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04/30/2013 10:18 PM

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Sesame Almond Crackers with Sea Salt and Cracked Pepper

~ Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Paleo-Friendly I try--Lord knows I try--to eat well. I don't count calories or cut certain food groups out of my diet. But I do eat mindfully. Most of the time, I eat pretty clean, filling my plate with quality sources of protein, lots of veggies and fruits, and some dairy and grains. For me, balance is key. It has to feel like I'm in control of what I ea

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02/14/2013 11:51 AM

5 views

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pots de Creme ~ Dairy-Free

Need a super-fast, decadent, impressive-but-so-easy-you'll-lie-about-the-recipe dessert for a special dinner tonight? Look no further. This whips up in mere minutes and sets to semi-firm in about an hour and a half. It uses coconut milk instead of heavy cream, but trust me, you'll have a hard time convincing anyone who isn't avoiding dairy that they're being deprived of anything once they ta

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12/27/2012 05:57 PM

18 views

Hot Buttered Rum

Winter is a drag. If I had my druthers, I'd live in one of those places where it never dips below 70 degrees, "snow" refers exclusively to something squirted with blue raspberry syrup and eaten from a paper cone at the fair, and perennial humidity makes it possible for me to like my hair. Alas, mine is no such clime. For example, this very morning, I spent an hour shoveling 6 milli

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12/08/2012 03:38 PM

16 views

Savory Smoked Habanero Cheddar Shortbreads

I am a closet Cheez-It fanatic. All right, perhaps not so closeted. I can't buy them because I can't be trusted to exercise moderation when it comes to those addictively yum orange, cheesey, orange, salty, orange crackers. This is my revenge against the savage hold those crackers have over me. These are the cheese crackers that young Cheez-Its put pictures of in their lockers and on their b

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11/19/2012 09:39 PM

12 views

Peppermint Patties

Gearing up for the holiday season? These simple confections are something you'll want to have on hand for hostess gifts and cookie trays. They're quick to prepare and keep for quite a while in the fridge. The fresh mint leaves really make this recipe sing. I like to use chocolate mint, mainly because that happens to be the variety overgrowing my herb bed, but regular old mint is swell too.&nbs

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09/09/2012 05:28 PM

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Baked Haddock with Lemon Thyme Gremolata

Deep in the belly of my drop freezer are several pounds of fish. Filets of flounder, cod, haddock, and tuna, buried beneath a foot-deep layer of frozen bananas, Popsicles, ciabatta rolls, containers of stock and stew, and ~ let’s be honest ~ jalapeno poppers. My family just doesn’t dig fish. I know this, and yet . . . I go shopping and hope gets the better of me, and I think, Hey! Who doesn

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08/05/2012 10:11 AM

11 views

Green Smoothie ~ Peach Banana

My first green smoothie ever, and I'm hooked. Even if you hate spinach, embrace your inner Popeye and try this. . . . You'll never taste the leafies in this. If you can't get past that gorgeous good-for-you-green color (or, perhaps, you want someone else to enjoy this smoothie without asking too many questions about the contents), pop a straw into a travel mug and enjoy on the sly. Green

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06/02/2011 02:20 PM

27 views

Sacha Inchi Seeds

Karmalized SaviSeeds Readers, most of you know I'm an inveterate snacker. I make no apologies. Instead, I make an effort to snack on things that won't make me feel naughty (in a bad way) later. I like to maximize nutritional bang for my caloric snack buck, which is why I'm seriously loving these sacha inchi seeds. Haven't heard of them? I hadn't either before the fine folks at SaviSeed wer

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04/17/2011 05:13 PM

72 views

Vanilla Bean Waffles with Lemon Cream

When I was young, the waffles in our house came out of a box in the freezer. Therefore, I entered my adult years not really giving a fig about waffles. In my mind, waffles were thin, small, mysteriously soggy and crisp simultaneously, and as flavorful as acoustic tile. Then, a few years ago, my mom acquired a waffle maker. And my eyes were opened. Simply, Belgian waffles are the zaftig gr

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04/14/2011 04:18 PM

29 views

Cheesecake Ice Cream

Supposedly, cheesecake was served to athletes at the first Olympic games, circa 776 B.C. That is a post-workout snack I can totally get behind. I'd definitely run faster if I knew cheesecake was waiting for me at the finish line. Cheesecake is fairly unique in the cake pantheon because there's so many different incarnations. There's the New York style, which is dense and rich and contains heavy

