traditional food + duck á l’orange
Through recollection and tradition, food connects us to the past. But food can also be a means of tracing culinary habits and preferences of the culture at large. read more »
blackberry swirl cheesecake + a gingerbread house
I spent Christmas Eve building a gingerbread house with my oldest daughter and it was an absolute joy. I made this gingerbread recipe, drew up my own plans, and went for it. Then, with the help of two containers of very cheap grocery store frosting and lots of candy, we constructed a pretty charming little cabin. I liked making this one with minimal planning, but already I can envision a future in competitive gingerbread house building. It fulfills my 9 year-old self’s dream of being an architect, except with frosting. So very much frosting. Then, I made a cheesecake for Christmas dinner. read more »
a merry little christmas
I set out this morning to share a recipe my good friend Lily and her mom Judy created for lovely homemade cookie ornaments but I ended up passing a rainy day fruitlessly rifling through boxes, drawers, and stacks of paper. Lily was nice enough to share her family recipe and teach our oldest daughter and me how to make them last year, and although I have a distinct memory of placing it somewhere special so I wouldn’t forget it, I can’t remember where I put the card with the recipe. read more »
chocolate stout cake
People, it’s time. The season of decadent foodstuffs has begun. Even though in the past few weeks I’ve tested new dessert recipes, whipped up a Thanksgiving pie, and attended a cookie party, I decided that a recent weeknight birthday celebration for five called for a three-layer chocolate stout cake. I know what you’re thinking, but don’t worry, because I lightened things up with a whipped cream frosting. Instead of ganache. It’s called restraint. read more »
quick-pickled grapes
Christmas calls to mind lots of food–gingerbread and peppermint, roast goose and baked ham, but most people probably don’t have visions of pickles dancing through their heads on Christmas Eve. Except in our house. I’m not sure how or why pickles and the holidays go together here, but they do. I’ve been thinking about our holiday traditions for an upcoming project and noticed a serious trend–quick pickles. I seem to bust these out any time more than four people gather in my kitchen (for examples, see here, here, here, and here–see what I mean?), and thought it was about time to share one of my favorite quick pickle recipes with you.
Quick-pickled grapes are sweet, and spicy, and just really good. read more »
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