February 10th, marks the Lunar New Year, the Year of the Dragon. Of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac, the dragon is the only mythical creature and symbolizes good fortune and strength. It is said that the lunar year harnesses the powers of its…
Four generations in my family look forward to these cookies when persimmons are at their peak season. That’s now, conveniently coinciding with cookie season! The recipe is one from the late-70’s or early-80’s judging from my handwritten recipe card. The photo is from my mom’s…
These cookies are super soft, mini cakes really. They’re like that tender, fluffy top of a cupcake that’s the best, first bite. If you’re a fan of soft cookies, try these for your pumpkin-spice season! Truth be told, my favorite is a crisp cookie. One…
The genesis of this summertime dessert happened about a month ago when a student of my husband’s gifted us with a loaf of homemade challah and a jar of homemade strawberry jam (Thank you “Y”!). After devouring several slices simply toasted with butter and the…
Is enduring, fudge-y pudding cake on your radar? If not, you are in for a chocolatey treat. As the cake bakes, a rich fudge-y sauce forms on the bottom of the pan, leaving a light, brownie-like cake atop. It’s a marvel to watch as it…
A recipe for an olive oil cake always catches my eye and piques my curiosity. I love them because they bake with a moist and tender crumb and keep for a day or so with little diminution of these ideal traits. It is still citrus…
These savory shortbread cookies would be right at home on your cheese board where I’d also nestle a few roasted almonds nearby. We enjoy these from lunch time to cocktail time, anytime the mood strikes. And their salty-sweetness goes dangerously well with a flute of…
Persimmon trees are very common in Bay Area backyards. I’m fortunate to have neighbors on two sides with persimmon trees. One is the Fuyu variety, round and squat, best eaten crunchy like an apple and usually raw as well. The other is the Hachiya variety…
This is my version of a German-style peach kuchen. My recipe is written on a three-by-five inch recipe card in a penmanship style I abandoned decades ago. All to say, I no longer recall the origin of this particular recipe to give it proper acknowledgement.…
The first time I made these “foolproof” biscuits, I followed the original recipe for Strawberry Drop Biscuits from New York Times Cooking. They were a winner and I’ve kept the recipe for repeat versions. Jerrelle Guy’s recipe encourages switching up the fruit, using other berries…