Margarita Cake

The next time a co-worker drops a bag of surplus oranges on the snack table for the taking, or a grocer practically gives away fresh lemons and limes, pull out all-purpose flour and turn on the oven.

It’s time to bake a cake.

The sweet-sour punch of citrus adds clean, fresh flavors to this baked dessert, proving there are more ways to use the in-season fruit than just pitchers of lemonade or fresh-squeezed orange juice.

“A little hint of citrus goes a long way into making a cake special,” says Lani Greer, a Gilbert woman who turned a passion for baking cakes from scratch into a side business.

Homemade cakes, once a dessert staple, are too often skipped over for those made from a box. The trade-off is quality. Cakes baked from scratch simply taste better.

“They are denser and the flavors pure,” says Greer, a former mechanical engineer and security-door saleswoman who combines her technical expertise with love of baking to turn out one-of-a-kind cakes.

Perking up cakes with citrus can be as easy as adding zest to the batter or frosting, or juice to the batter.

Baking cakes from scratch requires no special skills or expensive equipment. All that’s needed is a hand-held mixer, quality aluminum cake pans, measuring cups for dry and wet ingredients and two hours from start to finish.

The goal is to bake cakes that are delicate and moist. So avoid mixing or cooking too long, moves that produce chewy and dry cakes.

To Greer, a homemade cake should look homemade.

“I think people get intimidated because they think their cake should look like something a pro would bake. Just the opposite is true,” she says. “You want your cake to look nice, but not too perfect.”

Bakers offer the following tips:

• Temperature matters. If your oven temperature is questionable, invest in an oven thermometer. Before mixing the batter, turn on the oven and make sure the rack is in the center.

• Buy the best cake pans you can afford. Shiny pans reflect the heat and are your best choice for cake baking.

• Prepare ingredients at room temperature for best results.

• Grease pans with about 1 tablespoon of fat per layer pan.

• To measure flour, fluff it in the bag then spoon into the dry-ingredient measuring cup. Level off with a knife.

• Speed the softening of cold butter by grating or thinly slicing it and letting stand for about 10 minutes over a bowl of warm water.

• Cool the cake thoroughly before frosting.

Margarita cake

For the cake:

1/2 cup or 1 stick unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup heavy cream

1 lime, rind grated and juiced to make 1 tablespoon

Lime curd for topping (available in grocery stores)

For lime glaze:

1/2 cup lime juice

2 teaspoons triple sec

1 teaspoon tequila

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

For lime buttercream frosting:

1 cup softened butter

1/2 cup shortening

4 cups sifted powdered sugar

2 tablespoons heavy cream

lime glaze

2 tablespoons grated lime rind

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter until smooth. Gradually add the sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and continue to beat. In a second bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt together. Alternately add the flour mixture and the cream into the egg mixture, starting and ending with the flour. Mix in the lime rind and lime juice. Scoop the batter into 2 greased, 8-inch cake pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. The cake is done when a knife or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake starts to pull away from the side. Remove from the oven and let stand 10 minutes. Turn out onto a cake rack to cool.

To make the glaze: Mix the lime juice, triple sec, tequila and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Set aside half of the glaze to make the frosting (see below).

While the cake is still warm, slowly spoon glaze over the top so that all of the liquid is absorbed. Place a plate under the cake rack to catch the glaze that runs off, and reapply the drippings until all of the liquid has been absorbed.

To make frosting: Cream butter and shortening in a large mixing bowl. Add powdered sugar and heavy cream. Add reserved lime glaze to a medium consistency. Blend well. Sprinkle in grated lime peel.

Frost cake and top with lime curd. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Source: Lani Greer of Lani Cakes, Gilbert, Ariz.

Lemon Cake

For the cake:

2 lemons

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided use

1 cup cake flour, sifted before measuring

2/3 cup water

10 large egg whites

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

7 large egg yolks

Tiny fresh flowers, mint leaves and/or crystallized violets for garnish

For the glaze:

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup whipping cream

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur

Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat oven to 325 degrees. Have an ungreased 10-inch tube pan ready.

Remove the rind (yellow part only) from the lemons with a vegetable peeler. Place rind on a cutting board and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar. Mince rind as finely as possible with a sharp knife.

Squeeze the lemons and set aside one-fourth cup juice for the cake and 3 tablespoons for the glaze. Sift the flour two more times and set aside.

Combine the remaining sugar and the water in a small saucepan, swirling the pan so the sugar is moistened. Bring to a rapid boil; cook 1 and one-half minutes.

As the sugar cooks, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar in a 5-quart mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer at high speed until egg whites hold soft peaks. Keeping the mixer running at high speed, add sugar syrup to whites in a very slow, steady stream. Once all of the syrup has been added, continue beating whites until they are cool, firm and glossy.

Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl until they are light-colored. Add the lemon rind and one-fourth cup juice and mix well. With a large rubber spatula, fold the yolks into the egg whites, making sure they are fully incorporated. Add the flour, in thirds, folding in lightly but thoroughly between each addition.

Transfer batter to prepared pan, then smooth surface with spatula. Tap the pan on the counter to remove air pockets. Bake until puffy and golden, 45 to 50 minutes. Invert pan, resting it on the neck of a slender bottle if necessary to keep it from resting on the counter. Cool completely. Loosen the cake from the sides of the pan with a small knife and transfer to a serving plate.

To make the glaze: Combine granulated sugar, cream, lemon juice and butter in a small pan. Heat to a boil, then cook at a rapid boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add confectioners’ sugar, whisking until completely smooth. Mix in liqueur.

