Do you watch The Bear? I do. Every season the first few episodes are rough: lots of yelling, swearing and anger. But then, somewhere around the third or fourth episode, the show comes together and I am drawn in. Season 3 has had some wonderful moments, not the least of which is the final dinner at the restaurant Ever. The episode begins with Chef Thomas Keller teaching Carmie how to truss a chicken. Now obviously I don't know Thomas Keller, but I every time I have seen him in an interview or lesson he is calm and soft spoken and clearly intelligent. He seems like a very nice man. ...
Cakes
OLIVE OIL AND ALMOND CAKE TOPPED WITH WINTER CITRUS FRUITS
Olive oil and Almond Cake topped with Winter Citrus Fruits! It's January and the cycle of seasonal fruits and vegetables start to turn towards Spring. Gone are the apples and pumpkins of Fall and early Winter. Yet to come are the berries of Spring. Nestled in between these two seasons is the gift of citrus. Oranges and grapefruits, clementines and tangerines, they bring lightness and color to the dreary days of January and February. In celebration of the lengthening days, I made an Olive Oil and Almond Sponge Cake, topping it with Winter citrus fruits. It's light and ...
RASPBERRY PAVLOVA
It's been a long time coming, but this recipe for Raspberry Pavlova is worth wait! Crisp on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside the Pavlova meringue is topped with a delicous raspberry sauce, dark chocolate and passionfruit. Easy to make and serve, a Raspberry Pavlova is a show stopper in any season and for any holiday I had no idea as I boarded the plane to Europe at the end of November 2023 that I had written my last post for the year. Indeed, it never crossed my mind that it would be the middle of January 2024 before I sat down at my desk to share a recipe with you! ...
PEAR ALMOND CAKE
PEARS: THE FORGOTTEN FRUIT OF FALL I saw a version of this Pear Almond Cake made with apples and I thought the almond flavor really called for pears more than anything else. The cake is similar to an apple cake I used to make for tea when my British and Australian friends would bring their children over for a play date. This variation was a natural for me to pursue. It uses almond paste instead of the more usual almond flour, resulting in a lighter cake. And the pears are a sweet break from the fall onslaught of apples. It is important to use just barely ripe pears that will hold their ...
PUMPKIN SWISS ROLL WITH CINNAMON TOFFEE ICING
FALL CAKES FROM AROUND THE WORLD: ENGLISH PUMPKIN SWISS ROLL Based on the fact that my family was getting tired of apple cakes, and in celebration of a new season of the Great British Baking Show, this week’s cake is a Pumpkin Swiss Roll with Cinnamon Toffee Icing. I don’t know exactly why the Swiss Roll is an English favorite. It’s something to do with Queen Victoria, no doubt! Other countries have their versions of rolled sponge cakes filled with icing but to me there is something very British about a slice of light, icing-filled sponge cake. In honor of the season I choose to ...
GREEK HONEY APPLE CAKE
FALL CAKES FROM AROUND THE WORLD My first cake was from France, rich in butter and milk, visually appealing and sophisticated. My second cake is from Greece. It's a modest apple cake. The local products of honey, olive oil and yogurt create layers of flavor, oh-so-light in texture, while a simple glaze of honey, cinnamon and cider tops it off. The key to this Greek Honey Apple Cake is to use the best honey and finest olive oil you can find! It starts with a mixture of honey, cider, and cinnamon which is reduced to a syrup. Part of this will be set aside to glaze the cake and the rest ...
FALL CAKES FROM AROUND THE WORLD: FRENCH DISAPPEARING APPLE CAKE
All over the world people love apples! And is there any way better to celebrate the changing seasons than with an Apple Cake in the Fall? This Disappearing Apple Cake is a uniquely French approach which is easy to make and makes a real apple statement! Apples are one of the oldest and most loved fruits out there. Almost every country in the Northern hemisphere has cakes and desserts centered around apples. And now is the best season for apples. They are fresh, crispy and the varieties are endless. I have shared with you an Australian Apple Cake in the past and now I am traveling back to ...
ALMOND BERRY CAKE
The fruits of summer pair with almond to create a light cake, good for snacking and breakfast! Today is the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. It’s a day that speaks of the hot days of Summer and long warm evenings. The days when children play outside well past their bedtimes, their shrieks and laughter mingling with the smells of smoke and grilling. Sunshine and flowers, swimming pools and beaches. You know what it does not speak of? Rain. So much rain. And cool, damp air. So much so that I am sitting at my desk wearing socks and a sweatshirt to keep warm. As any baker ...
BAKING WITH HERBS: LEMON BASIL POUNDCAKE WITH STRAWBERRY GLAZE
Fresh basil gives a new dimension to the flavors of lemon pound cake. Top with a glaze made of fresh strawberries for a Spring Treat! I watch a lot of baking and cooking shows. They can be a source of inspiration as well as entertainment. My latest not-so-guilty pleasure is the Great American Baking Show on the Roku channel. Once I got past the awesome arrogance of Paul Hollywood expounding on what is and is not “an American bake”, I discovered the similarities of the show to the original Great British Baking Show were the ones I wanted to see: kind and enthusiastic home bakers ...
PANCAKES IN ANOTHER FORM! BROWN BUTTER MAPLE CAKE WITH BALSAMIC BLUEBERRY COMPOTE
BROWN BUTTER MAPLE CAKE WITH BALSAMIC BLUEBERRY COMPOTE Sunday means breakfast: a stack of pancakes brimming with blueberries and swimming in syrup. Sunday means brunch: elegant mimosas in long stemmed flute. Sunday means BBQ, or a barbeque: the one a Southern treat, and the other a hot dog and hamburger staple of American life. Whatever your Sunday looks like, this cake brings it all together. Brown butter and maple syrup make a batter that tastes a lot like pancakes. And the sweet blueberry compote has a hint of mimosa elegance from a dash of balsamic vinegar. The single ...
