TIP OF THE DAY: Thanksgiving Table Decorations

Use grocery store items to decorate your Thanksgiving table. Photo courtesy Foragers Market | Brooklyn.   Some people like a flower centerpiece for their table. Others take out the silver candelabra. We’ve done both, but realized that they can interfere with sight lines across the table. They’re also very 20th (and 19th) century. So in…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Fiori di Sicilia, Fior Di Sicilia

Fior di Sicilia, an Italian essence that translates to “flower of Sicily,” was used by our friend Ruth’s mother to flavor almost everything she baked. Biscotti, brioche and sweet breads, cookies, cheesecake, angel/pound/sponge cake, pie, macarons, meringues, yellow and white cakes got the fior di sicilia treatment, especially during the holidays. Ruth’s mom no doubt…
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FOOD FUN: Kermit Eggplant

Kermit is the name of a small, green eggplant, bred in the U.S. from the round Thai eggplant. It is also known as Garden Egg and Bitter Ball, the latter since they grow bitter the longer they are off the stalk. But some clever American, probably selling the eggplants or the seeds, gave it the…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Make Mulling Spice Sachets

TOP PHOTO: Individual sachets are best if only one or two people want a cup. Larger sachets are used to make a 6- or 8-cup pot. Photo courtesy McCormick. BOTTOM PHOTO: Empty tea bag “sachets,” used to fill with loose tea, are easier to make although less festive than muslin or netting. You can get…
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RECIPE: Pumpkin Layer Cake & Easy Variations

This recipe, from blogger Jaclyn at Cooking Classy, reminded us to substitute pumpkin for carrot cake during “pumpkin season.” When baking, we tend to focus too much on family favorites and not enough on new seasonal recipes. For this recipe, Jaclyn takes a carrot cake approach to pumpkin cake, adding a seasonal cinnamon accent to…
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