The ribbon at the opening ribbon cutting ceremony was a thing of beauty. Not merely a piece of cloth, it was a garland made of herbs and vegetables. It was cut by Chris Cosentino and Dominique Crenn with about a dozen other chefs holding up the ribbon and waving kitchen tools.

Even with the fog you couldn’t complain about the weather. It’s easier to eat and drink if it isn’t 85 degrees. It’s certainly more pleasant when you are on the worker side of an event. Of course it didn’t hurt the events were inside a tent at Union Square. If you were there all weekend and tasted every dish you would have sampled food from a good majority of the restaurants in the city.

On one level chefs participate because it helps us keep our names out there in a competitive business. People who try and like our tastings will come (we hope) to our restaurants and eat.

On another level, and just as important to us chefs, the weekend is a way for chefs to see each other. In our kitchens we are caught up in the day to day stuff- managing employees, writing menus and cooking, or in my case, baking.  It is necessary and even gratifying but not that enlightening. Rolling out dough and mixing batters satisfies the introvert in me but I also need to get out and see what others are doing. It’s fun to be part of an event that includes so many of the Bay Area’s culinary talent.

I participated in the Sugar party (i.e. ice cream social) at The Westin Saint Francis Hotel. Pastry chefs teamed up with artisan ice cream makers to create desserts using ice cream. Here’s a line-up of the pastry chefs, the artisan ice cream companies they worked with, and what they made. You can see they are doing some cool stuff.

William Werner (Tell Tale Preserves) and Jake Godby (Humphrey Solcumb Ice Cream): charentais melon sorbet-prosciutto ice cream bon bon; raspberry-sweet corn ice cream sandwich; imperial stout float, roasted white chocolate; praline marshmallow, pluot pate de fruit, blackberry-nib financiers

Dominique Crenn (Luce): Corn textures and foie gras

Luis Villavelazquez (Absinthe) and Robyn Goldman (Smitten Ice Cream): Cantalope, Lavender and Lemon
Christine Law (Anchor & Hope): Blue Bottle Coffee Milkshake with Maple Whoopee Pie
Jean-Francois Houdre (Westin St. Francis): Peach Assemblage-slow roasted peach puree poached peach in anis syrup, thyme financier, thyme meringue sticks

Elizabeth Falkner (Orson), Ian Flores and Annabelle Topacio (Mr. and Mrs. Miscellaneous): grilled sour dough ice cream sundaes with concord grape syrup, salted brazil nuts and spanish peanuts and chantilly
Ethan Howard (Cavallo Point): “Flufferberry”- Marshmallow ice cream sandwiched between two peanut macaroons with peanut butter buttercream and strawberry preserves
Catherine Schimenti (Michael Mina): Smoked Vanilla Bean Parfait, with cashew butter, fudge and marshmallow

Emily Luchetti (Farallon and Waterbar), Anne Walker and Sam Mogannam (Birite Ice Cream); Peach Split- crème fraiche ice cream, butterscotch sauce, raspberries and toasted almonds

 We all had the common theme of ice cream but it was interesting to see how each chef did something unique.

I got to meet several pastry chefs I had not previously met and others who I had not seen in some time. Pastry chefs (it must be all the sugar) are a friendly gregarious group. I felt energized by all the talent in one room. We could have stayed there for some time laughing and chatting. We each have our own distinct style but we all have the common goal to make great food. We each want to be good but we know there is a place for all of us to succeed. I feel extremely fortunate to be part of the San Francisco dessert world. I don’t think any other city in the country has the caliber and camaraderie around desserts as San Francisco.

Judging from the feedback, the ice cream social will be back at next year’s SF Chefs Weekend. Elizabeth Falkner and I are routing for a brass band like they have at old fashioned ice cream socials. I know it’s a year away but mark your calendars.

We have the same route very year. We start at Peter and Paul Church on Washington Square where Peter’s great grandparents were married. There we sit on the steps and get a family history lesson. (People walking by stop and listen as they think we are part of an organized tour group.)  The first food stop is Liguria Bakery. It has the best focaccia in North Beach, if not the country. You have to get there early as they always run out. They have many different kinds but the pizza is the best. For a nickel more you can get it cut up to go. Otherwise they wrap it up in white paper like your shirts at the cleaners. (When you go make sure you peak into the back and see the huge oven where they do the baking.) The next two stops are at bakeries where we pick up bread and breadsticks. Then it is off to the site of Figone hardware on Grant Street. Mel Figone was a duck hunting buddy of Peter’s grandfather. When he owned the store the Luchetti clan would stop by and give him a bag of cookies from one of the Italian bakeries. Now the shop is an art gallery but we still stop by and reminisce about their duck hunting excursions. Mel’s picture is in the window of the gallery.

