August's Lagniappe

[lan'yap: Cajun-French for a little something extra]

It’s been hotter than a barrel of firecrackers in Texas this summer. But it’s never too hot for heat-lovin’ chile-heads to reach for their favorite treats.

Ruby Wilcox’s Hot Lips Cookie Crisps
This recipe is from China’s seventh mystery, Chile Death. Readers ask for it more often than any other in the series. Great for parties, but you might want to post a warning. These cookies are not as innocent as they look!

1 cup soft shortening
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup finely chopped cashews
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon habanero powder (more, if you dare. Not sure about habaneros?)

Cream butter and sugar. Add the vanilla and eggs and mix well. Mix the dry ingredients with the nuts and stir into the creamed mixture. Roll out like a log, about 2″ in diameter. Chill. Slice and bake in a 325° F oven until golden, about 10-12 minutes.

You’ll find a Texas chili recipe here, plus questions on Chile Death for your reading group.

Many thanks to those who participated on this week’s discussion of place! It’s always a pleasure to hear from you, so please stay in touch. I’ll be back on Monday (Labor Day) with the September issue of All About Thyme, a spinoff newsletter of the China Bayles mysteries.