Emily Luchetti Blog

In the Bay Area we are, and should be, proud of our recycling efforts. We have one of the highest recycling rates in the country.

Whenever I travel I keep an eye out for what and how much other cities don’t throw in their trash. In the South Coast of Massachusetts where I recently visited, each house pays by the garbage bag. You can only dispense of garbage in official orange bags. They have normal curbside recycling but they also have something unique.

They pay a 5 cent deposit on bottles and cans for soda, other bottled drinks and beer. To redeem your deposit you take your empties back to the grocery store or liquor store and put them in what I call a reverse vending machine. Bottles and cans go in, one at a time, in separate machines and get crushed. It makes quite a noise but you feel very efficient and productive doing it. At the end you get a ticket which you take inside and get your money back.

I thought I knew about all kinds of berries but when I stopped by a local fruit stand in Massachusetts, I was surprised. On the counter were baskets of wineberries.

With all the fruit produced in Calif0rnia, you’d think we would find them here.  However they grow on the East Coast from Canada to about Virginia, and west to Michigan and Tennessee. While found in the wild, they are not native to this country. Originally from Asia, wineberries were brought here as an ornamental plant and as a cultivator for raspberry plants. Many find the plant to be a real menace as it quickly overtakes native plants.

Wineberries are related to raspberries but are smaller and tarter. When you put one in your mouth it doesn’t dissolve into a juicy perfection like a raspberry and the berries have a tendency to stick together when sitting in the container. Wineberries are mostly made into pies or jam as they need sugar to sweeten them up. While my jam turned out fine, and it’s fun discovering something new, I wouldn’t trade them for a raspberry from Sebastopol Berry Farm or Dirty Girl Produce

When I write a dessert menu it is always interesting to think about which of my creations may become a signature dessert. Not all great tasting desserts raise to that level. Some  can be really popular but for some unexplainable reason they don’t become signatures.

What makes a signature dessert? It’s a dessert that if you take it off the menu you get phone calls and disappointed faces when diners scan the menu and don’t see it listed. It’s the dessert ordered by practically every table for individual hoarding or to share with the rest of the table.  Plate comes back clean every time.

I know restaurant owners who want chefs to create signature dishes even before a restaurant opens, but it doesn’t work like that. It’s more organic. Customers make a dessert a signature, not a chef.  You make desserts and over a six month period or so you see how they sell.  A dessert has to remain popular even with competition from your other desserts and over several seasons. For that reason, signature desserts are often chocolate based as chocolate is available all year long.

At Stars it was Chocolate Paradise with Champagne Sabayon; at Waterbar it’s Chocolate Pudding Cake. Other San Francisco restaurant signature dishes that come to mind are Coco500′s Vacherin with Coffee Gelato, Chocolate Sauce and Almonds; Elizabeth Falkner’s Rose Petal Crème Brulee; Delfina’s Buttermilk Panna Cotta; and Town Hall’s Butterscotch and Chocolate Pot de Crème.

What signature desserts did I miss that you love?

In the summer, when I’m not at work, I want to spend as little time in the kitchen as possible. A go-to dessert for minimum effort and maximum flavor is ice cream sandwiches.

Make a batch of cookies, sandwich two with a scoop of ice cream, and you’re set.

You don’t even have to make the ice cream. Buy a quart of your favorite flavor(s) at Bi-Rite, Humphry Slocombe, Mr. and Mrs. Miscellaneous, Swensen’s — or even Haagen Dazs or Ben and Jerry’s from the grocery store.  Luckily in the Bay Area you can get great ice cream without making a custard base and dragging out the ice cream machine.

It’s more important, however, that the cookies be homemade. Even when frozen you can taste the difference.. Select a cookie that when frozen is still soft and chewy, because a rock hard cookie is no fun to eat.

You can make the ice cream sandwiches any size: Make them small and you can pop them into your mouth; Large and you can eat it slowly and savor every bite.

Here’s my recipe for ginger cookies. It’s not only a perfect ice cream sandwich cookie, but it goes well with all flavors of ice cream. I originally paired them with lemon but have also used coffee, chocolate chip, raspberry sorbet, and coconut. Let me know what combinations you come up with.

Ginger Cookies

Makes about 60 cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

8 ounces (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 large egg

1/3 cup light or dark molasses

In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

Combine 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar, the brown sugar, and the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the egg and beat until mixed, and then beat in the molasses until blended. Reduce the speed to low, add the dry ingredients, and mix until incorporated. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.

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

Spread the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a small, shallow bowl. To shape each cookie, using a small spoon or ice cream scoop, scoop up a spoonful of the dough and roll between your palms into a 3/4-inch ball. As the balls are formed, roll them in the sugar, coating evenly, and then place on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 to 3 inches apart. Flatten the balls slightly with 2 fingers.

