This cake is absolutely the result of farmers market excitement. After being out of town for several weeks and missing my own local market, I couldn’t resist the abundance. I brought home with a basket of gorgeous nectarines and some fragrant lemon balm with no real plan to use them (there were also peaches, blueberries, blackberries and tomatoes in my bag). I have never really … [Read more...] about Nectarine and Lemon Balm Cake
Breakfast And Brunch
Strawberry Popovers with Whipped Vanilla Bean Butter
When I was growing up, there was a very nice restaurant in Memphis that served an eclectic mix of southern, French and Hungarian food. My family went there for brunch after church all the time (and later in life I served on a board that had meetings there for lunch). The staple specialty of this place was popovers with strawberry butter. The table was always served a basket of … [Read more...] about Strawberry Popovers with Whipped Vanilla Bean Butter
Tarragon Mustard Velvet
Spring has always been a season of brunch for me. Easter, graduations, wedding showers. It’s a great way to entertain elegantly and with a little planning, pretty easy to do ahead. Center the affair around a ham with biscuits or rolls, a perfect platter of stuffed eggs, add some vegetables, a casserole (maybe this hash brown version) and a few indulgent treats and you … [Read more...] about Tarragon Mustard Velvet
Curry Biscuits with Ginger Pork Tenderloin and Mango Chutney
Ham biscuits are a staple of any brunch buffet for me, particularly at Easter. Whether it’s a whole ham on a pretty platter with a basket of biscuits on the side or a tray of pre-assembled bites, I can’t do without them. And one of my favorite classic southern party dishes is pork tenderloin with lovely rolls and a nice spread, from mustard to flavored butters (it even made it … [Read more...] about Curry Biscuits with Ginger Pork Tenderloin and Mango Chutney
Celery Popovers
Popovers are sort of kitchen secret weapon. They are so easy to make but produce such impressive results. Watching the simple batter transform into fluffy sculptures is one of the glories of cooking. My sister-in-law was given a popover pan years ago and I used to ask her to make them all the time because I thought she had some special secret. She eventually got tired of my … [Read more...] about Celery Popovers
