditional "tea" items.  We were seated in the spillover room which gave us the entire three-table room to ourselves.  It was enjoyable to have some quiet time away from the phone and computer to chat and enjoy the Christmas music that surrounded us.

The menu was displayed on each table and we knew we were in for a real treat. 

After our choice of tea was served, our first course was a delicate cranberry chocolate chip scone which blended really well with the Starry Night tea, a custom blend made at the Steeped Tea cafe.

That was followed by a delicious potato leek soup that was complemented by an arugula and pomegranate salad with a champagne vinaigrette dressing.

While we were waiting for the main course and dessert tower, we had a chance to chat with our waiter who was a family member of the owner.  We discussed how the business came to fruition as a family endeavor and how the cafe differed from other tea rooms in the vicinity.  It's always good to have research resources for future cozy mysteries right at my doorstep.

We certainly were not disappointed when the layered tea tower was presented.  The lower level featured grilled shrimp bruschetta, beef and blue cheese crostini and butternut squash puffs all of which were  accompanied by the dessert offerings -- toasted hazelnut glazed pumpkin cake, a red velvet trifle and dipped Madeleines.  Needless to say, by the end of the dessert course I was stuffing my cake and Madeleine in my purse to enjoy later.

After we finished our meal, we were greeted by Brandon Reiter, the chef and owner of the cafe.  It was enjoyable discussing the business and getting a peek into the intricacies of creating a menu and preparing enough food to serve all the guests on a given day.  Chef Reiter never believed he would end up owning and operating a tea room when he graduated from the Culinary Institute of America.  But he has enjoyed the last 18 months of ownership and hopes to expand the business even more.

Quiet time with my husband, a unique tea cafe and delicious food...what better way to spend my birthday?  Please feel free to share your unique dining experiences as you celebrate special events in your year.

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NOW AVAILABLE

Keith Rebert is homeless with a sad story that includes the death of his wife and medical bills that decimated his finances. Daisy and her friend Jonas Groft meet him through one of Daisy’s employees and offer help. But soon Keith is caught up in a murder investigation. He was supplying the shop Pirated Treasures with antiques, including Gettysburg Battlefield memorabilia. The nephew of the shop’s owner, Barry Storm, was lowballing merchandise that Keith brought in. One day Keith and Barry vehemently argued. Soon after, Barry was found dead, killed with a marble rolling pin that held Keith’s fingerprints. Daisy’s special for the month, cherry tarts, was found spilled on the floor next to him. Keith is the number one suspect.

Keith finds a job on a farm where he can live in a cabin with his daughter Mandy. A friend of Barry’s lived and worked there before the murder, then suddenly moved out. As Daisy finds clues that give insight into Barry’s life and prepares for her daughter’s wedding, she faces danger, verbally battles with the detective on the case, and tries to figure out what part Jonas Groft plays in her life. When she finds the ultimate clue that tells her exactly what Barry Storm was involved in, she almost loses her life. 

MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Amazon

MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Barnes and Noble

Cats Reign In My House

In my Daisy's Tea Garden cozy mysteries, Daisy has two felines that are a part of almost every scene which is set in her barn home.  Pepper and Marjoram always greet Daisy when she arrives home from a long day at the tea garden and are her constant companions when she is at home alone.  She often talks to them about her murder investigations, allowing her to hash out loud clues that have been spinning in her mind.  Often they settle on the sofa or chair in the living room when Daisy is chatting with her daughters Jazzi and Vi or her beau Jonas.

Zoie Joy (AKA Pepper) appreciates
the current animal print trend. 

Pepper and Marjoram are modeled after two of my own felines--Zoie Joy and Miss Paddington.  My padded living room and office furniture is their favorite napping and bathing spots.  When I purchased a new recliner for my husband as an anniversary gift, all the felines had to test it before he had the chance to enjoy it.  Often when a cat has settled there for the evening, he ends up sitting in another chair, envying the cat who took his new throne.

Miss Paddington (AKA Marjoram) prefers the
leather recliner.

