Instead of the way too simple, uber elegant dish I made with the leftover rice, I leave you this:

L-l-l-l-latkes golden brown
L-l-l-l-latkes eat ‘em down
Fry them in oil, wrap them in foil…

It’s the song I learned in school that made me hate them. I was unable to eat them for years. Fry in oil and wrap in foil?! That just sounds like it would end as a humid soggy mess, not a crisp and delicious treat it is supposed to be.

So on this, the last night of Hanukkah, I leave you with latkes, golden brown, crisp and delicious. No fancy tricks, like a salsa topping, or cumin spiced. No mango chutney or made with celariac instead of potatoes. Plain, traditional, never boring, very delicious, potato pancakes. My favorite way to eat latkes is as a base for poached eggs. Today, it’s a simple and easy snack.

Latkes
Active time= 15 minutes
1 pound russet potatoes
2 eggs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons flour

1) Rub and wash potatoes clean. Use a food processor with a grater setting to shred the potatoes. Remove potatoes and spread them on a paper towel, set another on top and press to absorb as much water as possible.
2) Scramble eggs in a medium-sized bowl. Add garlic powder and flour, mix until combined.
3) Heat oil, enough to come 1 inch up the sides of a pan over high heat. Oil will be ready for frying once a wooden spoon, inserted upside down bubbles.
4) Add potatoes to egg and flour mixture. Stir to combine. Form small handfuls into flat pancakes and fry, 5-7 minutes each side, until golden. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or applesauce.

The holidays are fast approaching. Hanukkah is just around the corner (sundown, December 4th) and Christmas will come and go faster than we all think. If you’re not celebrating those holidays, a small token for the New Year or holiday party might be a nice gesture– Or maybe just a thank you for neighbors watching your pets.

While I am more partial to giving (and receiving) homemade gifts, there are many people that just don’t have the time. Here are some foodie-minded items that will bring out a smile this gift-giving season.

Homemade
*Cookies and other sweets are always delicious. Try peppermint rocky road cookies, peppermint bark, apple spice cake, cardamom streusel cake, a mixed cookie selection, chocolate fudge cookies or cranberry macadamia white chocolate chip cookies. Just buy an old holiday themed cookie tin (ebay?) and gift away.
*Spice rubs. A small jar will fit your favorite homemade spice combination for others who love to cook.
*Drink Mix. Are you a deft mixologist? How about mixing up a base concoction of your famous brew with a direction tag like “just add rum for holiday cheer!”
*Jams and other preserves. Did you go ape with the bounty of fruits and veggies this summer? Why not gift some preserves to your friends? Nothing says love like some summertime tomatoes, pickles, green beans or fig jam. Why not pack along your favorite recipe using the product?

Books
From food-lit to wine bible there are many great foodie offerings in the literary world sure to please any foodie.
*The more politically conscious on your list will love The Whole Soy Story, by Kaayla T. Daniel, Food Politics, by Marion Nestle or Seeds of Deception, by Jeffrey M. Smith.
*Can’t make it to Paris this holiday? Gift the markets instead with Emile Zola’s, The Fat and the Thin
*To help the oenophile along, try The Oxford Companion to Wine, by Jancis Robinson (Editor). Or, for the budding wine enthusiast Educating Peter, by Lettie Teague (review) is a great start. Even more basic and a little lighter is Hip Tastes, by Courtney Cochran.
*As for cookbooks, any chef or aspiring chef would love to add The Cook’s Book, with over 7 fabulous contributing chefs to their collection (review).

Other
If you cannot make something for the holidays, ensure others are properly paid for the effort they exert to bring you your goods. There are many Fair Trade websites that now sell great home gifts from bamboo bowls to recycled glass plates. If Fair Trade is too much to ask, at least ensure you’re keeping the Earth alive by buying sustainable products.
*The Local Harvest store will help you to buy local or help you support organic farmers whether buying oranges or sheep pelts.
*World of Good has Fair Trade and Earth-friendly furnishings, clothing, books and jewelry. Their hand-woven rattan to the core baskets would make a great fruit bowl and their placemats would accent any table well.
*Viva Terra offers home furnishings, gourmet chocolates and clothing that is Earth-friendly and sleek. I especially like their slate cheese board and organic tea set in a fabulous box.
*Green Home is a one-stop shop for bath and cleaning products, art supplies, clothing and more. Their stainless steel lunch carrier is great to carry hot and cold lunches and their bamboo utensil set is a lightweight alternative for picnics.

