LESLIE BUDEWITZ: It's always a treat to introduce you, dear readers, to a debut author, and Kate Lansing and her main character, Parker Valentine, are both truly delightful. I met Kate through another author, who knew we share a love for living and writing in the mountain west, and for wine! I read an advance copy of Killer Chardonnay. What fun it is to see my quote on the front cover -- a first for me! I think you'll enjoy Kate and Parker and the book as much as I did.(Well, my quote doesn't show on the thumbnail. I said: "Parker Valentine...will steal your heart and pair it with a smooth mystery in this sparkling debut. A wine rack full of suspects won’t stop the determined sleuth and vintner from bottling up a killer and saving her dream. Killer Chardonnay has legs!")
KATE LANSING: Thanks so much for inviting me to be a guest on Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen! I’m absolutely thrilled to be here.
Admittedly, in early drafts of my debut cozy mystery, Killer
Chardonnay, I didn’t know I would be including recipes and suggested wine
pairings. Thus, while writing it, I came up with the most mouth-watering dishes
I could imagine, regardless of how complicated they might be to, you know, actually cook.
Fast forward to when my brilliant editor floats the fabulous
idea to include recipes. Only, this means recreating some of the food and wine
pairings I’d fantasized about. But having always loved cooking, I gladly took
on the challenge!
The dish that gave me the most trouble was the Mango Chutney
Grilled Shrimp, of which my family graciously tasted many renditions. There was so much finesse in balancing flavors—the
acidity and sweetness—and chopping the
mango fine enough to deliciously coat each jumbo shrimp. After my fourth
attempt, my toddler daughter requested seconds, and I knew I had a winner.
So today, I’m excited to share with you my recipe for Mango
Chutney Grilled Shrimp, which I suggest pairing with a crisp sauvignon blanc.
Dear readers, do you dream up a dish before devising a
recipe, or is it the other way around? Talk to us in the comments for a chance to win a signed copy of Killer Chardonnay!
Mango Chutney Grilled
Shrimp
(Serves 4-6)
2 T olive oil
¼ tsp crushed red pepper
1.5 pounds jumbo shrimp (24 count), deveined in shell, raw
2 cups finely chopped mangoes (2)
1 cup finely chopped yellow onion (1)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 T ginger root, grated
¼ cup white wine vinegar
½ cup orange juice
Sauté onions and crushed red pepper in olive oil for 2-3
minutes, or until onions are translucent. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook
for 1 minute. Add the mangoes, orange juice, and white wine vinegar. Reduce
heat and let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool to room
temperature.
Butterfly the shrimp by cutting along the back, from head to
tail, almost slicing through lengthwise, but leaving the shell on. This will
keep the shrimp tender on the grill, and increases surface area for the
marinade to work its magic.
Preheat grill to medium heat.
Add half of the mango chutney to the shrimp, making sure to
get some of the marinade in every nook and cranny. Let sit for 20 minutes.
Readers, talk to Kate in the comments for a chance to win a signed copy of Killer Chardonnay. Be sure to leave your email address. (US mailing addresses only; winner will be announced Wednesday, June 17.)
Kate Lansing is an award-winning short story author. She lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband, daughter, and a chair-napping tabby cat named Maple. Killer Chardonnay is her first novel. Visit her website, or join her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
About Killer
Chardonnay: A young winery owner won't
let one sour grape ruin the bunch in the first installment of this exciting
cozy mystery series.
Parker Valentine has always dreamed of opening her own winery in her hometown of Boulder, Colorado. But she gets more than she bargained for when a food and wine critic unexpectedly shows up at Vino Valentine on opening day. A negative review could be fatal for her business, and not only does he seem to hate her chardonnay, he also collapses and dies shortly after drinking it.
Although Parker hoped that the attendees would put a cork in it, soon her winery is at the center of a social media firestorm. With #killerchardonnay trending online, Parker's business is in danger of closing, and she has no choice but to investigate the murder herself.
