FOOTHILL FLAVORS

Enjoy a Killer of an Evening

By Antoinette May Herndon

It was another dinner to die for. Climbing the stairs to the dining room atop Angels Camp’s Mercantile, I studied the crowd around me. Who were the potential victims? Which one might be the murder? Charles and I had enjoyed the Mercantile’s mystery theater dinner so much the previous month that we’d come back for more. This time the stakes were raised: we a houseguest in tow.

Tom Johnson, a former Time foreign correspondent, is a man of the world by anyone’s standards. Now, after putting on a rather gruelling two -day seminar in Mok Hill, Tom was a hostage to my ravings. You know what it’s like when you’ve so thoroughly enjoyed a restaurant and/or an event that you want to share the experience with your friends. You just know that they’ll enjoy it every bit it as much as you did.

Now I was beginning to have second thoughts. What if the food wasn’t as good this time or the play not as unique and charming? Poor Tom. Was he himself about to become a victim? And was I not the perpetrator of that crime?

Well, there we were at the top of the stairs. Once again the loft dining room had been transformed into a gala venue. Linen tablecloths and napkins were a deep mauve contrasting with midnight blue and cerise balloons. Wine glasses sparkled in the light of antique chandeliers. (I was glad that this time we’d known to bring own wine.)

At each place setting a whodunit sheet waited. It listed the upcoming suspects and asked the penultimate questions: Who is the killer or killers? How did they do it? When did they do it? What facts or details support your theory? As the mystery unfolded, dinner guests sat together at three long tables in a festively decorated upstairs dining room. Seated beside them were cast members who would emerge over the course of the evening as either victims or murderers.

It was certain to be a puzzling dilemma

and inspired lots of lively dinner conversations. Strangers become instant co-conspirators struggling to solve the unfolding mystery. The plot involved a group of conniving theatre people. The popular and versatile actress Cyndie Menert, long a Foothills favourite, was back this time as Bonnie Winter, an 80’s pop diva seeking to make a comeback.

Arguments erupted centering around unpaid royalties, professional credit and past enmities. A major player was song writer Samantha Sterling (Jorie Hanson) who sat at our table opposite us. Our friend Tom, ever the investigative reporter, tried to engage “Samantha,” asking a series of questions about showbiz, the song writing process, etc. She was non-committal. A pro, perhaps, not wanting to divulge her trade secrets. I just kept on munching. Once again, the food was fabulous. Just imagine the starter, a chilled melon and coconut soup with chiffonade of mint, was fantastic. The appetizer, an architectural triumph as well as a culinary one, was a Heirloom tomato and bacon stack with bleu cheese, fresh basil drizzled with balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.

About this time Bonnie Winter excused herself to get ready for her “Special Performance.” In the next few moments the rest of the cast left the room as well, all heading down the stairs to the Mercantile. When the entrees arrived, I stopped paying attention to anything else. Charles and I had chosen Chile glazed prawns skewered on sugar cane atop a summer squash and tomato salad with cinnamon and saffron, served with avocado and cucumber relish. Like I said earlier, it was clearly a dinner to die for.

I stopped worrying about whether or not Tom was enjoying himself when I watched him take a bite of his Chile marinated double cut pork shop. It had been slow grilled over mesquite and was served with new potato, fava beans and artichoke succotash with stone fruit chutney. Tom was one happy camper.

Suddenly a scream sliced through the diners’ oohs and ahs of

contentment. We all rushed down the stairs to find Bonnie Winter lying dead on the Mercantile floor. She had been stabbed in the back!

Bonnie was speedily pronounced dead by a Danny Diamond, a swashbuckling detective who swaggered onto the scene. “It’s clearly a case of foul play,” he told us. “Let’s go upstairs and solve this thing.”

As we finished our desserts, the intrepid detective— otherwise known as Eric Owens, came around and collected our crime reports. The one thing we at our table were certain of was the dessert. We all loved it. Could anyone not love a honey lavender pot de crème served with a tuille cookie?

Things got pretty tense then as many of us were certain we’d discovered the villain. Tom was adamant that it couldn’t have been Samantha Sterling. But Tom was wrong. Smiling Samantha was indeed the villain.

Now, don’t go thinking that I’m a killjoy for revealing the plot. Eric Owens creates his Danny Diamond Mysteries fresh for each Murder Mystery Dinner. Expect to see a brand new script later this month when the Mercantile opens its doors for its next Mystery Night Theater. Once again, the cast will be comprised of professional actors sparked by enthusiastic volunteers.

The price is $75 a couple or $39.95 for a single diner. The same fabulous chefs, Christopher Lichtenhan and Pete Ramirez will continue at the helm. They promise a killer of an evening.

VITALS: Angels Camp Mercantile Café is at 1267 South Main St., Angels Camp. Phone: 890-7155. Advance reservations required as space is limited. Many guests appreciate the free corkage service and enjoy bringing their own wine for dinner. Credit cards accepted. amherndon@sierralodestar.com

PICTURES Murder happens at the Mercantile’s Mystery Theater. Danny Diamond (otherwise known as known as Eric Owns) discovers the body of the famous diva Bonnie Winter (Cyndie Menert).