I was sorting through my cat photos and found numerous shots of my "royal" felines enjoying their favorite "thrones."  Here are some of them:

Zander prefers chairs with large
padded arms. 

Miss Paddington settles on the padded
cushion of a kitchen chair.

The chair's arm and back provide Zander
with a royal view of the whole living room.

Zoie Joy often chooses the back of her
favorite chairs where the view is definitely better.

Freya isn't picky about her resting spots.  She tries them all out.   

Do your cats "reign" supreme or are they willing to share their thrones? 

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NOW AVAILABLE

Keith Rebert is homeless with a sad story that includes the death of his wife and medical bills that decimated his finances. Daisy and her friend Jonas Groft meet him through one of Daisy’s employees and offer help. But soon Keith is caught up in a murder investigation. He was supplying the shop Pirated Treasures with antiques, including Gettysburg Battlefield memorabilia. The nephew of the shop’s owner, Barry Storm, was lowballing merchandise that Keith brought in. One day Keith and Barry vehemently argued. Soon after, Barry was found dead, killed with a marble rolling pin that held Keith’s fingerprints. Daisy’s special for the month, cherry tarts, was found spilled on the floor next to him. Keith is the number one suspect.

Keith finds a job on a farm where he can live in a cabin with his daughter Mandy. A friend of Barry’s lived and worked there before the murder, then suddenly moved out. As Daisy finds clues that give insight into Barry’s life and prepares for her daughter’s wedding, she faces danger, verbally battles with the detective on the case, and tries to figure out what part Jonas Groft plays in her life. When she finds the ultimate clue that tells her exactly what Barry Storm was involved in, she almost loses her life. 

   

MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Amazon

MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Barnes and Noble

A Perfect Cup of Tea by Karen Rose Smith

by Karen Rose Smith

With the release of MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS, the fourth book in my Daisy's Tea Garden cozy mystery series, my mind has been on all things tea-related.  I can remember as a child having a cup of tea meant boiling some water in a pan on the stove, pouring it into a mug and adding a tea bag.  Tea was often the choice warm beverage on days when I was home from school with a nasty head cold.

But when I embarked on the task of creating a tea-themed focus for a new cozy mystery series and began researching tea and tea rooms, I developed a new-found appreciation for tea.  I was amazed at all the varieties and blends available and the art involved in creating a perfect cup of tea.  There definitely is a tea to satisfy everybody's palette.  

As I began visiting area tea rooms, I was fascinated and curious how each owner was able to supply every guest at a table a different cup of perfectly brewed tea of their choice from an extensive menu.  I was delighted to find on the back of a business card from TranquilaTea Tea Room in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania tips for brewing a perfect cup of tea.  I would like to share those tips with my readers.

Brewing A Perfect Cup Of Tea

• Bring cold water to a boil
• Measure 1 tsp loose leaf tea per 6 oz of water
• Place tea in an infuser or tea filter bag
• Immerse infuser or tea bag filter into cup or pot filled with boiled water that has cooled slightly  

Water Temperature

205 degrees (F) for black, herbal and rooibos teas
180 degrees (F) for green and white teas

Steeping Times

Green and white teas -- 2 minutes

Black teas -- 3 minutes

Herbal and rooibos teas -- 3 to 5 minutes

For a stronger cup, add more tea leaves.  Do not steep for a longer period of time, as this can lead to a bitter cup!

Now available:

Keith Rebert is homeless with a sad story that includes the death of his wife and medical bills that decimated his finances. Daisy and her friend Jonas Groft meet him through one of Daisy’s employees and offer help. But soon Keith is caught up in a murder investigation. He was supplying the shop Pirated Treasures with antiques, including Gettysburg Battlefield memorabilia. The nephew of the shop’s owner, Barry Storm, was lowballing merchandise that Keith brought in. One day Keith and Barry vehemently argued. Soon after, Barry was found dead, killed with a marble rolling pin that held Keith’s fingerprints. Daisy’s special for the month, cherry tarts, was found spilled on the floor next to him. Keith is the number one suspect.