My mother forwarded me a query from a friend of hers a few days ago. The dilemma: Bring a whole (non-pureed) sweet potato dish to the Thanksgiving party. What should she bring?

What is interesting enough to amaze, savory enough to sustain, and addictive enough to ensure it is your dish that is licked clean, with guests (and host) begging for your secret recipe?

Were fries considered whole enough? Fries, baked or deep fried are always a delicious treat and fabulous alternative to the standard sweet potato puree. One of my favorite unusual flavored sweet potato dishes is baked cumin sweet potato fries with a lime dipping sauce. They are an addictive finger friendly food.

A standard baked sweet potato would be equally delicious (though not too inspiring). Although, if one is able to find the uber sweet purple sweet potatoes, which are grayish-white on the outside and deep purple inside– they would make a totally surprising puree or fry. One can often find them in Asian markets, or more high end grocery stores. They are definitely worth a try and will bring amazing color and conversation to the table.

What I suggested was in the sauce. Baked, fried, whole or sticks you will win your table over with sauces. A trio (or more) of sauces for guests to sample will set the stage for experimentation. Whether treated as a dipping sauce for fries, drizzled over top, or dolloped into the center of baked potatoes, guests will love mixing, matching and finding their favorite (possibly more unusual) accompaniments to a standard Thanksgiving table staple.

Here are some of my suggestions, though the possibilities are endless. Just let your mind wander:

Molasses Butter Sauce. Use light or dark muscavado sugar (you can get it at Whole Foods or other specialty/ gourmet stores). 1/2 cup butter (at room temp), 3 tablespoons muscavado sugar, 1 tsp orange zest, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp salt (1 tsp cayenne, optional). Whip the ingredients together, refrigerate then put a dollop inside each sweet potato to serve. For fries, melt and drizzle over top.

Balsamic Reduction is good for whole baked or fries to drizzle over top. Just reduce balsamic vinegar for 2-3 hours over medium heat until it’s a thick syrup. You can do the same thing with an inexpensive port wine. The sauce should reduce by about 3/4. (Good over steak too.)

Maple Syrup Sauce is excellent. Mix sour cream, maple syrup, allspice, cinnamon (and lemon zest, optional) until it tastes good. The result should be slightly thick, similar in consistency to ketchup. Drizzle over top, dollop in a baked, or use as a dip with fries.

Cranberry-Orange Sauce (probably best for whole potatoes). Cook 1 bag fresh cranberries w/ juice of 1 orange plus 2 tablespoons orange zest and 1 tsp fresh grated ginger, 1 tsp salt. Boil down so cranberries break apart. Add some sugar if too bitter. This would be good scooped in.

Maple Molasses Pecan Sauce. Warm pecans w/ 2 Tbl muscavado sugar and 3 Tbl butter on medium heat. Let butter and sugar melt, (making caramel) to coat the pecans. Mix 1/2 cup sour cream, 2 Tbl maple syrup and 1 Tbl muscavado sugar. Fold in pecan-caramel (can even leave slightly streaked). Add dollop to potatoes or dip.

Warm Goat Cheese Sage Sauce. Melt 3 Tbl butter w/ 1/3 cup goat cheese, 1 Tbl maple syrup, salt to taste. Once melted, fold in 2-3 Tbl fresh chopped sage and 3 Tbl crushed walnuts (optional). Can serve warm, drizzled over potatoes or place in a ramekin and allow to solidify on fridge and add a dollop once cooled. You can make a similar sauce w/ blue cheese/ gorgonzola doing the same thing, minus sage, w/ pepper and nutmeg.

A few more I have thought of since providing the recipes…

Cardamom Sour Cream Sauce. Mix 1 tablespoon fresh ground cardamom seeds (crack shells of green cardamom pods to extract seeds) with 2 cups sour cream or creme fraiche, 1/4 cup honey and 1 teaspoon salt. 1/4 cup candied orange zest (optional). (Orange zest: thinly mince peel or zest an orange. Boil for 1 minute, drain then boil for 5 minutes in 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup water, drain.)