Spoon glaze over the top of cake, letting it drip down the sides. Garnish with flowers, mint leaves and/or crystallized violets. Slice the cake with a serrated knife, using a gentle, sawing motion. Makes 12 to 14 servings.

Source: Lani Greer of Lani Cakes, Gilbert, Ariz.

Orange Creamsicle Cake

For the cake:

Vegetable cooking spray

3 cups sifted unbleached flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 small orange yogurt

3/4 cup milk

3 egg whites

2 teaspoons grated orange zest

For orange cream-cheese frosting:

1/2 cup butter

2 teaspoons shortening

8 ounces room-temperature cream cheese

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup orange juice

Orange-rind curls for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 6-inch cake pans with vegetable cooking spray and line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, sift together flour and baking powder; set aside. With mixer, cream together butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy; add vanilla and yogurt, beating well. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to butter mixture, starting and ending with flour and beating well. In a separate bowl, using grease-free utensils, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form, but not too dry. Fold into batter gently along with orange zest. Divide batter into the two pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

To make frosting: In a large mixing bowl, add butter, shortening, cream cheese, powdered sugar and orange juice. Mix until well blended. Adjust consistency with powdered sugar or juice.

Frost cake and garnish with orange-rind curls. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Source: Lani Greer of Lani Cakes, Gilbert, Ariz.

AP-NY-03-24-09 1125EDT

Although Scotland, Ireland and England all claim scones as their own, no one is sure just where this cross between a biscuit and a muffin originated. Scones are everywhere in the United States including coffee shops, tearooms and bakeries.

Although Scotland, Ireland and England all claim scones as their own, no one is sure just where this cross between a biscuit and a muffin originated.

It doesn’t seem to matter on this side of the Atlantic. Today, Yanks clearly are smitten with the British import. Scones are everywhere, including coffee shops, tearooms and bakeries.

“People love that they are not fried, not gooey and have a fresh, clean flavor. And they are so diverse and versatile,” says master baker Ben Hershberger of The Phoenician resort in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Scones can be served with coffee for breakfast, or with tea for an afternoon pick-me-up. Savory varieties baked with herbs make welcome substitutes for dinner rolls.

Hershberger also attributes their recent spike in popularity to Americans’ newfound infatuation with “all things English,” including the strength of the pound, TV chef Gordon Ramsay, fashion and tea.

“The English love their scones, and now so do we,” Hershberger says.

Scones – said to have taken their name from the Stone of Destiny, or Stone of Scone, that was connected with the crowning of Scottish kings – originally were griddle-fried oatcakes. Today, they are made with wheat flour, sugar, baking powder or baking soda, butter, cream and eggs, and baked in the oven – in the traditional wedge form and in round, square and diamond shapes.

They typically include raisins or currants but often are plain, relying on jam, preserves, lemon curd, honey or a touch of clotted cream for additional flavor. Contemporary versions are made with dried fruit (such as cranberries and dates), nuts, orange rind, chocolate morsels and other flavorings.

According to Hershberger, scones must be baked properly, or else. “If you get it wrong, everyone will know,” he says.

For Sheila Mitchell, a retired London hairdresser who lives in Mesa, Ariz., baking scones is simple.

“Nobody should be intimidated,” she says. “Once you get the recipe and technique down, they are easy to turn out, and they are so wonderful.

“But they are not something you want to grab and eat on the run. Having a cup of tea and scone is such a wonderful way to slow down and enjoy life.”

Basic scones

3 eggs

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cream

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 cup butter

1 cup of garnish of choice, from blueberries and cranberries to chocolate chips

Mix eggs and cream. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients with room-temperature butter. Mix until butter is evenly incorporated.

Slowly add liquid, mixing until the batter reaches the consistency of cornmeal. While mixing, add garnishes to taste.

Remove dough from bowl, and roll out to about one-half-inch thick. Cut into 2 1/2-inch rounds. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes. Makes 12 servings.

Source: Ben Hershberger, master baker, The Phoenician resort in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Olive Scones

Nonstick cooking spray

1 1/2 cups red onion, finely chopped

6 eggs, plus 1 egg for egg wash

1 cup plus 3 tablespoons cream

5 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

3 1/2 cups oats

4 tablespoons sugar

2 1/2 tablespoons baking powder

3 tablespoons rosemary

2 teaspoons black pepper

1 tablespoon salt

1 2/3 cups butter

1 cup chopped kalamata olives, chopped

1 cup Parmesan cheese

Heat medium saute pan on medium high, coating with cooking spray. Add onion and saute lightly, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, add 6 eggs and cream. Set aside.

In a separate mixing bowl, blend flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, rosemary, black pepper, salt and butter. Mix until butter is evenly incorporated.

Next, slowly add liquids to dry ingredients. Mix to blend. Stir in olives, onions and cheese.

Remove from bowl and roll to about one-half-inch thick. Cut into 2 1/2-inch rounds. Mix 1 egg and use a pastry brush to wash unbaked scones.

Place egg-washed dough on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes. Makes about 24 servings.

Source: Ben Hershberger, master baker, The Phoenician resort in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Phoenix chocolate-chip scones

Nonstick cooking spray

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 cup unsalted butter

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 to 1 cup whipping cream

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Garnish

3 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, melted

3 ounces white chocolate, melted

Confectioners’ sugar, garnish

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Stack two baking sheets together and line top one with parchment paper (if baking scones free-form). Or spray 6 to 8 3 1/2-inch individual tart tins with non-stick cooking spray.

