"Good to know. Salted caramel hot cocoa, huh?"
"Yes." Amy held her index finger up. "Made with dark chocolate."
Carla broke off the corner of her dried cherry scone. She popped it into her mouth and looked out the window at the river. After a few seconds she said, "I can't believe we almost ended up in that water. Kristi always seemed a little unusual, but who knew she was that cracked?"
"Nobody, not even her own husband supposedly. If he suspected her of committing any of the crimes, he hasn't admitted it yet. He's either oblivious or still in love with her. Apparently his excuse is that he was so busy trying to save their business, he never noticed she was sneaking around trying to snuff out his imaginary affairs."
After a long night of questioning Kristi and Elliot, Shepler had finally gotten to the bottom of all of the madness. Elliot was trying to keep the floundering bakery afloat. Kristi thought his business-saving maneuvers were affairs. One of his schemes was getting the prize winning recipes from the Summer Festival contestants so he could sell the baked goods and enjoy the profits. That's why he had been having coffee with Mandy Jo. Kristi found out about the meetings, but not the reason for them. She imagined the negotiations were an affair and decided to eliminate the imagined competition for her husband. When she got Mandy Jo alone at the Town Hall the night of the pie contest, she strangled the doomed Pie Queen with one of the kitchen towels that was always looped through her apron ties.
Kristi had also been the one who set the fire in the alley behind The Breakfast Spot. While Elliot had just been trying to finagle a wholesale agreement with Bea, Kristi once again got the wrong idea. Even though she knew that Amy was meeting with Elliot because of the donations for the memorial, everything got twisted around in her short-circuiting brain. When Elliot followed Amy into the Shots & Whatnots crowd, Kristi snapped and moved past written threats. The black pickup had been borrowed from her father while her car was in the shop for engine repairs.
Sophie expertly wove through the table maze and placed a small plate with two, sunny yellow lemon bars on it in the middle of the table. "I want you to try these. I added a bit of lime and grapefruit juice to the usual lemon. Let me know what you think." She rocked on her toes. "I just got some good news. I think I can get the vacant store next door, to give me more space for tables and seating."
"That's wonderful!" Amy exclaimed. The exciting opportunities couldn't be happening to a nicer, more deserving businessperson. "I'm sure everything will be spectacular. I think I'm going to be living here soon. Could I develop my contest recipes in your kitchen?"
"Of course! You're always welcome in my kitchen. Ooh, have to go," Sophie said. She waved goodbye and hurried to the counter to take care of a customer.
"What's that all about?" Carla asked as she plucked one of the lemon bars off the plate.
"Elliot has offered to sell her his bakery. I guess finding out everything Kristi did was the last straw, and he's given up on trying to save it. If everything works out and Sophie can get the shop in between here and there, she'll end up with a huge commercial kitchen and two or three times the dining space."
"Nice. She could go way beyond a coffee shop with that kind of setup."
"Exactly. I certainly don't blame her for being excited."
A spot of fluorescent yellow caught Amy's attention when she bit into the citrus bar. Across the river a worker in a safety vest was standing on the memorial walkway with a shovel in his hand.
"Look." Amy pointed at the man. "I bet he's placing Mandy Jo's brick."
"We can go check after he's done."
"I'd like to do that." She took a bite of the unexpected treat Sophie had brought. Even the zing of the citrus curd couldn't chase away the melancholy washing over her. The brick wouldn't be necessary if someone had realized earlier that Kristi's weird outburst were really a sign of insanity.
"I know how Bruce used a decoy to arrest Kristi," Carla said as she used a fork to divide her lemon bar into bite-sized chunks. "What I don't know is how you figured out Kristi was out to get you that night."
Amy took a sip of her latte then winked. "Bad grammar."
"What? Seriously?"
"All of the notes I got had grammar and spelling errors. That fact alone didn't point to Kristi, but the night she tried to lure me to the bakery I had sent an email to Elliot concerning the donation jar I needed to pick up. The reply, asking me to come to the bakery, had the same kind of errors. You know how Elliot is a walking dictionary. There's no way he would've written a note riddled with so many mistakes. The chance that Rayshelle could've hacked his email account was so remote you'd need a microscope to see it, but a spouse certainly could get access easily enough. Luckily I was finally right. I struck out a few times while trying to figure out the killer, but hit it out of the ball park when it counted. I hope Shepler isn't mad."
"Nice. I'm glad you paid attention to the details. It saved your life." Carla smiled. "I wouldn't say Bruce is exactly mad, more like perplexed. You had him chasing after so many false leads, I think he was surprised to end up with a full confession courtesy of your latest theory. He's glad that the murder was solved, though."
Wow. Carla had full-out smiled. Ding dong, the effects of the Botox were finally all gone. Or they had been banished prematurely because she couldn't help smiling after hanging around the fine Detective Shepler. Whatever the reason, it was wonderful to see her best friend smile again.
