#lemon-ricotta-torte

#lemon-ricotta-torte

I use a lot of vermouth actually. Obviously it's a fortified wine and so therefore it has a lot of flavor. When I'm doing pastas, for example, I'm using white vermouth sometimes. If I'm doing a seafood pasta with clams, it's amazing. People are like, 'What's that flavor in there?'

Whether you believe it's cheesecake or not, you can't argue that it's not a terrific (and super easy!) breakfast, snack, or dessert on its own merits. For something so easy to make, this two-ingredient Japanese cheesecake sure did come out delicious.

We have timeless holiday classics-looking at you, pineapple-glazed ham -as well as fresh, seasonal dishes that highlight spring produce like asparagus, radishes, and rhubarb.

Antonina's Gluten-Free Bakery has added a fresh new flavor to the mix with its first gluten-free and dairy-free muffin, a Lemon Streusel muffin that's soft, moist, and topped with a light, sweet crumble. It's the kind of simple, classic flavor that fits into any morning: breakfast on the go, weekend brunch, or a quiet coffee break. For anyone avoiding dairy or simply looking for an option that works for more people at the table, this muffin delivers familiar flavor and texture without compromise.

If you're unfamiliar with the unabashed pageantry that is Italian cassata, let me enlighten you. The Sicilian showstopper consists of a booze-soaked sponge cake layered with sweetened ricotta that's cloaked in a bright green marzipan cape and adorned with all kinds of candied fruit with decorative piping. It's a cake that demands attention, and one that rejects the notion that simple is best. With cassata, more is more.

Is there anything more delicious than tiramisu? This Italian dessert consists of decadent layers of espresso-dipped ladyfingers and plush mascarpone cream. It's perfectly creamy and only lightly sweet, with a rich dusting of cocoa powder on top. On our first trip to Italy, I ordered it at every restaurant Jack and I went to. It's just that good. After I shared this strawberry tiramisu last summer and this pumpkin tiramisu in the fall, I couldn't resist developing a classic tiramisu recipe too.

Every morning I join a group of friends for coffee and conversation at a cafe in my neighborhood. We call ourselves the "coffee klatch." This time of year, one of the key klatchers, Michael Soriano, often comes bearing a bag of Meyer lemons, picked from his tree. Last year he even did a drive-by in front of my apartment, delivering a bag of those fragrant golden orbs just for me. Such luxury! And free. It felt like a heist.

A shoulder of lamb is one of my favourite cuts; you, or a friendly butcher, will need to trim away its excess fat, a job that will reward you with an exquisite flavour that marries beautifully with bold spicing. Here, we travel to Morocco, with sweetly aromatic ginger, turmeric and cinnamon, and follow that with cardamom, cream and rhubarb for pudding.