Salads

Chinese Chicken Salad, Lychee Martini, and Long Bright River

September 7, 2025
editor
The Chinese Chicken Salad pairs beautifully with Liz Moore's "Long Bright River" and a refreshing Lychee Martini. The salad's vibrant and fresh flavors complement the novel's gripping narrative, while the exotic Lychee Martini enhances the dining experience. This trio combines culinary delight, literary intrigue, and a touch of sophistication, promising an engaging and multisensory book club gathering.
Chinese Chicken Salad

Ingredients

For the Salad:

  • 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or sliced
  • 4 cups napa cabbage, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1/2 cup crispy wonton strips or sliced almonds

For the Dressing:

  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 teaspoon Sriracha or hot sauce (optional)
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Prepare the dressing:

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, grated ginger, minced garlic, Sriracha (if using), salt, and black pepper until well combined. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Assemble the salad:

  • In a large bowl, combine the cooked chicken, napa cabbage, red cabbage, carrots, red bell pepper, green onions, and cilantro.

Dress the salad:

  • Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss gently to ensure everything is evenly coated with the dressing.

Garnish and serve:

  • Top the salad with crispy wonton strips or sliced almonds for added crunch. Serve immediately.

Long Bright River

Long Bright River

A suspenseful novel that intertwines a gripping mystery with a story about the effects of opioid addiction on a community and a family. The novel explores the relationship between two sisters, one who goes missing, while the other—with whom she has not spoken for many years—persevers across her formidable beat in search of her [sister].
Two sisters travel the same streets, though their lives couldn't be more different. Then, one of them goes missing. In a Philadelphia neighborhood rocked by the opioid crisis, two once-inseparable sisters find themselves at odds. One, Kacey, lives on the streets in the vise of addiction. The other, Mickey, walks those same blocks on her police beat. They don't speak anymore, but Mickey never stops worrying about her sibling.Then Kacey disappears, suddenly, at the same time that a mysterious string of murders begins in Mickey's district, and Mickey becomes dangerously obsessed with finding the culprit–and her sister–before it's too late. Alternating its present-day mystery with the story of the sisters' childhood and adolescence, Long Bright River is at once heart-pounding and heart-wrenching: a gripping suspense novel that is also a moving story of sisters, addiction, and the formidable ties that persist between place, family, and fate.

Discussion Questions

  • What impact does the setting in Kensington, Philadelphia, have on the narrative?
  • How does the relationship between Mickey and Kacey evolve throughout the novel?
  • What role does addiction play in the characters' lives, and how does it affect their relationships?
  • Discuss the portrayal of law enforcement in the novel. How does the book handle issues like police responsibility and community relations?
  • In what ways does the novel address the theme of family loyalty versus duty?
  • How do the alternating timelines affect your understanding of the characters and their motivations?
  • What does the novel suggest about the possibility of redemption for its characters?
  • What is the significance of the title 'Long Bright River'?
  • How does the author use suspense and mystery to enhance the central themes of the novel?
  • Discuss the thematic significance of secrets in the story and how they drive the narrative forward.
Authors: Liz Moore
ISBN: 9780525540670
Publisher: Windmill Books
Published Date: 2020

Lychee Martini

Lychee Martini
A Lychee Martini adds a refreshing and exotic twist to your dining experience. With a blend of lychee-flavored spirits and a hint of citrus, this cocktail is a perfect balance of sweet and slightly tart flavors.

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces vodka
  • 1 ounce lychee liqueur
  • 1/2 ounce lychee juice
  • 1/2 ounce lime juice
  • Lychee fruit for garnish

Instructions

  • In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine vodka, lychee liqueur, lychee juice, and lime juice.
  • Shake well until chilled.
  • Strain into a chilled martini glass.
  • Garnish with a lychee fruit.