Murder at the Cooking School: Book 7 of the Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery Series Read Online Free PDF Page A

recommend?”
    “You must try the
Brunello. I’m told it’s one of the best. Try a sip and tell me what you think.”
    Kelly swirled the wine in
her glass and tried to look like she knew what she was doing. After a moment
she took a small sip. “Whoever told you that is absolutely right. It’s
wonderful. I’d like to try some of the others, but I think I’ve already found
my favorite. Thank you.”
    Signor Nardo turned to Mike.
“What can I get for you?”
    “I’d like to try a white,
whatever you think is good, although if you have them here, I imagine they’re
all good.”
    “I like all of them, but
why don’t you try the Vernaccia? Friends of mine make it, and it’s one of my
favorites.”
    Mike took a sip. “That’s
simply wonderful. Thank you.”
    “Bring your glasses and
I’ll introduce you to the other guests who will be in your cooking class.”
Introductions were made, wine loosened tongues, and after some small talk, the
group of ten made their way into the dining room.
    Dinner was just as
fabulous as the wine that had preceded it. Kelly and Mike loved Italian food,
but they both knew chefs often felt they couldn’t leave well enough alone,
adding their own touches and losing the essence of the dish. Not so at Castello
di Nardo . The entreé was a simple loin of pork that had been slow cooked in
milk with fresh vegetables and prepared in the classic Italian tradition. It
was peasant food at its best, enhanced by freshly baked parmesan and olive oil
bread that was called pane con olio e parmigiana , and a salad that
tasted as if it had been brought in directly from the garden. The meal ended
with a selection of fresh fruit.
    Mike was seated next to Signora Nardo. “I don’t think I’ve ever tasted food that was this fresh. What’s your
secret?”
    “What we don’t grow on our
own property, we get at local farmers’ markets. Luisa, the cooking school chef,
will take you into Florence to the Mercato Centrale in the heart of
Florence. It’s open every day, and it has the best of everything. There are a
number of others in small towns around here we go to when we don’t have time to
go to Florence.
    “We have chickens here and
also raise most of our own meat. I think you’ll enjoy breakfast tomorrow
morning. The fresh eggs, local bacon, and fruit are usually a hit with our guests.
Our resident cook comes in early to bake muffins and some other breakfast
items. It’s too dark now, but in the morning you will be able to see the
orchards, our large vegetable gardens, and at this time of year, probably some
pheasants. If you enjoy eating, you’ll not do any better in Italy than here at Castello
di Nardo. If you’ll excuse me, I need to introduce Chef Luisa so she can
tell you about the cooking school .”
    Signora Nardo stood up and
lightly touched her water glass with her knife several times to get everyone’s
attention. When they were quiet she said, “It is my pleasure to introduce Chef
Luisa Bianchi to you. She has been teaching here at the Castello di Nardo since we opened the cooking school. Her background in cooking is impeccable.
She had a restaurant in Florence for many years that was given three stars by
Michelin and then decided she’d prefer to teach cooking. She travels throughout
Italy teaching at cooking schools in various places. We feel very fortunate
that she comes to Castello di Nardo four times a year to teach. We have
many more applicants than we have space for, so consider yourselves very lucky
to have been accepted. Here is your teacher for the next week, Capucuoco Luisa Bianchi.”
    The students applauded as
a short, round grey-haired woman who looked exactly like what one would think
an Italian grandmother, a nonna, would look like, entered the room and
smiled broadly. When she smiled, her round face squinched up making it hard to
see her eyes. She wore a white apron with the words “Castello di Nardo”
embroidered in red on it. She brushed a stray hair back into