Strawberry and Rhubarb come together in a delicious pie. Each bite is different. In one you taste the tang of rhubarb. In the next, the sweetness of strawberry. And in another the two unite in a sweet-tart blend of fruit. I was in college when I tasted rhubarb for the first time. It was a revelation. What is Rhubarb? Rhubarb is a vegetable. And it is very tart. I have heard the flavor compared to that of a sour green apple, unripe grapes, or a not-yet-ready-to-eat kiwi. Sugar will tame the tang, but it will keep its acidic flavor. Which makes it perfect to pair with ...
BBQ SEASON CLASSIC SIDES: POTATO SALAD WITH OLIVES AND TURMERIC, AND VINEGAR COLESLAW
We’ve been eating a lot of hamburgers and hot dogs around here lately. It’s quick and easy and pleasing to people of all ages. When it’s a spur of the moment meal, I am apt to purchase some sides. But when I have time, I would rather make potato salad and coleslaw myself. These two recipes are among my most requested from family and friends. Potato Salad with Olives and Turmeric Interestingly, when I went to google turmeric, almost everything that came up had to do with the health benefits of turmeric It has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties which may be beneficial for a ...
THE BEST HOT CROSS BUNS
You know how I feel about Hot Cross Buns! But instead of just being disappointed by them, this time I decided to identify where I felt they were lacking and see if I could fix the problems. And I did it! My Hot Cross Buns are smaller in size than the traditional bun, giving each bite a good ratio of honey glazed crust to soft interior. They are filled with bits of diced apricot, an ingredient with more pop than the humble raisin. And the dough, made with coconut milk and sweetened coconut flakes, is liberally flavored with vanilla and almond. Every bite has a hint of flavor ...
Almost a Lemon Meringue Pie: Lime Tart with Swiss Meringue
This started with a lemon meringue pie and eventually segued into something altogether different: a zesty lime tart with a sugar cookie crust, topped with a shiny, marshmallowy Swiss meringue. The back story: my mother made a lemon meringue pie that everyone loved. Her lemon filling was topped with just the right amount of meringue. The balance of flavors was perfect! Every forkful yielded up soft marshmallowlike meringue, tart lemon and a crunch of pie crust. I never learned how to make my mother’s meringue pie and I never found a lemon meringue pie that I liked after that. The “Mile ...
MY FOOD CHALLENGE
I went to the grocery store today and it was boring. Same old, same old doesn’t begin to say it. The fruits and vegetable aisle looks so inviting with its bright reds, greens, oranges and yellows. But once you start to walk down the aisle you will notice that there isn’t a lot of variety. Sure you can get carrots five different ways: organic, regular, mini-carrots, unpackaged with greens on, and topped and bagged (5 and 20 pound bags). And there is a small display of “tropical fruits”. But even that suffers from a steady diet of mangoes and passion fruit! To be fair, I am a part of ...
LEMON DROP COOKIES
Isn’t the weather so odd? The two halves of our country are experiencing diametrically opposite winters. In the North, it’s brutal, cold and icy and snowy. In the South it is weirdly hot, and Spring is making an early entrance. It’s emblematic of where we stand on so many things. But here’s one thing we can agree on: cookies. Specifically, soft cake-like cookies, topped with a zingy lemon frosting. They sing of spring and daffodils. Which, for those of us in the South, is perfectly suited to the warm sun and early spring we are enjoying. And for my friends in colder places, I hope it ...
MAHI MAHI IN PICCATA SAUCE
Did you know that there are more than 27,000 varieties of fish of which approximately 12 are sold in American Supermarkets? And at any given time, at least four of those will probably be salmon! You can break the fish down into two basic categories: flat fish (like flounder, sole and halibut) and round fish (think salmon and tuna) Within the categories of shape, you can further break the fish down into flavor. Lean white fish have a delicate flavor and “oily” fish have a richer, more distinct, taste. That’s all you really need to know to get started cooking fish. And one of the ...
APRICOT JAM BREAD
Sometimes something that seems so easy, just isn’t. Take this Jam Quick Bread for example. The first time I made it I used some leftover homemade pineapple jam that I had from making pineapple tarts And it was a killer quick bread: moist and light with delicious pockets of sweet pineapple. The only issue was a slight tendency for the edges to overcook before the center was done. Seems a no brainer to make it with a different jam? Oh, if only that were true! Five loaves, three different jams, two different oven temperatures and two loaf pan sizes later I have found my ...
HEARTS FOR VALENTINE’S DAY: OATMEAL LINZER COOKIES
Not a cake baker? Let’s make cookies for Valentine’s Day. A little oatmeal brings a nutty crunch to this raspberry jam-filled sandwich cookie. Cut a little heart in the top cookie so the jam peeks through. Every child and adult in your life will love you for it! When I was a little girl, Valentine’s Day brought color and fun to the otherwise dreary, cold month of February in Connecticut. My mother was too busy with our family of six children to do much more than give us each a hug and kiss but school stepped in. We bought boxes of simple valentines and laboriously labelled them for ...
CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRY CAKE: A VALENTINE’S GIFT!
Valentine’s Day: hearts and flowers and chocolate covered strawberries! This year I decided to see if I could capture all the goodness of a chocolate covered strawberry in a cake. Layers of strawberry flavored cake, luscious strawberry jam, a dusting of sweet and salty crumb, all surrounded by a rich and luxurious chocolate ganache. I also wanted a cake a homecook could make without special equipment or ingredients. So, this recipe comes complete with shortcuts! You can make the cake from scratch, or you can use a box mix. I made a quick and easy strawberry jam but you ...