“I think she might be dating Raymond,” Jo said. “I saw them kissing in the garden.”
I nodded. “She is.”
Jo took a sip of her coffee and set down the cup. “Boy oh boy, it was like a soap opera when those people were here, with all the hookups. That Francine. She was never my favorite, but she went right back to work with more than enough fodder for her society column. And I heard she and Kent remain an item.”
“I’ll bet she didn’t see any of that coming with her palm readings,” I joked.
A breeze cut through the restaurant.
Jo glanced across the room and back at me. “Ahem. I think you have company.”
Nash, dressed similarly to Tyson, though he wore his standard leather jacket, stood by the hostess podium. He appeared worried. He was squinting; his mouth—such an attractive mouth—was drawn in a thin line. A quiver of unease vibrated through me until he spotted me, and a huge smile spread across his face. He strode across the room.
“Join us?” Tyson asked.
“Sure.” Nash eyed me. “Can I get one of those? Hold the rock candy, add a dash of cocoa.”
“Coming right up.”
Before I departed, he clasped my elbow and whispered, “I’m sorry I’ve been out of touch. Something came up.”
“Let me guess. Willow wants you back.”
His mouth curved up on one side. “Woman, you’ve got Willow on the brain. Did she do a mind trip on you or what?”
“Sort of.”
“I’m crazy about you.”
And how many other women? I wondered.
“Look, I’ve been in absentia because my dad took a spill.”
“A spill?”
“On a motorcycle. I told you he’s a daredevil. Anything Evel Knievel did, he wants to try.” He grinned. “Don’t worry, he’s all right, but I had to hurry to his side and nurse him through the first few days.”
“Where was your mother?”
“I thought I told you about her. Guess not. My mother passed away a few years ago. Heart attack. I warned my father that he was the cause of her death with all his reckless behavior, and if he weren’t careful, he’d give me a heart attack, too. Did it change him? Not a whit. He is what he is. We’re nothing alike.”
My mother joined us. “Nash Hawke. What a pleasure to see you.”
“Ginette.”
They kissed on both cheeks.
“Nash,” my mother crooned, “seeing you has given me an idea. How would you like to run my vineyard?”
He gawked at her. “Ma’am?”
“Don’t ‘ma’am’ me. I want to travel. I need someone who knows wine. A little birdie told me you’d always had your heart set on owning a vineyard.”
He gazed at me.
I held up both hands. “Not I.”
“We could do a test run for a year,” my mother pressed on. “If you like it, maybe we could work out a lease-option deal until you own it.”
Nash beamed from ear to ear. “Ginette, I don’t know what to say.”
“Say you’ll consider it.”
“I’ll consider it, though I have to say, I really like my current job. It offers a lot of freedom.”
“You don’t like to be tied down?” my mother asked and threw me a look, clearly fishing on my behalf.
“That’s not what I—”
“It’s neither here nor there. I knew from the moment I laid eyes on you, young man, that you had a special something. Think on it. This is a solid offer.” Mom poked me with a finger. “Darling, do you think you could bring some wine to the table so Anthony and I can celebrate my possible independence?”
“I’m on it!”
As she sashayed away, Nash said, “Mimi, wait a sec.”
“Truly, I didn’t say a thing to my mother. I—” A realization hit me. “Bryan must have. You and he talked often. He liked you a lot. He always saw potential. What do you bet he wrote her a note and suggested the idea?”
Nash’s eyes brimmed with thankfulness. “I will consider it.”
“Great. You’d be good at it.”
“One more thing before you go,” he said. “How about this coming Tuesday for ballooning? It’s supposed to be seventy-five degrees all week and very little wind. Perfect conditions. Unless, of course, my ex has scared you off for good.”
I still had concerns about him. I wasn’t sure that I could rid myself of them yet. Was he or wasn’t he a player? I liked him, that was for sure. Softly I said, “I’ll let you know.”
Recipes Included
Eggs Benedict
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Onion Soup Gratinée
Gruyère and Mushroom Quiche
Steak au Poivre
Mimi’s Seasoning Blend for Poulet Rôti (Rotisserie Chicken)
Orange Cardamom Madeleines
Orange Cardamom Madeleines: Gluten-Free Version
Crème Brûlée
French Raspberry Sour Cream Tart
French Raspberry Sour Cream Tart: Gluten-Free Version
Pastry Dough
Pastry Dough: Gluten-Free Version
Chocolate Éclair
Eggs Benedict
From Mimi:
I love this recipe. It’s my mother’s. It’s a speedy version, yet consistently good. It was one of the first things my mother taught me after teaching me the five basic French sauces. It is what I consider the perfect comfort food.