Keith finds a job on a farm where he can live in a cabin with his daughter Mandy. A friend of Barry’s lived and worked there before the murder, then suddenly moved out. As Daisy finds clues that give insight into Barry’s life and prepares for her daughter’s wedding, she faces danger, verbally battles with the detective on the case, and tries to figure out what part Jonas Groft plays in her life. When she finds the ultimate clue that tells her exactly what Barry Storm was involved in, she almost loses her life. 

MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Amazon

MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Barnes and Noble

Thankful For A New Release--MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS

I have so many things to be thankful for and I could write about the traditional thanksgiving list of family, friends, health and on and on--all the things that surround me on a daily basis.  Truthfully as I grow older, I reflect on these things every day.  The one thing, as I get wrapped up in my day to day writing chores, that I sometimes forget to appreciate is the fact that I was gifted with the talent of telling stories in the written word and that I was fortunate enough to be able to share my stories with my readers.  So it seems significant that I celebrate my 103rd release this week with the publication of MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS, the fourth in my Daisy's Tea Garden cozy mystery series for Kensington Books.  And today I want to thank my faithful readers through the past twenty-seven years for believing in me and trusting me to produce a story that will warm your hearts and touch your spirit.  I have appreciated all of your kind words and supportive notes through the years.

MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS is a cozy mystery which revolves around Daisy's outreach to a homeless single father and his darling daughter.  I created a yummy cherry tart recipe for this book that is included in the back of the book. 

Pirated Treasures is an antiques shop that also plays a significant
role in the mystery.  Daisy purchases a Burton and Burton Victorian design teapot atop a teacup from the owner of the shop on one of her many visits to the shop while she is gathering clues to solve the murder of the store owner's nephew.  Notice its uniquely-shaped infinity handle.

What could better than a steaming cup of tea, delicious food and delicate china to soften the sometimes terrifying search for a murderer in the community of Willow Creek, Pennsylvania, deep in Amish country!

Here is a little summary of the book which is now available:

Keith Rebert is homeless with a sad story that includes the death of his wife and medical bills that decimated his finances. Daisy and her friend Jonas Groft meet him through one of Daisy’s employees and offer help. But soon Keith is caught up in a murder investigation. He was supplying the shop Pirated Treasures with antiques, including Gettysburg Battlefield memorabilia. The nephew of the shop’s owner, Barry Storm, was lowballing merchandise that Keith brought in. One day Keith and Barry vehemently argued. Soon after, Barry was found dead, killed with a marble rolling pin that held Keith’s fingerprints. Daisy’s special for the month, cherry tarts, was found spilled on the floor next to him. Keith is the number one suspect.

Keith finds a job on a farm where he can live in a cabin with his daughter Mandy. A friend of Barry’s lived and worked there before the murder, then suddenly moved out. As Daisy finds clues that give insight into Barry’s life and prepares for her daughter’s wedding, she faces danger, verbally battles with the detective on the case, and tries to figure out what part Jonas Groft plays in her life. When she finds the ultimate clue that tells her exactly what Barry Storm was involved in, she almost loses her life. 

MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Amazon

MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Barnes and Noble

WOOD You Shop Here? by Karen Rose Smith

Recently my husband and I went for a drive through Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  Since my Daisy's Tea Garden cozy mystery series is set in PA Amish country, I like to take an occasional drive though the area to soak in the Amish way of life which was immediately evident as we veered off the Old Philadelphia Pike onto several side roads that wound through Amish homesteads and farms.  It was a beautiful fall day and the horse-drawn farm equipment was active preparing the fields for winter and next spring's crops. Amish scooter cycles were being maneuvered along the country roads and wash was strung on pulley lines from the houses to the barn roofs.

The Amish operate many of the business establishments along the main route.  I always enjoy shopping in these stores and appreciating the hand crafted quilts, wall hangings, garden ornaments and furniture.