In a food-processor bowl, place flour, sugar, salt and baking powder together and process to combine dry ingredients. Add in the butter and pulse to cut butter into dry mixture. Process briefly until you have a coarse, mealy texture.

Turn mixture out into a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add egg, vanilla and cream. Stir to make a soft dough, adding in chocolate chips at the same time.

Dough should be on the borderline between a dough and a firm batter. Using an ice-cream scoop, scoop scone dough into tart tins or scoop them free-form onto parchment-covered baking sheet.

Bake until nicely browned, about 15 to 18 minutes. Remove and cool in tart shells or on baking sheet until they can be handled. Drizzle dark, then white, chocolate on top of each scone. Let set, then dust on confectioners’ sugar.

Baker’s note: If you have clean tuna cans on hand, you can scoop the scone batter into these for a different, gourmet look. Makes 8 to 9 servings.

Source: The Arizona Republic.

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SECRETS FOR GREAT SCONES

• Measure accurately. Although most Americans measure by volume, Ben Hershberger, master baker at The Phoenician resort in Scottsdale, Ariz., recommends measuring by weight. Use a simple conversion chart to turn tablespoons into ounces.

- Always mix the dry ingredients with butter before adding other ingredients. Do not melt butter, but rather allow it to soften to room temperature and then cut it into the flour mixture. The goal is to coat the flour with butter, a fat that prevents the gluten from becoming tough.

• Avoid mixing too long and rigorously. Otherwise, the result will be chewy, dry scones.

• If using fresh raspberries, freeze first to prevent them from spilling into the scone.

• Serve as soon after baking as possible. They are best fresh, because they dry out quickly.

The ruling on three scone mixes

• Cherry scone mix hits mark (just go easy on cream)

The cherry Iveta Scone Mix called for 1 cup of heavy cream to be worked into the mix. The resulting dough was slightly sticky and not easy to work with, and the scones seemed to flatten a bit in the oven. If a perfect scone shape is important, use a bit less cream.

The texture of the finished scone was lovely, slightly crisp on the outside with a tender crumb inside. The scones were delicious: not too sweet, with a rich flavor.

The dried cherries are rather large, and a few fell off during the journey from bowl to oven to mouth, but they provide a lively burst of flavor. www.iveta.com

- Mary Beth Faller

• Maple-oat scone mix is flaky, tasty

A good sign: The ingredients list for King Arthur Flour’s Vermont Maple-Oat Scone Mix is short and contains no unpronounceable items. You add an egg, milk, butter and salt.

The instructions advise working the butter into the mixture with a fork or electric mixer. It took about five minutes to get the proper crumbly consistency with a pastry blender. Using a fork would have been a lot more work. (If you use a mixer, make sure your bowl is deeper than it is wide or flour may go flying.)

You’re also instructed to cut the dough into pieces and separate them before baking. That seemed fussy; other scone recipes advise simply patting the dough into a round and cutting after baking.

No matter. The scones were tender and flaky inside, just sweet enough, and with a pleasing maple taste and aroma. Whole oatmeal flakes add texture without making the scones dense.

A box makes eight scones and costs $6.95. Avid bakers could make their own for less, but these scones taste better than many store-bought varieties that cost $2 or $3 each. And you know exactly what’s in them. www.kingarthurflour.com

- Jill Cassidy

• Traditional scone mix worth a bit of work

Stonewall Kitchen’s Traditional Scone Mix is almost like making it from scratch. You cut in a stick and a half of butter, add cold water and gently knead into a ball of dough.

If it’s an add-water-and-stir mix you’re looking for, this isn’t for you. But if working with dough is second nature or almost, then this mix delivers yummy, crumbling, buttery-tasting scones fresh from the oven. Their texture is denser, but these scones are moist.

If you want cranberries, raisins or chocolate, you’ll have to add your own. No mix-ins are included. At $6.89, this is pricier than some scone mixes, but it’s worth it. www.stonewallkitchen.com

- Susan Felt

Vanilla bean sugar cookies from The Sweet Pea, a bakery and caterer in Phoenix are made with one vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped.

On Valentine’s Day, chocolate usually shoves vanilla aside with the insolence of a schoolyard bully. But today, vanilla – empowered by a newfound appreciation of its legendary bean – finally is refusing to cower.

A vanilla-bean cake says love as lustily as a box of single-origin dark chocolates.

There’s a good reason for vanilla’s newfound strength. Savvy consumers are discovering the difference between the real deal – a bean harvested from the orchid – and the widely available, artificially flavored extracts made from wood-pulp byproducts.

Pure vanilla, whether the whole bean, extract or ground, has a smooth flavor with earthy, complex undertones. Imitation vanilla, on the other hand, is saddled with an overpowering flavor and lingering chemical aftertaste.

“I tell people that they have no idea whether they like vanilla or not if they have only tasted imitation. The difference between real and imitation is night and day,” says Eric Elsberry, who, along with his wife, Patty, owns Arizona Vanilla Company, a Mesa-based Internet import store that sells to the public and upper-crust bakeries.

Like magic, this small brown bean makes just about any food, from pork chops to chocolate, taste better. A sprinkling of ground vanilla tames bitter coffee, while a small scrape from a bean turns mashed sweet potatoes from a side dish to dessert.

“Vanilla acts like salt and pepper. It’s an aromatic flavor enhancer,” Elsberry says.