After stopping for lunch for some nourishment to keep shopping we stop at Stella Bakery on Columbus Avenue. Here we get a walk around treat. Everyone gets something different- (tiramisu, cannoli, cookies, biscotti, éclairs, cream puffs, panna cotta) plus we pick up a Sacripantina Cake which is their specialty. It’s sponge cake layered with Marsala-Sherry sabayon and covered with whipped cream. From there we go to Molinari Delicatessen. Jeff, my brother in law, orders all the cold meats (prosciutto (20 sheets!), galantina, mortadella, Toscana and Genoa salami, sopressata, head cheese, hot and mild coppa) while I select the cheeses (teleme, aged asiago, fontina, gorgonzola, parmesan, pecorino, and taleggio). Here we also get calamari salad, bean salad, olives, marinated mushrooms, artichokes, and tomatoes as well as house made cheese ravioli, red sauce and wines. At Victoria Pastry we pick up a Saint Honore cake and boxes of cookies. A big box is for us and smaller boxes are for gifts family members take to friends and in-laws on Easter Sunday. The final stop of the day is at Graffeo coffee where we all get coffee ground for our specific machines at home.

We load the cars with our goodies and go over to Peter’s and my house, open the wine and visit while we spread all the food out in a huge buffet. (We always end up with a few more people for dinner that couldn’t make the shopping part of the day.)The ravioli is the only thing we cook that evening so it is a holiday where no one gets stuck doing a lot of cooking when everyone else hangs out.

Years ago I came up with my version of Sacripantina cake. While I make it at other times of the year I wouldn’t think of making it at Easter. Part of the tradition is going to Stella and buying it. It’s fun to have a holiday where I don’t feel obligated to make dessert. I had it on the menu at Stars Restaurant but changed the name to Tuscan Cream Cake. People had a hard time pronouncing Sacripantina so they wouldn’t order it. As soon as I changed the name it sold like crazy.

Tuscan Cream Cake

Serves at least 12

2 recipes Sponge Cake (see recipe below)

1 recipe Zabaglione (see recipe below)

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup chocolate shavings or ground chocolate

3/4 cup crushed amaretti or biscotti

Against a short end of the cake, cut a 9-inch circle out of the sponge cake. With the remaining sponge cake, cut a half of a 9-inch circle. Repeat with the second sheet of sponge cake. Cut each circle and each half circle in half horizontally, so you will have a total of 4 circles and 4 half circles. (You will need all the circles and 2 of the half circles, so freeze the extra half circles and any scrap pieces for making trifles.)

Put a cake layer in the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan. Top with a generous 3/4 cup of the zabaglione. Top with a second cake layer, and then with another generous 3/4 cup of the zabaglione. For the third cake layer, fit two half circles side by side on the zabaglione. Repeat with more zabaglione and end with the fourth full cake circle. You will have 5 cake layers and 4 zabaglione layers. Refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.

In a bowl, combine the cream and sugar and whisk until soft peaks form. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Run a knife around the inside edge of the pan, and then remove the pan sides and set the cake on a platter. Frost the sides and top of the cake with the whipped cream. Decorate the top with the chocolate shavings and the sides with the crushed amaretti. Cut into wedges to serve.

Planning Ahead

The cake may be made a day in advance, but frost the cake and decorate with the chocolate shavings and cookie crumbs the day you serve it. Keep refrigerated until serving.

Sponge Cake

You can double this recipe and make both cakes at once if your mixer is big enough.

Makes one 11 1/2-by-17 1/2-inch cake

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Pinch of kosher salt

5 large eggs, separated

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

5 tablespoons boiling water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter the bottom and sides of an 11 1/2-by-17 1/2-inch baking sheet with 1-inch sides, then line the bottom with parchment paper.

Sift together the flour and baking powder onto a piece of parchment paper or into a bowl. Add the salt and set aside.

Combine the egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment and whip on high speed until thick and pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium-low, add the boiling water and vanilla, and mix until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Increase the speed to high and beat until thick, about 2 minutes. The mixture should be thick enough so that when you lift a bit of it with the whip, it falls back into the bowl in a ribbon that slowly dissolves on the surface. Reduce the speed to low, add the dry ingredients, and mix until incorporated.

Wash and dry the whip attachment. Put the egg whites in a clean mixer bowl, fit the mixer with the clean whip, and beat on medium speed until frothy. Increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks form. They should be smooth and not clumpy. Using a spatula, fold half of the whipped whites into the yolk mixture. Then fold in the remaining whites just until no white streaks remain. Spread the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake until the cake is golden brown and springs back when lightly touched, about 15 minutes. Let cool in the pan to room temperature.

To remove the cake from the pan, run a small knife around the inside edge of the pan. Invert the pan onto a work surface, lift off the pan, and carefully peel off the parchment paper.

The sauce may be made 2 days ahead and kept refrigerated.

