Bailey spun to face her. “Um, no I don’t, Vera.”
“Yes, you do.”
I eyed Bailey, who looked like the cat that swallowed the canary. If she opened her mouth, a bird would most certainly trill.
“What?” I poked her in the ribs.
“Ow!” Bailey backed up.
Lola split from the book club group and joined us. “What’s going on?”
Aunt Vera rubbed her amulet and peered at Bailey. “Your daughter has some news.”
“About that cat?” Lola frowned. “I told you it wasn’t going to work out.”
“Now, Mom, don’t start. It’s not about the cat. Tito’s—” Bailey pressed her lips together.
“Tito’s keeping the cat,” I finished.
“Yes,” Bailey replied, “and—” She sealed her lips again.
“And what? Out with it,” I ordered. “Aunt Vera is sensing whatever you’re giving off. Blab! Please don’t tell me you’re moving back to San Francisco. I couldn’t bear it.”
“No.” Bailey looked trapped. “It’s—”
Tito swaggered into the shop and stopped with his feet apart, hands on hips. He reminded me of a young Yul Brynner in The Magnificent Seven, surprisingly handsome and manly. He strode to Bailey and pecked her on the cheek. “Well?” he asked her.
“Well, what?” Lola and I asked in chorus.
“Did you tell them, mi amor?” Tito asked.
“Tell us what?” Lola demanded.
Bailey blushed. “Um, Tito has asked me to marry him.”
I clasped her in a hug. Aunt Vera tweaked Bailey’s ear and said a quick blessing.
Lola gasped. “I didn’t even know you were dating.”
Bailey nodded enthusiastically. “We have been for three months.”
Lola sniffed. Her lower lip trembled. “I’m the last to know?”
“Mom!”
“Are you pregnant?”
Bailey yelped. “No!”
“Then why so fast? Why the rush to the altar?”
“Because for the first time in my life, I am truly, one hundred percent in love.” Bailey slung an arm around Tito’s back. Her eyes sparkled with outright adoration.
“What about the cat?” I asked.
“Tito’s going to take care of all its needs.” Bailey addressed her mother. “May we have your blessing? Please?”
Lola’s peevishness melted away. She grinned and opened welcoming arms. “Absolutely.”
Bailey and Tito crowded into them. Tito muttered, “Mom.”
Lola cracked, “Don’t push it!”
My cell phone jangled in my pocket. Rhett. My heartbeat kicked up a notch. I moved to the stockroom to take the call. “How is your mother?”
“Fine.”
“How about your father?”
“Relax.” Rhett’s voice was warm and husky. “Everyone is healthy.”
“Then why did your mother summon you?”
“Because she finally got through to my dad and convinced him to see me. She didn’t want too much time to pass in case he changed his mind.”
“Rhett, that’s wonderful.”
“Yeah, it is.” He chuckled. “The old codger and I had a sit-down. He’s hard as nails, but he said he loves me, and he forgives me.”
“Do you forgive him?”
“I never begrudged him a thing.”
A train whistle blasted in the background.
“Where are you?” I asked.
“Still in Napa.”
“When are you coming home?”
“Actually, I was going to ask when are you coming up here?”
“What?”
“My family wants to meet you. We’ve got a reservation for dinner at Intime tomorrow night at eight. Are you available?”
His family wanted to meet me? Gulp!
“Jenna?”
My heart filled with love. “How could I ever say no to you?”
Recipes
From Jenna:
This recipe is from Coco’s very first cookbook. She got it from her bunica, her grandmother. Katie made them for me, and I adored them. The browned butter adds a nice nutty flavor. The coffee adds a delicious zing. These would be perfect for a care package gift. They are definitely recommended for your next book club. By the way, if you’d like to make these cookies gluten-free, substitute out the regular flour for your favorite gluten-free flour (Katie tells me a good combo is sweet rice flour mixed with tapioca starch), and add 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum to the gluten-free flour mixture.
Coco’s Chocolate Cookies
(makes 24 to 30 cookies)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, browned
2½ cups flour
1 tablespoon brewed coffee
1¼ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1¼ cups dark brown sugar
7 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1 egg, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ cups dark chocolate chips
In a sauté pan, heat the 2 sticks of butter on medium low for a few minutes until the butter froths up and turns golden brown. Don’t let it overcook. Burned butter is NOT good. Turn off the heat and allow the butter to cool.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the flour, coffee, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside. (If you are making this gluten-free, this is where you would substitute out the regular flour, and add xanthan gum.)
In a large bowl, using a whisk, combine cooled browned butter and brown sugar. Add the sweetened condensed milk, egg, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth and satiny.
Stir the flour mixture into the butter/sugar mixture until all the flour is mixed in.
Pour in the dark chocolate chips and stir until combined. This will be a thick mixture, like any chocolate chip cookie recipe. Refrigerate the dough for a half hour.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
On a cutting board, roll the dough into 1½-inch balls, about the size of large walnuts. Place the balls on the cookie sheet. Set them 1 inch apart because they will spread. Press down slightly until flattened.
