Quick

CREATED TWENTY YEARS AGO by Pasta & Co founder Marcella Rosene, this unique blend of dried herbs is exceptionally versatile.

THIS IS TRUE HOT CHOCOLATE——as opposed to cocoa—made by melting chocolate into hot milk. It doesn’t take any longer than hot cocoa to prepare but is a richer and creamier concoction. Top each mug with a dollop of whipped cream, marshmallows, or ground cinnamon, or dunk your favorite cookie into it.

A far cry from anything in a bottle, this intensely flavored syrup tastes great over waffles, pancakes, and even ice cream. You can use one type of berry or a combination of berries.

WITH A HANDFUL OF RICH HAZELNUTS and diced apples, these Pacific Northwest waffles make a hearty and tasty weekend breakfast dish. The whole wheat flour adds a deeper flavor and bonus nutrients. Once you taste these waffles, you’ll never use a waffle mix again.

Instead of pouring syrup and butter over a stack of pancakes, we put the butter in the syrup. This sweet and creamy syrup is also great on Cinnamon Buns (page 225).

A STACK OF FLUFFY, HOT PANCAKES can lure even the most dedicated sleeper out of bed. Made with masa flour (corn flour), these gluten-free pancakes have a decidedly corn flavor that is even better topped with a warm citrus honey-butter syrup or Northwest Berry Syrup (page 221). Masa flour, also known as masa harina, is available in most grocery stores and is commonly used in Mexican cooking.

LIGHT ENOUGH TO BE SERVED AS a casual breakfast dish but hearty enough to accompany a New York steak, these latkes have a crunchy, savory flavor due to two techniques: First, the potatoes are salted to remove most of the excess moisture and then browned in olive oil and butter for a rich, round flavor.

FRUIT SALADS ARE BEST when based on what’s in season. While the fruit may change, I always use a delicious vanilla syrup that works wonders with any combination. Below is a list of what fruits you’ll find in season that pair well in this salad.

Using the oven to toast nuts is best. You get more uniformly toasted nuts than in a skillet on the stove, and there’s less chance of burning them (if you set a timer, that is). Let toasted nuts cool completely before using them in a recipe or storing in an airtight container.

The secret to a flaky crust is keeping the dough cold and rolling it between two sheets of plastic wrap. Do not roll the dough on a floured surface because that only incorporates more flour, pressing it into the butter and reducing the flakiness of the crust.

Besides serving this with the apple crisps, we use it as a sauce for cheesecake (see page 201). This basic caramel sauce also tastes great over ice cream.

IF YOU THINK YOU DON’T LIKE GINGER, these cookies are sure to change your mind. With cloves, cinnamon, and ginger, these soft, chewy cookies have a bite all their own. Ground ginger has a more intense flavor than fresh and is ideal for baking. The only way to improve on these cookies is to sandwich vanilla ice cream between pairs of them. (See photograph on page 174.)

THIS IS A TRIPLE-ORANGE VEGETABLE DISH: bright orange carrots, paprika, and orange juice come together to create a vibrant side dish.

AFTER WALKING BY A BIN OF LOCALLY GROWN, knobby brown sunchokes one autumn afternoon, I became curious about this unusual ingredient. Also known as Jerusalem artichokes, they taste like a cross between an artichoke heart and a potato and are at their best in the fall and winter months. If you can’t find sunchokes, substitute Yukon Gold potatoes.

LET’S FACE IT: STEAMED BROCCOLI IS BORING, but pan-roasting broccoli in a dab of butter produces a vegetable even a kid would eat. To spice it up, I often throw in a mashed garlic clove and 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes.

IF YOU’VE GOT THE GRILL ON, nothing is easier than grilling sweet onions and fennel. Tossed with a balsamic dressing, the rich, caramelized flavors make a great side dish for meat, including Grilled New York Steak with Balsamic-Mushroom Ragout (page 136).

WASHINGTON STATE CORN appears in markets in July and doesn’t stop until September. Fresh, sweet corn is truly the taste of summer and takes only a few minutes to prepare. Vegetables are so plentiful in the summertime we always end up with bins of beans and corn, and after weeks of eating corn on the cob I came up with this simple way to celebrate the summer bounty.

Serve this flavorful gravy over any poultry dish or Turkey Meatloaf (page 111).