A couple years ago I downloaded the first book in the Alvarez Family Murder Mystery series by Heather Haven and loved it. I purchased another two books in the series but they somehow got buried in my long list of to-read Kindle books and I never got around to reading them. By chance, I ended up sitting at dinner with Heather at the Left Coast Crime banquet in Phoenix this past February. As soon as I heard what she authored, I remembered how much I enjoyed her book and vowed to read more. Once I returned home from Phoenix, I started reading DEAD….IF ONLY, and immediately lost myself in this story that kept me on the edge of my seat.
Synopsis
With a black belt in karate, Lee Alvarez is the in-house Private Investigator for her family’s company, Discretionary Inquiries, in California’s Silicon Valley. Her impeccably dressed and well-mannered mother is the CEO while her brother, Richard, is the techie. Richard’s pregnant wife, Vicki, is opening a new branch of her hat shop in New Orleans and except for Lee, the family has joined her for the grand opening. While trying, unsuccessfully, to enjoy the Calistoga mud baths, Lee receives frantic texts and phones calls from her brother telling her that Vicki will be arrested for murder.
The police would rather not look for any other suspects so Lee goes to New Orleans to clear her sister-in-law’s name. Once she arrives, Lee is faced with tracing the history of a brutal man declared dead ten years previously, who Vicki swears she saw roaming the streets of New Orleans. Vicki has reasons for wanting to make sure this man is dead for good and the police use that against her. Lee’s search intertwines with a decade old incident involving her now deceased father and corruption in the New Orleans police department. She doesn’t know who she can trust and when her questions hit home, her life is put into danger. A warning, in the form of a voodoo doll, makes her realize she needs to step up her game before it’s too late.
My Review
The Alvarez Family Murder Mystery series has a lot of action and at times is a bit dark, but it is interspersed with humor that had me laughing out loud on several occasions. Being a black belt in karate and a career private investigator, Lee isn’t your typical amateur. She knows how to do her job and while she takes risks, she’s confident of her skill to see her through…although her family often thinks her risks are too dangerous. Lee is highly loyal and the family motto is Honor Above All, which shows in how she views her cases. The close-knit Alvarez family has a unique dynamic that adds interest. Lee is just the opposite of her prim, properly dressed mother who doesn’t quite understand her daughter, and it adds levity to the book. But the humor does not detract from the well plotted mystery that kept me turning pages late into the night to see “what happens.” The story pulls you in with its twists and turns and keeps you on the edge of your seat! I am looking forward to catching up and reading all the books in this series!
While Heather’s books don’t contain recipes, Lee’s uncle is a master chef and Heather was gracious enough to share one of his specialties: Flan de Naranja, aka Orange Flan. Oh my goodness…this is the epitome of decadence! Silky orange and vanilla scented custard that’s been spiked with orange liqueur and then garnished with candied orange peel. Tio’s Flan de Naranja is worthy of any special occasion, but be warned, you’re going to need to provide extra candied orange peel for your guests to take home along with the recipe for this Orange Flan. Thank you, Heather, for allowing me to share!
A very special thank you to Heather for providing 1 print copy AND 1 e-book copy of DEAD….IF ONLY! (Print copy for U.S. residents only.) Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest ends Monday, June 20, 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!)
Tío’s Flan de Naranja
(Orange Flan)
Lee Alvarez, protagonist of the Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries by Heather Haven, shares one of her uncle’s recipes:
I don’t mean to brag, but as the central character of the humorous Alvarez Family Murder Mystery Series, I get to eat a lot of terrific food. That’s because my uncle, better known as Tío, is the retired head chef of the world famous ‘Las Mananita’s’ Restaurant in San Jose, California. During his illustrious career, his recipes were often written up in gourmet food magazines. They’d throw in a few pics, too, as Tío is one elegant and classy-looking man. I have all the articles and pictures in a scrapbook I started in my early teens. That was before my PI days. I don’t have time to make scrapbooks anymore – too busy chasing bad guys over rooftops – but I always seem to find time to sit down at the dinner table and scarf down one of his culinary masterpieces.
Tío’s desserts undo me. While he’s creating a recipe, he makes it again and again until it reaches his idea of perfection. Meanwhile, lucky me gets to gobble up every version, as he strives for the ultimate. When Tío was working on his homemade mango and red plum ice cream garnished with fresh spearmint leaves, I must have gained six pounds. Worth every ounce.
Don’t ever tell him, but my favorite is his Flan de Naranja. His flan has gone down in song and legend. Tío even picks the oranges himself from our backyard and candies only the best. All I have to say is Olé!
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
5 egg yolks
1 cup white sugar
3 cups heavy cream
1 cup half-and-half cream
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 orange peel
1/2 fluid ounce orange liqueur (I used Grand Marnier)
2 ounces candied orange peel, grated
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). (If you use smaller ramekins, decrease the heat to 325 degrees.)
