This quick and easy homemade version beats anything you can buy at the store.

For a simple, refreshing snack, this Mediterranean classic is quickly becoming my go-to favorite. It’s great to bring along for picnics and barbecues, or just to have as an afternoon treat. And because chickpeas are packed full of protein and fiber, and olive oil is full of the good-for-you fats, hummus is actually a pretty healthy snack. For added flavor, use this recipe as a base and toss in whatever extras you want — try sun dried tomatoes, chopped spinach, or pesto. Plus, the extra tahini, which can be found at most high end grocery stores as well as ethnic markets, is a great base for a whole slew of dips. Combined with romesco it makes a creamy, but light spread for sandwiches and can give tuna fish salad an earthy, garlicky tang. For an extra special treat, make your own flat bread. This fail-safe dough is a great addition to a party and freezes wonderfully so you’ll always have a few slices on hand!

Hummus
2 garlic cloves
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1 16-oz. can chick peas, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp cup tahini
2tbsp cup lemon juice
1/8 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil
fresh parsley
paprika

1. Place the garlic, salt, cumin, chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice and water in a small food processor and blend until combined but not smooth. Add in half the oil and blend until thoroughly mixed, then add the rest of the oil and blend until hummus is at desired consistency. Season to taste with salt. Roughly chop parsley springs and use for garnish. Sprinkle with paprika.

Flat bread, adapted from Bon Appetit June 2011
1 ¼-oz package of active dry yeast
1 Tbsp olive oil, plus ½ cup for cooking
5 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp kosher salt
Maldon salt

1. Pour two cups of warm water (105 – 115 degrees Fahrenheit) into the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle in yeast and let sit until the yeast dissolves, around 10 minutes. The mixture should start to foam (if this doesn’t occur, start over). Add in the 1 tbsp olive oil, and then add 5 cups of flour and the kosher salt. Beat using the paddle attachment until the dough forms, about one minute.

2. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface and knead until smooth, about five minutes, adding more flour if necessary to create a smooth but slightly tacky dough. Place dough in a large, lightly oiled bowl; turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place until the dough doubles in volume, about one hour.

3. After dough has doubled, transfer to a floured work surface and divide into eight equal pieces. Roll these into balls and place on floured sheet trays. Cover with a kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.

4. Heat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Use the extra oil to lightly brush two sheet trays. Roll one ball at a time out into ¼-inch thickness and place on sheet trays. Flip, sprinkle with maldon salt, and bake for four minutes. Remove from oven, flip, sprinkle with maldon and bake again for three to four minutes, until golden brown. Continue with remaining dough, adding additional oil to trays as needed.

5. Adversely, bread can also be cooked on a grill. Heat grill to medium high, and roll dough out as above. Place on oiled sheet tray, season, and flip. Brush grill rack with oil and place flatbread down on rack. Cook until lightly charred and cooked through, about one to two minutes per side.

6. Slice bread into wedges and enjoy warm with hummus. Bread will keep, in a sealed container for up to four days. Refresh in a toaster oven as needed.

Food blogging has run the gamut from chat forums to Hollywood fame.

Saveur recently held online voting for their second annual Best Food Blogs Awards, and put up this great timeline to go along with it. Looking over the many great cooking blogs out there, I’m reminiscent of my own entry into the blogosphere. Although I knew for many years that I wanted to be a food writer, I spent the first part of my career focused on the food: getting a culinary degree and then heading to some of the best kitchens in LA. But I was antsy to start writing and, inspired by great sites like Orangette and MattBites, my blog was born in mid-Spetmeber of 2007. I was working as a pastry cook at Spago Beverly Hills at the time, and finding a moment to test recipes, take pictures and write posts for La Vita Cucinare seemed a huge task. But slowly I found a focus, improved my photography and writing skills, and made headway in the world wide web.

Starting off in 2007 puts me right in the middle of the food-blog-boom. By this time cooks, chefs and photographers all over the globe had joined in; Chowhound was founded ten years prior! and sites like the Julie/Julia Project and 101 Cookbooks made food-blogging a mainstream term. Now-a-days it seems every big name is putting out a cookbook — Matt Armendiz just published the wonderfully fun On a Stick, and Deb from SmittenKitchen and Aran Goyoaga from Cannelle et Vanille slip coy references to their own forthcoming books into every new post. Bloggers have landed television shows, the James Beard Awards now feature a blogging category, and many food-bloggers, who may also be big name chefs or even celebrities, have become household names.

But I didn’t start La Vita Cucinare to find fame and fortune on the Internet; I just wanted to write and share my love of food with any reader who bothered to stop by. It’s been such a learning process — from (attempting) graphic design to working out my frequency of posts to really understanding photography (which I still struggle with!) — but it’s also been a true labor of love. I’ve met so many interesting people and have had so much encouragement, that I’ll continue posting, no matter where my name lands in the history of blogs. And with that, all I can say is thanks once again to my devoted readers and the many people who help me make La Vita Cuinare the best it can be.

