New Orleans! Read online

  Teddy and Nanette laughed. Virgil looked embarrassed.

  “And what about you two?” Delphine said to Alfie and Emilia.

  “They’re our friends,” Teddy told her. “Alfie and Emilia. They’re visiting their aunt in New Orleans.”

  “Well, welcome to Sleeping Waters. Have a seat.” Delphine motioned to the small wooden table in the middle of the room. She went to the stove and dropped battered pieces of meat into a cast-iron frying pan. “I remember the first time Minnie and I learned to cook with alligator tail,” she began.

  “You can fry it, grill it, put it in gumbo, jambalaya, étouffée—really anything you’re putting meat in. We made all kinds of crazy dishes just trying to get our rhythm.” Delphine laughed at the memory. After a few more minutes, she removed the fried meat from the pan and set it on a plate. She brought the plate over to the center of the table and placed a small dish of sauce next to it. “Go ahead, don’t be shy.”

  They each picked up a piece of meat and dipped it into the sauce. The meat was juicy with a slightly oily taste, and the thick sauce was lemony with a spicy kick that Alfie immediately liked.

  “Yep,” Delphine said, pulling up a chair to the table. “You can do a lot of things with alligator tail.” She picked up a piece of meat and popped it into her mouth. Which got Alfie thinking . . .

  “Excuse me, Miss Delphine?” he said. “What kind of meat is this?”

  “Alligator tail, of course,” she said. Alfie looked quickly at Emilia. Before Zia Donatella had come to stay with them, they might have thought it was weird or gross to eat this. Now Alfie loved to be adventurous and try new foods. And this was way better than the “thousand-year-old egg” he’d tried in Hong Kong!

  “Minnie and I hadn’t seen as much of each other in recent years,” Delphine said. “She was busy with you grandkids and cooking at the club, and my husband and I were busy with our catering work. But Minnie’s service was so lovely,” she continued. “A real tribute to her life. I had planned to come by and bring food to your family, but then my husband got sick . . .”

  “Simon, right?” Nanette said carefully. “We’re so sorry.”

  “Yes,” Delphine said. “My Simon. Life just didn’t have the same joy once he and Minnie were gone. I haven’t been cooking much since then. They were the two people I loved cooking with the most.”

  “Everyone is still talking about your cooking,” Teddy said. “We were at Mrs. Lind’s house this morning—she made étouffée for her husband’s birthday.”

  Delphine smiled. “She makes it for him every year. When I met her, she couldn’t cook to save her life!”

  The kids laughed. “She told us,” Emilia said. “She also told us she misses you. She wants you to come and visit her soon.”

  “Everyone in town misses you,” Teddy said.

  “And your cooking,” Alfie added.

  “I have to say,” Delphine said, looking at the now-empty plate on the table. “It feels good to cook for other people again. That’s the beauty of cooking—it’s not just nourishment for your body, it’s nourishment for your soul.”

  “That’s how it always felt with Mama Minnie,” Teddy said. “Like she wasn’t just cooking for us, she was giving us something special.”

  “I think that’s how everyone felt coming into La Salle Royale, too,” Virgil added.

  “Minnie’s cooking was special, all right,” Delphine said. “I always said it’s not something you can get by following a recipe. Funny I say that, though, since I’m the one who told Minnie we should write down our recipes.”

  “I’m sorry, what did you say?” Virgil asked. Alfie held his breath.

  “I told Minnie we should write down our recipes,” Delphine repeated. “But do you think she listened to me? No sir. She was stubborn, your grandmother.”

  The kids sighed. “We wish she had,” Virgil said. “We were really hoping to find something of hers.”

  “Something like a recipe book?” Delphine asked. “Minnie never wanted to record the things she made.” She pushed back from the table and walked into another room. The others looked questioningly at each other. When she came back, she surprised them all by saying, “But I did.”

  In her hands was a book that looked a lot like the one in the picture with which they’d all become so familiar. Alfie couldn’t believe it. And based on everybody else’s wide eyes, they couldn’t, either.

