When I was in school in England many moons ago, the chic appetizer on menus all over the country, from bistros to pubs, was fried camembert with a cranberry relish. Small wheels, or sometimes wedges, of camembert were breaded and fried and served with anything from a canned-type cranberry sauce to complicated cranberry relishes. One English grocery store even (to this day) … [Read more...] about Baked Camembert with Hazelnut and Cranberry Crumble
Snacks And Starters
Sweet Potato Skordalia
I first had sweet potato skordalia in Birmingham, Alabama at a meal during a Southern Foodways Alliance event prepared by Tim Hontza’a of Johnny’s in Homewood. The whole “Greek and three” meal was fantastic, but I was enchanted by the little dab of sweet potato skordalia on the edge of the plate. It was the perfect combination of classic Greek cooking with Southern sensibility. … [Read more...] about Sweet Potato Skordalia
Banana Brown Butter Bars
I’ll be completely honest here. I like banana bread, and this Bananas Foster Pound Cake is a champion. I like banana in cookies too. But I don’t much like a banana. Not straight up, right out of the peel. I think it is a texture thing. So I don’t really have bananas hanging around my house going brown just waiting to be turned into a delicious baked good. That is to … [Read more...] about Banana Brown Butter Bars
Brie Dip with Walnut Honey
As you’ve probably figured out by now, I have a thing about snacks. I love eating little bites of lots of things, and I love to entertain in a social, mobile way so people can enjoy delicious food but also mix and mingle with everyone in the room. I literally wrote the book on Southern Snacks. But not all my snacks are strictly Southern. The recipe here is for my favorite kind … [Read more...] about Brie Dip with Walnut Honey
Glazed Double Almond Bars
I’m returning to a classic here. These are neither hip or new or with some special twist, they are just a recipe I have been making for years and return to when I need a little comfort. I love the old-fashioned taste of almond paste. I don’t now why exactly I say old fashioned, there is just something reminiscent about the rich, grainy, almond-y taste to me. I have no … [Read more...] about Glazed Double Almond Bars
