"The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea" is a fantastical young adult novel written by Maggie Tokuda-Hall. The story takes readers on a thrilling adventure filled with pirates, mermaids, witches, and a courageous gender-fluid protagonist. Set in a world ruled by the Althing, a powerful and oppressive trading syndicate, the novel follows Flora, a young lady who disguises herself as Florian, a ship's boy, to escape an arranged marriage. Florian joins the crew of the pirate ship, Dove, which sails the dangerous Sea of the Known World. On the ship, Florian meets Evelyn, the captain's daughter, who is intrigued by the enigmatic Florian. As the journey progresses, Florian and Evelyn's relationship deepens, while they face numerous challenges that test not only their bond but also their individual strengths.
As the journey progresses, Florian and Evelyn's relationship deepens, while they face numerous challenges that test not only their bond but also their individual strengths. The ship crosses paths with a mermaid caught in a jar, who longs for her freedom and despises the Althing for its exploitation of magical creatures. Florian becomes enamored with the mermaid's captivating voice and the hope she represents for a better world.
unfussy rugelach
The single most frequently asked (possibly rhetorical but I’ve never let that stop me before) question in regards to the sweet recipes on this site is “How do you not eat all of these?” And I finally have an answer: They’re not rugelach. I love chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, I think snickerdoodles are wildly underrated, but rugelach — those impossibly flaky Central European crescent cookies — are the single item in the category of foods that are just not allowed to be here ever, because there’s something about the glorious harmony of it all (the salty cheese, the tart jam, the cinnamon aroma, the crunch, and if you love your people, the chocolate, gaaah) that it will not be safe with me. Or I will not be safe with it. Which is unfortunate, because I have an avalanche of rugelach in my apartment right now.
Previously, the only things that prohibited me from an all-rugelach diet were the fact that: they are never as good from a bakery, even a great one, as they are homemade and that they’re pretty tedious to make. Butter and cream cheese must be softened, which takes forever in the winter. The dough has to be beaten with a mixer, then chilled, then rolled out, one-quarter at a time, then spread with jam and nuts and dried fruit and, because you love your friends, chocolate and then cut into 16 wedges and each rolled individually then arranged on a baking sheet, brushed with egg or cream wash, sprinkled with more sugar, baked and cooled then repeated three more times with the remaining dough and even I don’t love them enough to do that more than once a year.
This year I set out to prove that they could be made with much less work and much less tedium, and unfortunately (for me, send help) succeeded. Because you don’t obsess over these pastry wonders as much as I do without picking up a few things along the way, first, let me throw down some bossy Rugelach Knowledge:
- There’s only one cream cheese dough recipe. We may say you love Ina’s or Martha’s or Maida’s or Rose Levy’s (I do too) but they are all formulaically the same: 1/2 pound butter, 1/2 pound cream cheese, just shy of 1/2 pound flour (2 cups) and a little bit of salt. There are versions that use other kinds of tangy dairy — farmer’s, quark, and even sour cream — but the proportions are the same. Trust it; it’s perfect.
- Many people add sugar to the dough. You should not. The beauty of rugelach is in the contrast between the faintly salty dough and the sweet, nutty, aromatic and lightly tart fillings. Don’t even try to argue with me over this.
- All rugelach worth eating leak because the ones that don’t are scant on fillings and that is unacceptable. Shrug off the mess and focus on all the good stuff that stayed inside.
Plus, the two new ones I learned this week:
- If you have a food processor, you can make rugleach dough in under 60 seconds. You don’t even need to warm the ingredients up first. [Imagine the praise-hands emoji inserted here.]
- Rugelach don’t need to be rolled into painstaking crescents to be amazing. I often seem them at bakeries in little sliced logs; they’re easier to make, just as delicious, and pack up more neatly in cookie tins. Or, you can have a little fun messing around with the shapes, as I did. Bonus: All of them are the simplest thing since rolled dough.
Rugelach, previously: As pinwheel cookies and also that one time I went to The Pioneer Woman’s ranch and made her cinnamon rolls with rugelach fillings.
