"Did he ever tell you what he and Tyler had argued about in the first place?" Ava asked.
I nodded. "I did finally drag it out of him."
The day after Ashley had been arrested, I'd given Bradley my interview over the phone, indulged in a big pancake breakfast—courtesy of Conchita—and then taken a care basket of her famous Mexican Chocolate scones to Jean Luc's place. He'd been grateful enough at the offer of friendship—not only in the form of baked goods, but also the fact I'd been one person he could count on to believe in his innocence throughout—that he'd broken down and told me everything.
"Apparently when Tyler was drinking in the tasting room after the demo, he called Jean Luc a 'wine steward.'"
Eddie gasped in horror.
"Exactly," I said in response. "As we all know, Jean Luc is a sommelier. "
"Anyone who has ever met Jean Luc knows that. I'm guessing Tyler was trying to get a rise out of him?" Ava said.
"One can assume. Having met Tyler, I think that was a bit of a hobby of his. Anyway, Jean Luc got upset and corrected him, and then Tyler said something about pompous French people—"
Eddie gasped again.
"—and you can imagine how that went over. The whole gist of the argument was Jean Luc defending his national pride."
"Oh, poor Jean Luc," Ava said, laughing into her glass.
"If only he hadn't been too proud to tell the police that in the first place," David pointed out.
I nodded. "I know. But I guess by the time Jean Luc realized the gun was missing and his fingerprints had been planted at Tyler's, he was worried no one would believe him anyway."
"What I want to know," Ava said, leaning forward on her seat so that she was haloed in the pink light glowing from the horizon, "is what was Alec Post after in Tyler's trailer?"
"That," I said, "is actually a sweet story."
David quirked an eyebrow my way. "Oh? Do tell. You know I'm a hopeless romantic."
I rolled my eyes. David might be a bit hopeless sometimes, but romantic was the last word I'd use to describe the brooding artist.
"Well, I guess it turned out that for all his hard edge, Alec Post did have a soft spot—for Gabby. He was breaking into the trailer to steal photos."
Eddie frowned, the look totally foreign on his pudgy round face. "Photos? Of what?"
"Of Tyler and Gabby together!" Ava guessed with gusto.
I raised my wineglass her way. "Correct. Tyler had been planning to leak them to the press as a publicity stunt. Contrary to what Gabby thought, Alec did not find out about the affair from me. Tyler had spilled it to him."
"Tyler?" Eddie gasped. "But why?"
"In an effort to get Alec to drop the lawsuit. He'd said he'd essentially sell Alec the photos in exchange for the suit going away. Only Alec had refused, and Tyler had wound up dead."
"But still in possession of the photos," Ava jumped in.
I nodded. "However shady it might have been that he was breaking into the trailer, it had been for a chivalrous cause. He'd intended to find the photos and destroy them to save Gabby's reputation."
"Aww." Eddie's shoulders melted down and his face went dreamy. "He really did love Gabby."
I grinned. Now there was a real hopeless romantic. Some days I was a little envious of Curtis.
"And Alec still does," I told them. "Gabby said they're actually planning to move in together next month." At least, that's what she'd told me when I'd called her the day before to process her payment for her hosting duties. She'd even admitted that some of the tension between her and Alec at the festival had been born of suspicion—Alec had half thought Gabby had killed Tyler to keep the photos from surfacing, and Gabby had suspected Alec had killed Tyler in a fit of anger over Tyler stealing his recipes. They'd both been aware that neither had had alibis, and each one was hiding enough small secrets from the other to look guilty.
Alec had been in the process of retrieving the photos when I'd caught him at the trailer. According to what he'd told Gabby, he'd had no idea I was outside and no idea that apparently Ashley had followed me following him. He'd been fully engrossed in breaking into the locked cupboard. Which he had finally done, pocketing the contents before slipping out the front door and back to the festival, being none the wiser that anything else had transpired behind his back.
