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Monthly Archives: March 2018

Mushroom Cookies

Posted on March 7, 2018 by foodgal 5 comments

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?

Have You Tried Pine Cone Bud Syrup?

Posted on March 5, 2018 by foodgal Leave a comment

A most unusual syrup.

Imagine a syrup that’s the color of burnt amber and possessed of a beguiling taste that’s a mashup of burnt toffee, port, maple syrup, evergreen and pine needles.

That’s what Mugolio Pine Cone Bud Syrup is like.

When I had an opportunity to try a sample from Manicaretti Italian Food Importers, I jumped at the chance. After all, who even knew you could make a sweeter from pine cone trees?

Go On, Have A Little Beer In That Cake

Posted on March 2, 2018 by foodgal 6 comments

A beer-y delicious cake.

Yes, this cake is two treats in one.

It’s not just brewski with cake; it’s beer in the cake.

“Big Honey Hefeweizen Spice Cake” is from the adorable cookbook, “Cake, I Love You” (Chronicle Books, 2017) by Jill O’Connor, of which I received a review copy.

O’Connor is a veteran cookbook author, as well as a food columnist for the San Diego Union-Tribune. And she obviously knows her cakes, as evidenced by the 60 recipes in this book.

Whether you like to bake cakes that are no-nonsense or like to spend hours decorating them to the hilt, you’re sure to find a cake in here to please.