Japanese-Style Potato Salad #recipe by @LeslieKarst

    

When my character Valerie goes to her first meeting of the neighborhood orchid society she’s just joined in Murder, Local Style, she brings a dish to share—as is the tradition here on the Big Island of Hawai‘i. That dish, which proves very popular, is a Japanese-style potato salad. 

 

What sets this potato salad off from its American and German counterparts is the inclusion of a variety of unexpected vegetables (peas, carrots, corn, and cucumber), as well as the use of Kewpie mayonnaise. Using this Japanese brand of mayo—made with yolks only, as well as a special blend of vinegar and spices—is a must, as it’s what gives the dish its distinct creaminess and strong hit of umami. 

Kewpie mayonnaise can be found in the Asian food aisle of most supermarkets, or online. (Note that there are two varieties of Kewpie mayo—the Japanese one with a hugging baby, a Kewpie doll, on the label, and an American version depicting a sandwich. Make sure to buy the Japanese one.)

The salad is traditionally made with peeled potatoes, but I prefer to keep the skins on—it’s your choice. And either Persian or Japanese cucumbers work best, as they have fewer seeds, though any variety will work fine.

Japanese-Style Potato Salad

(serves 8-10) 

Ingredients

3 pounds Yukon Gold or similar potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks (about 8 cups)

2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch discs.

4 whole garlic cloves, peeled

2 dried bay leaves

1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon salt, divided (plus more to taste)

1 cup corn kernels (canned, fresh, or frozen)

1 cup peas (fresh or frozen—not canned)

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1¼ cup Kewpie mayonnaise

1 teaspoon black pepper (plus more for garnish)

1 medium cucumber, cut lengthwise into quarters, then thinly sliced

4 green onions, coarsely chopped

 

Directions

Place potatoes, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, and 1 tablespoon salt into a large pot and cover with cold water by at least 1 inch. 

 

Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium and simmer, uncovered, until a fork can just pierce the potatoes (about 7 minutes). Add the corn and peas and continue to simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender (about 3 more minutes).

 

Drain the vegetables, discarding the garlic cloves and bay leaves, and transfer while warm to a large bowl. 

 

Add the vinegar and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and toss to combine. Add the Kewpie mayonnaise and the black pepper and toss again, until everything is evenly coated with the mayo. 

 

Chill, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until cooled (30-60 minutes). Add the cucumber and two-thirds of the green onions and toss. Season to taste with more salt, if necessary.

 

Garnish with more black pepper and the rest of the onions.

🌱  🍋  🌿

 

Just Released!

Orchid Isle Mystery  #3

MURDER, LOCAL STYLE

Available for purchase here.

 

"The beauties and customs of Hawai‘i provide a striking backdrop for a murder with an unexpected motive."

Kirkus Reviews 

 

 🍍 🌴 🍹

 

Out now in paperback!

Orchid Isle Mystery  #2

WATERS OF DESTRUCTION

Buy link here. 

 

2026 Lefty and Agatha Award Finalist

for Best Mystery/Contemporary Mystery!

 

"Immerse yourself in Hawaiian lore and savor the portrayal of the stunning landscapes
while enjoying the entertaining mystery."

Kirkus Reviews

 

Also available

in paperback!

MOLTEN DEATH

Orchid Isle Mystery  #1

Buy link here

 

2025 Lefty Award Finalist

for Best Mystery!

 

“Karst’s first Orchid Isle novel is part murder mystery, part vividly evocative, colorful sketch of Hawaii and its history, geography, tradition, culture, food, language, and people. Armchair travelers and mystery aficionados alike will find it entertaining.”

Booklist

 

This first book in my brand-new Orchid Isle mystery series features retired caterer Valerie Corbin and her wife Kristen who, on a trip to the Big Island of Hawai‘i, swap surfing lessons for sleuthing sessions when a hike to an active lava flow turns deadly. 

 

Praise for MOLTEN DEATH:

“a compelling read that will enlighten, engage, and entertain, leaving readers longing for their next trip to the Orchid Isle.”

--New York Times bestselling author Jenn McKinlay

“a terrific debut to a series that will go on my must read list!”

--USA Today bestselling author Deborah Crombie

 

 

A SENSE FOR MURDER

2024 Lefty Award Finalist

for Best Humorous Mystery!

This newest Sally Solari mystery

is available for purchase here !

 

Praise for A SENSE FOR MURDER:

 

“[Sally is] sassy, irresistible company... Culinary cozy fans will be in heaven.”

 --Publishers Weekly

 

“An enjoyable read for mystery mavens and foodies alike.”

--Kirkus Reviews

Justice is Served:  A Tale of Scallops,

the Law, and Cooking for RBG

is the 2024 Silver Medal Winner for both the

IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award

and the IPPY Award!

Buy link here

 

 

 

Praise for Justice is Served:

 

"a suspenseful, exhilarating memoir; Karst relays her determination to serve the 'perfect' meal to RBG alongside an uplifting, enlightening portrayal of one of the most admired justices in the history of the Supreme Court." 

