Holiday Dessert Culture from Home Cooks to Food Network: The Best of 2011

OK, so after the holiday sparkle of happy family and friend and work parties, wrapping gifts galore and joyously opening packages, decorating trees and doors and planning the dinner menus, it’s time to get to what really counts this time of year:  the desserts.

Seriously, what does Santa yearn for at every stop after delivering the presents?

Cookies and candy and hot chocolate, of course. 

It’s not a news flash he doesn’t come down too many chimneys anymore. Given the stacked and tiered, toppling plates of goodies he savors over the holidays, Santa will be forgiven for waddling through his holiday rounds more often than wriggling down an ever-increasingly narrow portal.

Fashion alert: that red suit covers more than a few extra gingerbread fantasies.

And what about all those vision of sugar plum fairies dancing in our heads?

Simply put, desserts are what distinguish this holiday from all the other commemorative calendar days. 

Independence Day may have its BBQ and fireworks and Easter its ham and crayola-shaded eggs and Thanksgiving its turkey and stuffing, but nothing, anywhere, beats the Holidays for the variety and volume of sweet confections.

Think about it.

Even the most intrepid bakers set about making boatloads of treats to share. 

It’s like tomatoes in August.  There are just not enough folks to give away the bounty to.

From cookie tins stuffed to the can’t-get-the-lid-to-stay-clamped with cream cheese wreaths and sugar cookies morphed into trees, candy canes and snowmen, to toffee, chocolate rum ball cake or candy to fruitcakes and stollen and Noelle de Bouche to Panettone and strufili honey balls, to chocolate covered pretzels and Oreos® there is an abundance of riches that makes every table at every gathering groan with delight. 

Who needs a centerpiece when all eyes are on the come-hither artful composition that is a collage of pastry, candy, cake, pie, bread, tarts, puddings, and mousses?

Laduree and its dreamy macarons

Two Little Red Hens cupcakes -- sumptuous, delectable flowers

The fashionable optics for those dreamy, sherbet-colored macarons—especially Laduree at 864 Madison Avenue between 70^th & 71^st. Street (http://www.laduree.fr/en/maisons/monde-details#135) and the relentless pursuit of all things cupcake -- only add to the magic of the spiffing holiday confections. Love Billy’s Bakery (184 9^th Avenue) www.billysbakerynyc.com and Two Little Red Hens, 1652 2^nd Avenue, www.twolittleredhens.com 

 The choices at every party and post dinner celebration are deliciously dizzying.

The science of baking and pastry making can be intimidating and astonishing.

But it seems most home bakers just jump in with both mixing blades spinning, starting with traditional family recipes handed down over the generations and tweaked, perhaps unwittingly, or then again, with a fierce determination to correct Nonni’s Old World recipe voyage to Brooklyn, or the room temperature differential, e.g. indoor climate change from Paris in the 1950’s to Manhattan in the “naughts.”

This reporter enjoyed a few too many goodies so far this season – and a couple of new discoveries too.

Lee Sims Homemade Chocolates

A few favorite dessert creations included cream cheese cookies stuffed with peppermint, Noel de Bouche, Sickles Market Panettone Glassato from Italy’s Pasticceri Filippi http://sicklesmarket.com/, Lee Sims Chocolates (can’t but love the tag line: “Candy Making As An Art.”) “Owned and managed by the fourth generation of the same family” The homemade boutique chocolate, milk and dark, is some of the best around and a nice discovery: www.leesimschocolates.com  

The next best thing to receiving and eating the desserts is a dessert cookbook. Can’t wait to try out the recipes in this gift: Just Mini Desserts, Quick and Easy mini dessert recipes for Casual Entertaining by Robert Zollweg http://retail.libbey.com/Products/Desserts/Just-Mini-Desserts-Recipe-Book 

A sure fire route to dessert success is Amanda Hesser’s, The Essential New York Times Cookbook and her latest, Food52 Cookbook: 140 Winning Recipes from Exceptional Home Cooks http://tiny.cc/etdyd

For 52 weeks, Amanda and Merrill Stubs, co author, asked home cooks to submit their favorite recipes, then Amanda and Merrill prepared their choices for best recipes, then offered their selections for their web site and blog readers to vote on, compiled from the home cooks submissions.  Double Chocolate Expresso Cookies and Chocolate Bundt Cake are temptation enough to get this cooking experience.      

