Gateau is the French word for cake. This recipe is a very unique take on the concept of “cake”. The history seems to suggest that the Savoyard cake with potatoes and bacon was a fairly recent creation. It is a Tartiflette from the Savoy region that originated in the valley of Aravis. This is the…
Puff pastry with an almond filling, what is not to like? The galette des rois is such a desert. The history of this dish is a bit convoluted but fascinating, and I hope I am stating it accurately. Its roots take place in western Gaul with the Carnut peoples. Once occupied by the Roman’s, they…
This is a fascinating, unique and delicious dish, that I first saw in Michel Roux Jr’s book The French Kitchen (which I highly recommend). Recipes in French abound on the web and are all different. However, trying to find some history on this dish was challenging. Regardless, it will wow your guests both visually and…
I recently was working in Monticello Kentucky and stayed in Somerset Kentucky. The restaurant scene is modest, but one clearly stands out far above the others when it comes to “a gourmet experience” – The Chalet. I have eaten at this restaurant multiple times during my stays in Somerset, excellent ambiance, wonderful food and very…
Dumplings in Eastern Europe, and around the world, are ubiquitous and have very different fillings country by country. Dumplings are boiled, fried, steamed and put in soup. However, dumplings from Eastern Europe are very similar, and confusion enters when trying to determine who developed the first dumpling in a given country or region. Russian and…
I have only done 1 previous tortilla pinwheel. However, these pinwheels are a great appetizers. I use honey baked ham, which I love. Purchase a good quality ham and bake it using a glaze. I like my ham done until it becomes a dark brown on the surface. Sliced thinly this type of ham works…
These wheels are a delicious creation that will wow your guests. Puff pastry is a wonderful creation that puffs up brown, flaky and delicious. Pepperidge Farm makes a great puff pastry that you can find frozen in your gorcery. Making puff pastry from scratch is lots of work and I usually like to make things…
It is Christmas, the time we celebrate the birth of our Savior. During this time, Hot cocoa offers a wonderful treat for Christmas morning, after church, when the family comes together and opens gifts. Hot cocoa is not Hot Chocolate, they are different, though frequently used interchangeably.Hot cocoa, traditionally, is made from cocoa powder, milk,…
There are a plethora of garlic knot recipes on the web, the following is my iteration. It is claimed that these were first made in New York City in the 1940s and since have exploded throughout the country and world. They make great rolls for a Christmas or other party. You can make these fairly…
Mpanagtigghi (pronounced “Mep-an-a-tig-ge”) is a very unusual cookie made with cooked ground meat. This sounds odd, but the taste is tremendous. The Mpanatigghi is a Sicilian chocolate and meat cookie. The origin of these cookies is thought to be from the Spanish empanada. In fact the name is derived from Spanish meaning to wrap or…