Reine-Marie Gamache slipped her arm through her husband’s as they walked along rue des Archives to the bus stop on rue des Quatre-Fils.
Armand had suggested he flag down a taxi to take them from their apartment in the Marais to the restaurant, but Reine-Marie preferred the bus. It was a route she knew well. One that always confirmed for her that she was in Paris.
“Do you remember the first time we took this bus?” she asked.
He heard her words but was thinking about the first time ReineMarie had taken his arm. Like this.
It was their third date, and they were walking along the slippery winter sidewalk in Montréal after dinner.
He’d reached out for her, to keep her steady, just as Reine-Marie had reached for him.
To keep him steady.
She’d put her arm through his. So that their fates would be intertwined. If one lost their balance, the other would right them. Or they’d fall together.
“You had on that blue cape your mother loaned you,” he said, remembering that chilly night.
“I had on the polka dot dress I’d borrowed from my sister,” she said, remembering that warm day.
“It was winter,” he said.
“It was the height of summer.”
“Ah, yes,” he said into the evening air. “I remember it well.”
“You nut,” she laughed, recognizing the reference.
He smiled. And squeezed her arm. As they passed men and women, young and old, lovers and strangers, strolling like them along rue des Quatre-Fils.

All sorts of things woke up in the spring. With the warmer weather. Bears. Chipmunks. Skunks and racoons. And rivers.
They came to life.
There were few things more powerful, or destructive, or terrifying, than a hungry bear or a river in full flood.
Gamache knew exactly where the river was heading. While he’d never been along this road before, he knew the area. They weren’t all that far from his own village.
Which meant the roar they heard was the Rivière Bella Bella, heading straight into Three Pines.
He took out his phone to call Reine-Marie, to warn her and find out how things were, but Cameron was right. There was no signal.
He clicked the phone off, put it back in his pocket, and turned to look up the muddy road.
“Come on,” he said, and started the climb.

Myrna sat back in her chair, trying to remember.
She’d been in her bookstore the morning before when the mail arrived.
She’d poured a mug of strong tea and sat in the comfortable armchair with the indentation that fit her body like a mold.
The woodstove was on, and beyond her window was a brilliant winter day. The sky was a deep perfect blue, and the sun bounced off the snow-covered lawns, the road, the ice rink, and the snowmen on the village green. The whole village gleamed.
It was the sort of day that drew you outside. Even though you knew better. And once you were outside, the cold gripped you, burning your lungs, soldering your nostrils together with every breath. It brought tears to your eyes. Freezing the lashes so that you had to pry your lids apart.
And yet, gasping for breath, you still stood there. Just a little longer. To be part of such a day. Before retreating back inside to the hearth and hot chocolate, or tea, or strong, rich café au lait.
And the mail.

“The langoustines are excellent,” said Vincent Gilbert, as they took their seats by the window.
On a clear day there was a splendid view of the village below and the hills beyond, rolling into Vermont. But the falling snow both obscured and softened it, giving the landscape a dreamlike quality.
To Dr. Gilbert, looking at the vista behind his companion, it was like something out of a storybook. Peaceful, calm.

Serves 4
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 24 langoustines
• 300 mL (1 ¼ cups) carrot juice
• 4 mini green onions
• One small carrot, julienned
• One leek white, julienned
• Juice of half a lemon
• 240 mL (1 cup) 35% cream
• Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Shell the langoustines. Set aside.
2.  Cook the green onions in boiling salted water. Keep warm.
3.  Combine the carrot juice, lemon juice, julienne of carrots and leeks in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper.
4.  Add the langoustines and let simmer for 4 to 5 minutes.
5.  Divide the vegetables and langoustines evenly among the plates. Keep warm.
6.  Add the cream to the pan and reduce by half until you have a smooth sauce.
7.  Check the seasoning.
8.  Pour the sauce over the langoustines.
9. Decorate with green onions and a basil leaf. Serve immediately.

“They opened the brown paper bag and ate their tartelettes au citron in front of The Gates of Hell. Stephen talked about the remarkable work while brushing powdery icing sugar off Armand’s sweater.”

