All posts filed under: Food Musings

For The Raspberry Lovers: Double Raspberry Bars

Published by Kathy Hunt

Last summer, I went on hiatus from food writing. I hadn’t intended nor had I particularly wanted to take a break, but, I’d started a full-time editorial job while continuing to write long-form freelance articles — see clippings.me for samples from my other writing life — and do occasional book events. What free time I had, I used to complain about the lack of free time. Over a year later, I complain a little less and dabble a little more at some of the things I love — writing, cooking and taking photographs. What changed? My pandemic garden and its prolific raspberry bush. Planted in the summer of 2020 alongside tomatoes, cucumbers and a few herbs, the raspberry bush was a bit of a lark. I love raspberries so, although I was a first-time gardener, I decided to take a chance. I didn’t expect the plant to yield fruit that first year, if ever. By October 2020, my expectations had been met. The next two summers, the bush surprised me by producing a handful of …

Sliced lemon curd cake on plate and cake stand. Both are on a lemon-decorated tablecloth

Luscious Lemon Curd Cake

Published by Kathy Hunt

For such a delicious topping, lemon curd has been cursed with a rather unappetizing name. By definition, curd is the semi-solid created when acid is added to milk. True curds possess a rubbery and sometimes grainy texture. Lemon curd has a smooth, thick and creamy feel and sweetly tart taste. So, how did this British creation end up with such a misleading name? The curd in “lemon curd” In its earliest form lemon curd was the result of mixing lemon juice with cream. The watery part of this mixture, the whey, was drained off. What remained was lemon-flavored curds or lemon curds. By the late 1800s modern lemon curd had entered the kitchen. This new version consisted of eggs, lemon juice, sugar and butter and had a velvety texture. Although the ingredients had changed, the name remained the same. A travel-inspired dessert Similar to most of my recipes, this cake originated from a trip. Earlier this month I returned to Canterbury, England; high school students and English majors might recognize as the pilgrims’ destination in …

icing the espresso cake

White Chocolate Espresso Cake

Published by Kathy Hunt

A cake made for, and with, coffee Sometimes you need a quick, comforting cake, one that goes well with any meal and at any time of day. White chocolate espresso cake is that kind of treat. Laced with espresso, it goes well with an afternoon coffee and is, in the literal sense, a delicious coffee cake. Traditionally, coffee cakes were dense, sweet, yeasted baked goods. Consumed at breakfast or brunch, they often featured cinnamon, fruits and/or nuts. They’re similar to British teacakes but served with coffee. White chocolate espresso cake is not your typical coffee cake, but that doesn’t stop me from nibbling on a square at breakfast. Coffee as a flavoring Coffee has long been used as flavoring in cakes, ice cream and other desserts. Often it appears alongside chocolate in these confections. The two partner so well together that their pairing has its own name, “mocha.” Usually, recipes call for “coffee” or “strong coffee.” Because I like the boldness of espresso and I take any excuse to fire up my espresso maker, I …

pavlova with berries and custard

Pavlova with Berries and Crème Anglaise

Published by Kathy Hunt

I have this thing about pavlova. I love it! This meringue-based dessert possesses a crisp exterior, slightly chewy but soft interior, and an ethereal lightness and sweetness that never disappoints. When topped with macerated fruit and whipped cream, that crisp meringue transforms into a luscious and juicy treat. During a stay on New Zealand’s South Island I tried countless takes on this dessert. Pavlovas with fresh mango, passion fruit, or kiwi tumbled over top. Pavlovas with cooked or macerated berries or cherries cascading down the sides. Pavlovas hollowed out and filled with almond custard or vanilla créme anglaise. The variations seemed never ending. New Zealand or Australia? The debate goes on. For almost a century debate has raged over whether New Zealand or Australia invented the pavlova or pav, as it’s often called. Australians claim that Perth chef Herbert Sachse made the first at the Esplanade Hotel in 1935. New Zealanders point to its inclusion in a 1927, NZ cookbook. The cookbook came out a year after the dessert’s namesake, Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, visited New Zealand. …

caramelizing sugar with a torch

Caramelized Banana Crème Brulée

Published by Kathy Hunt

Crème brulée. It sounds so fancy, so complicated. Yet, its name means something so simple, “burned cream,” and sums up this custard perfectly. Crème brulée consists of cream, egg yolks and sugar. Dusted with a layer of sugar, the dessert is placed under a broiler or butane kitchen torch. Once the sugar caramelizes and forms a crisp, shiny, golden glaze, the dish transforms from boring, old custard into crunchy, velvety crème brulée. Crème brulée, then and now Historians differ on the exact origins of crème brulée. Some attribute it to 17th century France while others point to 15th century England. In the 19th century it became a favorite dessert at Trinity College, Cambridge, England. From there its popularity spread. It eventually fell out of fashion until the 1980s when upscale restaurants began serving it as a decadent final course. This dessert has not lost its hold on diners’ palates. Stop by an ice cream or gelato shop or your local market’s ice cream case and you’ll likely see crème brulée as a featured flavor. The …

