lunch on L'isle Sur la Sorgue my own kitchen, a spiced-plum galette with strawberry ice cream Yesterday, when I awoke and read that Gina De Palma had passed away after her long battle with ovarian cancer I felt a very strong sadness come over me. I had met her only once, when she did a rec class at ICE many years ago, back when I was still considering going to Pastry School. I had read about her battle occasionally over the years and had … [Read more...]
Archives for December 2015
Prelude: Behold, I Bring You Tidings of Sweet Joy; The Case for Pictures
photo courtesy Box of Spice Some days your own recipe ideas are ok - some days, those of others just are so much better! Let it be known that I am on record of being a huge proponent of including a finished photo in a recipe, especially one such as the second one in this post. I have never been one to understand a cookbook without photos. Number two pet peeve is when photos are assembled in a group away from the recipes. For me, … [Read more...]
“Ornaments” of Winter Citrus – The Blood Orange and Rosemary Christmas Cake with Seasonal Fruit
- photos from 2014 collection - Blood Oranges in my kitchen - sometimes recipe creation can be like putting the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle together I'm dancing a little jig today! (Hey now, get your game on……) - it's Solstice Day! It is the beginning of a whole new earth-orienting/tipping point - one I like! I'm stoked, for it is the very end of the shortening days of sunlight! Woo-hoo! Ok, I got that out of my system - always have … [Read more...]
Think Old! The Very Best in Christmas Shopping is Vintage!
thinking Vintage Chances are, right around the corner from you is a treasure trove of holiday shopping. Not only might you find a most unique gift or two, but chances are you will get a bargain compared to what you might have chosen at the mall. Yesterday, I had the best time Christmas Shopping - in an Antique Shop. It was so refreshing! Antiques have suffered a great amount of "out-of-style-syndrome" lately and some of my favorite … [Read more...]
Making a List, Baking it Twice – Featuring, The (Brain) Science of Cookie Baking
need inspiration? this photo should do it! (Crunchy-Cherry Pistachio Biscotti - photo courtesy King Arthur Flour) leaving my favorite cookie bowl on the counter makes for a pretty irresistible invitation…….. Baking a batch or two or three of biscotti, pulling them out of the oven after their second baking, smiling at their simple beauty, and then sitting down to enjoy one with a cup of coffee, tea or cocoa and feeling the warmth and … [Read more...]
Oogle, not Google Here – Regional Italian Dolci “.doc”
Candelaus from Sardinia (image courtesy ItalianTourism.com) "Learn Something New Everyday". Martha Stewart Even though the holiday technically dedicated to giving thanks passed by a couple of weeks ago, I am assembling my own bucket-load of thankfulnesses for the Christmas Season. One of my most prominent thankfulnesses has to do with my obsession of dreaming of being in Italy and eating all of the food that they have made an entire … [Read more...]
Full Plate on The Front Burner: Jaçques Pepin, The Affective Memory – No Coaching Needed
image courtesy Jaçques Pepin and NYT One thing I can say for sure, I may not remember what I had for lunch yesterday, where I left my keys or where I am supposed to be today at 10:30, but I do, most very certainly have a full, sharp and poignant encyclopedia of food memories from my past that are intact. They come with a full complement of time, place and details of the physical surroundings, in addition to the food itself. For those who … [Read more...]
The Best Gifts in Life are Free; Tasty Treats from Cell Phones to Cardamom Hazelnut Crescents
just one of yesterday's finest gifts What is the price of distraction? Have you ever passed by the same place thousands of times and because you were single-mindedly focused on finishing a task or just plain thinking about something else, you passed by something that has the potential to turn out to be the highlight of your day? Yesterday, I had the most fun photographing a small flock of sheep about a mile away from my house. I have … [Read more...]
Classic Cookie Recipes, Kicked Up a Notch – Bittersweet Peppermint Snowballs
Christmas Cookie favorites are really a very personal thing. In every home, you are likely to find a combination of nostalgic favorites and those which appeal and you can choose from the panoply of offerings found all around you at this time of year. Some are simple to make and some are more involved. Every year I find the list of offerings to experiment with to be an ever-growing encyclopedic collection, which I try to assemble on my Facebook … [Read more...]
December in New York 2015; It Lifts You Up
There are so many things you can say about December in New York. It is maddening - with the hoards of people, moving along the streets in swarms that you can not get around or, once embedded are stuck there. You get bumped and shoved along with the flow. You can't drive anywhere without hours of commitment that you must give into. Stores are crowded and hot and if you have a Winter coat on, you can become overheated and cranky. Inevitably, … [Read more...]