The Dinner Detective

My friend Jeanette and I were gadding about last Saturday night when we went to a Dinner Detective in Chapel Hill at the Sheraton (what used to be The Europa).   It was my first time to attend one of these dinners where the guests try to guess who the culprit is when a murder is committed. 


We were greeted with a sign.

An acting troupe in Chapel Hill offers these dinners rather frequently.  I really didn't know what to expect.  But it was a lot of fun.  The actors were quite good.   The food wasn't bad either.


There was a nice selection of appetizers.

A lovely cheese and fruit tray of appetizers.

Salads and drinks were at the tables.  I was about half way through my salad when they suggested we get up and go around and question folks we might suspect was the murderer.  When I returned the waiter had removed my salad.  I was sorry that I hadn't finished it. 

The table was beautifully set with our salads and our drinks. 

At one point Jeanette had a clue under her chair, so she had to get up and was questioned about why she was not sharing the clue with the whole crowd.  She was opening it to show to our table which was a no no. 


Jeanette is being scolded because she was opening the "clue" to share with our table.

A number of attendees were questioned during the show and the fellow who was playing the detective was quite funny and was very good at adlibbing. 

The detective is questioning one of the guests, the man in the yellow shirt. 

We had a choice of a chicken dish or salmon.  I chose the salmon and it was beautifully prepared.  Very tasty. 

Delicious fillet of salmon with rice pilaf and carrots.

And of course there was dessert, a carrot cake.

Carrot cake for dessert.

Neither Jeanette nor I guessed correctly who the murderer was, but it was a fun evening filled with laughter.  

Photo of Jen and me as we entered the room.  They gave me a prop!

As we entered, our photos were taken in one case with me having a weapon.  I look very dangerous, don't I?

Culinary Delights in Cape Breton

Coconut cream pie from the Cedar House.

Whenever I spend time in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, I always enjoy the good food---both at home and at restaurants.  Here are some culinary treats we had on my most recent trip. 


For dinner down on the waterfront in Halifax, we shared an order of steamed mussels as an appetizer. And for the first dinner out at the house I made steamed mussels as the main dish.

Steamed mussels, a real treat in Cape Breton.

I poached a salmon from which I made a salmon salad.  I simply added mayonnaise, boiled eggs, and diced tomatoes. 

Poached salmon

Salmon salad with asparagus, avocado and deviled eggs.  (Photo by Becky Mangum)

The best salmon though was the planked salmon that Laura and Anthony made.  These were made in the oven since we didn't have a grill handy.  So moist and flavorful. 

Salmon cooked in oven on cedar and maple planks.

Laura made a blueberry crisp served with maple-walnut ice cream for dessert after this meal of planked salmon.

Blueberry crisp with maple-walnut ice cream.

For girls' night out eight of us went over to the Clovis Hitch in Port Hood for dinner.  We shared their special brownie as a dessert.  We each had 2 spoonsful.  The brownie was made with dark chocolate and topped with vanilla ice cream and a raspberry sauce.  Very rich and very delicious.

Brownie from the Clovis Hitch in Port Hood.



Of course a trip to Cape Breton is never complete without a meal at the Cedar House. 

Tea biscuits with butter at the Cedar House.

Three of us shared this coconut cream pie for dessert.

We took Cedar House oatcakes home with us for snacks later in the week

Cedar House oatcakes with butter.  A real treat.

Yes indeed, there are many opportunities in Cape Breton to enjoy the food.