Like wine, vanilla’s subtle undertones change by region. The key is matching the dish to vanilla from one of the world’s top growing regions – Mexico, Tahiti and Madagascar.

Patty Elsberry, an accomplished cook and co-author of the “Simply Vanilla” cookbook, recommends using Mexican beans for salad dressings, chocolate desserts and flavored vinegar. Madagascar beans work best in savory dishes and fruit compotes, while Tahitian teams well with cream sauces and roasted garlic.

Vanilla comes in four basic forms: whole bean, extract, ground and paste. The bean, the most expensive at about $1.35 to $3 a pod, has become the vanilla of choice for bakers, chefs and food hobbyists drawn to its fuller, richer flavor.

The high cost of vanilla is due to the labor involved in cultivating and harvesting the pods. The process begins with hand pollination of the orchid on the single day of the year the flower opens. After the vanilla bean forms and matures, it is harvested and then subjected to months of curing and fermentation.

Pure vanilla extract, ground and paste are less expensive and more convenient. Although the flavor is still pronounced, these three forms taste less intense than fresh beans.

Treats for the sweet that skip the chocolate

The Sweet Pea Sugar Cookies

Cookies:

1 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped, or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 egg

Zest of 1 orange or lemon

2 tablespoons orange juice

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

Icing•

1 pound powdered sugar

1 tablespoon powdered egg whites

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, mix together butter, sugar and vanilla. Add the egg, zest and juice. Mix until smooth. Gradually stir in the flour and baking powder until well mixed. Wrap tightly and chill for 2 to 3 hours, or until firm. Sprinkle flour along a clean surface and roll out dough. Use heart-shaped cookie cutters to cut out cookies. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake about 8 minutes, or until edges of cookies are golden. Timing will vary depending on the size and shape of the cookie cutter. Let cool.

For icing, whisk together powdered sugar, powdered egg whites and small drizzles of water until icing is smooth and thick. Whisk in vanilla. Place in a pastry bag fitted with a decorator tip, or spread on cookies with an offset spatula. Makes about 12 cookies.

Source: Chef Danielle Librera, The Sweet Pea Baking and Catering, Phoenix

Old Fashioned Vanilla Bean Cake

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

8 ounces butter, softened

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 vanilla bean split, seeds scraped

3 eggs

1 3/4 cups milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, baking powder and sea salt together and set aside. Use a mixer, preferably with a paddle setting, to mix together butter and sugar until well combined. Add vanilla bean seeds and blend well. Add eggs one at a time, continuing to mix until ingredients are combined. In a separate mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Add in three batches to butter mixture, gently stirring. Add milk and mix until all ingredients are combined. Be careful not to overmix; it will cause the cake to become tough.

Spray two round 8-inch-by-1 2/3-inch pans with cooking oil and dust with flour. Pour batter into pans and bake 45 to 55 minutes. Allow to cool in pan before removing and slicing or frosting. Makes 8 servings.

Source: Chef Danielle Librera, The Sweet Pea Baking and Catering, Phoenix

Vanilla dry rub pork chops

4 boneless pork chops, about 1/4 inch thick

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1 vanilla bean split lengthwise, seeds scraped

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Place pork chops in a glass container and set aside. For dry rub, combine salt, paprika, brown sugar, black pepper, dried thyme, onion powder, garlic powder, ground cinnamon, cloves and allspice in a small bowl. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds. Rub the seeds in the chops, and sprinkle generously with the dry rub.

Heat the oil in a large skillet at a medium-high temperature. When hot, place pork chops in the skillet. Cook about 2-3 minutes. Turn and cook the second side about 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low. Add more oil if the chops begin to stick. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, until the juice runs clear. Makes 4 servings.

Source: Arizona Vanilla Company

Filet mignon with vanilla wine sauce

For the sauce:

2 cups organic beef stock

1/4 cup dry red wine

1 small onion, sliced in half

3 large sprigs of fresh marjoram or oregano

2 whole garlic cloves

1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Organic Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract

1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon light brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter, softened

For the steaks

4 (4-ounce) 1 1/2-inch-thick filets mignons

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

Mushrooms

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1/4 cup clarified butter (see note)

For the sauce, combine the stock, wine, onion, marjoram, garlic, vanilla extract, tomato paste and brown sugar in a saucepan. Simmer until reduced by half. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a small saute pan. Whisk the butter into the sauce 1 tablespoon at a time over medium heat. The sauce will become glossy and slightly thickened.

For the steaks, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Season the steaks with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the steaks and sear each side for 2 to 3 minutes. Place the skillet in the oven and roast for 8 to 10 minutes for medium or to the desired degree of doneness. Remove and let stand.

For the mushrooms, saute the mushrooms in the clarified butter in a medium saucepan until brown.

To assemble, place the steaks on a serving platter. Spoon the sauce over the steaks. Garnish with mushrooms. Serves 4.

Note: Clarified butter is melted butter that has had the white milk solids skimmed off the top, which allows the butter to be less heat-sensitive and reduces the risk of burning.

Source: “A Century of Flavor by Nielsen-Massey Vanillas” (The Cookbook Marketplace, 2008, $27.95)

This old fashioned vanilla bean cake with whipped mascarpone filling and buttercream icing is from The Sweet Pea, a bakery and caterer in Phoenix are made with one vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped.

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VANILLA TIPS

In May 2005, Eric and Patty Elsberry bought their first shipment of vanilla beans from Mexico and have been selling the coveted spice to bakeries and home cooks ever since through Arizona Vanilla Company, a Mesa-based Internet import store that sells to the public and bakeries.