Unfussy Rugelach
- Servings: 48 rugelach
- Time: 1 hour, plus chilling time
- Source:Adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook
Note: You can watch an Instagram Story demo of this recipe over here. These cookies were previously called “Pull-Apart Rugelach”. Rugelach fillings are as flexible and creative as you are. Here, we use some jam, cinnamon-sugar, and a mix of chopped nuts, dried fruit and chocolate as the “coarse” mix but you can swap this with 1 cup of whatever you’d prefer. I use an egg wash for shine on top, but if eggs are an issue for you, brushing some cream over the top works too. In regards to the dough, I just want to underline that unlike pie crusts, puffed pastry or croissants, the flakiness here is not something it takes magic and/or advanced skill to create; you don’t need to cut cold butter into flour, envelope, roll, or anything else. No matter how you blend it, the results will be incomparably flaky.
Dough
Filling
Finish
Make the dough:In a food processor: Place flour and salt in work bowl fitted with standard blade. Pulse to combine. Add cream cheese, chopped into large chunks, and run machine until it’s fully dispersed into the flour. Add butter in large chunks and run machine until dough starts to clump. Dump out onto a large piece of plastic wrap and form into a flattish disc.
With a mixer: Let butter and cream cheese soften at room temperature. Beat both together until light and fluffy. Beat in salt. Add flour, beating until it disappears. Scrape dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap and form into a flattish disc.
Both methods: Chill dough until totally firm — about 2 hours in the fridge you can hasten this along in the freezer for about 30 minutes. (Dough keeps in fridge for up to a week, and in freezer much longer.)
Form the cookies:
Heat oven to 350 degrees F and line a couple baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.
Stir cinnamon and sugar together in a small dish. Combine coarse mixture of chocolate, nuts and dried fruit in a second dish.
Divide dough into quarters and roll first quarter out on a floured counter into a rectangle about 12 inches wide and 7 to 8 inches long, with the wider side to you. Thinly spread jam to all but the furthest 1/4 inch from you — which seals better once rolled if bare — with about 2 to 3 tablespoons jam. (I find that with seedless raspberry, 2T covers nicely but with thicker jam, you’ll need 3T to coat it thinly. If your jam is difficult to spread, you can warm it gently in the microwave for a few seconds first.) Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cinnamon-sugar mixture, then 4 tablespoons coarse fruit and nut mixture.
Roll dough from the 12-inch side in front of you into as tight as a log as you can, using your fingers to lightly seal the ends onto the log. Repeat with remaining logs.
Shape your cookies [see additional images at end of recipe]:
To make classic, easy sliced cookies: Place log of filled dough in freezer for 10 to 15 minutes; it will cut more cleanly once semi-firm. Trim ends from log so they have a clean shape. Cut log into 10 to 12 even slices. Arrange on prepared baking sheets a couple inches apart from each other.
To make a ring of spirals: Place log of filled dough in freezer for 10 to 15 minutes; it will cut more cleanly once semi-firm. Trim ends from log so they have a clean shape. Cut log into 10 to 12 even slices. Arrange them in a ring formation on prepared baking sheets so that each link touches. Do note: This will be the hardest to lift in one piece from the baking sheet once cool.
To make a pull-apart wreath: Form log into a ring, connecting the ends and smoothing the dough to seal the shape. Place ring in freezer for 10 to 15 minutes; it will cut more cleanly once semi-firm. On prepared baking sheet, cut 10 to 12 evenly spaced apart notches in ring, cutting through all but the last 1/4-inch of log so it stays connected.
To make a pull-apart log: Place log of filled dough in freezer for 10 to 15 minutes; it will cut more cleanly once semi-firm. Trim ends from log so they have a clean shape. On prepared baking sheet, cut 10 to 12 evenly spaced apart notches in log, alternating sides that you cut from, cutting through all but the last 1/4-inch of log so it stays connected.