Amy stuck a red plastic coffee stirrer into her latte and tried to make another heart. "I wasn't going to the bakery that night no matter what. Alex and I were formulating other plans for the evening, courtesy of a bottle of Prosecco, when I got the email. I'm just glad I figured out it was Kristi before she did some other stupid crazy-woman trick. It never crossed my mind that the notes were warning me to stay away from Elliot instead of his pie contest. I feel much safer now that she and her mile-wide jealous streak are sitting in jail."
"Me, too. There was over a thousand dollars worth of damage on my car." She patted the back of Amy's hand. "And best friends like you are a once in a lifetime find. Irreplaceable, unlike car parts."
RECIPES
Fruit & Nut Brownies
The chewy, sweet/tart dried fruit in these dense, fudgy brownies make these treats taste like a gourmet candy bar.
½ cup (1 stick) butter
2 ounces (2 squares) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
⅓ cup all-purpose flour, sifted
¼ tsp. salt
¼ cup dried blueberries
¼ cup sweetened, dried cranberries
¼ cup raisins
½ cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 325° F. Coat an 8x8-inch square cake pan with butter or non-stick cooking spray. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter and chocolate. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently to prevent burning, until the mixture is smooth and completely melted. Remove from the heat. Stir in the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Beat well. Add the flour, salt, blueberries, cranberries, raisins, and pecans. Stir until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until moist crumbs remain on a cake tester when inserted near the center.
Savory Parmesan & Salami Muffins
The cornmeal adds a nice texture to these savory muffins. Red pepper flakes can be used instead of the black pepper. Or for a less-spicy version, use a dried Italian herb seasoning blend instead.
This recipe makes 6 muffins.
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornmeal
⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
¼ tsp. garlic powder
1 large egg
½ cup milk
¼ cup finely chopped sundried tomatoes
½ cup finely diced cured salami
2 tbsp. grated Parmesan, divid
ed
Preheat oven to 350° F. Prepare a 6-cup muffin tin by greasing well or using cupcake liners. Whisk together the dry ingredients, including the 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese, in a medium bowl. Add the egg and milk. Stir just until combined. Fold in sundried tomatoes and salami. Spoon batter evenly into muffin cups. Sprinkle each muffin with 1 teaspoon of Parmesan cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes until tops are golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
Tomato Pies for Two
This is a tasty way to use flavorful, vine-ripened tomatoes. Heirloom varieties add different tastes and textures. Experiment and have fun! You can also use different cheeses in the topping, as well as spices in the crust, to customize the recipe to your taste.
Crust:
1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. Italian herb seasoning blend (salt-free)
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
¼ cup chilled butter, cut into small cubes
½ cup cold milk
Filling:
1 lb. heirloom tomatoes (any variety), seeded & excess moisture removed *
½ cup shredded, low-moisture mozzarella cheese
2 slices bacon, cooked until crispy & crumbled
Topping:
¼ cup low fat mayonnaise
½ cup shredded, low-moisture mozzarella cheese
½ tsp. hot sauce (optional)
1 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
*To seed a tomato, cut in half along the equator. Gently squeeze over a bowl to remove the seeds and gel. Thinly slice tomatoes. Arrange on a double layer of paper towels. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and cover with more paper towels to absorb excess juice. While the tomatoes drain, continue preparing the rest of the pie.
Preheat oven to 375° F. To make the crust, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour through salt). Using your fingers or a pastry cutter work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Pour in half of the milk. Stir with a wooden spoon, adding more milk a little at a time, until all of the flour is moistened and dough comes together. Divide dough between two, 5-inch, straight-sided baking ramekins. Press dough onto bottom and 1-inch up the sides of the dish. If dough sticks to your fingers, coat your hands with a bit of oil or a spritz of non-stick cooking spray. Bake crusts for 10 minutes. Remove and turn oven temperature down the 350° F. Crust will puff up, so use a spoon to gently press down the bottom of the crust to reform the side.
Fill the pies by sprinkling half of the shredded mozzarella cheese onto the bottom of one crust. On top of the cheese, layer half of the tomato slices and half of the crumbled bacon. Repeat to fill the second pie.
For the topping, combine all of the topping ingredients, except the Parmesan cheese, in a small bowl. Divide evenly and spread on top of each pie. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes, until bubbling and topping is golden brown.
Spicy Maple Dipping Sauce
Amy used this sauce with chicken tenders, but it is also good with fish or veggies. Try using it as a dressing for chicken, tuna fish salad, or even egg salad, too.
¼ cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp. whole grain mustard
2 tbsp. real maple syrup
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir until well blended.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Janel Gradowski lives in a land that looks like a cold weather fashion accessory, the mitten-shaped state of Michigan. She is a wife and mom to two kids and one Golden Retriever. Her journey to becoming an author is littered with odd jobs like renting apartments to college students and programming commercials for an AM radio station. Somewhere along the way she also became a beadwork designer and teacher. She enjoys cooking recipes found in her formidable cookbook and culinary fiction collection. Searching for unique treasures at art fairs, flea markets, and thrift stores is also a favorite pastime. Coffee is an essential part of her life.
