Sweet & Vicious by Rizzoli International Publications

cookies Appalachian Trail Failure Cookies | Backhanded Compliment Cookies Cake Scrap Cookies | My First Cowboy Crush Was a Cad Cowboy Crackers | Southern Sartorialist’s Cookies Jacked-Up Ginger Cookies | Jalapeno “Sort of Shortbread” Cookies Just Got Serious Oatmeal Cookies | Kahlo Cookies Majorette Biscotti | Movie Night Cookies | Primal Cut Cookies Retired Gingerbread Working Girls | Root Beer Float Poppers Six Way Sugar Chewies | Side-Slap and Tickle Chocolate Malt Cookies Tattoo Cookies

* A Note on Keeping I’m a firm believer in never putting a cake in the refrigerator. I like to cover my cakes with a cake dome (preferably clear so everyone can admire your work) and leave in a place away from any direct heat for up to 5 days. If I run out of cake domes, I use my microwave for storing a cake. God knows I rarely use it for cooking, so at least it’s good for something in my kitchen.

cakes Looking For a 10-Layer Mr. Goodbar Cake Coconut Fluff Cake with Guava Buttercream Frosting | Fairground Attraction Cake Five Boroughs Cheesecake (hot caramel nut cheesecake) Girly-Girl Lavender Cake | Good and Plenty Cupcakes Grilled Stoned Polenta Cake | Habañero Carrot Cake Hog Heaven Chocolate Cake | Hot and Heavy Baby Cakes with Kiss Me Frosting Lemonhead Cake | Mascarpone Frosted Spice Channel Cake No Hassle Hoff Cake | Orange Home Slice Chocolate Mug Cakes Salty Pumpkin Spice Cake | Solid Gold Beet Cupcakes Sunday Morning Panettone Muffins | THE. BEST. EVER. RED. VELVET. CAKE. Upside-Down Skillet Corn Cake | Virgin Cake (warning: Gluten Free)

Cakes

Good and Plenty Cupcakes (anise flavored sweet vanilla cake) yields 24

Two For The Show.

2 _ cups cake flour 1 tablespoon baking powder

Most American kids wouldn’t say black licorice was their favorite candy. German kids... sure. They probably keep a little stash of Katjes Kinder in the pocket of their lederhosen, but no American kid I ever knew liked licorice—except for me.

_ teaspoon salt 1 2⁄3 cups anise sugar (page XXX) (may substitute regular sugar) 12 tablespoons butter, softened 4 large egg whites, plus 1 whole large egg

Mom and Dad didn’t have a date night very often. Money was tight and Dad was tighter. But, about once a month they would leave me in the charge of my older sisters and go to what they called a “show.” For reference, a show is what Midwesterners call a movie.

1 teaspoon anise extract (page XXX) 1 cup milk Swiss Meringue Frosting (page XXX), tinted hot pink 24 to 48 Good and Plenty candies (get 1 big 6-ounce box, you’ll have extra to snack on)

When allowed, I’d lie on my Mom’s bed and follow her every move as she got ready for the show. Mom was what people called a natural beauty. Her high cheek bones and olive complexion didn’t require all the make-up my friends’ mothers wore. I dreamt of the day that I could wear hot pants and tease my hair as high as hers. I already knew I couldn’t wear make-up until I was thirteen. It was a rule she reminded my older sisters of daily–show or no show.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line 2 standard cupcake pans with paper liners (20 to 24 cupcakes).

In the bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment add the flour, baking powder, salt, and anise sugar and whisk until well combined. Add the butter and mix for 2 minutes, until evenly combined.

Show nights held a certain excitement for me—not just because I got to see my parents dressed-to-the-nines and holding hands; and certainly not because I had two older sisters bossing me around all evening. No, the excitement was in knowing what I would find in the morning, perched on the only clean part of my dresser: Two boxes (not just one!) of my favorite candy, Good and Plenty—pill-shaped, soft black licorice pieces covered in a white or pink candy coating. A treat from my parents—two for the show.

Note: The mixture may form a paste, depending on how warm the butter is. Add the egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides as needed. Beat in the whole egg and the extract. Add the milk in 3 increments, beating well after each addition. Continue to beat another 2 minutes, until the batter is light and fluffy. 3

Scoop the batter into the cupcake liners, filling the cups three-quarters full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cakes are barely golden. Allow to cool completely before frosting with the pink-tinted Swiss Meringue Frosting. Garnish with Good and Plenty candies.

