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The Connellys of County Down is a “novel about resilience and what it means to be a family” (Country Living) is the stuff beach read dreams are made of.

The Connellys of County Down by Tracey Lange opens with the prison release of Tara Connelly. Tara is a good person, through and through, but 18 months earlier she made a bad decision.

After getting pulled into a drug deal by her rotten boyfriend, she opted to serve time rather than turn him in. Now, she’s back at home, living with her adult sister and brother, as well as her ten-year-old nephew. Things are far from perfect among the Connellys, though. Her brother Eddie’s co-parent is an addict who adds little value to her kiddo’s life. Her sister, Geraldine, is grappling with her own demons as well as a few poor choices, and working like mad to make like everything’s fine. As Tara’s pieces begin to fall into place, the ease that she’d expect to start setting in doesn’t quite take root, and she’s left, again, with a very hard decision.

There’s so much that’s relatable and resonant with this novel, which is ultimately about the quest to be a good person — and the quest to see the good in everyone around you. A noble mission? Yes. And a worthwhile one? Well, give it a read to find out for yourself.

The Connellys of County Down

by Tracey Lange

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Smothered Summer Vegetables from Ikaria (aka Soufico)

From: Ikaria by Diana Kochilas

The end of Tara’s prison stay doesn’t end with the homecoming she was quietly hoping for. Instead, her family fumbles and struggles to figure out how to help her land softly. Perhaps they could have done things a little differently, starting with a meal to make Tara feel welcome. She’s a vegetarian, so we think this Soufico from Diana Kochilas’s Ikaria would be exactly the thing to get everyone off on the right foot.

INGREDIENTS

Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 medium eggplants, cut crosswise into rounds 1/4-inch thick
2 large green bell peppers, cut into 1-inch strips
3 medium zucchini (about 2 inches in diameter), cut crosswise into rounds 1/4 inch thick
1/2 cup Greek extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
3 large onions, finely chopped (about 3 cups)
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into rounds 1/4 inch thick
3 large firm-ripe tomatoes, grated
4 to 5 tbsp fresh oregano
Leaves from 6 to 12 zucchini blossoms (optional)

STEPS

1. In separate colanders, lightly salt the eggplants, peppers, and zucchini. Drain for 1 hour. Wipe dry without washing.

2. Preheat the broiler. Brush the eggplants, peppers, and zucchini with olive oil and broil lightly, to soften. There should be very little color on the vegetables.

3. In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil and lightly cook the onions and garlic, until wilted, 6 to 7 minutes.

4. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Replenish the oil in the skillet if necessary. Add the potato slices and fry lightly until their edges begin to color.

5. Oil a 6-quart ovenproof casserole or Dutch oven. Spread 2 tbsp of the onions and garlic on the bottom. Mix with 2 tbsp of the grated tomato. Season with a little salt and black pepper. Arrange all of the potatoes in a single overlapping layer on the bottom, over the tomato-onion mixture. Season lightly with salt and black pepper. Next, in this order, spread: bell peppers, more onion-garlic-tomatoes, a little fresh oregano, salt, and black pepper; then eggplant, more onion- garlic-tomatoes, salt, black pepper, and oregano; then zucchini slices, onion-garlic-tomato mixture, salt, and pepper.

6. Continue layering until all vegetables are used up, saving about 1/2 cup of the tomatoes and onion mixture for last. As you layer, press down with a spatula so that the vegetables are layered compactly. Spread the zucchini blossoms, if using, decoratively on the surface. Spread the remaining tomato-onion mixture over the top.

7. At this point you can bake the soufico, covered, in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) until very soft and almost caramelized, about 35 minutes. Or you can cook it on top of the stove, over low heat, covered, for about 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are very soft and any liquid they let off has evaporated.

Want to dig into the novel with your book club, or perhaps spend a little time contemplating solo? Either way, these questions are a great place to start.

Get the discussion questions.

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Shake up a Brennan’s Triple Finn McCool!

“Who is Finn McCool? Finn McCool (or Fionn mac Cumhaill) is a hunter-warrior in Irish folklore who is said to have eaten the Salmon of Knowledge and, as a result, could gain wisdom by putting his thumb in his mouth and reciting an incantation of divination. McCool carries with him a magic spear, which he used to defend the Irish city Tara against a fire-breathing man who lulled men to sleep with music and burned their cities to the ground. It is said that to this day, McCool is asleep in a cave and will one day awake to defend Ireland again.” —Tracey Lange

INGREDIENTS

1 oz Irish cream liqueur
1 oz rye whiskey
1/4 cup half & half
A pinch of cinnamon
Ice Coffee (optional)

STEPS

1. Combine Irish cream liqueur and rye whiskey in a cocktail shaker or mason jar. Shake. Strain into a glass over ice.

2. Add half & half with a pinch of cinnamon.

Optional: Add coffee to create a mythology-inspired Irish Coffee.

Author Inspiration

We wanted to know more about what inspired Tracey Lange when she was writing her novel. Here’s what she said.

“So much of what I read and write about has to do with the dynamics that take root within families and how they come about. It often occurs to me that the person who appears to be causing the outward turmoil in the family, the one that may look the worst on paper, is sometimes the one with the least to hide. I experienced this myself to a degree growing up, and I saw it frequently in my work in the behavioral- healthcare field — one individual was acting out and creating overt difficulty, while there was less obvious but perhaps deeper dysfunction going on with other family members.

“This is in many ways the case with Tara, the main protagonist in the novel. All the Connelly siblings survived a fairly traumatic childhood, but she’s the one with a long history of getting into trouble, culminating with a prison sentence for a drug charge. I thought it would be interesting to explore the many obstacles that come with returning home after serving a prison sentence, including reentering society with a criminal record. But I particularly wanted to delve into how family members can either support or sabotage that process, as well as how those family members are impacted by having a loved one serve time in prison and then try to return to the fold.”

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Wolffer Rose	Anthony Road Pinot Gris
We’re not straying very far from Tara’s Westchester hometown for our wine pairings. First up is this Rose from the Wolffer winery out east, in the Hamptons of Long Island. When you try it you’ll see that it seems very straightforward at first, but once you spend a bit more time you’ll see that there’s quite a bit of complexity just below the surface.	Next up, we’re heading a little bit west to the Finger Lakes for this pleasantly dry but slightly, subtly sweet Anthony Road Pinot Gris. Not only is it a perfect match for our recipe — it’s also a perfect match for Tara’s personality.

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