Zabaglione

Makes about 3 cups

8 large egg yolks

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Pinch of kosher salt

3/4 cup Marsala

1 cup heavy whipping cream

Prepare an ice bath. In a stainless-steel bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and salt until blended. Whisk in the Marsala.

Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Cook, whisking constantly, until thick and there are no air bubbles, 3 to 4 minutes. The mixture should mound slightly when dropped from the whisk.

Remove the bowl from the pan and place over the ice bath. Let cool to room temperature, whisking occasionally.

Put the cream in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment and whip on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Using a spatula, fold the cream into the cooled Marsala mixture just until combined.

Cover and refrigerate until assembling the cake.

It’s official. I have finally decided what I will make for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day desserts. Making up my mind is not a simple task. There are so many choices. Since it is Christmas I want to make sure they are worthy of the occasion. For weeks I go back and forth muttering several options to myself. It drives my poor husband crazy. On Monday I will tell him we are having one thing and Wednesday I say something else. He will say “But what about the …. you were so excited about two days ago?”  Once he has heard me say the same dessert several days in a row then he figures that is what he will get to have.

I always choose classic desserts. It’s a traditional holiday so I like to go with something time-honored. In past years I have served Crepes Suzette, croquembouche, tiramisu, passion fruit soufflés, Baked Alaska and buche de noel. This year I have decided to make a frozen bouche de noel with chocolate cake and brown sugar ice cream. I will cover it in meringue and serve lots of chocolate and caramel sauces on the side. Come to think of it I better make two so there is enough for Santa. I leave a note telling him where to find leftover dessert. Funny thing it is always gone in the morning.

For Christmas Day we will have Gingerbread with warm apples and cider sabayon. While this is not a classic dessert by other people’s standards it has become part of our Christmas since I first developed the combination in 1991 when I worked at Stars Restaurant.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday.

Frozen Bouche de Noel

If you want to stagger the production over a couple of days, make the cake and ice cream on the 22^nd or 23^rd. Spread the meringue on the 24^th.

Serves 8 to 10

Brown Sugar Ice Cream

2 cups heavy cream

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Chocolate Roulade

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons water

6 large eggs, separated

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

To make the ice cream: Combine the cream, milk, brown sugar, and salt in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until almost simmering. Pour the mixture into a bowl and cool over an ice bath to room temperature. Refrigerate the custard for at least 4 hours or up to overnight. Churn in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Freeze until firm but still spreadable, about 2 hours, depending on your freezer.

While the ice cream is freezing, make the roulade: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 11-inch-by-17-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Melt the chocolate and water together in a double boiler over hot water. Stir until smooth.

Whip the egg yolks on high speed until light in color, 2 to 3 minutes with a stand mixer, 3 to 4 minutes with a hand mixer. Reduce to medium speed and add 1/3 cup of the sugar. Increase speed to high and continue to whip until thick and ribbony. On low speed or by hand, stir in the 1/4 cup of the cocoa powder and the salt. Stir in the melted chocolate.

In a clean bowl, whip the egg whites on medium speed until foamy and begin to increase in volume. Gradually whip in the remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a steady stream. Whip until satiny, stiff peaks form. In two additions, fold the whites carefully into the chocolate mixture. Gently and evenly spread the mixture in the prepared pan.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until the top of the cake springs back when pressed with your fingertip and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, lay a clean thin cotton dish towel on the work surface with a short end toward you. Dust an area of the towel the size of the cake pan with the remaining 2 tablespoons cocoa powder. Remove the cake from the oven and run a small knife around the inside edges of the pan. Place one of the long ends of the cake pan on the right side of the towel and invert the pan and the cake on top of the towel so it falls at the end of the towel closest to you and on top of the cocoaed area. Carefully remove the pan and then the parchment paper. If the cake is not sitting at the end of the towel, fold the towel under itself so it is. From the end closest to you, carefully roll the cake and the towel up together like a jelly roll. Let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.

To assemble the roulade: If necessary, soften the brown sugar ice cream while the cake is cooling. It should be firm but spreadable. Carefully unroll the cake. (If it splits anywhere, carefully push the broken pieces together.) Gently spread the ice cream over the cake with a thin metal spatula, leaving a 1/4-inch border on all sides. Reroll the cake without the towel. Place on a large platter or baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap. Freeze until firm, about 3 hours, depending on your freezer. Cover with meringue (see recipe below). If desired torch just before serving.

Meringue

1/2 cup egg whites (about 4)

1 cup sugar

In a bowl, whisk together the egg whites and sugar until combined. Put the bowl in a saucepan of simmering water and whisk constantly until the egg whites are very warm. Remove the whites from the hot water and whip with an electric mixer on medium-high speed with a stand mixer, or high speed with a handheld mixer, until stiff, glossy peaks form and the mixture has cooled to room temperature. Remove the ice cream log from the freezer. Using a small spatula, spread the meringue about 3/4 inch thick over the cake completely covering it. This can be done several hours in advance. Do not cover. Keep frozen until ready to serve.

