Kill 'Em with Cayenne
Page 28
“Barbie…?” He lifted a brow. “It’s not you she dislikes; it’s CJ.”
“CJ?”
McBride rocked back on his heels, his expression pensive. I noted his jaw was covered with bearded stubble, but his lack of a shave only added to his rugged appeal. “CJ played a mean trick on Barbie back in high school,” he said. “The kind a girl—especially one who has a mad crush on a guy—doesn’t forget. Or forgive. She’s still harboring a grudge and it might’ve rubbed off on you.”
I stared at him, perplexed,. “On me, why?”
“Call it guilt by association. As a prank, your ex asked Barbie to the prom, then stood her up. Made her a laughingstock. According to my sister, Barbie used every penny she’d saved from babysitting to have her hair done and buy a dress. Seems like half the school was in on the joke.”
I was shocked by CJ’s callous behavior. Granted, he’d been young at the time, but old enough to know the difference between right and wrong. “That’s more than just plain mean; that’s downright cruel.”
“Yes,” McBride agreed, “but not as cruel as the rumor someone started about a possible pregnancy.”
“Becca Dapkins.” The name seemed to float on the breeze rifling the leaves of the sweet gums.
McBride nodded. “Barbie suspected Becca but couldn’t prove it.”
“Melly informed me Becca wanted Arthur Dapkins for herself. She wasn’t about to let a certain well-endowed student railroad her plans. Because of Becca, Barbie packed up and left Brandywine Creek for good.”
“Small wonder you thought Barbie clobbered her old nemesis with a brisket.”
I watched Casey chase a squirrel up a tree. “It seemed a logical conclusion at the time. What I still don’t understand is how Maybelle’s alibi happened to show up in Tex’s room.”
“Porter’s kicking himself for not destroying those receipts when he had the chance. He admitted putting them in Mahoney’s room so, if they were ever found, it would point suspicion at Tex. By then, he planned to have disappeared without a trace. Unfortunately for Wally, his plan backfired.”
“What about the break-in at Spice It Up!?”
“Wally wanted it to appear Brandywine Creek was experiencing a rash of burglaries. He thought everyone would assume the person who broke into your shop was the same one who stole Maybelle’s wallet, which happened to be his real target.”
I let out a sigh. “So that’s how a criminal mind works.”
“Say.” McBride smiled suddenly, showing off that cute dimple of his. “Why don’t you come inside and tell me what I’m supposed to do with all the food you brought?”
“Deal,” I said.
McBride held the door open, then followed me inside and looked on while I unpacked the casseroles along with an assortment of small glass jars.
“What’s all that?” he asked, frowning.
“Since you favor the basics when it comes to seasonings, I brought you salt and pepper.” I held up a jar for his inspection, set it down, and picked up another. “A blend of black Tellicherry and white Sarawak peppercorns. And salt. Sea salt, kosher salt, garlic salt, and onion salt.”
He pointed to a bottle filled with a reddish-orange substance. “That doesn’t look like salt or pepper.”
“Chili powder,” I explained. “In case you ever decide to try your hand at cooking, chili is a good place to start.”
He flashed a wicked grin. “Never know when I might want to spice things up.”
Spice things up? I nearly dropped the pan of lasagna at hearing that. Surely by spicing things up he referred to cooking with items I sold in my shop. Things like cumin, cinnamon, and paprika.
Or did he? Oh, dear …
GUIDE TO PEPPERS
Hot, hotter, hottest. Not only are chili peppers hot, but many of them also are similar in appearance. One thing they do have in common, however, is that they all contain capsicum, the compound responsible for the sensation of heat on the tongue. Wilbur Scoville was the first to quantitate the amount of heat in chili peppers in the early 1900s, and his method is still used today. His scale starts at 0 for green peppers (no heat) and goes to the high end of 250,000 units for chilies like the habanero.
