One of the best bits about a potluck is that you get to unabashedly eat many desserts. There is no sense in trying to be health conscious. Like the holidays, this is a time when you can dig in to the sweets with pitchforks and deal with the consequences later. Aubrey not only made two recipes to share, Panna Cotta from
Home Cooked and Blueberry Earl Grey Jam from
Foolproof Preserving, she reprised her dishes and brought more to the office a few days later. There was much rejoicing as we abandoned our computers and books and took up spoons. Dev, our master of comfort food cakes, outdid himself with a delicately scented and big flavored Orange Blossom Cake from
Egg. Speaking of
Egg, if you are near a bookstore, pull
Egg off the shelf to see the beautifully designed cover. It's simple and modern, with just a side view of an egg and a cut-out where the yolk would be, showing the bright yellow endpapers within. The cover doesn’t call very much attention to itself, yet it is very pleasing.
Foolproof Preserving
by America's Test Kitchen
Home Cooked
by Anya Fernald
Aubrey made: Blueberry Earl Grey Jam from Foolproof Preserving and Panna Cotta from Home Cooked
Insider tip: “Both of the recipes I used were practically effortless and produced exactly what they claimed they would. I can’t think of a single thing I would have changed, which was honestly a relief since I tend to get overly fussy in the kitchen, especially with new recipes.”
Egg
by Blanche Vaughan
Dev and Tom made: Orange Blossom Cake
Insider tip: “The only tip I would give is to consider buying ground almonds (available at Trader Joe's).They come in 16-ounce packages. It just makes it easier. I did not find ground pistachios.”
Food With Friends
by Leela Syd
Jen made: Black and White Cookies
Insider tip: “My shortbread was really crumbly at first, but adding some extra butter fixed that problem.”
The Farmhouse Cookbook
by Sarah Mayor
Mary Jo made: Warm Apple Honey Vanilla Custard Pie
Insider tip: “Using vanilla extract instead of the specified vanilla paste works just fine. The next time I make this, I'll double the amount of custard, hoping for a bit extra to pour on top before serving.”
The New Milks
by Dina Cheney
Renee made: Coconut Sticky Rice
Insider tip: “My rice pudding needed some extra time on the burner to thicken, which made for a creamier texture than I had intended. I’d recommend serving this dish for breakfast, as it’s easy to prepare, not too sweet, and satisfying in its simplicity.”
The Farmette Cookbook
by Imen McDonnell
Richard made: Diviners Tea Brack