Cookthink

Hair Of The Dog: Vesper

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 10:18:16 -0500

Working "behind bars," I am continually asked to make all manner of "Martinis," including the sophisticated, and potentially volatile, Vesper. As we all know, a true Martini is made with gin and vermouth and a customary garnish of olive or a twist.

While some purists will argue the proportions of gin to vermouth, and even debate the issue of the garnish, one thing is certain: gin. Since the Vesper also has vodka (as well as Lillet, which is not even vermouth), it naturally follows that this superb cocktail is not a Martini. Unless, of course, you are in league with a fellow named Bond, James Bond.

If you've never heard the expression "shaken, not stirred," please invite me to your home on Mars. While it's not quite "Elementary, my Dear Watson," which Holmes never said in print, Bond’s immortal phrase has been uttered only once, and very late in the series at that.

For the sake of thoroughness, I've included the entire passage in which Bond orders his very first "Martini." In Ian Fleming’s first Bond novel, Casino Royale (1953, pp. 40-41), 007 is sitting at a bar with American agent Felix Leiter, when he requests the following:

"A dry martini," he said. "One. In a deep Champagne goblet."

"Oui, monsieur."

"Just a moment. Three measures of Gordon's, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it's ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?"

"Certainly, monsieur." The barman seemed pleasant with the idea.

"Gosh that’s certainly a drink," said Leiter.

Bond laughed. "When I’m ... er ... concentrating," he explained, "I never have more than one drink before dinner. But I do like that one to be large and very strong and very cold and very well-made. I hate small portions of anything, particularly when they taste bad. This drink's my own invention. I’m going to patent it when I can think of a good name."

A little while later, on page 46, Bond meets the agent Vesper Lynd and is immediately attracted to, among other things, her name.

"Can I borrow it?" He explained about the special martini he had invented and his search for a name for it. "The Vesper," he said. "It sounds perfect and it's very appropriate to the violet hour when my cocktail will now be drunk all over the world. Can I have it?"

A few issues with the original: Kina Lillet has not been made since 1985, but the modern substitute would be Lillet Blanc, made by the same company, Lillet, based in Podensac, France. Also, the Gordon’s gin we get in the U.S. is actually made in the U.S. Instead, try regular Bombay or Beefeater. Bond also gave the caveat that grain vodka is preferred to potato vodka. Since most vodka is produced from grain, take your pick, but Smirnoff may actually be closest to what Fleming had in mind.

It should also be noted that Bond was really a bourbon man and ordered the Vesper only once. In total, he ordered 19 vodka "Martinis" and 16 gin Martinis throughout the Fleming stories, in which 317 alcoholic drinks are mentioned! Of course, this should not stop you from indulging in a Vesper tonight, during that violet hour, wherever you are in the world, or on Mars.

Recipe: Vesper (Hair of the Dog)
Related: Commander Bond's drinks of choice (Atomic Martinis)

Gratuitous Sunday Primetime Angus Picture

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 22:03:48 -0500

Angus and I picked peaches today at Quonquont, in Whately. Every time he finished sucking on a peach, he hung his head and started crying until I gave him another. It was very effective. This is 15 seconds after the end of a good cry, but 5 seconds after a big bite of dripping ripe peach, and so the expression is 1/3 upset at the delay in getting the peach, 1/3 delayed sugar rush and 1/3 "I may grow up to love the Allman Brothers."

What is fish sauce exactly?

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 21:05:47 -0500

We use it all the time in everything from stir-fries to marinades. Just what is fish sauce exactly?

Root Source Challenge #32: Escarole

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 18:09:48 -0500

Escarole, aka Broad-leaf or Bavarian endive, is a sharp, slightly bitter autumn green whose flavor is strongest in the darker, outer leaves.

Tell us your favorite way to use the green for the Root Source Challenge: Escarole. Our favorite recipe of those submitted will be featured in the Root Source and published on Cookthink.com, and the author will receive a copy of The Old Farmer's Almanac Everyday Cookbook.

Submissions are due by 12pm EST, Tuesday,September 16, 2008.

Send us an email to rootsourcechallenge [AT] cookthink [DOT] com with your name, email address, blog URL and a permalink to the recipe. Please put “Root Source Challenge #32: Escarole” in the subject line of your email. Click here for the complete rules and to see past winners. Good luck!

I'm Craving Something Bright And Cooling...

