Lemon Coriander Cake

This Lemon Coriander Cake is light and delicious with bright flavors of lemon and Indian coriander. We loved it plain and simple with a sprinkle of powdered sugar and a glass of Timber City Ginger Beer on a spring afternoon, but you could also elevate it over the top with Rhubarb Compote and Coriander Creme to finish off the finest gourmet dinner. Either way it is a wonderful cake with texture light as angels wings and sophisticated flavor.

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Shrimp Fra Diavolo

Fra Diavolo translates as “Brother Devil”, and refers to this spicy, tomato and seafood-based pasta dish. The tomato sauce is light, perfect for spring and the Marash Chile Flakes add a mellow heat with well rounded flavor that plays perfectly with the sweetness in the vegetables. The gentle, warming heat increases upon reheating, so keep that in mind if you’re planning for leftovers.I’ve been making this dish for many years, but only recently came across a technique that really helps bump up the flavor. More advanced cooks are well aware of how to coax the maximum amount of flavor from shrimp by utilizing the peeled shells, and now I do the same. It’s really not that difficult, and it’s amazing the difference it makes to the dish. Most Fra Diavolo recipes call for a long noodle such as linguine or spaghetti, but I prefer a corkscrew-shaped pasta, or any other shape with crevices that can capture and hold onto the sauce. Regular or gluten-free pasta works equally well here.

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Orange Tarragon Compound Butter

We've all been there. You want to add a little pizzazz to your finished dish but just don’t have the time or inclination to go that final step and make a sauce. Enter the Compound Butter. Like a knight in shining (glistening?) armor, these handy little life savers can come straight from the fridge or freezer to the rescue, adding a distinctive depth and pop of flavor. A compound butter is simply a combination of softened butter and any mix of herbs and spices you can think of. Bolder flavors, like chilis, cumin or masalas can be paired with heavier proteins like beef, chicken, lamb or pork, while lighter fare, such as seafood or vegetables are better topped with a blend utilizing lighter herbs like dill, parsley or cilantro. Here, we combine the slightly sweet Orange Tarragon with fresh parsley, tarragon and orange zest for a delicate topping that will take your dish to a whole new level. It pairs well with roasted or grilled vegetables, fish and seafood or pasta.

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Cold Ayam Apple Soup

One of the advantages of this soup is the fact that you can make it ahead of time and it’s ready to eat whenever you are. Or wherever you are, seeing as this is a quintessential British picnic dish meant to be served cold. The Indonesian Ayam gives it a gentle curry-like flavor, but without too much heat. As for the apples, I like to use both Granny Smith for their tartness and a second variety that brings more sweetness to the dish, but feel free to use all sweet apples or your favorite varieties. As always, feel free to play around with the ingredients! You can substitute vegetable broth for the chicken, or choose between the cream or the yogurt for the finish. If you use the yogurt, which will add more tang, then go lighter on the lemon juice.

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Chinese Five Spice Plum Sauce

When life gives you plums, make plum sauce! And plum cardamom bread, but that's another story. Plum sauce is a traditional complement for grilled meats in Asian cuisine and is a wonderful pairing with duck, pork, chicken or salmon. It is easy to make and is an ideal way to preserve a bumper crop of plums. This sauce is delightfully complex and balances all the flavors on the palate. The sweet plums are paired with Chinese Five Spice, onions, garlic and shallots with a kick of ginger to round it out. One batch yields several pints so be ready to can it or freeze it to have on hand year round and there will still be plenty left over to gift some. We took our inspiration from Hank Shaw at Hunter, Angler, Gardener, Cook and really appreciated the time saving tip of freezing the plums to make them easier to pit. It was a breeze!

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Bulgogi Orange Chicken

Bulgogi Orange Chicken is a sweet taste of Asian fusion combining classic Chinese orange chicken with our Korean inspired Bulgogi Spice. It's a sweet dish that heat lovers can always fire up at the table with a sprinkle of Rooster Spice, Korean Chile or the hot sauce of their choosing. The satisfying shell of sticky sauce that surrounds each moist nugget of chicken is so delicious you'll think the pros made it. Great for entertaining, the process is hands on at the start but then the chicken spends most of the time in the slow cooker with a quick finish on the sauce. That leaves plenty of time available for socializing before dinner. We added apple juice to the sauce for a traditional nod to the bulgogi.

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Pecan Sandies

Our favorite secret ingredient for baking, Kashmiri Garam Masala, infuses these cookies with subtle flavor in every bite. The cookies have a delightful texture that falls apart in your mouth and not on the plate just as it should be. The recipe makes extra spiced nuts that you can serve or gobble up while the cookies bake.

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Harissa Spiced Carrots

Stunning flavor and presentation makes these Harissa spiced carrots a perfect side dish for holiday entertaining. If you're looking for fresh flavor on the holiday table, this is a dish that will have your guests clamoring for more. Harissa is a traditional African spice blend that is robust, with hints of chile and citrus. These flavors pair easily with the sweet fruitiness of the carrots, the smokiness of the Urfa Biber and the snap of the pomegranate seeds.

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The Day After: Turkey in Mole Olé Sauce

November 23rd. The morning after. As the food coma fades, we find ourselves fridge-gazing at the thought of any more mashed potatoes. The traditional flavors of the season have begun to seem dull and we ask ourselves a question mankind has pondered since the dawn of time: How can we jazz up the leftovers?Enter the mole! This hearty sauce using our Mole Olé blend satisfies the craving for an exotic departure from standard fall flavors and transforms your leftovers into a delicious new dish too easy to believe. Make it a day or two before the marathon holiday cooking begins so that it's all ready to combine with leftover shredded turkey on Thanksgiving Friday. Use it to stuff enchiladas, wet burritos smothered in more of the glorious sauce, or as a filling for tacos.

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