This is a drink I created for the Italian restaurant Morandi, whose chef, Jody Williams, insisted on a hard-spirit ban for their prosecco cocktail menu to avoid overpowering the delicate flavors of the food. At first I was doubtful of this approach, but it turns out a lot of great cocktails fit this food-friendly bill if we just open ourselves up to using culinary elements in mixed drinks.
Shards of chocolate embedded with surprising flavors and crunchy elements make terrific gifts for much less than pricey "artisan-made" chocolates. The key is to use the best and freshest chocolate you can buy: fragrant and glossy with no trace of a gray bloom on the surface. This easy method insures that the chocolate sets well and snaps when it breaks. You can improvise endlessly on it, devising unique combinations of chocolates and flavorings. (You can also simply stir the embellishments right into the melted chocolate before pouring.)
From Chef Mark Reinfeld's menu for A Holiday Vegan Feast:
What This Recipe Shows: By rolling the dough balls in plain sugar first, the confectioners sugar does not soak in so much and stays on the surface better.
These potatoes will be the brightest taste on the plate.
The development of a recipe: Sounded delicious in my head, could almost taste it on my palate, could see its brilliant color and feel its creamy texture—like velvet on my tongue. But it took many tries to get it right.
Egg whites are the key element in this recipe.
Some of the characteristics of a classic American Chardonnay are vanilla, butter, and if it has been aged in oak, a toasty quality as well. Because Brie and Chardonnay typically go well together, I decided to deconstruct some of the elements in Chardonnay to create this hors d'oeuvre. The result is both sweet and savory and a great showcase for the buttery cheese. Note that it's easier to cut this type of cheese when it is cold. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Grape pies have all the voluptuous qualities of a blackberry pie, but I've never found a commercial one, or even one from a farmers' market, that's even half as good as homemade. The filling can also be used to make individual tarts or a lattice-covered pie. It freezes well, too, which means you can have a grape tart on Thanksgiving, which I always do.