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03/10/2011 02:35 PM

28 views

How to Cut a Pineapple

If you've never cut a fresh pineapple before, I think you'll be surprised at how simple it is. First off, don't let its looks intimidate you. Sure, it's spiky. Okay, it's awkwardly shaped. Yes, it's going to roll around on the cutting board. But so what? There's nothing in the world like the taste of fresh pineapple, and you'll be paying a ridiculous amount to have someone else cut it if you buy i

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03/10/2011 02:35 PM

27 views

How to Cut a Pineapple

If you've never cut a fresh pineapple before, I think you'll be surprised at how simple it is. First off, don't let its looks intimidate you. Sure, it's spiky. Okay, it's awkwardly shaped. Yes, it's going to roll around on the cutting board. But so what? There's nothing in the world like the taste of fresh pineapple, and you'll be paying a ridiculous amount to have someone else cut it if you buy i

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03/07/2011 06:30 AM

29 views

Cherry-Berry Walnut Baked Oatmeal

Oatmeal is the comfy oversized hoodie of breakfast foods. It's warm, friendly, cozy. It doesn't have to look good ~ it just is good. Baked oatmeal is like a hoodie with style. It's got all the pros of the regular model plus a few perks to sweeten the deal. No stirring, no vigilant watching to see if the pot's going to boil over on your stove, no boiling over on the stove in spite of the fact that

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03/02/2011 09:17 PM

38 views

Cherry-Berry Walnut Baked Oatmeal

Oatmeal is the comfy oversized hoodie of breakfast foods. It's warm, friendly, cozy. It doesn't have to look good ~ it just is good. Baked oatmeal is like a hoodie with style. It's got all the pros of the regular model plus a few perks to sweeten the deal. No stirring, no vigilant watching to see if the pot's going to boil over on your stove, no boiling over on the stove in spite of the fact that

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02/03/2011 10:35 AM

24 views

Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic and Tahini Sauce

Cauliflower gets a bad rap. Yes, it's a member of the cabbage family ~ another famously misused veggie. And yes, we've all had bad experiences in our past with this vegetable in an overcooked, underseasoned state of waterlogged mush that someone tried to pass off as acceptable. But I bet you've had a lame burger or a substandard pizza at some point and you're probably still going steady with

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02/03/2011 10:35 AM

33 views

Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic and Tahini Sauce

Cauliflower gets a bad rap. Yes, it's a member of the cabbage family ~ another famously misused veggie. And yes, we've all had bad experiences in our past with this vegetable in an overcooked, underseasoned state of waterlogged mush that someone tried to pass off as acceptable. But I bet you've had a lame burger or a substandard pizza at some point and you're probably still going steady with

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02/01/2011 09:55 AM

25 views

White Bean and Tuna Salad

Lunches can be tough. Sandwiches are predictable, soup requires forethought (and a leak-proof container if you schlep it to work), and pre-made frozen entrees are just . . . well, just no. Salads, on the other hand, are interesting. First of all, the definition of "salad" is so broad, so wide-open to interpretation, that you can take it anywhere you feel like going. Not in the mood for lettuce

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02/01/2011 09:55 AM

40 views

White Bean and Tuna Salad

Lunches can be tough. Sandwiches are predictable, soup requires forethought (and a leak-proof container if you schlep it to work), and pre-made frozen entrees are just . . . well, just no. Salads, on the other hand, are interesting. First of all, the definition of "salad" is so broad, so wide-open to interpretation, that you can take it anywhere you feel like going. Not in the mood for lettuce

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01/26/2011 11:28 PM

38 views

Herbed Almond Crackers ~ Grain-free, Gluten-free, and Paleo!

Going gluten-free? Taking a crack at a Paleo or Primal diet? Even if you're not, hop on over to my baking blog and give these awesomely awesome Herbed Almond Crackers a try. You'll probably want them at your next cocktail party, gluten-free or not, so go on, check 'em out.

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01/26/2011 11:28 PM

20 views

Herbed Almond Crackers ~ Grain-free, Gluten-free, and Paleo!

Going gluten-free? Taking a crack at a Paleo or Primal diet? Even if you're not, hop on over to my baking blog and give these awesomely awesome Herbed Almond Crackers a try. You'll probably want them at your next cocktail party, gluten-free or not, so go on, check 'em out.