Cakes

Lemonhead Cake (sour zing, meringue frosting) serves 20

Finally! A sweet and sour dish that delivers the taste, but doesn’t involve chopsticks or a sauce packet you need to open with your teeth.

2 3⁄4 cups cake flour

Preheat the oven to 350º F. Spray 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper and spray the top of the paper with cooking spray. Set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and on slow speed, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest and mix for 1 minute or just until combined. Add the softened butter and increase the speed to medium. Mix for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the mixture is the consistency of a paste.

Next, add the egg whites one at a time and beat well after each addition. Add the whole egg and beat to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed—the batter will be thick. In a liquid measuring cup, stir together the coconut milk, lemon extract and vanilla paste. With the mixer on medium speed, slowly pour this mixture into the batter. Beat for 3 to 5 minutes, until fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pan before frosting.

To prepare the Lemonhead Syrup: In a medium saucepan over low heat, cook the candy in ¼ cup water, stirring occasionally, until the candy dissolves. Remove from heat and allow the syrup to cool completely before using.

Slice a thin layer of cake from the top of each layer to create a flat surface (save for Cake Scrap Cookies, page XXX). Place one layer (cut side up) on a cake pedestal or plate and tuck waxed paper under the edges around the cake to keep the pedestal clean. Using a chopstick or skewer, poke a few holes over the top of the cake. Brush the top of the cake with a thin layer of Lemonhead Syrup. Let the syrup seep into the holes.

Spread 1 heaping cup of the Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting generously over the top of the first cake layer to the

12⁄3 cups sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder ⁄4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon lemon zest ⁄4 cup butter, softened

4 large egg whites, plus 1 whole large egg 1 cup coconut milk ⁄2 teaspoon lemon extract (page XXX)

⁄2 teaspoon vanilla paste

Lemonhead Syrup (recipe to follow) Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting, tinted bright yellow page XXX) 2 (7-ounce) bags Lemonhead candies, for cake decoration 5 Lemonhead candies

Cakes

Hog Heaven Chocolate Cake (bacon, pecans, and dark chocolate) serves 24

Headnote to come here. This should be 2-3 sentences that are practical tips about the recipe and description of what it tastes like, why it’s worth making. Headnote to come here. This should be 2-3 sentences that are practical tips about the recipe and description of what it tastes like.

⁄4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

Preheat the oven to 350º F. Prepare 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment paper and spray the top of the paper with non-stick cooking spray after inserting. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and coffee and set aside to cool.

In a separate medium mixing bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sugar and beat 4 more minutes, until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla paste and beat just until combined.

Whisk the chocolate milk into the cooled cocoa/coffee mixture.

With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour and cocoa mixtures to the batter. Make sure to start with the flour mixture and end with the flour mixture. Mix for 3 minutes, or until the batter is smooth and creamy.

Divide the batter evenly among the 3 prepared pans. Bake for 30 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through for even baking. The cakes are done when a cake tester (a toothpick) inserted into the center of each layer comes out clean.

Let the cakes cool in their pans before turning out onto a cooling rack and removing the parchment paper liner.

In the bowl of a food processor, add the pecans and bacon and pulse a few times until they are broken up, but not too fine. Kind of a chunky-ish pig fairy-dust. Set aside.

⁄2 cup very hot (almost boiling) strong coffee

3 cups sifted cake flour (do not use self-rising) 1 teaspoon baking soda ⁄2 teaspoon salt

1 ⁄2 cups butter, room temperature 1

1 3⁄4 cups vanilla sugar (page XXX), (may substitute regular sugar) 1 teaspoon vanilla paste 4 large eggs 1 cup chocolate milk 1 1⁄2 cups pecan halves, toasted 4 slices bacon, cooked extra crispy 2 prepared recipes of Rich Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (page XXX)

Many summers ago, on a pig farm in rural Missouri, I stuck my chocolate-covered palm into the pocket of my shorts and found a piece of bacon. On summer days, one wasn’t allowed in the farmhouse until mealtime. Grandma had a rusted hook-and-eye closure on the back screen door. The hook was always in the eye, locked from the inside. Thirsty? Grandma pointed to the garden hose. Bathroom break? Grandma pointed to the woods. Hungry? If you knew what was good for you, you wouldn’t ask. Grandma’s meal schedule was never regular, either. Lunch may be at noon one day and at 3:00 p.m. the next. Grandchildren were not a priority, hypoglycemia be damned. It didn’t take me long to learn to squirrel away food whenever grandma laid the table for us to eat. After most breakfasts I’d grab an extra piece of bacon and put it in my pocket on the chance she had better things to do come lunchtime. One such day, with a palm thoroughly coated with a melted Mr. Goodbar, I reached into the pocket of my shorts and found a half-slice of warm bacon. That day, four summers before Nixon’s resignation, changed my world and my palate.

