For a delightful book club experience, pair the luscious "Triple-layer Lemon Pie" with Emily St. John Mandel's "Sea of Tranquility" and a refreshing cocktail named "Lemon Basil Sunrise." The pie's bright citrus notes mirror the ethereal, contemplative tone of Mandel's novel, which explores themes of connection and time in a beautifully intricate narrative. Accompanying this literary and culinary pairing, the "Lemon Basil Sunrise" adds a sophisticated touch, blending fresh basil and citrus with a hint of smooth vodka, enhancing the sensory experience of your gathering. Together, this trio encapsulates an immersive journey of taste, imagination, and thoughtful conversation.
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
For the Lemon Filling:
- 1 package (3.4 oz) lemon-flavored instant pudding mix
- 1 cup cold milk
- 1 cup lemon curd
For the Whipped Topping:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Garnish:
- Lemon zest (optional)
- Thin lemon slices (optional)
Instructions
Prepare the Crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Stir in the melted butter until the mixture is well combined and resembles wet sand.
- Press the mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan.
- Bake the crust for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely.
Make the Lemon Filling:
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the instant pudding mix and cold milk until smooth and thickened.
- Gently fold in the lemon curd until the mixture is fully combined and smooth.
- Pour the lemon filling into the cooled crust, spreading it out evenly.
Prepare the Whipped Topping:
- In a large mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream with an electric mixer on medium speed until it begins to thicken.
- Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, and continue to whip until stiff peaks form.
- Spread the whipped topping over the lemon filling in an even layer.
Assemble and Chill:
- Refrigerate the pie for at least 4 hours, or until fully set.
- Before serving, garnish with lemon zest and thin slices of lemon if desired.
Serve:
- Slice the pie and serve chilled. Enjoy the refreshing layers of lemony goodness!
Sea of Tranquility
A novel that revolves around the exploration of time, love, and art spanning centuries and galaxies.
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The award-winning, best-selling author of Station Eleven and The Glass Hotel returns with a novel of art, time travel, love, and plague that takes the reader from Vancouver Island in 1912 to a dark colony on the moon five hundred years later, unfurling a story of humanity across centuries and space. One of the Best Books of the Year: The New York Times, NPR, GoodReads “One of [Mandel’s] finest novels and one of her most satisfying forays into the arena of speculative fiction yet.” —The New York Times Edwin St. Andrew is eighteen years old when he crosses the Atlantic by steamship, exiled from polite society following an ill-conceived diatribe at a dinner party. He enters the forest, spellbound by the beauty of the Canadian wilderness, and suddenly hears the notes of a violin echoing in an airship terminal—an experience that shocks him to his core. Two centuries later a famous writer named Olive Llewellyn is on a book tour. She’s traveling all over Earth, but her home is the second moon colony, a place of white stone, spired towers, and artificial beauty. Within the text of Olive’s best-selling pandemic novel lies a strange passage: a man plays his violin for change in the echoing corridor of an airship terminal as the trees of a forest rise around him. When Gaspery-Jacques Roberts, a detective in the black-skied Night City, is hired to investigate an anomaly in the North American wilderness, he uncovers a series of lives upended: The exiled son of an earl driven to madness, a writer trapped far from home as a pandemic ravages Earth, and a childhood friend from the Night City who, like Gaspery himself, has glimpsed the chance to do something extraordinary that will disrupt the timeline of the universe. A virtuoso performance that is as human and tender as it is intellectually playful, Sea of Tranquility is a novel of time travel and metaphysics that precisely captures the reality of our current moment.
Discussion Questions
- In "Sea of Tranquility," how does Mandel use the concept of time to enhance the story?
- What role does art play within the novel, and how does it affect the characters?
- How do the different timelines and realities interact in the book?
- Discuss the theme of connection in the novel. How do characters connect across different times and places?
- What messages does Mandel convey about the future of humanity?
- Which character do you relate to the most, and why?
- How does the novel approach the concept of destiny versus choice?
- In what ways does "Sea of Tranquility" reflect contemporary real-world issues?
- Discuss the significance of the title "Sea of Tranquility" in relation to the novel's themes.
- How does the novel explore the idea of home and belonging?
Authors:
Emily St. John Mandel
ISBN: 9780593321447
Publisher: Vintage
Published Date: 2022-04-05
ISBN: 9780593321447
Publisher: Vintage
Published Date: 2022-04-05
Lemon Basil Sunrise
A refreshing citrus cocktail with a botanical touch, perfect for complementing your dessert and book club meeting. It harmonizes the zing of lemon with the soothing aroma of basil and the effervescence of soda water.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients:
- 2 ounces vodka
- 1 ounce lemon juice
- 1 ounce simple syrup
- Fresh basil leaves
- Club soda
Garnish:
- Lemon wheel
- Basil sprig
Instructions
Prepare the Cocktail:
- In a shaker, muddle a few basil leaves with simple syrup to release their aroma.
- Add vodka, lemon juice, and ice cubes, then shake vigorously.
- Strain into a highball glass filled with ice and top with club soda.
- Gently stir to combine.
Garnish and Serve:
- Garnish with a lemon wheel and a sprig of basil for visual appeal.
- Serve immediately to enjoy its fresh, vibrant flavors.