Mixing It Up by Tracie Banister

Author:Tracie Banister [Banister, Tracie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction
Publisher: Tracie Banister
Published: 2016-10-14T18:30:00+00:00

CHAPTER 27

My oven’s timer buzzes, letting me know that my tartiflette is ready. I grab a couple of pot holders, open the oven door, and carefully remove the piping hot stoneware dish inside. I buy bakeware like most women buy shoes (obsessively and often) and have every piece in the Le Creuset Heritage Collection, all in Marseilles blue. At least my addiction, unlike ankle-twisting stilettos, has a practical application. Okay, so maybe I never have been able to figure out what to do with that four-and-a-half quart bean pot I purchased, but I will . . . some day.

I set the baking dish on a pair of cast iron trivets and admire my culinary handiwork. The top layer of Camembert that’s melted over the thin slices of red bliss potatoes is bubbling and perfectly browned, the bacon lardons look nice and crisp, and the mushrooms are peeking up through the cheese. I can’t wait for the tartiflette to cool off so that I can taste— I hear my cell phone ringing, but it sounds kind of muffled. Oh, right, I stuck it in the dish towel drawer earlier when I was clearing off the counter so that I could have an uncluttered space for my mise en place (ingredient prep). I yank open the drawer and extract the phone, where I see Dina’s name on the display screen.

“Hello?”

“Hey, girl, whatcha up to?”

“I’m experimenting with some variations on a tartiflette for my cookbook. In this latest version, I replaced the Reblochon with Camembert and added some robust, earthy hen-of-the-woods mush—”

“Oh, my God!” my cousin exclaims. “It’s the weekend for cryin’ out loud. You’re not supposed to be working; you’re supposed to be goofing off and having some fun.”

Cooking is fun as far as I’m concerned. “You can goof off for the both of us.”

“Nope. Unacceptable. You need to take a break, Suzie Snoozefest. I’m going to text you an address and I want you to meet me there in forty-five minutes.”

“And what’s at this address?”

“It’s a surprise, but a good time is guaranteed! I’ll text Paige, too. Oh, be sure to wear sneakers, shorts, and a lightweight top.”

I frown. “This sounds like some sort of outdoor activity. You know there’s a heat wave going on, right?”

“Don’t worry, princess. We’ll be inside with air-conditioning, so you don’t have to worry about getting sweaty and gross. See you in a bit!”

She hangs up before I can voice any further objection. Oh well, it’s probably not a bad idea for me to get out of my apartment for a few hours. I could use the distraction from worrying about work and all the lies ahead of me there. I cover the tartiflette with some tinfoil and go to my bedroom to change clothes.

Finding a pair of shorts is not an easy task as my summer wardrobe mostly consists of dresses, but I do manage to dig out a pair of black Nike shorts and a white racerback tank I wear to play tennis sometimes.

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