The temperature in SoCal has been hovering around 95º for a month. Suffice it to say, it’s salad weather. Both of these salads combine Persian cucumbers with summer fruit and salty cheese, with delicious results. The first recipe comes from Kismet, a favorite Middle Eastern restaurant here in LA. Homemade labneh becomes a creamy base […]
A Sweet Recipe for Valentine’s Day: Blood Orange Poppy Seed Muffins with Coconut Cream Frosting
For this year’s Valentine’s Day treat, I took advantage of winter citrus and made a batch of blood orange poppy seed muffins. These muffins have a moist crumb and are delicious on their own, but to add a little indulgence, I whipped coconut cream with a touch of confectioner’s sugar and vanilla bean. Let the […]
To Cure What Ails You: Homemade Chamomile Fennel Bitters
Even more than cooking, the art of cocktail making has an air of alchemy about it. Creating tinctures, shrubs, and bitters for cocktails feels a bit like making magic potions, especially since many of them have medicinal properties. When time itself is an ingredient, you can watch infusions transform before your very eyes. One of […]
The Perfect Summer Cake? Look No Further. Blueberry Cornmeal Cake with Ricotta and Orange
Blueberries are an indelible part of summer. I’ve come to realize that they have a very high nostalgia quotient, bringing me back to the kitchens and woods of my youth. And in all the muffins, pancakes, scones, cobblers, crumbles, bars, and tarts I’ve made through the years, blueberries have been ever-present. That’s why it’s still […]
For Sweet-&-Sour Summer Drinks: Spiced Cherry Maple Shrub
Shrubs have been having a revival recently in bars and home kitchens, though these “drinking vinegars” date back to 17th century England and colonial America. Shrubs only have a few components, but the possible combinations are wide-ranging. To make your own shrub, simply combine a seasonal fruit, a vinegar, a sweetener, and complimentary spices. Let […]
Wax Bean Panzanella with Garlic Croutons, Cherry Tomatoes & Pickled Shallots
On hot summer nights, a panzanella salad is the perfect companion to grilled chicken or pork. With some great tomatoes and crusty bread that’s been cubed or torn into breadcrumbs, you can pull together a rustic and hearty side dish. In this version, vibrant green beans and yellow wax beans pump up the color and […]