Another sweet discovery was home cook, Joanne Morehead’s 7 Layer Bars – one mouthpop of these complex-nuanced goodies and “dessert culture addict” doesn’t seem too fierce a club membership to have.

When asked how she came about this nutty, chocolaty, sweet treat (testing the theory that perhaps it came by way of culinary angels) Joanne generously wrote her witty, love-filled  story behind the 7 Layer Bars, making the whole experience all the more tantalizing:

 … About 10 years ago, a friend made these and gave me the recipe. I started making them and discovered that the graham cracker crumbs stuck to the pan so I started using parchment paper, which made all the difference. Also, they were hard to cut at room temp do I started refrigerating them so that they are firm and don't squish under the pressure of the knife. The original recipe called for 12 oz of graham cracker crumbs, 4 tbs of butter and 1 cup each of the nuts, chips and coconut. Over the years, I added more to my taste -- which anyone can do according to what they like. I bring them on Thanksgiving to my Mother-in-law's house and she doesn't put them out with the rest of the desserts but hides them as soon as I hand them over. It's become a joke in the family. One by one they ask about the bars and start looking around to my Mother-in-law's dismay!

Joanne Morehead’s 7 LAYER BARS

6 TBS UNSALTED BUTTER CUT INTO PATS (USE STICK BUTTER)

14 oz  GRAHAM CRACKER CRUMBS

1 CUP BUTTERSCOTCH CHIPS

1 1/2  CUPS CHOCOLATE CHIPS

2 CUPS SWEETENED COCONUT

1 1/2 CUP CHOPPED PECANS (I USE PECANS, BUT YOU CAN ALSO USE WALNUTS) PUT IN PLASTIC BAG AND CRUSH WITH MALLET UNTIL YOU LIKE THE SIZE OF THE NUTS)

1 CAN (14 OZ) SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES THEN LOWER TO 325 WHEN OVEN IS HOT AND YOU PUT IN THE PAN.

USE A 9” SQUARE PAN.  LINE PAN WITH PARCHMENT PAPER, BOTTOM AND SIDES! DO NOT SKIP THE PARCHMENT PAPER OR YOU WILL BE SORRY.  ARRANGE THE PATS OF BUTTER IN PAN AND BAKE IN OVEN UNTIL MELTED; REMOVE PAN AND LAYER INGREDIENTS AS FOLLOW: GRAHAM CRACKER CRUMBS – PUSH CRUMBS INTO BUTTER UNTIL THE LAYER IS STUCK TO BUTTER UNIFORMLY. ADD COCONUT, BUTTERSCOTCH CHIPS, CHOCOLATE CHIPS, PECANS; PUSH EACH LAYER DOWN INTO THE PREVIOUS ONE. I USE RUBBER GLOVES TO DO THIS BECAUSE I’M TIRED OF BURNING MY WRISTS! THEN POUR/DRIBBLE CONDENSED MILK IN A THIN LAYER ONTO THE TOP UNTIL ENTIRE PAN IS COVERED.

BAKE FOR 1/2 HOUR.  COOL IN PAN ON RACK AND THEN IN REFRIGERATOR UNTIL VERY FIRM.  (THIS WILL MAKE IT EASIER TO CUT INTO SQUARES.) TURN PAN OVER AND PEEL PARCHMENT PAPER FROM BOTTOM. (THANK YOU MARTHA STEWART) THEN CUT INTO SQUARES. NOW WATCH YOUR WAISTLINE GROW!

