I looked toward Per Se’s blue door and — whoa! — my eyes landed on a thick wall of green, one side of a secret garden that’s been erected as an entrance before Per Se’s entrance. Frank Bruni examines Per Se's garden, including how you get things such as lemon trees and pineapples to grow in a mall. I've seen the garden in person, and it's lovely, if a bit odd and unexpected.
Month: November 2006
A slideshow of favorite cookies,…
A slideshow of favorite cookies, as selected by editors of Gourmet. Includes recipes, for those inclined to make some.
Making a gingerbread house
photo by Flickr user baslow
I'm going to be making my first solo gingerbread house this holiday season, and I'm really looking forward to it. The last one I "made" with my mom back in the early 1980s. The highlight was the trip to the candy store to get all the decorations. As I recall, it turned out lovely (alas I don't have pictures) and we all ooohed and ahhed around it for days. Then my mother packed it up for storage in the attic until the next Christmas. The following year, when we when upstairs to get it, we found the box open. Inside, we spied the house with huge chunks missing, pieces of candy broken off, walls destroyed. It was a ruin! Did a mouse get in there? Maybe a raccoon? What animal culprit was to blame? No animal, it turned out, only my little brother. My six-year-old brother with a sweet tooth so insatiable he spent the summer hiding in the attic, eating a rotten old gingerbread house.
So this year I'm doing my own, and will store it far away from my brother's greedy hands. He's coming to my house for Christmas, but I'll be keeping a close eye on him! I've got a design in mind, and a decorating scheme, but I'm looking for a great gingerbread recipe. Something that won't shrink too much and create firm walls. Any suggestions? And of course, I'd love any tips you may have to share.
How to Eat Fewer Pesticides…
How to Eat Fewer Pesticides A new wallet-size Shoppers' Guide can show you how. [via Lifehacker]
These types of bills aren't…
These types of bills aren't about foie gras as much as they are about animal cruelty. Kate then asks some questions that we should consider when trying to legislate against animal cruelty. She exactly nails what bothers me about the recent spate of foie gras legislation.
Frisee. Such a space-taker on…
Frisee. Such a space-taker on the plate, so hard to pick up with a fork, and even harder to get gracefully into your mouth. I sort of hate frisee. There, I said it. I have to agree with Rebecca on this one. It's not a taste thing, it's a usability thing. I'd much rather eat mâche or arugula.
Heidi's got a nice travelogue…
Heidi's got a nice travelogue from a recent trip to Puglia, Italy. Sounds like she was attending a conference focusing on the cuisine and culture of the region. Dear food world: I'd like to attend a conference in Italy focusing on the cuisine and culture of the region. My schedule is open. Just tell me when to show up!
Jones Soda Co., looking for…
Jones Soda Co., looking for a marketing advantage, is making the switch to pure cane sugar from high fructose corn syrup as a soda sweetener. Yum. Though I'm not a big soda drinker, when I do drink it, I prefer sodas sweetened with real sugar. It's so much yummier, and it's why I love Mexican Coke but never touch the American version. [via Girlhacker]
Eight hours into cooking the…
Eight hours into cooking the dish, I now realise Heston Blumenthal is a devil. He has taken a fairly straightforward recipe and endowed it with every possible fiendish element of complexity he could devise. The humorous and time-consuming experience of making Blumenthal's Black Forest gateau.
Looking for a delicious holiday…
Looking for a delicious holiday cake? This Peppermint Fudge Cake will have everyone raving. I made it a few years ago for the family for Christmas and it was a huge hit. Filled with a layer of airy peppermint mousse (made from white chocolate, whipping cream, sour cream, and peppermint candies), and enrobed in chocolate ganache, it's a decadent holiday dessert. Mmmm…I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!