the modern grilled cheese

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When there’s a chill in the air, we head to the kitchen to whip up something comforting and toasty to help keep us warm. What could be better than a grilled cheese sandwich?

For years . . . the traditional grilled cheese sandwich has been a simple, tasty treat.  These days however, with the popularity of cooking shows and celebrity chefs, it has undergone a gourmet makeover!  No longer limited to American or cheddar cheese melted on white bread . . . the modern grilled cheese features artisanal cheeses, fresh breads, specialty spreads and preserves, and fresh fruits and produce.  While I welcome these refinements, some things must not change……

the cheese has to be ooey, gooey and the sandwich has to be eaten with a bowl of creamy tomato soup!

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london highlights: cream tea

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Cream tea is a lighter afternoon tea, which is really more like a snack, consisting of a pot of tea and scones serve with clotted cream and jam. While in London, I got in the habit of having cream tea every afternoon. I would return to my hotel room from a thoroughly enjoyable, yet exhausting day of sightseeing, shopping, museum-going, and other touristy things, and I would treat myself to a cup of tea and a scone slathered with copious amounts of clotted cream and jam. It was a more restful break than having tea at a tearoom or café since I can take off my boots, put my feet up, (take a short nap), check emails (yeeah for free in-room wi-fi) and plan the rest of the evening’s activities in the comfort of my room. It was a nice, warm respite from the drizzly, gray London skies.

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london highlights: borough market

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Mushroom Display at Turnips, Borough Market in London

I am a big city girl at heart, and when I got an opportunity to visit London, one of my favorite big cities in the world, I jumped at the chance. It was a quick trip, but I made the most of the four full days I had.  I didn’t have a strict agenda, being content with walking around the city and exploring different neighborhoods. This was my fourth time visiting London, and each time I grow more in love with this fast-paced, energetic city, with a charm all it’s own. Over the next couple of posts, I will be sharing the highlights of my trip. I hope you enjoy reading about them!

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eggs in clouds, italian-style

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Italian-style Eggs in Clouds

I love serving Sunday brunch at home; it is so relaxing, especially with an easy-to-make dish like this.  Since I already had parmesan cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and pancetta in my refrigerator and a basil plant growing in my kitchen, it was an easy decision to make this an Italian-style breakfast.   Continue reading →

pumpkin cookies with brown sugar & orange glaze

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pumpkin cookies

Aaaaah!  It’s finally starting to cool off here in Southern California, which really gets me in the mood for fall baking. I look forward to this time of the year, when I can relax with a cup of hot cocoa and a sweet treat.  A couple of weeks ago, I featured a pumpkin coffee cake, and this time, I have a pumpkin cookie recipe to share with you. If you are a fan of soft, melt-in-your-mouth cookies, you will definitely like these. They are tender and fluffy, almost resembling mini cakes.

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mushroom and sun-dried tomato bruschetta

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We Americans often think that bruschetta is the mixture of tomatoes, garlic, and basil on a slice of toasted bread. Bruschetta, from the Italian word bruscare, meaning to toast or burn, actually refers to the thick slices of grilled bread. Often served as a snack or appetizer, bruschetta is traditionally prepared by rubbing the bread with garlic and drizzling it with olive oil before toasting it over hot coals.  Then the bread is topped with a simple mixture of tomatoes and fresh herbs.  It is an easy way to showcase the excellent quality of freshly-pressed olive oil as well as a way to preserve bread that is beginning to get stale.

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pesto pizza with chicken, mozzarella, and sun-dried tomatoes

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Making gourmet pizza at home is easier than you think . . . and a lot of fun, too! The beauty of making it yourself is that there’s more flexibility so you can add all your favorite toppings and it’s usually less expensive than at the pizzeria. After a few tries . . . you’ll probably be hooked and won’t want to wait for your pizza to be delivered!

