I have eagerly been waiting for the release of CAUGHT BREAD HANDED, the newest installment in the Bakeshop Mystery series by Ellie Alexander! The last book in her series introduced Juliet Montague Capshaw’s (aka Jules) estranged husband, Carlos, and I wanted to know more about him. If you are new to this series you might be wondering about Jules’ name. Yes, she was named after THAT famous Juliet because her parents were into Shakespeare and opened their bakeshop, Torte, in Ashland which is home to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. A great setting with a terrific story!
Synopsis
CAUGHT BREAD HANDED picks up with Carlos, a very talented chef, who is in Ashland for three more days before he has to leave for his cruise ship job. He desperately wants to make his marriage work and Jules feels like she might be ready to move beyond what she considered his betrayal. However, instead of spending as much time together as they’d like, Jule’s finds Mindy Nolan lying in a pool of blood. It doesn’t take long for the police to find out she was murdered and Jules is caught up in the investigation. She just can’t seem to keep herself from asking questions.
Mindy was a real estate developer and had recently taken over Alan Matterson’s jester-themed restaurant. She angered the other business owners by turning it into a garish fast food joint, going against the Shakespearean themed shops and buildings. Alan was also livid after losing his restaurant and blamed Mindy for it. Town gossip has it that there were numerous people Mindy crossed and it doesn’t help that her cook has a mysterious unsavory past. Can Jules learn to mind her own business or will her snooping put her in danger again? Will she find time to resolve her relationship with Carlos or will he sail off into the sunset without her?
My Review
CAUGHT BREAD HANDED was a very enjoyable read. It is much more character driven than preceding books and I truly loved having Carlos involved in the story. He adds a depth to Jules that seems to have been missing in the earlier books in this series (or else I’m just totally crushing on him 🙂 ) There has always been a very strong food theme in Ellie’s books, but her descriptions of preparing and eating are almost poetical with Carlos on the scene, which brings a much stronger connection. I have always held the belief that food and emotions are intricately connected and the author definitely captures that in this book. The mystery is satisfying with twists and turns to the plot and the subplots of Jules’ mother and the Professor’s relationship along with Jules and Carlos were woven into the mystery nicely without being distracting.
Ellie also provides several amazing recipes at the back of the her book. It was very difficult for me to choose which one to showcase with my review but in the end, Chocolate Molasses Crinkles won out. I’m a huge fan of ginger crinkles with all their warm spices. I never would have thought to add chocolate to spiced cookies but oh my, it’s a party in your mouth! The author adds very generous amounts of spices to a chewy cookie base and then loads up on chocolate chips. As soon as the Chocolate Molasses Crinkles come out of the oven, they are dipped in granulated sugar, giving them a festive, sparkling appearance with some added crunch. These will definitely be making an appearance in my annual Christmas goodie bags! Thank you, Ellie, for allowing me to share these incredibly yummy cookies!
A very special thank you to Ellie Alexander for providing an autographed copy of CAUGHT BREAD HANDED! (U.S. residents only.) Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest ends Monday, July 18, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. Winners will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)
Chocolate Molasses Crinkles
Ingredients
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 12-ounce package chocolate chips
1/2 cup granulated sugar in extra bowl
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cream butter, sugar, and molasses together.
Beat in the egg.
Slowly incorporate dry ingredients and spices.
Once batter is firm, add chocolate chips and chill in the refrigerator for one hour.
Spoon batter into 1-inch balls and bake for 15 minutes.
Immediately roll in granulated sugar when cookies are hot from the oven.
Set on a wire rack to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 days.
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I was provided a copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I mostly bake everything myself. If I don’t have time then I get something at the bakery in my grocery store. They have a lot of very good baked goods.
No favorite bakery. Baked treats myself.
I use a bakery I don’t bake.
I do not bake.
I used to have a favorite bakery, but sadly they closed down…Creative Cakes made my wedding cake, but they also specialized in tarts, cupcakes, and sweet rolls. They were the perfect place for a special dessert need, but also a “I need something sweet” with one’s morning coffee.
I used to bake a lot myself, too. My specialties were orange sweet rolls, raspberry scones, and bagels.
I bake almost everything myself. Although once in a great while when I need dessert for several people with a variety of food allergies I’ll visit a bakery called Sensitive Sweets which sells allergy-free baked goods.
I usually do my baking but for a really special occasion I will purchase a Cannoli Cake.
I bake things myself, or buy them at fundraising bake sales
I no longer bake, but my husband occasionally does!
Not that many bakeries around anymore. Donut shops don’t count. So I usually bake myself.
I mostly bake everything myself. 🙂
The closest bakery is 40 miles away, so I bake most things myself.
About half and half — I buy, but I also bake. Thanks!
I love baking, especially different cookie recipes!
I don’t really have a favorite bakery…they are all my favorites, LOL. I have to say that two main grocery stores around here have excellent bakeries, one has a cookie and cream cake that is fantastic, the other has wonderful cupcakes when I don’t feel like baking.
