The clock's ticking on getting traditional fruitcakes done by next week -- but all's not lost! My pal Frank Morgan's Nanna Jepson from Walpole, Mass, passed down this recipe for a light, white fruitcake that is good to go as soon as comes out of the oven. Sweet, cakey, colorful. It will stand out on a holiday buffet and better still, those bah-humbug "I hate fruit cake" … [Read more...]
PRESERVED LEMON MUSTARD
I have a theory why home-made mustard stands out from commercial brands: store-bought mustard is processed to be shelf stable, i.e. heated and sealed, which in effect cooks it. Soaking and grinding the seeds at home results in a fresher, spicier, more mustardy result. This preserved lemon mustard has a lot of personality - sharp, peppery, and lemony. It's unique enough to be … [Read more...]
THE GREAT FRUITCAKE WAR OF 2018: NANNA JEPSON’S WHITE FRUITCAKE TAKES ON THE REINING CHAMP, MRS. MERINO’S CLASSIC RECIPE
Have you noticed that the much-maligned fruitcake has become a retro-chic holiday delicacy? Or could this new-found appreciation just be the result of people entering the demographic blamed for fruitcake's ongoing revilement? Some questions are best left unanswered. My husband Steve is the established star fruitcake baker of the family; his loaves are loved from coast to … [Read more...]
PUNTARELLE ALLA ROMANA
Last year about this time Steve and I went to Rome and not surprisingly we loved every minute. A few of our "When in Rome" highlights: a close-up of the Pope; the Borghese Galleries; tracking down Bernini sculptures in some lesser-known churches; and the Diocletian Baths. And of course, the food, the food, the food! Armed with recommendations from friends we felt we did well … [Read more...]
EVA GABOR’S HUNGARIAN GOULASH (UPDATED)
Celebrity recipes are always a mixed bag and in my experience that bag usually holds a lot of bland disappointments and ill-advised oddities. Frank DeCaro's The Dead Celebrity Cookbook does much better than most to battle this opinion. It's an amusing compendium of fond remembrances and celebrity recipes by A- , B- and C-list stars loved and lost. Most of the recipes serve to … [Read more...]
PROSPERITY SANDWICH
Because everything. And if worrying about our future isn't enough, you can also worry about the calories in this ooey, gooey, cheesy wonder: 674 calories and 41 grams of fat per serving. Oy! PROSPERITY SANDWICH Recipe 5 Tablespoons butter, divided 8 oz. white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thin 1 shallot, minced 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 2 cups … [Read more...]
WIN THANKSGIVING WITH THIS PUMPKIN SEED PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE
Technically, Thanksgiving isn't a competition. But everybody knows that everything on the table is openly (or privately) rated and ranked. From the toasted pumpkin seeds in a sweetened sour cream topping down to the gingersnap crust, this pumpkin cheesecake is a standout. Sit back and let the accolades wash over you as you sink into a tryptophan stupor. Thanksgiving: … [Read more...]
GRILLED CORN RELISH
Because why not? Making corn relish is an annual event here on Springy Banks. Come the holidays, it's one of our most-requested condiments. This summer I added a new twist, grilling the corn first, giving a toasty, tawny flavor. Due to its popularity I always put up a whole bushel of corn. It might look daunting at first but once you get going things move along quickly, … [Read more...]
WATER-CURED OLIVES, PICKLED GREEN ALMONDS, WHEY-PICKLED PEPPERS: WHAT I’VE LEARNED
This summer I tried my hand at few new types and techniques for pickling. The sub-head on this post is What I've Learned. Spoiler: It might better be called I Tried It So You Don't Have To. Here goes. At my neighborhood green grocer in Astoria, United Brothers Fruit Markets, there's always an enormous variety of produce, and often stuff I've never seen before, like raw … [Read more...]
SUMMER PAELLA
Paella feels like a summertime dish to me, in part because old-school versions in Spain are prepared over a fire. Plus it's great make-ahead party food. The fish, the chicken, the tomatoes and peppers, make for great warm weather fare. Of course it need not be limited to just summer, or summer. These 10 Rules for Perfect Paella apply year 'round. You can try this Lobster … [Read more...]