Did you know that International Sherlock Holmes Day is May 22nd (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Birthday)? Sherlock is my favorite detective, Watson is one my favorite sidekicks, and Moriarty will forever be my favorite villain, so today I am going to celebrate with some fun Sherlock Holmes adaptations and food inspired by the books. Check out Nessa’s Lair Blog to see our recipes for each meal. Onto the recommendations!
Hors D’oeuvres: Cucumber and Cream Cheese Sandwiches paired with The Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer
When Enola Holmes, the much younger sister Sherlock Holmes, discovers her mother has disappeared—on her 14th birthday nonetheless—she knows she alone can find her. Disguising herself, Enola sets out with some bread and cheese to uncover her mother’s whereabouts. Enola must escape murderous villains, free the spoiled Marquess, and elude her shrewd older brother—all while collecting clues to her mother’s disappearance. While you might not finish the story of Enola Holmes by the end of your cucumber cream cheese sandwiches, you can definitely enjoy it in one sitting.
Appetizer: Weed Soup paired with The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter by Theodora Goss
I thoroughly enjoyed The Strange Case of the Alchemist’s Daughter. It’s so fun to revisit classic characters like Mary Jekyll (Dr. Jekyll’ daughter), Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, Beatrice Rappaccini, Catherin Moreau, Justine Frankenstein, and more as their investigations lead them through secret societies and crazy scientists to discover who the true monsters are. The book is full of humor and fun details, like how Rappaccini’s daughter only eats weed soup. You’ll want to slurp up every detail!
Main course: Meat Pie paired with Jackaby by William Ritter
Newly arrived in New England, 1892, and in need of a job, Abigail Rook meets R. F. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplained with a keen eye for the extraordinary-including the ability to see supernatural beings. Abigail has a gift for noticing ordinary but important details, which makes her perfect for the position of Jackaby’s assistant. She has a lot of running around to do and a meat pie is easy to take one the run. Okay so my pie is ham and brie, but it’s delicious. Both the pie and Jackaby will send you back to the stores (to make more pies and read the rest of the Jackaby series)!
Palate Cleanser: Frozen Mandarin Orange paired with The Great Shelby Holmes by Elizabeth Eulberg
The Great Shelby Holmes is one of the cutest middle-grade adaptations I’ve read. In this first book, Shelby and Watson take on a dog-napper in this fresh twist on Sherlock Holmes. Shelby Holmes is not your average sixth grader. She’s nine years old, barely four feet tall, and the best detective her Harlem neighborhood has ever seen—always using logic and a bit of pluck to solve the toughest crimes. When eleven-year-old John Watson moves downstairs, Shelby finds something that’s eluded her up till now: a friend. Watson is diabetic and reluctantly watches Shelby regularly eat candy and brownies. At one point, Shelby hands Watson some string cheese and an orange when she sees he could also use a snack. I love a lot of adaptations of Watson, but Eulberg’s sweet John Watson might be my favorite just like the frozen orange is a nice treat.
Dessert: Peach Pie paired with Lock and Mori by Heather W. Petty
Lock and Mori is one of the darker books on this list, but it’s thrilling. In modern-day London, two brilliant high school students—one Sherlock Holmes and a Miss James “Mori” Moriarty—meet. A murder will bring them together. The truth very well might drive them apart. Peach pies definitely play a role in this book, so I made a peach hand pie- in the United States we call them poptarts. Whatever you want to call this sweet dessert, you’ll surely eat it on the edge of the seat while reading Lock and Mori.
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