CONGRATULATIONS TO GINGER HERUSKA!!!
If you were to ask Bitsy, that’d be my mama, why I became a pastry chef, she’d say that it was to make her life all doom and gloom. I’m not going to lie, it was a little satisfying seeing her cringe on the inside when I strategically told her ten years ago in front of her friend at the Rumford Country Club, RCC for short, that I wasn’t going to college and heading to pastry school.
Seriously, you would too if your mama had you call her by her nickname, Bitsy, instead of calling her mom, mama, or mother. Yes. Bitsy is as southern as you can get.
Now do you blame me for getting out of our small southern town of Rumford, Kentucky right out of high school?
Becoming a pastry chef was really a dream of mine. I’d spent the better part of the past ten years going to school and moving up in my industry. Can you imagine my joy and excitement when I hired as the head pastry chef at The Manhattan, the fanciest restaurant in New York City.
It was all mine. All my creations. Then. . .he walked in as the head chef. I can’t even bring myself to say his name because I swore that after dating him for years and then moving in together and then finding him doing more than cooking food in the kitchen of The Manhattan with the hostess, I’d never let his name cross my lips.
This was how Bitsy got back into my life. She might be a hard pill to swallow, but she’s a southern mama and no matter what, she’s loyal to me to the end. With my tail tucked and a couple of weeks off work to get my head on straight, I found myself right back in Rumford where I’d tried to escape ten years ago and in my old bedroom.
Oh, don’t get me wrong, Bitsy definitely dragged me all over Rumford to all her clubs for the first few days.
“Put on some lipstick and put on some more,” she says before we walk out the door. I had to keep up the appearance even though my heart was broken, and I didn’t have an ounce of creative baking in me.
That is until Charlotte, my high school best friend who was getting married over the weekend, cake baker had quit, and she asked me to do her wedding cake. What an honor! I was all over it.
The kitchen at the Rumford Country Club seems perfect until Chef Emile’s body is discovered, sprawled near the stove, a cast iron skillet on the floor close by and Charlotte was the number one suspect.
Charlotte can be bit of a southern pill, but she’s not a murderer. I sure hope I can help her figure out who is framing her so her wedding can go off without a hitch and before I head back to my life in New York.
Besides, I can’t wait to get out of Rumford, like I was ten years ago, because Bitsy keeps telling everyone that I’m staying. . .forever!
SIX MONTHS LATER....
If there were a plate of crow in front of me, I'd have to say I'd be eating a big heaping lot of it.
Here's a little update. My friend, Charlotte, yep, she got hitched. Chef Emile's murderer has been brought to justice. That's big news, but NOT the biggest.
The biggest new is that I decided to stay in Rumford, buy the old Ford's Bakery and open up FOR GOODNESS CAKES BAKERY.
I know. I know what I said and that's where the crow comes in.
I'm super busy. I bought a house and my mama's cat, has now become my cat.
Rumford is going crazy with all the buzz about the Rumford Library addition. I'm very excited to be catering the big charity event being held at the Grape Valley Winery. It's the biggest event I've done so far and I'm in desperate need for the pay check. After all, I've got bills to pay.
Seriously, look at this amazing winery in the holler of Kentucky with the amazing Kentucky Bluegrass. It's the limestone rich soil that makes all the grapes perfect for the winery. And if the rumor swirling around here about Ray Peel, Rumford's most eligible bachelor, not making good on his big donation because he's selling the land the winery is on. . .has put a little damper on this event.
I better go and hurry on over to the winery office so I can get paid and things go from bad to worse.
BATTER OFF DEAD IS WOMEN'S WORLD MAGAZINE BOOK CLUB PICK OF THE WEEK!
Pick up your copy of Women's World!!!
Did you know that Maymee Bell is the pen name of USA Today Bestselling Author Tonya Kappes?
Today I'm giving away a Camper and Criminals swag pack filled with goodies from me and other authors!
How do you enter?
Leave a comment about what you're doing for Christmas and I'll pick a winner tomorrow!
SIX MONTHS LATER....
Here's a little update. My friend, Charlotte, yep, she got hitched. Chef Emile's murderer has been brought to justice. That's big news, but NOT the biggest.
The biggest new is that I decided to stay in Rumford, buy the old Ford's Bakery and open up FOR GOODNESS CAKES BAKERY.
I know. I know what I said and that's where the crow comes in.
I'm super busy. I bought a house and my mama's cat, has now become my cat.
Rumford is going crazy with all the buzz about the Rumford Library addition. I'm very excited to be catering the big charity event being held at the Grape Valley Winery. It's the biggest event I've done so far and I'm in desperate need for the pay check. After all, I've got bills to pay.
Seriously, look at this amazing winery in the holler of Kentucky with the amazing Kentucky Bluegrass. It's the limestone rich soil that makes all the grapes perfect for the winery. And if the rumor swirling around here about Ray Peel, Rumford's most eligible bachelor, not making good on his big donation because he's selling the land the winery is on. . .has put a little damper on this event.