To restore her reputation, catch a killer, and keep her struggling business open, Parker needs only one thing: some good proof.
Buy the book from your local bookseller or online via these links:
I am not creative enough to come up with my own recipes. Maybe that is why I enjoy cozy food murder mysteries. Recipes are included 😬
ReplyDeleteTotally understand, Jenn! I always appreciate the recipes at the back of culinary cozies, too, definitely a perk :-)
DeleteI am mostly a recipe follower, but my husband is a creative cook. Lucky me!
ReplyDeletebrowninggloria(at)hotmail(dot)com
Definitely lucky! ;-)
DeleteThis recipe sounds delicious! I like to follow recipes. Thanks for the chance!
ReplyDeleteJess
maceoindo (at) yahoo (dot) com
Thank you, Jess!! It's now one of my family's favorite meals :-) Best of luck with the giveaway!
DeleteHubby and I both love to cook and spending time in the kitchen together. We are some what of a mesh of all of it. We love to enjoy a meal out and then see if we can duplicate it. It's fun to take a recipe that we find interesting and tweak it to our tastes. Then it's also fun to take a main ingredient and see if we can come up with a way of serving it that really hits the spot for both of us.
ReplyDeleteThe recipe for Mango Chutney Grilled Shrimp sounds yummy and I'm thinking we will be trying it real soon.
Always love reading on of your books. Can't wait for the opportunity to read "Killer Chardonnay" which is definitely on my TBR list.
Thank you for the chance to win a copy! Shared and hoping to be the very fortunate one selected.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
That is so sweet, Kay! My hubs and I enjoy cooking together, too, and experiment with recipes in similar ways <3 Hope you enjoy the recipe, and best of luck with the giveaway!
DeleteHi Kate.
ReplyDeleteI "met" you online earlier at another mystery blog last month.
Congratulations on the release of Killer Chardonnay.
As I said there, I love visiting Boulder CO and love food/wine, so this sounds like the start of a yummy series. I also have a box of Ataulfo mangoes at home, so this shrimp mango recipe may be attempted this week.
I already have a copy of Killer Chardonnay (arrived last week) so please do NOT enter me in the giveaway.
It's nice to "see" you again, Grace! And thanks so much for your kind words about my book. I really hope you enjoy both the recipe and Killer Chardonnay! Cheers :-)
DeleteThanks for the recipe and the chance to win the book. It sounds like a great new series!! Contact info on website.
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure, Marilyn!! And thank you! :-)
DeleteThis sounds fun, I've heard good things about this book. I've had ideas for a few simple recipes but nothing like this. I mainly follow another's recipe and I love trying out ones I find in mystery books.
ReplyDeletekozo8989(at)hotmail(dot)com
Thanks so much, Alicia! I bet your simple recipes are delicious, and I'm with you on trying ones from mystery books ;-)
DeleteI follow the recipe the first time and might change things up the next time.
ReplyDeleteKitten143 (at) Verizon (dot) net
Same here! I'm a huge fan of Ina Garten (who isn't?!) and one of her tips is to try a recipe as intended before making tweaks, which I try to do. Pantry-willing, of course :-)
DeleteI am not a creative or super experienced cook, so coming up with my own recipe is not something I’m good at. Congratulations on the new book...it sounds fun! Thanks for the chance. cking78503(at)aol(dot)com
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Chris!! Coming up with recipes is definitely a challenge--the hardest part for me was to remember to actually write down quantities of ingredients as I went, lol. Best of luck with the giveaway!
DeleteI follow the recipe since I am a novice cook. Congratulations on your captivating cozy. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteThank you!! Maybe as you gain experience in the kitchen, you'll slowly start experimenting--that's how it started for me :-)
DeleteI do follow a recipe but sometimes change things up a bit when I find a better way to do something.
