Topped with Coconut Cream and a spoonful of seasonal fruit this is a wonderful dessert for a summer seaside luncheon: easy, light, delicious, and pretty. It can also be served with coconut ice cream and bittersweet chocolate sauce or warm with a little papaya or passion fruit jam for a weekend breakfast treat. Any way you slice it, …
This recipe is an homage to Sarah with a nod to the Barefoot Contessa. Who knew that Ina Garten (M.B.A. George Washington University) worked for the U.S. Government as a nuclear energy budget analyst before (taking off her shoes) to own and operate a specialty foods shop? Last month Sarah, who moved to Maine from NYC seven years ago, …
Tested and enthusiastically approved by GF and non-GF friends and family, this is one of our new favorite scone recipes. We like the combination of sweet, savory, and aromatic flavors. They’re great for breakfast or as a side for salad or soup. 4 years ago we moved from Falmouth back to South Portland (SoPo) where …
It’s strawberry season in Maine, there’s a rain delay at Wimbledon, and I’m meeting Kari and Stephanie at 11:30 to walk around Back Cove before lunch: time to bake a cake! Fresh picked local organic strawberries are fragrant and delicious, but often delicate because they’re not bred to endure cross country shipping. When you think your berries …
This outstanding banana bread is more fun to make than any other and arguably more delicious than our favorite Kona Banana Bread. Roasting the bananas takes a little extra time, but the dimension it adds to the flavor is worth every minute. Using coconut oil and almond milk make it dairy free, however substitute butter for …
Just back from an island with an organic coconut field and organic banana field. Plus there is a LOT of coconut flour in the larder. So when I was sent a link to Empowered Sustanence’s I clicked on it. Easy, satisfying, healthy, and delicious, these may become a staple in your kitchen. Our recipe is …
Late Winter Carrot Soup (Serves 8 -12) This special hearty soup is tangy and thick enough to serve over pasta. Last week I used it on pizza under arugula, feta, caramelized onions, and fig jam. Nathaniel made a ragu for vegetable “noodles” from the Paderno Spiralizer. Served as a soup it can be garnished with pesto, or a drizzle of …
28 years ago four women each had their first child within a five week span. One of those babies will have her first child in two months. The three boys, errr… men aren’t there yet, following Daphne as they did growing up. This afternoon we’re hosting a baby shower. All that stuff about time and change goes without saying. The guests have various …
I am very good at what I do – just pulled a beautiful fragrant GF Citrus Olive Oil Cake out of the oven. But, BUT, yeast is not my friend, so our successful crusty, chewy bread recipes are few. I confess to not having cultivated the relationship carefully, preferring to spend time with cookies and scones. Those of …
Read somewhere (an airline magazine?) about popular chefs’ favorite sneaky, secret ingredients. One admitted to using powdered milk in his conventional cookie recipes because it adds chewiness. Since “chewy” is a rare descriptor when it comes to gluten free cookies I was determined to experiment. Finding Organic Valley Non Fat Dry Milk at Whole Foods cemented it. I’ve …
Tandem Coffee opened a second location: a cafe in a renovated service station on Portland’s Congress Street. Briana Holt is creating excellent sweet and savory baked goods. But fair warning: gluten-free offerings are occasional and the open kitchen precludes a GF environment. However, something I had last week was worth adapting: Briana’s Birds’ Nest Breakfast Muffins. A whole …
Delicious, nutritious, easy, fast, this savory dish is perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Even if you splurge on the nicest free range eggs, organic cheddar, heirloom tomatoes and Vidalia onions, it’s an inexpensive way to satisfy the craving for a hearty meal. Traveling to Lake Tahoe to visit Gus who is working at Stanford …
Book Group met last night to discuss The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud. The link is to a (more positive) NPR review because I suggested the book and still think it’s work reading. Have some fun and Google the meanings of the names of Messud’s characters should you delve in. As hostess I made the …
I first experienced Pastry Chef Ben Spungin’s desserts at Marinus, in Carmel Valley, http://www.bernardus.com/. His mom must be extraordinarily proud. Ben’s sweets are some of the most creative, smart, irreverent and successful I’ve experienced. The entire meal was outstanding. Run don’t walk to Marinus for your next special occasion (make a reservation first.) My dinner selections were mostly vegetarian …
Nothing says “Spring” like the scent of Meyer Lemons! This combination of white chocolate mousse and lemon curd makes a beautiful and decadent dessert any time of year, but especially now when bunches of tulips greet one at the market and long stemmed branches of pussy willows aren’t far behind. I like keeping the …
Linzer Torte is traditionally baked during the December holidays. But we’re approaching raspberry season and time to book a trip to “pick your own” in southern Maine, so I’m inspired to share the recipe now. Two summers ago I went to Doles Family Farm with my sister Suzanne: raspberry bonanza! Last summer we harvested a … Continue reading
Use this special topping for all our scones, excluding Chocolate Almond, and for one of our favorite desserts: White Chocolate Mousse with Lemon Curd. This version is a little less dangerous than it’s counterparts because we use whole eggs instead of only egg yolks. Still seductive though! Continue reading
The crust for this tart includes the spectacular combination of “super fruits”: Mulberry Berries, Gogi Berries, and Golden Berries. “Super” berries are popular and exotic… and expensive. Dried blueberries, cranberries, and raisins have significant nutritional benefits (without the carbon footprint!) July 4th is a celebration of independence: break with tradition and go indulge in a … Continue reading
The fireworks display from Portland’s Eastern Promenade is spectacular whether one comes by land or by sea. We hope to watch it from the lawn near Bug Lighthouse. The Portland Chorus, including brother-in-law Ed, will sing with the Portland Symphony Orchestra; Don McLean is this year’s special guest artist. If organized, we’ll have a picnic dinner. If … Continue reading
We’ve had a few rainy drizzly days… errr weeks, in Maine. It’s often been warm enough to garden, walk, and even swim, but this morning’s chilly fog dictated a luncheon menu that included corn chowder. It was made with our first ears of east coast corn. The recipe relies on the freshness and flavor of … Continue reading
Sweetly scented coconut flour, and coconut oil instead of butter, are part of a wonderful base for these baked doughnuts with fresh minted lime glaze. The most difficult decisions you’ll have to make the morning you bake is whether to drizzle the warm “tops” or “bottoms”, and when to whip up a second batch. Continue reading
I got up at 5:30 a.m. for a swim off Sandy Cove before jumping on 95 North to bake and arrange flowers for a baby shower in Maine. Brett and Garrett will celebrate the arrival of their first child in mid-September! A group of us gathered from 2-4 p.m. – perfect for a summer tea in … Continue reading
Traditional Pho is made with beef knuckle and oxtail, but we don’t eat beef, so I’ve adapted, using the dark meat of chicken instead. Making the broth is labor of love. Since the stock simmers on the stove untended, it’s also an opportunity to turn one’s attention to other (lazy weekend afternoon) things. Pho isn’t … Continue reading
It’s 12:30 p.m. Woke up at 5:00; read ’til 6:00; swam (OK, dunked in the cold Atlantic Ocean) before breakfast. The clock says its time for lunch. But body and mind are still satisfied by this morning’s Banana Bowl! Continue reading
Some foods taste better with others: chocolate plus coffee. Some foods ARE better with others: chocolate plus apples. Adam Baer writes that especially Red Delicious (arghhh, really?) apple skin is high in quercetin, an anti-inflammatory flavonoid that has been shown to reduce the risk of allergies, heart attack, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and prostrate and lung cancers. … Continue reading
Gluten Free Gus 