We stopped at a small coffee shop in the town of Intercourse for a quiet lunch.  I enjoyed watching the horse and buggies clopping along the street and the multitude of tourists who were enjoying the shops and outdoor entertainment at Kettle Village, directly across the street.

Sharing the same building as the coffee shop was a furniture store with locally-crafted pieces, many from reclaimed wood.  This shop immediately reminded me of WOODS, the business that is owned and operated by Jonas Groft in my tea garden mysteries.  Daisy often makes the short trek down the main street in Willow Creek, Pennsylvania, the fictional town I created based in historic Lancaster County, to visit Jonas.

Jonas makes many of the pieces featured in his shop, most made from reclaimed wood he often travels to purchase. Sometimes wood is found in old buildings that are being demolished or renovated.  Daisy often observes the chairs lined in cubicles along one wall of the shop, very similar to the display in the store we discovered in Intercourse.  They also featured tabletops which could be mounted on the pedestal bases of your choice, reclaimed wood mantles, and beautiful doors.

Some unusual items also caught my attention.  The shelf planter bicycle would be the perfect addition for a porch or sun room.  There were also many signs made from reclaimed wood, some with just a single word, others with more thought-provoking messages.

 I really enjoyed this visit to a shop that took me to a place that I had created in my imagination and shared on the written page.   I truly felt friendliness, warmth and peace knowing that such places truly do exist.

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Coming in December!

NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER

In Pennsylvania’s Amish country, Daisy Swanson has a tea shop to run, a daughter to marry off—and a murder to solve . . .

Daisy’s worried one of her employees at Daisy’s Tea Garden may be in a spot of trouble. Lately Karina’s been loading up on soup and second-day baked goods at the end of her shift—and while the shop’s scrumptious treats may be hard to resist, Daisy suspects there’s more going on, especially since Karina has been seen hanging out in a rundown part of Willow Creek.

Planning her own daughter’s wedding is enough to keep her busy, but Daisy can’t help feeling a protective maternal instinct—and an instinct to investigate. It turns out Karina has been helping a down-on-his luck single dad who’s been making ends meet—barely—by selling antiques at a place called Pirated Treasures.

But when an employee at the antiques store is bludgeoned to death with a marble rolling pin, Karina’s new friend is suspect number one. Though the motives are muddy and steeped in intrigue, Daisy is more than determined to flush the real killer out.

MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Amazon

MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Barnes and Noble

 

Shelters for Feral and Outside Cats

by Karen Rose Smith

Several years ago, we cared for a yellow tabby stray who came into our yard and seemed to want to stay.  We named him Lancelot because the first time we spotted him, he was protecting a kitten. We got him care and found out he had FIV.  He lasted through the summer. When he first began staying on our property, I wanted a protected place for him to nestle and we bought an igloo.  The following year another yellow tabby came to us.  We named him Sunnybud.  He stayed for three years until his FIV took him.  In the meantime we added more than one shelter for cats who needed cover over the winter.  At times, we had three cats staying warmer.  The thing about cats is that, unless they are bonded--mother and kitties, brother and sister--they each like their own space. They can be territorial. This summer I spruced up this shelter when I cleaned it out. We have turquoise planters and I had leftover paint from a reno project. Cedar Shelter

Some of the shelters have heat pads made for the outdoors.  In those that don't, we use straw.  Blankets and rugs will mildew and stay cold and wet.  In winter, we've found the cats prefer the shelters with the heat pads. No surprise there. The photo I led with is an igloo with straw bales around it to insulate it even more both winter and summer.  Sunnybud preferred being farther away from the house until he began to stay in our patio sunroom. The igloo is equipped with a heat pad.