  “When we were still learning, I wrote everything down,” Delphine said. “Minnie told me I was crazy, that she knew all the recipes by heart. But the more I recorded what we knew, the more she understood that it wasn’t just about knowing them—other people wanted them, too. So she started helping me write it all down.”

  Teddy slowly pulled the book toward him and picked it up as if it were a precious treasure. Alfie supposed that it was. “I can’t believe it,” he said, opening the pages.

  “I’ve had this book for years,” Delphine said.

  Nanette looked at the pages with Teddy. “It’s amazing.”

  “I’m so glad y’all came out to see me today. Now this book can go home with you. I hope you’ll put it to use,” said Delphine.

  “Oh, we will!” Teddy said. “Thank you.”

  “Miss Delphine,” Virgil began. “Would you consider cooking at La Salle Royale tonight? Our patrons would love it. They miss Minnie’s cooking something fierce. And maybe you would enjoy cooking for people again, too.”

  “Oh, I don’t know,” Delphine said.

  “I don’t want to push you,” Virgil said. “But you could try it just for one night. And if you don’t like it, then you stop.”

  “It’s been so long,” Delphine said. “But you’re right. You’ve reminded me today that nothing makes me feel better than cooking for others.”

  Everyone was quiet while Delphine thought it over. Finally, she agreed. “Okay, I’ll do it,” she said. “I’ll do it for Minnie. She loved that club and you kids so much, and I know how hard y’all work playing your instruments.”

  “Thank you so much!” Teddy said, hardly able to contain his excitement.

  Even Alfie felt like jumping up and down. “Well, what are we waiting for?” he said. “Let’s get to the club!”

  On the way back into New Orleans, Alfie, Emilia, and Nanette sat in the backseat going through the pages of Delphine and Mama Minnie’s recipe book. Teddy leaned over the seat, looking on.

  “Mama Minnie’s handwriting is so pretty,” Emilia said.

  She was right—each word was like a picture, carefully drawn onto the thick pages.

  Nanette ran her finger over the words. “I love seeing her writing again.”

  Delphine had agreed to meet them at the club later that evening.

  “What if she changes her mind?” Teddy asked Virgil.

  “Then that’s her decision,” Virgil said. “We can’t push her.”

  When they got back to town, Virgil parked the car, and the others ran inside to tell Rex and Jules the good news.

  “I can’t believe you little shrimps did all this!” Rex was grinning ear to ear as he paged through the recipe book. “Way to go!”

  “You think her cooking will help the club?” Jules asked Virgil.

  “We’ll just have to see,” Virgil said. “But I’m taking a cue from Teddy, Nanette, Alfie, and Emilia here. They’ve been working hard to find out more about Mama Minnie and her cooking. And they’ve reminded me just how important the club is. We need to do whatever it takes to save it.”

  The La Salle family and Alfie and Emilia walked to the club with a spring in their steps that night. When they got there, the band started to warm up while Alfie and Emilia followed Rex into the kitchen to make sure everything was ready.

  When Delphine arrived, everybody rushed out of the kitchen to greet her. The kids, the cooks, the dishwashers, and the
whole staff cheered and whistled and hollered. And Delphine didn’t seem nervous at all. She looked focused and confident—ready to make some of the most authentic New Orleans food in the city.

  In the kitchen, Delphine laid out her menu for the evening: crawfish potpie, gumbo, dirty rice, fried chicken, hush puppies, and mac and cheese, with banana bread pudding for dessert. Everybody got to work right away, and in no time, Delphine and the rest of the kitchen crew had fallen into a steady rhythm of prepping, sautéing, stirring, and cooking. Emilia worked on chopping vegetables while Alfie was in charge of putting a garnish on each plate. In between tossing pinches of parsley on each dish, he drummed his fingers against the counter to the beat of the music just outside the swinging door.

  Rex stayed close to Delphine while she showed him all the tricks and secrets that made hers and Minnie’s cooking so special. “You’re a natural,” Delphine told him. “You’ll be making up your own family recipes to pass down in no time!”

  Alfie could see how proud Rex was. He’d found his special talent in the La Salle family, and he was perfectly at home.

