Tag Archives: Fearless Baker recipe

Mushroom Cookies

Yup, those are little bits of mushroom on those cookies.

Yup, those are little bits of mushroom on those cookies.

Yes, mushrooms in cookies.

Not those kind of mushrooms, people. But Candy Cap mushrooms.

If you’ve never had Candy Cap mushrooms, you are missing out on one of the most captivating ingredients around.

Elusive Candy Caps grow in the wilds in the Bay Area. But their growing season is so short, and the mushrooms so perishable, that you find them mostly sold in dried form.

What makes them so prized is their fragrance and flavor. Think maple syrup on steroids — with a hint of curry on the finish that lingers on and on. In fact, bake with them and your kitchen will smell enticingly of maple for days. Eat an ample enough of them in a dish or baked good, and you will have the scent of maple syrup even exuding from your pores, which, heck, is way better than garlic, right?

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Cranberries — But Not For Sauce

One way I enjoy fresh cranberries at this time of year.

One way I enjoy fresh cranberries at this time of year.

 

The first time I cooked Thanksgiving dinner for my family about a dozen years ago, I made cranberry sauce from scratch.

It was my first time doing so. And my last.

I simmered fresh cranberries with orange zest, sugar and a dash of Cointreau, until the berries started to plump and pop, and the whole mixture thickened nicely.

It was fresher, zingier and more lively tasting than anything out of a can. When I set it on the table, I sat back proudly, waiting for everyone to dig in.

Everyone tried it. Then, everyone asked pretty much in unison, “Uh, where’s the stuff from the can?”

And that is why I have never made it again.

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