Make Ahead

CREATED TWENTY YEARS AGO by Pasta & Co founder Marcella Rosene, this unique blend of dried herbs is exceptionally versatile.

YOU CAN’T BUY THIS INTENSELY FLAVORED STOCK anywhere; you have to make it yourself from fresh crab shells. In the Pacific Northwest there are two types of crab available, Dungeness and Alaska king crabs. We use Dungeness for its sweet crab flavor, but king crab can be substituted. We don’t recommend using Atlantic blue crabs, as they have a completely different flavor. In my house, making the stock always comes the day after a crab feast. Crab stock is a wonderful base for any fish stew, but it plays the starring role in the Crab Mac and Cheese (page 74). Without it, the cheese overwhelms the flavorful crab.

MAKING CHICKEN STOCK is one of the easiest things in the world; toss the ingredients in a pot and let it simmer while you do something else. After trying dozens of recipes, I settled on this one, which makes a pot of stock and a poached chicken for dinner or lunch the next day. Crunchy Chicken and Rice Salad (page 53), The Big Omelet (page 210), Chicken Salad with Corn and Cilantro (page 51), and Chicken-Avocado Salad (page 49) are delicious ways to enjoy the poached chicken. Browning the vegetables increases the flavor of the stock and lends a nice golden color. Adding wine enriches the flavor while deglazing the pan.

THESE CINNAMON BUNS WERE INSPIRED BY the Magic Bakery Café on Whidbey Island, a small island north of Seattle, known for its handmade baked goods. Waking up to the aroma of freshly baked buns is guaranteed to start your weekend on the right note. Adding the potato to the dough results in a very light and moist bun. If you prefer your sugar later in the day, serve the buns as a dessert with Three-Citrus Honey-Butter Syrup (page 218) drizzled over the top.

A BUCKLE IS AN AMERICAN COFFEE CAKE, and this sweet and moist version is a nice departure from muffins. Use fresh, juicy blueberries in the summer for a true blueberry flavor.

A far cry from anything in a bottle, this intensely flavored syrup tastes great over waffles, pancakes, and even ice cream. You can use one type of berry or a combination of berries.

LIGHT ENOUGH TO BE SERVED AS a casual breakfast dish but hearty enough to accompany a New York steak, these latkes have a crunchy, savory flavor due to two techniques: First, the potatoes are salted to remove most of the excess moisture and then browned in olive oil and butter for a rich, round flavor.

WITH POTATO, CORN, AVOCADO, AND TOMATO, this hearty egg dish is ideal for breakfast, brunch, a light lunch, or what my family calls a “breakfast dinner”—an easy breakfast dish that makes a satisfying dinner.

WITH A CHOCOLATE CRUST and a creamy espresso filling, this pie is like a mocha cappuccino disguised as dessert. Here are a few tricks for a successful pie: Make sure the butter and cream for the filling are at room temperature, and remember to scrape the sides of the bowl frequently as you mix. For serving, cut the pie with a knife that’s been dipped in hot water and wiped dry.

THIS CREAMY CHEESECAKE IS MUCH LIGHTER THAN the classic New York cheesecake. Instead of cream cheese, we use Beecher’s Honey Blank Slate, a naturally cultured, soft, fresh farmer’s cheese blended with Washington State honey, but a good substitute is fresh ricotta cheese mixed with honey. One tip for a successful cheesecake: Before serving, run a knife around the edge to separate it from the pan. This will help prevent the cheesecake from cracking. Top the cheesecake with Caramel Sauce (page 183) or Northwest Berry Syrup (page 221).

THE WASHINGTON STATE CLIMATE IS IDEAL for pear trees, and year-round our local markets stock endless varieties, such as sweet Anjou, aromatic Bosc, sweet and juicy Yellow Bartlett, and the crisp Comice. Pear and ginger play off each other in an interesting way, with the heat of ginger cutting the sweetness of the fruit. Be sure to use slightly underripe fruit for the best texture; overripe fruit has too much moisture for this pie.

The secret to a flaky crust is keeping the dough cold and rolling it between two sheets of plastic wrap. Do not roll the dough on a floured surface because that only incorporates more flour, pressing it into the butter and reducing the flakiness of the crust.

This short pie crust dough is lighter and crispier than the Flaky Pie Crust Dough (page 194).

OUR EXECUTIVE CHEF AND PASTRY GURU (and hazelnut lover) Lura Smith has made this rich, dense torte for fifteen years to celebrate the hazelnuts of the region. The torte is made with agave syrup, a natural substitute for corn syrup. Agave syrup is available at specialty grocery stores.

PARSNIPS HAVE A DEEPER, MORE SOULFUL FLAVOR than carrots, and this hearty root vegetable takes center stage in our version of a carrot cake. Sweet and spiced with ginger and cloves, this moist cake makes a great birthday cake or anytime cake.

Besides serving this with the apple crisps, we use it as a sauce for cheesecake (see page 201). This basic caramel sauce also tastes great over ice cream.

THE KEY TO THESE SWEET AND CHUNKY apricot bars is using the highest-quality apricot preserves possible. Look for the word preserves on the label rather than jam or jelly; preserves have more fruit chunks. (Artificial colors are sometimes added to apricot jams, jelly, and preserves, so check the list of ingredients on the label.) These are a great dessert for a picnic or a bake sale because they’re easy to transport and stay fresh for days.

IF YOU THINK YOU DON’T LIKE GINGER, these cookies are sure to change your mind. With cloves, cinnamon, and ginger, these soft, chewy cookies have a bite all their own. Ground ginger has a more intense flavor than fresh and is ideal for baking. The only way to improve on these cookies is to sandwich vanilla ice cream between pairs of them. (See photograph on page 174.)

SNICKERDOODLE IS ANOTHER NAME FOR a vanilla butter cookie covered in cinnamon sugar. Light and soft in texture, they’re simple to make. Cut them into shapes, such as triangles, before baking and dip the pieces in melted chocolate once they’re cool for a fun dessert. They also make the perfect cookie for ice cream sandwiches. (See photograph on page 174.)