  The band took a break, and Jules, Teddy, and Nanette raced into the kitchen to try some of Delphine’s cooking.

  “Delphine, this is amazing!” Jules said, tasting the dirty rice Delphine had just made. “And the customers can already taste the difference, too. Mr. Jackson said he hasn’t had gumbo so hearty and flavorful since Mama Minnie was here. When I told him we had a special chef cooking tonight, he said he was calling all his friends and demanding they get down here right now for a bowl of that gumbo!”

  “We have plenty for everyone,” Delphine said. “I’ve got Emilia here slicing more andouille sausage as we speak.”

  Alfie watched Emilia as she concentrated on cutting the sausage into coin-size pieces just like Zia had taught her.

  Just then, Virgil rushed into the kitchen, too. “Mr. and Mrs. Ellsworth are here! They said they heard about the fantastic menu tonight and they had to try it for themselves. And the crowd keeps getting bigger and bigger. People who can’t get a table tonight are filling up the reservations book weeks in advance. It’s amazing!”

  “Just goes to show,” Alfie said. “La Salle Royale had all the right ingredients for a great club—you just needed the perfect recipe to bring everything together.”

  “That’s right!” Delphine said as she loaded up plates for Virgil to take to Mr. and Mrs. Ellsworth.

  The band went back out to play their second set, and the rest of the evening flew by. Alfie heard Virgil thank the crowd for coming and a few minutes later he and the rest of the band burst through the door. “We did it!” Virgil shouted, dancing over to Delphine to kiss her on the cheek. “You did it. The Ellsworths loved everything they tasted. Not only do they want us to cater the masquerade ball and play the music, they want to host the party right here at La Salle Royale! Delphine, we owe you everything!”

  “We all worked together,” Delphine said, a smile spreading across her face.

  “So what do you say? Are you up for another night of cooking?” Virgil asked. “Please say yes. I know it’s short notice, but I’d love for you to be in charge of the party tomorrow night.”

  They waited for Delphine’s response. Finally she spoke. “I’ll help out tomorrow night.”

  Everybody cheered and clapped. Delphine held up her hand to quiet them. “But I’m an old woman. I can’t keep up this pace every night, you know.”

  “Well, it’s a good thing you’ve got an apprentice then,” Rex said.

  Delphine beamed. “Yes it is. And I’ll teach you everything I know. It’s clear you belong in this kitchen, Rex La Salle.”

  Rex swooped in and kissed Delphine on the other cheek. She laughed and swatted him with a towel. “Now get back to work! We’ve got a lot to do if we’re going to throw this party tomorrow night.”

  Alfie carried some plates over to the dishwasher and then stole a glance back at Delphine. The look on her face said it all—this was where she belonged, too.

  Alfie put on his mask and looked in the mirror next to the bed in the room he and Emilia had shared during their New Orleans adventure. Teddy and Nanette had given them new outfits and masks to wear for the masquerade ball.

  “How do I look?” he asked.

  “Mysterious!” Emilia laughed, trying on her own mask.

  There was a knock on the door, and Virgil peeked his head in. “With all the excitement last night, I forgot to call your aunt,” he said. “I really need to speak to her.”

  “It’s okay,” Alfie said. “We were going to tell you that we’re actually heading back to her house after the party tonight. We’re going home in the morning.”

  Teddy and Nanette appeared in the doorway behind Virgil.

  “Ah, do you have to?” Nanette said.

  “We’re going to miss you,” Teddy said. “Promise you’ll keep in touch?”

  Alfie and Emilia exchanged a look. “We’re going to miss you, too,” Emilia said.

  “Well, tell your aunt she’s welcome at La Salle Royale anytime,” Virgil said. “We’d love to meet her.”

  “We will.” Alfie smiled. He knew Zia Donatella would love the jazz club.

  Virgil closed the door, leaving Alfie and Emilia alone.

  “Do you think we really are going home tonight?” Emilia asked Alfie.