 

-Foreword Reviews (starred review)

 

"[This] book is a romp from cover to cover—and, just like a great meal, left me ready for more."

-Karen Shimizu, executive editor, Food & Wine-

All of the Sally Solari Mysteries (as well as my other books) are available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.

 

 

Salted Apricot Blondies -- a treat from Leslie Budewitz

LESLIE BUDEWITZ:  Last year at Left Coast Crime in Denver, the mystery fan convention, a group of readers and I made a delightful visit to Savory Spice, the Denver-based spice company with locations across the country. We had a wonderful time and each of us took home spices, blends, and recipes to enjoy. I shared one, for Scallops and Snow Pea Salad earlier this year. 

If you were lucky enough to buy their Saffron Salt, available only in February, then I’ve got another wonderful treat for you from the Savory Spice recipe box. If not, never fear! Any large-crystal salt will do nicely. You can use ground cardamom or grind up a few seeds. 

As a friend said when she saw the shop’s historic building, you half expect my Pepper Reece to greet you!

I’ve rewritten the directions to make this a one-pan, no-bowl recipe. Not what the pictures show, but it's not the first recipe I've made several times but only photographed once! 

The chopped apricots are a treat for the tongue, just like the shop itself is a treat for the senses! 

PS: I finally figured out how to embed a PDF of the recipe for easy printing. 

Scroll down to the 💕 for the link. 

Salted Apricot Blondies, adapted from Savory Spice

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon Saffron Salt, plus more to sprinkle, or any good crystal salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 cup (packed) light brown sugar

1 egg

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup dried apricots, finely chopped 

1/2 cup pecans, chopped 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8" square pan with parchment paper. 

In a small saucepan on medium-low heat, melt butter with salt and cardamom. 

Stir in the brown sugar. Remove from heat. 

Add the egg and stir until well-blended, cooling mixture briefly first if necessary to avoid scrambling the egg! 

Stir in flour, apricots, and pecans. The batter will be very thick.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Spread mixture evenly and sprinkle generously with  Saffron Salt or crystal salt. 

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the blondies comes out clean. Let cool completely in the pan before cutting and serving.

Enjoy!

💕 Click here for a free printable PDF! 

At Seattle Spice Shop, owner Pepper Reece has whipped up the perfect blend of food, friends, and flavor. But the sweet smell of success can be hazardous . . .  

Spring is in full bloom in Pike Place Market, where Pepper is celebrating lavender’s culinary uses and planning a festival she hopes will become an annual event. When her friend Lavender Liz offers to share tips for promoting the much-loved—and occasionally maligned—herb, Pepper makes a trek to the charming town of Salmon Falls. But someone has badly damaged Liz’s greenhouse, throwing a wrench in the feisty grower’s plans for expansion. Suspicions quickly focus on an employee who’s taken to the hills. 

Then Liz is found dead among her precious plants, stabbed by a pruning knife. In Salmon Falls, there’s one in every pocket. 

Pepper digs in, untangling the tensions between Liz and a local restaurateur with eyes on a picturesque but neglected farm, a jealous ex-boyfriend determined to profit from Liz’s success, and a local growers’ cooperative. She’s also hot on the scent of a trail of her own, sniffing out the history of her sweet dog, Arf. 

As Pepper’s questions threaten to unearth secrets others desperately want to keep buried, danger creeps closer to her and those she loves. Can Pepper root out the killer, before someone nips her in the bud?

Available at Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Books-A-Million * Bookshop.org * and your local booksellers!

ALL GOD'S SPARROWS AND OTHER STORIES: A STAGECOACH MARY FIELDS COLLECTION, now available in in paperback and ebook 

Take a step back in time with All God's Sparrows and Other Stories: A Stagecoach Mary Fields Collection of historical short mysteries, featuring the Agatha-Award winning "All God's Sparrows" and other stories imagining the life of real-life historical figure Mary Fields, born into slavery in 1832, during the last thirty years of her life, in Montana. Out September 17, 2024 from Beyond the Page Publishing.  

“Finely researched and richly detailed, All God’s Sparrows and Other Stories is a wonderful collection. I loved learning about this fascinating woman . . . and what a character she is! Kudos to Leslie Budewitz for bringing her to life so vividly.” —Kathleen Grissom, New York Times bestselling author of Crow Mary

Available at Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Books-A-Million * Bookshop.org * and your local booksellers!

Leslie Budewitz is the author of the Spice Shop Mysteries set in Seattle's Pike Place Market, and the Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries, set in NW Montana. As Alicia Beckman, she writes moody, standalone suspense, most recently Blind Faith. She is the winner of Agatha Awards in three categories: Best Nonfiction (2011), Best First Novel (2013), and Best Short Story (2018). Her latest books are To Err is Cumin, the 8th Spice Shop Mystery and All God's Sparrows and Other Stories: A Stagecoach Mary Fields Collection, in September 2024. Watch for Lavender Lies Bleeding, the 9th Spice Shop Mystery, on July 15, 2025.