Just before serving, using a butane torch, constantly move the flame over the meringue about 1 inch from the surface of the meringue until lightly browned. Or briefly put underneath a preheated broiler.

Gingerbread with Apples and Cider Sabayon

The gingerbread can be made a couple days in advance. Store at room temperature. The apples two days ahead and the sabayon one. Keep both of these refrigerated.

Yield: 9 by 13 inch pan

Gingerbread

1 cup molasses

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1 teaspoon baking soda

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the sides and bottom of a 9 by 13 inch pan.

Mix molasses, boiling water and baking soda together in a large bowl. Cool to room temperature.

With an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light. Mix in the egg.

Sift together the ginger, cinnamon, flour and baking powder. Add the salt

In three additions, alternately add dry ingredients and the molasses mixture to the butter mixture. Mix thoroughly after each addition to make sure there are no lumps.

Spread batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 30 minutes until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool before cutting.

 Apples

7 medium apples (Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Braeburn)

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons (Approximately) apple juice or water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Pinch kosher salt

Peel, core and slice the apples 3/16 inch thick. Cook the apples with the remaining ingredients until the apples are soft but still hold their shape. If the liquid evaporates before the apples are cooked, add more apple juice.

Cider Sabayon

8 large egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

Pinch kosher salt

3/4 cup sparkling apple cider, hard cider or 1/4 cup Calvados and 1/2 cup apple juice

1 cup heavy (whipping) cream

To make the sabayon: Fill a medium bowl two-thirds with ice and water to make an ice bath. Fill a medium pot one-third full of water and bring it to a low boil. In a stainless steel bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, salt, and sparkling apple juice until smooth. Place the bowl over the pot of water and cook, whisking constantly, until thick, about 2 minutes. Place the bowl in the ice bath. Cool, whisking occasionally until at least room temperature. Remove the bowl and discard the ice bath.

Whip the cream until soft peaks form. Fold the cream into the apple mixture.

Refrigerate until you are ready to serve.

Serve the gingerbread with the apples (warm or room temperature) and the apple sabayon.

Once the turkey carcass has been picked of any last remaining meat and the pie crumbs wiped from the counter, I like to spend the weekend after Thanksgiving catching up on reading. It’s time for some R&R after all the cooking and entertaining.  Inevitably I have a stack of magazines that have piled up over the last few months. I settle into the sofa with a blanket and I am set for the day. It may seem odd to read about food after a day of serious eating but not for me. Over the years magazines come and go in my house as I lose interest or they become predictable. I have four favorites that I wait impatiently for the postman to put into my mailbox each month.

One is California Country magazine published by The California Farm Bureau. If you want to learn about farmers, ranchers and agriculture in California, this is a must read. Printed without a big budget or advertising, California Country has articles about water issues, wineries, nuts, citrus, produce, flowers and anything relating to California agriculture. It focuses on big and large scale farms. Once you start reading California Country it sinks in how much food is grown in this state and how much the rest of the country (and the world) depends on California. One of the things I like best is you get to know the people who are involved in agriculture. They are dedicated, hardworking, fun and caring people. The magazine also has a companion television series shown within the state of California. If you can’t catch it on television you can see watch many of the episodes on their website.

Another favorite is Saveur magazine. Like other food periodicals it offers recipes but it doesn’t stop there. Regional and international foods are explored from cultural, historical and culinary perspectives. Saveur is about “real food, real places, real people.” The latest issue featured kimchi, a Jerusalem food market, as well as a turkey article celebrating and attempting to preserve heritage breed birds.

Another favorite monthly, but surely not in third place, is Vogue Entertaining and Travel from Australia. Each time I pick up this magazine I have to restrain myself from calling the airlines and booking a flight to Sydney. The first time I went to Australia in 1987 I was amazed by the food. It equals California in terms of style and ingredients but is also influenced by Europe and Asia. The food is simple but sophisticated. I want to eat every recipe in every issue.

My go to magazine when I want to get into the nuts and bolts of baking and cooking is Cook’s Illustrated. I admit I often read the last part of an article to see the best way to make something and then I go back and read all the versions that got them to the finished recipe. Kind of like reading the end of a mystery novel first. Chris Kimball and his crew are amazing at analyzing recipes in painstaking detail. I can make their recipes for a dinner party and not have to try them beforehand. They always work.

These magazines keep me inspired, cooking and well fed all year. For that I am thankful.

It was really hard to pick a favorite. Next time I will ask you to mail me samples. Fedex and dry ice required of course! My favorite of all was submitted by Sarah. In honor of fall her entry was pumpkin-butterscotch cookies filled with brown-butter ice cream.  As Sarah said, “These cookies are cupcake-like, so the sandwich’s texture is something like a whoopie pie. Yum!” I second that YUM! There’s a reason you are starting to see brown butter on dessert menus across the country. It brings so much flavor to anything and everything.

