A Cajun Christmas Killing

by Ellen Byron

  Spicy Cajun Sugar Cookies

  This is the recipe that Ninette uses to make the cookies that the Crozats snack on and use to decorate their Christmas tree. It’s got a unique kick to it, thanks to a special ingredient.

  Ingredients

  Cookies

  1 cup (2 sticks) butter

  1 cup sugar

  2 large eggs

  1 tbsp. vanilla extract

  3 cups flour

  1 tsp. cinnamon

  ½ tsp. cayenne pepper

  ½ tsp. baking soda

  ½ tsp. salt

  Cookie cutters

  Frosting

  Boxed royal icing mix (available at craft stores)

  Instructions

  For the cookies: Cream the butter, then add the sugar and beat until it’s fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Stir the dry ingredients into the butter and sugar mixture. Mix together until well combined. Chill the dough for a minimum of two hours or overnight.

  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Roll out the cookie dough to ¼-inch thickness on a well-floured board. Cut the dough with the cookie cutters, and place the unbaked cookies on an ungreased cookie tray. (If the dough sticks to the rolling pin, add more flour to the board.) Use a chopstick to make a hole at the top of the cookies if you want to hang them on your tree. Make the hole bigger than you think it may need to be because the cookies will expand when they cook.

  Bake for 5–8 minutes or until they’re golden brown around the edges. Let cool completely.

  For the frosting: Once the cookies have cooled, follow the directions on the icing box to make the icing. (Royal icing hardens quickly, so you don’t want to make it too soon.) If you want to make colored icing, separate it into different bowls and mix the desired color into each bowl.

  Ice the cookies, and let the icing harden. If you’re using the cookies as decorations, add a loop of string or ribbon to hang them.

  Makes approximately two dozen cookies.

  Note: Two recipes mentioned in A Cajun Christmas Killing can be found in previous Cajun Country Mystery novels. The recipe for Bourbon Pecan Bread Pudding is in Plantation Shudders and the recipe for Bananas Foster Coffee Cake is in Body on the Bayou.

  A Lagniappe About A Cajun Christmas Killing

  “Lagniappe” is a Louisiana term that means “a little something extra.” For me, it’s a way of sharing some personal anecdotes about the wonderful region that inspired my Cajun Country Mystery series.

  The bonfires on the Mississippi levee are an extraordinary Christmas tradition that I recommend everyone experience at least once in their lifetime.

  Families, friends, and even coworkers spend weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve building the bonfires. As I write in this book, most are pyramids of logs stacked upward of thirty feet. Some people get whimsical and build bonfires shaped like a plantation home, or they rope together stacks of cane reed that snap, crackle, and pop when lit. During a recent visit, I even saw a bonfire shaped like a pirate ship. Many of the bonfires are laced with strands of firecrackers that add a noisy festivity when the bonfires are lit at seven PM on Christmas Eve. The river roads on both sides of the Mississippi are lined with enthusiastic onlookers who alternate between viewing the bonfires and celebrating at potluck parties packed with delicious homemade Cajun dishes. Bonfires are built up and down the Mississippi on both sides of the river, but the highest concentration is found in St. James Parish, around Gramercy (where we partied), Lutcher, and Paulina.

  The origin of this tradition is murky. Some trace it all the way back to ancient Europe, where bonfires celebrated the end of a harvest. Others say that in previous centuries the bonfires were a way of guiding boats up the tricky Mississippi River during the holidays. But the most popular explanation of the bonfires on the levee is that they guide Papa Noel’s way to the homes of Cajun children on Christmas Eve.

  My dream of experiencing the levee bonfires finally came true thanks to a contest sponsored by the River Parishes Tourist Commission. The fabulous prize included a B and B stay, gift cards, swag, and most importantly, a chance to view the bonfires from a private party at a home on the East River Road. The weather was bad on Christmas Eve, and the bonfires were touch and go up until the last minute. My husband, daughter, and I said silent prayers that the event would take place as scheduled and not be postponed until New Year’s Eve when we’d no longer be in town. Luckily, despite a persistent drizzle, the celebration was on.

