Sometimes, when you’ve been busy shopping for antique silverware on a cool fall day, you just feel like a bowl of home-made beef vegetable soup with some freshly baked focaccia. Just to be clear, I’ve had focaccia in Liguria that blows your mind. Let’s call mine a humble ‘plain focaccia’, simply sporting some kosher salt and olive oil from a … Read More
This is the best photo I could snap last night before getting in there and eating some plum cake. It really should look more like this. I read The Wednesday Chef’s post and couldn’t resist trying it immediately. I’m a pretty serious advocate of eating seasonal foods, and I’m finding the food blogosphere is a great way to keep you … Read More
Tip: When you’re trying to lose a few extra pounds, don’t make brownies. Late in the day, I went to DeVine’s Bordeaux tasting. Let’s see. Free. Bordeaux. Free. Yeah, I’m in. All the reds were from the Médoc, meaning predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, and I can’t believe how light, delicate, and elegant a cab sauv can be. I know. Shocking. These … Read More
Cake, sleep, and mastering
My first successful scratch cake. Chocolate cake with raspberry jam inside, and a chocolate icing. This is my favorite cake that my mom made for birthdays as I grew up. Not the exact recipe, but you know what I mean. Happily the texture is spot on – very tender and moist. Next time, more jam. Makes pregnant ladies very happy. … Read More
Fresh Yeast
After keeping an eye out for it for, well, years – I finally have a source for fresh yeast. I normally use active dry yeast, which keeps forever in the fridge and is dirt cheap if bought in large quantities. It works fine, but the speed and volume of rise out of this fresh/compressed stuff is incredible. Last night I … Read More