We are now in the grand epicenter of Meyer lemon season, which makes me all gooey with delight. I love lemons maybe more than any single food, maybe even more than my iphone. It is definitely my dessert flavor of choice (yes, more than chocolate). And Meyer lemons are the cashmere of the lemon world; [...]
Cosmos remain hugely popular and pomegranate juice is just plain delicious. Here these two favorites are combined in a variation on the traditional Cosmopolitan with directions that make it simple to serve at a party. By freezing the pomegranate juice into hot-pink ice cubes, you keep this cocktail cool on the buffet without diluting its potency. The colored cubes also create a pretty “sunset” pattern as they melt.
Celebrate winter’s bounty with this classic dessert. This is special because the floral qualities of a perfect pear are enhanced by sherry, red wine, and bay leaf. This relatively easy dessert is the “wow” that makes any festive occasion seem more special.
Good bread pudding is just so rainy-day yummy and gratifying; mom and hearth personified. It is also very simple to prepare and economical since it is based on stale bread. This should be served warm topped with rum-raisin ice cream, whipped cream, or warm caramel sauce.
This rich and spicy relish is simply wonderful and it goes together so quickly that there is no reason to ever buy cranberry sauce again. The hearty sweet and savory flavors of this relish make it perfect with poultry or pork any time of the year, not just for Thanksgiving. Some traditionalists may object, but my customers love it with the unusual zing of the kumquats and ginger.
A lemon tart appears on nearly everyone’s list of top 10 desserts. This recipe combines lemon with white chcoclate for an elegant presentation. The simple coconut-gingersnap crust, quick and forgiving, is a great addition to your dessert repertoire. It can be used to enhance any simple fruit tart, cheesecake, mousse pie, or ice-cream pie.
Tips for some of the most common preparations for fruit and vegetables.
This is the best orange tart ever. Ginger and a whisper of coconut add complex flavors that have my guests sighing with pleasure. It’s beautiful all on its own or garnished with fresh berries or whipped cream. The quick-and-easy crust works beautifully for cheesecake and fresh fruit tarts.
Frozen yogurt may or may not have less fat than your favorite ice cream, but it definitely has a bright, tangy flavor that dramatically enhances fresh fruit. And if course if you use one of the Greek style yogurts I recommend, you’re getting all of that nice acidophilous bacteria, too.
As you can tell if you scroll thorugh my Soup category, I’m a big fan of cold summer soups. Because they’re meant to be served cold, by defintion they’ve been made ahead of time. When I’m entertaining, any time of the year, that’s very appealing. But in the dead of summer, it’s unbeatable for a [...]