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 17:18:09 -0500

The front end of Tropical Storm Hanna has been hovering over us all day. It's muggy, overcast and ~~drizzing~~ pouring.

For dinner, we're planning to roast some pork chops with a hot ginger spice rub, steam some chard and make a big bowl of polenta. We wanted something bright and cooling to combat the humidity and play off the heavy, spicy dinner. A search turned up this summer fruit soup, from Jesse Ziff Cool's Simply Organic. I've been wanting to try it all summer, and the combination of strawberries, star anise and cinnamon sounds perfect for tonight.

Recipe: Summer Fruit Soup (Jesse Ziff Cool)
Reference: Root Source: Strawberry (Cookthink)

Something I Learned From Deborah Madison

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:10:36 -0500

Raw onions can really perk up a dish. Still, a bite of too-strong onions not only leads to unpleasant breath, it can also overpower the taste of a salad or a sandwich (or whatever else you may be using them for).

But you can take away some of a raw onion's shrill potency without losing its oniony flavor by soaking your sliced onion in cold water for about 10 minutes. Rinse well and dry and you will have taken out some of their bite. (This also works well when using shallots for a vinaigrette.)

I learned this trick from cookbook author Deborah Madison, who recommended soaking red onions for a wilted spinach salad in her wonderful The Greens Cookbook. I hear that the Spanish and the Greeks -- who use a lot of raw onions in their respective cuisines -- soak whole or halved onions as long as overnight to make them easier to peel and tamp down their sharpness, but I've never gone that far.

Anyone else have tips for taking the sting out of an onion?

I'm Craving Something...Cleansing?

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:24:53 -0500

I'm not much of a drinker. As I'm five feet tall, it doesn't take much to make me happily tipsy. But the Labor Day weekend brought with it several dinner parties with rich food and lots of wine. So this weekend, I'm feeling in need of a recovery, something to put me back to center.

Problem was that I couldn't quite think of the word to best describe what I was looking for. On Cookthink, I searched for something that was fresh, light, healthy and tasty, and that turned up some good results. As did a search for "cleansing." But is it "spa" food I'm looking for? Or something "restorative?"

What mood tag works best to describe that craving you have for healthy food during that post-heavy-food funk?

Recipe: Fresh Lemongrass Ginger Ale (Steamy Kitchen)
Recipe: Sweet And Sour Turnip and Carrot Salad (Cookthink)
Recipe: Orzo and Wild Rice Salad (Running With Tweezers)
Recipe: Seared Beef Salad With Watercress and Grapefruit (Washington Post)
Recipe: Mixed Berries With Lemon Verbena Syrup (Cookthink)

Five Crazy Things To Do This Weekend

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:58:29 -0500

1. Make cupcakes. In ice cream cones.

2. Combine your two favorite junk food treats into one dish.

3. Bone up on the Japanese art of bento.

4. No campfire nearby? Toast some marshmallows on a slice of pizza.

5. Maple Miso Bacon Ice Cream Bourbon Root Beer Float. Need I say more?

(Image courtesy of cakespy.)

Root Source: Sweet Corn

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:16:30 -0500

The most widely grown crop in North America, corn is used in everything from aspirin to batteries and latex paint. But more importantly, corn fresh off the cob is sweet and perfect, maybe -- as Garrison Keillor once commented -- "even better than sex."

This week's delicious Root Source entries made us take Keillor's remark a bit more seriously. From corn relish to corn fritters, from fried chevre with corn to corn salad inside tomatoes and corn soup with bacon, it was a good week for corn and the Root Source both.

Our favorite, however, was a recipe for corn and broccoli calzones. Congratulations to reader Elizabeth Skipper, who sent in the recipe. If you missed this week's Root Source, be sure to subscribe.

Don’t forget to get us your submissions for this week’s Root Source Challenge #30: Rosemary. Entries are due by noon on Tuesday, September 9.

The Raw And The Cooked

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:56:30 -0500

Cookshrink is a weekly column that looks at the psychological aspects of how and what we cook.

One of my first memories is standing barefoot with my best friend Janet in her father's raspberry fields, picking and eating the berries one by one. I still love fresh raspberries, but any other raspberry preparation -- be it coulis, jam, syrup or those sugary liquid fruit candy fillings -- makes my stomach turn.

On the other hand, fresh apricots disturb me; I prefer to eat them dried, or better yet, baked into a tart, where they hold their pretty shape but their sometimes cottony flesh breaks down into something lush.