I bake everything from scratch
We don’t really have a bakery in the sense of a free-standing bakery in our town. The bakeries that exist in our town are those in side a grocery store or Walmart. Mostly generic items. I do bake some but our family is very conscious of calories so we opt for fruit instead. robeader53@yahoo.com
I love to bake, but for convenience, I have a favorite bakery~
I love baking!
Where we live the only bakery is in our Publix food store. I bake most everything myself except my husband is a pie expert especially pumpkin and apple!
Mainly bake my self. Unless short on time. then we use the bakery. We have 3 really good ones. Depends on what we want. Each has it’s specialty. So it depends. We love any cookie made with molasses and spices. Have 8 so far. If this goes over well. It will be #9 Will have to do this one soon. Just used the last of the cloves last week. I will be making one change however. Do not like the ‘feel’ of granulated sugar on the outside of things. so I will be using powdered sugar. AND this recipe has chocolate chips. That will send my son into orbit. He is a big fan of anything with chocolate chips in it. thanks for the recipe. And a chance at the book
Dessert Deli in Williamsville, NY (northern suburban Buffalo).. They are awesome! But for everyday cookies, cake bars, etc.–I use recipes that I have gathered from magazines, websites, old cookbook, etc. I enjoy molasses cookies very much so I’ll have to write this one down; I still use “old-fashioned” 3X5 index cards… Thanks for the recipe and chance to win the book!
I like baking around Thanksgiving and Christmas time with the girls but when were out I go to a bakery. Love home made. It’s hard to find a bakery shop that does homemade breads.
Penney
I’m lucky that we have a really great bakery not too far from the house and they have the best cinnamon bread. However, I do bake cookies and brownies once in a while.18
I bake everything myself. Cakes, pies, cookies and bread
I bake some but living alone try not to do it to often. When I go to my hometown Napa, Ca there’s a bakery that we all went at noon time when I was in high school.I graduated in 1952 and it’s still there. Many of my son’s birthday cakes where from there. It never changes.
I bake often but definitely love a good bakery. There is an old-fashioned hometown bakery that I love right near my home.
We don’t have a bakery in our town, just the ones in the grocery stores. So I tend to bake my own. Thanks for the recipe! I have everything to try it.
Sadly I am not good in a kitchen! I have to go buy my treats!
I love to bake cookies, all year round.
I bake cookies myself but if I go in for a more involved recipe I use a bakery and we have a good one here owned privately. The Book looks great. Thank you for the contest.
Marilyn ewatvess@yahoo.com
I usually bake. I love to make Berry Cobbler like my mom made. .
We don’t have a bakery near by so I bake myself.
I bake with assistance. If no one is available to help, we frequent a local bakery named Doughs Guys. My husband often stops there late in the afternoon when everything is 50% off.
I love to bake, and love a good cozy mystery, too. Excited to find your blog.
I have a 40 year old oven that doesn’t work that well so I don’t bake unless it fits in my toaster oven. I do have a wonderful bakery I go to in southern NH. The pastry chef that started the business taught at the Culinary Institute of America in upstate NY before he moved to NH.
I’ve baked chocolate crinkles and they were a huge hit. These should be, also! I will love reading your book, I”m sure.
I like to bake on occasion but it’s fun to go to the local bakeshop, Bing’s Bakery and purchase petit fours (they are my favorite).
I bake to relax sometimes. It helps me clear my mind. Great recipe!
thanks for the chance
I love to bake!! Going to have to try this recipe. Sounds delish!!
I like to bake myself.
Where I live we have no stand alone bakeries , only food store bakeries. So I bake my own cookies and cakes (food store cake with icing start at $15 :(.
I baked most things myself. Occasionally, I will splurge at the Cupcake shop or by cookies at the upscale grocery store’s bakery department.
There’s no bakery in town. I have to settle for the one in the local store.
Want to read this series
I like cannolis, but haven’t found them here in Louisiana yet. If anyone knows of a bakery here where I can find them, please let me know!
I love to bake, but I occasionally buy from a local cupcake shop or bakery.
We have a favorite bakery but I do bake most items myself.
My favorite bakery is still my mom! There are some bakeries here in town that I haven’t visited yet since I moved here. It’s on my to-do list. 🙂
I bake at home…occasionally get something from the local bakery……..this book series looks great!
We don’t really have bakeries around here. I just get things at the market in the bakery section occasionally.
There is a Polish restaurant not far from my house and I stop by sometimes to pick up cookies. Makes me think of my grandmother. Generally, I bake everything at home using recipes from blogs like this one and Pinterest.
There is no bakery in town anymore there are only bakeries in stores and I don’t usually like those so my husband is the cook. We live in a rural area here in eastern Iowa although I came here 13 years ago when I left Calif there were many bakeries and I was one who used to stop and get my grandma a loaf of cinnamon bread as she just loved it. My husband recent bake was last night he had picked up some peaches from a farm in town and so he made a wonderful peach pie. He says he doesn;t like sweets although a friend picked me up zuchini bread and i offered him the loaf as it was dry and he took the whole thing and put it in his truck !
I don’t usually go to a bakery, but I like getting sweet treats from local grocery stores. These cookies look tasty!
I bake quite a bit myself but i do have a fave bakery that makes the most delish cupcakes you have ever tasted!!
Love baking mysteries