Spread 1 heaping cup of Rich Chocolate Buttercream Frosting over the top of the first cake layer to the edge. Place the second cake layer on top of the frosting, cut side up. Spread another heaping cup of the frosting over the top of this layer to the edge. Add the final cake layer and use 1 more heaping cup of frosting as a crumb layer (a thin layer of frosting that basically seals the cake) to cover the entire cake (it’s okay to see the cake through the frosting). Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Use the remaining frosting (about 3 cups) to apply the final decorative layer to the cake. Sprinkle the top of the cake with the pecan and bacon mixture. Serve immediately.

The sweet-and-salty, chocolate-and-bacon discovery won me a thirdplace ribbon at the county Youth Fair (there was no fourth place, but I didn’t care) for my bacon chocolate cake. Clearly, as indicated by the judges, it wouldn’t be until many years later that the rest of world’s palates would catch up to mine.

Hot Spiced Donut Holes (small and spicy poppers) yields about 100 holes

Donuts are the devil. They are the mischievous evil spirits of the diet world. If someone says they can make a low-fat donut that tastes good, they are lying to you. If you’re okay with that (I am), then eat on. I try to trick myself into believing donuts are not so bad when you don’t fry them AND when the recipe doesn’t have too much sugar AND when they are small enough to pop in your mouth AND when they contain red pepper, which has a myriad of health benefits.

Grease a large mixing bowl with butter and set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, stir together the milk, yeast, 1 ⁄3 cup regular sugar and 2 tablespoons melted butter. Let the mixture rest about 5 minutes, until the yeast starts to foam.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and nutmeg.

Place a dough hook on the standing mixer. With the mixer on low, add the eggs, red pepper sugar, and the flour mixture to the foamy yeast, and beat 3 minutes, until the dough is smooth and tacky and pulls away from the side of the bowl. At this point, you can adjust the dough’s texture if needed. Add a little more milk if it is too dry, or a little more flour if it is too wet. Continue mixing the dough for 5 more minutes, until it becomes smooth and shiny. Transfer the dough to the buttered mixing bowl and turn over so both sides are buttered. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise about 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.

Line 2 or 3 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Punch the dough down and roll it out on a lightly-floured surface to a 1⁄2-inch thickness. Using a doughnut-hole cutter or a small (1-inch) ring mold, cut out circles of dough and transfer them to the baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between each circle. Cover the tray with lightly greased plastic wrap. (At this point, you can either go ahead with the recipe, or refrigerate the doughnuts overnight and let them rise for 45 minutes in the morning before baking) Let the doughnuts rise for about another 45 minutes, until they are puffed and nearly doubled.

This logic works for me; it may be orchestrated by the devil, but the devil is a good cook, and I’m okay with that, too. 1 1⁄3 cups warm milk 2 teaspoons active dry yeast ⁄3 cup, plus 1_ cups sugar, divided

2 tablespoons, plus 1cup melted butter, plus more for greasing a bowl 5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 1 teaspoon salt _ teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 large eggs ⁄3 cup red pepper sugar (Page XXX)

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 375º F. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the remaining 1_ cups sugar and the cinnamon and set aside. Pour the remaining 1 cup melted butter in a separate bowl. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the bottoms of the donuts are just golden brown. The donut holes should be pale on the top,

Pies

Green Tomato Pie (double crust, sweet and sour, spices) seves 8

Like babies and Southern belles, not all pies are made to be sweet.

⁄4 cup sugar

_ teaspoon ground cinnamon _ teaspoon nutmeg

In a small mixing bowl, stir together the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne, and flour. Set aside.

Prepare the double-crust pie dough.

On a lightly-floured work surface, roll the larger disk of dough out to a 12-inch round, about 1⁄8-inch thick. Gently drape the dough into a 9-inch pie pan (draping is the key, you don’t want to push the pie dough into the pan, just let it fall naturally). Trim the dough to have a 1⁄2-inch overhang from the edge of

_ teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 double-crust Bad-Ass Pie Dough (page XXX)

the pie pan (scissors are the best kitchen tool for this).

