Herb Focaccia

Focaccia is a favorite bread of mine. Whether used as a soup accompaniment or sandwich base, this rustic-looking flatbread easily elevates any meal from basic to sophisticated. And for the baker, it has excellent versatility. Once you have a good focaccia base, you can adapt it in a million ways. Try it with the traditional olive-oil-and-herb topping, or attempt a more elaborate take with sun-dried tomatoes, olives, cheese, or even roasted grapes. Either way, it’s a bread that’s truly great.

Apple Walnut Oat Bread + A Guide to Baking Apples

Opinions on the pumpkin spice craze. Go.

Now, I’m a major pumpkin fan. Whether in latte or pancake form, I enjoy indulging in the many spicy, pumpkin-y creations of fall. But to me, there’s an even more important – and oft forgotten – autumnal debut: the apple.

True, apples exist year-round. So what makes them so special now? The fact is, the apples you see in stores throughout the year – the traditional Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, and Gala – represent only a small fraction of an extensive apple family. And when fall rolls around, the apple varieties rarely seen in other months come to us in full, flavorful force.

Rustic Plum & Cardamom Polenta Cake

Never admit mistakes in the kitchen. That was Julia Child’s policy. The famous chef was known for making a few errors herself, but she never apologized. She simply found ways around the various hiccups. During one such mishap on television, Julia failed to flip her potatoes at the right time and they promptly apart. Instead of giving up, she simply exclaimed, “You haven’t lost anything, because you can always turn this into something else!” She then grabbed a hefty amount of cheese and enthusiastically dolloped it on top.

Thank you for this, Julia. Because let’s admit, we all make plenty of errors in the kitchen. Cakes fall, breads don’t rise, muffins overflow. Behind every blog recipe or beautiful Instagram photo, there’s a story of mishap. It happens often to me, and it absolutely drives me up the wall. But you only truly fail when you don’t learn a lesson. So you try again or find a way to make it work. And that’s the story behind this recipe.

Bourbon Pumpkin Pie

There’s no reason pumpkin pie can only be enjoyed at Thanksgiving. Personally, I love pumpkin in every season, 365 days year-round. But it’s true that there is something especially comforting about pumpkin in the cold weather months. And if you have some extra purée from your holiday prep or fall harvest, these Bourbon Pumpkin Pies are a wonderful way to put that supplementary squash to good use. In fact, if you’re as much of a pumpkin fanatic as me (and eating pumpkin pie once a year is never enough), these could even become a feature for your upcoming Christmas or New Year’s Eve menu!

Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies

When I say hazelnut, do you think Nutella? Hazelnuts have recently gained a well-recognized and fashionable status thanks to the famous Italian hazelnut-cocoa spread. But despite the great popularity of Nutella (and the popularity is indeed substantial!), hazelnuts do not have a prominent presence in American cupboards or baking repertoires. Almonds, yes. Pecans and walnuts, of course. And even cashews, sure. But where’s the love for the hazelnut?