For Thanksgiving I made a pecan tart with a foolproof crust recipe from America’s Test Kitchen. It seriously is foolproof and the best crust ever. The secret is that it uses vodka. We had some Seagram’s Sweet Tea vodka left from a summer backyard party, and that was the perfect thing for a pecan tart.
The cake designer used the brides artwork to create a very unique wedding cake for the couple. Cake: The Glass Slipper Gourmet
Crostini with fresh pea puree and pea sprouts then topped with tendrils and flowers. Drizzle with a really great olive oil and add fleur de sel and you have the perfect spring time appetizer.
Valentine’s Day cupcake from Cutesy Cupcake.
Football game day tradition in Santa Clara California starts at Stan’s Donuts. Photos by Tony Fitzgerald Photography of Santa Cruz, California.
Twelve days of Christmas gifts and goodies from Santa Cruz, California. First day … A winter della frutta fruit cake. Second day … two jars of Jam, and a winter della frutta fruit cake. Third day … three organic apples, two jars of Jam, and a winter della frutta fruit cake. Fourth day … Four Snowflake cookies, three organic apples, two jars of Jam, and a winter della frutta fruit cake. Fifth day … Five sparkling ciders, four Snowflake cookies, three organic apples, two jars of Jam, and a winter della frutta fruit cake. Sixth day … Six Goose’s Toffee, five sparkling ciders, four Snowflake cookies, three organic apples, two jars of Jam, and a winter della frutta fruit cake. Seventh day … Seven Lula’s Caramels, six Goose’s Toffee, five sparkling ciders, four Snowflake cookies, three organic apples, two jars of Jam, and a winter della frutta fruit cake. Fruit cake: Gianna’s Baking Company of Castroville | Jam: Buttercup Cakes and Farmhouse Frosting of Santa Cruz | Apples: Billy Bob Orchards in Watsonville | Snowflake cookies: Gayle’s Bakery in Capitola | Sparkling Cider: Martinelli’s | Toffee: Goose’s Goodies | Caramels from: …
In the United States we know gingerbread at Christmas made into a gingerbread man, a dark cookie sweetened with molasses. But in Europe it takes all kinds of shapes. It is thought to have originated in Basel Switzerland as Basler Lackerli, a spiced bread sweetened with honey and kirsch and with hazelnuts and spices added. That sounds like a great addition to the Christmas tradition. In France it is known as pain d’epices, or spice bread.
One of the highlights of visiting Paris is lunch at Au Pied de Cochon – the perfect Parisian brasserie.
We first discovered the Kugelhopf in the Alsatian city of Strasbourg, a sort of coffee cake with fruits and nuts, baked in a special mold. But when we got to Paris, we found the cakes were smaller and soaked in rum. Outside the Sacre Coeur there was a food festival at Christmas where famous food providers from all over France were demonstrating cooking techniques. There we discovered the Canele d’Armagnac and the Baba du Bougnat, which quickly became our new Christmas tradition. It went perfectly with our Christmas village where the Sacre Coeur is the centerpiece.
We diligently tried all the best french macarons in Paris, but nothing compared to Laduree! Maybe it was the pastel colors, or the uber cute shop, or the matching ribbons and tissue paper with the Laduree insignia, but nobody does it like Laduree!