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12/02/2010 02:20 PM

20 views

Sugarplums!

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads. . . . So . . . just what is a "sugar-plum"? When I was a child, I thought it

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12/02/2010 02:20 PM

31 views

Sugarplums!

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads. . . . So . . . just what is a "sugar-plum"? When I was a child, I thought it

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12/01/2010 09:43 AM

25 views

At the Baker's Bench: Cookie Season Opens Today!

It's December 1st, and you know what that means . . . Cookie Season opens today! Why not stop by my baking blog, At the Baker's Bench and join the fun as our baking group celebrates with a new challenge. In past years we've baked cookies from Gourmet and Bon Appetit, and now we're digging into Saveur! There are 10 of us and we're each posting a minimum of one cookie a week (from this recipe co

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12/01/2010 09:43 AM

38 views

At the Baker's Bench: Cookie Season Opens Today!

It's December 1st, and you know what that means . . . Cookie Season opens today! Why not stop by my baking blog, At the Baker's Bench and join the fun as our baking group celebrates with a new challenge. In past years we've baked cookies from Gourmet and Bon Appetit, and now we're digging into Saveur! There are 10 of us and we're each posting a minimum of one cookie a week (from this recipe co

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11/29/2010 06:33 PM

24 views

Spicy Sardine Rillettes

This one is for your fancy-schmancy appetizer file. Between you and me, it's fancy, but not really schmancy ~ it's a one-bowl affair, inexpensive, and once you get the spoon-wrangling down, you'll own this. And when someone asks, "So, what are you bringing to the cocktail party?" You can say, "Oh, well, I have ten minutes between picking up the kids from soccer and my Zumba workout, so I thought

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11/23/2010 06:05 PM

28 views

Spicy Sardine Rillettes

This one is for your fancy-schmancy appetizer file. Between you and me, it's fancy, but not really schmancy ~ it's a one-bowl affair, inexpensive, and once you get the spoon-wrangling down, you'll own this. And when someone asks, "So, what are you bringing to the cocktail party?" You can say, "Oh, well, I have ten minutes between picking up the kids from soccer and my Zumba workout, so I thought

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11/08/2010 10:27 PM

33 views

Counting My Blessing ~ November 8

Today I'm thankful for . . . butter. Sweet cream butter for baking. Lemon-yellow salted Irish butter on freshly baked bread. Butter steaming apart the crisp layers of feuilletage in an exquisitely rendered mille-feuille. Butter on the bucket of popcorn passed among the hands of my family in a darkened theater on movie night. In Thanksgiving pies, Christmas cookies, Valentine's truffles

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11/08/2010 10:27 PM

19 views

Counting My Blessing ~ November 8

Today I'm thankful for . . . butter. Sweet cream butter for baking. Lemon-yellow salted Irish butter on freshly baked bread. Butter steaming apart the crisp layers of feuilletage in an exquisitely rendered mille-feuille. Butter on the bucket of popcorn passed among the hands of my family in a darkened theater on movie night. In Thanksgiving pies, Christmas cookies, Valentine's truffles

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11/07/2010 05:40 PM

23 views

Counting My Blessings: November 7, 2010

Today I'm thankful for . . . tissues. Tissues are one of those things we always tend to take for granted when we don't need them. They can for sit ages, snug in their boxes, inconspicuous and disregarded, on every tabletop in sight, gathering dust and being ignored. Once in a while we might grab one, not thinking, not really appreciating the convenience of having them at our disposal. But the

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11/07/2010 05:40 PM

25 views

Counting My Blessings: November 7, 2010

Today I'm thankful for . . . tissues. Tissues are one of those things we always tend to take for granted when we don't need them. They can for sit ages, snug in their boxes, inconspicuous and disregarded, on every tabletop in sight, gathering dust and being ignored. Once in a while we might grab one, not thinking, not really appreciating the convenience of having them at our disposal. But the

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11/04/2010 09:40 PM

28 views

Counting My Blessings ~ November 4

Today I'm thankful for . . . ice cream. It's my favorite dessert, bar none. When my son had his tonsils out, he ate nothing but ice cream for nearly a week, and I was okay with that. When I'm happy, I eat ice cream. When I'm sad, likewise. One of my all-time favorite things to make as a pastry chef is ice cream. Ice cream just makes people happy. Tonight was girls' night for my daughter and I.

