Zoey rolled her eyes at her aunt. “It’s okay. I didn’t mind. Really.”
Estelle was right, though: Zoey deserved the recognition, not just for her part in finding the necklace, but for her willingness to remain quiet even when she didn’t want to. I was growing fond of her and I wasn’t ready to send her packing yet.
“Edie’s coming back to work in a couple of weeks,” I said. “But that doesn’t mean I want you to leave. You’ve done a great job. How would you feel about staying on, at least until Mardi Gras is over?”
Zoey’s face lit up and for a moment her insecurities vanished. “You mean it?”
“Of course.”
Estelle nudged her with an elbow. “You want to stay, don’t you?” Without waiting for an answer, she turned to me. “She wants to stay. It would mean the world to her.”
I smiled at Estelle and took Zoey’s arm, leading her away from the others so she could make up her own mind. “You don’t have to decide now,” I told her. “And don’t say yes just because Estelle wants you to. She means well, but I want you to decide for yourself.”
I wasn’t sure, but I thought I detected tears in Zoey’s big, dark eyes. “Yeah. I mean, yeah I want to. I like it there. At Zydeco. And maybe if I do good enough, you could teach me about cakes? I’d love to make something as beautiful as the dress form cakes were. Pictures of them are still showing up in my news feed.”
That surprised me on two levels. The Belle Lune Ball had been an even bigger success than I’d thought at the time. The ongoing popularity of the photos people had uploaded had my head spinning. But the biggest revelation was the one about Zoey herself. “You’re interested in baking?”
“Baking. Decorating. Making cakes that look like something. I want to learn how to do all of it. Next time something we make goes viral, I want to be part of it.”
Who would have thought? I grinned, remembering when I’d first discovered the world of cake decorating and asked Uncle Nestor if I could attend a culinary school. “I’ll tell you what,” I said, making the same offer my uncle had once made to me. “You work hard and learn everything you can at Zydeco for two years. Then, if you still want to learn more, we’ll talk about getting you into culinary school. How does that sound?”
Zoey lunged at me and wrapped me in a hug so tight I had trouble catching my breath. “You mean it?”
“It’s not going to be easy,” I warned her when she finally let me go. “It’s a lot of hard work and there’s a lot to learn. And you’re not going to start out at the top, so don’t expect that.”
“I don’t. I won’t.” She bounced up on her toes, looking younger and happier than I’d ever seen her. “You won’t be sorry, I promise.”
A big warm glob of fuzzy feel good welled up inside me. I suspected that our real issue would be getting Estelle to back off and let Zoey fight her own battles, but we had plenty of time to work all that out.
It felt good knowing that. Zydeco had gone through a rough patch after Philippe died and I took over, but we’d weathered the storm and things were looking up. Business was better than ever. Our client base had grown just since the Belle Lune Ball, and we’d been asked to do the job again the following year, which was a major coup. Pleasing Evangeline Delahunt wasn’t easy, but we’d done it. Of course, I’d accepted the offer eagerly, in spite of Ox’s dour predictions that I was diversifying too far by adding these occasional catering gigs to our schedule. He’d come around eventually.
I had no intention of spreading ourselves too thin or taking on too much, but catering the Belle Lune Ball had given me greater confidence in my skills both as a chef and a manager than I’d ever had before. For the first time since I’d accepted the partnership with Miss Frankie, Zydeco felt as if it was really and truly mine and I wasn’t interested in taking a step backward either.
I left Zoey talking to Sparkle about her job offer and crossed the narrow courtyard toward Edie and River. Dwight had moved away to talk to someone else and JD was growing restless without his playmate. Edie handed JD to me and I kissed his soft little cheek. “I just offered Zoey a job,” I told Edie. “But not yours, so don’t worry about that.”
Edie laughed softly. “Good. I can’t wait to get back to work, but I’m going to hate leaving JD with a sitter. I wish I could do both.”
“You don’t need a sitter,” River told her. “My work is flexible. I can watch him while you’re at work. I’ve told you that before.”
She gave him a look from the corner of her eye, but it wasn’t full of her usual irritation. “And I told you, I don’t want to be a burden.”
“What burden?” River asked. “JD is my son.” Also said without the usual heat.
There was something different about them. Something softer. More pliable. I didn’t want Edie to freak out or anything, so I pretended not to notice. “I’m sure the two of you can figure it out. It’s not as if we’re completely inflexible at Zydeco either. If you need to bring him with you to work on occasion, I’m sure we can work something out.”
Edie grinned at me and for the second time that day I found myself wrapped in a breath-stealing hug. “You’re the best, Rita. I mean seriously.”
Yeah. That gave me the warm fuzzies, too.
I snuggled JD closely and wondered what life would have been like if Philippe and I had ever decided to start a family. Almost as if she read my mind, Miss Frankie materialized beside me and sent JD a grandmotherly smile. “He’s a sweet little thing, isn’t he?”
I nodded. “So precious.”
She leaned against me and sighed wistfully. “Maybe someday you’ll make me a grandmother.”
I laughed aloud. “I wouldn’t hold my breath,” I said. “I’m not sure that’s a road I’ll ever take.”