I better go and hurry on over to the winery office so I can get paid and things go from bad to worse.
BATTER OFF DEAD IS WOMEN'S WORLD MAGAZINE BOOK CLUB PICK OF THE WEEK!
Pick up your copy of Women's World!!!
Did you know that Maymee Bell is the pen name of USA Today Bestselling Author Tonya Kappes?
Today I'm giving away a Camper and Criminals swag pack filled with goodies from me and other authors!
How do you enter?
Leave a comment about what you're doing for Christmas and I'll pick a winner tomorrow!
Posts
For Christmas Eve our family makes their own individual pizza __ it's so much fun and becomes a competition. . Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteWe will be home enjoying our children and grandchildren, cooking and eating too much. It will be a different Christmas since our community is still recovering from the aftermath of Hurricane Michael--feeling very blessed though. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteI forgot to leave my email. gda523(at)comcast(dot)net
ReplyDeleteHappy holidays! We have Christmas Eve dinner and then open presents!
ReplyDeleteI love your stories. I am going to my daughter's for Christmas. It is her first time hosting and she is very excited.
ReplyDeletedebby236 at gmail dot com
We're hopefully going to my parents' to exchange gifts then having dinner at home :-)
ReplyDeleteDonah42 at aol dot com
Both paternal and maternal grandparent's have passed on so it will be a quiet Christmas day for our family. We will catch whatever is on the television and eat our ham and cheesy potatoes for our main meal. Opening of presents will take place when the adult kids get moving. We focus more on the reason for Christmas than the actual presents. robeader53(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteJust a quiet Christmas with my mom.
ReplyDeletekkat(dot)edwards(at)gmail(dot)com
Having our granddaughter and her husband visit for a few days with our delightfully exhausting 4 great-grandchildren! Can't wait!
ReplyDeletesallycootie(at)gmail(dot)com
Merry Christmas! Loved the first book in this series and I'm looking forward to reading "Batter Off Dead". I'm spending time with my sister and we are having friends over for Christmas dinner.
ReplyDeletediannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com
Hopefully I will see my daughters and their family. First Christmas that I may be on my own, except for my sweet puppy!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the giveaway. I love your books!
[email protected]
We won't be doing anything for Christmas but staying home. I miss getting together with family but everyone lives too far away these days.
ReplyDelete[email protected]
My whole family will be descending on my home soon for the holidays. I am adding 3 extra people to stay in house. It will get crowded. My brother's birthday is on Christmas eve so party for him. [email protected]
ReplyDeleteI am spending time with my family and watching my nieces and nephews open their presents. I really want to read this book. I love her books. Thanks for the chance.
ReplyDeleteTammy Hudson
Tighefan42 atgmaildotcom
having ham and pie staying home it is just me and my daughter my email is [email protected]
ReplyDeleteWe'll be opening presents with just our little family and I will cook a big breakfast (we're not a big breakfast family so it's special). We will go to a family dinner in the evening to celebrate with grandparents,aunts,cousins,ect.
ReplyDelete[email protected]
Weather permitting I'll be going to my daughter's house.
ReplyDeleteWe will be laying low.. spending the day with the kids and hubby. Watching TV, and playing dice or uno (maybe a new Nintendo game if we find a good one for Austin) While Austin plays games on the switch, that's my time to read and enjoy the day 😊🎅☃️🎄
ReplyDeletelilyanngill56(at)Gmail(dot)com
Spending time with my family and eating yummy food .
ReplyDeleteIt's only hubby and I so it will be a quiet Christmas. We will enjoy a good meal that will depend on the weather on what we have. It could be a grilled steak if weather permits or a pot of homemade soup if it's dreary or anything in between. We both love to bake so I'm sure there will be some fabulous dessert. We love to watch Christmas movies so that may in store as well.
ReplyDelete2clowns at arkansas dot net
Just going to stay home and enjoy having my children all home this year!
ReplyDeleteIt's Christmas Eve with the grand kids with a good meal cooked by my son and daughter in law. Christmas Day will be just me and the hubby as it usually is. We'll have something simple to eat and relax. griffvan(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteChristmas eve, we are going to my daughter and new son in law 's house for there first Christmas as husband and wife :)
ReplyDeletePatricia Bennett Barber
DeleteHosting my husband's family on either Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve, depending on when my stepdaughter gets her oldest son and on Christmas Day we will be at my Mom's for what could be our last Christmas with her. Either way, it will be merry, fun and full of good food, love and laughter.
ReplyDeletejohnstonkaren(at)bellsouth(dot)net
Christmas Eve dinner with my parents and then church. Christmas Day will just be me and my parents at home having a lazy day opening gifts, games, puzzles, and movies with a nice dinner. mcastor07 (at) gmail (dot) com.
ReplyDeleteChristmas Day is my Sister's Birthday and yet she insists on doing all the cooking as she is the better cook...I only protest a little..so its eating all day, movies, taking the kids to the historical Park as they are from Atlanta, driving around looking at lights and then hot chocolate.
ReplyDeleteForgot email thanks, Marilyn
Delete[email protected]