no baloney

food detective
Categories: Appetizers, Breads, Pizza, Tarts, Supper, Cocktail Party, Dinner Party, Lunch, Posted on December 19, 2023 by Sandy Bergsten
Mortadella, an emulsified pork sausage that’s been a staple for centuries in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, has become a recent rage. You’ll find it gracing charcuterie boards, elevating every sandwich it’s tucked into, and even whipped to create a transcendent canapé. One of my favorite spots outside of Los Angeles is Milkfarm, an artisanal
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oldie but goodie

perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Categories: Appetizers, Breads, Pizza, Tarts, Dinner for Two, Supper, Cocktail Party, Lunch, Posted on April 9, 2023 by Sandy Bergsten
One of my perennial resolutions is to go through an old binder of mine entitled “Sandy’s Best”, a collection of recipes that I have been lugging back and forth for years. Most of the recipes are from the late 1980s to early 2000s. Some are clearly dated. Others have fond memories. It’s funny but when I’ve tried to resurrect many, they’ve landed in
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an ethereal schmear

food detective
Categories: Appetizers, Fish and Seafood, Breads, Pizza, Tarts, Sauces and Such, Cocktail Party, Breakfast/Brunch, Posted on January 24, 2023 by Sandy Bergsten
While I never do it, I love reading the comments other people leave on online recipes. For me, they complete a recipe’s journey. It’s especially useful when numerous readers post a similar point. When they do, I usually take it to heart. This often saves me from wasting a morning or afternoon’s effort. And sometimes following these tweaks and turns
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bar naan

food detective
Categories: Breads, Pizza, Tarts, Dinner for Two, Supper, Posted on October 1, 2022 by Sandy Bergsten
Want an exceptional homemade pizza that takes less time to prepare than opening your freezer and popping a subpar store version in the oven? The trick is to swap naan for pizza dough. Then to top with high quality creamy cheese and a drizzle of honey. Naan is a leavened oven baked flatbread from India. It is soft, chewy and slightly tangy. It's
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waiting for baby

a moment in time
Categories: Breads, Pizza, Tarts, Breakfast/Brunch, Posted on September 20, 2022 by Sandy Bergsten
My baby is having a baby! There is nothing in the world more exciting, but the waiting game is unbelievable. Two days before her due date I flew out to our house in the desert to watch the clock. To keep myself distracted I decided to make things to fill her freezer. I was an expectant grandmother on roller skates. In a couple days I made a big
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wrap it up for the holidays

perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Categories: Breads, Pizza, Tarts, Eggs, Breakfast/Brunch, Posted on November 19, 2021 by Sandy Bergsten
Want a fast and fun breakfast that’s a real crowd pleaser? This tortilla wrap, that showed up as an alert on my phone from the Food Network, is the bomb. Best part you can whip up a few, wrap them in foil and place in a just warm oven so folks can grab them and go. Or you can rise and shine and make them over a quiet cup of coffee to serve up when
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kiss the miss goodbye

perfecting the "done before they arrive" party- a work in progress
Categories: Appetizers, Breads, Pizza, Tarts, Cocktail Party, Lunch, Fête Fact, Posted on March 30, 2021 by Sandy Bergsten
In a year when many have lost so much it’s difficult to give voice to the special occasions that have evaporated. Quietly everyone is grieving the loss of coming together and celebrating life’s milestones. How many times have we had to plan, cancel, regroup, and reboot? Virtual stand-ins have surely fallen flat. My heart sank a bit when my youngest
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an american great

inspiration
Categories: Breads, Pizza, Tarts, Dinner for Two, Supper, Dinner Party, Breakfast/Brunch, Sources, Posted on June 7, 2020 by Sandy Bergsten
“One of the greatest pleasures of my life has been that I have never stopped learning about Good Cooking and Good Food.” ― Edna Lewis. Just as Julia Child enlightened the American home cook to French cuisine, and Marcella Hazan to Italian, Edna Lewis is a central pillar in our culinary landscape, one who helped define the American view of Southern
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no… regrets

food detective
Categories: Salads and Dressings, Breads, Pizza, Tarts, Eggs, Supper, Lunch, Breakfast/Brunch, Well Equipped, Posted on March 1, 2020 by Sandy Bergsten
Last year when we downsized, I went full out Marie Kondo. Purging felt exhilarating. Unpacking things that only brought me joy elating. Walking by air filled closets and half full drawers energizing. Then as the months passed, a few things tugged at my heartstrings and sensibilities. I have to be honest, I have a few regrets. People who know me
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a fast break

hostess with the mostest hotel
Categories: Grains and Pasta, Breads, Pizza, Tarts, Eggs, Breakfast/Brunch, Fête Fact, Posted on February 18, 2020 by Sandy Bergsten
The best part of having a vacation home is that people come to stay with you. One of the challenges is figuring out how to feed all of those vacationers in a way that doesn’t make you feel like hotel staff. Three meals a day for three days or more is a tall order. Breakfast for a crowd is my Achilles heel. It doesn’t matter how early I wake up
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