sponge cake

when your July birthday lasts until September.... 

 

in mary's kitchen

sugarplums and such

mary's christmas, mendham...

Bacio di Dama

Da Capo, Madison Avenue...

October eats

love me, love my pasta....

from October Food and Wine
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/busiate-brussels-sprouts-mint-and-two-cheeses

sweet Wednesday!

the last of the holiday pine nut cookies...

and the magical recipe from my mother...

daily bread

Rain or snow, it is Easter! and spring!

My Italian mother, Mary Rose Catherine Benedict Tina Crisera Bush, makes many exquisite confections for this holiday, including chocolate and lemon glazed egg-shaped mini cakes and a pound cake in a lamb shaped mold, smothered in coconut dusted marshmallow cream icing.

My favorite? the authentic, buttery, Italian holiday "basket" bread, Casatielli -- melt in your mouth magic for Easter breakfast.

An added surprise? the egg tucked into the "bread basket" before baking!

Thanks, Mom, and Uncle Richard, for perfecting this recipe and passing it down from Grandma Marie (and Naples) to all of us!

excerpted from Mary Cooks, a food memoir (forever in progress) about my mom, Mary! 

panna cotta three ways

après blizzard weekend ahead...

mise- en place...

scraping the vanilla seed from the bean and stirring into the warm mixture...

ramekins at the ready...

a stack of vintage plates...

tip: there is no secret recipe but the trick seems to be in the gelatin powder...

consult david tanis, david lebovitz, and ina garten and if need be, call your mother, too...

with raspberries and a drizzle of honey...

with cocoa powder...

with strawberries in balsamic and a lemon zest garnish...

http://davidtanis.com/books-by-david-tanis/