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11/04/2010 09:40 PM

20 views

Counting My Blessings ~ November 4

Today I'm thankful for . . . ice cream. It's my favorite dessert, bar none. When my son had his tonsils out, he ate nothing but ice cream for nearly a week, and I was okay with that. When I'm happy, I eat ice cream. When I'm sad, likewise. One of my all-time favorite things to make as a pastry chef is ice cream. Ice cream just makes people happy. Tonight was girls' night for my daughter and I.

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11/03/2010 10:52 PM

32 views

Indian Pudding with Cinnamon Cream

I don't know about you, but when I think of Thanksgiving desserts, pumpkin pie is usually the first thing that comes to mind. Which is unfortunate, considering it's one of the very few foods I simply can't cultivate a taste for. Second place on the groaning board of T'day sweets would be apple pie, or maybe pecan. Definitely pecan at my house. But in all three cases, I (and you, if you're thin

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11/03/2010 10:52 PM

39 views

Indian Pudding with Cinnamon Cream

I don't know about you, but when I think of Thanksgiving desserts, pumpkin pie is usually the first thing that comes to mind. Which is unfortunate, considering it's one of the very few foods I simply can't cultivate a taste for. Second place on the groaning board of T'day sweets would be apple pie, or maybe pecan. Definitely pecan at my house. But in all three cases, I (and you, if you're thin

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11/02/2010 08:26 PM

27 views

Blessings Countdown ~ November 2

I'm thankful for . . . my husband's sense of humor. My husband is a smart, funny guy. He's not a practical joker ~ I never fear a blitzkrieg of humiliation on April 1. He's irreverent but not mean; sarcastic, sometimes, but not biting. People laugh when they're around him. Sometimes they laugh in spite of themselves. (I sometimes feel absolutely compelled to feign disapproval ~ but it's difficult.

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11/02/2010 08:26 PM

16 views

Blessings Countdown ~ November 2

I'm thankful for . . . my husband's sense of humor. My husband is a smart, funny guy. He's not a practical joker ~ I never fear a blitzkrieg of humiliation on April 1. He's irreverent but not mean; sarcastic, sometimes, but not biting. People laugh when they're around him. Sometimes they laugh in spite of themselves. (I sometimes feel absolutely compelled to feign disapproval ~ but it's difficult.

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11/01/2010 11:01 PM

18 views

Taking Back November ~ 3rd Annual Blessings Countdown

I'm going to be blunt: this past year has been one of the hardest years of my life. Loss was a major hallmark this year ~ dramatic, ugly, shocking loss, the kind that happens to "other people," that you see on the news and think, "Wow, can you imagine?" They don't even make a sympathy card for this sort of thing; words I heard over and over at the time were, "I'm so sorry . . . I don't even know w

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11/01/2010 11:01 PM

41 views

Taking Back November ~ 3rd Annual Blessings Countdown

I'm going to be blunt: this past year has been one of the hardest years of my life. Loss was a major hallmark this year ~ dramatic, ugly, shocking loss, the kind that happens to "other people," that you see on the news and think, "Wow, can you imagine?" They don't even make a sympathy card for this sort of thing; words I heard over and over at the time were, "I'm so sorry . . . I don't even know w

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10/26/2010 11:01 AM

26 views

Cave Rave Trail Bars

Confession: I never thought I'd be writing a post like this, but then again, I never thought I'd run a mile continuously, let alone 5k, 10k, and so forth. But I started running 10 months ago, fell head-over-blistered-heels in love with it, and haven't stopped yet. Well, you know, figuratively speaking. So here we are. Two weeks ago I began my half-marathon training. As part of my program, I dec

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10/20/2010 04:23 PM

42 views

Cave Rave Trail Bars

Confession: I never thought I'd be writing a post like this, but then again, I never thought I'd run a mile continuously, let alone 5k, 10k, and so forth. But I started running 10 months ago, fell head-over-blistered-heels in love with it, and haven't stopped yet. Well, you know, figuratively speaking. So here we are. Two weeks ago I began my half-marathon training. As part of my program, I dec