In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks.
Beat in sugar until smooth. Set aside.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine cream, half-and-half, the vanilla bean and its scrapings, and the peel of one orange.
Heat until bubbles form at edges of liquid, reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
Remove orange peel and vanilla bean.
Allow cream mixture to cool for 10 minutes then beat into egg mixture, a little at a time, until all is incorporated. Be sure to whisk constantly so the eggs don’t scramble.
Stir in orange liqueur. Pour into 4 to 6 individual custard cups.
Line a roasting pan with a damp kitchen towel. Place cups on towel, inside roasting pan, and place roasting pan on oven rack.
Fill roasting pan with boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the cups.
Bake in preheated oven 45 to 60 minutes, until set. The center should still be a bit jiggly and if you have an instant read thermometer, the internal temperature should read 170 to 175 degrees (F).
Let cool completely. Sprinkle candied orange peel on top of each cup before serving. Yum!
My Note: While Flan de Naranja is incredibly delicious on it’s own, the candied orange peel elevates the dessert! And trust me, this candied peel is yummy enough to eat long after the Flan is gone! My leftovers ended up in my husband’s office for him to snack on… not sure how I lost out 🙂
Tío’s Candied Orange Peel
Ingredients
6 thick-skinned Valencia or navel oranges*
4 1/2 cups sugar, plus extra for rolling*
1 1/2 cups water*
Great Latin music. (As Tío lets me help with the candying, I like to listen to Latin music while we work. Sets a mood.)
Instructions
Cut tops and bottoms off of the orange and score the orange into quarters, cutting down only into the peel and not into the fruit. Don’t cut yourself.
Peel the skin and pith of the orange in large pieces, use the orange for another recipe.
Cut the peel into strips about 1/4-inch wide.
Put the orange peel in a large saucepan with cold water to cover, bring to a boil over high heat. Pour off the water. Repeat 1 or 2 more times depending up how assertive you want the orange peels to be. Tío likes his peel assertive, so he only does it once.
Remove the orange peels from the pan.
Whisk the sugar with 1 1/2 cups water.
(Put on another CD. I like some disco at this point, but that’s me.)
Bring sugar water to a simmer and cook for 8 to 9 minutes.
Add the peels and simmer gently, reducing heat to retain a simmer. Sing along with the music. Helps to pass the time.
Cook until the peels get translucent, about 45 minutes. Resist the urge to stir the peels or you may introduce sugar crystals into the syrup. If necessary, swirl the pan to move the peels around.
Drain the peels and cool for several seconds.
Roll the peels in sugar and dry on a rack, for 4 to 5 hours. Return to the sugar to store, unless you’ve eaten them all. In that case, back to square one. Been there, done that.
* I cut the recipe down to 2 oranges and used the following ingredients:
2 oranges
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
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E-book would be great! I don’t think I’ve ever had flan but this sounds pretty good!
The whole post is delicious and the flan looks amazing! I cringe at the amount of heavy cream only because I have to acknowledge it when I cook. I can gloss over why a flan is so creamy if I get it at a restaurant!
Susan, I agree with you…when I cook something so rich I generally am careful about controlling the portion I eat, but in a restaurant I can blissfully ignore the whole calorie thing 🙂
I prefer print copy, but, I do read a lot on my Kindle. 🙂 Also, that flan looks so yummy!
I would choose print first, followed by the e-copy. Thanks for the intro to a new to me author and the chance to win!
I agree that the flan looks absolutely amazing. Either an e-book or a print book is all right with me ~ Thanks for the great post and review!
This sounds really tasty. I may have to rethink the Father’s Day dessert!
Print copy, please. That looks like a great variation on the usual flan.
I love this series and I can’t wait for the next book – coming up soon. I never cook anything that requires more than 4 ingredients but I’m happy to taste test for you any time, Heather.
I wish you lived closer to me…I’m always looking for taste testers 🙂
Where are you, Kim? Maybe I could be a tester. Yum!
I still love the “print copy” books. The eBook versions are easy to store, and I can get so, so many for a great price, but the actually reading the print book, holding it, physically turning the pages…that’s heaven.
My would prefer a paper copy please.
I was so busy sending this blogsite out to the world, I forgot to comment! Thank you so much for having me on you blog today. I just love everything about this site. It even has a how-to video on making the recipes. That is sooooo cool. Thanks again. I am a true fan of Cinnamon and Sugar and a Little Bit of Murder!
You are so very kind, Heather! It is my pleasure hosting your book and recipe on my site…I adored both! I live in Orange County, CA in case you’re close enough to taste test 🙂
We are heading down to LA the middle of July. Maybe we can meet up for coffee!
Definitely prefer a paper copy. Have to have the book in my hands….I’m just olf fashioned that way. Excited to try a new author!! Thank you for the chance 🙂
I prefer print books, although I do have a Kindle Fire. Thanks for the delicious looking recipe and also for including information of on Heather Heaven’s book Dead…If Only. I have never read any of her books and am sure I will be looking into her books now. [email protected]
Print copy – that’s how I read! I’d love to taste the flan if someone else would make it.