“Never say never,” she said with a meaningful glance at Gabriel, who was standing on the other side of the courtyard. “Where is your nice policeman today? Couldn’t he make it?”
I squirmed uncomfortably at her unspoken suggestion(s). “He’s working, but he’ll try to make it for lunch. As for the rest, we’ll see.”
“You can’t blame a woman for trying, sugar. Just know that I’d be thrilled if you ever decided to expand the family.”
Yeah. Maybe. Maybe not. I guess time would tell. I leaned my head on Miss Frankie’s shoulder, relieved that she’d shown no more signs of hysterics and touched by her generosity. I was a lucky woman, blessed with a great family and wonderful friends.
A little seed of excitement landed in my heart. It stirred and grew as I looked at the people around me. I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next.
Recipes
Rita’s Roasted Parmesan Potatoes
Makes 4 to 5 servings
5 to 6 medium-sized potatoes, skins on (I think red potatoes or russets are best for flavor and texture.)
nonstick cooking spray
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (this is the kind you put on spaghetti, not freshly grated Parmesan.)
1½ teaspoons paprika
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Preheat oven to 425ºF.
Scrub the potatoes thoroughly, and dice into bite-sized pieces. Line a large baking sheet or jelly roll pan with aluminum foil. Spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray. Spread the diced potatoes on the foil-lined pan and drizzle the olive oil over the potatoes. Using your hands, gently toss the potatoes until completely covered with oil.
In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle over the potatoes and use your hands again to make sure the spices coat all the potatoes.
Place the pan in the oven and cook for 35 to 45 minutes, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes so the potatoes cook evenly and don’t burn on the bottom. When finished bak
ing, remove from the oven and sprinkle with additional salt and pepper if desired.
• • •
Pork Chops with Pear Chutney
Makes 4 to 8 servings
CHUTNEY
1 shallot, diced
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1-inch piece of peeled fresh ginger (sliced into coins)
1 teaspoon Madras curry powder
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
pinch crushed red pepper
1 cinnamon stick
3 pears, peeled, cored, and diced (large dice)
2 tablespoons dried cranberries
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
PORK CHOPS
8 thin bone-in pork chops, each about 4 ounces
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
For the chutney: In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, stir together the shallot, vinegar, brown sugar, butter, ginger, curry powder, salt, and red pepper. Add the cinnamon stick and stir into the mixture.
Cover and seal with plastic wrap. Heat in a microwave oven on high for 1 minute. Carefully remove the plastic wrap and stir in the pears and cranberries. Re-cover and microwave for 10 minutes more.
Being careful not to let escaping steam burn your fingers, poke holes in the plastic wrap to release the steam. Set the mixture aside.
For the pork chops: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the pork chops dry and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add approximately 1 tablespoon oil to the pan and heat until the oil shimmers.
Lay 4 chops in the pan and sear until golden on one side. (This should take about 3 minutes.) Turn and cook 1 more minute. Remove the chops from the pan and set aside. Keep warm. Repeat steps above with remaining oil and chops.
When all chops are removed from the pan, add the chutney to the pan and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon. Simmer until slightly thickened. Stir in the cilantro. Serve the chops with chutney.
• • •
Creamy Curried Cauliflower Soup
Makes 6 to 8 servings
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (plus a bit more to serve)
2 medium white onions, thinly sliced
½ teaspoon kosher salt (you may want more to season)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), trimmed and cut into florets
4½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth (use regular-sodium broth or water if desired)
½ teaspoon coriander
½ teaspoon turmeric
1¼ teaspoons cumin
1 cup coconut milk
freshly ground black pepper, to season
OPTIONAL GARNISHES
¼ cup roasted cashew halves (see note below)
¼ cup finely chopped Italian parsley
red chili pepper flakes, for garnish
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat until the oil shimmers. Cook the onions together with ¼ teaspoon salt until the onions are soft and translucent (approximately 8 minutes).
Turn heat to low. Add the garlic and cook for 2 additional minutes.
Add the cauliflower florets, vegetable broth, coriander, turmeric, cumin, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Bring pot to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low.
Simmer until the cauliflower is fork-tender (about 15 to 17 minutes).
Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender until smooth, and then return the soup to the soup pot. If you prefer, use an immersion blender to purée the soup right in the pot.
Stir in the coconut milk and warm the soup. Before serving, add more seasoning and/or spices to taste.
To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with a handful of toasted cashews, a few springs of parsley, a sprinkle of red chili flakes, and a dash of olive oil to top.
Note: To toast the cashews: Preheat the oven to 350°F and spread the cashews out on a baking sheet in a nice flat layer. Toast for 5 to 6 minutes, or until fragrant.
• • •
Grandma’s Corn Pudding
A true Southern Staple
Makes 8 servings
5 eggs
⅓ cup butter, melted
¼ cup white sugar
½ cup milk (Grandma always made it with whole milk, but use the milk you prefer.)
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1 can corn (approximately 15.25 ounces)
2 cans creamed corn (approximately 14.75 ounces each)
Preheat oven to 400ºF.
Grease a 2-quart casserole dish.
In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add the melted butter, sugar, and milk. Whisk in the cornstarch. Stir in the corn and creamed corn. Blend well. Pour the mixture into prepared the casserole dish.
Bake for 1 hour.
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