The Mystery of the Secret Ingredient in the Chocolate Chip Cookies

David Handler started it all.  I had enjoyed his mystery series about the ghostwriter Stewart Hoag and his dog Lulu, so when he started a new mystery series, I was one of the first to read about Mitch Berger, a New York film critic, and Lt. Desiree Mitry, a Connecticut State Trooper. There are now six Berger & Mitry mysteries, and I enjoyed them all, and always eager to see a new one arrive. I definitely recommend reading them in order, as the relationship between Mitch and Dez grows.

An interesting sidelight to this recommendation is that the early books mention Mitch's neighbor, who makes the best chocolate chip cookies, but won't share the identity of her secret ingredient.  Mitch does her grocery shopping, so he has a pretty good idea that the secret ingredient is sour cream, but he doesn't inform his neighbors (only the readers of the book). The recipe, however, is not included.

I'm always looking for good cookie recipes, so I've kept my eyes open for a chocolate chip cookie recipe with sour cream as an ingredient, but never found one.  Even A Baker's Field Guide to Chocolate Chip Cookies didn't have one that looked right. Then last month, Shh I'm Reading blogged about finding recipes online, and while playing with those sites, I located several chocolate chip cookie recipes with sour cream as an ingredient.  My daughter and I are testing them now, and when we declare a winner, I'll post a link to that recipe.  Meanwhile, enjoy some David Handler mysteries!  (And if you have a good sour cream chocolate chip cookie recipe, feel free to post it!)

Mitch Berger and Desiree Mitry:

• 1. The Cold Blue Blood
• 2. The Hot Pink Farmhouse
• 3. The Bright Silver Star
• 4. The Burnt Orange Sunrise
• 5. The Sweet Golden Parachute
• 6. The Sour Cherry Surprise

Stewart Hoag and Lulu: (these books have all been out of print, but the first four have recently been reprinted by Busted Flush Press, dedicated to reprints of fine hardboiled crime fiction)

• 1. The Man Who Died Laughing
• 2. The Man Who Lived By Night
• 3. The Man Who Would Be F. Scott Fitzgerald
• 4. The Woman Who Fell From Grace
• 5. The Boy Who Never Grew Up - out of print
• 6. The Man Who Cancelled Himself - out of print
• 7. The Girl Who Ran Off With Daddy - out of print
• 8. The Man Who Loved Women To Death - out of print   

David Handler's website

Busted Flush Press