More Food And Wine Pairings From Murder Before The Bell

Each of the five books in The Rick Podowski and The Hefty Trio series  contain seven ethnic (Polish, Italian, Irish, Mexican) recipes and information about seven wineries.  A wine is then paired with the recipe. A reader who completes the series will have learned about thirty-five boutique wineries and have thirty-five recipes paired with the appropriate wine.  Four of the  pairings from Murder Before The Bell are presented below. Click on the link to see the recipe.

In Murder Before the Bell, Rick Podowski and the Hefty Trio fight to save their friend accused of murdering the school principal. The story begins when Rick arrives at Central High School and sees the administration building engulfed in flames. Later, the police discover the charred body of the principal and as the police start to gather evidence to frame the acting principal, Rick and the Hefty Trio start their own inquiry.

They discover that their friend and the principal are both involved in illegal activities with a South Vietnamese Colonel who runs a language school on the campus every Sunday. The community loves the Colonel and is unaware that he owns a house of prostitution in the neighborhood and employs a local Mexican gang for security. A rival gang wants part of the action and the excitement begins.

Irish Poached Salmon with Watercress Sauce Paired With Pinot Noir

This dish is a favorite of both Rick and Erin. Rick likes to serve it cold with the pinkness of the salmon highlighted by the green watercress sauce. It's the perfect dish to take to a picnic or a potluck. An Armitage Pinot Noir goes well with this dish because it has a light nose and allows for the flavor of the salmon to dominate.    

Pollitos en Vino Tinto (Little Chickens in Red Wine with Naumann Vineyards Tre Rosso Cali

Usually Cornish Game hens are not considered part of Mexican   cuisine. However, this dish, according to BellaOnline's Mexican food editor is authentic and it tastes wonderful. The Tre Rosso Cali truly complements the dish with a rich, textured mouth feel  that adds extra complexity.

Heavenly Fettuccine with Barbera Wine

The heat of the summer makes us want to spend less time in a hot kitchen. Heavenly Fettuccine is light and very simple to make. Serve it with Italian bread, a garden salad, and a light fruity Barbera. 

A Bonus Recipe

Rick's Famous Polish Nut Strudel 

Rick makes fifty small rolls for all of his students and friends at Christmastime.  People love it because it is not too sweet.

The Food and Wine Pairing From Murder Before The Bell

Each of the five books in The Rick Podowski and The Hefty Trio series  contain seven ethnic (Polish, Italian, Irish, Mexican) recipes and information about seven wineries.  A wine is then paired with the recipe. A reader who completes the series will have learned about thirty-five boutique wineries and have thirty-five recipes paired with the appropriate wine.  Four of the  pairings from Murder Before The Bell are presented below. Click on the link to see the recipe.

In Murder Before the Bell, Rick Podowski and the Hefty Trio fight to save their friend accused of murdering the school principal. The story begins when Rick arrives at Central High School and sees the administration building engulfed in flames. Later, the police discover the charred body of the principal and as the police start to gather evidence to frame the acting principal, Rick and the Hefty Trio start their own inquiry.

They discover that their friend and the principal are both involved in illegal activities with a South Vietnamese Colonel who runs a language school on the campus every Sunday. The community loves the Colonel and is unaware that he owns a house of prostitution in the neighborhood and employs a local Mexican gang for security. A rival gang wants part of the action and the excitement begins.

 Irish Leek And Swiss Pie with River Run Vintners Cote D' Aromas  The unique part of this dish is the taste of the creamy leek and cheese custard. At the bottom of the pie is the salty deviled ham. The flavors in the pie blend and are accented by the Cote D' Aromas which is a Rhone Blend. In this wine, the bold fleshy Syrah counterpoints the sweet tones of Grenache as the wine opens.

Rick's Bigos--Hunter's Stew (The Polish national Dish) with Burrell School Syrah. Bigos is the national dish of Poland and is made with sauerkraut, cabbage mushrooms and a mixture of Polish sausage, spareribs, fried pork, cooked ham and pork hocks. Serve the Bigos with pierogi and a green salad to complete the meal.

Rick's Pasta Puttanesca with Villa del Monte's Cabernet Sauvignon Puttanesca was created by the prostitutes of Naples to give them strength and stamina. Red pepper flakes and capers provide a flavorful kick. 

Leti's Mexican Chocolate Pots de Crème with Loma Prieta Merlot This is not your typical chocolate pudding because it contains several ingredients that concentrate the flavor of the chocolate.  These include espresso, cinnamon, cayenne pepper and Kahlua.  You can put these in ramekins as mentioned in the recipe or you can make it in a tart dish and then serve it in wine glasses.  Either way, this dessert is delicious.  If you want to pair this with wine, use a Merlot.  The recipe was adopted from one found in Sunset magazine.

