This recipe from master baker Norman Love of the Ritz-Carlton brings us this rich, dense pound cake that gets its tang from lemon peel. Easy to make, it's a delightful addition to the holiday buffet and also great for gift giving.
Crumbly but wonderfully moist, this cake has enough surprises of fruity chocolate, nuts and spice to set it far apart from ordinary Christmas fruit cakes. Taste it at its mellow best by baking the Pampepato a week or more before serving. One loaf could become a holiday house gift, while the other is kept for celebrating Christmas with the family.
This may be my favorite frozen chocolate mousse. It is intensely fudgy, with the unexpected touches of pistachio and Marsala. I also like the hint of coffee in the chocolate sauce, and the ease of making everything ahead.
Like most people, I've got my lazy spots, and squash is one of them. I love winter squash in just about every guise, but I just can't stand peeling it. With all the great kitchen gear I've got, I've never found a gizmo that makes removing the hard shell of a butternut squash easy - I think squash-peeling cooks should get hazardous-duty pay. You can be sure I was one of the first in line at the supermarket when peeled, ready-to-cook squash arrived.
From The Italian Country Table: Home Cooking from Italy's Farmhouse Kitchens by Lynne Rossetto Kasper (Scribner 1999). Copyright 1999 Lynne Rossetto Kasper.
Pepsi, peanut butter and miniature marshmallows -- what could be better?