The couple attributes the steady increase in sales to the quest by foodies for top-of-the-line ingredients, whether vanilla or coffee beans. Along with selling beans, extract and ground vanilla from around the world, the Elsberrys act as ambassadors for the spice.

Here are a few of their top tips and vanilla facts:

• Select beans that are pliable and fresh, not dry. Fresh vanilla beans should not rattle when you shake them.

• Bring dried beans back to life by soaking in warm water for several hours before using.

• To use, split a bean lengthwise with a sharp knife and scrape out the powder-fine seeds. Add the seeds to your recipe. The seeds from one vanilla bean are equivalent to 2 to 3 teaspoons of extract.

• After splitting open, allow the vanilla pod to dry for a couple of days. Add the dried pod to sugar for extra flavor and aroma. Or tie pods in cheesecloth and use as a potpourri. Basically, don’t throw out the pod until there is no aroma left.

• Store vanilla for six to nine months in a sealed container or jar that is kept in a cool, dark place, such as the pantry, but never in the refrigerator.

• Why does vanilla extract contain alcohol? The alcohol helps to extract the flavors from the vanilla bean. Plus, the federal government requires that pure vanilla extract be made with no less than 35 percent alcohol solution.

• Vanilla extract, like fine wine, gets better with age. Most reach the peak of flavor at age 2.

• Use pure ground vanilla in warm drinks or substitute for vanilla extract in baking and cooking.

• Not all vanilla tastes the same. Madagascar, Bourbon and Mexican vanilla are all the same species, but because they are grown and cured in different climates and soil, their taste profiles are slightly different. All possess a fruity aroma and strong vanilla flavor. Tahitian beans are a different species and are known for their earthly aroma and flavor.

On the Web:

Arizona Vanilla Co., arizonavanilla.com

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VANILLA EXTRACT

Most home cooks use vanilla extract, whether pure or imitation. The editors of Cook’s Illustrated magazine recently tested 12 extracts to determine which had the best overall flavor. Tops in the test: McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract ($7.99 for 2 ounces), Rodelle Pure Vanilla Extract ($7.99 for 4 ounces) and Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract ($9.99 for 4 ounces).

Gannett News Service

Drinks like the Hot Sicilian from Sassi restaurant in Scottsdale are a terrific end to a meal when the weather turns chilly.

When nights turn brisk and darkness falls early, seductive after-dinner drinks replace the fruity cocktails of summer.

The ancient ritual of topping off dinner with a brandy served in a snifter or a freshly brewed coffee spiked with grappa provides a legitimate reason to linger at the table. Serve with or instead of dessert.

“After-dinner drinks are very much a winter thing, and a great way to wind down a meal,” says Angela Badolato of Sassi, a Scottsdale, Ariz., restaurant. “These are alcoholic drinks with wonderful flavors, but not strong enough to get you intoxicated.”

Most are easy to mix and require only a handful of ingredients.

After-dinner drinks fall into three main types: digestifs, sweets and spiked coffees. Digestifs, such as brandy, port or whiskey, are believed to relax the stomach after a meal.

Coffee drinks, popular in countries like Italy where dinners often are long, leisurely affairs, provide a subtle after-dinner pick-me-up.

Those that can double as dessert are simply a sweet way to end a meal.

At Los Sombreros Mexican Cafe in Scottsdale, one of the most popular after-dinner drinks is a hot chocolate with almond-infused tequila.

The sweet drink softens a spicy meal, and as bar manager Steve Douds explains, “Finishing a great meal with a little almond tequila is like a warm hug from Mom.”

Sip these sweets after dinner

Cafee Siciliano

6 ounces freshly brewed coffee

2 ounces Averna liqueur

Fresh whipped cream

Pour coffee into a mug. Add Averna liqueur and mix well. Top with whipped cream. Makes 1 drink.

Source: Sassi restaurant, Scottsdale, Ariz.

Mexican hot chocolate

8 ounces whole milk

1/4 of a 3-ounce tablet of Abuelita chocolate (made by Nestle)

1 and 1/2 ounce of almendrado, also called almond-infused tequila

Heat milk on stovetop or in microwave until simmering (do not let the milk boil). Add chocolate tablet and stir to dissolve. Pour hot chocolate into a blender and add almond-infused tequila. Blend until frothy. Makes 1 drink.

Source: Los Sombreros Mexican Cafe, Scottsdale, Ariz.

Hot Sicilian

5 ounces hot water

3 ounces tangerine-fennel amaro

Cinnamon stick

Orange wheel

Pour hot water into a glass. Add amaro and mix well. Garnish with cinnamon stick and orange wheel. Makes 1 drink.

Source: Sassi restaurant in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Rompope

Crushed ice

4 ounces eggnog

3/4 ounce Mexican or Caribbean rum

3/4 ounce almendrado, also called almond-infused tequila

Fill glass about halfway with ice. Pour in all ingredients. Cover glass and shake. Makes 1 drink.

Source: Los Sombreros Mexican Cafe, Scottsdale, Ariz.

Caffe Coretto

6 ounces freshly brewed coffee

2 ounces almond-flavored grappa

Pour coffee into a mug. Add grappa and mix well. Makes 1 drink.

Source: Sassi restaurant, Scottsdale, Ariz.

Geisha coffe

1 ounce Van Gogh Double Espresso vodka

1/2 ounce Kahlua

1/2 ounce iced coffee

Ice

Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake well and serve in a cold beer glass. Makes 1 drink.

