Liberace's Nusstorte Recipe: a flourless filbert (more commonly known as hazelnuts these days), certainly hails from his Mittel-European roots. Swathed in snowdrifts of drifts of whipped cream, the airy sponge cake is layered with a red jelly -- the color of passion! As Lee had a keen eye for strong blonds with smooth complexions, I decided some Brunette … [Read more...]
SEA URCHIN SOUFFLE: GOURMET RECIPE
This Jeremiah Tower recipe for Sea Urchin Soufflé made its debut in a blaze of glory this weekend and immediately claimed a place among our quintessentially Spectacularly Delicious signature dishes, alongside such triumphs as Kugelhopf Surprise, Paella Negra, Aebleskivers and Nachos Olga. Like any good parent, I love … [Read more...]
VENISON QUESADILLA — ORIGINAL RECIPE SSD#3
Tortilla + cheese + heat = Quesadilla. Pretty hard to get yourself in trouble with this equation. Of course few people stop at cheese only. Peppers, salsa, chorizo, scallions, avocado, lobster... anything goes -- Wheee! Still, this particular venison quesadilla recipe is a little bit renegade. Unexpected and unquestionably Simply … [Read more...]
CELERY TWO WAYS: RECIPE SSD #2
The second in our series of easy recipes (Simply Spectacularly Delicious if you missed it the first time with Honey Broiled Grapefruit.) Celery Two Ways is braised celery hearts atop a bed of mashed celery root. Lifted from Daniel Bouloud. If you're going to steal recipes, why not from the masters? BTW, Bouloud recipes are always way better in a Bouloud … [Read more...]
ST. PAUL SANDWICH: A ST. LOUIS ORIGNAL
Just to be clear, the incredibly delicious St. Paul sandwich is a uniquely St. Louis specialty. You can't get them in St. Paul. Go figure. No matter, the time has come for this recipe for St. Louis's St. Paul Sandwich, An improbable combination of East meets West, to venture forth in time-honored tradition and take the world by storm. How can … [Read more...]
BEEF WELLINGTON: THE SPECTACULARLY DELICIOUS WAY
Everyone's been doing the Stonehenge slab of steak thing for a while now*. We all likes us some meat! Roast it, grill it; braised, browned, boiled or even a bit burned is just dandy as long as it's deeply flavored, juicy red, hot and plentiful. Still, the collective quest for the new and the best rages … [Read more...]
PANCAKES BARBARA: ELSIE de WOLFE ORIGINAL RECIPE
Elsie's getting top billing in this recipe for Pancakes Barbara but there are a few other grand dames and fine fellows in the back story of this wonderful dessert. The first time I heard of Pancakes Barbara was at the Miss Gay Sobriety Pageant in Greenwich Village a few years ago. A talented recovering substance abuser performing … [Read more...]
SABLES LIBERACE: FRENCH BUTTER COOKIES
Breathless with the news of a Liberace bio-pic in the works (Starring Michael Douglas! Directed by Steven Soderberg!! Matt Damon as Scott Thorson!!!) a celebration was in order. So I found myself drawn once again to Liberace Cooks! As told to Carol Truax, and their recipe for Sables, the delicate French butter cookie. (If you're not … [Read more...]
BRUSSELS SPROUTS HASH WITH BACON
You want drama? I'll give you drama. Brussels Sprouts Hash with Bacon recipe drama. Bring one of these bad boys to your Thanksgiving feast preparations with your trusty mandolin and you'll put on quite a show. Dream-boat Celeb chef Tyler Florence demoted this recipe at the S.D. Culinary you might recall I was posting about a few weeks ago. This is his … [Read more...]
SABLEUSE AUX FRUITS
Though this recipe for sableuse runs the risk of being filed under "Coals to Newcastle," it is decadent sophistication on a dessert plate, so heck, why not present it under the Culinarium dateline? For those not yet following along, the Culinarium is House Beautiful's first-ever SF Design Center culinary event with a … [Read more...]