chocolate raspberry cake

Chocolate Raspberry Cake

Published by Kathy Hunt

With its luscious berry frosting and moist, decadent chocolate interior, chocolate raspberry cake is a delightful dessert for any occasion. Yet, thanks to its rosy pink and red appearance, it is especially fitting for Valentine’s Day. Employ a little imagination and those fresh raspberries topping the cake begin to resemble tiny, beaded hearts. What could beat this colorful sweet? Along with its festive appearance, chocolate raspberry cake offers a delightful marriage of flavors. Bold, bittersweet ground cocoa comes together with sweet, tangy raspberries to create a balanced treat. Using oil for a velvety texture In addition to that pleasing partnership of flavors, chocolate raspberry cake possesses a velvet-like feel not only in its icing but also in its cake. This soft texture results from the use of oil in the batter. While butter will add flavor to baked goods, oil bumps up the moisture content and produces a more tender cake. Want more baking tips? If you’re looking for more baking tips or a fun way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, join me on Sunday February …

Vegetable Puff Pie

Published by Kathy Hunt

Blustery, East Coast winters make me crave warm, saucy and filling vegetable puff pies. My take on the traditional dinner or pot pie features an interchangeable combination of vegetables. Potatoes, parsnips, carrots, mushrooms, peas, pearl onions, garlic, and corn have all found their way into the pie’s filling. Blanketed with puff pastry, the vegetable pie is baked until golden brown on top and moist and tender inside. A brief history of dinner pies Indigenous to Northern Europe, dinner pies have been a popular since at least the 14th century. It’s no wonder. To make this easy dish, I begin with a gravy that I’ve made using a roux. I simmer the vegetables in this light gravy for 3 to 5 minutes, until warmed. I then spoon the ingredients into a pie pan or casserole, top them with puff pastry and the pan into into the oven. In less than an hour, I have a hearty dinner. The term “pie” supposedly earned its name from its range of diverse ingredients. The late British historian Alan Davidson …

smoked salmon on cucumber rounds from Luscious Tender Juicy

Succulent Smoked Salmon Cucumber Rounds from “Luscious, Tender, Juicy”

Published by Kathy Hunt

My latest cookbook “Luscious, Tender, Juicy” (Countryman Press, 2021) began with one word, one texture, one mouthfeel — moist. My goal was to change the perception of moist from cringeworthy expression to valued culinary term. Think about it. If the food that you eat isn’t crisp, crunchy, gooey, or runny, chances are that it is one thing and one thing only. It is moist. The luscious mashed potatoes served at holidays. The tender fried chicken eaten at a summer picnic. The melt-in-your-mouth tiramisu topping off an evening out. They all possess that same luxurious characteristic that comes from including the proper amount of moisture in a dish. How to make food luscious, tender, juicy How do you make food luscious, tender, juicy or, to use that dreaded word, moist? You do it through cooking techniques, temperatures, and times, and moisture-rich ingredients. Because “Luscious, Tender, Juicy” discusses all of this and more, I won’t delve into the tips and tricks here. Instead, I’ll offer a recipe that illustrates how easily you can attain that lovely texture. …

cranberry quick bread

Quick Cranberry-Orange-Pecan Bread

Published by Kathy Hunt

In a season when we’re all bustling about, struggling to keep up with work, home, and holiday demands, there is no better bread to bake than a soft, sweet quick bread. The name says it all. Because you don’t have to knead the dough or wait for it to rise, a quick bread takes very little effort or time to make. The ease of this bread has everything to do with leavening. In a quick bread, baking powder or baking soda acts as a leavening agent. When either one comes into contact with moisture, it causes the ingredients with which it’s been combined—flour, salt, sugar, butter, eggs—to rise. Unlike with yeast breads, such as whole wheat or Frisian sugar bread, you don’t have to wait for this process to kick in. It begins immediately. Because I love tart, vivid cranberries and this is the height of cranberry season, I couldn’t resist baking a cranberry-studded quick bread. If you don’t have pecans on hand, you can substitute chopped walnuts in the following recipe. Cranberry-Orange-Pecan Quick Bread …

wild rice pilaf with swordfish

Wild Rice and Mushroom Pilaf

Published by Kathy Hunt

When the nights grow colder and daylight begins to wane, I start to crave heartier dishes. One of my favorites is Wild Rice and Mushroom Pilaf. Warm and earthy, this pilaf tastes lovely on its own or when paired with a moist, firm, meaty protein such as swordfish. A technique and a dish The name of the Middle Eastern cooking technique and the dish it creates, pilaf consists of rice cooked in a meat or vegetable stock. You might think, “Big deal. I cook my rice in stock all the time. It gives it more flavor.” Fair enough. However, it’s not only in what the rice cooks but also how it’s prepared that makes this dish special. To make pilaf, you first thoroughly rinse and/or soak the rice in cold water. This initial step removes the starch from the rice’s surface. Robbed of exterior starch, each grain remains separate from the others; the rice won’t clump together in your pan. Boiling and then steaming rice Once you’ve washed the rice, tumble it into a saucepan …