Now that everything was out in the open, Gabby said Alec had forgiven her affair with Tyler, and the network was even considering him for the position of Gabby's new co-host for Eat Up . Though, of course, Gabby would now be the top billing of the show.
"Well, good for them," Ava said. "They deserve to be happy."
"I give it six months," David said, smirking as he sipped his wine.
"David Allen," I chided. "Don't be such a pessimist."
Ava gave me a raised eyebrow over the rim of her glass. " You're calling someone out for being a pessimist?"
"What?" I asked innocently. "I've turned over a new leaf. I'm a born-again optimist."
"Give it time," David told Ava with a wink. "My money says she'll be a latter-day pessimist by the end of the week."
I stuck my tongue out at him but couldn't help a laugh.
In fact, we were all chuckling a little, probably helped along by the fact we'd opened at least three bottles of Pinot that night, when a deep voice sounded at the edge of the patio.
"I, uh, hope I'm not interrupting?"
I swiveled in my seat to find Grant watching our little dinner party. He was in his off-duty look—jeans, casual T-shirt, hands in his pockets. Though, even when he wasn't on the clock, his shoulders never seemed to fully relax, his eyes always assessing, and his posture rigid and ready for anything.
"No," I told him, rising from my seat. "Not at all." I gestured to the empty chair I'd originally reserved for Jean Luc. "Join us?"
But he shook his head. "I don't want to intrude."
I opened my mouth to protest, but he continued with, "I just stopped by for a minute to talk to you, Emmy."
"Oh." I tamped down disappointment that he'd be in such a hurry to leave as I excused myself from the table and led Grant to a spot just around the corner of the building where we had a bit of privacy.
"So, what can I do for you?" I asked.
His mouth turned up into a lazy grin. "Actually, it's what I can do for you."
I swallowed hard, the hidden meaning behind that phrase causing all kinds of ideas to dance through my head.
Or maybe that was just the wine.
"Oh?" I asked. "And what is that?"
"Tyler's trailer," he said.
"Oh, please tell me you found the rightful owner of that monstrosity." I'd spent the last two days since the festival ended staring at Tyler Daniels' larger-than-life face outside the kitchen window. Despite the story Alec had floated me about Gabby taking the thing off the property when he was trying to get the keys, both Gabby and Mark had refused to take ownership, claiming it belonged to Tyler's estate. Whoever that may be. Truth be told, I thought neither of them wanted to see his face ever again—let alone ten feet high.
To my relief, Grant nodded. "Not exactly sure where its permanent home will be, but I got authorization to haul it off your property finally. We'll be sending it to a storage facility while the lawyers straighten out Tyler's estate."
"You are a god."
Grant laughed softly. "You are welcome."
"Though, you know you could have saved yourself a trip and told me that over the phone," I pointed out, sending him a coy smile.
"I could have." He took a step forward, filling the space between us as his voice went low and deep. "But where would the fun have been in that?"
Warmth pooled in my belly at the dark, delicious promise in his eyes. One that he didn't hesitate to make good on, leaning in and gently taking my face in his hands as his lips met mine.
I think the earth might have stood still as he kissed me, my entire body melting into his touch as hormones I didn't even know I had suddenly awoken to attention.<
br />
When he finally pulled back, my legs were Jell-O, my heart was beating fast, and my mind was vibrating with fantasies that made my cheeks heat. I fluttered my eyes open to find him grinning at me, the look on his face as dreamy as I felt.
"You know, you still owe me half a date," I told him.
He raised one eyebrow at me. " Half a date?"
"Uh-huh. You left early on the first one."
He pursed his lips as he nodded in agreement. "Fair enough. You pick the date and time, and I'll make good on that debt," he said as he turned to go. Though he paused, the gold flecks in his eyes dancing mischievously. "I'll even give you a whole date. With interest ."
I felt all ten million of my hormones happy dance in unison as he winked at me and walked away. By the wolfish gleam in his eyes, I had a feeling this was going to be one date I would not soon forget.
