The time has finally come in our viewing area when almonds get their closeup on Martha Bakes. We taped in September when the harvest was about to begin. Now it’s April, the bloom has finished and green almond season has arrived. This is the ideal time to talk about all things almonds. The almond segment appears on Martha Stewart’s PBS Show, Martha Bakes! We’ll be talking about almond forms and the myriad things one can
Monday, February 25
Martha Bakes Almonds Episode with Martha Stewart
On March 16, 2019, I will be talking about almonds with Martha Stewart on her television show, Martha Bakes! For the eleventh season of her PBS program, Martha Stewart has chosen her favorite baking ingredients. Each episode features a single ingredient such as almonds, lemons or dried fruit. Martha invited experts to stop by her kitchen to chat about each one. My work with the California almond industry led to my appearance on the show.
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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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Friday, August 10
Homemade Almond, Cherry Coconut Granola
A great batch of granola needs to be crispy and not too sweet. It needs nuts, dried fruit and crunch. The idea for this homemade Almond, Cherry Coconut Granola comes from my internet friend Jeanette. She emailed “consider creating a granola with almonds and almond butter. My grand kids would love that.” What a delicious request. Eleven Madison Park’s granola recipe serves as my base. (They give it out to guests. I consumed my pint
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Tuesday, July 31
Emerite + Almonds: Summer Salad Combination
Harciots verts fines, the French call them, the thinnest, finest and earliest green beans of summer. Today I picked the first green haricots from our Connecticut garden, a French variety called emerite. Although green beans will dominate in a few weeks, right now we relish a plate of salad greens topped with emerite and almonds. The distinguishing characteristics of this pole bean variety are length and girth, or lack thereof. These beans are straight, long
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Thursday, May 03
Jambon de Bayonne
You adore prosciutto di Parma. You’ve tasted jamón Iberico. But have you heard of French jambon de Bayonne? It makes up the third star in the trinity of exquisite single-origin dry-cured hams from Europe. Christine Chesanek, owner of Fromage Fine Foods in Old Saybrook, Connecticut brought some into her shop for me. (She sliced the ham for the plate of jambon de Bayonne pictured here into translucent pieces.) It is made by Delpeyrat, which has been
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Tuesday, February 27
Stewed Lamb Shoulder, Green Almonds and Mint
Persian cooking fascinates me. It’s a cuisine that mixes sour, sweet and savory. Persian flavors make me think of cooking lamb and fresh green almonds. This recipe for Stewed Lamb Shoulder, Green Almonds and Mint is my take on a lamb koresht or stew. Jump to Recipe To prepare the stew, I use meaty lamb shoulder chops. This cut is both flavorful and lean. Don’t let the bones bother you. Cut what large chunks of
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Thursday, February 15
Olive Oil Poached Green Almonds with Ras el Hanout
In early spring, in regions where almond trees grow – Turkey, Israel, Iran, North Africa and the Middle East – you’ll find green almonds on the menu. The fuzzy pods symbolize rebirth, a sour crunchy treat to welcome spring. During the brief stage when immature almonds are tender and green, they are eaten whole dipped in salt. Or sliced thin and scattered over salads and fish dishes. Green almonds can also be cooked as in
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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, its a 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 occasion. Fussing over cookies
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Saturday, November 25
Holiday Recipes – Double Almond Thumbprint Cookies
Around this time of the year, I start auditioning sweet recipes to serve during the holidays. Family favorites usually win out but often there is room to add one or two new items. Spices appeal to me this season – ginger cake, sticky toffee pudding, pain d’epices, gingersnaps with a cream filling. Living in the Nutmeg State, I can’t find enough ways to use our potent moniker. (Adding finely grated nutmeg to the icing I
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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!