With a burst of fresh fruit, this not-too-sweet crumb cake is the perfect treat for a summer picnic.

Have I mentioned my recent obsession with rhubarb? I couldn’t resist buying another bunch at the market this week, and as Chicago finally heated up on Sunday I pulled this strawberry and rhubarb crumb cake out of the oven — the perfect dessert to bring along for a weekend picnic in the park. Sour cream gives the cake an extra moist crumb, while a combination of strawberries and rhubarb make a sweet, tart filling. And for an extra-easy dessert, double the crumble recipe and store half in the freezer. Bake off as needed, toss with sauteed berries, peaches or plums, and top with whipped cream. Enjoy!

Strawberry and Rhubarb Crumb Cake, makes one 9-inch cake, Modified from Marthastewart.com
For the cake:
2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus more for the pan
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup strawberries, quartered
1 cup rhubarb, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
For the crumble:
1 1/4 cup flour
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
2 sticks, or 8 oz, butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and chilled

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly brush a 9-inch pan with oil, dust with flour, and set aside. In a medium bowl, sift the 1 1/2 cups flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt together. In a separate bowl combine the egg, oil, sour cream, milk and vanilla. Use a rubber spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet. Fold in the fruit and pour into the pan. Set aside on a sheet tray.

2. In a medium bowl combine the remaining flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Add the butter and using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingers, combine the flour with the butter until large crumbs form. Sprinkle crumbs over the batter and place the tray in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Continue baking until a cake tester or thin knife comes out clean— the crumbs should be golden brown.

3. Transfer the pan to a wire cooling rack and allow the cake to cool completely. Once cooled, remove from pan and, using a serrated knife, cut into squares. Store in an air-tight container for up to three days.

Just what you need to beat May’s showers, this creamy soup highlights earthy potatoes with an added punch of spring garlic.

In may be May, but a thick fog has recently taken over Chicago, creating chilly mornings, wet afternoons and brisk nights. This velvety soup is the perfect way to savor the fresh flavors of spring — and warm up while waiting for sunshine. A simple combination of new potatoes, garlic and herbs, it makes an easy lunch alongside a chunk of crusty bread. With a delicate flavor, green garlic is simply young garlic that has not yet developed the bulbs commonly seen as garlic. Available in the early spring months, this versatile vegetable is delicious grilled or sautéed whole, and can be added to a variety of dishes for a fragrant taste, stronger than spring onions but more mild than mature garlic.

Potato and green garlic soup, serves four
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large bunch green garlic, about 8 to 10 garlic plants, trimmed to only the white and light green part and thinly sliced
1 pound new potatoes, cleaned and cut in half
1 cup water
1 bunch thyme
2 bay leaves
1 quart chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper, to taste

1.  Heat the olive oil in a 6-quart pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, 1 cup water, bay and thyme. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add the stock and simmer an additional 20 minutes, or until potatoes are soft to the touch. Remove the thyme and bay leaf, and puree using a stick blender or in a stand blender. Do not over process. Strain through a fine sieve and return to pot. Add cream and season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer until heated through. Top with fresh oil, micro greens or garlic chives and serve. Enjoy!

Surprise! Raid your pantry to create a spur-of-the-moment treat packed full of flavor.

In a restaurant, the staff is a family. Crammed together for long hours in a fast pace, intense environment, they spend weekends, holidays, and special occasions together. And everyone from the big jefe to the dishwasher who has worked for the company for thirty years gets something special on their birthday. Of course, the pastry kitchen is home to scraps of dark chocolate cake or lemon curd from a previous night’s special, so coming up with a birthday surprise is more often a job of mastering leftovers than anything else. In a moment of free time (and a lesson on cake preparation), a lucky manager may receive a fondant wrapped jewel. On a busy day, a loved server may find a bowl of his favorite ice cream appear. But whether it’s a batch of special cookies or a fancy cake, everyone is taken care of.

At home, it’s rare to have these ingredients on hand. There just isn’t any room for the frozen doughs, cakes and fillings that make up a pastry kitchen’s stockpile. So it’s with much more determination that a birthday cake is made at home — the flavor choice is all yours. But, just as in the pastry kitchen, don’t rule out using what you already have. Look around the refrigerator and pantry and get creative. Fruit poaching liquid can be used as a syrup to moisten the cake layers, jam is an instant filling, and crushed toasted nuts make a simple, but beautiful decoration for the outside of the cake (here I’ve used the rhubarb and poaching liquid from last week’s coolers). A little creativity can go a long way, and make the process a fun challenge. So for your next birthday treat, look to your pantry before you begin.

