Category: Uncategorized | Chief Inspector Gamache Series

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Scattering the black sunflower seeds on the white snow, he watched the birds swoop down and pick them up. He went inside then, lit the fire, made a pot of tea, and opened the book Colette had lent him.
Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds.
He settled in, and read about the South Sea bubble, and the tulip crisis, and the Drummer of Tedworth.
The birds still shrieked, of course. But now it sounded more like company. (The Madness of Crowds, page 426)

Charles Mackay’s Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, first published in 1841, is perhaps the most well-known work by the Scottish author – who was also a poet, a journalist, and a songwriter during his lifetime.

Published in three volumes – “National Delusions,” “Peculiar Follies,” and “Philosophical Delusions” – Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds was an early study of crowd psychology. The book tackles economic bubbles, including The South Sea Bubble, considered the world’s first economic crash. In fact, in her acknowledgements, Louise mentions that the book is often suggested reading for finance professionals, because “so much of what they deal with is ‘smoke and mirrors.’ Perception rather than reality. And how perception can shape and actually become reality.”

For those of us who might not be aspiring stockbrokers or economists, Mackay also debunks crusades, witch hunts, and alchemy, among other “follies and delusions.”

Louise is not the only author to have been inspired by Charles Mackay’s book since it was first published. Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds is mentioned in Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five, and Neil Gaiman references it in his comic series The Sandman.

Over a 180 years later Mackay’s thesis couldn’t be more on the mark as we continue to witness a mentality where people think in herds and as the author warned, “It will be seen that they go mad in herds”.

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Love,
Louise

Armand Gamache would never forget when the Premier of Québec, a personal friend, had called him with the news that they had a vaccine. The man was in tears, barely able to get the words out.
As he’d hung up, Armand had felt light-headed. He could feel a sort of hysteria welling up. It was like nothing he’d ever felt before. Not on this scale. It wasn’t just relief, it felt like a rebirth. Though not everyone, and not everything, would be resurrected.
When the pandemic was finally, officially, declared over, the little village of Three Pines where the Gamaches lived had gathered on the village green where the names of the dead had been read out. Loved ones had planted trees in the clearing above the chapel. It would be called, from that day on, the New Forest.
Then, to great ceremony, Myrna had unlocked her bookstore. And Sarah had opened the doors to her boulangerie. Monsieur Béliveau put the Ouvert sign in front of his general store, and a cheer rose up as Olivier and Gabri unlocked their bistro.
Banks of barbecues on the village green grilled burgers and hot dogs and steaks and a cedar-plank salmon. Sarah’s cakes and pies and butter tarts were placed on a long table while Billy Williams helped Clara Morrow lug over buckets of her homemade lemonade.
There were games for the children and, later, a bonfire and dancing on the village green.
Friends and neighbors hugged, and even kissed. Though it felt strange, and even slightly naughty. Some still preferred to bump elbows. Others continued to carry their masks. Like a rosary, or rabbit’s foot, or a St. Christopher medal, promising safe passage.
When Ruth coughed, everyone stepped away, though they probably would have anyway.

Reine-Marie Gamache slipped her arm through her husband’s as they walked along rue des Archives to the bus stop on rue des Quatre-Fils.
Armand had suggested he flag down a taxi to take them from their apartment in the Marais to the restaurant, but Reine-Marie preferred the bus. It was a route she knew well. One that always confirmed for her that she was in Paris.
“Do you remember the first time we took this bus?” she asked.
He heard her words but was thinking about the first time ReineMarie had taken his arm. Like this.
It was their third date, and they were walking along the slippery winter sidewalk in Montréal after dinner.
He’d reached out for her, to keep her steady, just as Reine-Marie had reached for him.
To keep him steady.
She’d put her arm through his. So that their fates would be intertwined. If one lost their balance, the other would right them. Or they’d fall together.
“You had on that blue cape your mother loaned you,” he said, remembering that chilly night.
“I had on the polka dot dress I’d borrowed from my sister,” she said, remembering that warm day.
“It was winter,” he said.
“It was the height of summer.”
“Ah, yes,” he said into the evening air. “I remember it well.”
“You nut,” she laughed, recognizing the reference.
He smiled. And squeezed her arm. As they passed men and women, young and old, lovers and strangers, strolling like them along rue des Quatre-Fils.

All sorts of things woke up in the spring. With the warmer weather. Bears. Chipmunks. Skunks and racoons. And rivers.
They came to life.
There were few things more powerful, or destructive, or terrifying, than a hungry bear or a river in full flood.
Gamache knew exactly where the river was heading. While he’d never been along this road before, he knew the area. They weren’t all that far from his own village.
Which meant the roar they heard was the Rivière Bella Bella, heading straight into Three Pines.
He took out his phone to call Reine-Marie, to warn her and find out how things were, but Cameron was right. There was no signal.
He clicked the phone off, put it back in his pocket, and turned to look up the muddy road.
“Come on,” he said, and started the climb.