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09/16/2010 10:35 AM

35 views

Sweet as Honey

September is National Honey Month, and I for one am celebrating. I've got good reason to celebrate, actually. I mean, besides the reasons everyone else has. This month, for the first time ever, my mom harvested honey from her hive. (Yay, Mom! Go Lady Bees, go!) And lucky, lucky me, I got a big jar of pure very local honey and a plastic container of waxy, honey-dripping comb. Oh, yeah. That

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09/16/2010 10:35 AM

26 views

Sweet as Honey

September is National Honey Month, and I for one am celebrating. I've got good reason to celebrate, actually. I mean, besides the reasons everyone else has. This month, for the first time ever, my mom harvested honey from her hive. (Yay, Mom! Go Lady Bees, go!) And lucky, lucky me, I got a big jar of pure very local honey and a plastic container of waxy, honey-dripping comb. Oh, yeah. That

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09/15/2010 12:53 PM

28 views

Lamb Ribs with Lemon-Mint Gremolata

Last November, a chef friend and I split the cost of a pasture-raised lamb from a local slaughterhouse. Over the course of four intense, productive, occasionally injurious hours, he patiently taught me how to break down the carcass. There I was, a baker, learning how to butcher. There were Band-Aids around 3 of my fingers, scraps of flesh stuck to my T-shirt, and for once, I didn't go home smellin

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08/20/2010 12:01 AM

44 views

Lamb Ribs with Lemon-Mint Gremolata

Last November, a chef friend and I split the cost of a pasture-raised lamb from a local slaughterhouse. Over the course of four intense, productive, occasionally injurious hours, he patiently taught me how to break down the carcass. There I was, a baker, learning how to butcher. There were Band-Aids around 3 of my fingers, scraps of flesh stuck to my T-shirt, and for once, I didn't go home smellin

Eat Real

08/02/2010 03:37 PM

25 views

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Like chocolate chip cookies and marinara sauce, hummus is one of those things that you can buy at the supermarket but you're far better off making it yourself. In fact, if all the hummus you've ever tried has come out of a small plastic tub, please . . . get ready for a revelation. Hummus ~ or more properly, hummus bi tahina ~ has been around for a really, really long time. Just how long, ho

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07/31/2010 10:07 PM

46 views

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Like chocolate chip cookies and marinara sauce, hummus is one of those things that you can buy at the supermarket but you're far better off making it yourself. In fact, if all the hummus you've ever tried has come out of a small plastic tub, please . . . get ready for a revelation. Hummus ~ or more properly, hummus bi tahina ~ has been around for a really, really long time. Just how long, ho

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07/21/2010 05:32 PM

40 views

Velvety Avocado Dressing

It's no secret that I'm the secretary of the "Obsessed with Avocados" fan club. I love Every. Single. Thing about them. (Well, there is one quality I'm not crazy about: their price in New York in January could be a little more friendly.) But anyway, I can't get enough of avocados' taste, texture, the way the peel practically sheds itself, the one giant pit that gives itself up without a fight. The

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07/21/2010 05:32 PM

32 views

Velvety Avocado Dressing

It's no secret that I'm the secretary of the "Obsessed with Avocados" fan club. I love Every. Single. Thing about them. (Well, there is one quality I'm not crazy about: their price in New York in January could be a little more friendly.) But anyway, I can't get enough of avocados' taste, texture, the way the peel practically sheds itself, the one giant pit that gives itself up without a fight. The

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07/05/2010 07:37 AM

26 views

Walnut Brittle with Orange Zest and Sea Salt

Walnuts, in my opinion, are the undersung heroes of the baking nut family. They lack the Euro-flair of hazelnuts, the blue-blood pedigree "pe-cahns," the visual drama of pistachios, or the sheer sexiness of those pricey little pignolias. But walnuts have their charms, and it's a short-sighted baker who fails to recognize them. The Latin word for "walnut" is Juglans, which comes from Jupitar gla

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07/05/2010 07:37 AM

36 views

Walnut Brittle with Orange Zest and Sea Salt

Walnuts, in my opinion, are the undersung heroes of the baking nut family. They lack the Euro-flair of hazelnuts, the blue-blood pedigree "pe-cahns," the visual drama of pistachios, or the sheer sexiness of those pricey little pignolias. But walnuts have their charms, and it's a short-sighted baker who fails to recognize them. The Latin word for "walnut" is Juglans, which comes from Jupitar gla

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