Blueberry Pomegranate Goat Cheese. Boil 2 cups blueberries in 1 cup pomegranate juice (or 1 cup Riesling and 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses) until slightly thickened, 30-45 minutes. Reduce heat, add 5-8 tablespoons goat cheese (depending on desired thickness of finished sauce). Stir until goat cheese melts and remove from heat. Place in ramekins and chill to set or serve warm.

Citrus Sour Cream Sauce. Mix 1 cup sour cream with juice of 1 lemon plus 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 2 teaspoons orange zest, 1 teaspoon salt.

When I was younger, I eagerly hacked up pumpkins for Halloween. If I took knife to flesh too early and the dear thing rotted, I would whittle away again. Those pumpkins would remain on our front porch until they deflated into sad puddles of mush (or the raccoons ate them).

Lately, I cannot bring myself to carve pumpkins. Shortly after I began this blog I found the most perfect of pumpkins. Enormous and ideally symmetrical, it sat on our dining room table for months. I could not bare to throw it out. Finally, no joke, in June, I decided it was no longer seasonal to host the pumpkin.

This year, I am proud to say I sliced and diced that little orange globe sooner than I thought I would be able to.

I eyed my little pumpkin, barely larger than a softball for a few weeks contemplating its end. I knew this little guy would only last a few servings. Whatever I made, it had to be good. Because the chill has finally hit the air, I had a craving for soup.

It is no secret I love soup. I like to make it in big batches and store it in single serving containers for a cold day. Soup, yes, that was easy, what flavors will marry pumpkin in a unique and delicious taste? Coconut!

I know, it’s sort of a bizarre jump to make. I was thinking roasted pumpkin and toasted rhymes and well, what is best toasted? Coconut. Naturally. It is also easier to make this jump knowing a can of coconut milk has been sitting idle in the cabinets.

The coconut in this soup is subtle, yet adds that certain unknown that baffles eaters. Just what is it? And why is there cilantro in this soup?! It would make the perfect addition to the Thanksgiving party and best of all it is super easy to make– and fast.

Coconut Pumpkin Soup
Serving size= 6. Active time= 10 minutes. Cook time= 15 minutes.
1 medium cooking pumpkin (other winter squash would work too: acorn, butternut)
1/2 yellow onion
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1/2 teaspoon curry powder (optional)
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1-15oz can coconut milk
salt/ pepper to taste
cilantro for garnish

1) Ready a food processor with a grater attachment. Slice the pumpkin into 1/4s, remove ends. Remove pulp, set aside to toast for a garnish. Use a vegetable peeler to remove skin and grate in food processor. Grate onion and garlic.
2) Heat butter or olive oil in a sauce pot over medium high heat. Once warm, add pumpkin, onion and garlic. Saute 5-7 minutes, until onions sweat and pumpkin darkens in color, stir occasionally. Add curry powder (if using) and salt.*
3) Add chicken or vegetable broth and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 5 minutes. Using a blender, immersion or standing, puree the soup until a smooth, even texture is reached.
4) Salt and pepper to taste. Add chopped cilantro and toasted pumpkin seeds as garnish.
*Note: While onions, garlic and pumpkin are warming, rinse and dry pumpkin seeds. Sprinkle w/ salt and shredded coconut (optional). Toast on medium-high two times in a toaster oven, until slightly browned.

D and I recently had some friends over for an intimate feast. We prepared many items we had never attempted before, something I often shy away from when we have guests– there is nothing worse than messing up something you have never attempted before. But cooking, like any passion, is all about trial and error and you’ll never get better without an attempt. All in all, the 5 hours spread ended deliciously well, mishaps included.

All vegetables, and most fruits, were brought to us by our local Community Supported Agriculture program. Each week I am thankful that we have invested in our farm and I proudly brag about “my farmers” who brought me my organic vegetables– just picked yesterday!

This weekend we celebrated the spring bounty.

The evening began calmly as pictured above. I started prepping items 1 week in advance: spanakopita (spinach from “my farm” with local sheep feta), rhubarb syrup (rhubarb from last week’s CSA drop boiled down with water and sugar) and a rhubarb tart (crust prepared and frozen and rhubarb chopped and frozen). The rest was finalized and started the night before arrival…

We welcomed guests C and M with choice of champagne or a strawberry rhubarb “martini.” I like to call drinks served in martini glasses and made with vodka “martinis,” as do most bars and restaurants. I suppose because it makes the drink sound more sophisticated. D is angered by this and claims it is a merely a mixed cocktail if it has no vermouth. Our Strawberry Rhubarb “Martinis” contained rhubarb syrup, vodka, mashed fresh strawberries and were topped with champagne. We also eventually threw some mint in there.

