Food in Books... "Please, sir, I want some more." Plus, my coveted recipe for easy Baklava Bites!

I don't know what made me think of this last night while I was making dinner, but I said to my husband, "Remember all our childhood books... Remember how many of them not only mentioned food, but FOOD was a major contributor to the story?" Sometimes it was the character's mission: to find food. And often, a certain food was a character's downfall.

The more I thought about it, the more books I remembered, so I set out on a mission to find the top 100 children's books of all time, and then I tried to remember if those books featured FOOD!

I forgot how many books I actually read as a child! Hopefully, you'll have a few good memories, too!

By now, you're probably trying to think of all the books you loved as a child and remember if the stories centered around food. I'll save you the brain power...

Oliver Twist - You probably knew the first one, just by my opening line: ​"Please, sir, I want some more."

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Did you ever read the original book, not just watch the movie? I did. It was wonderfully descriptive. I still remember the family house... The grandparents lying in the beds, all shriveled up. The food was so nil that Charlie felt guilty and brought the bar home for everyone to open.

James and the Giant Peach - I think I mentioned this to my avid-reading friends before. This is the book that made me fall in love with reading. I even mentioned it in my book The Library. Another orphan, of course, James ends up with his two cruel aunts, and they feed him improperly. By way of crystals, the Giant Peach comes about, along with the insects inside, and he goes off on an adventure. Of course, at one point they eat a little of the peach, and then sharks start eating the peach.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe - Edmund betrays his family for Turkish Delight!

Hansel & Gretel - Man, that was a rough one! The father has to take the kids in the woods and try to get them lost because they don't have enough food, and then the witch, of course, attracts children with a Gingerbread House!

Hunger Games - While I don't feel Hunger Games is a children's book, it's labeled as such, and it's all about food--the lack of it!!!

Winnie the Pooh - Of course, everyone remembers how MUCH Pooh ate and ended up stuck in Rabbit's tree.

Where the Wild Things Are - The story starts when his mother sends him to bed without his supper!

Snow White - The famous red apple.

Three Bears, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, The Giving Tree, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, Secret Garden, and on and on...

I started wondering WHY all these beloved children's books featured food or lack of food as a primary focus, and then it dawned on me. Most of these books were written around the Great Depression. I remember all the stories my grandmother would tell me how if they got a piece of candy, they would try to divide it into six pieces.

I certainly never starved as a child, but we didn't have much food in the house. A ginormous box of Corn Flakes, a huge jar of generic peanut butter, and bread from the day-old bread store were our staples. I always loved going to my aunt's house because her pantry was always stocked. Because of going without as a child, food has always been a priority to me. My pantry is always stocked. Without a doubt, I'd go without electricity before a stocked pantry.

And there went my brain again, making me wonder, do I place a focus on food in my books? I do, I realized.

Creatus - The entire premise of the series is what they eat and don't eat, and how the ancients thought they were blood-drinkers because of their raw-food diet.

She Belongs to Me - My first book. They meet in a restaurant. There's lots of discussions about food. Her first meal she makes him is the first meal I made my husband.

The Library - They meet in a restaurant--again. The major clue about the identity of the murderer comes about as Ashlyn is looking through an old cookbook.

Sam's Folly - Another throwback to my house and our FFY (Fend For Yourselves night). I even mentioned my easy trick for making enchiladas, which I took some flack for by a Texan. :')

When Noonday Ends - I give you my grandmother's secret ingredient for making Cincinnati Chili.

Land of the Noonday Sun - Lots of great restaurants, pizza (my favorite food), and I tell you the secret to my famous french toast.

Yep, it seems food isn't just for fuel. It's such a part of my life that I enjoy reading and writing about it! How about you? I welcome your thoughts on this crazy-long post! 

What books did you love as a child?

Did you recognize the focus on food?

Which classic children's books did I forget?

The Recipe!

Please note: I use super simple instructions for my recipes, as I like to save them in my phone. If you have any questions, feel free to reply to this email, and I'll gladly help.

I re-invented my original recipe that I learned in Tarpon Springs, Florida to make it easy to travel and serve. For parties, simply triple the recipe to make 45. The great thing about Baklava is that it is even better the next day, and it doesn't have to be refrigerated. Also, by making them in the shells instead of the sheets I used to use, they are portion controlled and easier to share!

Also, I use Country Crock plant butter, and I swear it tastes just as yummy as my original recipe! You can certainly use real butter. Wish I still could!!!! :)

Want more writing tidbits and super easy recipes, subscribe to my Newsletter! 

Want first-hand news of new release and book sales, follow me on BookBub or Amazon!