End of Story – READ EAT And DRINK

Read, Eat and Drink

Featuring
End of Story by A. J. Finn

CHAPTER 1 – READ

End of Story is Dan Mallory’s second novel. He writes under the name A. J. Finn and has a background as interesting as his stories. You can go down that rabbit hole on your own. His debut novel, The Woman in the Window, was a New York Times bestseller and has sold millions of copies. It has since been made into a movie on Netflix.

Nicky Hunter has corresponded with famous author Sebastian Trapp for several years. He surprises her with an offer to come to San Francisco to write the story of his life before he passes away from an aggressive illness. While Sebastian is indeed famous, he has been retired for twenty years following the mysterious disappearance of his wife, Hope, and young son, Cole. Neither have been seen since and many suspect Sebastian of their murders.

Nicky moves into the family’s old mansion alongside Sebastian’s second wife, the beautiful Diana; his nephew, Freddy; his distrustful daughter, Madeline; and a French Bulldog, Watson. While she attempts to piece together the many fascinating chapters of his life, Nicky becomes consumed with finding the truth about the disappearances. After another death occurs, she must decide if the story is worth the chance that she may be next.

I have not read The Woman in the Window, so I was unfamiliar with the author’s writing style. Unfortunately, I found the book slow and considered putting it down several times. I liked the main character, Nicky, but found the writing overly descriptive and sometimes confusing, forcing me to reread paragraphs.

However, I am glad I kept trudging forward. I would compare this book to running a marathon where you contemplate quitting only to have the runner’s high kick in towards the end and crossing the finish line is well worth the effort. The reveal is fantastic and the twists and turns are unexpected. I can recommend this book with a clear conscience as long as you understand it will sometimes be a battle.

CHAPTER 2 – EAT

Pasta ‘ncasciata (Printable recipe)

Dan Mallory aka A. J. Finn, is not as obsessed with food as many of us authors are. I noted only two mentions in the novel, one being carrots and hummus in a vegetarian restaurant, and the other on page 105 when the family and their guest sits down to a Sicilian dinner prepared by housekeeper, Adelina. The choice between the two was easy.   

Pasta ‘ncasciata is a baked pasta dish that combines maccheroni pasta with ragu, fried eggplant, and caciocavallo cheese. The name “ncasciata” is derived from the Sicilian word for baked. The city of origin will dictate the ingredients and often call for chicken, but I prefer it with ground beef.

This pasta dish is made with just one layer differentiating it from most baked pasta dishes. It is considered Palermo’s version. As always, I have included shortcuts to get you to your beverage quicker.        

Ingredients:

Instructions:

  1. Wash then cut the eggplant into  ½″ cubes. Place them in a colander, sprinkle them with coarse salt, and let them sit for an hour to release excess water.
  • Rinse the eggplant under running water and pat dry. Bake them in the oven with plenty of extra-virgin olive oil at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. Turn and roast for 10 more minutes. The eggplant pieces should be caramelized and soft inside.
  • While the eggplant is baking, chop the onion and sauté it for a few minutes in a pan with extra-virgin olive oil. Add garlic and cook a little longer. Add the ground beef seasoned with Italian seasoning, white wine, and cook for 10 minutes. Add tomato sauce to the beef, and cook for twenty minutes. 
  • Cook the pasta in boiling salted water and drain it once it’s al dente. Transfer it to a baking dish, pour the sauce on top, and mix well. Add the eggplant, caciocavallo cheese, and basil, and top with the grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Place in the oven for 15 minutes and then serve with a salad and glass of Vermentino.

Tips:

I don’t care for eggplant skin, but you will need some on the cubes or they can turn mushy. Investigate other ways to cook eggplant if you do not like the skin.

Caciocavvlo cheese is not easy to find. Try a local cheese shop. I had to use provolone and it was not the same. It is worth the effort.

You can make this dish vegetarian by adding more eggplant instead of ground beef. It is also good with roasted red peppers and mushrooms.

Feel free to make your own tomato sauce, but Rao’s Homemade Marina is tough to beat. I would also suggest a little extra tomato sauce.  

Make sure you season well. It can be a little blah if you do not.

If you try this recipe, let me know what you think and send a pic to ChrisKneerAuthor.com. Once a month I will have a drawing for a great prize (well… maybe not great, but a prize 😊). 

CHAPTER 3 – DRINK

Vermentino

Besides Sebastian drinking beer and Nicky doing shots, the only mention of libations is the family drinking bottles of Vermentino which is a light-bodied white wine grown mostly in Italy on the island of Sardina. It is similar to Sauvignon Blanc, but much less well-known.

A glass of Vermentino is characterized by citrus flavors. It is dry on the pallet and the grapefruit is forward. It pairs well with light meats and fish.    

Unlike red wines which need a larger area to breathe, white wines can be served in glasses that are narrower and have a U-shape. Since they are served cold, between 45-55 degrees Fahrenheit, a stemmed glass works best.  

I chose a bottle of Dolia Vermentino. It is a little more creamy than other versions. I don’t drink much white wine, but this was light and refreshing. I would buy another bottle or two. 

Salute!!