Cakes - to order or make beautiful
Let's all eat cake. Marie Antoinette never actually issued her notorious command, but who cares. Bought or home-baked, you can never get enough.
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West Indian Black Cake - 1 Dec 2011
At Christmas time in Jamaica, a traditional black cake is baked in which the dried fruits and peel have been soaking in alcohol since the previous Christmas. It's a far more intense cake than traditional fruit cake, and covered in a dark, dark frosting. read more...
Forget the dress for That Wedding, what about the cake? - 21 Apr 2011
No, I'm not talking about your wedding, sweetie, which will be lovely. I'm talking about HRH Prince Will's to Kate, which will close down the whole UK on April 29th.
Now we know she's going to wear Alexander MacQueen. But what kind of cake will they have? Here's some possibilities... read more...
Bread flour unscrambled - 10 Feb 2011
Which flour bakes the best bread? First, know that a grain of wheat has three parts: the endosperm which is the central source of the starch, accounting for 85 percent of the grain. Next to it lies the germ, accounting for only 2 percent. But it's the most positive element. It's the 'seed' that grows new wheat plants and it contains most of the whole grain's protein, vitamins and oil. Plus, pretty much all the flavor lies in the germ. Both of these are covered by the protective outer layer of bran. read more...
Christmas - dreaming of a different one & where to buy the ingredients - 15 Dec 2010
"Christmas comes but once a year and when it comes it brings..." Uncle George (who'll take over the single malt whiskey if no-one stops him), Aunt Mavis (who's just decided to turn vegetarian), and all their dreadful children. It's enough to drive you crackers. (Even more so, now that Health & Safety gnomes are debating whether that banger should be removed from crackers...)
Give Christmas a new sparkle and celebrate someone else's - with Britain's Christmas crackers, Italy's Omino di Neve, Switzerland's Zimststerne, Jamaica's West Indian Black Cake and more... read more...
Amphora Bakery - one of my favorites - 11 Nov 2010
For sweeth-tooth treats, it's hard to beat Amphora Bakery for whimsically decorated cakes, cupcakes and cookies. And for delicious European patisseries, baked goods and breads of all sorts. read more...
Cupcake mania? I don't get it. - 12 May 2010
Aside from Ladurée in Paris which launched beautiful, crisp yet melting, highly-colored, scented macaroons as a patisserie to cross town for, the joy of indulging desire for a cake is to linger over a case full of éclairs, japonnaises, babas, fruit tartlettes, confections of chocolate, cream and custard, before pointing at the one gateau of the moment's desire.
A cupcake bakery offers you - cupcakes. I don't get it. Okay, you can pick between flavors and toppings. But cupcake is cupcake. Besides, cupcakes are so last tea party. The next fad coming down the pike is the individual whoopie pie. You read it here first. read more...
Bittersweet Mocha Grappa Torte with Walnuts - 23 Apr 2010
Domenica Marchetti, author of Big Night In, from which this recipe is taken, says: "I can't even count the number of times that chocolate tortes have been a source of disappointment to this chocolate lover...either too liquored up, too jammy, too nutty, too dry, or too dense (giant chocolate truffle, anyone?). That's why I am so in love with this recipe; it delivers everything it promises."
So I tried it. And she's right. But the photo is of my version not her elegant one. Tidying up its overspill was a treat - I just ate the bits I sliced off for beautification... read more...
Cakes - to order or make beautiful - 10 Mar 2010
Baking cake for a celebration, cupcakes for school or work? Or need someone else to do it for you? Here's all you need to keep you in cake. read more...
Vegan bakeries - 14 Jan 2009
Hard to believe you can make a seductive cake without eggs or cream or butter. But there are a number of bakeries around town doing just that. And there's nothing homespun in how they look either, for those of you who think 'vegan' means food that looks and tastes like a hand-knitted sock. But look at Cake Love's bundt cake, right. read more...
Napolean Bakery - 26 Aug 2008
It's always a pleasure to see people at work when you're not. At the Korean Napoleon Bakery if you look over the counter crammed with cakes colorfully decorated in butter creams with greetings, wedding figures, sugar babies to celebrate every occasion imaginable, you can see the bakers in the back making the goodies. read more...
Ramadan pastries explained - 13 May 2008
During Ramadan especially rich pastries and desserts are made. Considered restorative and nourishing, you can find them until the end of Id al-Fitr, which is the name of the three days of feasting that follow the end of the fasting period. read more...
Jamaican burnt sugar - 28 Nov 2007
Jamaican burnt sugar adds a strong depth of flavor when added to sweeten desserts like a creme caramel instead of ordinary sugar. read more...
Vegan bakery - 27 Nov 2007
Sticky Fingers is an all vegan bakery. Hard to imagine egg and dairy-free pastries being achievable in a seductive fashion, but the goodies are goody. read more...
Vegan eateries - 24 Nov 2007
Here are two suggestions for vegan food. read more...
Kwansaa cakes to order - 23 Nov 2007
Kwansaa cakes, made and decorated to order. read more...
Bosnian specialties - 15 Nov 2007
Bosnia is not a part of the world whose foods are familiar to most. But there are a few markets and places to eat in the area selling their specialties. read more...
Tea for two, ch'a, ch'a - 5 Oct 2007
Ch'a is the Chinese word for Tea but even in Russian - chai, Japanese - ocha, or English slang - char, afternoon tea is a thoroughly British institution. The court of Charles II of England was introduced to the drink in 1662 by his new wife, Catherine of Braganza, a century after the Portuguese had brought it back from Macao. The cuppa at once became the fashion. read more...
The lunch shift is over and chef Peter Smith, owner of PS 7’s restaurant is surrounded by gin. No, he’s not relaxing over a drink. The gin is in bowls in an pre-formed state. It’s the mash, a mix of herbs and berries and peels and roots that Smith has worked out how to use in his food as flavorings.
Chew On This: Your first 'Duh' of the year...
Eggplant
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Ribollita - wondersoup or wodge?
Yasaman Persian Bakery - one of my favorites
Breads - a good chew
Duck & goose
A festive 'Special': Foie Gras Creme Caramel
Festive presents weird and wacky at World Market
Walnut oil
The perfect Yorkshire pudding
Chew On This: The acai berry diet can only thin your wallet...
The Queen Mum's favorite cake
West Indian Black Cake
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