Chiffonade

Book excerpt: Chiffonade chronicles the adventures of New York native and best-selling author Blakely Ellison as she struggles to cope with the tragic dissolution of her marriage. Still reeling from her unexpected abandonment, a barely functioning (and food-illiterate) Blakely accepts a guest judging stint on a Tampa cooking show. There she encounters—and unwittingly offends—the domineering Lenore Chester, Queen of Cajun Cooking, and her son, Jack, an unapologetic lothario. What follows is a comedy of northern and southern errors as Jack and Blakely resist reconciling their regional prejudices—only to find their adversarial relationship moving in a completely unexpected direction. A spirited and mouth-watering exploration of the restorative powers of love, Chiffonade is the inspiring tale of one woman’s escape from despair as she discovers the courage to heal.