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Rick Podowski and The Hefty Trio

This blog is dedicated to publishing the recipes and wine pairings enjoyed by Rick Podowski and The Hefty Trio that are found in the five books of the mystery series. Exactly who are these people and how did they get such a stupid name?

The Name

The words, "English Literature and Composition" strike fear in the hearts of most students. At Central High School in San Jose, California the students have been blessed with four teachers that like to crack jokes and have a good time in the classroom. During the faculty scholarship fundraiser two years earlier, they had performed a parody of "Dawn", a Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons song. It was "Central, You're Too Thin For Me." Rick Podowski and the Hefty Trio had become an instant hit, and the group’s name had stuck.

The four had worked together teaching English for over twenty-five years and each one of them knew that keeping a sense of humor was the only way to survive. When they had started working together all of them had been thin, athletic, and single. Over the years, marriage and children had contributed to the weight gain and since, now that nights of hard drinking and dancing were in the past, all that was left was eating--their common bond.

Rick Podowski is not very tall and is upset because for some strange reason his suits keep shrinking, especially around the midsection. He knew, however, that in spite of the physical changes, the group still had the same dedication and love of teaching that had been present when they first met. Each of them is deeply involved in informal counseling, extracurricular activities and in making sure that each student obtains all the success of which they are capable. In terms of their relationship, each offers a different perspective. 

Leti Rios, a short, round-faced, second generation Mexican-American woman is extremely loyal to Rick and willing to do anything he asks.

Erin McGinty is the most imposing with long straight red hair, pasty white skin, and a large frame that made her look plump rather than obese. She is independent, and always ready to start trouble. 

Teresa Spinelli on the other hand is the Italian grandmother type--short, broad hips and a big smile. And the peacemaker when she is not competing with Erin and Leti to become the center of attention. The four of them are loyal to each other and they work together.

Roasted Asparagus and
Red Onion Quesadillas

Throughout the five novels Rick and the Hefty Trio indulge in some absolutely delicious Polish, Mexican, Irish, and Italian dinners pairing with boutique wines from the Santa Cruz Mountains. Recipes and information (including Internet sales) about the wineries and their owners are included in the books.

Italian Eggplant Rotini

Fans of Rick Podowski and the Hefty Trio will follow the recipes in the back of the books to make a pot of Bigos (hunter's stew) or an Irish Egg, Bacon, and Leek Pie, and then sit down with a bottle or two of a Burrell School Syrah or a bottle of River Run Vintners Cote D' Aromas to enjoy reading and discussing the novels.

Polish Nut Strudel

Irish Egg, Bacon,
and Leek Pie

Frisée Salad

It's spring and Rick Podowski is trying to lose a little bit of weight and at the same time eat a healthy meal. So, he's decided to make a frisée salad that is a bistro standard from Lyon, France. The bitter frisée, the runny poached eggs and the bacon makes this an exceptional dish.

 Serves 4

Ingredients

1/2-pound frisée (French curly endive) torn into bite size pieces

6 oz. of thick bacon slices

2 tablespoons of vinegar

4 eggs

2 tablespoons of chopped shallot

3 tablespoons of vinegar

Instructions

Cut bacon into 1/2" strips. Put the bacon into a 12" skillet and add one cup of water. Cook until the water is evaporated and the bacon is crisp 35-40 minutes. Remove from skillet.

Put 1" of warm water in another skillet.  Add water to a saucepan and stir in the vinegar. Bring to a bare simmer. Break one egg into a small bowl and then slide it into the water. Repeat with the other three eggs. Simmer about 1 1/2 minutes for runny yolks to 3 minutes for firm yolks.

 Reheat the bacon in the skillet. Add shallot and cook for one minute.  Add the 3 tablespoons of vinegar and boil for five seconds.

 Pour over the frisée and toss with salt and pepper. Divide salad among four plates and top with drained poached egg.

Celebrate With Irish Stew

There is no better way to celebrate St Patrick's Day than with a traditional  Irish Lamb Stew and some wine.  Consider a Merlot or a Meritage for this dish. The recipe is from Death In The Science Classroom.

Serves 6

5 pounds lamb shoulder chops

20 baby red-skinned potatoes

6 large carrots, peeled, quartered

3 medium onions, quartered

2 medium leeks (white and pale greens parts only), split lengthwise, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

2 cups water

Trim the fat from lamb and cut the meat into 1 1/2-inch pieces. 

Place fat in heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook fat until 3 tablespoons drippings are rendered, about 5 minutes. Using large spoon, remove any solid fat from pot; discard. Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper. Add lamb to pot; sauté until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer lamb to plate. 

Add vegetables, parsley, and thyme to pot; stir to coat with drippings. Return meat. Add 2 cups water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover pot tightly; simmer until lamb is tender and vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally, about 1 1/2 hours.

Place 1 cup vegetables in processor; puree. Add to stew. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Simmer before serving.)