Speculoos – Cinnamon Cookies

Speculoos is the golden spice cookie that comes wrapped in plastic and sits on the saucer of your espresso cup in nearly every cafe throughout the Hexagon.  In the past decade, a single, plastic-wrapped speculoos has replaced the chocolate-dipped almond or malted milk ball that was the typical sweet treat alongside a cafe exprès. So, […]

Cooking and Teaching with a Social Purpose

French cooking and culture zucchini and goat cheese verrines

  Last week was extraordinary It began ten years ago, when Evelyn Isaia and her daughter, Camilla, came to a week-long cooking class I was teaching in Paris. By weeks’ end we were friends and over the years we’ve kept in close touch; I taught a class at her home in Miami, and when she and her […]

Tuerie

There is something so very special about being an expatriate even though, occasionally, I long for the familiarity of the country where I was born. But just think: here, I am and always will be “the American.” Which gives me the advantage of the renegade. This creates advantages, one of which is that I can […]

Fig Crostata

I’ll be including plenty of gorgeous Italian recipes in classes this fall, and one of them is inspired by the air in this high spot of Tuscany, part of the Apuan alps, which smells like dessert. Walking along the lanes, climbing the trails, even cycling to the beach with cars whizzing by, the amber aroma of […]

Nutmeg Logs

Its’ almost Christmas, but there is time for one last cookie recipe, and here it is. These little treasures are a tradition in my family and I’ve made them every year since I can remember. They’re quick and they fill the air with their nutmeg scent.  Waste no time – get into the kitchen so that, […]

Coupure de Gaz

I arrived at the studio where I give classes in Paris to find a small poster taped to the door of the building with the anouncement  “Coupure de Gaz” (cutting off the gas) in livid black letters.  I looked closely to see when.  Oh no!  “le 11 May de 8 h jusqu’au 18h” was written; right in […]

Yogurt Cake Re-Visited

I have a dinner coming up, and I want to make a delicious but simple cake for dessert.  I considered plenty of options and settled on an old favorite, Yogurt Cake.  This, as those of you who have read On Rue Tatin, is a cake I discovered one day at my son’s school during a […]

Kougelhopf

Every year at Easter I make kougelhopf. Why for Easter?  I’m not sure except that to me Easter is, among many other things,  a feast of gorgeous baked goods and spring treats. Besides, kougelhopf holds special memories for me.  Not only do I love its taste and buttery texture, the way the raisins float in […]

Molten Chocolate Cake

I’m busily testing recipes for my new book, which involves lively, everyday stories of the French cook The recipes are from my friends and acquaintances, avid cooks, professionals, moms, dads, farmers, businesspeople. I collect them, I test them, I ask myself the ever-present question: “Will my readers love this as much as I do?” I […]