Last year, I saw this recipe on Chocolate & Zucchini, a lovely blog written by Clotilde Dusoulier. I made a mental note to try the recipe this year and WOW, what a fantastic recipe! Not a traditional recipe, she instructs the cook to let the rhubarb and sugar sit overnight. The resulting syrup is then […]
For my niece Anna’s high school graduation, it was all cupcakes, champagne and lemon curd. I haven’t made lemon cream (aka curd) in ages and I thought it would make for a nice accompaniment with these vanilla cupcakes and fresh berries. Of course chocolate cupcakes and champagne are nice too! Really Vanilla Cup Cakes Recipe makes 24 […]
I love clafouti. It is not really a cake, not really a pudding and it is so easy to make and so versatile. A homey dessert from France (probably invented to use up old eggs and over-ripe fruit), it’s not at all fussy and leftovers make a wonderful breakfast. It is traditionally made with freshly […]
Recently, I was lucky enough to work on an assignment for fresh magazine about Portuguese cooking. I interviewed Ana Ortins, an expert on the cuisine of Portugal. My first experience with Portuguese specialties was in the early 90’s. I was managing Turner Fisheries in the Westin Hotel, Boston and my PM bus staff was principally Portuguese. How I miss […]
This week on the Food Network, Giada DeLaurentis, Ina Garten and Rachel Ray all demonstrated different ways to squeeze a lemon. Giada squeezes it into her hand to catch the seeds; Rachel squeezes them as pictured below so that the seeds don’t fall out and Ina just takes her chances and pulls the seeds out. I love […]
I know that I have mentioned before how much I adore Dorie Greenspan’s blog. She is a celebrated cookbook author primarily based in Paris, France and her specialty is desserts; Greenspan regularly writes for Bon Appetit and Parade. She recently ran a post about a simple, versatile Sour Cream Loaf Cake. I am a very big […]
The other day Vincenzo and I had a quiet moment, a block of unscheduled time. Usually, this time might be spent playing endless rounds of Cariboo or perhaps building and smashing towers. Today however, Vincenzo had other plans, "Let’s make cupcakes," he exclaimed. Hmmmmm, twist my arm. "Cupcakes sounds like a fabulous idea." I have […]
Yikes! I can not believe that I am the mother of a 13 year old. This year, he decided on a new cake. Chocolately and moist, this cake is one that I used to serve at Val 21, a restaurant I headed way back when. I filled it with raspberry or lemon curd in the center and finished it with a […]
Traderspoint Creamery in Indiana and Farmers Creamery in Iowa make some of the best grass-fed dairy products out there. I particularly love these products because they are made from non-homogenized, lightly pasteurized milk (meaning not ultra-pasteurized which I really resent). The flavor is fantastic. The yogurt comes in a glass bottle and it is the […]
Pickle ball, croquet, an egg hunt, and sometimes snow. Yes, that is usually Easter in the Rockies. My in-laws always make it fun with lottery tickets and mini bottles of booze hidding with the eggs and chocolates! Everyone participates in the Easter Egg hunt. This year we made Diana proud even in the rainy, cold weather. […]