PS:  BUY 2 CANS OF SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK BECAUSE YOU GET TWO BATCHES FROM A BOX OF GRAHAM CRACKER CRUMBS, CHOCOLATE CHIPS AND BUTTER SCOTCH CHIPS. 

THERE IS ALWAYS EXTRA COCONUT SO YOU CAN GO NUTS WITH THAT.  I BUY THE PECANS AND CHOCOLATE CHIPS FROM COSTCO, SO I ALWAYS HAVE EXTRA TO PLAY AROUND WITH.  UNFORTUNATELY, YOU BARELY GET ENOUGH BUTTERSCOTCH CHIPS TO MAKE TWO BATCHES SO SMACK ANY HANDS THAT TRY TO EAT THEM WHILE YOU’RE BAKING!

Extraordinary Desserts from Hamptons and Long Island Homegrown Cookbook  (available 2012)

http://www.amazon.com/Hamptons-Long-Island-Homegrown-Cookbook/dp/0760337578

Cuvée Bistro & Bar, Greenporter Hotel

Chef Deborah Pittorino

326 Front Street, Greenport, NY

http://greenporterhotel.com/restaurant

Farm Stand Strawberry Rhubarb Tartelettes

Serves 8

Crust:

3/4 c. plain flour

pinch of salt

3 oz. unsalted butter, slightly softened

2 egg yolks

1 tbsp. cold water

1 1/2 oz. caster sugar

Sift the flour and salt into a pile on a cold work surface, and make a well in the center. Add the butter, egg yolks, water, and sugar to the well, and use the fingertips of one hand to work them together into a rough paste. The mixture should resemble scrambled eggs.

Gradually work in the flour with your fingertips to bind the mixture into smooth dough. Press together lightly, and form into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for about 30 minutes before use.

Filling:

2 c. fresh strawberries, sliced and divided

4 tbsp. cassis
2 c. fresh rhubarb, diced

1/4 c. sugar

1/2 tbsp. freshly grated lemon zest

1 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch

1 tbsp. rose syrup

Hull and slice the berries. Irregular pieces work best, as they look better than a bunch of nearly identical slices. Mash a few of the berries, if you wish, and toss them with the remaining berries in a large bowl. Add the cassis on top of the berries, and stir gently to coat them. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Combine the rhubarb, sugar, and lemon zest in a large nonreactive saucepan. Let stand for 20 minutes. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring often, until the rhubarb is tender but still holds its shape (5 to 8 minutes).

Meanwhile, stir the cornstarch and rose syrup in a small bowl until smooth. Stir into the simmering fruit. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is clear and very thick (about 1 minute). Transfer to a bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface, and refrigerate until chilled.

Strawberry-Balsamic Gastrique:

3/4 c. superfine sugar

3/4 c. hot water

1 c. strawberries, halved, hulled, and puréed

1/2 c. balsamic vinegar

In a medium saucepan, stir the sugar into the hot water until dissolved. Add the strawberries, and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar, increase the heat, and bring to a boil. Next, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until thickened (about 30 minutes). Let the gastrique cool, then strain it into a jar, cover, and refrigerate.

Assembling the tarts: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Divide the dough into eight balls. Roll out each ball to fill the tart pans. Remove excess dough from edges, reserving it for the lattice work. Divide the filling into eight sections and fill each pan. Be careful not to overfill, or it will spill out during baking. With the excess dough, create a lattice on top of the pie. Brush the lattice with melted butter, as it will prevent burning and give each tart a golden color.

Bake the tarts for 25 to 30 minutes until the crust is a golden color and the juices are bubbling. Remove from the oven, and place on a cooling rack. Allow the tarts to reach room temperature before serving. Serve each tart with some vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of the Strawberry-Balsamic Gastrique.