And I couldn't wait.
RECIPES
Easy Mediterranean Chicken
4 (6-8 ounces each) chicken breasts
½ cup olive oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ cup fresh basil, chopped
1 jar or can (14.5 ounces) marinated artichoke hearts
1 jar (8 ounces) sundried tomatoes julienne sliced
salt and pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup kalamata olives, chopped
crumbled feta cheese to taste
Make 1 day ahead.
Add chicken breasts, olive oil, garlic, 1 cup basil, artichoke hearts, and sundried tomatoes to a large resealable plastic bag or airtight container. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place chicken in a baking dish, along with the marinade. Add salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and olives and bake for 20–25 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Sprinkle top with remaining chopped basil and feta cheese then serve warm.
Makes 4 delicious servings!
Tips!
Cooking in the oven keeps the chicken breasts moist and avoids them drying out, as is common with lean meat. However, if you like a sear on your chicken, place them in a pan of hot olive oil, browning each side for 5–7 minutes before placing in the oven. Adjust your cooking times down to 35–40 minutes or until the internal temperature of 165 degrees is reached. If it's a sunny day, this is also a great recipe to throw on a grill—like at the Fall Food & Wine Festival demonstration!
Wine Pairings
Best served with lighter reds, like Pinot Noir, or a rich white, like Chardonnay. Some of Emmy's suggestions: Dancing Coyote Pinot Noir, Windy Oaks Terra Narro Estate Pinot Noir, Chateau Ste Michelle Chardonnay Indian Wells
* * *
Fettuccini Pomodoro
1 cup "00" flour
1 cup semolina flour
3 large eggs
4 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ yellow onion, chopped
1 can (28 oz) San Marzano tomatoes, peeled
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
fresh basil to taste
pepper to taste
grated Parmesan cheese
Mix the flour using a sifter onto a clean work surface or large cutting board. Make a well in the center (using your measuring cup works well!). Add the eggs into the well, along with the 2 Tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp sea salt. Using your fingers, mix the ingredients together until you have smooth, firm dough. If the dough is too dry, add a little water. If it's too wet or sticky, add a little more semolina flour. You will want to mix until you have an elastic consistency.
Wrap the dough in plastic or set in a covered bowl for at least 30 min. to rest.
Once rested, divide the dough into small balls (roughly 6–8), and run each ball through the pasta machine. Then fold the pasta into thirds and run it through the machine again. Continue this process until you reach the desired thickness. (See the Tips for rolling without a machine!) Once you have achieved the desired thickness, run the pasta through the fettuccine cutter. Dredge the pasta lightly in flour to prevent sticking and set aside on a baking sheet or drying rack.
In a large pot, boil roughly 3 quarts of water, well salted. Add pasta and cook just until tender and al dente, about 3–5 minutes.
In the meantime, make the pomodoro sauce by adding 2 Tbsp olive oil to a pan, and over medium heat sauté the onion, garlic, and oregano until onion is translucent. Chop or crush the tomatoes and add to pan, along with red pepper flakes, torn or chopped basil leaves, and salt and pepper to taste. Allow to cook 8–10 minutes.
Drain pasta and add directly to the pomodoro saucepan, mixing well before serving. Add Parmesan cheese and enjoy!
Makes 4 servings!
Tips!
You can substitute all-purpose flour for the "00" flour and still use semolina or substitute all-purpose flour for both! You may just a need to add a bit more oil or water to keep it from getting dry. "00" flour is finer and gives pasta the more silky quality. Semolina flour is a coarser, high-protein flour that helps the dough achieve the elasticity. However, you can still make delicious pasta with all-purpose flour, if that's what is in your cupboard!
Don't have a pasta machine? You can roll the dough out by hand on a floured surface. Try to roll as thin as possible without breaking it. Then cut the dough to desired pasta length and roll it up like a jellyroll. Cut the roll into thin pieces. Unroll each strand and cook as above.