If you have never made brown butter it is easy. Put butter (I use unsalted) in a pot and cook over medium heat until it starts to brown. It will fill the kitchen with amazing aromas. Stir it occasionally as you don’t want bits to stick to the bottom and burn. The trick is to get it a rich brown color but not to let the little pieces turn black. Some chefs strain the butter but as long as none of it is burned I leave them in. I like the color. As soon as it is finished pour it into another container. If you leave it in the pot it will continue to cook and get too dark.

In other ice cream sandwich news, I have created some new combinations for a conference I am attending at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in Napa next month. The conference is an annual think tank for food professionals. Chefs come in from around the world and we all share ideas and of course, food.  This year’s theme is Frontiers of Flavor: World Street Food, World Comfort Food. As soon as I heard the title I instantly thought of the ultimate American comfort food ice cream. And what better way to enjoy it than from a cart in an ice cream sandwich. No plates or utensils required. In keeping with the international theme, I created four different sandwiches based around Thai, Vietnamese, Latin American and Asian cuisines.

Thai- Coconut Meringues with Mint Lime Ice Cream

Asian- Pistachio Orange Shortbread with Rosewater Ice Cream

Vietnamese- Ginger Cookie with Cardamom Coffee Ice Cream

Latin American- Chocolate Cookies with Dulce de Leche Swirl Ice Cream

Here’s the recipe for my Thai creation.

Coconut Meringue with Mint Lime Ice Cream Sandwiches

Yield 10 sandwiches

Coconut Meringues

6 ounces egg Whites

.75 ounces sugar

3.5 ounces sugar

3 ounces powdered Sugar

2 ounces sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened coconut, finely ground, not toasted

1. Whip Egg Whites until frothy.  Add first amount of sugar and whip to stiff peaks
2. When Meringue reaches stiff peaks add second amount of sugar, whip to very firm peak
3. Place meringue in a bowl and gently fold in powdered, third amount of sugar and coconut.
4. Pipe meringue into 1 3/4 to 2 inch circles with #802 tip (about 1/4 inch) on parchment lined sheet pans.  Bake 150-200 degrees until dry.

Mint Lime Ice Cream

4 large egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 1/2 cups cream

1 1/4 cups whole milk

Zest from 3 limes

5 grams mint leaves

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

1. Whisk egg yolks, sugar and salt.
2. Scald milk and cream with lime and mint.
3. Temper into eggs.
4. Make creme anglaise to 170 degrees.
5. Strain and cool over ice bath.
6. Stir in lime juice.
7. Refrigerate for 4 hours to overnight.S
8. pin into ice cream.
9. Harden off in freezer.

Now that daylights savings time is a little more than a week away I feel we are finally in autumn. As much as I love Indian summer days, the crispness of fall puts me in the mood to bake. This is the time of year I get excited about caramel. I use it all year round but it really shines and shows all its complexities when it is paired with pumpkin, apple, pears and other fall flavors. It is remarkable something so much a part of the pastry palate is just sugar and water. Home cooks are reticent about making caramel but once you learn how to do it a whole pastry world opens up- crème caramel, caramel pot de crème, caramel ice cream, apple caramel bread pudding- the list goes on and on. And that doesn’t even include caramel sauce and all its variations- caramel coffee, caramel peanut butter, caramel chocolate, caramel apple, caramel calvados, caramel ginger, caramel pineapple etc etc.

Whatever you make with caramel you start at the same place- cooking sugar until it is an amber color. Most French (and some American) pastry chefs make a “dry caramel”. This is made without water. I avoid making dry caramel as it has a higher chance of cooking unevenly and burning. Adding water takes a few minutes longer (the water has to cook off before the sugar can cook) but it is much easier.

Caramel sauce is the Grand Dame of all things caramel. The first thing you do is gently stir together the sugar and the water in a medium heavy bottomed sauce pan. Avoid using dark colored pots as it is difficult to gauge the color of the caramel. You want to gently stir it because you want to minimize the amount of sugar splashed up on the sides of the pot. Cook the sugar over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and no longer looks cloudy. Dip a pastry brush in water and brush the inside sides of the pan above the cooking sugar to eliminate any sugar sticking to the sides. (You can also put a lid on top of the pot for a minute. The steam will dissolve any sugar on the sides of the pot.)

