Inspired by Peaches

By Katie Barreira

This past weekend I embarked on a fly-by-night getaway to Cape Cod with a group of fabulous lady food editors. As you might imagine, there was a lot of eating and we definitely disproved one old adage: there is no such thing as too many cooks in the kitchen.

The meals we planned were delicious, but it was a spontaneous moment of culinary inspiration that provided the most memorable dish of the trip. Sunday morning, still in our PJs, we surveyed the remaining food and started on a fruit salad, but those squat little donut peaches were just too cute to cut up. When pitted, dipped in a thick batter and fried, however, the peaches became dead ringers for the confections after which they were named, but instead of a doughy center, you bite into warm, juicy peach flesh.

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How to Make Croutons

By Zoe McLaughlin

Have day-old bread and don’t know what to do with it? This recipe shows you how easy it is to make homemade croutons. Croutons only take a few minutes to make and can be used for a variety of dishes. The most classic is for Caesar Salad but croutons are a great addition to many soups, as well as tossed greens.

Depending on how you plan to use the croutons, cut them to the size you need. Small croutons are great on soups such as gazpacho, a cold refreshing summer soup. They add a nice, crunchy texture.

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Crepes – it’s Easier than you Think!

By David Hu

I love bacon and eggs for a weekend breakfast but sometimes I like to change it up. Crepes are one of my favorite standbys – they’re quick and easy to make, and just a little special. I like my crepes with apricot or strawberry jam. But don’t forget Nutella or bananas and sugar.

If you have extra crepes, just put them in a plastic bag and refrigerate; they’ll keep for a few days. Reheat them in a warm pan or zap them for a few seconds in a microwave oven. For longer storage, stack crepes between wax paper squares to keep them from sticking together, wrap airtight and freeze. They thaw quickly at room temperature.

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City Boy, Country Boy

By Andrew Hunter

Sometimes I wonder how two boys from the same family could choose such different paths in life. This time, I’m not talking about Ben and Nick, but my brother Tony and me.

I live in a densely populated urban center. My view at night is houses and bright lights. Tony lives in a sparsely populated rural sprawl that can’t be found on GPS. His view at night is trees and moon shadows. Tony’s a pharmacist and I’m a chef, but we both love cooking with family and friends in our chosen locales.

He’s the kind of guy who digs a deep hole every Thanksgiving in frozen earth to cook a giant ham with hot rocks buried in dirt. While I prefer stirring Arborio rice and butternut squash together over a giant propane burner from the Chinese hardware store to make creamy risotto.

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How to Whip Cream

Clouds of fluffy whipped cream will dress up even the simplest of desserts, like a bowl of sliced summer strawberries. All you need is heavy cream, some sugar to sweeten it, and an electric mixer. If you don’t have an electric mixer, you can use a wire whisk and a strong whisking arm.

Colleen shows how easy it is to whip the cream, demonstrating the difference between softly whipped and stiffer whipped cream, and providing a few tips for prefect results. You can customize whipped cream by adding a flavor extract such as vanilla or almond, a liqueur or some citrus zest.

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