Next was the spanakopita. I received pounds of spinach, amongst other greens last week. S

o much I feared we could not eat it, but didn’t want it going to waste. I could not bare to simply freeze the spinach so bought some filo and feta, steamed and chopped the spinach, added nutmeg, crumbled feta, wrapped in filo and froze. Laborious to wrap individually, yes (a spanakopita pie would have been easier), but well worth it.

An assemble-one’s-own course followed next. I like the idea of the guest doing some work, it allows them to understand flavor combinations you use a little more and how they work together. If they don’t cook, it also makes them feel like they are creating something. You can see the beginnings of this course spread out above: Buttered and toasted crostinis, fig spread, goat cheese and topped with prosciutto.

The fig spread is a treasured find of mine and D’s. We uncovered it in the Middle Eastern section of one of our local markets– the one I can easily spend hours walking down the aisles because they have floor to ceiling goodies from all over the world. This spread hails from Lebanon and has three simple flavors: fig, sesame, anise. It is a fantastic addition to sandwiches, crostinis

and is really a power secret ingredient. It would be simple to make, but at$2 for an 8oz container with such a pure ingredient mixture, why bother? The prosciutto was from a local Italian deli.

We entered the main of our meal. The moment D said C and M would be over for dinner I proclaimed rabbit would be the headliner. I held fast through D’s skeptism. My thought: no matter what produce we would receive from our CSA, rabbit would be a perfect compliment. D still thought it was slightly disturbing to serve “rabbit salad,” so we broke the salad into more of a side.

We wanted the rabbit sweet to compliment the warming weather– a more savory base is fitting for fall and winter. I found a marinade based in orange juice, honey and cayenne which seemed perfect for this. I wanted to incorporate nectarines into the dish and thought to make a nectarine mousse. Unfortunately, as witnessed in the picture above, the mousse never set properly (recipe now in the works). It ended more a thick sauce that we poured over the rabbit and topped it all with crumbled bacon. The salad, red bib lettuce, sugar snap peas and radish were provided by our CSA.

Gluttony followed.

My newest acquisition is an ice cream attachment for my Kitchen Aid. I’ve been itching for an ice cream maker for a few years now and with a few Am Ex gift certificates in hand, it was a real steal. I went all out and made two treats for this meal. The first was a lemon-lime-ginger sorbet. This was a great sweet-tart intermission though I would add a little more ginger next time.

This was followed by D’s conquest: foie gras.

Let’s just put out that I know both sides of the foie gras debate before we get all the comments coming in. I think Gastronomica Magazine has a great article about it in their Winter 2007 issue. Let’s just say I can rarely afford it so rarely eat it. (But it is delicious.)

At this point my local butcher thinks I am crazy. Each day I go in I discuss and request more from them: free range veal, grass-fed beef, truffle butter, truffles, and this weekend, I asked if they would put rabbits and foie gras aside for me. They know me by site now and if I ask for a simple steak they ask if something is the matter– just steak?

We couldn’t afford the entire “foie” so we split if with one of the butchers who was happy to take home the other half. I asked for his discount, but he denied. Note to self: get in with butchers until discount is granted. D took care of the prep, slicing it in thirds, de-veining, salt, pepper nutmeg, layer, port, cognac, repeat. For whatever reason our most trusted cookbook failed us for the first time when it failed to mention that the foie must sit for a few good hours post-cooking to re-set– many recipes suggest 1-3 days. While we knew some sitting would be necessary, the foie was a little loose when served, still delicious (and is a great topping on salad for a luxurious dinner another night).

Lemon-lime-ginger sorbet repeat and then the finale.

I found a rhubarb streusel tart recipe on epicurious that I knew would be perfect. Not only did we receive rhubarb from our CSA the previous week, D is a big fan of anything with streusel in the name. How can you not love butter and brown sugar? Instead of mixing almonds into the streusel as called for I used the handy new ice cream maker and created my own almond ice cream.

This I believed was my true triumph. Something D couldn’t imagine tasting good– “almond ice cream just does not sound good,” yet he keeps coming back for more and requesting me to churn out new flavors– dare I attempt arugula custard? Not just yet… a cognac creation is next.