Increase to medium high (or high heat if your stove isn’t that powerful) and cook, without stirring, until the sugar is amber colored. This will take anywhere from 3-8 minutes depending on how much you are making and how high the heat is. While it is cooking put your oven mitts on. The caramel will first start to get colored around the edges. At this point swirl the pot gently to evenly distribute the part that is more colored. Once it is a rich deep amber color, turn off the heat. (If you have an electric stove, remove the pot from the burner as the residual heat will keep cooking the caramel.) Acting quickly, pour in about 3 tablespoons of the cream. You want to add it right after you take the pot off of the heat as the caramel will keep cooking and getting darker even though the heat source is turned off. Be careful as the caramel will sputter as the cream is added. Once you have added the cream, using a wooden spoon or heat resistant spatula, stir it in. If the cream sputters a lot, stop stirring. Let the bubbles subside and then stir again. Carefully add the remaining cream. As you add more cream and the caramel cools down you can add it more quickly. Stir until combined. Let cool slightly (should still be warm) and whisk in the butter. This allows the butter to be emulsified into the sauce rather than melt in.

The trick is to get the caramel at just the right color. Too light and your sauce will be thin and more tan in color. Too dark and it will have a bitter taste. Once you have made it a couple of times you will get the hang of it.

Here’s one of the best pastry tricks I know. Cleaning caramel pots can be dfficult when the caramel sticks to the sides of the pot. For quick clean up fill the pot half with water and bring it to a boil. The hot water will dissolve the hard caramel. Similarly, if you burn the caramel and need it to stop cooking so you can get rid of it, add a couple cups of water, carefully at first, just as when you add the cream, to dilute it and stir to combine. This mixture can be poured down the sink.

Now that I have walked you through making caramel sauce here’s my recipe. Use your imagination to decide what to serve it with. Sometimes I don’t get past vanilla ice cream but who would argue with that as long as there are some warm toasted sliced almonds and bittersweet chocolate chunks.

What’s your favorite thing to serve caramel with?

Caramel Sauce

Yield: 1 3/4 cups

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup water

1 cup heavy (whipping) cream

1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter

Stir together the sugar and the water in a medium saucepan. Heat the sugar over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Brush the insides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to eliminate any sugar sticking to the sides. Increase to high heat and cook, without stirring, until the sugar is amber colored, 3-5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. Wearing oven mitts, slowly add a little bit of the cream. Be careful as the caramel will sputter as the cream is added. Using a wooden spoon or heat resistant spatula, stir the cream into the caramel. If the cream sputters, stop stirring. Let the bubbles subside and then stir again. Carefully add the remaining cream. Stir until combined. Let cool slightly (should still be warm) and whisk in the butter. Keep refrigerated for weeks if it lasts that long.

I have a nice stash of jam in the back closet. I have been adding to it since the spring when I first made Meyer Lemon and Orange Marmalade. Next up was apricot and then strawberry. I thought my making jam days for 2009 were over once the calendar turned to September. But I was wrong. At the farmer’s market in San Francisco this past Saturday (on the 3^rd of October!) I found the most beautiful looking and tasting strawberries. Most were small and some were tiny, perfect for jam making. Before I knew it I was asking for a case. So much for the rest of my afternoon.

When making jam it is very very (Yes, I said very twice for emphasis.) important to cook it in small batches. Small batches allow the berries and juice to thicken quicker. The faster they cook the more flavor the jam has. It is tempting to make a big pot so you can get a lot of jars done at once but you will regret it. You lose the freshness of the fruit. This goes for any type of jam you make. Use a heavy bottomed pot at least 10 inches in diameter.

Once I finished making the strawberry jam I had a few empty jars that had not been filled. I hate putting away empty jars for a year so I decided to make some pear-vanilla bean jam with some pears that I also had picked up at the market. Pears can be cooked into jam very quickly as they are full of natural pectin. The pectin helps the fruit thicken. Berries have very little natural pectin.

There are several pear varieties you can use. In California I like French Butter pears and the small Seckel pears.  You can find Bartlett and Comice in grocery stores across the country. Check out your farmer’s market to find local varieties specific to your area. Make sure they are ripe.

I like to give jam as a hostess gift when I am invited to someone’s house for dinner. It is unexpected and gives everyone a break from the usual bottle of wine. I also give it as gifts for Christmas. When it is snowing and cold it is nice to have a reminder of the warmer time of the year.

Here’s my recipe for pear-vanilla bean jam. Pears are plentiful at the market. No sense giving you my strawberry jam recipe as the season is over. I’ll give it to you next spring.

Chunky Pear-Vanilla  Jam

Yield 1 pint jar

You can double this recipe but this is the amount of pears I had at home when I tested it. It is quick and easy. Don’t make more than a double batch. I know it is a small amount but it really is worth it. Don’t reserve this just for toast, it’s great with cheese too.

3 cups apple cider or apple juice (no sugar added)

2 vanilla beans

3 pounds ripe pears, Bartlett or French Butter (about 9)

3/4 cup sugar

Put the apple cider in a large pot or saute pan. With a paring knife, split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Run the knife along the pod, releasing the seeds. Put the vanilla bean and seeds in the pot with the apple cider. Bring to a boil. Boil for 10-15 minutes until the liquid has reduced to 3/4 cup.

