Good Things by David

A few days ago a group of us experienced a magical weekend at a sprawling farm in Pennsylvania.  Unbeknownst to us at the time of booking, we ended up staying at chef Jose Garces' magnificent Bucks County estate.  The 40 acre compound included an antique Pennsylvania bank barn, the main house which was built in the middle part of the 1800s, a large greenhouse, some outbuildings, a pool, and acre after acre of lush meadows.  Really and truly, the estate was magnificent to say the least. I'm extremely fortunate to have gathered with several generous and loving individuals who live by the same principles that I do, who share common interests and have the same tastes that I do, and who love of all things Martha. It was a weekend filled with cooking, baking, wine tasting, gift giving, trampoline jumping and relaxing poolside on this verdant 40 acre property called, Luna Farm.  We also spent a day antiquing and shopping for some of our favorite collectibles near and ...

The latest publication to come from the kitchens of Martha Stewart Living is a beautifully photographed, well-organized and practical cookbook dedicated to newlywed couples.  One should look at Martha's 'Newlywed Kitchen' as a sensible, attainable and delicious compilation of recipes for anyone starting a home. In this book you will get tips on how to stock a pantry, what essential kitchenwares to buy for your home, choosing the right china and linens for the table, and of course, a good amount of recipes for weekday meals, weekend brunches, desserts and even holiday get-togethers.     Personally, I think it's rather genius to have a cookbook with recipes that make two servings, instead of the usual four and over.  Martha's book will not only be useful for the newlywed couple, but it will be exceptionally helpful for any couple who wants to cook fresh, delicious meals, without having to waste time, energy and resources making large quantities of food.  ...

If you're in search of a good white wine to have this spring, look to this Southern Italian white by Le 7 Torri.  Made from the Fiano grapes in Campania and Basilicata, but also in certain areas of Sicily, Fiano di Avellino is an interesting varietal that is worth trying. Its distinctively strong, yellow color hints at the honeyed and flower notes that are evident in this full-bodied wine.  Moreover, there is a slight tropical fruit flavor to the delicious Fiano, which makes it perfect to pair with many seafood and chicken dishes.  Think smoked salmon canapés, poached halibut, or even a nice piece of red snapper.  I'm even going to go so far as to suggest to pair the wine with Ina Garten's Mustard-Roasted Fish Recipe .  That recipe is delicious! Don't forget pasta dishes, such as linguine with clams or even garlic and olive oil pasta.  Tasty!  Enjoy a chilled glass or two of Le 7 Torri this week. Cheers!

Anyone in need of a pick-me-up would probably appreciate a good chiffon cake made with lots of fresh citrus.  Chiffon cakes are classified under the sponge cake family, just as angel food and jelly roll cakes are.  What sets them apart from other cakes is that they don't contain any butter whatsoever, and the fact that they are baked in ungreased cake pans so that the batter can cling to the sides during baking. They are immensely delectable, delicate and very easy to make.  I find them to be the ideal choice for weekend get-togethers, a birthday luncheon or for those occasions when a little sweetness is in order. I recently turned to a Martha Stewart recipe that I hadn't tried before but had noticed in several of her publications.  Intrigued by the recipe's use of freshly-squeezed orange juice, orange and lemon zest, I decided to have a go at this scrumptious cake. A variation of the cake covered in a Swiss Meringue icing, much like a lemon meringue pi...

Cakes can be made for any type of celebration.  Recently I had the pleasure of creating a Snowflake Cake for a fun holiday party, and I thought to myself that the cake's design could easily lend itself for any kind of winter get-together.  All you really need to do is bake the cake layers, bake a snowflake cookie or two if you wish, get a snowflake cake stencil and whip up a large batch of Swiss Meringue Buttercream.  Putting it all together is when the fun begins.  Tinting the buttercream is completely up to you.  Leaving an all-white cake will certainly make it look frosty and snowy, but if you brighten it up with a bit of red gel paste coloring or any other hue, your cake is sure to stand out and be worthy of any dessert table. This is what I used for my Winter Snowflake Cake Eggnog Cake  (baked in two 9x2" round cake pans for approximately 45 minutes) Swiss Meringue Buttercream  (two batches) Baked & Iced Snowflake Coo...

This year's Thanksgiving table has so much of what I love, and I'd like to take a moment to share it with you.  After recently finding some wonderful transferware that I knew I'd want to use for this year's holiday table, I then decided to add some items from my collections of glassware, flatware and vintage linens.  The results are very autumnal, festive and, to my mind, beautiful.  Here is where I'll be sitting this afternoon to feast on roast turkey, butternut squash soup and several tempting sides. I knew the moment I laid my eyes on this vintage Spode pattern that it would be perfect for Thanksgiving.  I love the creaminess of the shapely plates which have a brown and burnt-orange transferware motif.   The caramel glass pumpkin dish was made for Martha by Mail, by the L.E. Smith Glass Company back in the 1990s.  These vessels are just the thing to use for savory butternut squash soup. I can't honestly remember when I purchase...