To learn more about Janel Gradowski, visit her online at: http://www.janelgradowski.com
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BOOKS BY JANEL GRADOWSKI
Culinary Competition Mysteries:
Pies & Peril
The Bartonville Series:
Must Love Sandwiches (novella)
The Queen of Bad Decisions (short story)
Ready or Not (serial)
* * * * *
SNEAK PEEK
If you enjoyed this Culinary Competition Mystery, check out this other funny, romantic mystery from Gemma Halliday Publishing:
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MURDER AL DENTE
by
JENNIFER L. HART
PROLOGUE
"Five minutes, Ms. Buckland." Mimi, Chef Zoltan Farnsworth's assistant, poked her head into the closet I'd been given to use as a dressing room.
I grinned at her. "Thanks. He has you herding the entire studio, now, huh? Why do you put up with him, Mimi?" She was a talented pastry chef in her own right, but Zoltan Farnsworth treated her like dirt. Not that that was unusual for him. Farnsworth treated everyone like dirt. It was practically his brand.
"He is not so bad." She paused, seemed to consider, and said in her careful Asian accent, "Well, he is bad."
"Hey, when I'm Flavor TV's next big thing, I'll hire you right out from under his mustache." I took a deep breath, checked my appearance one last time in the chipped mirror, and pasted on a smile. "First I have to go out there and blow their doors off."
"You will do very well, I am sure." Mimi offered me a smile, dipped her head, and bustled off.
I made my way to Studio C where a live audience was already tasting samples of the culinary concoction I'd whipped up. Much to my relief, everyone appeared to be enjoying themselves. My cell buzzed, and I checked the display. A text from Donna Muller, my best friend since high school, and I grinned at her message.
Knock 'em dead!
Donna knew better than pretty much anyone else how hard I'd worked for this moment. After being raised by my very Italian grandmother and great aunt who ran the small town's pasta shop, it was possible I had marinara instead of blood.
One of the techs signaled me, and I quickly stowed my phone, lifted my arms, and let him attach my microphone. We did a sound check, and I was good to go.
"All set?" The producer, Stacy DeAngelo scurried over, tablet in hand. She didn't wait for a response but gave me a light shove in the direction of the stage.
My nerves got the best of me when I saw what appeared to be a sea of faces, all of whom looked at me expectantly. Oh no. I'd told everyone I knew about this. My grandfather, Pops, was tuned in along with my great aunt Cecily. The entire population of Beaverton, N.C, all 21,086 of them, were probably watching the Atlanta based television station.
Kyle was watching. No, no he wasn't. The sheriff had more important things to do on a weekday afternoon than watch his ex-girlfriend make an idiot out of herself on live television.
Then, my canned music started and my feet unfroze. "Is it just me or does pasta get a bad rap?" I asked the audience. Mostly smiles, but a few nods. "Let me tell you, there is not a more versatile food in the world. It can be light or heavy, served as a side dish or the main course, or even dessert."
I lowered my voice to a hush, which of course the microphone projected. "Just don't tell my great aunt Cecily I said that. She's a purist."
Several chuckles. My confidence grew, and I returned to my normal easygoing drawl. "Today, I'm going to show you linguini's true potential when served with fresh clams in a white wine sauce. So, here's what you'll need." I'd been over the spiel at least a thousand times in my head, and as I spoke, I moved around my "kitchen," which was really a set that had been made to look like a cozy country
kitchen. Nothing too ostentatious. Flavor was a relatively new cable channel, and I was supposed to be a girl-next-door kind of cook. Al Dente, my brand spanking new cooking show, focused on the ins and outs of pasta, not high end appliances. But the new countertops practically sparkled, and I could see my face in the gleaming stainless steel refrigerator as I extracted the clams.
While the water came to a boil, I added a little background to my instructions. "In Italian, al dente means 'to the tooth.' The perfect al dente pasta will have a little resistance when you bite into it. Nothing ruins a meal like overcooked noodles. Cooking times will vary depending on the shape of pasta and thickness. For instance, vermicelli or angel hair will take less time to cook to al dente perfection than fettuccini or shells."
The first segment of the show seemed to fly by, and before I knew it, I was being signaled that it was time for our three minute intermission.
"You're doing great." Stacy looked up from her iPad, her expression approving. She'd gone to bat for me with the network execs when I'd pitched her the concept for the show. She said she'd seen something in me, and she'd fought hard to get me this chance. I wanted to prove her right. "By this time tomorrow you'll have a ton of sponsors."
I beamed. "I can't believe it, but at one point I actually forgot I was on camera."
"That's how it goes. We're back in ten seconds."
My return to the stage-slash-kitchen was much smoother this time, and I talked about pairing wines with different dishes. Before I knew it, the meal was assembled. "Smells great. Just the right combination of garlic and wine really brings the pasta and clams together in perfect harmony. Don't take my word for it though, what does our audience think?"
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