To make a split log twisted together like a babka: Don’t. It was a flopped-open mess. We couldn’t even eat it. [biggest lie, ever]
For all shapes, to bake finish: Brush top(s) lightly with egg wash and sprinkle with a total of 1 teaspoon of the remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown on top. Individual cookies need to cool only a few minutes on baking sheet before they can be transferred to a cooling rack but larger rings, wreaths and logs do best if they cool at least 3/4 of the way to solidify more before attempting to carefully transfer them.
Do ahead: Cooled cookies keep in a container at room temperature for a week, and in the freezer for a month. Just not around here. Your filled log of rugelach is also easy to freeze, pre-baking, until needed. Wrap well, and you can slice it into cookies straight from the freezer, baking them while still frozen — you’ll just new a few extra minutes in the oven.
Ring of Rugelach Spirals
Pull-Apart Rugelach Wreath
Pull-Apart Rugelach Log
Split and Twisted Rugelach Log Flop
This year I set out to prove that they could be made with much less work and much less tedium, and unfortunately (for me, send help) succeeded. Because you don’t obsess over these pastry wonders as much as I do without picking up a few things along the way, first, let me throw down some bossy Rugelach Knowledge:
Meanwhile, a fearsome witch named Lady Euphemia reigns over the sea, using her magic to control minds and manipulate events to her advantage. Tokuda-Hall's narrative explores themes of gender identity, power dynamics, oppression, and the pursuit of freedom. The novel is a poignant commentary on societal constructs and the struggles individuals face when they defy expectations and challenge norms. "The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea" is masterfully written, skillfully blending elements of fantasy, adventure, and romance. Tokuda-Hall crafts a richly imagined world full of memorable characters, each with their own motivations and secrets. The book delves into the complex web of emotions and choices that the characters must navigate, creating an immersive reading experience. Overall, "The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea" is a captivating and thought-provoking tale that will resonate with readers of all ages. It invites readers to embark on a thrilling journey, explore the depths of the human spirit, and question the boundaries society imposes. This novel is a treasure trove of imagination, emotion, and inspiration..
Reviews for "The Allure of the Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea"
1. Emily - 2/5 stars - I had high hopes for "The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea" based on the intriguing premise, but unfortunately, it fell short for me. The characters didn't feel fully developed, and their motivations seemed forced. The plot also felt disjointed and overly complicated, making it difficult to stay engaged. Overall, I found myself struggling to finish this book and was left feeling underwhelmed.
2. Alex - 1/5 stars - I can honestly say that "The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea" is one of the most disappointing books I've read in a long time. The writing style was confusing and inconsistent, making it hard to follow the story. Additionally, the pacing was incredibly slow, and the action scenes lacked excitement. The romance elements felt forced and lacked chemistry, and overall, I found the book to be boring and unmemorable.
3. Sarah - 2/5 stars - I was initially drawn to "The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea" because of the unique combination of mermaids and witches, but unfortunately, the execution fell flat for me. The world-building was lacking, and I found it difficult to fully immerse myself in the story. The characters were underdeveloped and lacked depth, and their interactions felt superficial. The plot had potential, but it felt rushed and lacked coherence. Overall, I was left feeling unsatisfied and wouldn't recommend this book to others.
4. Jake - 2/5 stars - "The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea" started off strong, but quickly lost its appeal. The pacing was inconsistent, with long stretches of boredom followed by rushed and confusing action scenes. The dialogue felt stilted, and the attempts at humor fell flat. The relationships between the characters felt forced and lacked emotional depth. While the concept was intriguing, the execution left much to be desired, ultimately making this book a disappointing read for me.
5. Lisa - 1/5 stars - I struggled to find anything redeeming about "The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea". The writing was dull and lacked any spark or creativity. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked depth, making it difficult to care about their fates. The plot was predictable and lacked any surprises or twists. Overall, I found this book to be a complete waste of time and would not recommend it to anyone.
Unlocking the History of Mermaids, Witches, and the Sea