Source: Geisha A Go Go, Scottsdale, Ariz.

Some little-known Christmas treats include Nut Smugglers, clockwise from top right, Persimmon cookies, Cream Cheese Nut Horns, Caballero Chocolate Chili cookies and "Willie's Unbaked Chow Mein Cookies."

A treasured tradition in our crazy-for-Christmas culture involves a sack of flour, sticks of butter, cups of sugar and a story that fastens one generation to the next.

We’re talking Christmas cookies.

Nothing says happy holidays like a tray of home-baked goodness in an abundance of flavors, shapes and sizes. Few cooks, however, have the time or baking power to turn out the variety the season demands.

This year, get the same results with less effort by organizing a cookie exchange.

Here’s how it works: Gather a group of cooks. Each bakes a hefty batch of family favorites, and all gather to trade, guests taking one or two cookies from each tray. The give-and-take lets each person leave with several dozen assorted cookies, a tray filled with generations of baking tradition.

When organizing a cookie exchange, keep these tips in mind:

• Insist on home-baked cookies.

• Select a time, day and location for the exchange, whether it’s the office cafeteria, church basement or a neighbor’s living room.

• Include explicit instructions in the invitation, such as the minimum number to bring. Instruct participants to bring their cookies on large trays to make swapping easy.

• Ban participants from tasting the goodies. Save all cookies for swapping. Curb temptation by serving a light meal or snacks during the exchange.

• Encourage participants to share the story behind the cookie. For many, the scent of fresh cookies triggers memories of holidays past. Holiday cookies can be loaded with as much family lore as sugar.

RECIPES

If heaps of cookies are on your holiday to-do list, let these cookie-exchange recipes inspire you to organize one with family, friends or co-workers. The Arizona Republic asked readers to send in their favorite holiday-cookie recipe and the cookie’s holiday message. Dozens did, and we selected five entries for their diversity of flavors and stories. Here they are:

PERSIMMON COOKIES

Dorothy Croker, 89, of Phoenix has been baking Persimmon Cookies since the tree in her California backyard began producing the orange fruit 42 years ago. The fresh fruit, nutmeg, cinnamon, coconut and other flavorful ingredients create a nearly perfect baking harmony. “It’s my holiday tradition and something I look forward to baking all year round,” says Croker. “It’s not Christmas without these cookies.”

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup persimmon pulp (use only persimmons that are soft to the touch)

1 egg, beaten

2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup raisins

1 cup coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar. In a separate bowl, dissolve baking soda in persimmon pulp. Add pulp to creamed mixture. Add beaten egg and all dry ingredients. Mix well. Add nuts, raisins and coconut and mix. Drop by teaspoons on greased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until light brown. Makes 3 dozen cookies.

CREAM CHEESE NUT HORNS

Dolores Fedorka of Scottsdale, Ariz., learned to make Cream Cheese Nut Horns from her mother-in-law, who learned from her mother. That was 52 years ago, and Fedorka still makes the cookies every year. “There’s something comforting about making the same cookies year after year,” she says. “I’ve even taught my granddaughter how to bake them, so now the tradition spans at least four generations, if not more. We’re not quite sure when it started, but pretty sure it will continue.”

1 pound cream cheese

1 pound butter

4 egg yolks, slightly beaten

6 cups all-purpose flour

Granulated sugar for dusting

Filling

1 pound walnuts or pecans, ground in a meat grinder or food processor

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Sugar to taste

1/4 cup milk or cream

Cream together cream cheese, butter and yolks in a large mixing bowl. Stir in flour until dough is firm and consistent. Divide dough into 16 balls. Cover well and place in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. When ready to make cookies, remove from refrigerator. Dust a large cutting board with sugar. Roll each ball into a flat sheet the size of a piecrust. Cut each sheet into 6 to 8 sections.

To make filling, add nuts, vanilla, sugar and cream to a mixing bowl. Stir well. The filling should have the consistency of paste. Place a teaspoon of filling along the wide section of each triangular piece. Use your fingers to gently roll each triangular piece into a cylinder. Place cookies on an ungreased baking sheet. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and bake about 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Makes about 8 dozen cookies.

WILLIE’S UNBAKED CHOW MEIN COOKIES, LIKE RUDY LIKES THEM

Jana Bommersbach will honor her father, who died last spring at age 85, by making his favorite cookies for her annual Santa party. The treats combine chocolate and butterscotch chips with crispy chow mein noodles and salted peanuts.

“My dad, Rudy, knew his cookies. And my mother, Willie, loved to make them for him,” says Bommersbach, an Edgar Award-nominated Phoenix author whose latest book, “Bones in the Desert,” was published in October. “They’re not only delicious, but easy and fun to make.”

12 ounces chocolate chips

12 ounces butterscotch chips

1 and one-half cups chow mein noodles

12 ounces salted peanuts

In a double boiler, melt chocolate and butterscotch chips. Place chow mein noodles and peanuts in a large mixing bowl. Pour melted chip mixture over the noodles and nuts. Mix together well. Scoop out by teaspoons and drop on waxed paper. Makes about 50 to 60 mini cookies.

CABALLERO CHOCOLATE CHILI COOKIES

Kathy Schneider decided a few years ago to start, rather than follow, a family tradition. She wanted a cookie that reflected the Southwest, and her Caballero Chocolate Chili Cookies do just that. Schneider, who along with husband Fred owns SS Financial Services in Scottsdale, plans to spread her chili-spiked holiday treats as far as possible this year.

