Light Appetizer Inspired by a Book

I'm totally in love! With the book! To be more correct -with the author! The author who writes about cats!
I apologize for such an excitement. I know I need to explain what it is all about and do a little tribute to the author who inspired my cooking blog post. Last fall I was wondering around the Barnes&Noble book store. Suddenly, my eyes caught the book title The Cat Who Had 60 Whiskers. I was mesmerized by the idea that someone will write about cats. Unanswered question drove me into a quiet frenzy. So I took the book and read the book cover ads: "Lilian Jackson Braun is the author of twenty-seven Cat Who novels and three short story collections". You know my love and admiration of cats, and the book was on sale...The long story short - I bought it and...loved it immediately! Mrs. Braun's writing style completely won my heart from the first page. It is witty, smart, mysterious, very clever and intelligent story about two Siamese who live with their owner James Mackintosh Qwilleran, the local newspaper columnist. The book tells in gentle and very well-educated manner about literature and cats! What mix can be better! After I finished the first book, I was hungry for more and made my trip to the Draper Library where I discover the whole book shelve by L.J.Braun!!!

Now we are back to the food matter. Today I finished the second book, The Cat Who Went Bananas. In first few chapter the book tells you about the local theater that decided to stage the play The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde and Qwilleran had to write some explanation notes about Wilde's play in his column. So, here it goes, "There is the matter of cucumber sandwiches! A young gentleman sends out invitations to an afternoon tea and orders cucumber sandwiches as refreshment. They are so good that he eats the whole plateful before the guests arrive. I asked food writer Mrs. Riker what is so special about cucumber sandwiches. She said, "To make that classic sandwich, cut a round of bread, spread it with softened butter, layer it with crisp cucumbers sliced paper-thin, and top it with another round of buttered bread. They are delicious! You can't stop eating them!"

I questioned the author credentials about cooking part and I made me a couple of those sandwiches with some innovation - only one piece of bread, and bread is specifically rye. Expect the unexpected, but they are so tasty and good that I need to give Mrs. Braun a torrent of applause! It is really worth of trying it. It is easy and so delicious...and I'm starting my third book by my favorite cat-writer L.J.Braun!