I prefer prunes to plums, which have let me down one too many times with a wooly texture that makes me want to spit them out. Yet I prefer grapes to raisins. I like cherries, apples, blueberries, bananas, peaches, nectarines, tomatoes, garlic, onions, ginger, spinach, cauliflower, carrots, cabbage and grapefruit either raw or cooked, but made to choose, would go with raw.

I will eat any kind of fish, but my heart belongs to sashimi. Don't care much for steak, but am fond of steak tartare.

I appreciate good cheese at room temperature, but find nothing more tantalizing than a bubbling mass of melted cheese. I don't like to eat chocolate candy, but enjoy it in brownies or melted into a pain au chocolat.

Some of these eccentricities of the palate have traceable origins too boring to go into here. Many seem to be dominated by texture issues: I know why I don't like Brussels sprouts steamed (bitter, soggy) and why I can't get enough of them roasted (nutty, firm). But why some foods only work for me in their raw or cooked states remains largely mysterious.

Do you experience this, too? Which foods do you prefer raw and/or cooked?

Root Source: Sweet Corn

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:59:40 -0500

what you should know

The most widely grown crop in North America, corn is used in the manufacturing of everything from aspirin to batteries to latex paint.

Nevermind all that. When corn is straight off the stalk and at the peak of its perfect sweetness, some consider it to be even better than sex.

best by Corn doesn't stay fresh long and should be eaten within 2-3 days after being picked. Look for green husks and juicy kernels. Unlike tomatoes, corn's sugar-to-starch conversion is slowed by refrigeration, so you can keep it in the fridge.

call us corny When did corny become an insult? If you ask us for corny recipes, you aren't likely to get something "trite, dated, unimaginative."

siblings In pre-Columbian North America, corn was grown alongside squash and beans. The trio was known as the Three Sisters.

toppings Corn is one of the most popular pizza toppings in Japan. Spot the cob and other unique toppings dancing in this ad.

what you need

For a detailed history of corn on our continent, read The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan.

These corn holders will save you from scorched fingertips. These corn holders will spare your fingertips and make you laugh.

Want to save time in the kitchen? Get a corn stripper.

This informative book gives kids a peek at how corn is grown. (Despite its name, Children of the Corn is not kid-appropriate.)

what you do

Corn salsa is incredibly versatile. You can pile it on top of meat, mix it into green salad -- or just eat it by itself.

For a seafoody twist on the classic corn chowder, add crab.

Combine three seasonal vegetables to make this fresh summer salad.

Grilled steak with pepper and corn relish over crostini is a killer combination of crunchy, crisp, and tender.

Creamed corn is kid-friendly (even for kids who have braces).

Cilantro's soapy flavor makes the corn in this ragout taste even sweeter.

Why bother boiling? Grill your corn with thyme butter.

Featured: You can't go wrong with these colorful corn and broccoli calzones. Congratulations to reader Elizabeth Skipper who submitted the featured recipe for this week's Root Source Challenge!

How to reduce balsamic vinegar

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:37:17 -0500

There are a couple of different kinds of balsamic that are good for drizzling: 1) delicious but expensive aged balsamic vinegars, reduced by slow evaporation from a barrel and 2) thinner medium-quality balsamic vinegars you can reduce at home in a skillet or saucepan until it's as thick as you want.

Here's how to reduce your own:

Put about four times as much balsamic as you'll need in a small skillet over medium-high heat.

Bring it to a boil.

Simmer, watching carefully and lowering the heat if necessary,

until it's a little thinner than you want it—it'll keep reducing when you take it off the heat. It should only take 2-4 minutes depending on the amount you're reducing.

Drizzle it over fish, meat, fruit or vegetables, or stir into soups, stews and braises for a sweet and sour punch.

Recipe: Pan-Seared Pork Chops With Balsamic Cherries (hogwash)
Recipe: Strawberries With Reduced Balsamic And Black Pepper (Cookthink)

Meet the sugars

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 10:23:27 -0500

Once a prize kept under lock and key in wealthy households, sugar is now ubiquitous and comes in many forms. Most commercial sugar is made from cane or beet root. Here's a look at the most common types of sugar used in the kitchen.

Granulated white sugar: White sugar is highly refined and made from sugarcane or beets. This all-purpose refined white sugar has small but fairly coarse crystals and is used to sprinkle on food, sweeten beverages, or add to dishes during cooking. Golden granulated sugar is a brown sugar made from sugar cane molasses that is similar but has a light brown color.

