I write stories about characters who never, ever give up.
Two immortals discuss Labor Day
—Why do they call it Labor Day if no one works? Rosa asks.
—It’s a holiday to celebrate the end of summer. The labor part starts tomorrow, Tuesday.
—You mean no one works during the summer?
—Not quite. But the riffraff return from the Hamptons.
Photo: Labor Day, New York, May 1, 1909. Library of Congress, Public Domain.
Seated on clouds in the heavens, two immortals talk of calumny:
“What’s this word?” Rosa asks, handing me her newspaper.
“Calumny,” I say.
“It’s a lotion, no?”
“Not exactly,” I say. “It’s false and malicious misrepresentation of the words or actions of others, calculated to injure their reputation; libellous detraction, slander.”
“You make it sound horrible,” the madam says and quotes, “‘The shrug, the hum or ha, those petty brands that Calumny doth use …’ We’ve all done it.” She straightens her halo.
“Speak for yourself. Cheap tricks of the worst sort. Think Iago or Scarpia,” I say. “Calumny used to be considered villainous. If a person committed calumny, he self-flagellated or went to confession, one of those. Now, well . . .”
“Well, what?” The madam slams her cloud. “I hate it when you do that!”
“Do what?”
“Stop in midair. At least flap your wings or do something—anything to indicate you’re still with us.”
“Now, well . . . we arrange political campaigns with calumny as the centerpiece.”
“Despicable! I won’t attend—not unless they serve dolci.”
Photo: 100 Horses Chestnut Tree, Sicily. Credit: In2ShФФT (Flickr)
Queen Maria Sophie photographed in 1859 by Franz Seraph Hanfstaengl
That’s a photograph of the last queen of the Two Sicilies—Maria Sophie, Serafina’s favorite queen. Looks a lot like Sissi, doesn’t she?
In spite of Serafina’s support of Garibaldi, she talked a lot about Queen Maria Sophie, admiring her bravery, emulating her dress, as would other women of Serafina’s social class.
In Death of a Serpent Serafina ruminates on Maria Sophie:
Defeated, the queen, still my queen, she’d said one day to Giorgio who replied, “While she ruled, Maria Sophie cared not a jot for Sicilians.” But Serafina had no plans to remove her picture from its place of honor in the parlor.
A strong woman, Maria Sophie. She was married to a weakling, Francis II, an unfortunate alliance in retrospect. But Maria Sofie, whose idea the marriage was not—take a look at the sadness in her face—made the best of it. Her husband, Francis II, ascended the throne of the Two Sicilies only to be defeated less than a year later by Garibaldi and his troops.
Maria Sophie was called “the warrior queen” because of her courage during the seige of Gaeta, tending to the wounded, feeding them from her own dwindling supplies.
Despite her family’s wealth, her life was tragic. She bore a child out of wedlock whom she was forced to abandon and never saw again.
There were rumors at the time. Rosa pretended to know all about Maria Sophie’s affair with that papal guard, but then, she would, wouldn’t she, and would go on about it, embellishing bits of court and couturier gossip with relish. Serafina refused to believe Rosa’s hooting when she heard it. She and Rosa had a massive fight, but that’s another story.
You can read about Maria Sophie here.
Sicilian Cassata
Being immortal, Serafina and Rosa do no cooking. They imagine, and the food appears. But even immortals think this recipe is easy. It involves a little refrigeration, a bit of draining, but no baking. Unless of course you want to make everything by hand—the cow, the cheese, the cake, the marmalade, the frosting …
Ingredients
2 lbs. ricotta, drained
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted (maybe a touch more)
1 cup chocolate, chopped into bits
Orange marmalade, about 1/4 of a jar
Lady fingers, 3 or 4 packages
Chocolate frosting
Whipped Topping (All right, beat heavy cream if you’re a masochist.)
Three days before serving:
Place ricotta in sieve. Set sieve in pan or bowl. Cover. A clinging see-thru wrap works well. Drain for at least 48 hours. (Cannot skip this step or you will have a weeping mess.)
Cut chocolate into bits. Place in plastic bag. Refrigerate.
One day before serving:
Discard liquid from ricotta. Place cheese in bowl. Sift powdered sugar. Use mixer to blend into drained ricotta. Should not be totally smooth. Sample. May take a little more powdered sugar to suit your taste. Mix chocolate bits into ricotta.
