What's a Culinarium? Let me tell you. It's just the most fabulous show kitchen by designer to the stars (and hedge fund moguls) Christopher Peacock. In San Francisco now, just hanging with my peeps, like Tyler Florence, no biggie. Good time to bring back these, like most totally awesome cilantro sichuan … [Read more...]
BEACH PLUM JELLY: ORIGINAL GOURMET RECIPE
Our annual beach plum expedition traditionally happens on or close to Labor Day. However, this summer the weather and the other unknown variables that influence beach plums conspired for an early, abundant harvest. Seems that beach plum cultivation has proven difficult, they're temperamental and unreliable. Which, of course, … [Read more...]
SCRIPTURE CAKE
At the risk of getting ahead of myself, the garnish for this slice of Scripture Cake is straight from the Good Book: "And she gave the King one hundred and twenty talents of gold, spices in great abundance, and precious stones." (2-Chronicles 9:9) So let's rewind a bit. Steve brought home a pile of vintage church cookbooks. Scripture Cake turned up in … [Read more...]
ESCABECHE: OUR ORIGINAL GOURMET RECIPE
Escabeche was in Mom's repertoire, not too surprising as she was a adventuress in the kitchen, breaking free of the constraints of her traditional Irish-American upbringing. Grandma Marie was the master of conservative cooking. I don't think she really enjoyed it. Golf, bowling, bridge and penny poker were more up her alley and she had the trophies to … [Read more...]
HASSENPFEFFER: AN ORIGINAL GOURMET RECIPE
Since rabbit -- as one wag put it, the "other" other white meat -- is riding a wave of popularity I gamely (pun semi-intended) decided to stir up a batch of Hassenpfeffer with an original gourmet recipe utilizing a couple of sources, including dear old Good Housekeeping. The New Joy of Cooking didn't have a … [Read more...]