Castor (caster) or superfine sugar: This refined white sugar has fine crystals that dissolve more quickly than regular granulated sugar, making it a good choice for baking meringues. Golden castor sugar is made from unrefined cane sugar.

Brown sugar: Brown sugar is nothing more than white sugar that has been mixed with molasses to color it and give it a moist texture. Light brown sugar has less molasses than dark brown sugar. Brown sugar should not be confused with raw sugar, which has a similar color and taste but is actually the residue from processed sugarcane.

Turbinado sugar: A sugar cane extract that is made by steaming unrefined raw sugar. It has large crystals and a slight molasses flavor. It's a shade paler than brown sugar and can be substituted for brown sugar in recipes. We like to use turbinado sugar for sprinkling on top of muffins, cookies and scones. It holds its texture well and, when cooked, has a nice sweet crunch.

Demerara Sugar: True Demerara sugar is raw or partly refined sugar with large crystals, but some impostors are nothing more than white sugar stained with molasses.

Muscovado Sugar: This raw cane sugar comes in light and dark varieties and is used to make cakes and desserts.

Powdered, icing or confectioner's sugar: This sugar is made by reducing granulated sugar to a powder and mixing it with starch to prevent it from lumping up. It's used to decorate cakes and can also be used in making sweet dishes and baked goods.

What does PDO mean?

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 16:13:15 -0500

PDO stands for "Protected Designation of Origin," a product label established by European Union law in 1992 to protect the names of regional foods.

The designation is meant to keep producers of regional products safe from unfair competition and rivals who may try to pass off inferior knock-offs using prestigious labels. The notion of PDO is tied to the idea of terroir and the importance of using raw materials and production methods from a certain region as a measure of authenticity.

PDO laws are designed to protect cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano and Champagne, the world's most famous sparkling wine. But the laws also extend to hams, olives, sausages, beers, vegetables, and regional breads.

The EU has bilateral agreements with some countries to help enforce these laws. The U.S. is not one of them, which is why you can find generic American-made "parmesan," "champagne," "camembert," "prosciutto," "feta" and other protected products on the market.

Some regional trademark protections do exist in the U.S. for products such as Vidalia onions, which must come from a designated region around Vidalia, Georgia. But keep in mind that brand names don't necessarily indicate where a product is made. Philadelphia Cream Cheese was never made in Philly.

A list of PDO-designated products can be found here.

What is simple syrup?

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 16:31:15 -0500

A simple syrup is truly simple -- just sugar dissolved in boiling water. The water-sugar ratio varies, but the standard is two parts water to one part sugar.

Simple syrup is a bartender's staple; it's easier to swirl in a liquid than it is to add sugar directly, because the granules don't need to dissolve. Simple syrup is also handy to have on hand to sweeten iced tea or coffee. The syrup will keep almost indefinitely if stored in a tightly sealed bottle in the fridge.

Simple syrups are used to soak cakes, poach fruit, sweeten frostings and make candy. You can flavor the syrup by adding any number of other ingredients -- ginger, orange or lemon zest, mint, basil, rosemary, lavender. Just put them in once the water boils right before adding the sugar, and strain them out before bottling.

Root Source: Italian Sausage

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 16:26:49 -0500

what you should know

The general makeup of any fresh sausage is ground meat and fat plus seasonings ("not too much of this and just enough of that," as the Joy of Cooking prescribes.)

The basic formula for what we Americans call "Italian sausage" is ground pork + salt/pepper + fennel or anise seed.

hot or sweet From there, Italian sausage diverges into two camps -- hot and sweet. The sweet isn't really (though some do add sugar to the mix), but the hot can be plenty hot depending on how many red pepper flakes you use.

comi ti chiami? Asking for "Italian sausage" in Italy will no doubt solicit this response: "Which one?"

take 2 anise & call me in the AM The Romans used anise as a medicinal herb for digestion -- important if you're eating more than a couple sausages.

play it loose The casing is an integral part of sausage. But you can also make or buy the mixture loose if you're cooking a casserole or sauce for which you have to break up the meat anyway.

my hero Italian sausage is the foundation for many sandwiches, such as this Pittsburgh classic. (Go Steelers!)

what you need

Move beyond just Italian sausage with Home Sausage Making: How-To Techniques for Making and Enjoying 100 Sausages at Home.

For home sausage making, pull out your stand mixer and the meat grinder and sausage stuffer attachments.

