November 17, 2019
I have been asked about the candied nuts that I often use in my recipe. It’s true, candied nuts is an item I always have on hand whether in my freezer or in a small dish on the counter, ready to be sprinkled onto salad, desserts, roasted vegetables etc. They add a sweet, crunchy element that I like. I have posted the recipe as part of a few recipes before but for... View Article
March 13, 2014
As I write these words asparagus spears in France, Holland, Spain, California and elsewhere are beginning to push out from below the soil reaching for the first rays of sun to fuel the photosynthesis process and turn them green. This is true for green asparagus but not so for white. White asparagus, the same species as the green, remains white because it is grown in the dark under a mound of soil (and sometimes black plastic... View Article
August 5, 2013
During the summer I make many vegetarian salad dinners and because most people are so concerned about having a visible protein as part of every meal (I am not) I add a legume salad to appease the uninitiated (and also because I love legumes:). Lentils are wonderful legumes that pair well with many vegetables and dressings and are very easy to cook. For salads I prefer the smaller lentils, preferably the du Puy variety, because... View Article
June 25, 2013
Radicchio and endive are slightly bitter salad greens (or reds) that combine wonderfully with the creamy gorgonzola. To bridge the flavours I like it with honey vinaigrette and a scattering of crunchy walnuts. It’s truly a treat. When making this salad I prefer to chop both radicchio and endive with a knife into ribbons. I find that it’s easier to eat this way and with every forkful you get some of each of the leaves,... View Article
September 14, 2012
Melt-in-your-mouth four ingredients cookies that everyone who likes to cook should have in their repertoire. They are quick to make and so sweetly delicious. I believe these cookies hail from the mediterranean and you see versions of them in many middle east cuisines. The dough has to be chilled first and then baked at low temperature (I use convection mode at 320℉. ) You can roll the dough into a log, refrigerate until cold and... View Article
August 24, 2012
Blueberries are plump and sweet right now and it’s hard not to buy them by the caseload. Some of them made it into a few jars of jam, some into simple desserts (Blueberry Buckle, to be posted) and a few get incorporated into breakfast foods, whether on top of cereal or, as in this recipe, inside and on top of pancakes. I make these lovely breakfast treats in regular size or in mini form. For... View Article
May 30, 2012
Asparagus is a lovely spring treat and when it is in season I try to use it often. Read more about asparagus in my article under What’s in Season here. Grilling asparagus brings out beautiful flavor elements that are simply not present when boiling or steaming. The natural sugars caramelize as the asparagus roast and a lovely sweetness emerges that compliments the macadamia pesto nicely. I prefer to roast fat spears as they have a... View Article
April 12, 2012
Candied nuts are part of my kitchen repertoire. I make a batch and keep it in the freezer to use when called for. I use walnuts here but almonds, macadamia, hazelnuts and other nuts work just as well. To use in salads just scatter a few nuts over the top after you have tossed the salad with the dressing. Ingredients: 3 cups walnuts 1/3 cup sugar 1/3 cup water 1/4 cup honey 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon... View Article
April 11, 2012
Who doesn’t like pancakes for a leisurely weekend breakfast now and then? Light and fluffy, sweet and satisfying, weekend breakfast at my house often includes pancakes of one kind or another. The key to making pancakes is to not over mix the batter. Mix it lightly and allow some lumps to remain. You can also separate the yolks from the whites, beat the whites to soft peaks and then incorporate them into the batter. I... View Article
April 11, 2012
This is adapted from an old recipe in Martha Stewart’s Entertaining, a book that made her famous and launched me on my pre-law catering career back then. That book made me think about food in a different way. I use red grapes to make this recipe as I find that they are generally sweeter and pair better with the Roquefort. I pick the larger grapes in the bunch because they are easier to work with.... View Article