MENU:
Rhubarb Spritzer
Spanakopita
Fig-Goat Cheese-Procuitto Crostini
Roast Rabbit w/ Spring Greens & Nectarine Mousse
Lemon-Lime-Ginger Sorbet
Foie Gras
Lemon-Lime-Ginger Sorbet
Rhubarb Streusel Tart w/ Almond Ice Cream

It was an event we had not planned for. We toyed with a grand feast but soon rejected the notion, it would be too much work, our friends work in the restuarant industry and would be occupied, it was too difficult to organize. We dropped it.

But we live in a neighborhood of many Greeks. Many religious folk, both Greek and non- alike. When Easter comes around, there is no stopping the call of lambs… Especially when two Easters fall on the same day.

We had heard stories: walking out the door on Greek Easter, following a trail of red to find it end in a slaughtered lamb being hoisted to the spit. We had seen the evidence: families roasting meats into the night for a celebration of Spring and birth, we could smell it all day in years past.

We retold these events Friday night to some friends, R and T, transplants from New Orleans. They wanted in and with a burst of emotion D invited them over for a feast. We didn’t realize what we had gotten ourselves into.

We pushed our way through the crowd gathered at the butcher to take our ticket and left to shop. We returned one hour later only to wait an additional hour for our number to arrive.

You could see people drooling for the blood: What number are you?

57.

Oh, I’m 80.

No, I’m I-57, see, you’re J-80. You have a long way to go.

He was defeated. But our ticket came up and somehow, we were fooled. We kept saying, just one lamb leg, just a leg. Only two people were confirmed, any more meat would have been too much. Yet somehow we left with half a lamb. A whole half, the right half– we let another customer take the head.

Was it the shopping carts of full carcasses, ready for the spit and our jealousy in their setup that got us buying more than we needed? Was it the utter craziness of people willing to wait hours for a piece of meat? Was it the recent viewing of the film Killer of Sheep? Was it the sly upsell to half a lamb when we saw half a leg and thought it looked a little meager?

We dragged our meat home and examined our bags– what had we done?

I planned the menu while D examined his different cuts and attempted to reassemble the animal. I think that’s a spine, oh look, marrow! These parts in the freezer for soup, random bits for kebabs, separating the chops. The main event was the lamb and the rest of the menu would follow a Greek-inspired theme as well as some leftovers we were looking to get rid of.

We started with a simple and savory appetizer platter. Figs in a Blanket (pictured above) were the highlight. Taken from a Martha Stewart appetizer cookbook my mother sent me. D exclaimed that this was definitely the best recipe in the book (he has never opened the book). These were a huge hit that D added would be our appetizer of choice here on out. We served our kebabs, marinated in a spice mixture and lemon juice and olive oil. A selection of cheeses R and T brought accompanied all this. When R and T entered the cheese shop and told the man behind the counter they were looking for cheese that would pair with wine braised figs wrapped in bacon the reply was, “niiiiiiccccce,” with half-closed eyes and a dreamy look. It was all very nice indeed.

The next course was a “palate cleanser.” Salt and peppered lamb chops quick seared accompanied some freshened up leftovers. I know, that whole “leftover” thing doesn’t sound that great, but it was rich and decadent: D and I bought a duck the other week (pictures to come) and part two of the duck was braised duck legs in red wine. We added potatoes and parsnips to the braise and had plenty leftover. We mashed the wine-infused potatoes and parsnips up, added a good heap of butter and some milk, fresh scallions and voila. A totally decadent side that had traces of duck fat and wine.

The next part of “The Grand Tasting Menu,” as the event was soon called was the lamb legs (plural). Half a lamb gives us 2 legs, both butterflied by the butcher. These were marinated a few good hours in a spice mixture I made heavy in garlic and fresh ground coriander. D seared them on our largest Le Creuset and threw them in the oven for about 1 hour. Served with a simple Greek salad.

We were bursting when the meal ended. Luckily, for all members of the party this was the only meal of the day. Still, when a meal reaches past the 4 hour mark, Gluttony may be knocking at the door.

We took a needed walk where R decided he needed a taco from our beloved man that sells out of a truck down the street. We returned for dessert.

