San Francisco has tons of great pizza options so I've never really felt the need to master the art of the pie at home. The few attempts I have made end up lacking that chewy crust that only an 800 degree oven can deliver. Until recently I'd given up my ambitions to tackle at-home pizza until I received the October issue of Bon Appetit.
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There is no fruit that reminds us that fall has arrived more than the apple. While I am a lover of the Apple Pancake all year round, I think it is particularly enjoyable during the fall season when apples are the star of the fruit show.
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During college I made the big move out to Madrid for six months to "study". Upon arrival I took up residence with a lovely Spanish woman named Cecilia and her track-suit wearing 30-something son. Knowing only that I was americana, Cecilia decided to make me feel at home and serve cheese stuffed hotdogs for my first meal. While her intentions were good, the cheese stuffed hot dogs were not. Fortunately for everyone at the table, she also whipped up a little thing known as Tortilla Española (Spanish Omelette) as a side. I took one bite and knew that tortilla would not be my last.
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I have never considered myself a potato salad person - primarily because of my lifelong dislike for mayonnaise. The oddest part is that I love all of the individual ingredients that go into mayo. Eggs? Good. Lemon juice? Great. Olive oil? Why not. While I've warmed up to the stuff over the years, it's still not something that I like to chow down on in large quantities. So therein lies my challenge with classic American-style potato salad.
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There are few things more satisfying to bake than a really airy and delish cake. That's because on more than one occasion I've ended up with one that is dry and dense. When my husband's birthday came around I decided that I was feeling up cake from scratch challenge. What did he want? A classic yellow cake with chocolate frosting.
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After our stay in Paris, we took the train down to Provence to stay at a tiny little hilltop hotel called Crillon Le Brave. There is no place more fancy casual. The french know how to live! After enjoying a day trip to Châteauneuf-du-Pape for wine tasting, we noticed a sign for chèvre on the side of the road near our hotel. My husband was kind enough to accommodate my u-turn request. He knows that there is no getting between me and my goat cheese. That, and a girl who has had a few glasses of Sancerre needs a snack.
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While wandering the Parisian markets, I constantly saw beautiful baby artichokes that were begging to be cooked. I love love love artichokes, and will eat them any which way they are served. For the final feast prepared in our little kitchen, I decided to make an artichoke risotto I came across by Jamie Oliver. Not exactly french food, I know.
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Despite the fact that there was a pastry or chocolate shop around every corner in Paris, I felt like my apartment's kitchen would have gone to complete waste if I didn't bake at least once. After finding a tart pan in the kitchen cabinet, I came up with grand plans to assemble a strawberry tart with fruit I purchased from the market.
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