I love giving edible Christmas gifts that are different from the usual cookie/candy/fruit basket options. The sauces below make wonderful and unusual gifts. But I don’t just give them away – I make them for myself and my family during the holidays and other special occasions. Hazelnut romesco sauce Romesco sauce is a Spanish classic, […]
Food & Drink
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Carrot (or sweet potato) hot sauce
Carrot hot sauce is a Caribbean specialty. I first tasted it at a Jamaican restaurant in St. Louis and bought bottles of it there until the restaurant closed. I searched in vain to find another source and finally decided to try making it myself. I recently had a variation that substituted sweet potato for the […]
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Chocolate fudge sauce
This ber-rich sauce is always a hit – and has many uses. If you don’t want to use liqueur, substitute 1 T. pure vanilla. 1 c. heavy cream, preferably NOT ultra-pasteurized 1 1/2 c. extra fine sugar, also called baker’s sugar or bar sugar 1/2 c. unsalted butter, cut into chunks pinch of kosher or […]
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Hazelnut romesco sauce
Romesco sauce is a Spanish classic, used as a dip for raw or grilled vegetables, shrimp or as a condiment for roasted meats. The traditional version calls for dried chiles and almonds and requires more laborious preparation. This different version is lighter, easier to prepare and equally delicious. 1/3 c. roasted hazelnuts, skinned 2 large […]
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Homemade cocktail sauce
Sure, you can buy cocktail sauce. You can even make it by combining catsup and horseradish. But this homemade version transforms cocktail sauce from a tired old standby into something terrific. 1 tsp. whole cloves 1 tsp. celery seed 1 quart peeled, chopped and drained tomatoes, fresh or canned 2 c. diced red bell peppers […]
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Cajeta
Mexican cajeta is, hands down, the most delectable caramel sauce I’ve ever had. Jarred cajeta can be found in the ethnic sections of groceries, but it’s nowhere near as wonderful as this homemade one. I don’t know why the goat milk makes such a difference – perhaps a subtle tanginess – but the sauce doesn’t […]
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Thanksgiving memories
My family has had a few Thanksgivings that really stand out. Most have involved either bad weather in the form of snowstorms, or traveling. When I was 10, we drove out to San Diego to have Thanksgiving with my grandmother’s brother and his wife. That one was weird – it didn’t seem like Thanksgiving at […]
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Chefs’ Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a time of feasting, togetherness – and cooking. Indeed, many people who rarely prepare meals cook on this most American of holidays. But what about chefs? They spend their working lives in front of their stoves. Is Thanksgiving a “busman’s holiday” for them? Or do they kick back and let others handle the […]
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Mushroom-farro tart
This tart is sophisticated and gorgeous – a perfect substitute for vegetarians at Thanksgiving tables who’ll eschew dressings made with sausage, oysters, etc.; and/or stuffed inside the turkey. And it’s so delicious it’ll seduce the most outspoken non-vegetarians. Farro and spelt are ancient grains related to wheat. Spelt is available at Food Fantasies and in […]
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Pumpkin mac and cheese
Originally from the famed Nashville, Tenn., Loveless Café, this decadent mac and cheese recipe has evolved through several adaptations. The pumpkin doesn’t overwhelm the cheeses; rather it adds a slightly sweet mellowness that may have you wondering if you’ll ever be satisfied with regular mac and cheese again. Though I generally eschew processed cheese products […]
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Thanksgiving is for vegetarians, too
There’s no other holiday so intimately connected with a single food as Thanksgiving. That food is turkey. It’s estimated that more than 49 million turkeys will be on Thanksgiving tables this year. But what about vegetarians, especially when they’re celebrating the holiday with omnivores like me? Since they usually can’t make it home for a […]
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Bananas Foster
This luscious flamed dessert from New Orleans is about as far from down-home Cajun as you can get and still be in Louisiana. In fact, it’s become such a staple in restaurants that offer tableside preparation that its connection to the Crescent City is often forgotten. But it was invented more than 60 years ago […]
