Candied Kumquat and Ricotta Tart

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Candied Kumquat and Ricotta Tart

Having been obsessed with homemade ricotta for quite some time now, I'm always looking for new ways to enjoy it. Recently, during a magical weekend in Charleston, my husband and I noticed the delightful presence of candied kumquats in several dishes. I returned home and immediately candied a batch of these teeny citrus orbs for myself. It didn't take long for me to spoon them atop some ricotta, and to heaven I was immediately transported. Since that fortuitous snack pairing, I've been thinking about ways to formalize the ricotta-kumquat duo into a true dessert. A tart sounded promising and shortbread is always a lovely base perfectly happy to play second fiddle. This.is.scrumptious!

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Blackberry and Peach Crisp with Sage-infused Brown Butter Topping

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Blackberry and Peach Crisp with Sage-infused Brown Butter Topping

Since I was very young, I've adored a good crisp and still take great pleasure in all manner of crisps, crumbles and cobblers today. They remind me of home; they're simple yet, when well done, extraordinarily good; they're flexible; and they're a terrific way to highlight fresh fruit. I love blackberries and peaches and enjoy adding herbal elements into sweet things; it provides terrific contrast to the sugar aspect as well as a complexity you might not otherwise have. This is a perfect crisp in my opinion. I hope you enjoy it too!

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Blackberry Pie, Nanny’s

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Blackberry Pie, Nanny’s

For many years, my grandmother, Nanny, had a dozen or so large blackberry bushes thriving in her sunny backyard. Growing up, it was such a treat when the "season" opened as my sister and I would race out with a big bowl, eating and collecting from bush to bush. Those we didn't eat we brought inside to store or to dip in sugar and savor. Those we stored were most often turned into this pie, a sure hit and favorite of everyone I've ever made it for. The crust is a family tradition too and is both easy and superb. This freezes beautifully! 

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Aunt Da’s Tea Cakes, reimagined

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Aunt Da’s Tea Cakes, reimagined

My maternal great aunt, Aunt Da, made wonderfully simple tea cakes that seemed simultaneously substantial and light. She always made huge batches and stored them in a silver canister that seemed bottomless. Here, I've reimagined them to be even lighter (using a combo of cake and whole wheat pastry flour) and slightly spiced with Irish Breakfast tea, Meyer lemon zest and a nice dose of marzipan (rather than the originally called for vanilla). These are absolutely delightful, subtly flavored pillows of comfort. 

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Shiro Plum and Basil Jam

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Shiro Plum and Basil Jam

Shiro plums are such a lovely color of yellow and are one of the small plum varieties that I have seen at the farmers market in recent weeks. I had about a quart of them left and wanted to make some jam that highlighted their beauty and flavor but had a surprising, savory element too. Basil it was! Just three ingredients, and decidedly small-batch(!), this is beautiful, unique, and so darn good, I'm just eating it with a spoon.

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Apple, Pear and Lemon Thyme Jam

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Apple, Pear and Lemon Thyme Jam

The annual farewell to summer produce can leave jammers distraught. What can I put up now?! Although the fruit-based options are fewer and perhaps less dazzling in some ways (visually and otherwise), there is still much that can be done with fall's gems, especially apples and pears. Generally, I don't much like apple jams. I'd rather have a good applesauce any day. But apples love many other ingredients, and I enjoy pairing their sweet-tartness with more savory elements. Here, I macerate apples and pears with lemon thyme, lemon zest and juice, black pepper and sugar and then cook that mixture down to a crystalline spread, adding some pear brandy near the end. The result is a sweet jam with earthy undertones, just begging to be spread atop a good cheese and some crackers.

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Strawberry-Cardamom Jam

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Strawberry-Cardamom Jam

As many of you know, strawberry jam can be cloying, too sweet to be enjoyed. By and large this is because strawberries have little in the way of natural pectin so you really have to add a lot of sugar to compensate. As well, cooking strawberries seems to concentrate their natural sweetness, adding to the sugary taste factor. To compensate for lack of natural pectin, I added one grated apple per 4 cups of berries and cooked things until thick. What results is a beautiful, richly colored loosely set preserve whose sweetness is perfectly offset by lemon juice, cardamom and the slight tang of the apple. 

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Rhubarb Ginger Jam

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Rhubarb Ginger Jam

As summer bids us farewell and the cooler weather of fall rolls in, I feel slightly bittersweet because there is less fruit available with which to can. The berries and stone fruits are gone for the year; now is the time to make heartier fare like apple and pear butters. For a brief time though, you can still buy rhubarb at the farmers markets in our area. Rhubarb tends to be a secondary fruit, a supporting actress if you will, but such needn't be the case. Here, it's the main event, buttressed only by sugar, some fresh orange juice and a bit of crystallized ginger. Enjoy! 

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Southern Cheese Straws

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Southern Cheese Straws

Growing up in Louisiana, cheese straws -spicy, orange-cheddar, stick-shaped treats- were de rigueur on many party tables. I adore them, and this recipe, by Kim Severson, is the one I've found that most perfectly matches the taste-memory I have of the ones back home. This recipe is a snap to put together but pressing the dough through a cookie press can take some time. That said, double this recipe because I guarantee everyone will love these and eat more than they thought humanly possible.

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Fennel and Sultana Bread

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Fennel and Sultana Bread

I've always loved a whole grain bread that manages to be unabashedly healthy and light. This bread combines some of my favorite flavors -- the sweet, anisey zing of toasted fennel seeds; fennel itself; sultanas; and some supporting actors like lemon zest and honey. Toasted slices drizzled with honey make for a fabulous breakfast or an afternoon snack with tea.

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Chicken Burgers with Preserved Lemon, Aleppo and Yogurt

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Chicken Burgers with Preserved Lemon, Aleppo and Yogurt

Though not a beef burger fan, I do love the idea of burgers, especially during summertime when you can sit outside, crack open a watermelon, pour some sweet tea and enjoy the sunshine. As such, I need non-beef burgers in my repetoire, and I prefer that they not look like pancakes or pucks, sad seconds to the juicy beef patties sharing grill space. I love real veggie burgers but chicken and/or turkey make the best substitutes for the "real" deal. This recipe is inspired by a southwestern turkey burger recipe I once had (white meat and chili) and by a delicious Aleppo-yogurt chicken kebab recipe I found on epicurious (chicken, Aleppo, yogurt). It's lighter than air, super moist and completely satisfying. 

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