2 pounds green tomatoes, thinly sliced (1⁄16- to 1⁄8-inch thick) _ cup apple cider vinegar

Place a layer of the sliced tomatoes on the bottom of the pie shell. Sprinkle the tomatoes with some of the flour mixture. Repeat the layers until all of the tomatoes and flour mixture is used. Sprinkle the vinegar over the top and dot with the cubes of butter.

Roll out the remaining dough to an 11-inch round, about ⁄8-inch thick (do any decorative cut-outs to the dough at this point). Center and drape the dough over the pie. Tuck the edges of the top crust under the bottom crust and crimp together in a decorative way (see page XXX).

4 tablespoons butter, cubed 1 egg, mixed with 1 tablespoon water 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar

At this point, you can use your dough scraps to decorate the top of your pie. You are only limited by the scraps you have. Use the egg wash as a glue to adhere the dough scraps to the top crust. Make sure you have at least one hole in the top of the pie to allow steam to escape. Refrigerate the pie while the oven is preheating.

Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 425º F.

Line a baking sheet with foil. Place the refrigerated pie onto the baking sheet, brush the top of the pie with the egg wash, and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375º F and continue baking for 40 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and the crust is golden brown. If the crust starts getting too brown before the pie is fully baked, cover loosely with aluminum foil. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack before serving.

Breads

Down and Dirty Meatballs (a juicy meatball in a muffin blanket) yields 1 dozen muffins

What do you call one Meatball and Marinara Quick Bread Muffin and a side salad? Lunch. For the meatballs:

To make the meatballs: Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients well using your hands and form into 12 meatballs. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, until just barely cooked. (You don’t want to fully cook the meatballs because they are baking again in the muffins and would become dry.)

Allow the meatballs to cool on the baking sheet while you prepare the quick bread batter.

To make the muffins: Preheat the oven to 350º F. Spray a (12-cup) muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the marinara sauce, eggs, oil, mozzarella, ¼ cup Parmesan, and the fresh chopped herbs. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir the marinara mixture into the flour until completely combined. Divide the batter evenly between the muffin tins, fill each cup about half full of batter, then place one cooled meatball into the center of the batter with the top of the meatball sticking up. Sprinkle the muffins with the remaining Parmesan cheese and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm with warm marinara sauce for dipping.

1 pounds ground beef (lean) 1/2 cup ricotta cheese ¼ cup parmesan cheese ½ teaspoon garlic salt ½ teaspoon onion salt ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 egg ¼ cup plain breadcrumbs 2 tablespoons chopped parsley 2 teaspoons chopped oregano 2 teaspoons chopped basil

For the muffins: ⁄3 cup prepared marinara sauce (one with lots of garlic and herbs), plus more for dipping

2 eggs ¼ cup vegetable oil ½ cup shredded mozzarella ¾ cup grated fresh Parmesan, divided 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (parsley, basil, and oregano or whatever you have handy) 2½ cups all-purpose flour 1½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt

Breads

Pull-Apart Boy Bread (buttery and multi-layered) yields 1 dozen muffins

I’m an expert on boys. They are my thing. Most of my friends are boys. In the past I’ve dated boys from six continents (it would be seven, but no one dates anyone from Antarctica). I am married to a boy and my only child is a boy. In my life study of boys, I’ve found that most boys have the same basic make-up. It’s when you pull apart the layers that their true personality shines. Much like this bread.

10 tablespoons butter, (8 tablespoons cubed, 2 tablespoons melted and divided)

Preheat the oven to 425º F. Prepare a 9 x 4 1⁄2-inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add 8 tablespoons of the cubed butter and pulse until the flour mixture forms pea size pieces. Add the buttermilk and pulse just until a soft dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface and knead it 3 times.

Filling Variations

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

Stinky Italian Boy (fried garlic, herbs, and Parmesan):

2 teaspoons baking powder

Cook 12 cloves garlic over medium heat in 4 tablespoons olive oil until golden brown, then cool and mash the garlic. Combine with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian herbs (your choice), and 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese.

