Years ago, I developed a brown sugar-scented play on the classic American 2-egg /1 bowl cake known as Lightning Cake (because it only takes 15 minutes to throw together). Buttery, tender, and fragrant, its deliciousness and fine texture belies its ease. On a pretty plate and dusted with powdered sugar, it looks like the lovely…
Read MoreMagic Peppers (Oven-Roasted Peppers with Many Flavors + Uses)
My favorite hors d’oeuvre is also a brilliant material for improvising; oven-roasted pepper slices are so easy, delicious and versatile I call them Magic Peppers. I learned the basic approach in Italy: brushing pepper slices with olive oil and roasting them at a high heat, with whatever flavorings I feel like, from slivers of garlic—and—anchovy…
Read MoreA Cook’s Favorite Gifts for Cooks of all Stripes
Every so often, a friend calls to ask me what cooking equipment to recommend. LONG story! You’ll find an extensive list of equipment for a basic kitchen in A New Way to Cook, along with 700+ pages of essential techniques and recipes. For now, here are my tried-and-true favorites, from high to low and back.
Read MoreWeekend Fun: Oops Cookies
Brilliant entreperneur baker Lexi just reframed the odd-shaped-not-quite-as-intended cookies into something charming: Oops Cookies. Brilliant. Worth doing with all sorts of things that routinely go out-of-control. Here are our favorite cookie recipes that go OOPS while being delish.
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