(serves 2)
Hollandaise Sauce
3 egg yolks
¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 dash hot pepper sauce, like Tabasco
¼ teaspoon white pepper
½ cup butter (one stick)
In a blender, combine the egg yolks, mustard, lemon juice, hot pepper sauce, and white pepper. Blend for about 5–10 seconds.
Put the butter into a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup and melt completely, about 30–45 seconds.
Set the blender on high speed and add the melted butter to the egg mixture in a thin stream. It will thicken up fast.
Neat trick: You can keep the sauce warm until serving by placing the blender itself in a pan of hot water.
To Make the Sandwich
4 eggs
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 English muffins, sliced in half (using a fork)
4 slices Canadian bacon
2–4 teaspoons butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Preheat oven to broil.
Meanwhile, to poach the eggs, fill a large saucepan with about 3 inches of water. Bring the water to a simmer (small bubbles forming around the edges) and then add 1 tablespoon vinegar.
Carefully break eggs into simmering water and allow to cook for 2½–3 minutes. The whites try to get away. Don’t worry. They’ll return. When done, the yolks should be soft in the center.
Remove the eggs from water with a slotted spoon and set them on a warm plate.
While the eggs are poaching, heat a medium skillet on medium-high heat and brown the Canadian bacon, turning once. Also, set the halved English muffins on a baking sheet and toast them under the broiler until lightly brown, about 3–4 minutes.
To Plate
Set 2 halves of English muffins on 2 plates. Butter lightly with 1–2 teaspoons butter each. Top each half with a slice of the Canadian bacon followed by a poached egg.
Drizzle warm Hollandaise sauce over each half of the sandwich and sprinkle with chives.
Serve warm.
Balsamic Vinaigrette
From Mimi:
This is my mother’s recipe. She swears the white pepper makes the difference. It is wonderful over a simple green salad and delicious over a chopped salad, as well.
Tip: When you emulsify a dressing, it holds together and doesn’t separate once it is set in the refrigerator. FYI, an emulsion is a mixture of two or more liquids that are normally unblendable, like oil and water.
(makes 1 cup)
¼ cup
balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar or brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white pepper
¾ cup olive oil
In a blender, mix the vinegar, sugar, salt, and white pepper. Slowly add the olive oil in a stream to let the mixture emulsify.
Whatever portion you don’t use, refrigerate.
Onion Soup Gratinée
From Mimi:
This is one of those go-to meals for me. I could eat onion soup every day of the week. It’s so easy to prepare that you will, too. It keeps well in the refrigerator. The aroma in the kitchen after you’ve cooked it will knock your socks off. Enjoy!
(serves 4)
2 large Maui sweet onions, sliced thin
½ cup unsalted butter
4 cups chicken stock
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 bay leaves
4 slices French bread, about ½-inch thick, lightly toasted
8 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded
more salt and pepper, to your liking
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the onions and coat well with the butter. Cover and cook until tender, about 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove the cover and raise the heat a bit—just a bit. Sauté, stirring often. Do not let the onions burn. They will turn a deep caramel brown in about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Add the stock and bay leaves and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cover. Simmer for about 15–30 minutes more.
Meanwhile, divide the shredded Swiss cheese into four portions.
Discard the bay leaves. Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper to your liking. (I prefer 1 teaspoon salt and 10 grinds of a peppermill.)
Ladle the soup into four oven-safe bowls and top each with a slice of lightly toasted French bread and 2 ounces shredded cheese. Set under the broiler for 3–4 minutes to melt the cheese. Serve hot.
Gruyère and Mushroom Quiche
From Mimi:
This quiche was one of the first I ever attempted. I think I was fourteen at the time. It takes minutes to throw together and minutes to cook and always satisfies an appetite. I particularly like the thyme in it. Here’s a little history note: thyme has been around since Hippocrates and has lots of medicinal uses. Enjoy!
(serves 6)
Pie Ingredients
1 piecrust (9 inches)
1½ cups Gruyère cheese, grated
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
¼ pound sliced mushrooms
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped, stems removed
½ teaspoon paprika
Custard Ingredients
4 eggs
1½ cups whole milk
3 tablespoons flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon mustard powder
dash of garlic powder
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In an unbaked piecrust, sprinkle the Gruyère cheese. Set aside.
In a frying pan, melt the butter and then sauté the chopped onion until soft and translucent, about 3–4 minutes.
Add the sliced mushrooms, salt, white pepper, and thyme to the onions. Sauté for 5 more minutes.
Spoon the mushroom mixture over the Gruyère cheese in the piecrust.
In a medium bowl, beat eggs, whole milk, flour, salt, mustard powder, and a dash of garlic powder.