The Lake House

Chef Matt Connors

240 West Main Street, Bay Shore, NY  www.thelakehouserest.com

Warm Berry Cobbler with Lemon Verbena Ice Cream

Serves 4-6

Cobbler Filling:

1 pt. strawberries, stemmed and quartered

1 pt. blueberries

1 tbsp. fresh mint leaves, sliced

1/4 c. sugar

1 tbsp. cornstarch

1/2 vanilla bean, scraped

Mix all of the ingredients in bowl, and marinate for 1 hour or more.

Cobbler Topping:

3 1/3 c. all-purpose flour

1/4 c. sugar

2 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

12 tbsp. cold butter, diced

1 1/3 c. heavy cream

Place all of the ingredients except the cream in a food processor, and blend for 30 seconds. Add the cream, and blend until the mixture forms a ball. Chill for at least 1 hour. Roll into golf-ball size balls and flatten into disks with the palm of your hand.

To Finish Cobbler:

heavy cream

raw sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Put the fruit mixture in 6-oz. ramekins. Top each ramekin with one disk of topping. Brush with a little heavy cream, and sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbling and golden.

Ice Cream:

1 1/2 c. whole milk

1 1/2 c. heavy cream

7/8 c. (or 14 tbsp.) sugar

1/2 c. loosely packed lemon verbena leaves

6 egg yolks

Combine the milk and cream, and add half of the sugar to the mixture along with the verbena leaves. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Whisk together the eggs and the remaining sugar. Slowly add the simmered milk mixture to the egg mixture, whisking. When everything is together, add it back to the milk pot and simmer, stirring, for another 3 to 4 minutes or until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Strain through a sieve and cool completely. Freeze according to ice cream machine directions.

Too delicious Warm Berry Cobbler, The Lake House

Had enough desserts?  Hardly.

The Food Network Names its Best 10 Dessert Recipes of 2011:

The Top-Ten picks include Pumpkin Cheesecake, Southern Red Velvet Cake (two different iterations made the list—cake and cupcakes!) and Peach Cobbler.

http://blog.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/2011/12/26/best-dessert-recipes-2011/

(Personally love the reader comment about using eggnog in the bread pudding recipe.)

Curiously, there’s always room for dessert… Enjoy the sweet days of holiday confections.  May it last till Valentine’s Day chocolate celebrations of love greet the sweet tooth fairy.

Marissa's Holiday Rum Balls!

Here are Marissa's Amazing Rum Balls.  Maybe we can tease the recipe from her.... 

Photo Images for the Homegrown Cookbook And Alec Baldwin too!

No, not the professional high-quality images of the Long Island Homegrown chefs and their growers and the food and the natural beauty that is unique to Long Island as captured by the book's photographers Lindsay Morris and Jennifer Smith.

Rather these images were to be of me for the book About the Author.  While I am very accustomed to being a spokesperson and being on camera for the world-class brands I’ve had the honor of working for – including Sony, Toy"R"Us, the NY Botanic Gardens and others, I always thought of that as work -- in the service to others. A fealty I did for the greater good.  In truth, I am much better and more comfortable telling others’ stories and me behind the scenes.

So when my editor, Melinda, said she needed a head shot, I kinda wished it away.
Not that I wasn’t prepared.
In fact, I had saved a brochure from The New York Botanical Garden that featured a handsome image of Sigourney Weaver. I not only have long admired the career of Ms. Weaver and her family, but I thought that when the time comes, I could look to this sophisticated, elegant, casual image as a template. 

I kept that image with me for more than a year, anticipating the day.

When the time came, I was ready. I even had the same black turtleneck :)

I’m not entirely sure it was a just a joke when I shared with my family that perhaps I should send the Sigourney head shot on to the publisher. 

After all, they hadn’t met me face to face, per se.  Everyone said if they noted I bore an uncanny resemblance to Sigourney Weaver, I could always plead the fifth! 