Bake the cookies for 13–15 minutes (know your oven), until the cookies are slightly browned.
Cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet, and then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack or to paper towels to completely cool.
From Cinnamon:
I’m learning to bake. Step-by-step, sort of like Jenna. These are so easy to make. Just a few ingredients, just a few steps. Delicious, easy. I told a friend who needs to eat gluten-free about them, and she went ballistic with joy! Bailey’s mom, Lola, who has been coaching me in the kitchen, recommended that I use the best cocoa possible. I used Penzeys, which is really rich, in my humble opinion. Enjoy! And stay safe!
Cinnamon Chocolate Meringues
(naturally gluten-free)
(makes 24 to 30 cookies)
1 pound powdered sugar
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa
½ teaspoon salt
4 large egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1½ cups dark chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk powdered sugar, cocoa, and salt.
In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites, vanilla, and cinnamon to a gentle froth. Add the egg whites mixture to the sugar-cocoa mixture. Stir with a spoon. Then fold in chocolate chips.
Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls, about 1–2 inches apart onto the parchment paper. They will spread and merge into one another a bit, so beware.
Bake 13–14 minutes. They will
look glossy and crackly. Do not overbake. Let the cookies cool on cookie sheets for a couple of minutes, then carefully transfer to paper towels or wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container.
From Jenna:
Yet again, how easy can this be? So few ingredients. These are light, delicate cookies, perfect for a luncheon or tea and absolutely divine for a wedding. Do any of you have wedding bells in your future?
White Chocolate Macaroons
(makes 5 dozen)
5 egg whites, room temperature
¾ cup ground almonds
5¼ cups flaked coconut, toasted, divided (*see below)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1⅓ cups sugar
6 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped
Bring the egg whites to room temperature. This takes about 30 minutes.
Grind the almonds and set aside. [I used my food processor.]
To toast the coconut, lay parchment paper on a 15-by-9-inch jelly roll pan. Spread the coconut on the parchment paper and toast in a slow oven, 300ºF, for 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool. Set aside ¼ cup of the toasted coconut for garnish.
Meanwhile, place the egg whites in a large bowl. Add vanilla extract. Beat the mixture on medium until soft peaks form, about 3–4 minutes. Gradually beat in the sugar on high, until stiff glossy peaks form, about 4–6 minutes. Gradually fold in 5 cups of the toasted coconut and ground almonds.
Line the jelly roll pan again with a new sheet of parchment paper. Drop the mixture by rounded tablespoons full, 2 inches apart. Bake the cookies at 275ºF for 20–25 minutes, until firm to the touch. Remove the cookies to wire racks or paper towels to cool completely.
Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe bowl, melt the white chocolate, at half power, for about 30 seconds at a time until it can be easily stirred. Do not over-zap.
Spoon ¼ teaspoon of melted white chocolate onto each cookie. Sprinkle with the reserved toasted coconut. Refrigerate for approximately 1 hour, until chocolate is set. Store in airtight container.
From Katie:
These croutons are so simple. They dress up any salad. My favorite is a green salad with a simple olive oil–vinegar dressing. You can doll up the salad even more if you add some orange slices dipped in melted chocolate.
Cocoa Brioche Croutons
(serves 4)
4 slices brioche, crusts removed and cut into cubes
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons high-quality cocoa powder
1 tablespoon powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
½ teaspoon salt
Preheat the oven to 350ºF and place the cubed brioche in a bowl.
Melt butter in a saucepan. Add the brioche cubes and toss until well coated.
Place the brioche cubes on a shallow 15-by-9-inch jelly roll pan. Toast the cubes in the oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, sift the cocoa powder and powdered sugar into a large bowl.
When the croutons come out of the oven, toss them immediately with the powdered mixture and season with salt. The croutons should be served warm on top of a crisp salad.
From Jenna:
This is so easy to make. It’s Katie’s recipe, but I’m the one plugging it, because according to my father, it was one of my mother’s favorite desserts. Rich, decadent. This was one of the desserts she made regularly when having guests for dinner.
Bailey’s Irish Cream Pie
(serves 6)
28 Oreo cookies
½ stick of butter (4 tablespoons) melted
1 cup milk chocolate chips
8 ounces cream cheese
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup Bailey’s Irish Cream
1 good quality chocolate bar, frozen [I use Ghirardelli]
In a food processor, crush the Oreo cookies until they are fine crumbs. Dump the crumbs into a large mixing bowl and mix in the melted butter. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch pie dish. Cover the dish and chill for at least 1 hour.
Meanwhile, in the microwave, set on medium to medium-low, melt the chocolate chips for 1 minute. Stir and, if necessary, heat for another 30 seconds. You do NOT want the chocolate to overcook. Set the melted chocolate aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese for 2 minutes using an electric mixer. Scoop out the cream cheese and reserve in a smaller bowl. Then in the same mixing bowl whip the heavy cream and ½ cup of the Bailey’s Irish Cream until the cream forms stiff peaks. Now fold in the melted chocolate, the reserved whipped cream cheese, and the remaining ½ cup of Bailey’s Irish Cream. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie dish.