I knew this meal would be heavy and chose a light angel food cake for dessert, baking them in cupcakes and stuffing each one with a fresh strawberry (pre-cooking) for individual servings. While we were on the walk, we decided ice cream would pair nicely with the light cake and picked up a quart. Somewhere along the way, the dessert also jumped the shark (although you could really say the meal jumped the shark with the purchase of the lamb). The leftover syrup from the braised figs was kept on reserve and rum was added with strawberries around the appetizer section of the meal and left to soak. Angel food cupcakes stuffed with strawberries, a hefty scoop of vanilla ice cream and a heavy dose of strawberries soaked in a balsamic-wine reduction with rum.

I would say the meal on whole was a long, dreamy, eyes closed halfway nnniiiiiiccccce. We wish we could have shared it with more– although there is a good amount of lamb leftover if you want to bring the wine.

Recipes to follow shortly.

It’s getting to the last hours, do you know how you’ll be spending your Valentine’s Day?

If I had a fireplace mine would be spent in front of a roaring fire. Rather, that’s how I would spend every night if I had a fireplace. If you’re without fire, there are plenty of other options for this day of Hallmark-forced romance. I discussed many in this piece printed in the Queens Chronicle.

While your best bets are to keep the eats of the day light and healthy, who doesn’t love a little sugar high?

I had my first bite of the sweet seductress known as Red Velvet a few years ago. A yellow cake with a hint of cocoa and a strikingly white exterior, the cake won my heart from the first beat. I could soon be found getting my individual servings of Red Velvet cupcakes around town (my favorite are from Billy’s Bakery since they stick with a cream cheese based frosting).

A good recap of the red in Red Velvet can be found here, though I would like to amend the fact that baking soda and cocoa powder do still react to form red, it is a mere blush and these days we help our cakes along with a hefty dose of red food coloring.

I searched a number of online recipes for Red Velvet cakes and finally found a tried and tested one in Saveur’s March 2006 issue. My boss, who swears by her local bakery, The Cake Man, in Brooklyn, will pick up a slice of his Red Velvet almost daily on her way home. Low and behold the recipe in Saveur is based on The Cake Man’s and after some slight tweaking of ingredients on my part, I have come up with a consistency of redness I like and a deliciously seductive cream cheese frosting.

This cupcake is sure to win the hearts of many. It is fast and easy to make and creates a perfect last minute cupid’s arrow.

RED VELVET CUPCAKES
Prep time= about 20 minutes. Makes about 18 cupcakes.
for the cake:
* 2-½ cups cake flour
* 1-½ cups sugar
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1-½ tablespoons cocoa powder
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 eggs
* 1-½ cups vegetable oil
* 1 cup buttermilk
* 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) red food coloring
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

1) (Set cream cheese and butter for the frosting aside to soften.) Preheat oven to 350F. Line 18 cupcakes tins with cupcake liners.
2) In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa and salt.
3) With an electric mixer, beat eggs, oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and vinegar together until evenly combined.
4) With the mixer on medium, slowly add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Fill cupcake tins about ¾ full and bake on middle rack 20-25 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from tins and cool onracks about 10 minutes. While cooling, make the frosting, below.

for the frosting:
* 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
* 1 stick butter, softened
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 cups confectioner’s sugar

* 1 cup chopped pecans

1) Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer until well combined. Add sugar, beat until frosting is fluffy, about 5 minutes.
2) Cover each cupcake with about 1 heaping spoonful of frosting, spread with a knife. Sprinkle pecans over frosting and press in slightly so they stick.

As January comes to an end our thoughts are set for Valentine’s Day. While I am not totally rah rah for the Hallmark Holidays, I must admit I am a fan of the odd bouquet of flowers or box of chocolates (what gal isn’t?). D and I won’t be doing anything “special” this Valentine’s Day (at least not that I know of), but I am sure others will. For that, I present two delectable truffles, the chocolate kind, not the mushroom (though some think the mushroom intoxicates the senses). To really woo a person, a homemade treat is an amazing declaration of love.

Aphrodisiacs have been around since the ancient Greeks and Romans (and possibly before). The name is attributed to Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love. For centuries, people have been known to hit the streets hawking potions that will make them fertile, randy, attractive or powerful over the opposite sex. Today we have the internet and hundreds of spammed Viagra adds to pick up the slack.

Chocolate is probably one of the oldest known aphrodisiacs. Much of this is due to the fact that it was once so hard to come by, the price was set for the well-to-do only. Times change, cacao is easier to come by, and thankfully most people can enjoy chocolate’s deep, rich flavor– though you can still find outrageously priced confections to prove your love.

