Tips & Techniques

“Born in water and dies in wine” Risotto has long been a staple in my home, both while growing up, and as an adult in my own home. My grandfather Carlo used to say as we were eating risotto, “Rice is born in water and dies in wine”. I always thought that was rather a […]

Roll cakes are so versatile. You can turn just about any Sponge type cake recipe into a roll cake. Add different extracts to change the flavor, and there are unlimited fillings and toppings that you can use to create your own personal take on the Roll Cake. Here are the steps to take, along with […]

You’ve made the same cake many times, yet you wonder why sometimes it’s great and at other times not so great. You have used the same ingredients, carefully measured, used the same cake pan, and baked in the same oven. Well, just maybe, what you didn’t take into account is “temperature”. Not the temperature of […]

When I was growing up, we had polenta several times each month. It was a staple in our home, much like potatoes, pasta or rice are in many homes around the world. It was served mainly with a stew, often rabbit, sometimes chicken, and even with liver sauté with onions, mushrooms and red wine. No […]

There are actually three types of butter: salted, sweet and European. The question is which type is best for baking. It is a matter of opinion, but I am in the camp of sweet (unsalted) butter. In order to meet the requirements of the USDA, all butter, salted or not, must have a butter fat […]