Highland Hiatus: Menu of Passion, #1

By Toni Carrera and Robert J. Morrow

London Cartwright was asked to take a break as a 5-star Michelin Chef in New York to rekindle her passion for cooking and come up with some innovative dishes. Finding herself in Aberdeen, Scotland, London does find her passion... but not just for food. Her appetite for all things Scottish is turned up a notch in this breezy romp in the land of kilts and haggis.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sunao International Publishing
• Release date: Apr 18, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224144822

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Arriving in Scotland

Idon't know what I expected when the train finally stopped in the Aberdeen station.  The doors opened with a hiss that brought to mind steam engines.  I glanced up, following the thought like rising clouds of steam, and was surprised by the ceiling of the large station. 

Iron arches still spanned the broad space, anchored to old stone walls.  The bright kiosks seemed out of place, necessary but out of step with the proud history still holding everything together.

That's what I need, I thought.  A little history to glue my life back together.

I followed the flow of passengers out of the train station and found myself reflected in the shining glass front of Trinity Center.  The modern shopping mall was saved by street vendors with stuffed tables.  I knew I should be looking for my contact, but after the long train ride I was starving.

Contrary to every joke I'd heard about traveling in Scotland, I did not have to eat haggis.  Within seconds I was befriended by a friendly vendor who just happened to be Italian, and my first food in Scotland was a mouth-watering calzone.

American, my new friend said in a thick Italian accent.

I nodded.  New York City.

He laughed.  Go fast, hurry, hurry?

Vacation, I told him.

Then it finally sunk in.  I had left New York City an ocean behind.  No traffic jams, no dinner rushes, and no work for a whole week.  No produce to inspect, no prices to haggle over, no menus to select, and no marathon nights in the hot gauntlet of a gourmet kitchen.

My head started spinning.  Had I completely lost my mind?

I found a bench and sat down, blaming my hunger for my spinning thoughts.  As I devoured the hot and gooey calzone, I tried to figure out exactly what I was doing in Scotland.  This whole vacation idea wasn't mine.  If anyone was at fault it was the owner of my restaurant.  I might have been her star chef, but Madison Gardner called the shots.

And she had called me burnt out.

You deserve a break, London, she had said.  Don't you have family or someone you can visit?  Head overseas, see the world, and it'll make all the difference.

Madison was right, though I would still die before admitting that aloud.  I had made headlines early as a young, female chef in New York City.  The scrutiny I had endured for the last year would be enough to send even the most seasoned chef packing.  So, I had reluctantly agreed.

I'm not going to Paris, I had told Madison.  If I'm going to get away, then I'm going to get away from the five stars and the Michelin guide too.

I tossed my calzone wrapper away and congratulated myself on finding delicious street food within minutes of my arrival.  Food didn't have to be for anything but survival now.  It felt like a foreign concept, but I was determined to take a real break.  Madison's orders.

My phone buzzed and I sighed.  Speak of the devil.

Madison's text message was peppered with uppercase letters, yelling the important bits as she often did in person.  The latest reviews were in.  My waning inspiration had been noticed but the majority of food critics deemed me worthy of the wait.

My finger floated over the link for a long time.  It would only take a few minutes to read and every competitive, career-minded cell in my body screamed to do it.  If Madison had sent it then why not?  Just because I was on vacation didn't mean I had to ignore my life.

London!  There you are.  Hello!  A loud but cultured voice rang out across the shopping center.

Shepherd Ross strode through the crowd.  At 6'