Breakfast/Brunch

Puff Pastry

Puff pastry is the artist's dough. A little bit of creativity goes far in creating a beautiful and unique puff pastry treat. I like to sketch my ideas out before hand because the possibilities can be overwhelming. Whether it's a bear claw or a croissant, there's something magical about watching...

Serving: 6-8 small pastries or 1 nine inch covered pie Prep Time...
Ingredients 2 cups all purpose flour 1 stick of butter sliced into thin pieces 5-10 tbsp ice water 1 tsp salt 1 egg for egg wash (optional)
Spinach Pie (Pastel de Espinaca)

This is a very old family recipe, it comes from my Northern Italian great-grandmother who, my mother informed me, had some Greek influence in her cooking. It's incredibly easy to fix and a staple at family gatherings and parties. Traditionally, this pie is made in a large rectangular casserole...

Serving: 1 nine-inch pie Prep Time: 1 hour Cook Time: 1 hour...
Ingredients *For Crust* 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 1/2 cup butter, cubed 3-5 tbsp ice water 1 tsp salt 1 egg, for wash *For Filling* 5...
Basic Biscuits

When I first moved to Manhattan, I was thrilled by all the wonderful brunch opportunities city dining had to offer. However, even 'Southern Style' restaurants could never properly produce the monumental staple of the southern breakfast: the biscuit. So I began preparing biscuits at home until...

Serving: 4 pretty biscuits & 2 ugly ones Prep Time: 10-15...
Ingredients 2 cups all purpose flour 2 tsp baking soda 7 tbsp butter (cold) dash of salt 1 tsp cider or white vinegar 1/2 cup of milk (2% or whole)
Hollandaise: Quick & Dirty

Chances are, if you're trying to make Hollandaise sauce, you're also trying to poach eggs, fry ham, strain spinach, toast muffins, mix mimosas, possibly entertain a few guests, and serve it all before it gets too hot or too cold. By the time the double broiler is ready to go, your poached eggs...

Serving: approx 4 tbsp (enough for 2-4 Eggs Benedict) Prep Time...
Ingredients 2 tbsp butter 1 large egg yolk 1 tsp fresh lemon juice 1 tbsp hot water pinch of dill (dry or fresh) salt to taste