There are many websites on the internet that have DIY instructions on how to make an inexpensive cat shelter.  ( Link for info on a DIY Shelters ) YouTube also has many DIY clips on building outside shelters.  Some of them use styrofoam coolers and others use store-bought coolers often used for picnic soft drinks. I found these on Etsy and they are called cat pods. These include a heat pad. ( Link to Extreme Weather Heat Pad )( Link for Outside Feral Cat Shelters )

Link to Heated Cat Pod Tower

Before Sunnybud left us, he introduced a brother and sister duo to our property. My husband named them Bonnie (a dark Tortie) and Clyde (a yellow tabby.) They have been more of a challenge than any others.  It's taken three years to socialize them to a certain extent. They come inside our basement now every afternoon to eat and cuddle up until morning. Then they go out again unless we keep them in for rain or freezing cold. Our basement is their apartment with cat beds and my plant grow heat pad that they use too.  But we still can't touch Bonnie.  I can pet Clyde unless I move my hand too fast or stand up!  We're working on it.  But before we even attempted to feed them inside the basement, they had to become comfortable with our property.  These two had been caught in a TNR program because both their ears were clipped.  I imagine they had a traumatic experience which is the cause of their apprehension around humans.  We added another shelter with a heat pad when they arrived.  I catnipped it and they began using it.  It was a patiently slow process.

This is a feral shelter we have under our deck. Clyde often uses the roof to survey his domain.  He and Bonnie can go inside and then crawl into a loft space that is insulated for warmth. Bonnie and Clyde both stay on our property now both day and night. Feralvilla Shelter

A fellow writer found stray cats on her property. I've often looked at these tubes and she told me the stray cats are using the shelter.  ( Link for Info on the Tube Shelter )

I'm an animal person, especially cats.  We have five inside rescues.  I can't handle seeing felines suffer in the winter.  Hence, the shelters.

Lancelot

Me and Sunnybud

Bonnie and Clyde

Younger Sunnybud

Sunnybud

Sunnybud and Halo before we brought her in.

Celebrating #Tea and Books!

I was honored to be asked to participate in this year's Pennsylvania Tea Festival sponsored by The Rosemary House and Gardens and The Mechanicsburg Mystery Bookshop.  The event was held in the gardens of The Rosemary House.  It featured entertainment, lectures, vendors and, of course, a full-service tea luncheon.

The literary corner hosted six cozy mystery authors who were scheduled over the two day event to give a short presentation followed by a chat session with readers where the authors could answer questions and sign copies of their books.

Each ticket holder received a tea cup when he/she arrived.  The cup was then used throughout their stay at the festival to taste the tea samples that were offered by the vendors.

The mood of the day was light and cheerful and everybody seemed to enjoy the beautiful weather, browse the tea products and learn more about tea. The chef at Rosemary House even created a pimento spread/cucumber sandwich like the recipe in my recent release, Murder With Cucumber Sandwiches!

I enjoyed the camaraderie with my readers.  Chatting with them reaffirms what I hope to accomplish in my novels and they always give me new perspectives on what my readers like...whether it be shorter chapters, more than one murder or my sleuths' romantic relationships.














My Daisy's Tea Garden Mysteries have opened a whole new venue for promoting my books.  It is so enjoyable to sit with my readers, enjoy tea and tasty treats and interact on a much more intimate level than across a table at a bookstore.  I always feel refreshed and renewed after sharing tea with my readers.

     

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Coming in December!

NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER

In Pennsylvania’s Amish country, Daisy Swanson has a tea shop to run, a daughter to marry off—and a murder to solve . . .

Daisy’s worried one of her employees at Daisy’s Tea Garden may be in a spot of trouble. Lately Karina’s been loading up on soup and second-day baked goods at the end of her shift—and while the shop’s scrumptious treats may be hard to resist, Daisy suspects there’s more going on, especially since Karina has been seen hanging out in a rundown part of Willow Creek.

Planning her own daughter’s wedding is enough to keep her busy, but Daisy can’t help feeling a protective maternal instinct—and an instinct to investigate. It turns out Karina has been helping a down-on-his luck single dad who’s been making ends meet—barely—by selling antiques at a place called Pirated Treasures.

But when an employee at the antiques store is bludgeoned to death with a marble rolling pin, Karina’s new friend is suspect number one. Though the motives are muddy and steeped in intrigue, Daisy is more than determined to flush the real killer out.

MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Amazon

MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Barnes and Noble