By Nancy J. Cohen
Culinary themes are popular in genre fiction. Witness the
many mystery or romance novels where the protagonist is a baker, chef, or
caterer. Scenes often take place in coffee shops, restaurants, or kitchens
because people socialize around meals. Your romantic couple gets to know each
other over dinner, or your sleuth subtly questions a suspect over a slice of
pie at the diner. Apparently, readers never tire of these tropes. So how can
you work food into your story without it being the central theme or main character’s
occupation?
1. Set scenes between family members or friends in the
kitchen. Have them chat while preparing a meal, gathering items for a holiday
feast, or setting out a cup of coffee and a piece of Aunt Marie’s famous peach
cobbler.
2. Weave memories into your protagonist’s mind that center
around food and provide backstory at the same time. For example, passing by a
food market brings the scent of cinnamon to the air. The heroine reminisces
about how her sister loved to buy those cinnamon-scented brooms for Christmas. Her
house smelled like cinnamon, too, when she baked her apple crumb cake. Sadly,
the last time they were together… well, you get the idea.
3. For a fun variation, switch up our gender expectations.
Make the man the gourmet cook and the woman a klutz in the kitchen. Perhaps to
win his heart, she attempts to make his favorite dish even though she knows
she’ll probably fail. But love is worth the risk, yes? Or maybe your serial
killer in a thriller enjoys making pumpkin pancakes. Challenge us with the
unexpected.
4. Make your reader’s mouth water with your food
descriptions. If you describe the heroine melting a square of semisweet
chocolate in a small pot, I’ll bet many of us can almost taste that chocolate
on our tongues. Or maybe she’s assembling dinner and frying onions. Familiar
actions involving food will elicit a desired response. Appeal to the five
senses and remember that smell plays a large role in taste.
5. Give your characters food quirks. Maybe when nervous, the
best friend chews on a stick of red licorice. Or your heroine fumbles for a
mint in her purse when she’s unsure of herself. The hero loves beef jerky,
which makes his non-meat eating girlfriend wrinkle her nose. Also, how do
certain foods showcase your character’s heritage? Perhaps your heroine likes a
cool bowl of borscht on a hot summer day because her grandmother from Russia
used to serve it. Or she grew up in an Italian family, and pasta is her go-to
dish of choice.
6. Regional foods can enhance your setting. What special
foods are popular in the community where you’ve set the story? In the deep
South, for example, grits are a common staple on the breakfast menu. Or gator
bites might be offered as a dinner appetizer. Use food to flavor your story
with items distinctive to the locale.
7. Add recipes of dishes you’ve mentioned in the story as
bonus material in the back of your book. Readers love recipes, and they’ll keep
your book in mind when they make one of yours.
Social occasions very often revolve around food. By paying
attention to this aspect of our lives, you can spice up your novel with memorable
sensory experiences.
Nancy J. Cohen writes The Bad Hair Day Mysteries featuring
South Florida hairstylist Marla Vail. Titles in this series have been named
Best Cozy Mystery by Suspense Magazine, won a Readers' Favorite gold
medal, placed first in the Chanticleer International Book Awards and third in
the Arizona Literary Awards. Nancy’s instructional guide, Writing the Cozy Mystery, was nominated for an Agatha Award, earned
first place in the Royal Palm Literary Awards and won a gold medal at the
President’s Book Awards. When not busy writing, Nancy enjoys cooking, fine
dining, cruising, visiting Disney World, and shopping. Social Media links: Website: https://nancyjcohen.com Blog: https://nancyjcohen.com/blog Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NancyJCohenAuthor
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