Not Your Usual Blondies

Posted on by 2 comments
A whole tablespoon of toasted sesame oil really adds an irresistible flavor to these blondies.
A whole tablespoon of toasted sesame oil really adds an irresistible flavor to these blondies.

Brownies and blondies are classics that always satisfy.

But rarely do they offer up a surprise.

“Toasted Sesame Blondies” definitely does, though.

These have all the portability plus chewy texture you love about blondies. But they also sport a splash of toasted sesame oil and a profusion of black and white sesame seeds overtop that give them a whole new personality.

One that tastes as if butterscotch and sesame had a love fest.

This fabulous recipe is from “100 Afternoon Sweets” (Chronicle Books, 2024), of which I received a review copy.

It’s by Sarah Kieffer, a Minneapolis baker and creator of the award-winning The Vanilla Bean Blog.

Read more

Tuck Into Gochujang Sesame Noodles with Broccolini

Posted on by Leave a comment
The Korean staple fermented pepper paste really jazzes up these sesame noodles.
The Korean staple fermented pepper paste really jazzes up these sesame noodles.

If you go nutty for Asian sesame or peanut noodles, then this version will definitely have you hooked from the first bite.

That’s because “Gochujang Sesame Noodles with Broccolini” adds the Korean fermented pepper paste to the mix for big, brawny flavor that grabs your taste buds and doesn’t let go.

Easy enough to make on a weeknight, this recipe is from “You Got This!” (Simon Element), of which I received a review copy.

It’s by Connecticut-based Diane Morrisey, a self-taught cook who’s a former caterer and executive at Whole Foods overseeing prepared foods.

She describes the collection of 100 recipes as being for “real people.” After all, as a wife and working mom of six kids, she knows all about how hard it can be to juggle multiple responsibilities while still trying to get food on the table every night.

Read more

Michelin Three-Starred Benu Celebrates 15 Years

Posted on by Leave a comment
The unforgettable mussel at Benu.
The unforgettable mussel at Benu.

Just before you’re escorted into the kitchen at Benu in San Francisco, you’ll spot a formidable column decorated with autographs from a who’s who in the culinary world: David Kinch, Michelin three-starred chef of now-shuttered Manresa in Los Gato; Chef Sang Yoon of Father’s Office and Helms Bakery, both in Los Angeles; Fuchsia Dunlop, James Beard Award-winning food writer and Chinese cuisine expert; the late-Charles Phan, founder of the Slanted Door restaurant in Napa and San Ramon; the late-Chuck Williams, founder of Williams Sonoma; and so many more.

Because since its opening in 2010, this fine-dining, tasting-menu restaurant has attracted everyone who’s anyone to its minimalist dining room for its elegant fare that blends East and West with incredible finesse.

It was the first San Francisco restaurant to receive three Michelin stars in 2014. It has maintained them ever since, too.

Opened by Chef Corey Lee, former chef de cuisine of Michelin three-starred The French Laundry in Yountville, Benu is also the first restaurant that Thomas Keller ever invested in that wasn’t his own.

The courtyard entrance.
The courtyard entrance.
A view into the kitchen.
A view into the kitchen.
Crocks of house-made soy sauce.
Crocks of house-made soy sauce.

While I’ve dined several times at Lee’s casual Korean restaurant, San Ho Won in San Francisco, which has a Michelin star, it’s been many years since I’d last been to Benu. And since my cousins, who are huge fans of San Ho Won, had never been to Benu, I figured it was high time we all went together.

Read more

Summer’s Sweet Corn and Fresh Oregano Fritters

Posted on by 2 comments
Summer corn stars in these easy fritters.
Summer corn stars in these easy fritters.

Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the Davis farmers market, one of the first certified farmers markets in California.

Against the burgeoning social activism of the 1960s and 1970s, the farmers market started in 1976 with only three farmers, growing steadily to what it is today — a year-round market with 100 vendors, most of whom are farmers who come from no more than an hour away. You’ll find everything from the freshest in-season fruit, just-picked veggies, artisan bread, local honey, farmstead cheeses, tacos made to order, gourmet sandwiches, and so much more.

Located in the city’s oldest park, Central Park, the year-round farmers market is the only one in the state that boasts its own covered pavilion, ATM machines, and even a permanent information booth.

“We call it the Taj Mahal of markets,” says Randii MacNear, its executive director.

California, which has 840 farmers markets, is the only state that has certified farmers markets, which means that farmers have to grow what they sell, she added.

The Saturday morning market is the main one that sports the largest selection of vendors. There’s also a smaller Wednesday evening one, if you want to pick up a few items after work.

Read more

Scaling the Heights of Lofty Peaches and Granola Galette

Posted on by 4 comments
As tall and majestic as a deep-dish pizza, that's what this peach galette is like.
As tall and majestic as a deep-dish pizza, that’s what this peach galette is like.

If a classic galette were a ranch house, then this baby is a high-rise for sure.

“Lofty Peaches and Granola Galette” lives up to its name, with a girth and stature like pizza that’s extra deep-dish.

This statement-making galette is from the new cookbook, titled — what else — “Galette!” (Artisan), of which I received a review copy.

It was written by Rebecca Firkser, a Brooklyn-based writer and cook, whose recipes have been published in Bon Appetit and on Food52.

I have always loved a good galette, especially because it requires rolling out only one round of dough, and its free-form nature means no matter how you crimp or fold, it will still end up with a lovely rustic look.

Read more
« Older Entries Recent Entries »