Favorite Resources
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Websites for recipes
- NYTimes Cooking (https://cooking.nytimes.com/)
- Food & Wine (https://www.foodandwine.com/)
- Bon Appetit (https://www.bonappetit.com/)
- Barefoot Contessa recipe index: (https://barefootcontessa.com/cookbook-index)
Baking Books
- Pastry Love by Joanne Chang (some of the clearest instructions in a baking book I've ever seen - my daughter is obsessed - make everything!)
- Flour by Joanne Chang (see above)
- Ovenly by Agatha Kulaga and Erin Patinkin (Love their Brooklyn Blackout Cake.)
- The Book on Pie by Erin Jeanne McDowell
- 100 Cookies by Sarah Kieffer (Best cookie book ever-written, loved by my son William. Make the pan-banging cookies.)
- Everyone Can Bake by Dominique Ansel (Make the banana bread.)
- The Good Book of Southern Baking by Kelly Fields (The Praline Brownies as are amazing as are the Glazed Lemon-Cornmeal muffins.)
- Bravetart by Stella Parks (The best milk chocolate frosting.)
- Dessert Person by Claire Saffitz (The Pull-Apart Sour Cream and Chive Rolls might be my favorite and are a Thanksgiving staple.)
- James McNair's Cakes by James McNair (My first ever cake-book - I love to make the "Three-Milk Cake" (Tres Leches) and the White Cake.)
- The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook by Cheryl Day and Griffith Day (I make the Bourbon Pecan Pie recipe every Thanksgiving.)
- The Cake Book by Tish Boyle
- Baking at the 20th Century Cafe by Michelle Polzine (Traditional Eastern-European recipes - must-have if you want to make strudel, pierogis, etc.)
- The Violet Bakery Cookbook by Claire Ptak (Claire baked the Royal Wedding Cake for Megan and Harry - my favorite recipe is the Violet butterscotch blondie.)
- The Art of French Pastry by Jacquy Pleiffer (Very traditional and accessible European recipes.)
Cookbooks
- NOPI by Yotam Ottolenghi (My favorite Ottolenghi book - complicated so I pick and choose components.)
- Cook This Book by Molly Baz (Love the Nicoise Sando with Smashed Egg and Black Olive Mayo.)
- The Cook You Want To Be by Andy Baraghani (I especially enjoy his vegetable recipes.)
- Mezcla by Ixta Belfrage (Some of the most flavorful and innovative recipes I have seen.)
- Dinner in French by Melissa Clark (I love every recipe -- all the fish, chicken and especially the Pissaladiere with Tomato, Olives and Anchovies.)
- Pasta Sfoglia by Ron and Colleen Suhanosky (The most creative pasta dishes ever -- I took lessons with Ron in Nantucket.)
- River Cafe London by Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray (Simple Italian -- love the Braised Spinach with Peas.)
- Nothing Fancy by Alison Roman (Easy and interesting recipes -- Slow-Roasted Oregano Chicken with Buttered Tomatoes is a family favorite.)
- Dining In by Alison Roman
- Modern Comfort Food by Ina Garten (My favorite Ina book.)
- Nigellissima by Nigella Lawson (My favorite Nigella book -- love the Chicken with Tarragon Salsa Verde.)
- Dinner In An Instant by Melissa Clark (A great Instant Pot cookbook.)
-How to Cook by Nigella Lawson (A fabulous read. Her roasted chicken is perfect.)
Basic Tips
Here are some tips I have found useful:
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Measure Carefully:
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For accurate measurements, especially in baking where ingredient ratios are crucial, use a scale. It’s more precise than measuring cups and spoons and simplifies cleanup. My preferred scale is the OXO, which features a pullout function for accommodating various container sizes. [Link here.]
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If you’re not using a scale, measure wet ingredients with a glass measuring cup and dry ingredients with metal or plastic measuring cups for best results.
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To measure flour, fluff it first, then spoon it into your measuring cup. Level it off with a knife for an accurate measurement.
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For brown sugar, pack it firmly into the measuring cup.
Plan Ahead:
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Allow eggs and butter to reach room temperature before baking. If you forget to take them out of the refrigerator, warm the eggs in a bowl of warm water. For butter, gently warm it in the microwave, taking care not to melt it.
Baking Advice
Cooking Advice
Protein cooking times:
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Fish: use the rule of 10 minutes per inch of fish thickness.
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Boneless skinless chicken: you can cut the chicken into 1" pieces and cook for 15 minutes in the oven at 400 F convection (425 F) (breasts or thighs).
Favorite Products
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California Olive Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil (100% California) is my top choice. I find it at my local supermarket.
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For most recipes, I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. If you're using Morton's Kosher Salt, remember to double the amount.
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Maldon Salt is a fancier flaky sea salt that I like to use as a garnish.
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Secolari Balsamic Vinegar is my favorite balsamic vinegar.