While the apple juice is cooking, peel, half and core the pears. Cut the pears into 1/4 inch pieces.

When the apple juice has finished reducing, add the pears and sugar to the pot and cook at a high simmer, stirring frequently, until thick and jam like, about 10 minutes.

Put up in jam jars or just refrigerate until cold and eat right from the fridge.

In my next life I want to be Celia Sack, the owner of Omnivore Books in San Francisco. I have always loved all types of books- Scholastic books in grade school, biographies, fiction, and nonfiction, table top, used- anything with words on a page. And cookbooks are even better. I love the idea of being surrounded by books about food all day. It’s like putting a kid in a candy store. I think subconsciously I wrote my first cookbook not only to share recipes but to have my name listed in the Library of Congress among all the famous authors. 

Celia’s shop is devoted solely to books on cooking, food, and everything related to these subjects. It is an oasis. I walk in the door and I want to stay for hours and sometimes do. Omnivore Books has all the cookbook authors you expect to see plus books about food, agriculture, wine, foreign publishers with book in both English and other languages, and vintage books. I love the old, small, mostly, English baking books that have intricate sketches of pastry equipment. There are also obscure books that you have never heard of but once you know they exist you have to have them. Like the cookbook I found yesterday called Royal Recipes. It focuses on dishes made for the Kings of England throughout history. She also has wine and old food labels. But don’t go looking for any pastry ones this week- I just bought them all. You will have to wait until she restocks. (Sorry- but really I’ m not.)

Besides its wide inventory what makes Omnivore Books so special is Celia. When you walk in the door you are immediately caught up in her enthusiasm and passion for her books. I call them her books because she intimately knows about each one. You mention a book and she says- “Oh, it is right over here.” Followed by, “Have you seen this one, this is a wonderful book.”

With the stash of books I got yesterday I am having a reading marathon this weekend. The stack of books by my bed makes navigating in and out of the covers cumbersome. Time to clear them out so I can get ready for the next pile that I know I will pick up the next time I stop by Omnivore Books.

The first gift my husband ever gave me was my KitchenAid stand mixer. That was a clear sign he was worth keeping around. Who else knew I would prefer a heavy metal object over a cashmere sweater or silver necklace? My mixer is a white 5 quart and it has seen me through the testing of 5 dessert cookbooks, family and friends’ birthday cakes, countless dinner party desserts and years of Christmas cookie marathons. I cannot even begin to imagine the number of times I have whipped cream in my machine. Come to think of it, it would have been cool if it had a meter that logged the number of minutes used. If my mixer could talk it would have a lot of memories to share. The good news is twenty years later I still have my husband and my mixer. They are both going strong and a vital part of my life.

Even though my mixer is working well and I would not give it up for the world when I heard about the 90^th anniversary stand mixer and looked it up online my instant reaction was I have to get one. Then I said to myself- Don’t be silly, you don’t need a new mixer, yours is working fine. That thought lasted for about 24 hours until I went into the Sur La Table at The Ferry Building in San Francisco and Will, the general manager, showed me the new machine. Once I laid my eyes on it I knew it would only be a matter of time before it ended up on my kitchen counter. It is an absolutely gorgeous machine. The color is a deep cherry red, deeper than the red in their standard machine. It has a bit of a metallic sheen to it. Then there is the glass bowl. The thick glass is reminiscent of the mixers of the 50’s but you still get the work horse machine that KitchenAid mixers are known for. Retro and modern. I stare at it the way a mother stares at her newborn baby. I can’t take my eyes off of it. People come in the house and I instantly show it off.

But rest assured I have not given up my old machine. It is tried and true and deserves a rest. With all the baking and testing I do they will both get plenty of mileage. My two machines sit side by side. Visually they complement each other and I like to think they keep each other company.

Here’s is the recipe for the first thing I made in my new 90^th anniversary mixer. Appropriately it is one of my husband’s favorites.

Almond Biscotti

Makes about 36

3 large whole eggs

3 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 2/3 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon anise seeds

Grated zest of 1 lemon

Grated zest of 1 lime

Grated zest of 1 orange

1 2/3 cups (7 ounces) whole natural almonds, toasted

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a bowl, lightly whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla. Set aside.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, anise seeds, and all the citrus zests in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed until mixed. Add the egg mixture and continue to mix until almost completely incorporated, about 15 seconds. Add the almonds and mix until the dough comes together.

On a lightly floured work surface, divide the dough into thirds. Shape each third into a log about 10 inches long. Place 2 logs on a prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 3 inches apart. Place the third log on the second baking sheet.

Bake until light golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool on the pans to room temperature.

Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F.

