The headnote says, “Dealing with the White Walkers, wildling raids, and constant threat of kinslaying can definitely leave even the most seasoned winter warrior hankering for a sweet treat. Lemon cakes are Sansa’s favorite, and we can see why. Like our Queen in the North, these mini lemon soufflé cakes are delicate on the outside, but hide a memorable tart flavor on the inside. This recipe produces fairly bite-​​sized portions, perfect for a midafternoon tea or even a meeting with the matriarch of the Tyrells to plan the poisoning of your royal husband. Or, you know, whatever you like to do!

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 60 minutes

Serves: 6 summer children

Ingredients

 1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon all-​​purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, separated

2/3 cup buttermilk

2 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Zest of 11/2 lemons

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

3 lemons for garnish

 Instructions

 Preheat the oven to 300°F. Butter a 6-​​cup muffin tin. Cut six circles out of parchment paper (the size of the bottom of each cup) and place in the middle of each buttered cup.

In a medium bowl, sift together the sugar, flour, and salt and set aside.

Beat the 2 egg whites with a mixer until you achieve soft peaks. Set aside.

Whisk together the buttermilk, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and egg yolks in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the flour mixture and then fold in the egg whites until no white remains.

Divide the batter among the muffin wells. Prepare a water bath by placing the muffin tin in an oblong cake pan and fill it with boiling water to right underneath the top of the muffin tin. Cover the entire tin with aluminum foil.

Bake for 25 minutes and uncover. Bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until the cakes are golden brown. Remove from the water bath and let cool for at least 15 minutes before unmolding.

Use a knife to loosen each cake from the muffin tin. Flip over onto a plate or serving dish. Dust confectioners’ sugar with a sifter or a fine metal strainer.

Using a sharp paring knife or vegetable peeler, start at the top of each lemon and cutting the yellow rind only, do not include the white part of the peel, pare around each lemon in a ½-​​inch-​​wide continuous strip, making the cuts jagged and wavy as your knife is cutting. Repeat with other lemons. Coil the lemon peel strips in a circle, skin side out, as tightly as possible without breaking the strip to create lemon roses. Cut the lemon roses in the middle of the lemon rind to create six mini roses. Garnish each cake with a rose.

Recipes excerpted from The Feast of Fiction Kitchen. Photography by Jesse Hsu. Copyright 2020 by Jimmy Wong. Reproduced by permission of The Countryman Press. All rights reserved.

TUNA TATAKI RECIPE

Recipe courtesy of Chef Johnathan Rodriguez

Serves: 3 people

Prep time: 1 hour

cook time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

3 ounces of Ahi grade #1 Tuna cut into small perfect dice

2 ounces Sweet Thai chili sauce

½ ounce Tuxedo sesame seeds

3 fried wontons (2-inch cylinder recommended)

1 ½ ounces Wakame seaweed

1 pinch of pickled ginger (finely chopped)

3 drops of wasabi mayo (1 ounce mayo mixed with 1 tsp. of wasabi powder/ whisk well until incorporated)

1 teaspoon of soy caviar 

Toss Tuna, Thai Chili sauce, and Sesame Seeds, in a bowl and toss until evenly coated. Place wonton down and take ½ ounce of Wakame and place on each wonton. Then place 1 ounce of tuna mix on Wakame seaweed in a neat ball on top. Top with a small pinch of pickled ginger and 3 drops of wasabi aioli.

Garnish with soy caviar

Soy Sauce Caviar

¾ cup soy sauce

2 grams agar powder

At least 3 cups vegetable oil

In a tall container, pour the oil in and place it in your freezer for 30 minutes to an hour. When your oil is almost ready, combine the soy sauce and agar powder in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, whisking continuously. Once boiling, turn the heat off on the saucepan and let sit for 2-3 minutes. Take the oil out of the freezer and drop the soy sauce-agar mixture into it one drop at a time. You can either use a plastic dropper to do this (easily purchased online) or a small spoon. Work rather quickly here as the longer the mixture sits, the more it will begin to solidify in your saucepan. Don’t worry if some of the first drops sit at the top. They will begin to sink as you add more. When you have created all of the desired beads, or when you have used all of the agar mixture, you are ready to collect your beads. Over a large bowl (do not just dump the oil down the sink!), pour the oil mixture out so that it is running through a fine-mesh strainer. The beads will be at the bottom of the container and collect in your strainer as you pour them out. Set the bowl of oil aside and rinse the soy sauce beads with cold water over your sink. Store the beads in the fridge until you are ready to use them or put them on your dish immediately. As for the oil, pour it into a sealable container and throw it away or reuse it as you see fit.