I was attending a family wedding in Chapel Hill, NC in October and at the rehearsal party, I noticed an extended family member had a rather fancy camera. So I asked if they might consider taking my picture the next day in the time before the wedding  -- and my planned trip to the gardens at Duke University.

It was serendipity. 

We did imitate the Sigourney profile.  See here. 

And then, I had to go outside the beautiful Franklin Hotel where we were staying and stand IN the plants.

After all, Homegrown Hamptons and Long Island is a book about inspired growers.   

Jen Watkinson did a masterful job of looking and clicking and in no time at all, we were “done” as they say in the kitchen.

I then sent the culled images to my team of experts: my Mother, Aunt Margaret, cousin Maryann and her mother Dorothy, and my friend Roberta. 

God bless them all for their thoughtful input.  Not a one didn’t offer less than a full-blown review.  Wow. How grateful I am.

I then sent the preferred images to my editor Melinda, who almost immediately chose an image.  Here it is.
(Not my mother’s choice -- she thought the plant looked like it was on the top J but she has come to accept and love it).  I like it... and am most grateful to the glamorous, almost stained-glass affect of the colorful coleus plant helping out the photo composition.  

Alec and Me

Then, not too long after, I read in our local Garden State newspaper, The Two River Times (I have written garden and book reviews for the newspaper) about Alec Baldwin coming to the Two River Theater Company (www.trtc.org) to support our local theater fundraising. It was billed as Unplugged, a night with Alec Baldwin and Michael Cumpsty.  

There is no doubt Mr. Baldwin is a huge supporter of culture: from NPR and his new”ish” show "Here's The Thing," http://www.wnyc.org/shows/heresthething/
to the New York Philharmonic to Lincoln Center to the importance and need for regional theaters.  Which is why he was in Red Bank, in the Garden State.

So everybody can just button up about his contretemps with American Airlines.

I for one in complete simpatico. 

The airlines need to get with the digital program.  If I am reading on my Kindle while the plane is taking off, I really don’t need to be told to turn it off.  The wireless capability is not even on. 

Hello!  It is the digital age. The Consumer Electronics Industry needs to step up to the plate on these issues.  I love them. I served on the committees there when I was in the tech industry and am confident they can advocate for their products and their consumers.

So back to my “date with destiny.” 

I figured since Alec Baldwin – the icon of all things Long Island/East End and the Hamptons -- a native son  – was paying a visit to the Garden State to support his theater tribe – it was good karma all ‘round. 

I could contribute to a great cause. 
It was my first visit to the Two River Theater Company. I will be back.  I was very excited to meet Michael Hurst, the managing director of TRTC.  He and his team have done a masterful job of producing a first-class performance schedule.

It was raining the night of the event and I was racing from some home renovation work. I got there a tad early. The theater's reception area was beautifully appointed.  All sparkly and special.

I  figured I could attend the pre-event cocktail party and talk to Mr. Baldwin about our shared/mutual world – he dines at so many of the Homegrown Long Island Hamptons & East End restaurants in the book – that I thought he’d be muuy simpatico with a quick chat introduction.  I brought the table of contents to proudly show him the book's quality and his chef "peeps." 

One of my most adored garden clients even offered a special introduction to Mr. Baldwin.

The room of theater donors and benefactors was quietly pulsing with anticipation.
And then, just like that, he was in the room, working.

My contact somewhat immediately whispered to her husband that she thought it best to go over and say hello.  I soon followed her.
I had the opportunity to tell Alec how much I love his work (I've seen him on Broadway in Streetcar Named Desire, all his films, and of course, Jack Donaghy, the suave, sophisticated network executive on 30 Rock).
I told him I had just completed a book about the Hamptons and Long Island, featuring many of the chefs he knows.
He looked at me quizzically while nibbling a bar snack.
I was more than flummoxed trying to look away from the dimples.
Getting right to it, he asked, "And what do you want me to do?"
Take somewhat aback, I stammered, "Well, I hope you like it enough and the chefs of course, and Long Island (Alec is keen supporter of Peconic Land Trust and sustainability) to write a quote for the book jacket and..." all while attempting to graciously retrieve the book pages from my elegant Coach bag perched in the crook of my elbow.  I'd seen this done in all those high end thriller movies. The moll pulls the papers - or egads, the weapon, from her purse with nary a flip to the manicure.
However, the file folder that was keeping the pages from getting wrinkled, got stuck on the straps.

