A 3 Week Study in Dominique Ansel’s Tart Presentations

It has been a month of tarts. I was given nearly two dozen apples a few weeks ago and immediately thought of Dominique Ansel's apple tart. Pastry cream has always been a little intimidating to me due to how easy it is to mess it up at every stage but I jumped in and tried … Continue reading A 3 Week Study in Dominique Ansel’s Tart Presentations →

Thomas Keller’s Weiner Schnitzel revisited

I've recently moved to a very Germanic rooted town, which has inspired me to try out some German foods again. When I went to the butcher here, only a few blocks from my new home (walking distance to a butcher is a dream! Knowing there's another one half a mile away is even better!) they … Continue reading Thomas Keller’s Weiner Schnitzel revisited →

Bull testicles and Lamb Tongues coming right up!

I went to the butcher's and picked up my new set of challenges and I spent the weekend researching the best ways to cook them, the best sides to pair them with, and the best drinks to go with them. I'm pretty excited to try these out! Originally, I planned to do one in March … Continue reading Bull testicles and Lamb Tongues coming right up! →

A Week (or two!) of Valentine Cooking

My plan for last week was to have one recipe to make each day for Valentine's Day. And then I got sick. I successfully made the stuffed cow heart. I followed it the next day with something easy - chicken pot pie. It wasn't the beautiful, fancy chicken pot pie I had planned because I … Continue reading A Week (or two!) of Valentine Cooking →

Valentine’s Day Meal: Stuffed Cow Heart

I finally tackled an uncommon meat that's been waiting for me, buried in my chest freezer, for several months now. (I get brave at the butcher's but a little less brave once its in my house and I have to research how to clean, cut, and cook it!) When I thought of Valentine's meals, my … Continue reading Valentine’s Day Meal: Stuffed Cow Heart →

Braised Oxtail

Part of my goals for this year was to continue experimenting with uncommon or lesser meats. Oxtail is a cheap meat that isn't too often used. Gordon Ramsay recommends learning how to perfect oxtail before moving onto expensive cuts - and that's what he did with his first restaurant. He served delicious dishes full of … Continue reading Braised Oxtail →

A Year of Chicken Paillard

One of the very first Thomas Keller recipes I ever made was Chicken Paillard. From that first time, even though it wasn't perfect, it became an instant favorite. Chicken Paillad with dressed arugula and sauce vierge is on our menu at least monthly. Most recipes, I end up putting my own twist on after I've … Continue reading A Year of Chicken Paillard →

A Note to Healthiness

Hopefully, I'm not jinxing myself with this, but I've noticed something over the last year. We've been sick A LOT less. Every year since we've had kids, we've been sick from September to February too often, with a strong virus somewhere in between as well without fail. My husband always used up every sick day … Continue reading A Note to Healthiness →

Cooking Non-Masterclass Meals: Desserts

Something I spent a good deal of time on this year was learning the art of pie decorating. I never did very much before - a basic pie weave, a simple pressed trim on the crust. Nothing very pretty, really. I was more focused on the taste. But I mastered a few pies to taste, … Continue reading Cooking Non-Masterclass Meals: Desserts →

Thomas Keller’s Cote de Boeuf and Blanched Asparagus

I have a confession - I don't cook steak if I can help it. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE steak. Like, if I had to choose one thing to eat for the rest of my life, it would probably be steak (topped with mushrooms and onions and cooked by my husband.) But I married … Continue reading Thomas Keller’s Cote de Boeuf and Blanched Asparagus →