Heidi came to visit us at the beach to get away from the blazing heat of Missoula, MT! Lucky us! We got to have her lovely company for several days, and she brought huckleberries. I know I have expressed my infatuation with huckleberries here already, but without fail their … [Read more...]
Za’atar Cashew Brittle Honey Ice Cream Sandwich
The idea for this dessert has been percolating for a long time. It started months ago when I made Za’atar Cashew Brittle. I knew almost immediately that it should be mixed into honey ice cream. Then I thought, why not swirl in some caramel sauce? … [Read more...]
Honey Ice Cream
We all know that honey bees are endangered, but if you are like me you may be at a loss for how to address this serious problem. My friend, Frances, is doing her part by keeping bees in her backyard. I’m not brave enough to try that yet, but I may work up to it. For now I will … [Read more...]
Carrot Cake with Goat Cheese Frosting
Valley Flora Farm continues to impress! This time I brought home gorgeous carrots. I spent the whole afternoon mesmerized by them. Long after I knew I’d taken enough photos, I took more. These carrots are beauty queens with no high heels, no plunging neck lines, and no ruby … [Read more...]
Boston Cream Pie Trifle
I’m not sure anyone knows why Boston Cream Pie is called pie. It is a cake whose elements are similar to a cream puff. Talk about an identity crisis! I think of it as the granddaddy of the now popular “naked cake,” which is pretty cool (hip to be square and all that.) … [Read more...]
Blackberry Swirl Ice Cream
One of life’s great pleasures is picking perfectly ripe blackberries, still warm from the sun, and popping them directly into your mouth until you have juice dripping down your elbows. … [Read more...]
Strawberry Shortcake with Rhubarb Sauce
It rained last night! In California that is cause for celebration. At the market today I found gorgeous Lucerno Farm’s strawberries. Tiny berries, red through and through, sweet as can be. Also, rhubarb. What better way to celebrate! … [Read more...]
Pie Dough
It makes me sad when I see an empty wedge of pie crust on someone’s plate. Crust should be delicious in its own right, almost as satisfying as when accompanied by a mouthwatering filling. You may think of the filling first, but pie is not pie without the crust. Pie crust has … [Read more...]
Blood Orange Tart
My favorite anytime-of-the-year color combination is red and orange, the colors that come to life when you join persimmon with pomegranate, cranberry with orange, kumquat with rhubarb, cherry with apricot, watermelon with cantaloupe, or peach with plum. Standing alone in a … [Read more...]