Pour the custard mixture over the mushroom-and-cheese mixture until the pie is full. (Hint: If there is any custard mixture left over, you can cook it in a small ramekin. Decrease the cooking time for the ramekin only by 15–20 minutes.)
Sprinkle paprika over the top of the quiche and bake for 40–45 minutes.
Serve warm.
Note: if you would like to make this quiche gluten-free, use a gluten-free piecrust and substitute the flour in the custard mixture with cornstarch.
Steak au Poivre
From Chef C:
It is important not to overcook this steak. It is best served medium-rare. The sauce continues to cook the steak on the plate. Allow the savory sauce to melt in your mouth. This recipe comes to me from my mother, a Frenchwoman with a very strong will, to put it mildly.
4 tenderloin steaks, 6–8 ounces each and no more than 1½ inches thick
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon olive oil
⅓ cup Cognac, plus 2 teaspoons
1 cup heavy cream
salt to taste (about 1 teaspoon)
It is important to remove the steaks from the refrigerator about 1 hour ahead of time and bring to room temperature prior to cooking. Sprinkle all sides with salt.
Crush the peppercorns using something hard like a mortar and pestle or a mallet on a cutting board. Spread the peppercorns evenly in a pie plate. Press each fillet, on both sides, into the pepper and coat the surface. Set aside.
In a medium skillet, melt the butter and olive oil over medium heat. When the butter and oil turn golden and start to smoke, carefully place the steaks in the pan.
For medium-rare, cook about 4 minutes per side; for medium, about 5 minutes per side. Remove the steaks to a plate, cover with foil, and set aside.
Pour off the excess fat from the skillet, but do not wipe or scrape it clean.
Now, with the skillet still off the heat, add the ⅓ cup Cognac to the pan and carefully light the alcohol with a long match or battery-operated lighter. Carefully shake the pan until the flames die.
Return the pan to medium heat and add the heavy cream.
Bring the mixture to a boil and whisk until the sauce becomes thick and sticks to the back of a spoon, approximately 5–6 minutes. Add the extra teaspoons of Cognac and season to taste with about 1 teaspoon of salt.
Add the steaks back to the pan, spoon the savory sauce over them, and then set them on plates, adding more sauce once plated.
Mimi’s Seasoning Blend for Poulet Rôti (Rotisserie Chicken)
From Mimi:
I love roast chicken. I love playing with the spices. If there is a spice in this mix that you don’t like, remove it and replace it with something you do like. You can always add garlic powder or garlic salt, but go lightly. You don’t want to overwhelm the other flavors.
(serves 4–6)
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ cup kosher salt
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¾ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1 chicken fryer (4–6 pounds)
In a small bowl, mix all the spices.
Set chicken fryer in a roasting pot. Use the seasoning blend as a dry rub and pat the rub all over the chicken. Cover the chicken with the roasting pot lid or with a tent of foil.
Bake in a slow oven, 300 degrees F, for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove the lid or foil.
Raise the temperature to 400 degrees F. Roast another 15 minutes until chicken is a warm brown.
Orange Cardamom Madeleines
From Chef C:
These are one of my favorite cookies. They are so simple to make, yet so elegant because of their shape. Perfect for afternoon tea. I am also sharing a gluten-free version of this cookie below, as my daughter has celiac disease and must eat gluten-free. You did not know I had a daughter? I do. Her name is Chantalle. She is living in New York for the time being and working as a sous chef. Wish her luck.
(makes 12)
For the Cookies
¼ cup unsalted butter
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¾ cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon ground cardamom (*you may substitute nutmeg)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
For the Glaze
¾ cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
2 tablespoons orange juice, no pulp
Brush the molds of a madeleine pan with butter and set aside.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the honey and vanilla. Let cool about 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, cardamom, and salt; set aside.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F, setting the rack in the center.
In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar and eggs. Add in the flour mixture and stir until combined. Add the butter mixture and stir gently until butter is completely incorporated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
Spoon the batter into the madeleine pan, filling each mold halfway. If necessary, use moistened fingers to press the batter into the mold.
Bake the cookies 7–8 minutes. They will have puffed up, and the edges will become golden.
Remove the pan from the oven and let the cookies cool slightly. Unmold the cookies onto a wire rack and let them cool completely. This is very important.
In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, orange zest, and juice until the glaze is smooth and thick. Using a pastry brush, coat the ridged side of each cookie with the glaze. Let set 15 minutes.
Orange Cardamom Madeleines
Gluten-Free Version
(makes 12)
For the Cookies
¼ cup unsalted butter
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon vanillin
¾ cup sweet rice flour (or a gluten-free blend you enjoy)
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon ground cardamom (*you may substitute nutmeg)
A Deadly Éclair Page 27