Learning To Cook
Kathleen Delaney, author of And Murder for Dessert and other books, retired from real estate to pursue writing full time. Her long time love of small towns sent her looking through the Carolinaās for a new place to settle, Gaffney. Limestone College, a delightful historic district, and great library immediately drew her in. She lives in a wonderful 100 year old house, with a wrap around front porch, where she and her dogs can wile away a summer afternoon, and a big office, lined with bookcases, where she can spend her days writing. And, as always, reading.
Kathleenās latest mystery, Murder Half Baked, is hot off the presses. She has returned today to talk about how food snuck into her books.
I was married when I was seventeen and couldnāt cook a lick. My mother was a good cook, but a rotten teacher. It was faster, and easier, for her to do it all herself, and that had, up to that time, been fine with me.
Only, now I needed to learn, in a hurry. Some very far-sighted person had given me a Betty Crocker cookbook as a wedding present and, over the next few years, I almost wore it out. Four kids and lots of disasters later, I smugly thought I, also, was a pretty good cook.
Then we went to France. And on to Italy. Not only was the food wonderful, but they served wine with meals. Even lunch!
When we came home, I decided that, as good as Betty Crocker was, there was more to cooking than was contained in her pages. I went in search of a broader based cook book, and found Julia Childs and a new passion.
I have not, as in the movie, systematically gone through the cookbook, making one of each recipe. By that time I had five kids and six very different sets of likes and dislikes. I combed the book, looking for recipes I thought would satisfy everyone, not an easy task. I did best with desserts. Soon, I broadened my horizons with cook books from Italy, Germany, China, and a host of other countries. Some were wonderful, 
others—. We had a house on a little acreage so we also had a garden, fruit trees, a cow and some chickens. I was deep into my mother earth period. The kids were into 4H.
I no longer feed eight or more people for every meal and my cooking has changed. However, my love of it, and the satisfaction if gives me, hasnāt. Cooking, good cooking is right up there with all the other creative arts.Ā Which may be why it is featured so prominently in my books.
I didnāt mean to write what I find are called āCulinary mysteries.ā Actually, I tried to avoid that. I always assumed I had to include recipes to be in that category, and although Iāve made some tasty dishes from recipes Iāve found in mysteries, I didnāt want to do that. The food just snuck in. Maybe itās because Ellenās Aunt Mary is Santa Louisaās best cook and weāre at her house a lot, (Dying For A Change)or maybe itās because you canāt put people at aĀ county fair without including barbeque,(Give First Place to Murder) or maybe because I lived onĀ Californiaās central coast and go to know some of the wine makers and attended fabulous gourmet Dinners With The Winemaker (And Murder For Dessert) orāactually I donāt know how we ended up in the bakery in the newest one, Murder Half-Baked. Maybe itās because I still love to cook, and bake, and the most natural thing to do is include good food, and of course, wine, in my books. So, there they are. Culinary Mysteries. They always say, write about what you know, now donāt they?
June 7, 2011
Posted in: Guest Blogs
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7 Responses
A little food never hurts.
My mother was the same, and I’ll never be known for my cooking, but eating is a major part of life and fits in all kinds of books. Remember the movie Tom Jones? And look at Stephanie Plum or Spencer–you’re in good company, Kathy. Nice article.
Like you, I have always loved to cook and used to regularly feed 20 on Sunday evenings. Now I entertain in small groups, cook for visiting kids and grandkids, and experiment a lot. I always thought I’d write culinary mysteries, wanted to, but it turns out that Kelly in the forthcoming Skeleton in a Dead Space feeds her family fast food on the fly. Still, there’s a lot of food there.
If I spent as much time cooking as I do reading cookbooks, I’d be another Rachel Ray. I love mysteries where I can vicariously enjoy delightful desserts as well as solve an intriguing puzzle. MURDER HALF-BAKED is the opportunity to do both. Thanks for the fun post, Kathleen.
Sometimes I think one can start cooking too young. I got my first cookbook at age eight (which I still have lo these many years later) and began cooking on a wood stove. I’ve even cooked for a harvest crew,but now I think I’ve come full circle. Now I need to learn diabetic cooking for my husband–or else just not cook at all.
Loved your post, Kathleen, and I always enjoy a good mystery with food.
Kathleen–Fun post. Mom always allowed us to cook (and make a big mess–something my husband says I’m still adept at). Some of my teen experiments weren’t so hot–like canned tuna on pizza. But I learned that half the fun is experimenting. I’ve never met a recipe I can’t change. And I seldom make a dish with the exact same ingredients twice. If you love food, it’s likely your characters will, too. It makes them somehow seem more “real.” Enjoyed your Murder for Dessert and can’t wait to read Murder Half Baked.
And, can’t wait to read Linda’s. Some great sounding books
released this spring and summer and Leila will have them all. Thank goodness.
There is something very appealing about food-related mysteries even if you don’t try the recipes. For me, I suspect it’s just nice knowing such tasty morsels exist. Thank you for an entertaining post, Kathy
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