Parker House Rolls

The headnote says, “These soft, fluffy, and buttery yeast rolls will disappear soon after they are pulled from the oven. Named for their creation in the 1870s at the Parker House hotel in Boston, these rolls differ from regular yeast rolls in that they are folded into layers, brushed with butter, and baked close together. The dough will be very soft—one reason these delicate rolls are so tender. Start with 3½ cups of flour; if the shaggy dough is still too sticky, add the remaining ¼ cup.”

Makes 16 rolls

1 cup whole milk

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

¾ cup unsalted or salted butter, cut into pieces and divided

½ cup warm water (105 degrees to 110 degrees)

1 (.25-ounce) package or 21/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 large egg

3 ½ to 3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, divided

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

Flaky sea salt (optional)

1.  Place milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. Remove from heat;
stir in sugar and 8 tablespoons butter. Let stand until butter melts. Transfer to bowl of a stand-up mixer and let cool.

2.    Combine warm water and yeast in a small cup and let stand for 5 minutes or until foamy. Stir yeast mixture into milk mixture.

3.    Stir in egg, 1½ cups flour, and fine sea salt with the dough hook attachment or paddle, mixing until smooth. Add remaining 2 cups flour, ½ cup at a time, mixing until smooth (dough will be very soft). Knead for 3 minutes with dough hook or paddle, or transfer dough to a floured surface and knead lightly for 5 minutes. Place in a lightly greased (with butter) bowl, rotating dough to coat all sides. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1½ hours or until doubled in bulk.

5.    Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Brush bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch (3-quart) baking pan lightly with some of the butter.

6.   Roll or press half of dough out to a 12x8-inch rectangle on a floured surface. Brush with melted butter. Slice dough in half lengthwise, then fold each piece in half lengthwise. Cut each piece into 4 pieces, creating a total of 8 folded rolls. Arrange tightly in half of prepared pan. Repeat with remaining half of dough, creating 16 rolls total. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 45 minutes or until puffy.

7.          Preheat oven to 350°. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with remaining butter and sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired.

Recipe and photo courtesy of :

Maple Leaf Cocktail

Photo: Kevin Scott Ramos

The headnote says, “Maple syrup and bourbon make for a great combination that’s not too sweet and naturally good.”

Ice

2 tablespoons maple syrup 1 part bourbon

3 parts seltzer

Peel of 1 orange

Black cherries

Fill a highball glass with ice. Pour maple syrup over ice. Add bourbon and seltzer, stirring to combine. Add orange peel and desired amount of cherries. makes 1 serving

Recipe and photo (Kevin Scott Ramos) courtesy of

Four Seasons Sheet Pan Pizza—Pizza Quattro Stagioni

The headnote says, “This pizza is a bit of a showstopper, maybe a bit of a show off too. It’s just so pretty to see a sheet pan full of four different pizza choices. If you’re like me, you’ll want a square of all four choices. If you’ve got picky eaters in your group, you could top one quadrant of the pizza with just plain cheese.”

Serves 6

Olive oil cooking spray

2 tbsp (25 g) cornmeal

1½ cups (180 g) self-rising flour, plus more for working with the dough

1½ cups (375 g) plain Greek yogurt

1 (14-oz [400-g]) can petite diced tomatoes, drained

3 tbsp (75 g) tomato paste

3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil, divided

1 tsp garlic powder

½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional

1 tsp dried basil

½ tsp dried oregano

Pinch of sugar

Salt and pepper

3 cups (345 g) mozzarella cheese, shredded

4 oz (115 g) cremini or button mushrooms, thinly sliced

3 oz (90 g) prosciutto, thinly sliced

1 cup (170 g) marinated artichoke hearts, drained and thinly sliced

3 large Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced

10–12 small basil leaves

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Coat a sheet pan with cooking spray and the cornmeal.