PIPER’S HOT TEN
Ancho: Deep red-brown, wrinkled, fruity, and sweet, the ancho is a dried poblano. It is Mexico’s most popular pepper and is used in many of their favorite dishes.
Arbol: Bright red even when dried, the árbol is slender, curved and pointed and packs a punch in the heat department when added to barbecue sauce or chili.
Cayenne: The cayenne remains green on the plant but once picked may turn red. In its powdered form, it is known as “red pepper.” They are used for heat rather than flavor.
Chipotle: Tan to coffee-colored, wrinkled, and leathery, chipotles have a sweet, smoky flavor with a chocolaty smell. Chipotles are often used to flavor soups and stews.
Guajillo: Maroonish-brown, long, and slender, this pepper possesses a smooth, tough skin. It is perfect for chili and chili-based dishes.
Habanero: The brilliant orange color is nature’s way of saying, Handle with care. Rubber gloves are recommended when handling this hottie. Remember the adage “less is more” and use only the outer flesh and not the seeds or membranes.
Jalapeno: These bright-green torpedo-shaped peppers have a light flavor and are medium hot. Fresh, canned, or pickled, they are a widely used table condiment.
Piquin: These little red peppers are petite but potent. They are used in Mexican moles and sauces, stewed meats, and barbecue sauce.
Poblano: Poblanos ripen to a dark green and are triangular in shape. Their rich flavor pairs well with corn and tomatoes.
Tabasco: Tabasco chilies ripen from yellow to red and have a sharp, biting taste with a hint of celery. They are used to make Tabasco sauce.
DR. DOUG’S BUTT RUB
½ cup paprika
½ cup fresh ground pepper
¼ cup kosher salt
¼ cup turbinado sugar
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 teaspoons cayenne
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Mix spices thoroughly before rubbing on meat. Can be stored covered in a cool, dark pantry.
BUBBA BLESSING’S BBQ SAUCE
2 cups ketchup
½ cup brown sugar
1 bottle of beer (use your favorite)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons steak sauce (such as A1)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon hot sauce (I use Tabasco)
½ teaspoon cayenne
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 cup chili sauce
In saucepan, whisk together all the ingredients and bring to a boil while stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
BECCA DAPKINS’S CHICKEN TETRAZZINI
1 (7 oz.) package linguine
1 (8 oz.) package of fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons butter
3 cup cooked chicken, chopped
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 (10 ¾ oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
1 jar of Alfredo sauce (can substitute a container of refrigerated)
½ cup chicken broth
¼ cup Marsala wine
¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
½ cup slivered almond
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare pasta according to package directions.
2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in skillet over medium-high heat; add mushrooms and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Stir together mushrooms, chicken, ½ cup of the Parmesan cheese, and next six ingredients. Stir in pasta. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 11 × 7-inch baking pan. Sprinkle with almonds and remaining ½ cup of the Parmesan cheese.
4. Bake at 350°
F. for 40 minutes or until bubbly.
Note: The dish can be made earlier in the day and reheated. It also freezes well.
ALSO BY GAIL OUST
Rosemary and Crime
Whack ’n’ Roll
’Til Dice Do Us Part
Shake, Murder, and Roll
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
The author of the Bunco Babes mystery series, GAIL OUST is often accused of flunking retirement. Hearing the words “Maybe it’s a dead body” while golfing fired her imagination for writing a cozy. Ever since then, she has spent more time on a computer than at a golf course. She lives with her husband in McCormick, South Carolina. Visit her online at www.gailoust.com.
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
A THOMAS DUNNE BOOK FOR MINOTAUR BOOKS.
An imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group.
KILL ’EM WITH CAYENNE. Copyright © 2014 by Gail Oust. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
www.thomasdunnebooks.com
www.minotaurbooks.com
Cover design by David Baldeosingh Rotstein
Cover illustration by Matthew Holmes
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The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.
ISBN 978-1-250-01105-3 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-1-4668-3429-3 (e-book)
e-ISBN 9781466834293
First Edition: December 2014