Baking
Wild Mushroom and Gruyère Tart with Fresh Herb Salad
The base of the tart is purchased puff pastry, which makes this dish — served as an appetizer at Lucques — as easy as it is delicious. With the addition of a soup, it could also be a lovely lunch or supper.
By Suzanne Goin
Pecan Harvest Loaf
By Ann Warren and Joan Lilly
Anadama Rolls
Legend has it that these cornmeal and molasses rolls are named for a New England fisherman's curse on his wife: "Anna, damn her!" Regardless of what she may have done to upset her spouse, she was a great baker.
Indian Pudding with Nutmeg Ice Cream
The name Indian pudding comes from the addition of cornmeal here — early colonists called most everything made with corn "Indian." Originally the pudding was cooked in a pot over the open hearth and was very dense. This is a lighter version baked in a modern oven, but we kept the traditional step of pouring milk or cream over the top of the pudding before cooking it.
Brie and Saffron Phyllo Tartlets
Although four mini-muffin pans are called for, each containing twelve 1 3/4-by-1 inch cups, you could also make these tartlets in batches using two pans. When making the dough, work quickly to prevent the phyllo from drying out and the butter from hardening.
Franco American Shortcake
By Susan Herrmann Loomis
Nightingales' Nests
Antalya is known for its oranges. Wherever they are grown in abundance, the blossoms are distilled into orange flower water. This fragrant liquid flavors the syrup that is drizzled over these nut-filled spiral phyllo pastries. The name comes from their shape and the notion that some people's idea of heaven is listening to nightingales. Serve them with strawberries and whipped cream for an elegant presentation. Orange flower water is a flavoring extract which is available at liquor stores and in the liquor or specialty foods sections of some supermarkets nationwide.
Almond Cheesecake
Prepare this a day in advance to give the flavors time to blend and the cake a chance to become firm and properly chilled.
Dried Fruit and Nut Cake
(Panforte Di Siena)
"Panforte" translates as "strong bread," reflecting the cake's dense, chewy texture.