Read Online Murder at the Cooking School: Book 7 of the Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery Series by Dianne Harman - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Dianne Harman
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again, Matteo.
I’ll see you later. Where should I put the bike when I return?”
“Just leave it out in
front, and I’ll put it back for you.”
*****
There were signs leading
to the small village when she got to the end of the lane that led to the
castle, and Kelly was there in a very short time. Even if there hadn’t been
signs, Caesar knew the way. She easily found the shop called Cucina , got
off of the bike, and tied Caesar up to a pole in front of the shop. She knew
that was probably unnecessary, but it made her feel better.
She was prepared to not
like the shop based on what she’d heard about the owner, but when she opened
the door she was pleasantly surprised. She hadn’t realized the shop also sold
some food items which filled it with wonderful aromas. One wall featured
balsamic vinegars from every region in Italy. On another wall bookcases were
stuffed with Italian cookbooks. All kinds of kitchen utensils were displayed on
the shelves in the small shop, many of which she’d never seen before. It was
colorful and charming.
“Welcome to Cucina,
signora . How may I help you?” a bearded dark-haired young man asked.
“I just want to look
around if you don’t mind. This is a wonderful shop. It must be a joy to work
here. I’ve never seen so many different kinds of balsamic vinegar.”
“I’m not surprised. My
father loves balsamic vinegar.”
“Oh, you’re the owner’s
son?” Kelly asked. “I understand he also owns a cooking school just outside of
the village.”
“That’s true, and it’s
considered to be the best in the region. There is another one near here called Castello
di Nardo , but many of the people who come to our school have already been
to that one, and they tell us they much prefer the warm atmosphere at ours. Signora Nardo, God rest her soul, was not the warmest person in the world.”
“I don’t understand why
there happens to be two cooking schools so close together in a remote area like
this. Which one was here first?”
“My father’s was the first
one. Signora Nardo opened hers later. There is talk she ran out of
money, and in order to maintain the castle she had to make it into a boutique
hotel and a cooking school. She has a brother who doesn’t work. It is well
known in the area she hired his wife to be her chef for the classes. Their
parents willed the castle and the land to her. From what I hear,” the young man
said conspiratorially, “when he found out she was going to have a cooking
school in the castle, he threatened to tell her husband about the affair she’s
been having with Giovanni Rizzo if she didn’t hire his wife to be the chef. Signora Nardo had no choice. I heard that the Signor wondered why she had hired
her sister-in-law, but she convinced him she was a very good chef, and she
would be much cheaper than anyone else they could hire.”
“That surprises me. I
thought the chef at the school had owned a very famous restaurant and traveled
all over Italy giving classes.”
The young man laughed. “None
of that is true. You must be staying at the castle and taking her classes.
That’s the story they tell people and who checks things like that out when
they’re going to a cooking school? No one. It has presented problems for us
because my father refuses to do that. No, believe me, the only other kitchen
Chef Bianchi has ever been in is her own.”
“Do you have any cookbooks
from your cooking school? I own a coffee shop in the United States, and I’m
always looking for new things to serve.”
“Of course. Actually there
are several. We don’t have just one chef. We have some new ones and some
returning ones and many of them have their own cookbooks. All of the cookbooks
on that middle shelf are from cooks who have taught at our school,” he said,
gesturing towards the shelf. “The problem is that they’re all in Italian. I
don’t have any in English.”
“That’s not a problem. I
speak Italian. Thank you. You’ve been very
I’ll see you later. Where should I put the bike when I return?”
“Just leave it out in
front, and I’ll put it back for you.”
*****
There were signs leading
to the small village when she got to the end of the lane that led to the
castle, and Kelly was there in a very short time. Even if there hadn’t been
signs, Caesar knew the way. She easily found the shop called Cucina , got
off of the bike, and tied Caesar up to a pole in front of the shop. She knew
that was probably unnecessary, but it made her feel better.
She was prepared to not
like the shop based on what she’d heard about the owner, but when she opened
the door she was pleasantly surprised. She hadn’t realized the shop also sold
some food items which filled it with wonderful aromas. One wall featured
balsamic vinegars from every region in Italy. On another wall bookcases were
stuffed with Italian cookbooks. All kinds of kitchen utensils were displayed on
the shelves in the small shop, many of which she’d never seen before. It was
colorful and charming.
“Welcome to Cucina,
signora . How may I help you?” a bearded dark-haired young man asked.
“I just want to look
around if you don’t mind. This is a wonderful shop. It must be a joy to work
here. I’ve never seen so many different kinds of balsamic vinegar.”
“I’m not surprised. My
father loves balsamic vinegar.”
“Oh, you’re the owner’s
son?” Kelly asked. “I understand he also owns a cooking school just outside of
the village.”
“That’s true, and it’s
considered to be the best in the region. There is another one near here called Castello
di Nardo , but many of the people who come to our school have already been
to that one, and they tell us they much prefer the warm atmosphere at ours. Signora Nardo, God rest her soul, was not the warmest person in the world.”
“I don’t understand why
there happens to be two cooking schools so close together in a remote area like
this. Which one was here first?”
“My father’s was the first
one. Signora Nardo opened hers later. There is talk she ran out of
money, and in order to maintain the castle she had to make it into a boutique
hotel and a cooking school. She has a brother who doesn’t work. It is well
known in the area she hired his wife to be her chef for the classes. Their
parents willed the castle and the land to her. From what I hear,” the young man
said conspiratorially, “when he found out she was going to have a cooking
school in the castle, he threatened to tell her husband about the affair she’s
been having with Giovanni Rizzo if she didn’t hire his wife to be the chef. Signora Nardo had no choice. I heard that the Signor wondered why she had hired
her sister-in-law, but she convinced him she was a very good chef, and she
would be much cheaper than anyone else they could hire.”
“That surprises me. I
thought the chef at the school had owned a very famous restaurant and traveled
all over Italy giving classes.”
The young man laughed. “None
of that is true. You must be staying at the castle and taking her classes.
That’s the story they tell people and who checks things like that out when
they’re going to a cooking school? No one. It has presented problems for us
because my father refuses to do that. No, believe me, the only other kitchen
Chef Bianchi has ever been in is her own.”
“Do you have any cookbooks
from your cooking school? I own a coffee shop in the United States, and I’m
always looking for new things to serve.”
“Of course. Actually there
are several. We don’t have just one chef. We have some new ones and some
returning ones and many of them have their own cookbooks. All of the cookbooks
on that middle shelf are from cooks who have taught at our school,” he said,
gesturing towards the shelf. “The problem is that they’re all in Italian. I
don’t have any in English.”
“That’s not a problem. I
speak Italian. Thank you. You’ve been very
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