For the dough, in a medium bowl, combine the flour and yogurt until a shaggy dough forms. Knead the dough in the bowl for a few turns, just until the dough forms a smooth ball. Turn out the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Press the dough into the pan, sprinkling the top of the dough with a bit of flour as needed to prevent sticking, until the dough reaches the edges of the pan.

For the sauce, in a medium bowl, combine the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, basil, oregano and sugar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread the pizza with 1 cup (240 ml) of the sauce, leaving a 1-inch (2.5-cm) border all around. Spread the mozzarella cheese on the pizza.

For the assembly, in a small bowl toss the mushrooms with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil. Place the mushrooms on one-fourth of the pizza, creating a square area for each of the seasons. Place the prosciutto on one-fourth of the pizza, the artichokes on another one-fourth of the pizza and finally the tomatoes and basil on the remaining quadrant, tucking the basil underneath the sliced tomatoes. Drizzle the tomatoes and basil with the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil.

Bake the pizza for about 22 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown. Let the pizza cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

Recipes reprinted with permission from 2-Ingredient Miracle Dough Cookbook by Erin Renouf Mylroie. Page Street Publishing Co. 2019. Photo credit: Ken Goodman.

Smoky BLT Tomato Soup with Croutons

The headnote says, “Does spinach count as lettuce? I hope so, because that is the “L” in this smoky, bacon lettuce tomato soup. The “B” is covered by generous amounts of crispy bacon as a topping, plus a bacon-drippings roux that also thickens the soup. The bread is there too, but it’s in crouton form, adding a delightful crunch. Instead of the mayonnaise, a traditional component of a BLT sandwich, each bowl gets a dollop of lemony cream cheese for a little bit of luxuriousness.”

Yield: 6 servings • Freezer Friendly • Vegetarian Option

6 slices thick-cut sourdough bread, cut into 1ʺ (2.5-cm) cubes

2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil

Salt and pepper, as desired

12 slices uncooked bacon, cut into 1ʺ (2.5-cm) pieces

1 large onion, diced

Salt and pepper, as desired

¼ cup (31 g) all-purpose flour

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 (28-oz [794-g]) can whole tomatoes, undrained (preferably San Marzano tomatoes)

4 cups (960 ml) chicken broth, plus more if needed

2 cups (60 g) chopped fresh spinach with stems removed

4 oz (113 g) cream cheese at room temperature

1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest

2 tbsp (30 ml) milk

Vegetarian Option:

Omit the bacon. Substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth.

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Place the bread cubes on the baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bake, stirring here and there, for 15 minutes, or until the croutons are browned and crunchy.

While the croutons bake, place the bacon in a large pot and turn the heat up to medium. Cook the bacon until crispy. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate. Set aside. Pour off all but ¼ cup (60 ml) of the bacon fat. (If you don’t have enough fat, add butter or oil to make up the difference.) Add the onion to the fat and cook for 5 minutes, or until the onion begins to soften. Season with salt and pepper. Add the flour and smoked paprika and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the tomatoes and broth. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the onion is tender. If desired, use an immersion blender to puree the tomatoes a bit, or even use a potato masher for a more rustic texture. Stir in the spinach and cook until the spinach is just wilted. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper, adding more broth if the soup seems too thick.

In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, lemon juice, zest and milk. Season to taste with salt and pepper. To serve, ladle the soup into six bowls. Top each with the crispy bacon, croutons and a generous dollop of the cream cheese mixture.

Credit:

Recipe reprinted with permission from 101 Greatest Soups on the Planet by Erin Mylroie. Page Street Publishing Co. 2022. Photo credit: Becky Winkler.

Potato Chip Cookies (1970s chapter “Baking Yesteryear”)

Potato Chip Cookies (1970s chapter)

¾ cup (170g) butter, softened

¾ cup (165g) packed dark brown sugar

½ cup (100g) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (8ounces/230g) bag of ruffled potato chips, crushed (4 cups crushed), divided

2 cups (280g) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1½ cups (255g) semisweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.