½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup buttermilk

Bourgeois Boy (caramelized onion and gruyere):

1 Boy Filling Recipe (choices to follow)

To Caramelize the onion: Cut 1 Vidalia or other sweet yellow onion into thin strips and cook with 2 tablespoons of butter and ¼ teaspoon beef stock paste in a medium skillet over low heat for 15 minutes, or until the onion is soft and caramelcolored. Allow to cool. Stir together the caramelized onion and 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese. Cute Greek Boy (olive, dill and feta):

Stir together 1 cup chopped Kalamata olives, 1 tablespoon fresh dill, and 1 cup crumbled feta cheese. Beauty Pageant Boy (honey, walnuts, pears and blue cheese):

Stir together 2 tablespoons honey, 1⁄2 cup chopped, roasted walnuts, 3⁄4 cup chopped dried pears, and 3 ounces blue cheese. Eagle Scout Boy (4 seed):

Stir together 1 tablespoon poppy seeds, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, 1⁄3 cup sunflower seeds, 1⁄3 cup pepitas (green pumpkin seeds).

show & tell

Assemble Pull-Apart Bread This could be a nice spot for another note from Libbie. Many summers ago, on a pig farm in rural Missouri, I stuck my chocolate-covered palm into the pocket of my shorts and found a piece of bacon. On summer days, one wasn’t allowed in the farmhouse until mealtime. Grandma had a rusted hook-and-eye closure on the back screen door. The hook was always in the eye, locked from the inside. Thirsty? Grandma pointed to the garden hose. Bathroom break? Grandma pointed to the woods. Hungry? If you knew what was good for you, you wouldn’t ask. Grandma’s meal schedule was never regular, either. Lunch may be at noon one day and at 3:00 p.m. the next. Grandchildren were not a priority, hypoglycemia be damned. It didn’t take me long to learn to squirrel away food whenever grandma laid the table for us to eat. After most breakfasts I’d grab an extra piece of bacon and put it in my pocket on the chance she had better things.

Roll the dough out into a long thin rectangle (about 8-inches wide and 24-inches long).

Brush the top of the dough with 1 tablespoon melted butter.

Spread with your choice of toppings (I’m using the Beauty Pageant Boy toppings in this photo) and press the toppings into the dough slightly.

Using a sharp knife, cut the dough in half lengthwise.

Cut the dough (widthwise) into 9 equal size strips. You will have 18 equal pieces of dough.

Stack all but 1 piece of the dough on top of each other with the toppings facing up. Place the final piece on the top with the toppings facing down. Don’t worry, this is going to get messy and that’s okay.

Carefully lay the stack on its side in the prepared loaf pan (the filling of the two ends will not touch the pan).

Separate the slices a little once they are in the pan and brush the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter.

Bake the loaf for 30 minutes, until it has risen and is golden brown. Let the bread cool slightly before removing from the pan and serving.

* A Note on tk I’m a firm believer in never putting a cake in the refrigerator. I like to cover my cakes with a cake dome (preferably clear so everyone can admire your work) and leave in a place away from any direct heat for up to 5 days. If I run out of cake domes, I use my microwave for storing a cake. God knows I rarely use it for cooking, so at least it’s good for something.

basics Extracts Chemistry for Engineers. The first college class I ever failed. Partying for Engineers. The first college class I ever got an A+. If my college chemistry professor (for the life of me I can’t remember his name) was now allowed a home visit, he’d open the doors to my cavernous kitchen pantry and see shelves lined with bottles and jars of various sizes all filled with colorful concoctions in contrasting stages of murkiness. These are my own extracts and extractblends steeping in the dark. Sugars infused with everything from vanilla to tea olive flowers. Detailed sketches, written notes, and dates meticulously noted in a lab book hang just inside the door. It’s no Chemistry for Engineers lab, but it’s my own Chemistry for Cooks lab. I hate to admit it, but the professor I called jerk under my breath as an 18-year-old was also the person who pushed me to succeed.

Almond Extract yields 1 cup

1 heaping cup of roughly chopped raw almonds 1 cup vodka

Have a sterilized jar (run it through a hot dishwasher cycle) with a tight-fitting lid ready. Place the nuts in the bottom of the sterilized jar and pour the vodka over. Screw the lid on tight and give it a good shake. Store the jar in a dark place for 1 month, giving it a shake every few days. Strain out the nuts and it’s ready to use. Store the almond extract in a cool dark place and it will be good for up to 1 year. There is no need to refrigerate.

Hot Pepper Extract yields 1 cup

1 serrano pepper, cleaned, stem removed, and cut in half lengthwise 2 jalapeño peppers, cleaned, stems removed, and cut lengthwise into strips

I had to retake Chemistry for Engineers. I earned a “C”. Partying for Engineers, Still an A+.

