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Goldilocks Catering has been shut down by the health department. Inadequate drains, they say; so Goldy Shulz, Colorado's double threat chef/detective, has turned her hand to hosting a cooking show on Public Television while her husband fixes the plumbing. Her commute to work involves riding to the top of the Killdeer Ski Lift in a gondola and skiing to the doors of the Bistro, a posh restaurant atop a windswept peak, which, of course, sets up danger-filled situations as Goldy becomes embroiled in solving two mysterious ski-slope deaths.
TOUGH COOKIE makes for a perfect beach read by combining bone chilling descriptions of ski country at its most frigid with culinary repasts most fulfilling. Goldy and friends (and enemies) are shussing and slaloming their way through sunshine and blizzard, burning up thousands of calories in order to imbibe in mountains of comfort food concocted by author Davidson. As usual, there are several belt bursting recipes included in the book, as well as a not-so-mind-busting whodunit, backlit by one of the most picturesque spots in the world, the Colorado Rockies. Cindy Crawford would pack on pounds reading TOUGH COOKIE, and if I drank all that espresso with whipped cream, or ski-boarder's oatmeal with raisins, cinnamon, brown sugar, and --- you guessed it --- cream, or Marmalade Mogul Muffins --- and just try to ignore the Chocolate Coma Cookies --- they'd have to strap me to a snow board like a load of cargo and shove me down the hill. Skis wouldn't hold me.
Davidson's frothy mysteries are liberally laced with sumptuous delights, semiserious sleuthing, and a peek at life in the high altitudes. Among her titles are "DYING FOR CHOCOLATE," "KILLER PANCAKE," "THE MAIN CORPSE," and her most recent best seller "PRIME CUT." With titles like these, fans have come to anticipate the delicious mysteries and scrumptious recipes hiding within the pages. I can personally vouch for Chocolate Coma Cookies --- and so can eight friends who had a chance to sample them on a recent evening.
--- Reviewed by Roz Shea
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