The Menu: Lilac Girls
Caroline Ferriday wasn’t just a character in this novel. She was a real woman who worked at the French consulate in New York and devoted her life to helping others. After the war, she supported a group of Polish women who had survived Ravensbrück, a Nazi concentration camp for women. In her honor, this menu draws inspiration from the comforting flavors of France. Bon Appétit!
Drinks
Let the meal begin with bubbly French champagne. Raise your glasses and toast to Caroline, Kasia, and the women whose strength inspired the novel. The bubbles add a little lightness before the evening turns to the book’s heavier themes. Santé!
Appetizer
Create a cheese board worthy of Paris. Choose a few favorites from the four classic categories: soft, hard, goat, and blue. Add French bread or crackers, fresh fruit, fig jam, almonds or walnuts, and a few pieces of dark chocolate. A mix of salty, creamy, sweet, and crunchy gives everyone something to like. Find more tips at Snippets of Paris.
Salad
Freshen your palate with The Healthy Chef’s classic leafy salad, tossed with a bright and tangy French dressing. The vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, and olive oil keep it bright and flavorful. Add fresh herbs, capers, or hard-boiled eggs to make it more substantial. One helpful note: when the recipe calls for eschalots, it means shallots.
Main
For the main course, make coq au vin, a rustic French chicken stew simmered with red wine, mushrooms, and herbs. It tastes like it took all day in the kitchen, but it’s pretty simple to make. Serve it with roasted garlic mashed potatoes to soak up the rich sauce. You can find both recipes at The Modern Proper.
Dessert
Finish the meal with chocolate mousse, a classic French dessert that fits naturally into a menu inspired by Caroline Ferriday. It only takes a few ingredients, but it needs time to chill, so make it earlier in the day. Top each serving with whipped cream, grated chocolate, or fresh strawberries. Find the recipe at Celebrating Sweets.
The women in Lilac Girls survived imprisonment, medical experiments, and years of lasting trauma. Even after all of that, they helped one another heal and rebuild. Lilacs need winter cold before they bloom again in spring, making them a fitting symbol for women who found life and beauty after so much suffering.