“Cookies are very important to my holidays. I love to bake, and cookies are a way to say thank you for being in my life,” she says. “These cookies will brighten the holiday for my family and friends.”

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine first seven ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix thoroughly and set aside. In another mixing bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until light and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla extract, and beat until fluffy. Gradually stir in the flour mixture. Put dough on waxed paper. Shape and roll the dough into an elongated jelly roll. Wrap tightly in waxed paper and chill.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut slices thin and place about 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Makes 2 dozen.

NUT SMUGGLERS

Lizbeth Hayden of Scottsdale laughs a little while baking her family’s favorite Christmas cookie. That’s because the cookie their late mother called Nut Smugglers is really rugelach, a Jewish pastry. Hayden’s family learned of the cookie’s true identity only after her youngest sister enrolled in a fashion institute in New York City. Hayden’s sister baked the family treat for close friends, who revealed the cookie’s origins. The fraud, however, never stopped Hayden and her sisters from baking the cookies. “And we still call them Nut Smugglers. The cookies are the family glue,” she says.

Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sour cream

1 egg yolk

1/2 pound butter

Pinch salt

Add first five ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Stir or beat until well blended. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours. Divide and cut dough into three even pieces. Roll out each ball on a large cutting board. Set aside.

Filling

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup walnut pieces

Mix sugar, cinnamon and walnut pieces together in a bowl. Top each dough disc evenly with nut-sugar mixture. Cut each dough disc into 16 pieces. Roll into crescent-shaped cookies. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Makes 4 dozen cookies.

Then there are the defenders, like Darlene Buerger of Peoria, Ariz., who relish the mystery meat introduced to budget-conscious America in 1937 for its distinctive flavor.

“It’s so sad that people make fun of Spam. It’s really wonderful stuff,” said Buerger, who recently parlayed Spam love into an award-winning recipe. Her Spamilicious Corn Chowder Pot Pies won the $3,000 grand prize in the Great American Spam Championship.

Spam championship contestants enter their concoctions at 40 state and country fairs around the country, and winners are notified by the spring. Buerger’s victory over nearly 700 entries came after entering the contest off and on for years.

Buerger, who also won first place in the Arizona State Fair last fall, credits her win to the pot pie’s comforting flavors – the creamy corn, smoked paprika, phyllo dough crust and, of course, the salty bite of Spam or Spam bacon.

“I just started putting things I like together, creating a dish that brings out the best of Spam, ” she said. “This year it worked.”

DARLENE BUERGER’S

SPAMILICIOUS CORN

CHOWDER POT PIES

1 can Spam, 12-ounces, with bacon or Spam classic, finely diced

1 medium onion, diced

one-half cup melted butter, divided

one-fourth cup all-purpose flour

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup half-and-half

one-fourth teaspoon smoked paprika

one-fourth teaspoon chicken bouillon

1 cup corn, slightly thawed

one-half package, or 8 ounces, phyllo dough, thawed

In large skillet, over medium heat, saute Spam and onion in one-fourth cup butter until the onion is softened and the Spam is lightly browned. Reduce heat to low and add the flour; cook and stir for 1 minute.

Stir in the chicken broth and increase the heat to medium. Continue stirring as broth thickens. Add the half-and-half, paprika, bouillon and corn. Cook and stir for an additional 1-2 minutes or until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

Remove phyllo dough from the refrigerator. Working quickly, separate two sheets of dough and crisscross the sheets over 4 individual (4-inch) glass custard cups or springform pans. Gently press dough into pans (allowing the excess dough to hang over the edge).

Brush the bottom of the dough with melted butter. Repeat this process two more times with phyllo dough and butter. Pour prepared filling into the pans. Press excess dough over filling, brushing pastry with butter after each fold. Brush the top of each pastry with butter. Place custard cups or springform pans onto a baking sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until the tops of each pie are golden brown. Remove pot pies from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Carefully remove pies from pans. Makes 4 servings.

With low-carb eating back in its rightful spot alongside cabbage soup and grapefruit diets, we again are celebrating foods that give comfort and energy.

We are cooking and ordering three of our favorites – potatoes, pasta and rice – without feeling the guilt of committing a dietary no-no. We’re carbo-loading again and proud of it.

“So many of the messages in the last decade have been negative: ‘Don’t eat carbs. Don’t eat this or that.’ People are ready to enjoy food that tastes good and is good for you – like carbs,” says Cynthia Harriman, spokeswoman for the Whole Grain Council in Boston. “The carb mania finally has subsided.”

Carbohydrates, an important part of any healthy diet, are the body’s No. 1 choice of fuel. Before the Atkins and South Beach diets vilified and blamed carbs for super-sizing our bellies, they were accepted as the building blocks of a sensible eating plan.

Today, carbs have regained the respect they deserve, with the realization by former low-carb disciples that, when eaten regularly, carbs do not lead to weight gain unless they are gobbled to excess.

“It never made sense to me that people believed that if they stayed away from pasta for more red meat they would be thinner and healthier. Those of us who know the power of pasta survived the attack by realizing that moderation eventually will prevail,” says Wade Moises, chef at Sassi, a high-end Italian eatery in Scottsdale.

“Carbs were never the enemy, and finally the low-carb (craze) is exposed as the fad it was.”

Nutritionists, in fact, recommend a carb-heavy diet. Calories should be divided this way: 40 to 50 percent from carbohydrates; 20 to 30 percent from protein; and 30 percent fat.