While the weather's still cooperating, take your sausages on a picnic and fire them up on a portable grill.

what you do

For a classic sausage sandwich, top the meat with peppers onions, and a dollop of mustard dressing.

Rich and hearty, this sausage, spinach and cheese lasagna is great for potlucks.

Packing for a picnic? You can make a batch of sausage, portobello, and barley pilaf the night before.

For a quick weeknight dinner, try whole wheat penne with Italian sausage, cauliflower and rosemary.

A crispy pita pizza is strong enough to hold up to hefty toppings like sausage, peppers, and carrots.

As the evenings start to cool off, dig in to a white bean soup with sausage and escarole.

This week's Root Source Challenge featured recipe is a Soprano's-inspired dish of Roasted Sausages, Peppers, Potatoes and Onions. Congratulations to Nikki of Nik Snacks!

What is Italian sausage?

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:35:05 -0500

So-called Italian sausage is a style of plump, uncured pork sausage that comes in hot and sweet varieties -- essentially, with or without hot red peppers.

Sold in links and flavor-enhanced with garlic and fennel and/or anise seeds, it can be cooked like any old sausage and is especially popular in sausage-based pasta sauces or eaten in a sandwich with fried onions and bell peppers.

Go to Italy and ask for "Italian sausage," and you will receive either a blank stare or a multitude of options; what we think of as Italian sausage is a generic label specific to the U.S.

Recipe: Pappardelle With Sausage And Yellow Squash (Cookthink)
Recipe: White Bean Soup With Spicy Sausage (Cook & Eat)
Reference: What is chorizo? (Cookthink)

Root Source: Cherry Tomato

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:19:16 -0500

what you should know

These tiny things, so sweet they're named after fruit, resemble the small, wild ancestors of today's cultivated tomatoes.

A disappointingly large chunk of the cherry tomato crop winds up in salad bars. Ours rarely make it out of the garden -- like even smaller grape tomatoes, we like to eat them right from the vine.

bit part Cherry tomatoes are always sneaking in to whatever we make. We love them stuffed with you-name-it, dropped into braises and salads, arranged on pizzas and worked onto skewers.

sweet deal Cherry tomatoes are sweeter than their larger counterparts, and sweetest of them all are the yellow cherry tomatoes. Look for varieties like Sweet Gold, Sun Gold, or Gold Nugget.

vine wine Unlike plum tomatoes, cherry tomatoes aren't well-suited for sauce. And while making wine out of cherries isn't that unusual, try wine from cherry tomatoes.

best. week. ever. With tomatoes in abundance this month, it's easy to acquire a surplus. Read Melissa Clark's chronicle of a week's worth of tomatoes.

cold turkey Tomatoes should not be refrigerated. The cold turns their bursting texture to mealy mush and kills the flavor.

what you need

Do you know a picky eater who avoids tomatoes? This book may help.

Tomato-topped salad would look mighty nice in this acacia bowl.

Though slicing cherry tomatoes is not required, this tomato knife, with a serrated edge and forked tip, is the ideal tomato tool.

We like to store cherry tomatoes right in the colander. That way, they're ready for washing and draining whenever you need them.

Use this classic dish to roast your cherry tomatoes.

what you do

Simplicity itself: roasted cherry tomatoes alongside grilled meat.

Simplicity itself, part II: orecchiette with cherry tomatoes and a glass of grüner veltliner.

Braising chicken with fennel, cherry tomatoes and capers keeps the chicken juicy and leaves you with a bread-sopping, savory sauce.

Go Provençal and roast cherry tomatoes with black olives and garlic.

Featured: If roasted tomatoes are too soupy for your tastes, try slow-cooking oven dried tomatoes. Congratulations to Real Food For Real People, who submitted this week's Root Source Challenge featured recipe.

Root Source: Tortilla Chip

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:40:19 -0500

what you should know

In 1950, tortilla chips originated in Los Angeles as a tasty solution to an imperfect tortilla problem.

Rebecca Webb Carranza took misshapen corn tortillas from her family's new automated tortilla factory, cut them up and fried them to a crisp for a party. Soon, the chips were the company's best selling product.

changeable crunch While tortilla chips are most common as an envoy for salsa and other dips, they can easily make their way into eggs, soups, and muffins. (They also figure prominently into a well-known hangover remedy.)

not your cheese Top your chips with melted cheese or place them around a pile of chile-braised pork shoulder, and you have nachos. If you're a true enthusiast, consider attending the International Nacho Festival in Mexico.

sweet treats Tortilla chips don't have to be confined to salty snacks. For something sweet, try a homemade cinnamon tortilla chip, or pick up a bag of Chocolate Tortilla Chips from Food Should Taste Good.

what you need

Making homemade chips? Start with corn or flour tortillas -- some are bound to be misshapen -- and then pick up one of these.