  Our hosts were an extended family of adult Cajun siblings who join forces every year to throw a legendary party. Guests may bring sides and desserts, but the family provides the main courses—a variety of jambalayas and gumbos that were hands down the best versions of these dishes I’ve ever eaten. A cry went up from the crowd when the first bonfire was lit, and fireworks exploded from a location down by the river. One by one, the bonfires burst into flames, setting off the firecrackers. I ran from one to another like a kid, getting soaking wet and covered in ash. The smoke haze became so thick, I couldn’t see the person next to me as I slipped and stumbled on the wet levee grass. I shared every aspect of this adventure with Maggie Crozat—including the shower I had to take before attending Christmas Eve Mass. It was one of the most exciting events of my life.

  *

  I wanted to share something else with you inspired by a real-life incident. Recently, my daughter and I toured Laura, a Creole plantation on the West River Road. The tour guide told a story about how the family that built the manor house managed to skirt some laws imposed by American rule after the 1804 Louisiana Purchase. “In Louisiana,” she said with a sly wink in a husky smoker’s voice, “we only follow the rules we like.” In a few words, the tour guide summed up a quirky attitude specific to Louisiana. I loved this line so much I gave those exact words to sometime-police chief Rufus Durand.

  While we’re on the subject of Laura, if you’re considering a visit to Plantation Country, I recommend touring both a Creole and an American plantation. Laura and Oak Alley are two of several that offer in-depth tours of the former; for the latter, plan a visit to a plantation like Houmas House or Nottoway. You’ll come away with a greater understanding of the differences between the two cultures. And don’t leave the area without visiting Whitney, the only plantation in Louisiana focused solely on slavery. The tour may be heart-wrenching, but it’s essential.

  Acknowledgments

  DanceBod, the dance fitness studio in A Cajun Christmas Killing, was inspired by a real-life program called Dance It Out created by Billy Blanks Jr. I want to thank Tricia McNatt, Rae Toledo Latsch, Tristin Rupp, Marita De Lara Sobel, Victoria Genisce, and Emma Berdie Donson for their fabulous—and obviously inspirational—routines.

  Reveille New Orleans Hotel was inspired by two wonderful French Quarter hostelries, Hotel Mazarin and Le Marais. They’re both part of the New Orleans Collection, which transforms historic properties into five-star lodgings. I created Tig and Preferred Properties before I’d ever heard of the New Orleans Collection, and it made me so happy to know that there’s a company that actual does what I fictionalized. A thank-you to Laura Fanguy and Tara DiPascal for all their help regarding the hospitality industry.

  Beaucoup thanks to the awesome Jo Banner and Visit New Orleans Plantation Country for gifting us with the most wonderful way to watch the levee bonfires. And an equally big “merci” to Denise Hymel and the Roussel family for throwing a bonfire party that my family and I will never, ever forget.

  Thanks to Ernie Back for his invaluable help with the business aspects of the story. A shout-out as always to my indefatigable agent, Doug Grad, and to Matt Martz, Sarah Poppe, and Heather Boak, the extraordinary team at Crooked Lane Books; also to the superterrific Dana Kaye and Julia Borcherts at Kaye Publicity. Mindy Schneider, Kathy McCullough, and Kate Shein—GoWalk rules! As does chicksonthecase.com and my fab fellow chicks Lisa Q. Mathews, Kellye Garrett, and Mariella Krause. Sandy Sechrest and Tom and Marie O�
�Day, thank you for your generosity at the Malice Domestic Convention, and I hope you enjoy being in print.

  Thanks to all the friends who’ve supported me throughout this fabulous journey, with big hugs for my pals of umpteen years, Nancy Adler, Laurie Graff, and Von Rae Wood. And infinite thanks to my mom, my bros, and especially my husband, Jerry, and daughter, Eliza. Jer says that since I started my mystery series, he sees me more than he does when I work on television sitcoms, but he talks to me less because I’m always writing. Thanks for being so patient and keeping your sense of humor. Right now I’m writing I love you!