An even older aphrodisiac is seafood. Possibly due to the fact that some believe Aphrodite was birthed from the seas, most anything that has come from salted waters has been thought to have powerful sexual powers at some point; from anchovies to clams to oysters.

Ginger is known to open the taste buds and therefore offers higher sense pleasures.

Chili pepper and garlic, both bring color to the face that match the color of “bed” time.

Honey is thought to be an aphrodisiac, apparently the birds and the bees really knew what was going on.

Also, anything that resembles either male or female sexual organs can hold aphrodisiac powers. You name it: figs, carrots, strawberries, cigars, starfruit, Georgia O’Keeffe paintings, etc.

Finally, wines and champagnes are known to loosen people up and allow them to lose inhibitions. Careful though, liquor is a depressant and too much can do just the opposite of what you may be looking for in a Valentine love-filled night.

Whatever your plans are for Valentine’s Day, gift the one you love or yearn for something sweet. These two truffle recipes are surprisingly simple. The first was taken from The Cook’s Book edited by Jill Norman. The book is a fantastic collection of tips and recipes from some of the top chefs around the world. The recipe is from pâtissiers Pierre Hermé (as it appears in The Cook’s Book). They are a unique combination of flavors and absolutely melt in the mouth. The other recipe is adapted from epicurious.com. They produce beautiful looking truffles whether you have a pastry bag or not. Both recipes are easy enough for beginners, though Hermé’s requires some drying time.

DARK CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES W/ LIME & HONEY
Makes About 50.
* 1 lb best quality bitter chocolate (60-70% cocoa solids)
* 7 tablespoons butter
* ¾ cup crème frâiche
* 2-3 limes
* 2-½ tablespoons acacia honey
for the coating
* finely grated zest of ½ lime
* ½ cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
* 1-1/3 cups unsweetened cocoa powder

1) Prepare the coating the day before needed. Mix the lime zest with the sugar and rub between palms of your hands. Spread in a thin layer on a nonstick baking sheet and let dry overnight at room temperature. Before mixing with the cocoa powder in step 8, check to be sure the sugar is completely dry.
2) The following day, chop the chocolate into small pieces with a serrated-edged knife and place in a large heatproof bowl. Cut the butter into walnut-sized pieces, place in a bowl, and let soften to room temperature.
3) Pour the crème frâiche into a pan and bring to a boil. Finely grate the zest from 1 lime into the crème frâiche. Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let infuse for 10 minutes. Return to the heat and bring back just to a boil. Remove fromo the heat again.
4) While the crème frâiche is infusing, squeeze the limes to yield 3-½ tablespoons of juice. Put the lime juice and honey into another small pan. Warm without boiling.
5) Pour half of the hot crème frâiche over the chocolate and stir with a wooden spoon, starting at the center with small circles and moving outward. Add the rest of the crème frâiche and repeat the stirring process. Add the lime juice and honey mixture.
6) Once the chocolate mixture is smooth, add the pieces of butter, a few at a time, stirring them in gently. Chill until the ganache has thickened, at least 30 minutes.
7) Stir the ganache gently before pushing it into a pastry bag fitted with a No. 9 round tip. Pipe balls of ganache onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill for 2 hours.
8) Mix the cocoa powder with the dry lime-flavored sugar and spread over a tray. Using a fork, roll the balls of ganache in the coating mixture. Remove with a slotted spoon, then shake gently in a strainer to remove any excess coating. Store in an airtight container.

HEART-FILLED (RASPBERRY) TRUFFLES
Makes About 60.
* 2 tablespoons heavy cream or crème frâiche
* zest of ½ a lime
* ½ cup (about ½ pint) fresh raspberries, washed and patted dry
* 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (60-70% cocoa), chopped into ¼ inch pieces
* 1 tablespoon brandy (optional)
* ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (100% is best)

1) Place cream and lime zest in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Using a wooden spoon, stir often, and bring to a simmer (do not boil). This will take just a few minutes. Remove from heat and add chocolate pieces. Stir until smooth and dissolved. Stir in brandy.
2) Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Place ½ the raspberries into the ganache. Using two small forks, coat each raspberry individually in the ganache, remove and place on the wax paper. Do not let them touch. Continue until all raspberries are covered in the same fashion. Chill truffles for 1-2 hours.
3) Set the cocoa powder in a shallow bowl. Remove truffles from wax paper and drop into the bowl, coating with the cocoa powder. Remove and shake off excess cocoa.
4) Truffles should be kept refrigerated until ready to eat. Because you are using fresh raspberries, truffles should be eaten within 1 week, any truffles that will not be eaten immediately should be frozen.