Myrna sat back in her chair, trying to remember.
She’d been in her bookstore the morning before when the mail arrived.
She’d poured a mug of strong tea and sat in the comfortable armchair with the indentation that fit her body like a mold.
The woodstove was on, and beyond her window was a brilliant winter day. The sky was a deep perfect blue, and the sun bounced off the snow-covered lawns, the road, the ice rink, and the snowmen on the village green. The whole village gleamed.
It was the sort of day that drew you outside. Even though you knew better. And once you were outside, the cold gripped you, burning your lungs, soldering your nostrils together with every breath. It brought tears to your eyes. Freezing the lashes so that you had to pry your lids apart.
And yet, gasping for breath, you still stood there. Just a little longer. To be part of such a day. Before retreating back inside to the hearth and hot chocolate, or tea, or strong, rich café au lait.
And the mail.

“The langoustines are excellent,” said Vincent Gilbert, as they took their seats by the window.
On a clear day there was a splendid view of the village below and the hills beyond, rolling into Vermont. But the falling snow both obscured and softened it, giving the landscape a dreamlike quality.
To Dr. Gilbert, looking at the vista behind his companion, it was like something out of a storybook. Peaceful, calm.

Serves 4
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 24 langoustines
• 300 mL (1 ¼ cups) carrot juice
• 4 mini green onions
• One small carrot, julienned
• One leek white, julienned
• Juice of half a lemon
• 240 mL (1 cup) 35% cream
• Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Shell the langoustines. Set aside.
2.  Cook the green onions in boiling salted water. Keep warm.
3.  Combine the carrot juice, lemon juice, julienne of carrots and leeks in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper.
4.  Add the langoustines and let simmer for 4 to 5 minutes.
5.  Divide the vegetables and langoustines evenly among the plates. Keep warm.
6.  Add the cream to the pan and reduce by half until you have a smooth sauce.
7.  Check the seasoning.
8.  Pour the sauce over the langoustines.
9. Decorate with green onions and a basil leaf. Serve immediately.

“They opened the brown paper bag and ate their tartelettes au citron in front of The Gates of Hell. Stephen talked about the remarkable work while brushing powdery icing sugar off Armand’s sweater.”

Makes one 26 cm (10 ½ in.) tart or 4 8 cm (3 in.) diameter tarts
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

Crust

• 250 mL (1 cup) all-purpose flour
• 30 mL (2 tbsp.) sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 90 mL (6 tbsp.) salted butter, cut into cubes
• 1 egg
• 30 to 45 mL (2 to 3 tablespoons) water

Lemon filling

• 4 egg yolks
• 160 mL (2/3 cup) sugar
• 30ml (2 tablespoons) cornstarch
• 240ml (1 cup) milk
• 180ml (3/4 cup) freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
• Grated zest of two lemons

DIRECTIONS:

Preparation of the dough

1. 1) Combine the flour, sugar, salt, butter and egg in the bowl of a food processor.
2.  Pulse until the texture is powdery
3.  Add water until a ball of dough forms, neither grainy nor sticky.
4.  Remove dough from bowl and wrap in plastic wrap.
5.  Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
6.  Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F)
7.  Butter and flour a pie pan
8.  Roll out the dough and place it in the pan. Remove excess dough.
9.  Cover the dough with aluminum foil and cover with peas to prevent the dough from puffing up during baking.
10.  Bake for 20 minutes until almost done.
11. Remove peas and aluminum foil. Set aside.

To prepare the lemon filling

1.  Gather all lemon filling ingredients in a bowl.
2.  Using a whisk, blend for one minute.
3. Then over a saucepan of simmering water (double boiler), cook, whisking constantly, until the cream begins to thicken.
4. Pour this mixture into the bottom of the pre-baked pie and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cream is set.
5.  Remove to a rack to cool.
6.  Serve at room temperature
   
   
   

“The incident room in Three Pines was filled with the aroma of wet socks, sweat, cilantro, and lime. Olivier and Gabri moved aside the firefighting equipment and set out the ginger-garlic chicken soup, sandwiches, and drinks…”

Serves 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 30 mL (2 tbsp.) olive oil
• One medium leek, sliced
• 240 mL (1 cup) diced carrot
• One red bell pepper, diced
• One raw chicken breast, diced
• 1ml (1/4 tsp.) cumin
• 15ml (1 tbsp.) grated ginger
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1.5 l (6 cups) chicken broth
• 240ml (1 cup) fresh or frozen peas
• 50g (2 cups) chopped arugula
• Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oil in a saucepan, add leek, carrot, bell pepper and let cook over low heat for 5 minutes.
2. Add the chicken, cumin, ginger, garlic and cook for another 5 minutes.
3. Add the broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Add the peas.
5. Just before serving, pour the soup into the bowls and place the arugula on top.