Author Lauren Teffeau’s Implanted debuted just before worldcon in San Jose, and she’s been journeying far and wide to talk about her high-tech science fiction novel.
(confession: Lauren keeps me and my hatch green chiles habit happy, plus I blurbed Implanted, so I’m a little biased about this book and this author. Both are fantastic.)
My co-host Aliette and I finally found time to sit down and talk with Lauren about all things near future — from food in dome cities to ways to stay motivated. We’re so glad you can join us, and stick around to enjoy Lauren’s recipe, below.
PS Keep an eye out for Lauren at Mile-High Con this October!
This month’s Cooking the Books Podcast, #040: Secret Messages: Cooking the Books with Lauren Teffeau contains:
- training montages
- brie quesadillas
- more training montages and hidden cravings
- ways to feed your writing
- cooking and writing retreats
- various opinions (good, accurate ones) about okra
- a guest appearance by Luna the dog because we need to work on our audio professionalism
- shout outs to Kelly Lagor, Tor.com science columnist, to the Critical Mass writers group, and to writing groups everywhere.
- And much more.
Ready? 
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And visit additional Cooking the Books content over on the The Booksmugglers!
(Thanks as always to our friend Paul Weimer who helps clean up the CtB kitchen after we destroy it…)
Podcast #040: Secret Messages: Cooking the Books with Lauren Teffeau
~ Answer for our Homework Question (inspired by The Fabulous Booksmugglers) ~
“You are throwing a dinner party for your main character, Emery. Who would you invite?”
A Dinner Party, featuring: Guest of Honor – Emery Driscoll (AKA M-37) from Implanted
Attendees:
- Tally from The Uglies
- June from The Summer Prince
- Yours Truly from Snow Crash
- Logan 5
Regrets: Johnny Mnemonic & The man in the suit from Person of Interest
No Response: James Bond
Brie and Mango Quesadillas
(You could place the mango salsa ingredients directly into the quesadilla, but I find that makes cheesy melt-through harder to achieve and can get cumbersome to eat.)
Mango Salsa:
- 3 medium-sized, ripe* mangos (*the riper they are, the more liquidy your salsa will be)
- 1 half onion, small dice
- 1-3 serrano peppers, small dice (or pepper of your preference, heat levels etc)
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- juice from 1-2 limes
- salt to taste
- pinch cumin
- cilantro, chopped
Break down your mangos and dice flesh into small pieces. Put all the cut mango and juice into a bowl. Depending on the yield, you may adjust the remaining ingredients based on how the proportions look and taste. Add onions and peppers. Add garlic using a garlic press preferably. Add lime juice. Add salt and cumin to taste. Stir.
You could serve it fresco style. Or refrigerate overnight. The salt and lime juice will break down the mangos even more (so you get that salsa texture) and the flavors will blend.
If you like cilantro, you can add it as a garnish or incorporate it into the salsa directly.
Brie Quesadillas:
- Medium quality brie. Too cheap, it won’t melt well. Too expensive, it will be too salty and pungent and melt into a gooey mess.
- Flour tortillas (corn or corn chips could also work)
Cut chilled brie into ¼ inch slices and fan out on tortillas. Cover with a second tortilla. Bake in a 350-degree oven until cheese melts and tortillas begin to brown, 5-10 minutes. Remove from oven and use salad plates to press down the tortillas while they cool for another five minutes (This will allow the cheese to set up and keep the tortilla from curling up). Cut into quarters or sixths, and serve with mango salsa.
Lauren C. Teffeau
was born and raised on the East Coast, educated in the South, and employed in the Midwest. Lauren now lives and dreams in the Southwest. When she was younger, she poked around in the back of wardrobes, tried to walk through mirrors, and always kept an eye out for secret passages, fairy rings, and messages from aliens. Now, she writes to cope with her ordinary existence. Besides the obligatory bachelor’s degree in English, she also holds a master’s degree in Mass Communication and spent a few years toiling as a researcher in academia. Her short fiction can be found in a variety of speculative fiction magazines and anthologies. Implanted from Angry Robot Books is her first novel. She also had a blast talking about worldbuilding during the latest Tor.com Roundtable. To learn more, please visit laurencteffeau.com.
Cooking the Books is a mostly-monthly podcast hosted by Fran Wilde and Aliette de Bodard.
FRAN WILDE 
[…] I had a delightful time talking food and fiction with Fran Wilde and Aliette de Bodard for Cooking the Books. […]