ReplyDeleteKit3247(at)aol(dot)com
Totally! I do the same thing, Rita. It's especially fun when a recipe morphs over time into an entirely different dish :-)
DeleteI follow the recipe but I might become more creative when I am familiar with a new flavor which could improve or add to it. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteLove that! I tend to do this if there's an ingredient or flavor I'm super into, like earlier this year I was on a big radish kick and kept trying to incorporate them into recipes :-)
DeleteSometimes I look at the ingredients I have and then try to find a recipe that incorporates them! It's fun. Today thinking about black beans and the last of my frozen tomatoes from last season.
ReplyDeleteThat is so fun, Liz!! I call those Chopped meals, after the Food Network show. Working backwards like that has been especially helpful over the last few months...I hope you come up with something delicious to do with your black beans and tomatoes!
DeleteI follow the recipe unless it contains ingredients I don't like, then I substitute! Killer Chardonnay sounds like a great read. Thanks for the chance!
ReplyDeletevalleyreader (at) gmail (dot) com
Thank you, Darcy! I hear ya on substituting ingredients I don't care for (raisins, anyone?!).
DeleteGreat fun to have you visit with us, Kate! Like many of the readers here, I often make a recipe as written the first time, then play -- but with experience, of course, I've learned what substitutions I might make right off the bat that will make something easier or tastier for us. Or work with what's on hand -- definitely an issue these last few months! This one will be a big hit in my house, I'm sure!
ReplyDeleteLike you Leslie, I am comfortable with tweaking most recipes from the beginning. Substitute one ingredient here/there, working with what is at home. The only exception is baking...I tend to more faithfully follow those recipes.
DeleteAh, yes -- when chemistry is required, so is caution!
DeleteThanks so much for inviting me to be a guest, Leslie, and for your generous blurb, which I'm honored to have on the cover of Killer Chardonnay!
DeleteAgreed, there are definitely instances when I'm okay substituting/tweaking a recipe on the first try, usually when cheese is involved since my husband *gasp* doesn't do cheese, so I'll often try to make at least a portion without :-) And yes, the last few months have definitely led to some very...creative meals, ha!
Grace, fabulous point!! Baking really is a horse of a different color!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWe are wine drinkers in our house. I have a small wine rack which holds a dozen bottle of asst. wines. Reds, Whites, Sparking etc. I'd love to add your book to my home library to start my collection of wine stories.
ReplyDeleteYour wine rack sounds fabulous, Nora, and full of a wonderful assortment. And thank you! A collection of wine stories is such a fun idea!
DeleteIt would be a good one, along with mysteries by Nadine Netman and Ellen Crosby. Reply with your email address for a chance to win!
DeleteSo glad you mentioned Nadine, Leslie! Her sommelier series is fantastic and would definitely make a great addition!
DeleteI enjoy reading the recipes included in cozies, watching cooking shows and reading cookbooks where I learn of flavor combinations that I never thought of.
ReplyDeletejtcgc at yahoo dot com
I love cooking shows and cookbooks for the same reason--always fun to learn about a new ingredient or flavor combination!
DeleteI follow a recipe, although I often adjust it when I need to, like to make it gluten free. Thanks for a chance to win! ljbonkoski@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteTotally get that, Lori! My husband doesn't do dairy or cheese, and now with a toddler at home, recipes sometimes need a few of adjustments to work for us :-)
DeleteI sometimes add different things or maybe take something out of a recipe. Your recipe looks great! tWarner419(at)aol(dot)com
ReplyDeleteTweaking recipes like this is a popular trend, which makes sense, but glad to see I'm not alone! And thank you :-)
DeleteI follow the recipe this one sounds delicious. The book sounds interesting and fun to read. Thank you for the chance
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your kind words, Donamae! :-)
DeleteRecipe sounds yummy! I would love to read Killer Chardonnay! Thanks for the chance! almaj80(at)suddenlink(dot)net
ReplyDeleteThank you!! Best of luck with the giveaway!