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almond and orange shortbread cookies

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I have always loved reading catalogs from my favorite stores like West Elm, Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel, and CB2.  To this day one of my guilty pleasures is leafing through pages looking for food styling inspirations and new props to use for plating.  I’ve been busy lately, but yesterday I finally had a time to relax with a cup of coffee, a cookie or two (or three) and my pile of catalogs.  Naturally, I found a few things I want so I folded down the page corners and left the catalogs conspicuously on the coffee table in the hopes my husband would get some hints for my upcoming birthday.  I wonder if it will work? Continue reading →

pumpkin swirl coffee cake

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Today I’m doing my best Paula Deen imitation with this recipe for Pumpkin Swirl Coffee Cake which requires almost 12 ounces of butter. I certainly don’t recommend baking with and eating this much butter all the time, but it is a nice indulgence once in a while.  The result is quite possibly the most buttery and moist cake I’ve ever made. It is also  light and tender with just the right amount of sweetness and spice. The crumbly pecan and brown sugar streusel made for a great topping, as well as a base, for the cake. My kitchen was filled with the heavenly aroma of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger, reminiscent of Thanksgiving, which, by the way, is a mere 56 days away!

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dried cherry brownies with port ganache glaze

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I prefer moist, fudgy brownies and this recipe is my new favorite!  Three types of chocolates are used in these decadent brownies — cocoa powder and semisweet chocolate chips in the brownie batter . . . dark chocolate in the ganache.  Dried cherries are added to give the brownies a tart and fruity taste.  Port (a Portuguese fortified wine) is used to macerate the dried cherries and to boost the flavor of the ganache topping. Serve the brownie with a scoop of ice cream for the ultimate indulgence. 

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bo luc lac, vietnamese shaking beef

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Bo Luc Lac or Vietnamese Shaking Beef

Fish sauce, a staple ingredient in many Southeast Asian countries including the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Burma, and Cambodia, is made from fermented fish and sea salt. While it may not sound or smell appetizing, fish sauce adds a complex  flavor to food. It is added to dishes during the cooking process or used straight or as a base for dipping sauce. Continue reading →

boozy ice pops: piña colada

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If you like piña coladas
And getting caught in the rain
If you’re not into yoga
If you have half a brain
If you’d like making love at midnight
In the dunes on the Cape
Then I’m the love that you’ve looked for
Write to me and escape.

– Escape, more commonly known as The Piña Colada Song.

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orecchiette with mushrooms, chard, and ricotta pan sauce

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I’ve been in a pasta rut lately, but thanks to the latest issue of Better Homes and Gardens, I rediscovered the technique of making a pan sauce to give my tired old pasta a new twist and a boost in flavor.  This pan sauce is full of bold color and taste , made with bacon, mushroom, chard, and ricotta. Orecchiette, the oval-shaped pasta from the southern Italian region of Puglia, is a good choice for this dish because its slight bowl shape is perfect for catching the cheesy sauce which has a slight hint of spice from crushed red pepper flakes and nutmeg.  The orecchiette’s edges are thicker than it’s center for some added texture. Continue reading →

chocolate peanut butter cheesecakes with caramelized banana

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I like algebra, and, in fact, it was one of my favorite subjects in school.  How about you? Do you like algebra? Do you like solving equations? How about solving this simple algebraic equation for me?  Don’t worry, it’s petty easy!

Solve for X in the following equation:
A = peanut butter
B = banana
C = chocolate

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blackberry galette with mascarpone and orange marmalade

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I made my first galette a couple of weeks ago, and it has quickly become one of my favorite desserts.  I love its simplicity and rustic quality, along with its versatility. Short on time this past Labor Day, I opted to make this quick “semi-homemade” Blackberry Galette. Instead of pastry dough, I used a sheet of ready-to-bake puff pastry.  The light and flaky puff pastry encased a trio of ingredients – blackberries, mascarpone cheese, and orange marmalade. The tart blackberries made a nice contrast to the slightly sweet orange marmalade and rich mascarpone cheese. It was a simple dessert, yet very pretty and full of flavor. Served it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this galette was a perfect end to a nice holiday dinner.

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