Wine Pairings
Best served with red wines that are aromatic and high enough in acidity to compete with the acidic tomatoes, like a Merlot or Zinfandel. Some of Emmy's suggestions: Zinfandelic Sierra Foothills Old Vine Zinfandel, 7 Deadly Zins, Provenance Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot
* * *
Tyler's Place "Turn Up the Heat" Burger
1 ½ lbs lean ground beef
1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
½ tsp hot sauce
2 tablespoons onion, finely minced
salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup cream cheese
2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 fresh jalapeño pepper, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 hamburger buns or rolls
Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
In a small bowl, combine the beef, crumbled bacon, hot sauce, onion, and salt and pepper.
In another bowl combine cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and jalapeno.
Divide the cream cheese mixture into fourths. Ball ¼ of the cream cheese mixture and take ¼ of the beef mixture and wrap the beef around the cheese so that no cheese is showing. Lightly brush the outside of the burger with olive oil. Grill for 5–6 minutes on each side. Serve on toasted buns with your favorite toppings or the spicy sriracha aioli recipe below.
Sriracha Aioli
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sriracha hot sauce
1 lime juiced
salt to taste
Whisk together the mayonnaise, sriracha, lime juice, and salt. Best served cold, and keeps well, so can be made well ahead of time.
Tips!
If you like your heat turned all the way up, be liberal with the hot sauce in the burger and keep the jalapeño seeds in. You can garnish with more fresh jalapeño as well! If you prefer just a hint of heat, seed the jalapeños first and use only half. Go light on the hot sauce or substitute Worcestershire sauce—which packs a lot of flavor but less heat. When handling jalapeños, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after touching them—fresh jalapeño juice can be very irritating to skin and eyes. If you're not a beef fan, this recipe is also wonderful with ground turkey!
Wine Pairings
Best served with red wines that are low in tannins—as tannins accentuate heat!—like a Pinot Noir, or a crisp citrusy white, like a Pinot Grigio. Some of Emmy's suggestions: Lola Wines Pinot Noir, Bargetto Monterey Pinot Grigio, Santa Margherita Pin
ot Grigio
* * *
Summer Fruit Flambé
3 fresh peaches
½ cup fresh raspberries
½ cup fresh blackberries
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup dark rum
vanilla ice cream (optional)
Slice the fresh peaches into wedges.
In a large saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar over medium heat. Add peaches and cook just until they start to soften, about 2 minutes. Then add the cinnamon and berries and stir to coat.
Remove from heat and add rum, swirling the pan to make sure it coats evenly. Ignite the rum, and carefully allow flames to extinguish themselves as the alcohol burns off, usually in about a minute. Serve immediately—either on its own or over ice cream!
Tips!
Be sure to remove the pan from the flame before igniting! Using a barbeque lighter or long stick lighter is best for safety, and be sure to have a lid handy, just in case the flames get out of control and you need to extinguish them. Try to let the flames extinguish themselves, as the fruit will have a strong alcohol flavor if it isn't all burnt off. If you're not an ice cream fan, this is also a great topping for pound cake or shortcake!
Wine Pairings
Best served with slightly sweet wines with mild acidity that aren't too sweet to overpower the dessert, like a Moscato or Riesling. Some of Emmy's suggestions: Brooks Ara Riesling, Willamette Valley Vineyards Riesling, Bellafina Pink Moscato
* * *
Caprese Panzanella Salad
3 cups crusty or stale bread, cubed
½ cup melted butter
3 large heirloom tomatoes (varying colors)
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes
8 ounces fresh mozzarella in small balls or cut into small pieces
1 cup of basil leaves
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, finely minced
½ teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Put the bread cubes on a baking sheet and drizzle the melted butter over them. Mix well to coat the bread then arrange in a single layer. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, flipping over halfway through, and let cool.
Victim in the Vineyard Page 20