1 Death on Eat Street (29 page)

Woodlands was the name of Chef Art’s mansion. It was alive with music and lights, inside and out, as I arrived. It was as splendid a sight as I’d imagined it would be.

I felt a little like Cinderella going to the ball. I didn’t plan to come home with a prince, but I was awestruck by all of it.

There were dozens of moss-covered live oaks lining the drive to the main house. Men and women from around the world, elegantly dressed, were assisted from their cars by red-jacketed footmen who invited them into the huge foyer complete with a glittering, forty-foot chandelier.

I knew all the details of the mansion. I’d read about it many times in magazines and seen it on television.

The mansion was a combination of Greek Revival and Italian styles, with huge white pillars in the front. It was said to be one of Mobile’s finest antebellum mansions.

I saw the massive double parlors and grand circular staircase for myself as I waited in the receiving line. It had been built in 1855 and had become the center of social life in the city. The mansion survived the war with very little damage because it was used as a hospital.

The double doors to the mansion were wide open. The night was mild, and the party spilled over from the house to the grounds. Outside, there were buffet tables laden with every type of food imaginable, and surrounded by a Dixieland band.

Inside were even more tables with food and drink, complimented by a string quartet. There were flowers and candles in every nook and cranny. The aromas were equal to the wonderful sights.

I had to admit I was enjoying everything—except being alone.

I knew I’d get used to life without Tommy Lee. This had been a test of my resolve. I’d almost asked Ollie to come with me. I wasn’t sure if he’d put on a tux or not. It didn’t matter anyway. He wouldn’t leave Delia’s side at the hospital.

The doctors had pronounced her fine, a little dehydrated and exhausted from her ordeal, but Marty hadn’t hurt her. I’d been so glad to see her.

“Good to see you,” Chef Art greeted me in the long line at the door to the mansion. “I’ve heard about your ordeal trying to save the Jefferson recipe for me.”

I wasn’t sure what to say. Did he think I still had the real recipe?

“Don’t worry.” He laughed. “I managed to acquire the recipe from the museum. They were looking for donations. I gave them a hefty one. Now the original is safe with me. Thank you for your help, Zoe Chase. Please enjoy yourself tonight.”

“I’m glad you got what you wanted,” I said. “You know it hurt a lot of people, though, right?”

“You can’t make a cake without breaking a few eggs.”

With that bit of callous wisdom, I was sort of pushed aside to wander into all the rooms in the mansion. Each room had a different theme in color, flowers, and food. It was a remarkable event. I could see why people paid a lot of money to be there.

I sneaked my phone camera out a few times when no one was looking. These were ideas from master chefs around the world, some of them right there, talking about their dishes. I couldn’t resist capturing the moment. Later I could peruse the pictures and guess what the ingredients were, and how they were made.

I mingled with senators, governors, and famous movie stars. It was fun, if a little lonely. Everyone but me seemed to have brought a date.

“Zoe?” My father looked surprised to see me there.

“Daddy?” I looked at him in his sharp new tux. “You look great. Did you come alone?”

He laughed a little. “No one comes alone to a thing like this, honey. Audrey is over there at the dessert table.”

I didn’t look. I knew Audrey was his woman of the month. I hadn’t met her, and wasn’t looking forward to it. After a while, they pretty much looked the same to me.

“Where’s your date?” My father glanced around the crowded room. “Did you come with Tommy Lee?”

Before I could answer, an arm slid smoothly around my waist. “She’s here with me, sir,” Miguel said.

I couldn’t believe my eyes. “I thought you said you wouldn’t come to something like this.” I admired his nicely tailored tux and white ruffled shirt. He looked like an old-time riverboat gambler.

“When the right invitation comes along, sometimes you have to go for it.” He smiled down at me. “A new friend of mine told me that. She said you have to grab your dream when you can.”

“Well, I owe that new friend a big thanks. She knows what she’s talking about.”

Suddenly a loud alarm rang. The red-coated footmen, who’d welcomed everyone into the mansion, began ushering everyone back outside.

“Is there a fire?” I asked, looking around.

At that moment, Chef Art stalked past us, a murderous expression on his face.

“I wish it was a fire, Miss Chase. It’s something
far
worse. Someone has managed to steal my Jefferson recipe!”

Miguel took my hand, his sherry brown gaze warm on mine. “Shall we dance?”

I put my arm around him. “Yes, please.”

