As the youngest Minister for Information of all time, Nathaniel—who elects to become John Mandrake—is a regular guest at government receptions. Which is just as well, because otherwise how would he prevent an ambitious, powerful, and really very cunning wizard, accompanied by a legion of djinn, from taking advantage of a cocktail party to try to seize power? That said, even at the highest levels, and right in the middle of a battle where golems mingle with magical spells and amulets, the cream of British magicians cannot pass up these famous cucumber sandwiches.
Author: Chef M
Chef Jeff at Flour 2 made these pancakes for his son, Julian, one weekend and raved about them so much I asked him to make some for us to try at work. Before I knew it, I had eaten four at one sitting. That’s how I know when something is up to Flour standards: I can’t stop eating it. There’s so much banana in here that the pancakes are incredibly moist and naturally sweet. A touch of freshly ground pepper and allspice elevates this homey breakfast treat to something truly special. I’ll bet that like me you can’t eat just…
The Dreavers expanded to offer dinner in addition to breakfast and lunch, and since the restaurant is housed in a charming Conch-style house nestled in a tropical hammock, they changed the name to Key Largo Conch House. Seafood is Conch House’s specialty, coming fresh off the boats, a stone’s throw away, from Key Largo Fisheries. Their signature dish? Lobster Benedict. “We put a whole lobster tail right on top of the benedict,” says Laura. What started as the snowbirds’ dream has morphed into a Keys reality for the Midwestern couple, who have been featured on the Food Network and the…
The Nutter Butter was my favorite cookie when I was a kid, so it was obvious that we had to come up with our own version. Because there is a high proportion of fat—in the form of butter and peanut butter—in these cookies, they are best when frozen before baking, which makes them hold their shape better and spread less. So they’re a terrific cookie to make ahead of time: simply pop the frozen cookies into the oven whenever you have a craving for them.
These Breakfast Potatoes are the undressed version of the classic breakfast dish. They go with everything from pancakes to scrambled eggs. Additions could include diced red onion, celery, and bell pepper. You can make these ahead of time and even freeze them for up to 2 months; just defrost, if needed, and reheat in a well-oiled pan.
Pollo a la brasa is a flavorful marinated roasted chicken recipe that is traditionally cooked in a rotisserie, but that you can roast in your oven with excellent results. Thanks to the rich marinade, the skin is very well seasoned and turns out extra crispy. Be aware that restaurants may use beer and/or soy sauce (which contains gluten) so be sure to ask about the marinade if you ever dine at a Peruvian restaurant.
Oatmeal cookies provide an ideal backdrop for almost any addition. But in pursuit of the ultimate oatmeal cookie, it’s easy to lapse into a kitchen-sink mentality, overloading the dough with a crazy jumble of ingredients. We wanted the perfect combination of oats, nuts, chocolate, and fruit in a superlatively chewy package. To achieve this, we used all brown sugar, leveling up to dark brown for deep molasses flavor and the chewiest texture. Making big cookies (a whopping ¼ cup of dough per cookie) and baking them just until set yet slightly underdone further ensured chewy cookies. And a combination of…
Eating a variety of whole grains is the best way to take advantage of their many nutritional benefits. A hearty porridge was the perfect opportunity to enjoy several kinds in one bowl. We chose a combination of millet, quinoa, and amaranth. The millet’s mellow corn flavor and fine, starchy texture balanced the quinoa’s nutty, earthy flavor, while a smaller amount of amaranth added bold anise flavor and an intriguing caviar-like texture. Cooking the grains in plenty of liquid encouraged them to swell and some to burst and release their starches, creating a porridge with a creamy texture. However, we felt…