Crunch Time
A Novel of Suspense
by Diane Mott Davidson
Mem. Ed. $15.99
Pub. Ed. $26.99
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Bonus Content
Crunch Time
Puerco Cubano
Serves 4-6.
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter
1 pound ground pork 2 tablespoons freshly minced or crushed garlic
2 tsp demi-glace de poulet or demi-glace de veau (chicken or veal demi-glace)
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp (more) granulated sugar
2 cups fresh orange juice
¼ cup fresh or organic, not-from-concentrate lime juice
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
In a large (12-inch) nonstick sauté pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the pork and the garlic, and cook, stirring and breaking up the pork, until the meat is just cooked. Add the demi-glace and stir well.
Add the flour, oregano, and pepper, and cook, stirring, until the flour is cooked and the mixture bubbles.
Stir in the juices and sugar and raise the heat to medium. Stir constantly until the mixture bubbles and is thickened. Taste and correct the seasoning.
Spoon the pork onto a large platter and sprinkle with the chopped cilantro. This dish goes well with hot cooked rice. Serve immediately.
—from Crunch Time
Crunch Time
When it’s down to the wire in the catering business, a little improvising can save the day. In the latest culinary mystery from Diane Mott Davidson, Goldy Schulz meets a deadlier kind of crunch time when trouble stalks longtime friend and fellow chef, Yolanda Garcia.
After the rental house they shared was destroyed by arson, Yolanda and her irrepressible aunt, Ferdinanda, moved in with cop-turned-P.I. Ernest McLeod. Now Ernest has been shot dead, and Yolanda’s in a crunch. So Goldy does what any good friend would do: She invites them to stay with her while her husband, Tom, a private investigator, works the case.
But that’s not the end of the matter. When Ernest’s house is torched, nearly killing Goldy, Yolanda, Ferdinanda and nine young beagles Ernest rescued from a puppy mill—and destroying a mysterious hoard of cash under her bed—Yolanda’s a wreck. Ernest’s clients scare her as much as her stalker ex-boyfriend, Kris. Could the perp be one of them?
Yet even Goldy’s house isn't safe. After a failed break-in by an unknown intruder, Goldy steps into the investigation, because whoever’s after her friend is closing in, and Goldy will have to move fast to put the crunch on the killer. Recipes.
Hardcover : 480 pages
Publisher: Morrow ( April 05, 2011 )
Item #: 13-334066
ISBN: 9780061348150
Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 8.25 x 1.062inches
Product Weight: 16.0 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
boring 
March 05, 2012
I have read all the Goldy books and loved them but this one I can't seem to get thru it. I have actually stopped reading it half way into it.
Reviewer: Mary L
Complicated but good
October 26, 2011
This book had a lot of various plots going on at the same time, but I still loved it. Goldy is still the best and Diane Mott Davidson writes one of the best series of this type.
Reviewer: Maggie
Fair, but too long
August 29, 2011
I love Goldy, but wish the author had kept to the basics: we love the recipes, the core characters and bit of ditz along the way. There was such an overly complicated plot that I lost sight of what was going on and did not find myself searching for the recipes, as I usually do. I did not find it as bad as some of the reviewers have said, but it DID seem to go on and on.
Reviewer: Barbara
Worst Goldy book ever!!!!
June 21, 2011
I used to love this series! I have read every single book thus far. So when I heard about Crunch Time, I was excited since it's been a while since the last one! I can truly say with great sadness that this was one of the worst books I've ever read!
It was way too long. If the books are going to become longer, I'm going to need a better plot with better characters!
Speaking of plot, there wasn't one. There were so many people and so much going on, I had a hard time keeping track of all of it. I would have normally finished a Goldy book in a week- this one took me almost three! I had to force myself to finish it...
Needless to say this book was a hot piping piece of mess....
Reviewer: syretta
Disappointing
May 14, 2011
I love Goldy Schulz. Goldy and Tom's relationship reminds me of an episode of "I LOve Lucy" with Goldy getting into trouble and the Desi character, Tom, getting her out. In other words, just fun.
In this one though there are many troubles. One is that it is too long. Two, the plot is very confused with too many cases going on at once. There are puppy mills, stalking, stolen jewelry, an affair, a murder, unexpected wealth and trespassing all going on at once. It was confusing. The third problem is that I didn't like the characters. The story centers around Yolanda who is not likable. She whines, lies, and is generally unpleasant. She has a spat with a priest that makes no sense at all. Her Aunt Ferninanda is equally unpleasant. She takes out a cop's knees with a baton. The injury is serious enough to go to the hospital but everyone seems to laugh it off. Other absurdities occur with this character but I don't want to spoil it for you.
I love this series and consider the author the best of the culinary authors but this book was just a mess.
Reviewer: Susan J
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