So there I was, rather Houdini-like, balancing a glass of champagne, with my left hand, while my right hand -- that suddenly seemed to belong to someone else - was turned round and in a wrestling match with the book pages that refused to leave the confines of the handbag.
Definitely not the poised image I had been hoping to present to Mr. Baldwin.
I did finally win the match, triumphantly pulling the file.  Alec said he couldn't take anything, but said I should call his executive assistant, Monica.  He gave me her phone number I jotted my notepad that leaped from the handbag with more agility than the book pages.  (Later I did get his autograph, scribbled on the book's inside photo image!)

Mr. Baldwin –recently named one of People Magazine’s Sexiest Alive 2011 – was very attentive to all the top benefactors to the Two River Theater.   He was totally focused.  

On Stage - from my front row seats:
It was an excellent, entertaining evening that ended all too quickly.

I did follow up with Monica, Alec's executive assistant, who couldn't be nicer.  After some emails and phone call exchanges, the upshot was that Alec is very oversubscribed and has no time to do anything for the book. It was deemed not in the cards for the book jacket quote. She explained he's even turned down close friends and family but that he would be very supportive of the Hamptons and Long Island Homegrown book when it is available in the spring.  They offered to support the book when it is out in print for the book signings and I am hopeful. It will be fun. And appropriate. His Twitter posting are frequently about his good fun and food at 1770 House, Nick and Tonis. Almond, and more…

Wellll. My admiration for Mr. Baldwin is in no way diminished. He is noble -- in support of all things art and culture. 

And don’t we make a cute couple?  Ha.  

Maria, my garden muse, and by extension, her culture club friends, had a blast emailing and referring to Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin and our “relationship.”

In no small way, Mr. Baldwin and I do indeed have a relationship.

We share a love of culture, of local food, of the natural beauty and sustainability of Long Island. 

We look forward to his always hilarious, spot on support of our locavore, sustainable, issues – and enduring support.

It was a fun, memorable night - that led to lots more fun stories.  

The Food Network's FN Dish Names Top Recipes for Virtual Thanksgiving

I couldn’t be more Thankful!

It is thrilling to get the email that two of the recipes from my soon to be released book, Hamptons and Long Island Homegrown Cookbook were selected by the Food Network for their first-ever virtual Thanksgiving Communal Table! 

Wow! 

Below is the list and links to the full list of food blogger recipes.

Food is love and sharing.

And I am honored and grateful that my talented chefs shared their talent and passion for local, homegrown ingredients and recipes for the book.

 

Imagine the double header of getting the book layout and the news that

not one, but two recipes were chosen by the Food Network! (noted below with asterisks.  Recipes are provided via links and in previous post.)

That’s a lot to give Thanks for!

In the Cocktails, Soups and Salads category, Chef Jonathan Parker, The American Hotel’s www.theamericanhotel.com earned a top spot for his Peconic Clam Chowder. 

It’s local, and delicious!

Almond Restaurant's Master Chef, Jason Weiner

Chosen as one of two Mains, is Almond restaurant’s www.almondrestaurant.com executive chef and owner, Jason Weiner’s recipe, for an amazing Grilled Quail with a warm beet, frisee and pistachio salad. Elegant, easy and sublime taste. 

Chef Jason Weiner and Jennifer Pike, Pike Farms, his inspiring, local farmer

I am gobsmacked to have been invited to participate in this premiere Food Network event.

I was eager to share the delicious, homegrown dishes from my locavore chefs featured in the Hamptons and Long Island Homegrown Cookbook.