DeleteNo way would I try to come up with my own recipe! Even to change a recipe is rare for me. I didn't cook at home (mother did teach me to read a recipe and to bake). So when I got married, I cooked from recipes. I did turn out to be a pretty good cook, but not an original one. 😀
ReplyDeletedonna (dot) durnell (at) sbcglobal (dot) net
Ooh, interesting!! Donna, something tells me you have a fantastic collection of recipes! :-)
DeleteI pretty much follow recipes unless it has something in it that I can't or won't eat. Then, I will omit or substitute. My son. on the other hand, makes up as he goes. And, it always tastes great.
ReplyDeletelkish77123 at gmail dot com
So fun that your son is so creative and skilled in the kitchen, Linda! :-)
DeleteWelcome, Kate. I hope you do "killer" sales with this book. Sounds fun. Leslie, your quote was fabulous. ~ Daryl
ReplyDeleteHa, thanks so much, Daryl!! It really is an honor to be a guest on Mystery Lovers' Kitchen :-)
DeleteThanks, my friend!
DeleteI generally follow recipes but have improvised on some. Sometimes, with cooking enough of certain dishes, I don't need the recipe. I just whip up meals due to experience. I haven't written up recipes to give to others. bluedawn95864 at gmail dot com
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite things is when I've made a dish enough to no longer need to reference the recipe! Writing recipes for others to follow was definitely a challenge--I actually enlisted family to test out my instructions! :-)
DeleteI almost always follow a recipe the first time I cook it, and then make tweaks in future versions. My husband is always ready to make helpful suggestions as well. And sometimes I "mush" two recipes together. Congratulations on your new series! aut1063(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteThanks you, Autumn! Oh, I love mushing of two recipes, and am so glad you mentioned that!
DeleteI often use a recipe as a starting point. But some times I have an idea or certain ingredients and create from there.
ReplyDeleteI had a brain storm in college during a boring class and made up dinner in my mind. Turned out delicious.
libbydodd at comcast dot net
Libby, I love that you daydreamed an entire dinner, and that it turned out!! Bravo!
DeleteI follow recipes or may try to duplicate a dish I have had at. Restaurant.
ReplyDeleteThat recipe sounds just as good as your book - trwilliams69(at)msn(dot)com
ReplyDeleteKate, your book sounds as tasty as the recipe! Since my mother taught me to cook when I was 9 or 10 I'm a constant tweaker, tasting as I go. I add or omit ingredients depending on our taste buds and what's available in the kitchen. lola777_22 at hotmail dot com.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lynn! I learned to cook at around the same age! Happy to meet a fellow tweaker :-)
DeleteMy best dishes are given birth by devising a plan in advance and then tweaking a bit...here and there, as I create. If I use a recipe, I generally do a bit of customizing to my family's and my tastes... Excited to read your book. Thank you for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much!! Love that approach to cooking...even the best-planned dishes often involve tiny adjustments along the way!
DeleteWelcome to the blog, Kate! This looks so yummy.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Edith!! Thrilled to be here! :-)
DeleteThis recipe looks heavenly! And congrats on the new book--and series! Yippee! Thanks so much for coming to our kitchen today, Kate!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Leslie!! And seriously, I'm so happy--and honored--to be a guest on the blog today!
DeleteI'm not talented enough to make up my own recipes, but I do makes changes to recipes to suit my tastes. catwoman-1(at)comcast(dot)net
ReplyDeleteI guess that I usually dream up a dish before devising a recipe.
ReplyDeleteNancy
allibrary (at) aol (dot) com
Not much of a cook. cheetahthecat1986ATgmailDOTcom
ReplyDeleteI always love finding a new author and reading a new series!
ReplyDeleteThis recipe sounds great and so does the book! Legallyblonde1961@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteMy husband is the inventive chef of our family; and, I'm a by the book type of girl. However, I love cheeses & created an American Blue Monster Grilled Cheese Sandwich using 3 or my favorite cheeses. (American, Blue & Muenster) And, congratulations on this, your first book, Killer Chardonnay! betsypz(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteOh, I would eat that in a heartbeat!