Bake until golden brown and set around the edges but still soft inside, about 12 minutes. At the midway point, switch the pans between the racks and rotate them 180 degrees to ensure even baking. Let cool on the pans to room temperature. Bake more trays if necessary.

Planning Ahead: The dough may be made up to a week in advance and kept in the refrigerator. The cookies may be baked a day ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. 

In the summer, when I’m not at work, I want to spend as little time in the kitchen as possible. A go-to dessert for minimum effort and maximum flavor is ice cream sandwiches.

Make a batch of cookies, sandwich two with a scoop of ice cream, and you’re set.

You don’t even have to make the ice cream. Buy a quart of your favorite flavor(s) at Bi-Rite, Humphry Slocombe, Mr. and Mrs. Miscellaneous, Swensen’s — or even Haagen Dazs or Ben and Jerry’s from the grocery store.  Luckily in the Bay Area you can get great ice cream without making a custard base and dragging out the ice cream machine.

It’s more important, however, that the cookies be homemade. Even when frozen you can taste the difference.. Select a cookie that when frozen is still soft and chewy, because a rock hard cookie is no fun to eat.

You can make the ice cream sandwiches any size: Make them small and you can pop them into your mouth; Large and you can eat it slowly and savor every bite.

Here’s my recipe for ginger cookies. It’s not only a perfect ice cream sandwich cookie, but it goes well with all flavors of ice cream. I originally paired them with lemon but have also used coffee, chocolate chip, raspberry sorbet, and coconut. Let me know what combinations you come up with.

Ginger Cookies

Makes about 60 cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

8 ounces (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 large egg

1/3 cup light or dark molasses

In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

Combine 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar, the brown sugar, and the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the egg and beat until mixed, and then beat in the molasses until blended. Reduce the speed to low, add the dry ingredients, and mix until incorporated. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.

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

Spread the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a small, shallow bowl. To shape each cookie, using a small spoon or ice cream scoop, scoop up a spoonful of the dough and roll between your palms into a 3/4-inch ball. As the balls are formed, roll them in the sugar, coating evenly, and then place on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 to 3 inches apart. Flatten the balls slightly with 2 fingers.

Bake until golden brown and set around the edges but still soft inside, about 12 minutes. At the midway point, switch the pans between the racks and rotate them 180 degrees to ensure even baking. Let cool on the pans to room temperature. Bake more trays if necessary.

Planning Ahead: The dough may be made up to a week in advance and kept in the refrigerator. The cookies may be baked a day ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. 

In the summer, when I’m not at work, I want to spend as little time in the kitchen as possible. A go-to dessert for minimum effort and maximum flavor is ice cream sandwiches.

Make a batch of cookies, sandwich two with a scoop of ice cream, and you’re set.

You don’t even have to make the ice cream. Buy a quart of your favorite flavor(s) at Bi-Rite, Humphry Slocombe, Mr. and Mrs. Miscellaneous, Swensen’s — or even Haagen Dazs or Ben and Jerry’s from the grocery store.  Luckily in the Bay Area you can get great ice cream without making a custard base and dragging out the ice cream machine.

It’s more important, however, that the cookies be homemade. Even when frozen you can taste the difference.. Select a cookie that when frozen is still soft and chewy, because a rock hard cookie is no fun to eat.

You can make the ice cream sandwiches any size: Make them small and you can pop them into your mouth; Large and you can eat it slowly and savor every bite.

Here’s my recipe for ginger cookies. It’s not only a perfect ice cream sandwich cookie, but it goes well with all flavors of ice cream. I originally paired them with lemon but have also used coffee, chocolate chip, raspberry sorbet, and coconut. Let me know what combinations you come up with.

Ginger Cookies

Makes about 60 cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

8 ounces (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 large egg

1/3 cup light or dark molasses

In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

Combine 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar, the brown sugar, and the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the egg and beat until mixed, and then beat in the molasses until blended. Reduce the speed to low, add the dry ingredients, and mix until incorporated. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.

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

Spread the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a small, shallow bowl. To shape each cookie, using a small spoon or ice cream scoop, scoop up a spoonful of the dough and roll between your palms into a 3/4-inch ball. As the balls are formed, roll them in the sugar, coating evenly, and then place on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 to 3 inches apart. Flatten the balls slightly with 2 fingers.

Bake until golden brown and set around the edges but still soft inside, about 12 minutes. At the midway point, switch the pans between the racks and rotate them 180 degrees to ensure even baking. Let cool on the pans to room temperature. Bake more trays if necessary.

Planning Ahead: The dough may be made up to a week in advance and kept in the refrigerator. The cookies may be baked a day ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.