Featured events- 08/28/2013 - Free Outdoor Screening in the BAM/PFA Sculpture Garden
- 08/27/2013 - MARK EPSTEIN / The Trauma of Everyday Life
- 08/24/2013 - The goat Rodeo Sessions
- 08/20/2013 - Yang Fudong and Philippe Pirotte in Conversation
- 08/03/2013 - Book Signing and Discussion with Dave Kehr, followed by The Lawless Breed
Author Archives: Moriah VanVleet
Gin and tonic cake: A cocktail turned confection
Herbal and effervescent, a gin and tonic is known as one of the most refreshing concoctions in existence. I’m not sure why the drink has been on my mind lately; perhaps it’s the recent surge of warm weather, or more likely, my own need for invigoration. Whatever the reason, I was quick to transform the classic cocktail into a fresh dessert – first in my mind, then in my kitchen. After all, why not have your gin and eat it, too? … Continue reading »
Almond butter, peanut butter: two tasty cookies
Peanut butter cookies are nothing new, but I’ve never really been satisfied with the recipes I’ve found for them. Everyone has their own preference — and I wanted little, dense, soft cookies that tasted really nutty. Instead I got crisp and airy, oily and bland, dry and gritty, sugary and enormous.
I tried recipes with cake flour, no flour, cream cheese, and on. Finally, I took out a bowl and made my own recipe, tinkering with it time and again until I felt victorious. Then I thought: what about almond butter? I knew its delightfulness but hadn’t tasted it in dessert form. Using my newly created peanut butter cookie recipe, I did a few trial runs and found that almond butter – though it acts a little differently than its more common cousin — is just as easy and just as delicious. The recipe for both cookies is simple and easy, made in one bowl with no mixer, followed by a quick stint in the oven. … Continue reading »
Succulence and spice: Orange cardamom cookies
Not long ago I found myself standing in my kitchen, pondering the exquisite versatility of cardamom, an ingredient I’d tasted as it splendidly sang in both savory and sweet treats alike. Before I knew it, I added a heap of the spice to a soft, shortbread-like dough, paired it with tart orange, and topped it off with a drizzle of dark chocolate. The result was magnificent, and now I can hardly imagine a winter without my treasured ritual of creating these cookies. … Continue reading »
Perfect for Valentine’s Day: Rosewater cupcakes
When I recently came across candied rose berries at a favorite market of mine, I couldn’t help but stop in my tracks. The pastel pink beads sparkled with sweetness, and their scent was alluringly delicate and floral. Immediately inspired, I decided that these candies needed a dessert to both match and celebrate their exquisite qualities.
I could already see the cupcake crowns awaiting them in a delicious and dainty future. I wanted to be sure to avoid making the kind of pungent rose fare that can evoke perfume or soap, so I decided to pair rosewater with buttermilk, adding lemon to heighten the buttermilk’s creamy tang. The resulting batter was just what I’d hoped for: a welcome hint of rose in an all-around delicate dessert. … Continue reading »
Turkish coffee meringues: flavorful and fragrant
I’ve always thought of Turkish coffee as a special-occasion sort of drink. It’s not just coffee: it’s extra-rich coffee that’s often spiced, sweetened and presented in pretty little mugs.
Then there’s the way Turkish coffee is prepared. The coffee beans are ground into a very fine powder, then brewed filter-free using ornate metal pots made just for the process. Finally, the water nearly bubbles over the edge before the scrumptious concoction is ready.
Having only had it at friends’ houses and Turkish restaurants, I admit I may not have a grasp of authentic Turkish coffee. But the versions I’ve tasted have been distinct and delicious enough to remember with fondness and a craving for more. Not surprisingly, the brew has also often left me daydreaming of its rebirth as a dessert.
