The Spice Box - Hardcover

Temple, Lou Jane

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0425200434 ISBN 13: 9780425200438

Publisher: Berkley Hardcover, 2005

Synopsis

A delicious new mystery series that takes readers on a cook's tour of kitchens through history.

A fresh new series begins-- one which will follow a spice box--and the cooks who use it--through different historical periods, each with a mystery to solve and a handful of precious recipes.

Bridget Heaney escaped from Ireland's Great Famine to New York City, where she spent her childhood as a pickpocket, supporting herself and her younger sister. But ever since she made her first pot of soup at the orphanage, she knew she wanted to be a cook. Now, in the home of wealthy and powerful department store owner Isaac Gold, her dream is about to come true.

But on Bridget's first day of work, amidst gleaming copper pots and mighty woodstoves, she finds a body hidden inside the dough box. It is Gold's youngest son, whose whereabouts have been a mystery for several days. Bridget's courage and street sense take her from cook to crime-solver as she helps the heartbroken Gold family unravel the story of their son's fate. Justice will be served-along with a home-cooked meal.

A taste of The Spice Box's recipes:
Mustard Fruit Compote
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon dried powdered mustard
1/2-cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey mustard
2 cups apple juice
15-20 pitted prunes, chopped
15-20 dried apricots, chopped
1-cup raisins
1-cup dried cranberries or cherries
6-8 dried figs, chopped
3 fresh pears, chopped

In a small sauté pan over medium heat, heat the mustard seed and turmeric until the seeds begin to pop, about two minutes.

Be careful not to inhale directly over the pan, as the mustard gas is strong. Remove from heat. Combine all ingredients in a large, heavy saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook until the pears are soft, about 25 minutes. Serve with ham, turkey, or a prime rib of beef or pork.

About this title

About the Author:

Lou Jane Temple is a caterer in Kansas City, Missouri. A guest chef at the Culinary Institute of America and the James Beard Foundation, she has also been a restaurateur and a food and wine critic. She is the author of the culinary mystery series featuring caterer Heaven Lee.

From Booklist:

Set in New York City during the Civil War, this new series features Bridget Heaney, an orphaned Irish lass who has learned to cook well enough to be hired to work in the kitchen of a prosperous Jewish merchant. On her very first day of work, Bridget discovers the body of her employer's son. None of the characters has much depth, but they are all recognizable: Bridget's fragile sister; the kindly employer; the wronged kitchen maid (Bridget's predecessor); the French chef; the free man of color who is the house steward; and, of course, the butler. The point of view changes sometimes midparagraph, the characters have the sensibilities and speak in the language of the twenty-first rather than the nineteenth century, the food preparation is described with more care and gusto than anything else, and both the crime and the resolution strain credulity. With all that, however, the novel is thoroughly readable, if one is willing to give in to the comforts of formula. Hard to put down, like a bowl of pudding. GraceAnne DeCandido
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About this edition

• Publisher: Berkley Hardcover
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0425200434
• ISBN 13: 9780425200438
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 320