Hot air is dramatic, especially when caught in a web of custard. This beautiful, thrilling sweet souffle is the easiest and fastest dessert to get a “wow” response. First, make a sabayon sauce (egg yolks, sugar, and alcohol cooked in a double boiler). You could stop there and just eat the delicious sauce on berries. […]

“The discovery of a new dish does more for human happiness than the discovery of a new star,” wrote Brillat-Savarin in 1824. Sheila Lukins, who passed away this weekend from brain cancer, discovered many new dishes and did so much for human happiness for countless home cooks. Her first cookbook, “The Silver Palate Cookbook,” contains […]

“I want to make corn pudding.” “Really? Do you have a good recipe?” “Yes, it’s Julia Child’s corn pudding.” “That doesn’t make sense. Julia Child cooked French food and corn pudding is not French.” He searches through “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.” Not there. “When did you last make corn pudding?” “Probably 25 years […]

Want to impress? Bake a souffle! Here are the secrets to baking souffles. Make a bechamel sauce (white sauce), flavored with onion, salt, pepper, paprika, and freshly-grated nutmeg. Separate the eggs so that there is no trace of egg yolk (or fat) in the egg whites. Make the souffle base first (the sauce can be made ahead of […]