Ling

^That sounds really good, Abra! Did you just replace some of the brewed coffee with the liqueurs? I bet that would make the cake even tastier...how much of each did you add? I just checked my recipe in Recipe Gullet and noticed I meant to say "angel food cake pan" instead of bundt pan, but a bundt pan should work too. It does make a very big, soft-textured cake!

^Yum...I love berries! My bf made white peach ice-cream last night with lots of vanilla bean and he should be bringing it over the border in a cooler for me...can't wait.

Tie your hair back if it's long, and wear closed-toe, flat shoes. ETA: CONGRATS!

I once saw an episode of Alton Brown where he made protein bars. They had to be kept in the fridge and were only good for a week because they didn't contain any preservatives though. Maybe the recipe is available online.

When I read the initial post, this is what I thought too--until he said that the detrempe and fat doughs are mixed thoroughly together. That would mean the fat and detrempe aren't layered anymore...therefore, not a laminated dough. Is that correct?

^Omigosh, that's the exact same argument I use on my mom when she chastises me for eating 1/2 a pie for dinner.

Ahh...so interesting. Now that you mention it, scarlett, the Americanos I get in Vancouver where I remember getting a nice layer of crema were pulled directly into small glass mugs. hhlodesign got my coffee from Bellino on Wednesday, because I was in the hurry to get back to Vancouver. After having my coffee from Vivace just the day before, I can safely say Vivace is better, even though they use the same beans.

Thanks for the link, Klary and Shaya! I couldn't make it last night, though, since I didn't have pine nuts on hand. I made Sicilian sweet and sour calf's liver instead. I didn't use a recipe, but the pepper and onion combo was in several recipes I looked at, and I added some balsamic and stock while the onions were cooking down. The creaminess of the liver was delicious with the tangy accompaniment!

That's awesome...I have reservations for tomorrow.

Mmmm...that looks so juicy I just want to bite the screen. The chick in me likes the mint in the potato salad too!

No, I didn't...I didn't really follow a recipe. I just made a shortbread base, made caramel (sugar, butter, cream) then added a lot of nuts until there wasn't any more "excess" caramel. You're right, it was a very nutty pecan pie bar. There wasn't any goopy stuff underneath. It was the first dessert gone. A lot of people came up to my last night and told me it was by far the best thing at the party.

It's basically a chocolate graham crust pie with a really thick, rich, chocolate pudding. I made one before and it was so good and thick...I remember the recipe called for whole milk and I used heavy cream instead...

Honestly, my first thought would be to make pistachio mousse and layer it with puff pastry and make Napoleons. Or maybe pistachio-cream filled cannolis, half dipped in dark chocolate and rolled in crushed pistachios...isn't the almond paste used to cover cassata traditionally tinted with pistachio paste? You could do a modern cassata, with a pistachio pound cake, or maybe use the pistachio paste with the ricotta filling...or you could make pistachio ricotta fritters and dust them with icing sugar. The pistachio flavour should come out nicely because ricotta is very mild. What about a chocolate and pistachio semifreddo? Awesome dinners, everyone. I was at the library today looking for Sicilian recipes...I haven't decided on what to make yet, but this sweet and sour eggplant dish caught my eye, and it looked very simple and different.

The bittycakes look wonderful, as does everything you cooked and baked today!

That is beautiful! It sounds very delicious as well. Last night, this Canadian chick had an awesome time at her first 4th of July party. I made brownies and pecan pie bars. I didn't get a picture of the dessert table, because we were too busy putting together over a hundred foie gras burgers for our guests, but I also had pecan pie someone else made, red, white and blue frosted "USA" cookies, chocolate black bottom pie (it was really deep, like a good 5" tall), coconut cheesecake, chocolate chip cookies, rhubarb crisp and vanilla ice-cream.

I think you should up the water. It shouldn't dilute the cocoa flavour...it's just water; it'll just make your cake more moist. You can take away a tablespoon or two of flour and replace it with a tablespoon or two of cocoa if you're worried.

Ah, I see! I'll have to head to Caffe Senso Unico because the slurping the bit of crema is the best part!

That's gorgeous, gfron! Could I get the recipe for the tuiles as well?

dandelion: I'll be sure to check out Caffe Senso Unico. Thanks for the tip: mamster: I went to Vivace today for my morning Americano. It is a little better than Bellino...less bitter, I'm guessing that has to do with the barista's skill. The coffee was very good, thanks! I was also wondering...in the better coffee shops in Vancouver, there is a thin layer of crema on my Americano, and I haven't come across that in Seattle yet. I don't know much about coffee (only that I love to drink it ) but is there supposed to be some in my Americano? I was always under the impression that this was one of the hallmarks of a good espresso or Americano; is this assumption invalid?

I'm pulling up an old thread, but I was wondering where to find the best cup of coffee in Seattle. Currently, I'm getting coffee from the place on 2nd Ave. next to La Vita e Bella (sorry, don't remember the name.) They serve Vivace beans.

I love the enthusiasm that is so apparent when both of you talk about Sicilian cuisine. I'm going to be busy tomorrow baking and cooking for 100 guests , but maybe I can whip up a little Sicilian lunch.

What a wonderful theme for a blog, phlawless! I love the picture of your daughter eating her healthy breakfast. Question for the 100-mile theme--this means that you won't be able to use many of the processed products in the grocery store. Does this mean you'll be baking your own bread with locally-milled flour? Or buying from a local bakery? Just wondering how "strict" the rules are...I think the project is very interesting.

Great, the beet ice-cream is something I really want to do. I think I have access to a juicer in a restaurant kitchen.

Thanks for the recipe, Abra! I'll have to try it soon. That dessert looks great, Melange. What did you think about the consistency of the ice-cream? I haven't tried that recipe yet...but it looks like the most interesting one in the book.

As 2roost mentioned, you can get it from Armandino and they'll cut it up for you. I've also bought it from Urban Fare but it came frozen and I had to hack it up myself.