Author: kjohnston22

I’m a Campari drinker myself, but after the classic Aperol Spritz came under fire by The New York Times, I thought this cake paid a nice tribute to our immortal summer refresher. Should you be of the NYT camp, skip the Aperol frosting – the orange peel infused cake is delectable on its own. Orange… Continue reading Aperol for Dessert

Tucked under the sidewalk of a hidden Lower East Side block in the space previously occupied by Birds and Bubbles now sits Wayla. Serving “homestyle Thai food” Wayla offers up a robust menu of unique offerings, plus an incredible array of cocktails. I have a special place in my heart for the space itself, having… Continue reading Wayla

I was never a big fan of cheesecake until I made the association of cheesecake as a cheese course rather than a cake. On the rare occasion dining out that you might opt for what most would consider a hors d’oeuvre, a cheese plate certainly offers rich, decadent flavor, and often a fruity and/or acidic… Continue reading Cheese Course

Recipe adapted from Melissa Roberts & Maggie Ruggiero INGREDIENTS 2 cups boiling-hot water 3 tablespoons instant-espresso or coffee crystals 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided 3 tablespoons coffee liquor (e.g. Godiva) 1 tablespoon dark rum (e.g. Myer’s) 4 large egg yolks 1/3 cup dry Marsala wine 1 pound mascarpone (2 1/2 cups or two… Continue reading TIRAMISU

For a long weekend in Iceland, here are some tried and true recommendations for the best bang for your buck! – Coffee and pastries @ Reykjavik Roasters – Brunch @ Snaps Bistro – Dinner @ Fishmarket – On your way out of town, grab lunch @ the Blue Lagoon’s Lava Restaurant

This family recipe will come in a later post!  

Recipe by Canyon Ranch This cookie provides just the right chewy, spicy, molasses tang – and you’d never guess they’re only 80 calories per cookie! Ingredients ⅓ cup unsalted butter ⅔ cup low-fat cream cheese 1½ cups brown sugar 1 egg yolk ⅓ cup black strap molasses 1½ cups all-purpose flour ¾ cup whole-wheat flour… Continue reading Triple Ginger Cookie

A take on our family’s favorite birthday treat — Angela Mia Chocolate Mousse Cake. This version is slightly less dense and doesn’t include a chocolate chip siding (however, you could certainly add it, as you wish!) Best served with homemade vanilla ice cream! Imperative ingredients: booze in the mousse– your choice, but Kahlua works extremely… Continue reading Chocolate Mousse Cake

Go to The Beatrice Inn for a hearty meat-centric dinner and stay for this dessert, if your wallet allows. On a girls night out we treated ourselves to the Banana Brulee Sundae with Chocolate covered Cherries, Amarena Cherry Ice Cream, Sponge Cake and Pedro Ximenez and suffice to say it did not disappoint. The limited… Continue reading $27 Banana Split

  This week I attended Menus of Change, a sustainable food conference for professional chefs and foodservice operators focused on food transparency and plant-forward eating. The conference is eye-opening, featuring speakers from all corners of the food innovation world from Kimbal Musk (Kitchen Denver) and Corby Kummer (The Atlantic) to McDonald’s and Sonic. One standout… Continue reading Tomato Tuna