Transfer the logs to a cutting board and, using a serrated knife, slice crosswise on a slight diagonal, 3/4 inch thick. Place the slices, cut side up, on 1 baking sheet and return to the oven. Bake until golden brown and dry, about 15 minutes. Let cool on the pan to room temperature.

Planning Ahead

The biscotti may be made up to 2 weeks in advance. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Waterbar’s It’s Its

Who would not agree that an ice cream sandwich is one of the best ways to eat ice cream? Eating ice cream by itself is pretty darn perfect but eating it with your fingers has to be close to heaven.

When most people think about ice cream sandwiches the first thing that comes to mind is vanilla ice cream bookended by soft chocolate wafers. But we shouldn’t stop there. In my book A Passion for Ice Cream, I have a whole chapter devoted to ice cream sandwiches called With your Fingers. Chocolate cookies with mint chocolate chip ice cream, cocoa nib florentines with orange ice cream, ginger snaps with lemon ice cream, ranger cookies with peanut butter ice cream.

On the Waterbar dessert menu we have our version of an It’s It. (If you are not familiar with the It’s It, a mostly west coast treat, check out their website.) Our rendition is malted milk ball ice cream sandwiched between two crisp oatmeal cookies. It is then half dipped in bittersweet chocolate. It’s a big seller on our bar menu.

Ice cream sandwiches are easy to make. Yes, you can make your own cookies and/or your own ice cream but if you are short on time or inclination don’t despair. Get your favorite bakery cookies and your favorite commercial ice cream and go for it.

Slightly soften the ice cream (or even sorbet) when you assemble them so the cookies won’t break when you press the sandwich together. Store them in a single layer on a baking sheet in the freezer. Freeze until solid. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap to keep the flavors fresh. (If they last that long.)

Ice cream sandwiches can also be turned into a “dinner party” dessert. Serve them individually on a plate with a dish of warm caramel or chocolate sauce for dipping. YUM!

THE CONTEST: In honor of ice cream sandwiches and how much joy they bring to the world, I am going to have a contest. Send me your favorite ice cream sandwich combination (the cookie and the ice cream). Whoever comes up with the best idea will win signed copies of my three best selling cookbooks, A Passion for Desserts, A Passion for Ice Cream and Classic Stars Desserts (Valued at over $100!).

If you want it to be a homemade creation great but it doesn’t have to be. Store bought cookies and ice cream are fine. It’s all about the combinations. Get creative and just have fun. Send in your entries on the comment board here by October 30^th.

To get your creative juices flowing, here’s my recipe for Raspberry Ice Cream Sandwiches. These don’t even use a cookie but crispy filo.

Raspberry Ice Cream Sandwiches                                                      

Makes 8 sandwiches

Raspberry Ice Cream

12 ounces frozen raspberries (no sugar added), defrosted

4 large egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups milk

1 1/4 cups heavy (whipping) cream

Filo Rectangles

2 ounces (1/2 cup) whole natural almonds, toasted

1/4 cup sugar

2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

4 sheets filo

To make the ice cream: Puree the raspberries in a food processor or through a food mill. Strain the puree through a sieve to eliminate any seeds.

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, 1/4 cup of the sugar, and the salt.

Warm the milk, the cream, and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until hot and bubbling around the edges, about 5 minutes. Slowly whisk the liquid into the egg mixture. Return the milk and cream to the pan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden or rubber heat-resistant spatula, until it coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Strain through a medium-mesh sieve.

Stir in the raspberry puree. Cool over an ice bath, then refrigerate until cold.

Freeze in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. While the ice cream is freezing, grease a 9-by-13-inch pan. Line the bottom and sides of the pan with a piece of plastic wrap. Spread the freshly churned ice cream into the pan and freeze until solid, 6 hours to overnight.

Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the pan. Place a cutting board on top of the parchment paper. Invert the pan and cutting board together. Remove the pan and then gently remove the plastic wrap. Cut the ice cream into rectangles 4 by 2 1/2 inches. (Save scraps for nibbling.) Place the ice cream rectangles on a baking sheet in a single layer (or stack with plastic wrap between layers). Freeze until you are ready to serve the sandwiches.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

To make the filo rectangles: Finely grind the almonds and the sugar together in a food processor. Put in a small bowl.

Lay the sheets of filo on a flat work surface. Remove 1 sheet from the stack and place it on the work surface in front of you. Cover the remaining sheets with a kitchen towel. Brush the single sheet with some of the melted butter and then sprinkle with one quarter of the almond sugar. Lay a second sheet of filo on top of the first and again butter and sugar it. Continue in the same manner with the remaining 2 sheets of filo.

Cut the filo stack into 16 rectangles, each 4 by 2 1/2 inches. Using a metal spatula, transfer the rectangles to the prepared baking sheets, placing them about 1/4 inch apart.

Bake the filo rectangles until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

To serve: Place a rectangle of raspberry ice cream between 2 pieces of filo and serve immediately.