Ah, pray tell, what is this lovely loaf, with its buttery interior, golden crust, and tiny/tasty bits of smoked ham scattered throughout?

Why, I’m so glad you asked. That would be Ham & Cheese Brioche.

And you thought brioche was sweet…

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What IS it about hot, melty cheese, anyway? I mean, you see a picture like this, and you NEED THAT PLATE IN FRONT OF YOU RIGHT THIS INSTANT.

From Gruyère Stuffed Crusty Loaves and Garlic-Herb Mac & Cheese to Sausage Cheese Biscuits and the meltiest cheese dish of them all – Cheese Fondue – some of the most popular recipes on this site feature hot melted cheese.

All involve cheese that goes into the oven (or onto the stovetop) solid and stolid; and comes out a glorious, lava-like, aromatic mass of pure oozing cheesiness. Cheddar, Jack, Swiss, mozzarella… doesn’t really matter what kind, does it? So long as it’s warm and soft and on your plate. (more…)

I’ve no doubt baked many hundreds of different recipes in the 35+ years I’ve been baking on my own. But there are certain ones that I bake over and over again: fudge birthday cake, almond puff loaf, whole wheat pain de mie, and a host of others that never fail to win accolades from whatever audience enjoys them. (more…)

As any good Southern cook knows, ham biscuits are a must-have on New Year’s Eve. AND New Year’s Day.

Or so I’m told, by friends down South. Me, I’m a New Englander through and through and through (except for the part of my heart that still feels a pull for Wisconsin, the state of my birth).

So what could I possibly know about ham biscuits? Or any kind of biscuit, truth be told… Aren’t Southerners the best biscuit bakers on earth? (more…)