Recipes

My Dad made some of the best Danish pastry that I have ever tasted. In all my travels, I’ve tasted just a few that have come up to his standards. This recipe does take two days to complete, but it’s worth it. The end result is a rich, buttery, flakey pastry with a touch of sweetness taken further by the fillings or additions you choose. I’m particularly fond of almond, but there are so many variations from which to choose. Preserves, custard, raisins and nuts are some that come to mind.

While the Italian Rum Cream Cake has a long tradition, it’s like many other Italian recipes in that there are hundreds of variations. My version, from my Northern Italian heritage has whipped cream, a bit of espresso, crunchy walnuts, rich chocolate, and of course, more whipped cream combine to make this a rich, multi-flavored dessert. A small piece goes a long way, and this will easily serve 10. It will stay moist and flavorful for several days.

I loved my Dad’s brownies. They were in the “chewy” category, with just a hint of “fudge”, and full of toasted walnut pieces. To add even more chocolate, they were frosted with a rich topping that was somewhere between chocolate fudge and chocolate buttercream. These are great any time of the day. Have one, or two with coffee or tea, a glass of milk, or after dinner with a bit a red wine or Port. Oh…and did I mention they are super easy to make. The batter can be mixed in one bowl, and by hand. Covered with plastic wrap, or in an air tight container stored in the refrigerator, they will last up to 10 days.

This simple Asian Noodle dish is delightful. The combination of the flavors of the ginger root, cilantro, green onions, paired with the soy, sesame and oyster sauce gives as much to our sense of aroma as to our taste. It’s very good hot, but you can also serve at room temperature. It’s an easy, quick meal, or side dish and great served at room temperature for a light lunch.

Crispy, tasty finger food that’s easy to make. Master Sauce sounds impressive, but actually is a very simple sauce that originates from Eastern China. Every family seems to have their own version, but classically the sauce contains Star Anise, ginger root and Szechuan pepper, along with the soy. This simmering sauce is used for chicken as well as pork, and often the braised meat is eaten just over rice. This version of the chicken wings adds an additional step of creating a glaze from part of the sauce and crisping the skin of the chicken wings, either under a broiler or on a grill. The sauce can be reused many times. Simple allow it to cool, strain out the solids (the star anise, ginger root, peppers), skim the fat from the top and freeze. In the past, in China, they simply used it very often and brought it to a boil to kill any bacteria, but I suggest freezing just to be on the safe side.

In the 1970’s I became quite interested in Asian Cuisine. I read all I could find, and took several classes that were offered in San Francisco. By the late 70’s, I incorporated this ancient, amazing cuisine as part of the curriculum, along with Italian and French in my cooking school. This is among my top favorites, and I hope you will enjoy making it. If you live in an area where fresh Shitake mushroom are not available, the dried will work, and Clouds Ears can be found online. If you don’t have time to make the Mandarin Pancakes, you can use thin, flour tortillas, just brush them lightly with toasted sesame oil prior to heating. This dish is equally delicious using chicken.