The arrival of November means winter baking mode begins here – especially pies and tarts, which generally take longer baking times to warm the house and fill the air with fruity-buttery goodness. [Well that is until the juices and butter get a little…
It’s an excellent situation when I’m faced with what to do when gifted a King’s Ransom worth of saffron! Oh. My. Yes. Thanks to my dear friend Joan, who brought me oodles of fancies from Spain, I will be luxuriating in saffron dishes…
New Orleans has been figuring large on my mind these days. The 10 year anniversary of The Hurricane and a recent trip to one of my favorite places for R&R, food and music – the Crescent City. Chef Steve Herbert is…
Call it “Food Foraging 2.0” – when I posted a plea for fresh, culinary bay leaves on our neighborhood social network. I was “Jonesing” for a pound cake using bay leaves and oranges that I spied in David Lebovitz’ “My Paris Kitchen” cookbook, and had…
The distinctive scent of hot water poured over flour transports me back to my Poh Poh’s kitchen. She is my maternal grandmother, who would let me join her in making dim sum nibbles whenever we visited. These are some of my earliest cooking…
The culinary cognoscenti have proclaimed flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean are all the rage, and for good reason. These tasty spice and herb combinations are familiar but with an enticing, exotic twist. The good news is there are numerous options to procure them for…
Recent travels to Spain have my taste buds primed to recreate the flavors here at home! Our Bay Area climate is similar to theirs, offering the opportunity to share the same flavors using our local bounty. With most of our time spent in…
Shorter days and a bit of welcomed rain signal the change of season, and thus my thoughts turn quickly to fall baking projects! As it turns out, several varieties of apples grow quite well here in Piedmont, CA; and I’m fortunate to have…
I adore a recipe that results in high impact with minimal effort. This cake definitely falls into that category, and definitely well timed for a special Valentine’s Day dessert. Really a glorified brownie, this cake is full of flavor, decadent and quite the…
A new year brings a fresh start for healthier food choices. Successful change is easier when the effort is not too great. This bean stew is a delicious, effortless way to incorporate legumes into your meals. I thought this was the perfect opportunity…