Mix in half the crushed potato chips.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Fold this into the creamed mixture, then fold in the chocolate chips.

Thoroughly chill the dough in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Crush the remaining potato chips to a finer crumb and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Form the dough into rounded tablespoons and roll in the remaining potato chips.

Place formed dough on a parchment-lined or greased baking sheet and bake for 11 to 15 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies begin to brown. Makes 2 dozen.

“Excerpted from Baking Yesteryear reprinted by permission of DK, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. Copyright © 2023 by B. Dylan Hollis.”

Recipe Image Credits: Kelley Jordan-Schuyler

Lattice Cherry Cheesecake

1 (20 ounce) package Pillsbury’s Best refrigerated sugar cookies

Slice dough into 1/8-inch slices. Arrange slices, slightly overlapping, on bottom and sides of a greased 9-inch springform pan. With lightly floured fingers, seal edges to form crust.

2 (8-ounce) packages Philadelphia cream cheese, softened

1 cup sour cream

¾ cup sugat

`¼ teaspoon almon extract

3 eggs

1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling

Combine cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and extract, mixing at medium speed with an electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Reserve ¼ cup of batter; chill. Pour remaining batter over crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Spoon pie filling over cheesecake. Spoon reserved batter over pie filling in criss-cross pattern to form lattice design. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Loosen cake from rim of pan; cool before removing rim of pan. Chill.

variation: substitute a 13 x 9 inch baking pan for the 9-inch springform pan. Prepare recipe as directed except for baking. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Increase temperature to 450 degrees. Continue as directed.

Recipe from “Philadelphia Cream Cheese Cheesecakes” (published 1989)

photo: Kevin Scott Ramos

Watermelon Pizza

The headnote says, “this beautiful and fun summer treat is easy to make. As a bonus, it is gluten-free and very low in carbohydrates.”

1 watermelon half

3 tablespoons cream cheese, softened

3 tablespoons heavy cream

2 tablespoons powdered sugar, maple syrup, or agave nectar

4 teaspoons lemon juice

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup strawberries,
sliced into circles

½ cup blueberries

Place watermelon half on a cutting board, flat side down. Cut two matching slices (about 1 inch thick). Cut each slice into 3 wedges, and then assemble them into a tight circle on a serving plate. Reserve remaining watermelon for another use.

Blend cream cheese, cream, powdered sugar, juice, and vanilla in a blender or bowl of a food processor. Transfer cream cheese mixture to a small zip-top plastic bag, and snip one corner off. Drizzle mixture onto prepared watermelon base. Top with strawberries and blueberries. Gently pull wedges out just enough to make it look like a sliced pizza. (Run a knife through cream cheese mixture, if necessary.) Makes 6 servings.

Recipe and photo courtesy of “Srawberries: 50 Tried & True Recipes”

by Corrine Kozlak

(Recipe courtesy of Chef Chris Noonan, Spirits & Tales at The Oaklander Hotel, Pittsburgh, PA)

2 pounds                   carrots, peeled and small dice    

2 tablespoons                     olive Oil, divided                

2 cups                                    onion, small dice                                        

2 cups                                    celery, small dice                                        

2 tablespoons                      garlic cloves, peeled and chopped                        

2 tablespoons                      ginger, peeled and chopped                              

3 cups                                    vegetable Stock                                                      

2 (13 ½ ounce) cans           coconut Milk            

Kosher Salt to taste

Ground Black Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, place carrots and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss together. Place seasoned carrots on a sheet pan and place in oven. Roast for about 11 minutes or until slightly golden brown. While the carrots are roasting, heat a large sauce pot on medium heat. Add the remaining olive oil to the pot followed by the onions and celery. Sweat the onions and celery for 5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and continue to cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add roasted carrots, vegetable stock and coconut milk to the pot. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 20 minutes. Take bisque off of the heat, place in blender or food processor. You may need to divide the bisque for this step. Being careful not to burn yourself, blend the bisque to a smooth consistency. Adjust seasoning. Makes about 6 servings.