Psssst.  Hey you!  Yes…you.
Need a great dinner party dessert?  Something elegant and impressive but criminally easy to put together?  Something that might make you feel like you are dialing-it-in while outward appearances argue ooh-la-la?
I’ve got what you need.  It’s a little something I call the ice cream torte.  Oh sure, it exists under a variety of names and circumstances.  In fact, the possibilities are nearly endless.  Just mix and match your favorite ice cream flavors and toppings.
For instance, I took …

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This post should be titled “The Misanthropic Hostess Goes Abroad” as I happen to be in Hong Kong at this very moment.  I should be giving you roast duck, dim sum and stories about items bought, coveted and bargained.  I promise we’ll get there eventually.
Instead, let’s talk about guilty pleasures.
A couple of years ago I read a great article in Town and Country Magazine about the guilty food pleasures of some favorite chefs.  I’ve tried to find the article, with …

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They say the Irish have  a wicked sense of humor.  Case in point: this recipe.
Lets see if you can figure out what the ingredients in the following photos ultimately made.

Okay.  Let’s stop here a moment.  For those of you keeping track, we’ve seen mashed potatoes, egg yolks, grated chocolate and soft-peaked egg whites.  Not to mention the almond flour I forgot to photograph.
I swear, this is one of those recipes where someone’s (Irish?) grandmother opened the pantry and decided to …

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Let’s get this month started properly.
Guinness Stout.  Chocolate.  Buttercream.
Shall I continue?
A work colleague (and fantastic baker) introduced me to this cake recipe several years ago. And I’ve been exploiting it ever since.  This is by far my favorite way to make chocolate cake.  It is dark and not as sweet as some chocolate cakes, which makes it a perfect foil for the globs of buttercream I like to slather on top.  And, if you are so inclined (as I am …

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