This book sounds great. Thanks for the recipe and the chance.
I prefer a print copy. I have never had Flan, but this recipe looks amazing.
I prefer an e-book copy.
I would love a print copy of DEAD…IF ONLY. Thank you for the chance to win one.
I prefer an ebook. And may I say, I hate it when you discover you have great books waiting on your Kindle and it too so long to get to them. 🙂
How strange. I know I posted a comment yesterday. I was the first comment, in fact.
But I don’t see it.
I said that this is temptingly delicious enough that I may need to change my plans for Father’s Day.
Elizabeth, that is strange! I looked and your comment from yesterday is now 7th from the top…. thanks for dropping by and commenting again!
I would love a print copy. Thanks for the recipe.
I’d be happy with either the kindle version or the hard copy of the book, so thanks for the opportunity to possibly be a winner of either!
I had to smile at the candied orange peel. Made it years and years ago when my kids were young, then forgot about it till a few months ago. I’ve made myself a couple of small batches since then just to munching on. Love oranges and the peel!!
Thanks Kim for the intro & review of a new-to-me author & series! Flan on the other hand has always been one of my favorite desserts.
oops! I can’t remember anything today! Print copy please.
I’m picked would like a print copy. Thank you for a chance to get a copy. Haven’t tried Orange Flan before so will have to give it a try. Been a while since I have candied anything. Used to regularly for making fruit cakes. Most of my family loved fruit cakes. But they are all gone now. So I don’t make it anymore. But this kind of puts me in the mood. Right time of the year. Will have plenty of time to ‘season’ in the brandy or rum. Thanks for the recipe
I’d love to have a print copy. Thank you!
I would be happy to have a print copy or ebook copy. Thank you!
I prefer an autographed print copy. They are my treasures. When I win the print copy I go and buy the eBook copy so I can read the book. That’s great for me and the author. Thank you for this chance!!! ??
I have never tasted flan, but I used to work for a lady that had it every once in a while for dessert. E book or print, I an not picky.
My preference is a print copy.
Mmm…., this flanary looks delicious. I don’t do the cooking any more, but maybe I can try this.
arrrghhh – auto correct **flan
🙂 I knew what you meant!
I prefer print. Sounds so good.
I prefer e-copy, but print is good too!
Last day! And lots of people interested in either the e- or print book! Hurrah!
I prefer print, but I do have an E-Reader. This recipe sounds yummy! Thanks for the chance!
Thank you for posting this recipe! My 14 year old son and a class mate made this recipe tonight to bring to their Spanish class for tomorrow in regards to a project. I had to help a bit as it isn’t a regular easy-recipe, but it looks so delicious! We tasted the filling before baking and also a tiny bit from a knife that we inserted into the middle of it to check if it was done. The flavor and texture seems wonderful!!! We used a 9×9 glass pan inside a water filled 9×13 pan, and since the boys mis-read and thought the temperature was to be 325 (which is suggested only for the tiny custard cups, otherwise 350) it actually took 2 hours to finish. But it does look fabulous! We used an orange juice based caramel base inside of the pan before we added the filling, and skipped the caramelized orange peel because of time limits. I will definitely make this for our family sometime. Printing out the recipe. 😉 Thanks again!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe and your orange juice based caramel base sounds amazing! I’ll have to give that a try!
WOW!! This recipe is definitely a keeper! My son came home from school with leftovers because some students were afraid to try it, since it looks different from desserts that they’re used to. The liquid caramel sauce on the bottom of the pan looked weird to them. Well, that certainly is their loss, what a crying shame to not even try it! All those who did try it thought it was amazing, and several wanted seconds. The teacher was familiar with flan and complimented them on a job very well done, perfect consistency and flavor. With leftovers, I got to try it too!! So smooth and delicate, amazing flavor, definitely not something you could get from a box! A family member from Dominican Republic, who is used to making flan, said to check for doneness by inserting a knife into the center; it should come out clean, although some of the top may cling. Also not to over bake, and that it will look like it’s not done but it is if the knife comes out clean. That worked perfectly for us.
The caramel sauce that we added made it extremely sweet, so I would say to either skip this part or to use only a little bit of it. The flan in itself is definitely more than sufficient as a stand-alone, no sauce needed. Next time I might just do what you did and make the orange peel garnish instead, if I have the time. You get a 5 STAR from me for this outstanding recipe!! Say hi to your uncle and tell him how much we loved it!
Terese, I am beyond happy that it was so successful for your son and friend!!! And I agree, what a shame that some students wouldn’t try something that was different… they truly will miss out in life with that outlook. I will certainly pass your message on to the author and now feel the need to go make some Flan de Naranja for myself 🙂