  Alfie shrugged. “It seems like it, right? We helped find the recipe book, and everything’s going so well at the club now. It feels like the right time. And besides, we can’t keep dodging Virgil.”

  “You’re right,” Emilia said.

  “Now we just have to find the food that can transport us back home!” Alfie said.

  “We will,” Emilia said with the same confidence she’d had when they were searching for Delphine and the recipes.

  Alfie and Emilia headed downstairs to join Jules, Virgil, Teddy, and Nanette, and walk over to the club. Rex was already there helping Delphine with all the preparations.

  When they walked inside, they saw the club had been transformed. Royal Mardi Gras colors of purple, green, and gold filled the space, which was illuminated by hundreds of tiny candles. Waiters in black uniforms and black masks bustled around making sure everything was ready. Fluttering among the last-minute chaos was one woman in an elaborate emerald gown with gold trim. Her face lit up when she saw the La Salle family, and she came rushing over.

  “You’re a genius!” Mrs. Ellsworth cried to Virgil. “How you got the famous Delphine to come back to town and cook, I’ll never know.”

  “It’s a family secret.” Virgil laughed.

  Alfie smiled. It was true, Delphine was like family to them now.

  Alfie and Emilia agreed to help in the kitchen again this evening, but Virgil made it clear that he wanted them to have a good time, too. “Help out as long as you’re having fun,” he told them. “But go out and enjoy the music, and please—eat the food! I want your last night to be the best yet.”

  “Thank you for everything, Virgil. We’ve had a great time!” Alfie said as he and Emilia headed back to the kitchen.

  They pushed open the door and took in the frantic, excited scene. It reminded Alfie of the energy of the Parisian cooking-school kitchen right before the big contest, with people bustling all around. And in the center of this kitchen stood Delphine, looking incredibly calm.

  “Welcome back!” she said. “You two ready for the big night?”

  “We’re ready,” Emilia replied, tying on an apron. Alfie did the same and took his place at the prep station.

  Rex walked up holding a stack of serving trays. He looked just as comfortable as Delphine. “Hey, guys!” he said, a huge bright smile on his face. “I’ll bring the food to you and you put it on the trays for the waiters to take out, got it?”

  Instead of making dinners like the club normally did, they made trays o
f little bite-size food. Rex and Delphine had made oysters Bienville, spicy Gulf shrimp, fried asparagus, bacon-wrapped crawfish bites, and of course, fried alligator tail. For dessert they planned to serve beignets, bananas Foster, and Doberge cake. The cake was a very special recipe that Minnie and Delphine had perfected together. With all that amazing food, Alfie had no doubt it would be the best party of the year.

  The guests started to arrive, and the party was underway. “Just look at them!” Emilia said, peeking into the club to see what everyone was wearing. “They’re like peacocks!” She was right. The guests were dressed beautifully in tuxedos and fancy gowns. But the best part was the masks—with elaborate sequin details and colorful feathers sprouting out the tops.

  “Go on out there,” Delphine said when she saw them peeking out the kitchen door.

  Alfie and Emilia put on their masks and stepped out into the full energy of the party. The band sounded as beautiful and raucous as the partygoers themselves. A waiter stopped in front of them and offered them a piece of fried asparagus with mustard sauce.

  “I can’t believe how good this is,” Emilia said.

  “There’s definitely something magical about Delphine’s cooking,” Alfie agreed. “She kind of reminds me of Zia—don’t you think?”

  “Totally,” said Emilia, taking another bite.

  They weaved through the party guests, trying bits of food from each tray that passed and listening to everybody rave about it. One man said, “I can’t wait to get home and write my review. I can see the headline now—‘La Salle Royale Is Back and Better than Ever’!”

  They passed Mr. Picard and Clarice from Julianne’s Candy laughing and enjoying the food. Then they saw Caroline and Mrs. Lind sneaking into the kitchen to stay hello to Delphine. Alfie was glad they had all come to the party. He felt like it was as much a celebration of Delphine and Mama Minnie as anything else.

  During a band break, they spotted Virgil in the corner talking to Charlie. They inched closer to hear what they were saying. Charlie held a plate piled high with food.