So I finally created these candy-like cookies in its honor. … Continue reading »
Rooibos Capetown: From cup to cookie
One of my favorite evening drinks is a hot cup of rooibos (“roy-bus”), also known as red tea or African honeybush tea. It has a soft, naturally vanilla-y flavor that reminds me a bit of my grandpa’s tobacco pipe and tends to calm me instantly. It’s delicious plain or with a splash of cream and honey, and it’s purely caffeine- free.
I never thought I’d love it any more than I already did – until I found a delightful new twist on it. Speckled with tiny colorful flowers and flavored with vibrant fruit, Rooibos Capetown has quickly become my favorite hot drink. Its beauty is evident at once in three ways: sight, scent and taste. And with every sip of it I’ve savored, I’ve succumbed to vividly imagining it being integrated into a dessert. This has proven to be a deliciously worthy daydream. Here’s my first of many sweet Capetown creations. … Continue reading »
Mimosa cupcakes: Perfect for New Year’s
Whether sipping bubbly at midnight or enjoying a mimosa with brunch, many of us will celebrate the new year with champagne glasses clinking left and right. Continue reading »
The magic of quince: A dessert recipe
Along with sweet almond paste, tangy cranberries and flecks of orange zest, quince becomes a toothsome tart, perfect for the season. Continue reading »
Lemon trees everywhere: A pie for Berkeley
My sister used to refer to Berkeley as the place with giant lemon trees everywhere. And it’s pretty much true, don’t you think? I got my own little lemon tree about a year ago and I’ve been watching it ever since. While my tree can’t compare to the prolific and giant ones around town, I was thrilled to pick its first fruit a few weeks ago: three beautiful, succulent lemons. Intent on turning them into something unusual that would really let their flavor shine, I made rich, creamy lemon curd and nestled it in a crust made of crisp meringue. Here’s the recipe. … Continue reading »
A sweet slice of egg nog: Tasting the season
Here is a cake I created as a tribute to one of my favorite seasonal treats. As the holidays near, I find myself anxiously awaiting the arrival of egg nog — anticipating its rich, creamy sweetness and the way it signals a new year on the horizon. For me, one of the best ways to celebrate something delicious is not simply to eat or drink it, but to transform it into a dessert. So why settle for having a glass of egg nog when I can eat it, too? (Actually, I admit I’m even more satisfied by a slice of this cake than I am by sipping the drink that inspired it. And whenever I’ve brought this cake to parties, I’ve witnessed it being devoured with great delight – even by those who are otherwise egg nog averse.) … Continue reading »
Tagged Butter Sugar Flowers, Cake, Dessert baking recipe, egg nog, holiday
Tea and sympathy: The cake
Before I heard that “tea and sympathy” was a play, a restaurant and a song, I only knew it as a soothing cocktail: hot tea with a splash of Grand Marnier. A warm mug of tea is my go-to drink for relaxation and comfort, and I’ve always loved the idea that sympathy can be added to it with a splash of orange liqueur. When I recently discovered a local and remarkably delicious Earl Grey tea – fragrant with vibrant bergamot and speckled with beautiful, tiny flower petals – I found myself drinking it daily and, naturally, I couldn’t help but think of turning it into a dessert.
I decided to pair it with orange liqueur and create my very own version of tea and sympathy: the cake. Here is the recipe. (If you’re short on time, don’t miss the simplified version at the end of this post.) … Continue reading »
Leftover cranberry sauce? Try cranberry clove cookies
After each visit to see family for the holidays, my husband and I are ever grateful to head home with full bellies and a car packed with leftovers, from stuffing and gravy to containers of cranberry sauce. My soon-after-Thanksgiving tradition has become not one of shopping, nor of eating turkey sandwiches, but of transforming the leftovers into a holiday treat: orange spice thumbprint cookies made with cranberry sauce.
Cranberry Clove Cookies (makes about 48)
- 1 cup butter, at room temperature
- Scant 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- finely grated zest of one orange
- 1/2 cup cranberry sauce
- 1 cup powdered sugar (optional)
- 1 tablespoon orange juice (optional) … Continue reading »
