Daisy Chain

Special Book Club Features for Daisy Chain by Mary E. DeMuth!

Book Club Activities for Daisy Chain:

1.    Host a southern dinner, following some of Mary’s recipes (below) or some of your own. Check out this cookbook from the library for more recipes: The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather.
2.    Have each person come to your book club having “discovered” the actual identity of Defiance, TX. Have members search for East Texas towns and report their findings.
3.    Have every member devise a Daisy whodunit, justifying why they believe their character nabbed Daisy.
4.    Play two truths and a lie (in honor of family secrets). Tell two truths about yourself and one lie.
5.    Have each person “cast” Daisy Chain, the movie.
6.    God’s Eye exchange. Everyone brings a gift-wrapped brightly colored marble (like God’s Eye in the book). Execute like a white elephant exchange.

A Meal From Defiance Texas:

Venture into the world of Daisy Chance and Jed Pepper by having each member of your book club make one of these dishes and bring it to your next meeting. Enjoy the meal together before discussing Daisy Chain.

Sweet Tea

3 large iced tea bags (Luzianne, preferably)

1 cup sugar

3 cups water

Boil tea bags, sugar and water for ten minutes until the mixture is a dark, amber brown. Pour into a gallon-sized plastic pitcher. Pour cold water to fill pitcher. Serve over ice with lemon slices.

Ouisie’s Southern Meatloaf

The ultimate comfort food, this meatloaf is flavorful and easy to make.

1 ½ pound ground chuck

¼ cup chopped green onions

3 Tbs. Ketchup

1 Tbs. Dijon mustard

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 egg

1 Tbs. Soy sauce

1 Tbs. Dried parsley

½ tsp. dried oregano

2 Tbs. White wine

1 tsp. garlic powder

¼ tsp. black pepper

¼ tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all the ingredients together with your hands. (Yes, your hands!) Press into an un-greased loaf pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes until browned. Serves 4-6.

Parsley Roasted Potatoes

10 red potatoes, quartered

1/2 stick butter, melted

garlic salt and pepper to taste

Freshly chopped parsley, one cup

Toss potatoes, butter, salt and pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for 35-45 minutes until brown. Toss with parsley, then bake ten minutes more.

Homemade Dinner Rolls

1 ¼ cup very warm water (not boiling—just hot tap water)

1 tbs. active dry yeast

1 tbs. malt powder*

1 tbs. high gluten flour*

¼ cup powdered milk

¼ cup softened butter

¼ cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. kosher salt*

5 cups bread flour

½ cup melted butter

1 Tbs. Garlic powder

1 Tbs. Dried parsley flakes

In large see-though measuring cup, combine water, yeast, malt powder and high gluten flour. Let sit ten minutes until bubbly.

In large bowl of a stand mixer, add powdered milk, softened butter, sugar, egg, salt, yeast mixture and four cups flour. Using dough hook, turn on low speed and add flour until dough is no longer sticky. Turn to medium and knead 7-10 minutes. (If you don’t have a stand mixer or a food processor with a dough blade, combine ingredients in large bowl and hand knead fifteen minutes.)

Pull dough out. Spray bowl with cooking spray and return dough to bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise one hour. Punch down. Using about ¼ to ½ cup of dough at a time, roll into a thick 6 inch snake. Loop the dough around, pulling one end through, like you are tying a knot. (Or if you prefer, shape into a ball.)

Place rolls on a greased cookie sheet. Let rise one hour. Bake at 375 for 15—20 minutes until the tops are golden brown.

Microwave butter in large mug for thirty seconds until melted. Add and stir through garlic powder and parsley. With a large pastry brush, brush the tops of each roll. Makes 24—28 rolls.

*You can purchase malt flour and high gluten flour at most specialty food markets, or order them from the Baker’s Catalog. Web site: www.kingarthurflour.com or call toll free 800.827.6836.

Broccoli Salad

I large head of broccoli, cut up into very small pieces

1/2 cup pine nuts

3/4 cup white raisins (or use 1 cup halved red grapes, or 1/2 cup craisins)

1/3 cup mayonaise

2 Tbs. red wine vinegar

2 Tbs. sugar

Toast the pine nuts by putting them in a nonstick pan and heating over medium until they

turn brown (be sure to keep stirring them otherwise they will burn). Toss with broccoli.

Add raisins. In another bowl, combine mayo, vinegar and sugar. Whisk until blended.

Pour over salad. Makes 5-6 servings.

Pound cake layered with raspberries

1 large pound cake (found in frozen food section of grocery store)

1 1/2 packages cream cheese

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

3 Tbs. Butter, softened

2 cups fresh raspberries

Using a serrated knife, cut the pound cake horizontally into four slices (3 cuts). Combine

cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and butter in a stand mixer and mix until well combined. On

each layer (except top) spread 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture

and top with 1/3 of the berries. Do this for the two middle layers. On the top, spread the

remaining 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture and top with remaining 1/3 raspberries. To

serve, cut the cake vertically and place on dessert plate so the layers show. Top with

whipped cream, if desired. Makes 6-8 servings.

Questions for Group Discussion: Daisy Chain

1.    When you first meet Daisy, what is your immediate impression? How does your opinion of Daisy change throughout the book?
2.    How does Jed’s view of God’s protection change throughout the book? How does “God’s eye” serve as a symbol of his journey?
3.    Discuss Hixon. What were your feelings about him early on in the story? Did they change by the end of the book? How does he grow, or help Jed to grow?
4.    Considering the cast of characters, who do you think killed Daisy?
5.    Family secrets play a significant role in Daisy Chain. Who is imprisoned by them? Who is set free? Do secrets always bring bondage when kept and freedom when revealed?
6.    Talk about Hap. Did your feelings for him ever change throughout the story? What makes Hap who he is? Could there be salvation for Hap?
7.    What role does Ethrea Ree play in Daisy Chain? What surprises you about her?
8.    What role does Clementine play in the Pepper family dynamic?
9.    What redemptive elements do you see in Daisy Chain? Does any good come out of the tragedies of Defiance?
10.    We are told that Sissy has a lisp at the beginning of the book, but Jed can’t hear it. Do you think he chooses not to hear it until the end? Does he really hear it then?
11.    Jed lives with deep feelings of guilt and regret. What does his story say about living like this? How have you learned to deal with your own guilt or regret?
12.    What images—the mural, God’s eye, Ethrea Ree’s roses—accentuate the book’s themes the best? Which resounds the most with you, and why?
13.    Why do you think Hixon lied about the Jesus tree?
14.    What does Jed want more than anything else?
15.    If you could change one thing about one of the characters in Daisy Chain, what would it be?
16.    Who serves as Jed’s best mentor? Why? Does Jed mentor others?
17.    What are your feelings toward Ouisie? Can you relate to her?
18.    How does Emory cope with her loss? How does her relationship with Jed change over the course of the book?