FOOD 101: The Difference Between Crème, Creme & Cream

February 14th—Valentine’s Day—is also National Creme Filled Chocolates Day. But what’s with creme vs. cream? “Creme,” pronounced cream, is a misspelled, mispronounced Americanization of the French word for cream, crème (pronounced KREHM). It is used in the U.S. to make chocolates and desserts seem more special; i.e., French, without the correct French pronunciation and accent…
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RECIPE: Rice Pudding Brûlée With Passion Fruit

We got our love of rice pudding from our mom, who made it from scratch, with lots of raisins and cinnamon. Before she put it in the fridge to chill, we got to eat some warm. If your Valentine—or your mom—loves rice pudding, try this special recipe*. The coconut flavor comes from coconut milk, which…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Stabilized Whipped Cream

[1] Chocolate lasagna: a happy Valentine Dessert (photo © Persnickety Plates | Amanda’s Cookin’. [2] Stabilized whipped cream doesn’t collapse (photo © Kuhn Rikon).   We love whipped cream, and we don’t care for Cool Whip. (Sure, we ate it in college from the container, like the other girls in the dorm. But not since.)…
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FOOD FUN: Quick Caramel Apples & Pears

Why wait for next fall, when caramel apples are a well-deserved winter comfort food? We love caramel apples, so we didn’t hesitate to adapt this recipe (photo #1) from Produce For Kids, switching the pears for crunchy apples and using warm caramel. There are two ways to enjoy this recipe: our way, with warm, drippy…
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Types Of Figs, History Of Figs: Have Some Figs For National Fig Week

[1] Honey-roasted figs are a delicious dessert. You can serve them with goat cheese or mascarpone (photo © Melissa’s). [2] Brown Turkey figs, a popular variety (photo © Good Eggs). [3] Fig fondue (photo © California Figs). [4] Ham and fig sandwich with arugula (photo © The Model Bakery | St. Helena, California).   Figs…
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