DeleteThank you, Betsy! And oh my gosh, your grilled cheese sandwich sounds absolutely incredible. I'm with Leslie, I'd eat that in a heartbeat!
DeleteHi Kate,
ReplyDeleteI used to live near Denver , many years ago. Being from PA it surprised me that it could snow in February morning then melt and I get sunburn in the afternoon. I remember seeing fields of prairie dogs. It was such a sight.
kimberlysfb@gmail.com
Hi Kim! Oh yes, the weather changes are definitely wild! It's almost as if we can experience all four seasons on any given day, lol.
DeleteThe recipe sounds yummy. I generally follow the recipe the first time, then may make my changes, I would love to read your book.
ReplyDeletekaye.killgore(at)comcast(dot)net
I don't feel comfortable enough as a cook to devise my own recipes. I'm more likely to start with someone else's recipe & add or take out something that I thought I'd like better.
ReplyDeleteturtle6422 at gmail dot com
And that is a great way to make a recipe your own!
DeleteYes!! What Leslie said!
DeleteI start with a recipe and then make it healthier wherever possible. I reduce the sugar, add whole grains, change out bad fats with good fats, etc. At times, family members claim to like my version better!
ReplyDeleteLisacobblestone(at)aol(dot)com
Lisa, that's my favorite way to tweak recipes!! I don't know about you, but it often seems like adding citrus or swapping avocados for their creamy alternative help make a recipe healthier--and equally as tasty :-)
DeleteSounds like an interesting book. Thanks for the recipe.
ReplyDeletedoward1952(at)yahoo(dot)com
This looks so good but what a pain it is to work with mangoes! I tend to follow a recipe but will make subsitutions if I don’t have all the ingredients. Congratulations on your book being out!
ReplyDeletepatdupuy@yahoo.com
Thanks, Pat! Totally hear ya on mangoes! They can be a pain to work with. In case it helps, I found that frozen, prepared mangoes work just as well in this recipe, and, while I haven't tried it, I bet peaches would be a great substitute ;-)
DeleteLooking forward to reading "Killer Chardonnay". I usually follow a recipe. I don't cook enough to make up my own recipes.
ReplyDeletediannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com
Looking forward to reading this book! I tried to make up my own recipes but most of the time they were awful! I now tweak recipes to make them my own!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds delicious! Thank you for your giveaway! shirweed1957@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteMy recipes mostly all come from books but sometimes I revise them a little bit here and there. I’d love to read your book, thanks for the chance!
ReplyDeletemeeshpsych@aol.com
I cook a lot of recipes that my Momma and Grandmomma cooked, but I love trying new recipes and I cook many from books, too. This one sounds delicious! Thanks for the chance to win your book!
ReplyDeleteJamie, recipes passed down through generations are the best! Love keeping traditions going.
DeleteBook and recipe bot look good. Can't wait to read the book and try the recipe. And meeting a new author is always such a treat. My son is going to pick up a couple of the ingredients for the recipe today so we can give it a try. I usually do a recipe as written the first time. Then experiment with it some in the future. We love shrimp. And this recipe as all the ingredients we love. So looking forward to trying it. And hope that a win will let me read the book sooner. Rather than later. Thank you for both. bessdeepotter84 at gmail dot com
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, and really hope you enjoy the dish!!
DeleteI love trying new recipes and your book looks like a terrific read. Thanks for your great generosity. lindamay4852@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteI follow recipes unless it's something I've been making a long time. I like finding new recipes to try.
ReplyDeleteclugston.kathy@yahoo.com
This looks yummy! I tend to follow recipes especially with baking. My email is booksnpugs(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI’m a recipe follower! I tend NOT to experiment; my husband is the creative one in that department. Thanks for this opportunity.
ReplyDeleteDm _ Richards (at) yahoo (dot) com
I am not a good cook so no improvising for me! lindaherold999@gmail.com
ReplyDelete