Aunt Caroline wasn’t whipping up Lemon Lime Champagne Granita the night she sent Uncle Drew out for lemons. However, when the weather turns scorching hot and I spot a bowl of lemons on the counter I can’t help but chuckle and think of Aunt Caroline and this particular dessert. And, of course, that unforgettable night […]
Lime Berry Paletas and Summer
I can’t say I know much about the differences, if any, between ice pops and paletas. I don’t consider myself an expert at either. “Expert” is in the eye of the beholder I suppose. I’ve been making paletas, especially these Lime Berry Paletas, every summer ever since some wonderful company, I can’t now remember the […]
May 25, 2016 by 8 Comments
Visitandine Strawberry Shortcakes
French Friday with Dorie – Haiku! a visitandine what’s so special about this? teacakes made by nuns look! fussy styling a ruler strikes my knuckles (i’ll skip this next time) brown’d butter used here my choice if its optional did nuns do that too? Visitandine Strawberry Shortcakes Visitandine is a simple French teacake and yet […]
April 4, 2014 by 34 Comments
Fudgy Cherry Port Brownies
Will you just look at these? I am feel like I am selling out several of my strongly held principles this minute by posting a Fudgy Cherry Port Brownies post on Valentines Day. Why in god’s name am I doing this when my personal disdain for the day is rather well known? In fact, you […]
February 14, 2014 by 15 Comments
Paris Brest Pastry
French Friday’s with Dorie I generally try to avoid cream puffs. These creamy sweet desserts such as eclairs and other puffed dough balls filled with whipped cream have never been a particular favorite of mine. They remind me of overconfident Frenchmen who are obnoxious yet still win you over with their charm. I’ll explain later. […]
January 30, 2014 by 41 Comments
Buttermilk Panna Cotta
with Black Cherry Compote
I love all things Alice Medrich and so this Buttermilk Panna Cotta didn’t convince me of anything I already didn’t know. She has been a superstar in my book for years. These days I come to think of Alice as if she is my own personal culinary secret weapon when it comes to menu planning. Her […]
October 23, 2013 by 20 Comments
Floating Island (“île flottante”)
French Fridays with Dorie. “Floating Island” is the English name for the French dessert “île flottante” or “œufs à la neige” . It uses a French custard dessert sauce called “crème anglaise” which when you translate it means “English creme”. Oh those crazy French. In my family Floating Islands was a storied dessert. One which we […]
August 31, 2013 by 21 Comments
Browned Butter Bourbon Blondies
I have always thought that the whole point of a blondie was that it was to be something of an “anti-brownie”. The butterscotchy yang to the brownie’s overplayed chocolate/cocoa yang. By rights, shouldn’t that mean blondies should contain no chocolate at all? Ever? What was I doing upsetting the natural order of things and letting down my own creative self all at the same time? Shame on me.
April 25, 2013 by 23 Comments
Pumpkin Biscoff Cookie Cupcakes
Today these sweet Pumpkin Biscoff Cookie Cupcakes are actually a bit bittersweet. My baking seems better when the cake, pie, or loaf I am producing is meant as a proxy for any actual feelings I can’t quite express face-to-face. In fact, unexpressed sentiment has always been a secret ingredient of my best kitchen work. Unexpressed […]
November 19, 2012 by 13 Comments
Double Chocolate Bread With Peanut Butter Spread
I recently attended a special housewarming for Belinda, the lady across the street. The first time I ever saw Belinda she was wearing her bathrobe and dragging a heavy trash bag down the street to a neighbor’s construction dumpster. In her high heels. Brad’s infamous party had come and gone without many injuries or any severe […]
May 17, 2012 by 27 Comments
Black Pepper Cherry Crisp
A bag of late season Bing cherries made it into my cart tonight. It was purely an impulse buy as I had nothing in mind for them when I reached out and rescued them from the supermarket display. Eh, they where were on special. That alone is usually not enough to persuade me to buy […]
September 28, 2011 by 18 Comments
Pistachio Ice Cream – Learn from it!
It goes without saying that foods bring about memories but did you ever stop to consider that they also have a duty to impart life’s more simple lessons on us? Obviously I knew about the memories part for I wouldn’t even have a blog if memories weren’t part of most recipes. That said, I hadn’t […]
July 13, 2011 by 16 Comments
Lemon Olive Oil Cake
with Cardamom Cream
It was the peak of citrus season in Southern California I wasn’t getting any! Since I didn’t get any last year I was having quite a dry spell. There is nobody is more appreciative of my fruit tree growing friends’ largesse than I am but it was once again looking as if another season was […]
March 25, 2011 by 12 Comments
A Real Man’s Lemon Bar
These are not your grandmother’s lemon bars… I sometimes get that certain itch that needs scratching. A persistent yet familiar urge. I know when I get it that a lady will not be able to help me out with it. What about Martha you say? Surely she has what it takes? Nope. Martha is too traditional […]
March 2, 2011 by 16 Comments