Makes one 26 cm (10 ½ in.) tart or 4 8 cm (3 in.) diameter tarts
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

Crust

• 250 mL (1 cup) all-purpose flour
• 30 mL (2 tbsp.) sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 90 mL (6 tbsp.) salted butter, cut into cubes
• 1 egg
• 30 to 45 mL (2 to 3 tablespoons) water

Lemon filling

• 4 egg yolks
• 160 mL (2/3 cup) sugar
• 30ml (2 tablespoons) cornstarch
• 240ml (1 cup) milk
• 180ml (3/4 cup) freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
• Grated zest of two lemons

DIRECTIONS:

Preparation of the dough

1. 1) Combine the flour, sugar, salt, butter and egg in the bowl of a food processor.
2.  Pulse until the texture is powdery
3.  Add water until a ball of dough forms, neither grainy nor sticky.
4.  Remove dough from bowl and wrap in plastic wrap.
5.  Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
6.  Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F)
7.  Butter and flour a pie pan
8.  Roll out the dough and place it in the pan. Remove excess dough.
9.  Cover the dough with aluminum foil and cover with peas to prevent the dough from puffing up during baking.
10.  Bake for 20 minutes until almost done.
11. Remove peas and aluminum foil. Set aside.

To prepare the lemon filling

1.  Gather all lemon filling ingredients in a bowl.
2.  Using a whisk, blend for one minute.
3. Then over a saucepan of simmering water (double boiler), cook, whisking constantly, until the cream begins to thicken.
4. Pour this mixture into the bottom of the pre-baked pie and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cream is set.
5.  Remove to a rack to cool.
6.  Serve at room temperature
   
   
   

“The incident room in Three Pines was filled with the aroma of wet socks, sweat, cilantro, and lime. Olivier and Gabri moved aside the firefighting equipment and set out the ginger-garlic chicken soup, sandwiches, and drinks…”

Serves 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 30 mL (2 tbsp.) olive oil
• One medium leek, sliced
• 240 mL (1 cup) diced carrot
• One red bell pepper, diced
• One raw chicken breast, diced
• 1ml (1/4 tsp.) cumin
• 15ml (1 tbsp.) grated ginger
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1.5 l (6 cups) chicken broth
• 240ml (1 cup) fresh or frozen peas
• 50g (2 cups) chopped arugula
• Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1) Heat oil in a saucepan, add leek, carrot, bell pepper and let cook over low heat for 5 minutes.
2) Add the chicken, cumin, ginger, garlic and cook for another 5 minutes.
3) Add the broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
4) Add the peas.
5) Just before serving, pour the soup into the bowls and place the arugula on top.

“They’d taken Benedict home then. To the Gamache home.
Now, all showered and in warm clothes, they’d joined the others in a meal of beef stew and warm apple crisp with thick cream. Comfort foods that rarely failed in their one great task.”

Serves 6
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: Approximately 1 1/2 hours

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) beef stew, cut into 2.5 cm (1 in) cubes
• 1 onion, cut into thin rings
• 15 g (1 tbsp.) butter
• 15 mL (1 tbsp.) olive oil
• 30 g (4 tbsp.) flour
• 250 mL (1 cup) red wine
• 125 mL (1/2 cup) veal stock or meat broth
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 3 large carrots, sliced
• ½ kale, core removed, thinly sliced
• 10 medium potatoes, cut into cubes
• salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:

• 1) In a casserole dish, over medium heat, brown the meat and onion in the butter and oil for 5 minutes.
• 2) Sprinkle with flour and mix. Pour in the red wine and veal stock.

Season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1 hour.

• 3) Then add celery, carrot and cabbage on top. Cover again and cook until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

Serves 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 675 g (1 1/2 lbs) Cortland or McIntosh apples, peeled, seeded and diced
• 150g (3/4 cup) brown sugar
• 90g (1/3 cup) unsalted butter, tempered
• 55g (1/3 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 250 g (1 cup) rolled oats
• A pinch of salt
• 250ml (1 cup) heavy cream

DIRECTIONS:

• 1) Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Butter a square pan of about 17 cm (7″).
• 2) In a bowl, mix the apples with half the brown sugar. Place in pan.
• 3) In the same bowl, mix remaining brown sugar with butter, flour, oats and salt. Cover the apples with the crisp.
• 4) Bake for 35 minutes or until crisp is golden and apples are cooked.
• 5) Serve warm, pouring heavy cream over the crisp.