Have tortilla chips everyday by cooking Mexican Everyday.

The best way to serve chips and salsa? Keep it nice and simple with this dish.

Want to combine chip topping ideas with some Spanish lessons? Try a bilingual cookbook.

Salad tastes better in an edible bowl. Make your own with this tortilla mold.

what you should do

Chips out of the bag are easy, but deep-frying them at home is also easy and so much better.

Use your tortilla chips to make cornbread for skillet spoonbread cobbler.

For a gluten-free alternative to tortilla chips, try this brown rice version.

As an appetizer for many or a lunch for a few, scoop up some bites of layered chicken-avocado bowl.

Layer tortilla chips with cheese and veggies and you'll get Karina's nachos fabuloso.

Featured: With a creative spin on matzo brie, soaked tortilla chips and eggs make a savory breakfast dish. Congratulations to Olga of Mango & Tomato, who submitted this week's Root Source Challenge featured recipe.

What is masa harina?

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 11:04:41 -0500

Masa harina is a type of corn flour used in Mexican and Latin American cooking to make the dough for tortillas, tamales and pupusas.

Masa, which means "dough" in Spanish, is made from dried corn kernels that are cooked and soaked in limewater and then ground. Masa harina is the dried and powdered version of masa that is then turned back into dough by adding water. It is not the same thing as regular corn meal or corn flour and should not be substituted.

Vesper

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 08:53:05 -0500

A true Martini is made with gin and vermouth garnished with an olive or a twist. Since the Vesper has vodka as well as Lillet, it naturally follows that this superb cocktail is not a Martini.

This recipe comes from Rob Chirico's Hair of the Dog. For more of Rob's great cocktails, buy his Field Guide to Cocktails.

Tofu Kale Stir-Fry

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 06:20:30 -0500

This recipe is fast, easy, and super-adaptable. Press tofu to remove excess moisture before cooking, but if it sticks to the pan, just scrape off the sticky parts and the crispy tofu crumbles add texture to the final dish.

Read more about this recipe at VeganYumYum.

Blood Orange Syrup

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 06:01:57 -0500

The color inside a blood orange ranges from standard orange to dark red and colors this simple syrup. Reduce the syrup and drizzle it over Mini Coconut And Blood Orange Bundt Cakes.

Read more about this recipe at VeganYumYum.

Crispy Vanilla-Spice Sugar Cookies

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 05:46:23 -0500

These easy sugar cookies have a distinctive crisp texture and an enticing spice taste that makes them memorable.

Read more about this recipe at the Washington Post.

Basic Roasted Chicken

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 05:23:19 -0500

Once you master the technique for roasting a chicken, stuff the cavity with cut lemons or fresh herbs, or combine butter or oil with citrus zest, garlic and herbs and spread it under the skin.

Read more about this recipe at the Washington Post.

Brisket Nina

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 04:44:07 -0500

A first cut of brisket is also known as the flat cut. Its underside usually has a layer of fat that is useful for this cooking process. It's best to make the brisket a day or two in advance, to let its flavor develop.

Read more about this recipe at the Washington Post.

Big Apple Pie

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:19:24 -0500

This is a fast, easy way to make a large pie for a crowd -- it serves about 16 people and is perfect for Thanksgiving or just about any time you want a good, old-fashioned apple pie.

Read more about this recipe at the Washington Post.

Apple Pie

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:01:50 -0500

This apple pie is as close to perfection as pies can be.

Read more about this recipe at the Washington Post.

Double Chocolate Hot Chocolate

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:39:23 -0500

This hot chocolate uses unsweetened chocolate and cocoa powder for a double chocolate punch. Serve with marshmallows and a chocolate-covered peppermint stick for stirring.

Read more about this recipe at Coconut & Lime.

Deluxe Hot Chocolate

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 11:18:28 -0500

A general proportion to follow for a single serving of this rich hot chocolate is 6 tablespoons of the dark chocolate cream to 1 cup of milk and 2 tablespoons of sugar.

Read more about this recipe at the Washington Post.