This week I discovered something that has changed my kitchen forever. I made my own ricotta cheese. It was a suggestion from one of the people at eGullet. We were discussing the recipe for calzone from the book and we were lamenting the state of ricotta cheese that is available in the supermarkets. No sooner had we complained than a recipe for homemade ricotta cheese appeared on the screen. Not one, but several.
Read MoreCandied Ginger Truffles
Inspiration comes from the strangest places! This candied ginger truffles recipe was inspired by a 6 year old girl scout, a professor at the CIA and a “hot mama” with a blog called the Steamy Kitchen. Read More
Poached Pears in Red Wine
Poached pears are one of the easiest and sexiest desserts there are. They sit on the plate like a jewel, filled with the essence of wine and in this case pomegranate. The house becomes scented with spices and vanilla. Once these regal beauties are tender and succulent they can be paired with pastry cream, ice cream, sorbet or even blue cheese. A sprinkle of crushed praline and you have a classic dish that takes very little effort.
Read MoreChocolate Rum Cake for Children’s Heartlink
Children’s Heartlink asked several pastry chefs from all of the top restaurants in the Twin Cities (I’m talking the BEST our city has to offer!) to come up with the most decadent dessert for Valentine’s Day that they could think of. This team of pastry goddesses and one very talented guy, includes: Michelle Gayer (Le Belle Vie & Solera), Christina Kaelberer (Chambers), Khanh Tran (Cosmos), Margo Bredeson (Patisserie Margo) and even Andrew Zimmern with his best ever fudge brownies. I’ve worked with Andrew and if there is one thing that man loves, its chocolate! Well, they asked me, too. WOW, what an honor to be in this line up!!!
For the Warm Chocolate Rum Cake recipe and more information about Children’s Heartlink: Read More
Crepes My Kids Love
May Chen asked me what I fed my boys when they were little, as part of an article she wrote for Cribsheet, a blog about kids at the Star Tribune. My guys are very adventurous eaters, borderline extreme. Yeah, they will try anything once. The raw oysters were not a huge hit but sushi is a favorite. I suppose they have to draw the line somewhere, for now!
As part of the article I gave her a recipe for crepes, because my boys LOVE them, depending what you fill them with they can be a meal or a sweet treat!!!
Read MoreHow Should Rising Bread Dough Look?
Several of you have had questions about the right type of bucket to be using when storing your dough from “Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day”. I have many that fit the bill beautifully, these are just a few! It depends on the size and shape of your refrigerator and how much dough you intend to make. There are a few basic guidelines to storing your dough in a bucket: Read More