As we continue shelter in place ordinances, I’ve been reminiscing about travel from last year, or even from the first two months of 2020. While it’s actually been quite fun to re-discover our own neighborhood and take time to just enjoy San Francisco and its many (way more than I thought) local parks, there’s something nebulous and intangibly lovely about international travel that, once you’ve tasted it, remains as an ache or a longing at the back of your head and your heart. If you’re fortunate enough to have had the chance to travel, even just a bit, beyond your national borders, may you treasure those memories and experiences forever.…
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Gluten Free Earl Grey Lavender Cupcakes
When I was about eight or nine years old, my grandma gathered all three of us granddaughters, my cousin Sean, my little (at the time, now she towers over me) sister, and me, into the family room of her Ashland hills house and pointed through the fragile glass doors of a carefully-treasured case to the three sets of china that she had waiting for us. One for each granddaughter, differently-colored for differently-personalitied girls. Green and gold with straight-edged patterns, pale blue and silver in little floral loops, and blush-pink, full of little roses. That one was destined for Kendra, whose middle name is Rose, and who was about 4 years…
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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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Gluten Free Rose Gold Financiers
In Paris, and apparently in shops in London and LA as well now, you can enjoy the epitome of floral delicacies in the shape of small, perfect French macarons. Ladurée is my go-to source for these bite-sized almond-flour clouds, and the rose flavor is by far my favorite. Whoever thought of putting the intoxicating perfume of roses into baked goods was struck by genius – who would have thought that a flower could translate so well into an other-worldly flavor sensation in addition to being one of the better fragrances known to humankind. Thanks to that first person who decided rosewater or petals or syrup was destined for a cake…