A past president of Sisters in Crime and former national board member of Mystery Writers of America, Leslie lives in northwest Montana with her husband, a musician and doctor of natural medicine. 

Swing by Leslie's website and join the mailing list for her seasonal newsletter. And join her on Facebook where she shares book news and giveaways from her writer friends, and talks about food, mysteries, and the things that inspire her.

Eggs in Purgatory: The Dish My Wife Warned Me About by Ang Pompano — Plus a givaway!

Ang Pompano: Eggs in Purgatory, uova in purgatorio, belongs to the great Italian tradition of cucina povera. The phrase translates to “poor kitchen,” but it’s less about scarcity than ingenuity, turning a few simple staples into something that actually satisfies.

This is everyday food. The kind you make because you’re hungry and want something good, not because you’re trying to impress anyone. It’s practical, unfussy, and built more on instinct than instruction.

Somehow this dish, eggs poached in tomato sauce, slipped right past me growing up. The bubbling red tomato sauce stands in for the fires of purgatory, while the white eggs floating in it represent souls awaiting redemption. I only came across it recently while watching A Taste of Murder on BritBox. It looked so simple and so good that I figured it was worth a try, even with my wife warning me it was one meal she’d always skipped as a kid.

Turns out, she may have been missing out.

I thought it was terrific. It works just as well for breakfast as it does for lunch or dinner, especially eaten straight from the pan with good Italian bread dragged through the sauce. After a little coaxing, Annette gave it a shot and admitted it was better than she remembered. Which, in this house, counts as a ringing endorsement.

This recipe serves 2

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced (you can use more if you'd like)

1/4 Sliced onion

1 can of crushed tomatoes

4 large eggs

Salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes (to taste)

Fresh basil (optional)

Grated Parmesan (optional)

Italian bread, for serving

Instructions

In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook the garlic and onions lightly. 

Pour in the crushed tomatoes and add the red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Simmer gently for about 8–10 minutes, until slightly thickened.

Use a spoon to make four little wells in the sauce. Crack an egg into each. Then cover the pan and cook until the whites are set but the yolks are still soft, about 4–6 minutes. If the whites are too runny you can spoon a little sauce over them.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve from the pan or in a bowl with Italian bread for scooping.

Readers, Would you try Eggs in Purgatory, or is that one you’d leave to the sinners? And what’s a dish you once avoided but ended up liking? Drop an answer below and be entered to win a copy of Bloodroot: Best New England Crime Stories. BE SURE TO LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS.

Ang Pompano is a mystery author, editor, publisher and blogger. He writes the Blue Palmetto Detective Agency, and the Reluctant Food Columnist series, both published by Level Best Books. In addition to his writing, Ang is a co-founder of Crime Spell Books and serves as co-editor of the Best New England Crime Stories anthology. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, Annette, an artist, and their rescue dog Alfie.

Just Released!

Diet of Death

by Ang Pompano

The first in the Reluctant Food Columnist series.

Buy Link

Betty Ann Green is a beloved culinary icon…who doesn’t exist. She is the brilliant, beautiful illusion created by two unlikely collaborators. Behind the façade is Quincy Lazzaro, a culinarily challenged writer whose witty, sharp prose is the public face of Betty, while those flawless, genius recipes are all thanks to his octogenarian neighbor, Mary Ticarelli.

When the arrogant diet guru, Dr. Alan Tolzer, inventor of the Westport Diet, demands a face-to-face interview, Quincy reluctantly steps in as Betty’s frontman, only for Tolzer to drop dead. The police call it natural causes, but Quincy knows better. He sees it as the investigative break he’s been waiting for.

Now, caught between a crime-solving grandma, a no-nonsense detective girlfriend, and a killer who may be one step ahead, Quincy must unravel the mystery before the killer strikes again.

When It’s Time for Leaving

by Ang Pompano

Buy Link

Al DeLucia walked away from the police—and his past. But when his long-lost father leaves him a detective agency in Savannah, Al finds himself trapped between family secrets and a murder on the agency’s dock. Partnered with Maxine Brophy, a fierce detective who doesn’t trust him, Al is pulled into a deadly search through Savannah and the Okefenokee Swamp—where the truth about the case, and his father, may cost him everything.

Blood Ties and Deadly Lies

by Ang Pompano

Buy Link

Al DeLucia returns to Sachem Creek expecting a kayak race and a chance to confront his childhood bully, Abe Cromwell. Instead, he finds a dead lawyer, a web of deceit, and Abe claiming they’re brothers by DNA. Reluctantly joined by Maxine Brophy, his formidable partner and girlfriend, Al dives into a murder investigation that exposes land swindles, hidden maps, and buried family secrets. In a town where the past won’t stay buried, Al must face truths that could upend everything.

Snakeberry: Best New England Crime Stories 2025

Edited by

Christine Bagley, Susan Oleksiw, Ang Pompano, and Leslie Wheeler

BUY LINK

Every year the anthology brings welcome surprises and satisfactions, and this year is no different, featuring stories by 21 of New England’s best crime writers.

Includes “Minnie the Air Raid Warden” by Ang Pompano.