From the Dr., I learned how to order and drink martinis. When we were at Applewood in Brooklyn last year, he ordered their pearl onion martini. The onion flavor was strong, but it made for a perfect drink after a stressful day at work. Any new obsession costs money, so I infused my own vodka…

Last November, The New York Times published this no-knead bread recipe from Jim Lahey of Sullivan Street Bakery and food bloggers everywhere went berserk. But it requires some time and I couldn’t squeeze in a day and a half to try it myself last year. Fast-forward five months later and I’ve adjusted the recipe according…

One of the best presents I received this year was a 3-month Bacon of the Month Club membership from Zingerman’s. Cameron just knows what the hell I would squeal over for my birthday. I love that Aaron and Pete understood that a box of pork delivered at work would be something I would actually want.…

I never really bake because I’m not a big fan of desserts. When I tell my friends who love to bake that I am a better cook because I can just throw ingredients in a pot and make a nice dish out of it, they tell me the same thing–that they throw eveything in a…

This didn’t come out as pretty as I had hoped. I forgot to dip the set panna cotta gelée ramekins in warm water before unmolding for a smoother finish, but at least they came out deliciously purple. This was adapted from Gourmet Magazine. I took advantage of the fresh seedless grapes at Fairway and the…

Adapted from joyofbaking.com Ingredients: 2 eight-inch pie crusts, thawed 6 large eggs 2 cups fresh pumpkin meat, shredded 1 cup heavy cream 1 cup light brown sugar 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1/2 tsp ground cloves 1/2 tsp salt 1. In a large bowl, lightly whisk the eggs. Add the remaining ingredients…

After my first successful try at making gelée, I decided to try this Martha Stewart Living recipe. I served it as dessert when family friends from Manila visited New York City. It didn’t match the jerk chicken main course but that’s why I think they were tickled to be eating it to end their night.…

I used to buy this ginger citrus iced tea from Balthazar’s Bakery in the summer. When we moved offices from SoHo to Chinatown, it was one of the small pleasures I started to miss. Now I make my own. It takes patience to make your own ginger-citrus juice, but you can use any ginger tea…

I’m not a baker so I was very careful with this recipe I adapted from foodtv.com. It was very involved but I had fun rolling the dough like clay. Ingredients: 2 cups of oatmeal 2 cups of flour 1 cup of raisins 2 sticks of unsalted butter, melted for a few seconds in the microwave…

This was the first dish I’ve ever cooked for the boy that impressed him. He’s a much better cook than I am and it thrilled me to watch him clean up his bowl and ask for a second serving. I was visiting him in Vermont and we stopped by his professor’s house to borrow a…