Line the bottom and sides of a spring-form pan with lady fingers. Alternate layers of marmalade, ricotta, and lady fingers. See picture.
Frost the top.
Refrigerate at least 24 hours.
Serving:
Spring the pan.
Place cake on raised dish.
Decorate with dollops of whipped cream or topping.
Enjoy!
Coming soon! The family’s secret recipe for melt-in-your-mouth cannoli.
Cannoli Girls
Oratorio di Santa Cita, Serpotta. Photo credit: cercamon (Flickr)
An Excerpt from “Bella’s Body”
Sunday, October 7, 1866
“All three victims were killed by the same hand,” Dr. Loffredo said. “Wounds almost identical. The killer wields a deadly knife, his placement of the blade, exquisite—clean, deep, accurate.”
Rosa pressed a linen to her mouth.
Serafina lowered her gaze. She should be enjoying the day with her family, but how could she leave Rosa?
Loffredo continued. “All three bodies were moved, I’d say, at least three or four hours after death: rigor mortis was broken,” he said.
Serafina saw the black hoods bear the body away.
Loffredo pointed to the stoop outside Rosa’s office door. “All three bodies were found in the same spot.”
“Deliberate, I’d say,” Serafina said.
“My dear, leave police business to us.” Colonna played with one end of his mustache. He slewed his eyes to the grappa.
Rosa said, “This time the viper bites my soul. Bella, my favorite, a friend. Her death, such a shock, so I sent for Fina to give me comfort.” She eyed Colonna. “But you could use her help. You’ve had three months to catch this killer without success. No leads, no hope, no nothing.”
Colonna’s face mottled. “It could be the work of—”
“Never! Not the work of Don Tigro. Pay him every month, I do.” Rosa poured him a grappa. “Marsala?” she asked Loffredo and Serafina.
They shook their heads.
“And the time of death?” Serafina asked.
The inspector downed his drink, opened his mouth.
“If I might answer Donna Fina’s question,” Dr. Loffredo said. “I’d say very late last night or early this morning, sometime before first light, but that’s a guess. I’m hoping the autopsy will tell me more.”
“The mark on the forehead?” Serafina asked.
Loffredo shrugged. “A spiral of some sort. The same carving appeared on the first two women. I couldn’t guess its meaning.”
“The calling card of a wild one,” Rosa said.
“The bodies of the first two victims, had they been …?” Serafina’s voice trailed off.
Loffredo shook his head. “No fresh bruises or other cuts on the bodies, other than the demon brand. No abuse of their flesh by their killer.”
“But how can you be certain?” Colonna asked. “We are dealing with fallen women.”
“My dear inspector, leave the medical business to me.”
Meet Serafina Serafina Florio is a widowed midwife-turned-sleuth living in nineteenth-century Sicily. She lived the first part of her life in Oltramari, a fictional city near Palermo. Her father, a visiting professor at the University of Turin, died in the January 1848 revolution; her mother, a midwife, perished in the cholera epidemic of 1865. In 1847, Serafina married Giorgio Florio, the apothecary’s oldest son, who, like Serafina, was a member of the merchant class. After marriage, Serafina remained a midwife, refining her skills, delivering healthy babies. In 1866—a horrific year in Sicily’s history—three prostitutes were knifed to death, their foreheads gouged with … [Read More...]
Excerpt from Readers Favorite Book Review: “Anderson’s novel is quick moving and filled with twists and turns as this mystery is pondered and solved. It is easy to follow and the story flows well. I felt I was actually in Italy in 1866 as the author writes with such vivid descriptions and imagery throughout the book. Historical details with regard to dress, language, activities and landscape add so much to this story. This is an author and series not to miss if you enjoy a good mystery!” —Kristie I. for Readers Favorite Quotes from Reviewers: “… an author and series not to miss!”—Readers Favorite “I was spellbound by the intrigue and the courage of Serafina as she
A body on the shore … A new romance … Dark secrets … and one woman determined to uncover the truth. When Serafina Florio discovers a body on the beach, she plunges into the investigation despite dark secrets, diminishing funds, and a budding romance. Evidence leads her to a forest on the edge of the Madonie Mountains where a harrowing encounter pitches her deeper into the search. Does she have enough time to catch the killer? Will love prevail? Can she keep her family together? Meet Serafina Florio, a midwife-turned-sleuth who supports her children and catches criminals in spite of insurmountable odds. NO MORE BROTHERS, the second book in the Serafina Florio mystery