RECIPES FROM THE BISCUIT BOWL

I felt like crème brûlée should be mentioned here, even though I technically didn’t make it. It was so important to the story (not to mention the name of my cat!) that I’m including it anyway.

Crème Brûlée

Crème brûlée is also known as burnt cream. It has a rich custard base with a contrasting hard layer of caramel. It is usually served cold. The custard base can be flavored with orange, chocolate, coffee, or whatever you like. I like mine best plain, as in this recipe.

6 egg yolks

6 tbsp. white sugar or sweetener

¹
/
₂
tsp. vanilla extract

2
¹
/
₂
cups heavy cream

2 tbsp. brown sugar or brown sugar substitute

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Beat egg yolks, 4 tbsp. of white sugar, and vanilla in a bowl until thick. Set aside. Stir cream in a pot over low heat until it comes to a boil. Immediately stir cream into the egg mixture. Beat until combined. Pour the mixture into the top of a double boiler and let it heat about 3 minutes. Remove immediately and pour into shallow baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes then remove and let cool. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

Combine brown sugar and remaining white sugar. Add this mixture to the top of the set custard. For an exciting finish, use a long lighter to “burn” the sugar. Hold the lighter about 4 inches from the top and move it slowly across the sugar for a few seconds. Great drama!

If you’re not looking for drama, turn on the broiler and place the dish under it until the sugar melts. Keep track of it because it will burn if you aren’t careful. Take it out. Allow the mixture to cool again in refrigerator until custard sets again.

Ollie’s Spicy Gumbo

It took me a while watching Ollie make this so I could write it down. Here’s what I have.

1 pound dry red kidney beans

¹
/
₄
cup olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 large green pepper, chopped

2 tbsp. minced garlic

2 stalks celery

6 cups water

2 bay leaves

¹
/
₄
cup chopped cayenne peppers

Fresh parsley (Ollie says you know how much parsley you like)

2 tsp. fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried thyme

¹
/
₄
tsp. dried sage or 1 tsp. fresh sage

¹
/
₂
tsp. paprika

1
⁄2 tsp. oregano

1 pound andouille sausage (or spicy vegetarian sausage) cut into chunks

Salt and pepper to taste

Rice (optional)

Rinse and then cook kidney beans after soaking overnight.

Add oil to a large frying pan and sauté onion, green pepper, garlic, and celery.

Add cooked kidney beans to 6 cups of water. Stir sautéed vegetables into beans. Add bay leaves, cayenne, thyme, sage, parsley, paprika, and oregano. Allow to come to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 2 hours.

Stir sausage into the mixture and continue simmering for another 30 minutes.

Make rice (if you like) according to directions on package. Serve the gumbo over rice.

You can also serve in biscuit bowls, but use 3 cups of water in the gumbo instead of 6!

Cherry Filling

This filling is fast and really good in biscuit bowls—and in pie, of course!

4 cups pitted cherries

1 cup white sugar or sweetener equivalent

¹
/
₄
cup cornstarch

Simmer cherries over low heat about 10 minutes. Be careful not to scorch! Mix sugar and cornstarch together and add to cherries. Return to low simmer and cook until thick, about 2 minutes. Allow to cool before using as filling.

How to Make Biscuit Bowls

I’m sharing my trade secret here for those of you who can’t get to Mobile and get one from me!

2 cups white flour

¹
/
₄
tsp. baking soda

1 tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

6 tbsp. butter or vegetable shortening

1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Combine the dry ingredients. Cut the butter into the flour mixture until it forms coarse balls. Add the buttermilk until the mixture is slightly wet. Turn the dough out on a floured board. Gently roll or pat dough until it is about
¹
/
₂
inch thick. Fold the dough three more times then carefully press down to about 1 inch thick.

Here’s where the normal biscuit recipe changes for biscuit bowls.

Spray vegetable shortening into a muffin tin. Use a cutter to cut circles of dough. Place these circles into the openings in the tin, pressing down the center gently. Bake for about 10 minutes until brown. The biscuit dough will rise around the circle, leaving a well in the middle for the filling.

The biscuits don’t have to be deep-fried right away, but don’t wait more than a few hours. The freshest biscuits will make the best biscuit bowls. If you can’t use them right away, freeze them for later.

To deep-fry, simply drop the biscuits for 2 minutes into a deep fryer set on high. You want them to be crisp but not greasy. Be sure to use good-quality vegetable oil in your deep fryer.