Serve with whipped cream (homemade of course) or ice cream

If you’re looking for a new way to cook with apples, why not try a French version that was created by mistake.

Here’s an excerpt from my post on Dean & Deluca’s Gourmet Food Blog:

My first job was at a 4-star French restaurant in Boston and one of my most vivid memories of working at Maison Robert was the tarte tatin that sat in full view of all the diners, enticing anyone who walked by to order it for dessert. It was kept warm on some sort of hot plate, waiting to be topped with chantilly cream.

Click here to read more about Tarte Tatin and for the recipe on The Gourmet Food Blog at Dean & Deluca.

I love cooking with tea and highly recommend it. Some of you may remember my tea-roasted chicken recipe. It’s definitely one of my favorite ways to cook a bird, but more on that later.

Here is my latest experiment: Tea-infused yogurt pound cake with Earl Grey icing, featured on The Gourmet Blog by Dean & Deluca.

It’s a dreary, rainy Friday…the perfect time to bake a cake weekend guests.

Espresso-Rubbed Rib-Eye Steak

Find the recipe for espresso-rubbed steak in The Gourmet Food Blog by Dean & DeLuca.

When it comes to cooking a whole fish, roasting is one of my favorite techniques because of its versatility: simply add whatever herbs and ingredients you like or may have on hand and you’re sure to come out with a winner. Here, my take on a Greek-style fish recipe in the Dean & DeLuca Gourmet food blog.

If you’d like more ideas on what herbs + spices to use when roasting a whole fish, please e-mail me.

Chorizo adds a ton of flavor to so many dishes, especially ones that include garlic and tomatoes.

I love the combination of clams and chorizo. Here, a sultry rendition that pairs well with a spicy red wine and some grilled bread. You can easily serve this as an appetizer or as a main course with salad.

For the recipe, visit my post on Dean & DeLuca.

I used to buy vanilla pods and scoop out the beans, that is until I found this vanilla bean paste from Neilsen-Massey. It makes baking so much easier, even though admittedly I still love the scent of the pods, so I’ll probably buy them every now and then. But being a busy mom, the paste makes baking so much easier, yet desserts still get those flecks of vanilla bean that I love. For my first experiment, I used the paste in a recipe for panna cotta, which pairs well with so many summer fruits.

For an easy panna cotta recipe, read my post on Dean & DeLuca’s blog.

What are you going to make your father, or father of your children, this Father’s Day?

I plan on making this rack of lamb for my husband. (And of course I’ll be sending my father something, probably some wine from Winery Insider, which deserves its own write-up, something I’ll do soon). This version of rack of lamb is so easy to make, yet it’s impressive for the father in your life.

Happy Father’s Day!

I’ve noticed that there are two sorts of home cooks: those who frown upon advice from a chef and those who welcome it. I am from the latter group. I’ve learned some techniques from chefs I never could have learned on my own. And I love picking their brains about where they shop and how they find inspiration, and generally just learning how to cook from them.

All this leads me to tell you about a new complimentary service at Dean & Deluca. They’re now offering free in-store consultations for home cooks at their Madison Avenue (at 85th St) location. Whether you want to find out about a certain cut of meat and how to cook it or what spices to use with a particular dish or ideas for new recipes, Dean & Deluca now has two top chefs, Josh Capon, Executive Chef at Lure Fishbar and Diane DiMeo, Executive Chef at The Red Box Bistro and 1834 Burger Bar, every Wednesday from 4 – 6:30.

It might not seem possible to donate to charity while sipping a cappuccino as you stroll through SoHo. But a new partnership between Dean & DeLuca and Shot of Charity™, a nonprofit founded by three Georgetown University graduate students, makes that possible. When you order a coffee and ask for a Shot of Charity™, 25 cents will be donated to a rotating and changing roster of lesser-known charities, and 50 cents for a double Shot of Charity™. It’s a great way to help while going about your daily life.

Whether you’re working or shopping in SoHo, you can feel good about getting a caffeine buzz. Starting on June 21 you’ll be able donate a single or double Shot of Charity when you order a cup of coffee at Dean & DeLuca’s SoHo location; 560 Broadway at Prince St.

For more information about the Shot of Charity™ program, visit Dean & DeLuca.

Here's my daughter at the Alice in Wonderland statue in Central Park

I am going enjoy a walk in the park with my family. But first I’d like breakfast at home. Find out in my latest Dean & Deluca article what kind of breakfast I would love to be served on Mother’s Day. It doesn’t require any cooking, just some shopping and assembling.

Read my Breakfast in Bed article in Dean & Deluca’s Gourmet Food Blog.