Recipes

Coq au Vin is a classic French dish of which Burgundy, Alsace, Champagne, and Auvergne all claim paternity, it is also an absolute favorite of mine on a cold winter night. Where Did Coq au Vin Come From? According to various legends, Coq au Vin can be traced back to Julius Caesar and conquest of […]

Fig Newtons (now called simply Newtons) are love-it-or-hate-it kind of cookies. Seriously, people are very divided about this fig-focused sweet treat, but I love them. Fig Newtons, and Chips Ahoy chocolate chip cookies, have become synonymous with being a kid in the 70s/80’s. Nabisco Fig Newtons in my paper bag lunch, alongside my ham and […]

I am a sucker for just about anything with cinnamon and sugar. A favorite childhood treat was warm buttered toast with a generous dusting of cinnamon-sugar, what’s not to love? This was a comfort food to me and something I would choose over chocolate any day. Some things never change. I’m still a cinnamon and […]

A Hungarian snacking tray or “hidegtál” (as it’s called in Hungary), is a cold plate similar to an Italian antipasti plate. A hidegtál can consist of whatever is in your pantry or whatever the chef feels like adding. A snacking tray is, for the most part, a charcuterie board, cheese board, and vegetable board all in one. […]

This lovely cocktail is my pomegranate-rum punch and it may be just what you need to celebrate New Years in-style. Punch was actually invented as a beer alternative in the 17th century by men working the ships for the British East India Company. These men were serious drinkers, drinking as many as 10 pints of […]

My husband loves lamb stew. In all honesty, I think it’s because it reminds him of goat stew, something we both become fond of while vacationing in Anguilla. Can’t say that I’ve ever had (or would eat) goat stew on a regular basis, but in the Caribbean it’s as common as a fish sandwich and […]

This coquito recipe is dedicated to my sister. My sister has taught me too many things over the years. Just two years my senior, we have always been close. As a kid, I looked up to my sister in awe and worship. To me, she was perfect. Smart, witty, stylish, and thoughtful in ways that […]

This is a holiday icebox cake, my new favorite, effortless no-bake retro dessert. The term “retro desserts” has been popular for a while now. Food, much like fashion, is often circular. Food trends swing far and wide, but those with real roots, often circle back within a decade or two. Retro desserts pay homage to […]

Sufganiyot, also known as, Israeli jelly donuts or “Hanukkah donuts” are deep-fried jelly donuts that are traditionally eaten in Israel during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. Here the oil used to fry the donuts, like a traditional latke, is reminiscent of the oil that miraculously burned— according to the Hanukkah story—in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem. Filled […]

During the Christmas season, Americans enjoy decorated sugar cookies, the English have plum or Christmas pudding and the Italians have panettone, a sweet Milanese bread with hints of citrus, vanilla, and candied fruit. Panettone is a staple of Italian festivities dating back to the Middle Ages. Back then, people celebrated Christmas by replacing their traditional […]

Kolaczki, or Polish jam cookies as they are also called, are a popular holiday cookie not only in Poland but also in the Czech Republic, Russia, Austria, and Denmark. For me, they are a recent discovery. My younger son is a jam lover, so these cherry Kolaczki have become a new favorite in our household. […]

According to Julia Child, roast duck with orange sauce is “one of the most well-known of all the duck dishes.” Because of this, by the 1960s almost every French restaurant served this iconic dish that Julia helped popularize. The world was hooked and we’ve never looked back. Duck a l’orange is a well-known dish with deep […]

An old-fashioned is one of the greatest “classic” bourbon-based cocktails around. Even through the years, this old-time favorite has rained king. Invented in Louisville, Kentucky, this simple drink contains just a few basic ingredients: whisky, sugar, bitters, and an orange twist. Sweetened traditionally with a single sugar cube, an old-fashioned falls in the “serious drink” […]

For those that don’t know, these are Elephant Ear cookies, or French Palmier cookies as they are more formally known. But these crispy, buttery, elegant cookies are a childhood favorite and ones I love to make during the holidays. Made with puff pasty (also known as pâte feuilletée), these rich cookies dusted lightly with sugar and […]

I’ve always had a fascination with cowboys. But being raised as a city kid, I’m not exactly sure why or how. I’ve never actually met a real cowboy; only the want-to-be’s. The family ranch vacation where you become a cowboy/girl for the week is on my list of things to do, but somehow my fear […]