When citrus is plentiful, save the zest. It’s the bonus flavoring so many of us just toss. You can dry it to add to soups and stews. Or dry it then grind the flavorful pieces into salt or sugar. At this time of the year though, I like to make candied citrus zest from oranges. (Or lemons or grapefruit.) It’s a sweet treat on its own and the secret ingredient in butter cookies, biscotti and
Thursday, November 21
Pumpkin Cherry Pear Cake with Cinnamon Almond Streusel
What do you look for in a snacking cake when the temperature dips? Pumpkin, naturally. And warm spices in a cake that is studded with fruit. This moist Pumpkin Cherry Pear Cake with Cinnamon Almond Streusel delivers just that and is what I’m making right now. We serve it for breakfast or for dessert when we have houseguests. I originally developed this recipe for American Almond Products Company. I used their cinnamon filling in the
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Thursday, December 20
Chocolate Caramel Sauce
Deep smoky caramel married with dark chocolate makes for an addicting sweet condiment. Keep this Chocolate Caramel Sauce on hand when you feel a craving coming on. Or when you’re having friends over. And it’s incomparable as a DIY gift. The trick to making caramel is taking care. Make sure to use a pan that is deep enough or the sauce will bubble over when the cream is added. A 1 – 1 ½ quart
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Saturday, November 24
Holiday Baking for Smart Cookies
For many years, I taught a cooking class called Holiday Baking for Smart Cookies. I’d forgotten about this until Pem McNerney of Shore Publishing asked me for some cookie baking tips. Like most time-pressed cooks, I follow a few steps to avoid the holiday baking frenzy. Breaking down the work into short bursts of activity helps me avoid last-minute frenzy. Even if you only bake a couple different types of cookies, I hope some of
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Chocolate Diabolo Thumbprint Cookies
The flavors of Mexican hot chocolate inspired these Chocolate Diabolo Thumbprint Cookies. They are my riff on the holiday cookie tray staple, the chocolate snowball. If you love surprises, this cookie might be for you. It’s got warm spices and a kick from cayenne pepper. The trick is to build flavor at each step. Use quality dark cocoa powder such as Ghirardelli. And use fresh spices. Toasting the nuts before adding them to the dough
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Monday, October 22
Pear Almond Polenta Cake
Not too sweet with an intriguing combination of flavors, this Pear Almond Polenta Cake is the perfect autumn dessert. Serve it at a holiday meal or make it to eat for breakfast over a long weekend. Jump to Recipe Pears and almonds make great partners. I love a pear frangipane tarte, tender pears tucked into a bed of creamy almond, butter and egg filling. But it’s fussy to make because you need to poach the
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Thursday, September 06
Wild Blackberry Preserves
My grandmother taught me to pick wild blueberries. On the lake in southern New Hampshire where we spent our summers, blueberries grew in the profuse underbrush. Picking them kept a bunch of active kids busy those long sticky days. Me, Charlot, Chris, Rolo and Annie followed the sandy road from our camp north to the neighbors’ yard where a narrow path led into the woods. The low bushes appeared in a clearing. We ate as
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Friday, February 09
Chocolate Rosemary Cream
Chocolate rosemary cream satisfies all my sweet cravings. It’s rich with dark cocoa flavors and unctuous like a barely melted chocolate bar. Let a spoonful rest on your tongue and the mild acidity and fragrant rosemary notes come through. With everyone thinking about chocolate for Valentine’s Day, I thought this might be the moment to make it again. Jump to Recipe This is neither my invention nor something new because the recipe is over 200
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Monday, December 18
Linzer Torte Cookies
One of the first desserts I made at Restaurant du Village was Linzer Torte. The blend of ground nuts and warm spices appealed to me then as is does now, the tart jam offset by the buttery crust. As a desert after a meal, a wedge of Linzer Torte is little heavy for the way we eat today. That’s why I make these Linzer Torte Cookies instead, whether for the holidays or for a special
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Tuesday, August 02
Almond and Buckwheat Flour Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
If I were unable to digest wheat flour, I’d miss chocolate chip cookies as much as chewy bread and good pasta. That’s why I came up with this recipe for Almond and Buckwheat Flour Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies. They are chewy and crunchy with a complex taste from grains and almonds flour. There are in regular rotation at our house. Inspired by Alice Medrich’s Flavor Flours, I had already been experimenting with buckwheat and
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"Let no man fancy he knows how to dine Till he has learnt how taste and taste combine."
-Horace, Satires, 2.4They're here!
