My career in food began 20 years ago, when I volunteered to assist with cooking classes at Sur la Table. It was just a few classes here and there based on my interests, which I already knew was baking at that point. One of the recipes I remember to this day is this heirloom tomato tart. I can still recall my reaction I had when I ate it. Absolutely delicious. Flaky crust, subtle tartness from the Dijon mustard and the juiciest tomatoes. This is my take on the savory tart.
A traditional apple tarte tatin has apple wedges in a pan of caramel, covered with dough on top. I was inspired to make this thousand layer version after seeing it at a patisserie in Paris. Sadly, it’s no longer offered so, this recipe is my way of honoring that creation.
This is a festive take on one of my favorite desserts, pavlova. The meringue is piped into a wreath shape and topped with Christmas-colored fruits. I’ve seen a lot of recipes that show red currants and while I’d love to use them, they aren’t in season until summer. This has fresh raspberries, pomegranate seeds and mint. I really love the crunch of the arils so I was generous with those. Sugared cranberries would also be fitting. For extra flavor, a surprise layer of Meyer lemon curd underneath the sweetened whipped cream.
I was inspired to make my own mince pies after eating them in London. From what I’ve researched, bakeries will often prepare the mincemeat filling months, sometimes years ahead, to really develop the flavor. While I’d love to try that one day, I decided to shortcut for my first bake, and bought a jar from a gourmet shop while in London.
Update August 2026: I ended up not liking the flavor from the store-bought mincemeat. It was far too sweet and spiced. So, this year, I have gotten a head start with holiday baking and jarred my own homemade mincemeat filling, so it has time to develop over the next few months.
