Good Things by David

Have you ever had the pleasure of eating eggs poached in tomato sauce?  It's such a delicious way to cook and serve eggs for a light breakfast, lunch or even a dinner.  Nothing could be easier than cracking a few eggs into a pot of simmering tomato sauce, and then having them poach to perfection. Since there are only a few ingredients to this dish, it's of the utmost importance to use good, cage-free, free-range eggs, and fresh garden tomatoes, if possible, or canned San Marzano tomatoes. Many gardens are still bursting with tomatoes, so if you're lucky enough to have a bumper crop I strongly encourage you to make a large pot of marinara sauce.  It's an easy thing to do, and it's such a great way to capture the essence of summer.  After harvesting several plump Brandywine tomatoes a couple of weeks ago (above), I wasted no time in making a most delicious marinara sauce.  The first order of business is to skin the tomatoes.  Fil...

Summer is a great time to entertain.  Everyone likes to have company over at least once or twice during the season, so that one can share good food, lots of laughs and the best of the best.  I'm all for going to the farmers market every single week to pick up the most colorful, juiciest and flavorful fruits & vegetables for us to feast on here at home, but if I happen to be harvesting summer berries or other fruits from the property, even better.  Should I have company over for an afternoon luncheon or dinner, then I make an extra effort to bake a pie or a cake and pick the most flavorful meat for burgers or perhaps some Maryland blue crab for savory crab cakes, if I'm in the mood for them (this is most often the case during summertime).  After I choose a main course and at least one dessert, then everything else falls into place.  The dinnerware, flatware and glassware can be dressed up or down depending on the ambience I want to create. Here ...

Made throughout Latin America and Spain, Flan can be found at many reputable restaurants or pastry shops in these regions that sell the best of the best.  This popular dessert is also loved in France where it is called Crème Caramel and is made into individual servings or into one large custard.  It's no mystery to me why it's so popular, because it is such a perfect dessert to end just about any meal.  Light, smooth & silky in consistency, Flan is crowned with a most delicious caramel that glistens when it's unmolded.  But, whether you call it a Flan or Crème Caramel , I think every home baker ought to make this showstopping dessert at least once or twice during the year.  The only thing that may seem intimidating about making the custard is the caramel itself.  With a few tips and things to remember, it too is quite easy. Crème Caramel ~ Flan I first had the pleasure of tasting a good, homemade Flan many years ago while tr...

Going through my archives of recipes, photographs and thoughts every single month gives me a chance to pause and take note of what I managed to capture and what I didn't.  It helps put things into perspective for me.  I like to outline on paper ahead of time the subjects I want to cover for a particular month, all the while taking notes, adding things or removing them.  It's how I blog.  The items I don't get to cover always get pushed back for a later date & I make sure not to forget what it is I wanted to say, capture or express; everything gets jotted down.  The subject of Good Things is boundless in my opinion, which is why I initially thought of using those words for my blog title.  The month was certainly filled with my favorite things, but it seemed to have been overtaken by The Good Egg .  I started with the idea of eggs, Araucana eggs to be exact, because I love using them in my kitchen for baking & cookin...