The short and simple of it is that I was craving some Rocky Road Ice Cream the other day. Surprisingly, it’s never been a favorite and I more often lean towards a mint based creation or black and white milk shake when it comes to ice cream indulgences. The other night, it was Rocky Road. The craving quite possibly was ignited by the need to use up some marshmallows left over from a late fall camping trip. They have been staring me down, mocking me with their fluffiness for a few months now.

“How about sweet potatoes?!” You say. As sweet potatoes go, I like them mashed or in a plain pie, no added marshmallows as I believe sweet potatoes are strongly sweet on their own.

So I thought brownies or Rocky Road Cookies. I knew I had all ingredients for cookies, so cookies it was.

But wait, there is no peppermint in Rocky Road. Well, in holiday Rocky Road there is. Or more likely, I was needing to rid myself of a stagnant pile of peppermints (a la the dark chocolate peppermint bark) that have been sitting around longer than I care to mention.

This recipe is (very slightly) based on those delicious Cranberry Macadamia White Chocolate Chip Cookies. I added cocoa powder to the batter to give them a chocolate base. More should have been added to really pump up the chocolate in this (which is why chocolate chips were added). When baked, the marshmallow oozes out of the cookies and provides a sweet crisp crunch along the edges which was a pleasant surprise. These cookies are chewy and a sweet meal in themselves!

PEPPERMINT ROCKY ROAD COOKIES”
Makes about 25 2-inch cookie drops
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tablespoon good cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 sticks butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup chocolate chips (your pick: dark, white, milk)
1/2 cup crushed peppermint
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
2 cups roughly chopped (or cut) marshmellows, in about 1/2 inch pieces. Plus extra for tops of cookies

1) Preheat oven to 350F
2) In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cocoa.
3) With an electric mixer in another bowl, add butter and sugar, mixing until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, mix until well combined.
4) Beat in flour mixture until well combined.
5) Add remaining ingredients and stir until evenly combined.
6) With a spoon, drop dough about 2 inch apart. Top with an extra piece of marshmallow. Bake in batches in middle of the oven 10-12 min (or lightly golden) for soft cookies. Cool on racks.

Last Thanksgiving I was in Chicago when some family friends gifted us a tin of Williams Sonoma Peppermint Bark. It was so frighteningly addictive that I was eating sheets of it a day. My mother forced me to take it home to New York City and it was gone in a matter of days.

Little did I know that this might just be the easiest dessert to put together. I’ll be making it again in white chocolate/ dark chocolate layers (a la Williams Sonoma for a fraction of the cost) for my ceramic studio’s holiday sale, but just had to get this out to you now to create and be swayed by paying $25 for a box at the store! If you have some chocolate lying around and some peppermints piled up nabbed from restaurants, this is perfect use for them.

It is one of those recipes people will think you bought or spent all day laboring over and you will tell them you did and laugh to yourself. It would make a perfect holiday gift for friends—just buy a nice tin at the dollar store!

I will not even put quantities down because however much chocolate you have can be used and the peppermint quantity will depend on how strong you want the final product.

DARK PEPPERMINT BARK
Qty Depends on amount of chocolate used. Active time= 10 minutes. Inactive time= 6 hours-overnight.
* 1 bar dark chocolate
* peppermint canes or candy, crushed
* 1 teaspoon peppermint extract (optional)

1) Lay parchment paper on a cookie sheet.
2) Put peppermint in a paper bag and wrap with a clean dish towel. Use a hammer to crush the peppermint into pieces from dust to chunks.
3) Melt the chocolate in a double boiler*, add the peppermint extract and mix as it melts.
4) Once melted, pour onto parchment paper and use a spatula to spread chocolate about ¼ inch thick. Sprinkle with peppermint and allow to dry 6 hours to overnight.
5) Once dry, break chocolate apart into uneven chunks, store covered.
* If a double boiler is not available use two non-stick sauté pans. One should be larger and filled half way with water, brought to a boil. Place the smaller pan on top of the water, without it touching the other pan and melt chocolate in the smaller pan.