by Tina Kashian
Lucy grinned at her niece. “I just might.”
The front door opened and Anthony and Michael Citteroni walked inside. Mr. Citteroni was holding a bottle of champagne. “We wanted to congratulate our neighbors. May we join you for a drink?”
“Anthony, how gracious of you,” her mother said as she approached Mr. Citteroni and kissed his cheek.
“Good to see you.” Lucy’s dad shook the mobster’s hand.
Michael stopped in front of Lucy and winked. “Good to see you, too, Lucy.”
A pop sounded and flutes of bubbling champagne were handed out. “To neighbors and friends.” Mr. Citteroni raised his glass.
Michael tapped Lucy’s flute. “To new business ventures.”
She swallowed. From the corner of her eye she saw Azad stiffen. Was he jealous?
A tiny thrill coursed through her. She never could have imagined how things would end up after she’d quit her job in the city and come home. Big changes meant big hurdles, but she was looking forward to each one.
Her mother kissed her cheek. “I know we’ve told you already, but we are so happy you have come home for good.”
Lucy’s heart squeezed as she looked at her family and friends. There was no place in the world she’d rather be. She held her glass up in the air and smiled. “To home, to family, and to good friends.”
Author’s Note
This book is a mystery straight from my heart. For twenty-eight years, my Armenian-American family owned a restaurant in a small town in South Jersey. My mother was a talented cook and the grapevine in our backyard was more valued that any rosebush. I’d often come home from school to the delicious aromas of simmering grape leaves, stuffed peppers and tomatoes, and shish kebab. Lunch at school would be hummus and pita instead of peanut butter and jelly at a time when hummus wasn’t as popular as it is now. It wasn’t always fun as a teenager to have an eccentric, ethnic family, but I’ve grown to value my roots and my own colorful cast of family members. In contrast, my husband is like Katie’s family—they can almost trace their roots back to the Mayflower. We have two young daughters who have the best of both worlds, and yes, they both know how to make hummus and like it.
I loved writing this book, and I’m happy to share my own favorite family recipes with you. Enjoy the food!
RECIPES
Angela’s Famous Traditional Hummus
This is my own secret recipe. It can be served as a dip with wedges of pita bread or vegetables, and goes well with broiled or grilled meat. It can also be used as a healthy alternative to mayonnaise on sandwiches.
1 can (15 ounces) chick peas
3½ teaspoons tahini (sesame seed puree)
3 cloves minced garlic (1½ teaspoons)
1 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Drain can of chick peas and reserve ¼ cup fluid. Mix tahini thoroughly before using to incorporate oil that separates during storage. Using a food processor or blender, combine and blend all ingredients until smooth. If hummus is too thick, add a few tablespoons of reserved fluid from chick peas and blend again. Pour into serving platter. Enjoy!
Azad’s Tabbouleh Salad
This parsley and bulgur salad is a favorite and a healthy alternative to any mayonnaise based potato or macaroni salad.
½ cup small bulgur (cracked wheat)
4 cups freshly chopped flat leaf parsley
1 cup chopped scallions or onions
2 cups chopped tomatoes
⅓ cup freshly chopped mint leaves or
2 tablespoons dried crushed mint
salt and pepper to taste
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup fresh lemon juice
Soak bulgur in a small bowl for a half hour, then drain and squeeze out all excess water. In a large bowl combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate and serve cold.
Lucy’s White Almond Cookies
¾ cup unsalted clarified butter
½ cup vegetable shortening
1¼ cups sugar
2¼ cups flour
almonds
Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Combine butter, shortening, and sugar and mix. Add flour and mix well. Take two full teaspoons of dough and roll into a rope, then make a circle and pinch the seam together. Lightly press an almond into the seam. Repeat for remaining dough.
Arrange on cookie sheets and bake for 20 minutes until lightly golden on the bottom. Cookies should remain white on top. Transfer cookies from baking sheet to cooling racks to cool. Makes about three dozen cookies.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Writers create stories in solitude, but publishing a book is a team effort. I’m thankful for all the wonderful people who have helped me along the way. I’d like to thank my parents, Anahid and Gabriel, for their love and for all their hard work as owners of a restaurant. I will forever be indebted to them for teaching me to never stop reaching for my dreams, and I miss them every day.
I’m eternally grateful to my family—John, Laura, and Gabrielle—for their support, encouragement, and never-ending love. Thank you for your patience when Mom is in the throes of plotting, writing, editing . . . and editing.
Thank you to my wonderful agent, Stephany Evans, who encouraged me to write this book when I pitched her the idea.
Thank you also to my great editor, Martin Biro, for taking a chance on me and helping to polish the book and make it shine. I’m grateful! Also, my heartfelt thanks to the entire Kensington team for their work on my behalf.
Last, thank you to my readers. Without you, there would be no books!
Be sure not to miss the next book
in Tina Kashian’s
Kebab Kitchen Mystery series
STABBED IN THE BAKLAVA
A Kensington mass-market paperback and e-book on sale September 2018!