1 cup vodka

Have a sterilized jar (run it through a hot dishwasher cycle) jar with a tight-fitting lid ready.

Place the peppers in the bottom of the sterilized jar and pour the vodka over. Screw the lid on tight and give it a good shake. Store the jar in a dark place for 1 month, giving it a shake every few days. Strain to remove the peppers and seeds before using. Store the hot pepper extract in a cool dark place and it will be good for up to 1 year. There is no need to refrigerate.

Lavender Extract yields 1⁄2 cup

3 tablespoons dried, pesticide-free lavender buds ⁄2 cup vodka

Have a sterilized jar (run it through a hot dishwasher cycle) with a tight-fitting lid ready. Place the lavender buds in the sterilized jar and pour the vodka over. Screw the lid on tight and give it a good shake. Store in a dark place for 2 weeks, giving it a shake every few days. Strain before using, discarding the lavender buds. Store the lavender extract in a cool dark place and it will be good for up to 2 years. There is no need to refrigerate.

* Note: This stuff is pungent. Remember that a little goes a long way in a recipe.

Lemon Extract yields 1 cup

2 large organic lemons, cleaned and dried 1 cup naturally-flavored lemon vodka (I use Hangar One Citron Buddha’s Hand), or substitute plain vodka

Have a sterilized jar (just run it through a hot dishwasher cycle) jar with a tightfitting lid ready. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the lemons so you get only the yellow rind, avoiding the white part of the peel as this will make the extract bitter. Cut the peels into thin strips, place them in the bottom of the sterilized jar, and pour the vodka over. Screw the lid on tight and give it a good shake. Store in a dark place for 1 month before using, giving it a shake every few days. Remove the peels before you use. Store the lemon extract in a cool dark place and it will be good for up to 1 year. There is no need to refrigerate.

sterilized jar, and pour the vodka over. Screw the lid on tight and give it a good shake. Store in a dark place for 1 month, giving it a shake every few days. Remove the peels before you use. Store the orange extract in a cool dark place and it will be good for up to 1 year. There is no need to refrigerate.

S&V House Blend Almond Extract

yields 1 cup

Cheese. Bourbon. Leather. Vanilla. Friends. All are time-tested, worth the wait and get better with age.

A smoother, gentler almond extract.

3 fresh vanilla beans ⁄2 cup vodka, rum, or bourbon

4 ⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1

1 1⁄2 teaspoons almond extract

Add ingredients to a small, lidded bottle and shake gently to combine. Label the bottle and keep it with your other extracts in a cool dark place for up to 1 year. There is no need to refrigerate.

My take on Fiori di Sicilia (Flowers of Sicily) extract.

cleaned and dried

yields 1⁄2 cup

* Note to self: You get what you pay and wait for.

yields 1 ounce

2 large organic navel oranges,

Vanilla Extract

yields 1 ounce

S&V House Blend Citrus Extract

Orange Extract

in a cool dark place for up to 1 year. There is no need to refrigerate.

Have a sterilized jar (run it through a hot dishwasher cycle) with a tight-fitting lid ready. With a sharp paring knife, starting 1 ⁄2-inch from the end of each vanilla bean, make a slit down one side without going all the way through the other side of the bean. Place the beans in the sterilized jar and pour the vodka over. Screw the lid on tight and give it a good shake. Store in a dark place for a minimum of 1 month, giving it a shake every few days. Strain, removing the vanilla bean, before using. Store your vanilla extract in a cool dark place and it will be good for up to 2 years.

1 cup naturally-flavored orange vodka (I use Hangar One Mandarin Blossom), or substitute plain vodka

Have a sterilized jar (run it through a hot dishwasher cycle) jar with a tight-fitting lid ready.

Like adding a Sicilian to your dinner party guest list, adding a bit of this extract to your baked recipes will make them so much livelier.

There is no need to refrigerate.

* Note: Don’t throw out your vanilla beans. Allow them to dry at room temperature and use them to make vanilla sugar (see page).

3 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 1⁄2 teaspoon orange extract

Using a vegetable peeler, peel the oranges so you get only the orange rind, avoiding the white part of the peel as this will make the extract bitter. Cut the peels into thin strips, place them in the bottom of the

1 1⁄2 teaspoon lemon extract

Add ingredients to a small, lidded bottle and shake gently to combine. Label the bottle and keep it with your other extracts