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GUILTY PLEASURES!

Friday, March 01, 2013
GUILTY PLEASURES!

I’m often asked what my guilty pleasures are and I have to admit that really good bread and butter is definitely on the list.  When I want to treat myself, I go online and order a huge crusty loaf of sourdough bread from Poilane, the best bakery in Paris.  It’s enormous – it weighs about 4 pounds! – it’s made in their wood-burning ovens, and they FedEx it almost daily right to your door.  When it arrives, I cut the loaf in quarters and freeze some for later.  Poilane’s bread is dense and flavorful and it’s as good toasted with butter and jam as it is sliced for sandwiches or grilled for bruschetta.  Of all the gifts I’ve ever given, a loaf of fresh bread shipped from Poilane was definitely everyone’s favorite.  The raisin and walnut breads are also amazing! It’s like a trip to Paris without the jet lag!

COOKIE SWAP!

COOKIE SWAP!
Photo: Quentin Bacon
Monday, November 26, 2012
COOKIE SWAP!

I’ve always thought that the solution to many of life’s problems is a good cookie with friends.  So Ladies' Home Journal and I (that’s me with entertainment editor Susan Pocharski) invited some of our favorite food bloggers to my barn in East Hampton for a cookie swap – we all made our favorite holiday cookies for each other!  The story is in the current issue of LHJ and to whet your appetite, here’s the recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Globs that I made from my new book FOOLPROOF.  Happy holidays!

GUILTY PLEASURES!
Photo courtesy Fran's Chocolates
Wednesday, September 05, 2012
GUILTY PLEASURES!

I’ve tried a lot of salted caramels but I always come back to the original ones.  OMG I love Fran’s chocolate-covered caramels with sea salt.  I serve them after dinner with a small glass of Pedro Ximinez (PX) sherry and I’m in heaven.  A box of 20 caramels wrapped in Fran’s beautiful caramel-colored ribbon is also my favorite hostess gift.  I guarantee you’ll be invited back!  To order click here: Fran's Chocolates.

MAN’S BEST FRIEND
Photo: Mallory Samson
MAN’S BEST FRIEND

Wednesday, August 22, 2012
MAN’S BEST FRIEND

My friend Joanne Newbold's adorable dog Baxter is a 3-year old Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen (PBGB for short.)  He's a French scent hound (think Inspector Clouseau) and being French, he's a serious gourmet. For Baxter and all my friends’ dogs, I thought it would be a fun to bake a special treat to keep their tails wagging.   Dogs can't resist peanut butter and I've mixed it with whole wheat flour and wheat germ so it’s also good for them.  Here's the recipe for Whole Wheat & Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits.  Hope your dog finds it a triple woof, too!