Cranberries are the deceivingly beautiful but unfortunately tart fruit of fall. I grew up on Costco bags of dried Ocean Spray cranberries, grabbed by the handfuls for after school snacks or tossed together with almonds or cashews for a between-class snack. I remember the revelation that took hold of my sister and I the first time we witnessed the marvel of a cranberry harvest on PBS: millions of marvelously smooth rubies floating in washes of flooded fields. It was practically the red sea, waters parted by wader-clad farmers in checkered flannels and baseball caps. As a proud Pacific Northwesterner, it was another shining example of the quiet gloriousness of the…
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Strawberry and Orange Blossom Water Swiss Roll
In the first few months of dating my current boyfriend, I got to experience his signature fruit salad. It sounds a bit underwhelming, but read on for proof of the glory of this collage of summer hues. One afternoon, he casually tossed together this incredible mixture: light with berries, apples, pomegranate seeds, kiwis, and crowned with a delicate syrup of honey, the juice of a lemon, lime, and orange, mint, and orange blossom water. Needless to say, this is still one of the staples for guests, for a healthier dessert to share over Netflix, or to round out a satisfying weekend lunch. This cake is the first of what I’m…
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Classic Pecan Pie Bars
Sometimes a baked good just exudes coziness. Oozes curled up evenings under the covers with a good book (or four) or with the projector on and a Harry Potter movie playing out on the canvas of your apartment wall. These pecan pie bars do just that, with a kick of wickedly sweet corn syrup custard and the nutty fall crunch of caramelized pecans held together by the flakiest of shortbread crusts. If this sounds like the perfect Saturday evening, then by all means, read on. And, if you toss them in the oven before dinner, they’ll be done just in time for that movie night, or start them on the…