Cover and chill the pie for at least 4 hours or overnight. You are almost done! Remember that frozen chocolate bar?
Before serving, using a vegetable peeler, take the frozen bar of chocolate and peel off curls of chocolate onto a sheet of plastic or parchment paper. Sprinkle the chocolate shavings on top of the pie. Yum!
From Coco:
I love fudge. There’s something about the texture of fudge that is like no other candy. It melts in your mouth but has substance. And when you add all sorts of goodies into it, it’s a texture explosion. For the pirate’s booty, I have added some of my favorite treats, extra chips and nuts. But if you’re not in the mood for that, add your own goodies, like extra marshmallows or even chopped fruit. Booty means treasure. What does your heart desire? Little side note, just in case you need to know, if you can’t eat gluten, make sure you find a gluten-free marshmallow cream or marshmallows, okay? Arrr, matey! Wouldn’t want you ailin’, now, would we?
Pirate’s Booty Fudge
4½ cups sugar
1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
3 12-ounce packages chocolate chips
7 ounces marshmallow cream
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla
½ cup white chocolate chips
½ cup butterscotch chips
2 cups chopped pecans or almonds, if desired
Line a 13-by-9-inch pan with parchment paper. Make sure the paper goes up and over the sides. Butter the parchment paper.
In a large saucepan, mix the sugar with the evaporated milk. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil and boil for 7 minutes, stirring often. Do not let it boil over the rim.
In a large mixing bowl, stir the chocolate chips, marshmallow cream, and melted butter together. Pour the hot sugar-milk mixture over the chocolate mixture. Stir well.
After the chocolate has melted, stir in the vanilla. Now, quickly add the white chocolate chips and butterscotch chips, and add the chopped pecans or almonds, if desired. The chips will melt a bit, but not entirely.
Pour the mixture into the prepared 13-by-9-inch dish. Spread evenly. Chill in the refrigerator.
Just before the mixture is “firm,” cut the fudge into squares. Chill again. Remove squares with a spatula. Store in an airtight container.
*Marshmallow cream substitute: You can buy a bag of mini marshmallows, about 4 cups, and melt them in the microwave on medium for 1 minute. Stir well.
From Katie:
There’s nothing quite like a fun nightcap. This one is dessert in a glass. When I used to work for Old Man Powers, he liked a toddy at bedtime. It didn’t have to be hot. It could be cold. But no matter what, he wanted something different every night of the month, so I started to get creative. This is what I call my graduating-from-college pudding drink. Chocolate, through and through, with a splash of soda.
Kahlúa Cream Nightcap
(makes 1 drink)
1 ounce Irish Cream (Bailey’s is the best bet)
1 ounce Kahlúa
3 ounces Dr. Pepper or preferred cola
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1 swirl whipped cream
Dear Reader,
For those of you who don’t know, I write two culinary mystery series under two names—my real name, Daryl Wood Gerber, and my pseudonym, Avery Aames. Avery writes the Cheese Shop Mysteries. The seventh book in the series, For Cheddar or Worse, debuts February 2016. I thought it would be fun for fans of the Cookbook Nook Mysteries to have a taste of cheese at the end of Fudging the Books. It will keep you from overloading on chocolate!
If you’re not familiar with the Cheese Shop Mysteries, let me introduce you to Charlotte Bessette. Charlotte is the proprietor of Fromagerie Bessette—or, as it’s more commonly known by the residents of small-town Providence, Ohio, The Cheese Shop. Ever since Charlotte moved in with her grandparents, under her grandfather’s tutelage, she learned to relish all things cheese. Charlotte adores cheese. She also adores family and friends. Because Charlotte is a fixer, she often finds herself solving crimes because someone she loves is involved.
In For Cheddar or Worse, Charlotte and her grandmother are helping the town sponsor its first annual Cheese Festival. There will be cooking classes, farm and creamery tours, and, as a finale, a cheese competition. In addition, a few cheese makers and distributors will hone their cheddar cheese–making skills at a local farm owned by one of Charlotte’s good friends. The attendees, who are staying at the inn on the farm, get more than they bargained for when an attendee is found murdered in her room. The windows are sealed shut; the door is locked from the inside. Like the police, Charlotte is puzzled, but she won’t rest until she helps her friend put the horrible nightmare behind her.
I hope you will join Charlotte and the cast of lovable characters as Charlotte once again seeks to right a wrong. Perhaps you’ll even find a new cheese or a great recipe to share with friends.
For those of you who love the Cookbook Nook Mysteries, take heart. There will be more of those to come, too! The fifth installment will be released next summer.
Keep reading for a preview of the next Cheese Shop Mystery: For Cheddar or Worse.
Fudging the Books (A Cookbook Nook Mystery 4) Page 28