archive for June, 2010

Happy birthday to US! America and King Arthur celebrate.

Recipe: Doughnut Muffins

Happy birthday to us,
Happy birthday to us,
Happy 220th birthday King Arthur…
Happy birthday to
US!

That’s U.S., as in in United States of America, celebrating its 234th birthday this coming weekend. Though America is 14 years older than King Arthur, we feel like we’ve grown up together. Through decades of prosperity and harmony, interspersed with wars and economic downturns, the United States – and King Arthur – have both endured. And flourished. read the rest of this entry »

Hot DOG! This bun pan does double duty.

Recipe: New England Hotdog Buns

What does this…

Have in common with this?

Stumped?

read the rest of this entry »

I’m on island time, come on down: Coconut Ice Cream

Recipe: Coconut Ice Cream

Cool and creamy coconut ice cream is the fountain of youth for me.  It takes me back to a time when I was thin, tanned, and away from home for the very first time. It was 1985, and I was 17…

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Sweet rolls? Take the fast track: no-yeast caramel buns.

Recipe: Quick & Easy Sticky Caramel Buns

Sweet rolls.

Soft, tender (keep reading), gooey, buttery (keep reading), lick-your-fingers (keep reading), crunchy with nuts (or not) -

…and ready for breakfast in under 45 minutes.

How can that be?

NO YEAST.

No kidding!

read the rest of this entry »

Steam power! Carta di musica

Recipe: Carta di Musica

How does it DO that?!

I mean, there’s no yeast in this big, puffy cracker bread. No baking powder, no sourdough, no leavening of any kind.

Yet this simple mixture of water, flour, and salt, rolled paper-thin and thrown onto a hot pizza stone (or hot baking sheet), bubbles and puffs dramatically.

STEAM, baby. It powered riverboats and trains back in the day, and it can turn your cracker bread into a veritable culinary volcano today.

read the rest of this entry »

“Mom, I’m getting married…”

Recipe: None

This is a story about a wedding. And a very special wedding cake.

One that took two bakers, working at different sites miles apart, to pull off – to perfection.

Interested? Read on.

read the rest of this entry »

That’s the way the cookie crumbles… NOT! Tips for making cutout cookies.

Recipe: Holiday Butter Cookies

Can I share a cool, exciting, and a bit embarrassing moment with you? read the rest of this entry »

The drink that made New England famous – it’s a piece of cake.

Recipe: Raspberry Lime Rickey Cake

Ever heard of a lime rickey?

NO?!

Then you’ve missed one of summer’s most refreshing drinks.

At its simplest, the lime rickey is a mixture of carbonated water (seltzer), lime juice, and simple syrup (sugar). In elevated form, it includes alcohol; the mojito is its kissing cousin.

And if you’re talking strictly ice cream fountain fare, the lime rickey is often enhanced with other flavored syrups – most often raspberry, if you live in New England. read the rest of this entry »

Spread the word: pesto…

Recipe: Pesto

’Tis the season.

For ice cream, of course. Strawberry shortcake. Anything with berries.

And for outdoor grilling.

Sure, hot dogs, burgers, and chicken are givens. But bread – either baked entirely on the grill, or simply warmed over dying coals – is a wonderful addition to any outdoor table. read the rest of this entry »

Hummus…

Recipe: Hummus

Hummus.

Isn’t that hard to make? Don’t you need to go out and buy that sesame stuff, what’s it called – tahini?

No. And no. read the rest of this entry »