When I was a kid, I loved the idea of being able to buy my mom presents on Mother's Day. It felt more impactful to purchase a glossy gift than to simply bring home a mediocre art project from school. She, of course, much preferred anytime I made something myself, which I never ...read more
Soft serve is having a moment in L.A. and I'm so excited that it's now being made with high-end ingredients. It's always been one of my favorite desserts - the ideal hybrid between ice cream and frozen yogurt - and whenever it's on the menu, I order it. But it wasn't until I saw ...read more
The Fourth of July has always been one of my favorite holidays. Beyond what it represents for our country, it symbolizes a brief pause in an otherwise hectic summer that slips by too quickly. It's filled with grilled corn on the cob, bare feet on warmed bricks, chilled rosé and ...read more
We recently we had some friends over for a casual barbecue. I woke up the morning of with the intention of making a lemon meringue pie, my first of the season. But after reading through the three-part process, I simply didn't have the energy to be in the kitchen all day and ...read more
I've made so many cakes over the years, it's hard to say which is my favorite, but if you asked me today, I'd have to vote for this cookies and cream version. It's so simple to make, layering crumbled hunks of chocolate cookies into a rich, vanilla butter cream. If you need a ...read more
While my pregnancy ended a few months ago, my intense cravings haven't really subsided. As a result, I keep a pretty well-stocked pantry, filled with my favorite candies, cookies and other snacks. But a few weeks back, I was desperate for home-baked chocolate cupcakes with a ...read more
Whenever I visit my parents in Northern California, I always make it a point to stop by ACME for a loaf of their sourdough bread to bring home. It's one of those things that the southern half of the state just can't replicate. Similarly, when my mom comes to visit me, she heads ...read more
I've never really liked carrot cake. The concept of putting a relatively healthy vegetable inside a dessert just seems like a trick to get you to eat more vegetables. Add on to the fact that many versions contain raisins and the entire concept comes across as a cruel joke. ...read more
I like to think my taste has become slightly more refined over the years, but my one weakness is fast food desserts. I don't eat them often, but the smell of a McDonald's apple pie sparks a Pavlovian response. Let's face it, they are pretty bad for you so if I'm going to stuff ...read more
Aside from adding chocolate, I don't believe there are many ways to improve a classic peanut butter cookie. So, that's what I did for this recipe and the results turned out pretty much as expected. They were phenomenal. I don't want to oversell these, but since you most likely ...read more
I used to think of blondies as a step down from its far superior cousin, the fudge brownie (my favorite being this variation). Thankfully my tastes have evolved to appreciate how delicious and diverse this simple cake can be. I chose a basic recipe, but browned the butter and ...read more
I usually prefer cookies that have a gooey center and chewy exterior, which is why I was surprised by how much I love these almond lace cookies. Although they look fragile, they have a deep toffee flavor, which pairs exceptionally well with chocolate. They're easy to make, but ...read more
For the past few years, we've gone apple picking to kick off the arrival of fall. Sadly, this year's fall came and went and we never made it out to the orchard. In an effort to re-create the experience, we decided to make the apple cider donuts we always pick up on our way back ...read more
Pumpkin pie has always been one of my favorite desserts and I've never quite understood why it's only acceptable to eat it around this time of year. It's the dish I look forward to most at Thanksgiving and since we're hosting for the first time, I made it my mission to perfect ...read more
When I found out that Salt & Straw, a Portland-based ice cream shop, was opening up a new location within walking distance from my house, I knew it was going to be trouble. I'd been reading about them for years and all of the rave reviews were well deserved. Salt & Straw's ...read more
When I was a kid, my parents would make homemade cinnamon rolls each Christmas morning. I looked forward to it all year until I grew to realize that the breakfast they ate was perhaps even more special than mine (buckwheat blini with crème fraiche, caviar, and champagne). But I ...read more
In the summer, I love the idea of whipping up a fresh fruit pie each time we entertain. But the reality is sometimes I just can't bring myself to hang out in a hot kitchen for the entire afternoon. For those times, I love serving ice cream sandwiches (you can see my other ...read more
I have a weakness for frozen desserts, namely Drumsticks (these homemade ones I made a while back are unreal) and anything involving vanilla, chocolate and caramel. For a fun twist on a Snickers bar, I came up with these layered caramel crunch pops that require no work besides ...read more
A few weekends back I had the house to myself and barely left. I spent one day on the couch, only leaving briefly to pick up Mexican food, and on Sunday, one of my best friends came over for the entire day. We walked to the farmers' market where we picked up peaches and then ...read more
I haven't always been the biggest fan of cherries (in fact, this is the first time I've featured a cherry recipe on the site). It might be partially due to an early childhood trauma where I nearly shattered a few molars biting down on a stone pit, but I've since gained a bit ...read more
Like many women, I have a weakness for anything S'mores-related, but it wasn't until I tried this dessert at Superba Snack Bar that I felt like I had found the best of the best. Every time I visit the restaurant I order one for myself, even though I'm pretty sure they're meant ...read more
I've baked a lot of cupcakes over the years and while they usually turn out well, they're often inconsistent; so when Jennifer, from the award-winning Trophy Cupcakes, reached out to let me know she'd be in L.A., I jumped at the opportunity to spend a morning in the kitchen ...read more
Last month we attended a party that served the most decadent cake I've ever tasted. On the surface, it looked like a basic chocolate cake, but I found out it was actually legendary recipe from Ebinger's Bakery in Brooklyn (which opened in 1898 and closed in 1972.) ...read more
The first time I saw Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, I was convinced I was going to be a candy maker (or professional taste tester) when I grew up. Creating wild confections based on whatever you dreamt up seemed like a perfectly reasonable career and the one combination ...read more
