This is going to be quick because I have house guests to prepare for and a big meal to cook. I present the perfect pancake recipe. It is the only pancake recipe I will ever need and just happens to be made with 100% whole grains, thanks to the fabulous Kim Boyce. Nutritious pancakes that taste better than any I have had in the past—what more can you ask for? I’ll be making these this weekend for my friends, they are especially delicious with some bacon and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. The fact that these are whole grain means they can be a regular at your breakfast table. read more+++

So, you have made your beautiful quince pie and have a cup or two of poaching liquid left over (I ended up with 1 3/4 cups). It would be unforgivable for you to pour it down the drain. What to do? Have a drink! The poaching liquid was too beautiful and fragrant for me to ignore, so I decided to invent a cocktail. This is a good idea for any future leftover poaching liquid (pear tarts?). All you need to do is strain the liquid into a jar and keep it in the refrigerator until ready to use. read more+++

The quince is a beautiful fruit. The astringent cousin of apples and pears, it requires cooking to make it palatable. Cooking also magically turns the apple-like white flesh, to a ruby red/pink color. Ta-da! Quince are in season right now and it is a perfect time to try this beautifully perfumed fruit (it is one of my favorite smells!). The most common kitchen application is to make a jam or paste, which is delicious alongside a slice of salty cheese, like Manchego. But quince also find their way into baked goods like this biscuit pie.

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I don’t really know how or when Ina Garten became a cultural icon, but somewhere along the way she became Camp. I guess it was her television show that introduced Garten and her Hamptons world to everyone.  A recent episode of 30 Rock poked fun at her relationship with her husband, Jeffrey, confirming (for me) that she is different than the other celebrity cooks. It is all sort of amusing and confusing to me.

Like many of you, I’ve been cooking with Ina Garten for years. Some of my favorite recipes come from her cookbooks (including my all-time favorite lasagna). She adds to her collection of books this month with the release of How Easy is That? (see!, she even has a catchphrase!). read more+++

I celebrated my birthday last week. Bryan, who is officially the most amazing person in the world, arranged for two of my dearest and most favorite friends to fly in from New York to surprise me. I was so surprised I spent most of the weekend talking about how surprised I was—and having an incredibly fun time. Even before I knew they would be with me, I had been contemplating what to make for my birthday dessert. The answer appeared to me in the new issue of Bon Appétit: Apple Fritters with Bourbon Ice Cream.

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Melissa Clark is one of the food writers that I just trust. I have been cooking her recipes for years, and they are always excellent. She co-wrote many of my favorite cookbooks including the The Last Course with Claudia Fleming, which remains one of my all-time favorite books. Her new book, In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite (named after her excellent column in the New York Times) is as appealing, fresh and wonderful to read as you might imagine. Clark really excels at recipes that are both familiar and somehow special. These are the recipes that I find myself wanting to cook, and the book is full of them. read more+++

I’m crazy for concord grapes. This is the third recipe I have posted involving this autumn staple. If you haven’t tried one of these recipes, you are missing out. They are among my favorite recipes ever. I started with a grape tart that was pure heaven. I thought I couldn’t do better, until last years grape foccacia—which blew my mind. This sorbet rounds out the trio and is a delicious and intensely flavored sweet treat. read more+++

Sometimes I like a recipes because it presents me with questions. It makes me think about how and when I might serve it,  or what I might serve it with. It gets me thinking. This recipe for Tourteau de Chèvre from Dorie Greenspan’s latest masterpiece is one of those recipes. It is a cheesecake, but is definitely not the sweet creamy cake you might be expecting. It is more complicated. It is dry and isn’t very sweet. You can pick up a piece and eat it out of hand. It is also absolutely delicious.

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A couple of years ago, Bryan and I went to Spain with his family. We stayed in Marbella, a town in Andalusia that provided us with a good location from which to explore southern Spain. I completely fell in love with the region, especially the food. I ate gazpacho at least once a day for the entire week we were there and I never had a bad bowl of the stuff. Even the cartons of gazpacho that were sold at grocery stores were oddly satisfying. I came home vowing to continue to eat the cold tomato soup as often as possible—but like most plans made during travel, this one was never realized. In fact, I have gone through two tomato seasons without a drop of gazpacho. Not this year.

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Thanks for a great week, everyone. I’ve had fun celebrating the past two years of Lottie + Doof and am looking forward to the year to come. Thanks to Bryan and Dorie Greenspan for their contributions to the week, and thanks to all of you for the great comments and kind emails I have received. You are the best! Before we wrap up the celebrations and start dealing with the piles of apples that are invading the farmers markets, I have one more special treat. This week would not be complete without a contribution from my favorite Chicago bakery, Floriole.

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