The Other Woman Cooks

Thomas Jefferson collected recipes and left notes on refining the tastes of simple fare like apple dumplings and beef stew for fifty-eight years. The 3rd President of the United States was a foodie who agreed wholeheartedly with Jean Jacques Regis de Cambaceres, an 18th century French politician, that is was mainly through the table that one governs. When given the opportunity to go to France, he struck a deal with a 19 year old slave named James Hemings. Young James was to master the art of French cooking, and help Jefferson introduce Americans to the style of cooking that hundreds of years later made Julia Child a star. In return, James would be granted his freedom.  It's widely reported that it was James Hemings' cuisine that put Alexander Hamilton into a good enough mood to compromise over the location on the U.S. capitol in July of 1790. No doubt that had Jefferson been born in the 20th century, he'd have been an avid food blogger or possibly a cooking channel ...

There's nothing better than red, ripe, just picked strawberries. And turning those juicy, sweet berries into fabulous treats is a long standing tradition in all kinds of kitchens. For three generations, the Russian Imperial kitchens were headed by the great French chef, Pierre Cubat. Assisted by a team of Russian cooks trained in the best culinary schools of France, Chef Cubat created dozens of simple yet elegant dishes. One of Chef Cubat's most celebrated desserts was strawberries Romanov. The yummy combo of macerated berries set on a pillow of whipped cream is uniquely suited to dress up an American classic, strawberry shortcake.  In this gussied up version, the shortcake is kicked up a notch with a biscuit that has a satiny texture. When berry season ends, don't despair: think peaches and cream. SHORTCAKE 2 cups flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2/3 cup salted butter, at room temp, cut into cubes 1 egg, lightly beaten 1/2 cup hea...

Go ahead, ask around. I guarantee that someone you love loves chocolate cake.  This little cake packs a chocolate punch that will surely make your beloved swoon. And to make matters even better - it's easy .... a rich, moist chocolate cake that takes only a few minutes to prepare the batter using one bowl. Use dabs of frosting to attach whole raspberries or strawberry halves to the top layer to make your cake the ultimate in sexy desserts. Finally. look for a sparkling rosé with strawberry or raspberry undertones for a delightful wine pairing.   Perfect! Don't let Valentine's Day catch you by surprise this year.  I don't know for sure if chocolate is an aphrodisiac but it's worth a shot. Make a plan to bake a cake, a chocolate cake! TRUE LOVE CHOCOLATE CAKE 1 cup white sugar 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 jumbo egg 1/2 cup milk 1/4 cup olive oil 1 teaspoon va...