My mother was a fantastic baker and cook. She could take nothing and make something wonderful from it. Unfortunately, I didn’t appreciate it when I was growing up. They practically had to force feed me like those poor geese for foie gras. But what I did love, was anything my mother baked and is why, […]
Greek Tomato Salad was featured on my original blog, “The Ardent Cook” which posted more food recipes than baking and pastry. It was also a TV segment during my TV days. This is super easy to put together and while, best the first day, I have been known to eat leftovers a couple of days […]
This Spanakopita (pronounces span-ah- koh -pee-tah) is a traditional Greek filling with spinach, feta, green onions, and eggs. While the filling is traditionally used to fill a pie enclosed in phyllo, it is also familiar as a small appetizer folded into triangles. For an in-depth discussion of phyllo and how to use it, please see my Baklava blog . […]
Flavorings are used to enhance, add to or change the taste of the base product, be it cake, cookies, sauces, yeast doughs, pastries, candies, etc. Flavorings can come from extracts, emulsions, oils, compounds, powders, spices and herbs. Where to use what is another question. Each of these can be double or triple strength. For professional […]
Greek Orange Yogurt Cake or Portokalopita as it is known in Greece first came to my attention when reading a post by David Lebovitz writing about Tinos Greece. Of course, I immediately started searching for the dessert and came up with what I thought to be the most authentic version of this Greek Orange Yogurt Cake based on the fact it […]