I can’t wait to cook up a storm using all the Communal Table Food Network’s curated recipes. 

“pull up a chair.”

The food community is keen to share their love of food.

I know I am.

Announced by the Food Network:

Last week, FN Dish invited food bloggers from around the country to “pull up a chair” to our virtual Communal Table. Needless to say, we received link after link of incredible Thanksgiving dishes, tips and photos.

See what our new friends are bringing to the table and tell us what you would bring to the table on Twitter by using the hashtag: #pullupachair.

Cocktails, Appetizers, Soups and Salads:


Eat Be Mary: She’s Mulling It Over Wine


Cookistry: Bread With Ancient Grains


* Celebrity Chefs and Their Gardens: The American Hotel Peconic Clam Chowder 


Picky Eater Blog: Butternut Squash Soup With Thyme and Parmesan


Good Food Good Friends: Mushroom Soup

Mains:


* Examiner.com: Grilled Quail with a Warm Beet, Frisée, and Pistachio Salad 


She Wears Many Hats: Mayonnaise Roasted Turkey

Sides:
Living Mostly Meatless: Vegan-Friendly Corn Casserole


Healthy Green Kitchen: Red Kuri Squash Pie


The Naptime Chef: Crispy Rosemary Fingerling Potatoes (pictured
above)

Gluten-Free Blondie: Apple and Cranberry Studded Stuffing


Eat Drink Man Woman Dogs Cat: Blue Cheese and Rosemary Celebration Potatoes


Burnt Lumpia: Turkey, Sweet Potato and Cranberry Empanadas


Panfusine: Pan Fried Polenta Seasoned With Cumin, Ginger & Black Pepper


Homemade Cravings: Warm Brussels Sprouts and Cranberry Slaw


Bakeaholic Mama: Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Crispy Prosciutto


Show Food Chef: Beer-Braised Brussels Sprouts


T’s Tasty Bits: Sweet Empanadas with Pumpkin and Lupini Beans Filling


The Amused Bouche Blog: Braised Kale 


The Little Kitchen: How to Make the Perfect Mashed Potatoes

Desserts:


The Macaron Queen: Macaron Tower


Poet In The Pantry: Amaretto Apple Crisp


Farm Girl Gourmet: Pumpkin Coconut Panna Cotta


That’s Forking Good: Cinnamon Chip Pumpkin Blondies


Out of the Box Food: Out of the Box Food Maple Pumpkin Pie


Cake Baker 35: Orange Spiced Pumpkin Pie


Lisa Michele: Pumpkin, Pecan, Cheesecake Pie


Food For My Family: Buttermilk Custard Pear Pie


Simple Bites: Black-Bottom Maple Pumpkin Pie


A Cooks Nook: Swedish Apple Pie


Yakima Herald: Pretzel Jell-O Salad


How Does She: Three of Our Favorite Desserts


Dollhouse Bake Shoppe: Thanksgiving Candy Bar Name Plates


Sweet Fry: Pumpkin Latte


Tasty Trials: Spiced Apple Panna Cotta With Caramelized Apples and Caramel Sauce


An Uneducated Palate: Puff Pastry Apple Tart


Frugal Front Porch: Mini Cheaty Cheesecakes

Even more:
Kitchen Courses: Thanksgiving for Six People Under $60


A Curious Palate: The Communal Table

Here is the link to the Food Network news:

http://blog.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/2011/11/16/communal-table-food-community/

Be sure to tell Food Network you'll be bringing Peconic Clam Chowder from The American Hotel's Chef Jonathan Parker and Grilled Quail from Almond Restaurant's Chef Jason Weiner to the Communal Table.

#pullupachair

Cheers, darlings, and Happy Thanksgiving!  

It's THE best holiday.

Come hungry. Leave Happy.

Celebrate the honor of our harvest with good, real food, family, friends – and love.