In my travels around the local farmers’ markets and online food purveyors, I came upon rose petal jelly, and immediately ordered some because one of my children loves anything flavored with roses, violets, or lavender. In looking for another way to serve it (other than on a piece of toast), I added it to a favorite dinner salad of grilled goat cheese and spring greens. The rose jelly elevates a fairly common salad combination to new heights of flavor – […]
There were beautiful spring pea shoots at the grocery this morning, which reminded me of a standout recipe in The Cheesemonger’s Seasons by Chester Hastings, a cookbook to bring joy to the hearts of cheese lovers everywhere. The very best recipes have only a few ingredients, which, when combined, are so delicious that they draw your complete attention to the plate – making you grateful for the moment. This is one of those recipes. Some good burrata, a little olive […]
If you’re craving cheesecake but the caloric intake is making you think twice, these tarts are a light and lemony way to have your cheesecake and eat it too. Individual tarts have built-in portion control, and the amount of mascarpone is minimal but satisfying. I think the filling would be equally refreshing when made with limes instead of lemons, if you’re more of a key lime lover. This recipe is adapted from The Cheesemonger’s Seasons by Chester Hastings. I added […]
William Shakespeare’s 400th birthday is April 23rd, worth noting for lovers of great literature everywhere. When I worked at the White House, the President and Mrs. Bush hosted a dinner to celebrate Shakespeare’s birthday one year, inviting scholars and actors whose professional lives revolved around the Bard, with an Elizabethan-period meal and performance of “As You Like It” in the East Room afterward. I LOVED planning this dinner, and the chefs and calligraphers outdid themselves with both the menu and […]
This recipe should carry a warning label: if you love coconut, this is the best macaroon cookie, completely, utterly addictive, and gluten-free. Even the cookie dough is so good it was all I could do to stop eating it. You know the process – drop a spoonful on the baking sheet, eat a spoonful, drop another 2 spoonfuls on the baking sheet, take another nibble… It’s the joy of cooking – if there’s some self-discipline involved. For that, you’ll have […]