Pasta, potatoes and rice – the three missed sorely during the no-carb era – also provide essential nutrients and little harm.

• Pasta is fortified with folic acid, an essential B vitamin. A half-cup serving of cooked pasta contains a mere 99 calories, less than half a gram of fat and less than 5 milligrams of sodium.

• Potatoes are high in vitamin C, fiber and potassium. They contain no fat or cholesterol and minimal sodium. And a 6-ounce potato contains 3 grams of highly digestible protein, almost as much as half a glass of milk, making it a great foundation for a whole meal.

• White rice is a good source of insoluble fiber, low in fat, contains some protein and plenty of B vitamins.

Nutrients weren’t enough, however, for rice, pasta and potatoes to make “good” carb lists with high-fiber, slow-burning types such as lentils and beans. Instead, they often found themselves on the “bad” carb lists with Twinkies and sugary cereals.

“The attack on the potato was unfair and misleading. We were on the wrong list as far as the low-carb movement was concerned,” says Frank Muir, president of the Idaho Potato Commission, which fought back four years ago with an expensive advertising campaign celebrating the potato’s virtues.

These three carbohydrate staples also provide culinary vessels for other favorite foods: macaroni tossed in a creamy cheese sauce, mashed potatoes spiked with wasabi, pasta topped with fresh chopped tomatoes and garlic or rice stir-fried with broccoli and peppers.

The key is eating these time-tested and economical favorites in moderation.

“A small bowl of pasta is wonderful,” Moises says. “A tub is too much.”

Each year, L'Chaim Kosher Catering of Tucson makes thousands of <em>latkes</em> for advance orders.

At his kitchen table with his two young sons, Chad Belson munches happily on a golden brown potato pancake. Not even a thick coating of sour cream could obscure its crunchiness.

“Within our circle of friends, these things are legendary,” says the 35-year-old resident of Voorhees, N.J.

It is fitting latke-making has become his mouth-watering Hanukkah habit: Latkes are traditional Hanukkah food, much as ham or lamb is usual Easter fare for many Christians.

Potatoes for latkes can be shred with a grater or pulverized by food processor, but Belson prefers his own method. A KitchenAid mixer with the meat attachment produces his ideal potato-onion consistency – what he calls a wet oatmeal mix.

Though Belson offers these tips, it’s not an exact science, so cooks can freely adjust the method.

• Use a cast-iron skillet.

• Fry in a half inch of oil (peanut oil combined with canola); no need to deep-fry.

• Use two forks to turn and flip the pancakes. It should reduce spattering.

• Alternately grind onions and potatoes, instead of one ingredient at a time. The onion shreds seem to lessen the likelihood of grated potatoes turning brownish-gray.

• Minimize the time the mixture sits before frying.

• Use russet potatoes.

• Use a nonmetallic bowl to avoid a “tinny” taste.

Variations
Jewish scholar Carol Harris-Shapiro’s Internet search found latke recipes with what might be considered odd ingredients. How do latkes with cheese in a red wine sauce, asparagus, cinnamon, beets, carrots, parsnips – even calves brains – sound?

“There’s always some new creative latke recipe around Hanukkah time,” says the teacher of the Foodways in the American Jewish Experience course at Gratz College in Melrose Park, Pa.

Hanukkah
The Festival of Lights, which this year began at sundown Tuesday, is an eight-day observance commemorating a miracle nearly 2,200 years ago. During rededication of a Jerusalem temple after the Jewish victory over the Greeks, though there was only enough sacred oil to burn the Eternal Light for one day, it lasted for eight.

Most of us think of Jewish cooking as matzo balls, gefilte fish, chicken soup, brisket and other Eastern European foods.

But there’s another Jewish food tradition – the cuisine of the Mediterranean Sephardim. It’s lesser known but equally delicious.

Sephardic food is full of aromatic spices and herbs, and is spicier than its sweeter European counterparts.

“The food is different because their history is different,” says Aaron May, chef of Sol y Sombra in Scottsdale, a Spanish restaurant that includes an occasional traditional Sephardic dish on its menu.

During the Middle Ages, the word sepharad, the Hebrew name for an area of Asia settled by exiled Jews, came to mean Spain. The exiles lived there until 1492, when the Jews were forced to convert to Christianity, flee the country or be burned at the stake.

Many settled in Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Morocco, Turkey and Greece and adopted the culinary traditions of their newfound countries while preserving the Spanish influence.

The result is a cuisine built on nuts, dried fruits, honey, wild game and grains. Olive trees grow abundantly throughout the Mediterranean, and their golden oil is infused in almost every recipe.

That’s why at Hanukkah, a time to celebrate with fried foods, Sephardic Jews naturally turn to dishes cooked in olive oil. Cooking in oil commemorates the miracle of Hanukkah, when a band of Jews in 165 B.C. recaptured the Holy Temple in Jerusalem from the Syrian-Greeks. When they entered the desecrated sanctuary, they found only enough pure oil to kindle the menorah for a day. But the oil miraculously lasted eight days.

Typical Hanukkah foods include jelly doughnuts and potato pancakes, and although they’re delicious, too, May created Sephardic-inspired dishes for the holiday, beginning with rabbit with almonds and dried figs.

He spiced up potato pancakes with smoked paprika and marjoram, and instead of jelly doughnuts, created a pear, apple, sweet potato and butternut squash arrope with fried cinnamon bread.

Latkes, a menorah and dreidels - traditional signs of Hanukkah.

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HANUKKAH EVENTS