SNEAK PREVIEW
THE INN KEEPER'S CAKE
A New Christmas Fairy Tale
Once upon a time, in a land far away, there was a delightful place called The Gooseberry Inn, where many a traveler took refuge from the winter snow storms. There was a welcome mat for travelers to brush the "goose berrys" off their boots, in the unfortunate event that they had happened to step on some between the carriage stop and the inn.
This cozy inn was in good humor named after the droppings of the hundreds of fat geese who lived on the lake behind the inn. The lake was as large as some seas are and on the other side of the lake was a great steep mountain where a very wealthy but not so nice Lord kept his court. Everyone was grateful for the treacherous terrain that kept His Grace from making frequent visits to the world famous inn.
You might be thinking that The Gooseberry Inn was famous for succulent dishes of roast goose, and it was indeed very well known for having the most excellent dining in geese fare, but what put it on the map was the most delicious Christmas cake you could ever imagine, for all year long, travelers from distant lands would contribute an item as part of their fee for staying at the inn. A sack of black walnuts from a good friar's grove. Fine rinds from an exotic citrus that grew only on the balcony of a palace in the Mediterranean. Vanilla beans, honey, brandy and strange new spices from lands no one had known existed.
Every Christmas travelers would brave the ice and snow to return to The Gooseberry Inn to find out how the Christmas cake turned out that year. The Innkeeper's Cake was never a disappointment. In fact, each passing year it became more delectable than the year before.
~ To Be Continued ~
