honey drizzled apple roses

I am half jewish and half catholic so I celebrate lots of holidays- luckily I adore holidays. There is a tradition on Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) of eating apples dipped in honey for a sweet new year that I always try to observe. It seems like such a poetic gesture. This was my take this year.

honey drizzled apple roses

• poached apples (recipe follows)
• puff pastry (use good quality store bought or recipe here)
• honey
• pecans
• brown sugar
• whipped cream (to garnish)

Cut the pastry into small circles and dock the centers. (or use the pre- made shells) I put brown sugar and pecans into the shells before the apples, but didn’t entirely like the result. Too crunchy. Twist and fold poached apple slices into rose shapes (each slice is a petal) and drop into baked shells. Warm up honey in a sauce pan and drizzle over the tarts.

















poached apples for roses
Adapted from Martha Stewart

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, plus 1 lemon, halved (2 to 3 lemons total)
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 green apples
• 3 red apples

Bring 4 cups water, 1/4 lemon juice, and sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat; cover. Cut a round of parchment paper that has a diameter 1 inch greater than that of pan; set aside. Core apples. (Do not peel them) Using a mandoline or sharp knife, cut all apples crosswise into thin (less than 1/8 inch) slices. Drizzle with reserved lemon to prevent browning. Transfer slices to syrup and shake pan to coat slices. Place parchment directly onto surface of apple mixture. Let syrup cool completely, about 40 minutes.

valentine's treats

Valentines Day is my second favorite holiday, which is slightly self absorbed because it's also my birthday... but it's mostly because it's an excuse to make elaborate chocolate desserts and decorate things with hearts. Top picture is my favorite truffle ever- rum/coffee/hot pepper. Cream is infused with hot peppers from the garden and then I add the rum and coffee before mixing it into the chocolate. They are just rolled in cocoa. I love making cookies that say "eat me." I give them to my friends every year. I guess I like valentines that are rude and sweet at the same time. The cookies themselves are a chocolate clove sugar cookie that is my go to recipe this time of year. Chocolate covered strawberries are always good even though there shouldn't be strawberries around this time of year... and they are super easy to make. Coriander orange flower truffles. Good- but the first ones are better.

chinese new year

I first made this drink for a chinese new party years ago and had a horrible mishap... somehow the pitcher of drinks had started leaking in the car on the way to DC unbeknownst to me, and then while I was walking down the sidewalk to my friend's house the bottom of the (paper) bag fell out and chinese new year spilled all over the pavement. The rats in Mt. Pleasant got tipsy that night. Which is probably good considering all of the fireworks we set off in the alley. Anyway it is made from ginger infused vodka, lychee juice and black tea infused simple syrup. The spiciness of the ginger and the bitterness of the tea prevent this from being an overly sweet drink. I garnished it here with crystallized ginger, but I have also used fresh lychees and cocktail picks that look like little firecrackers. Throw in some dumplings, A & J thousand layer pancakes and illegal firecrackers and you've got yourself a party.