Unless you happen to be a particular fan of Southern cuisine, you probably don’t think much about black-eyed peas. Except maybe around New Year’s, when it’s customary, again by Southern tradition, to cook up a pot of Hoppin’ John for good luck (a practice that’s seemingly been adopted far and wide, if the sudden scarcity…
Tamarind Creamsicle
Just in time for ice cream season, a reprise of one of our all-time favorite recipes: Tamarind Ice Cream. The sweet-tartness of tamarind blends magically with the cool creaminess of traditional ice cream. For a new twist, try adding some tropical heat with a bit of cayenne or your favorite chili powder, blended into the ice…
How Refreshing
Looking for a quick, easy, refreshing and luscious dessert? Look no further, the Meyer Lemon Posset is here. This incredibly simple recipe with the strange name consists of just whipping cream, sugar and lemon juice. After coming to a bare simmer, it sets up into a hard-to-describe ethereal something. It’s beyond whipped cream, but it’s…
Great Cake—Honest, Abe
Honestly, I don’t know how it happens, but wherever I go, I inevitably end up in conversation about food with a chef, baker or artisan food maker. How else to explain a cake recipe discussion at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C.? Browsing in the gift shop after the museum tour (also always on the lookout…
Different Grain Bread
So many interesting alternative flours have become more generally available—particularly here in New York, where upstate growers are offering their own milled grains—that it’s been time to experiment with using them in bread. We’ve discovered a great base in the Master Recipe for Sandwich Bread from The Best Recipe by the editors of Cook’s Illustrated…
The Velvet Truth
Enough already. The out-of-control cupcake craze of the past few years has peaked, leaving a trail of overwrought treats in its wake. Perhaps the most collateral damage has been done to the reputation of the Red Velvet Cake, touted by many bakeries as the ultimate variety, the cupcake supreme. But an office celebration a couple…
King Me
It’s Mardi Gras season! Sadly, I am in shivery Washington instead of rollicking my way through New Orleans. At least the oven works here, and I have colorful sugar in the cupboard. My solace for today: Cinnamon-laden, almond-glazed King Cake, warm and sweet and sober.
Chasen’s Chili and Champagne
Chasen’s Chili. Once upon a time, Hollywood stars served it at Oscar parties and soirées. Legend has it that Elizabeth Taylor loved this chili so much she had orders of it flown to Rome while she was filming Cleopatra (and conducting a torrid affair with co-star Richard Burton). The list of ingredients is pretty simple in comparison…
Chestnut Flour Quick, Chestnut Flour Slow
With so many bakers exploring gluten-free options, here’s one to try: chestnut flour. When this traditional Italian ingredient turned up in local markets recently (fall is the best season for the new crop of chestnut flour), it seemed an interesting alternative for cookies or pastries, like the crescents (a.k.a. Russian tea cookies, Mexican wedding cookies)…
Flipping the Bird
For some oddball reason, we managed to roast the Thanksgiving turkey upside down, without anyone even noticing until the master carver of the house, preparing to slice up the bird, asked why it was placed breast down on the presentation platter. We still can’t explain that one, but the surprise result was a turkey that yielded…
Three Points Kitchen 