Have a cocktail shaker that you’re looking to put to good use? You’ve come to the right place. Here is a collection of some of my favorite shaken cocktails. Shaking a cocktail with ice chills a drink with amazing efficiency. It also aerates the drink and adds tiny ice chips throughout. But when do you …

This makrut lime leaf cake is the result of an idea that had been percolating in my brain for years. I love citrus flavors in desserts. (Like these meyer lemon ginger mousses or this strawberry pavlova with mezcal and lime or this not-quite-citrus-but-similar-in-spirit passion fruit tart.) And I’ve always loved the aromatic, citrusy, just-slightly-floral fragrance …

This citrus avocado and shaved fennel salad is just the thing to get you out of a salad slump. It’s simple and colorful and replete with bright acidity. It’s the kick in the pants I need around the end of February, when winter feels interminable and I crave something that feels like sunshine on a …

January is always the toughest month for me for cooking. There’s a post-holiday malaise that hangs over the kitchen. I try to balance the excesses of December with austerity, but it’s hard to get excited about much of the seasonal produce when the pickings are slim. Oh, I like root vegetables and cabbage and squash but sometimes …

It’s been a whirlwind couple of weeks. Summer arrived in full sunny, sweaty force. I’ve been immersed in my annual Tour de France viewing (tomorrow’s penultimate stage features the iconic climb of Alpe d’Huez). The Tour always brings me back to the summer after college when I was mostly unemployed except for a few odd …

I love elderflowers. When I saw that Seedling Farm was selling them at the Green City Market last week, I immediately bought a flat of them. They are delicate tiny flowers that have a brief season and a big heady fragrance. They are mildly floral, slightly anise-y, and they pair beautifully with citrus flavors. They’re …