Brown sugar cake with chocolate frosting, makes one 9-inch cake
For the cake:
2 cups cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
8 oz butter, softened
1 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup milk
For the frosting:
12 oz butter, softened
7 oz good quality bittersweet chocolate
1 1/4 cup confectioners sugar
2 tsp vanilla
To assemble:
1 cup mashed poached fruit, such as rhubarb or berries, or any flavor jam you prefer
1/2 cup simple syrup, or fruit cooking juice (I used the rhubarb and syrup from my cooler)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter and sugar a 9″ cake pan. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and soda, and salt in a bowl. In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed for five minutes, until fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides after each addition. On low speed, slowly add in the flour in three separate additions. Scrape down the sides to combine completely and add the milk, and vanilla, in two additions. Mix until just smooth, but don’t over mix. Pour the batter evenly into the pan, smooth the top, and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. Remove from oven, place on a cooling rack and cool completely.

2. Run a paring knife along the outside of the cake pan to loosen, then gently remove the cake from the pan onto a work surface. Using a long serrated knife, trim the top layer to even out, then cut the cake in half horizontally. Use a pastry brush, coat the inside layer of the bottom piece of the cake with half the syrup. Spread the mashed fruit or jam evenly on top and place this piece of cake on a plate or cake round. Turn the top piece of cake over, so that the inside is upwards, and coat with simple syrup. Lay the syrup side down on top of the mashed fruit or jam, aligning the pieces to get the best fit. Place the cake in the refrigerator to cool while preparing the frosting.

3. Carefully melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave, making sure not to burn it. In a stand mixer, beat the butter and confectioners sugar until light and fluffy. Add a small amount of the butter mixture into the chocolate and mix with a spatula (this is to temper the butter into the chocolate so the chocolate does not seize when you add it into the butter). Add the chocolate mixture and vanilla into the butter and mix until combined.

4. Remove cake from refrigerator. Use a spatula to coat the cake with icing, first covering sides and then filling in the top. Using a small off-set spatula, create peaks for a messy look or smooth out for a more finished cake. If you smooth out, cover the sides with toasted nuts, coconut or sprinkles, if so desired. Place in the refrigerator to set. Remove fifteen minutes before serving. Enjoy!

With tangy lemon granita and sweet rhubarb soda, this refreshing elixir celebrates one of spring’s first delights.

Like many enthusiastic cooks, I find myself enamored with a new item at the farmer’s market every spring. A few years ago it was dates: Early in the season I was attracted to the crisp texture of raw Khalal dates, and would nibble through half a container before leaving the market. As they softened into cloying mushy jewels, I whipped up earthy date ice cream and added them to cake batter. Another year I couldn’t get enough of the many varieties of Southern Californian persimmons. From crunchy fuyus to soft and smooth hachiyas, my desserts became laced with persimmon custard, mousse and ganache.

But even I am surprised at my newest infatuation. An item I have longed loathed since first cooking it into tart filling at Spago, I suddenly have the tangy taste of rhubarb on my mind. It’s early spring appearance often makes rhubarb a pastry chef’s best friend, who, after a long fruitless winter, is ready for the first signs of flavorful life. But inspired by everything from the rhubarb spiked Commandotroepen cocktail I sipped at Chicago’s Sable to David Rodriguez’s pillowy rhubarb creation at Red Medicine in Los Angeles, the earthy vegetable is quickly becoming my go-to ingredient.

Most commonly used in pie fillings, rhubarb has just as many savory applications as sweet ones. It makes a a wonderful chutney alongside meats and can be shaved into salads for a tangy surprise. Making use of the beautiful cooking liquid that results when poaching rhubarb for tarts or crumbles, this take on a frozen drink can be a wildly tart, refreshing dessert or a brilliant way to liven up your cocktail hour. But rhubarb is only available a short while (from late April through mid-June), departing just as stone fruit and berries start to really ripen, so make sure to grab it while you can.

Rhubarb float, serves 2
For the lemon granita:
2 cups fresh, strained lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar

For the rhubarb syrup:
5 stalks fresh rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups water
1 orange
1-inch piece ginger, cut into thin slices
1 vanilla bean, pod cut in half and scraped, or 1/1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 L Soda or tonic water

1. For the granita: Pour a small amount of the lemon juice and the sugar into a small pot and bring to a boil. Combine with the remaining lemon juice and pour into a small container. Freeze.

2. For the rhubarb: Combine the sugar, water, vanilla and ginger in a small sauce pot. Add the zest and juice of the orange. Bring to a boil and add the rhubarb. Cover and reduce to a simmer, cooking for about 5 minutes, until rhubarb is just slightly tender. Remove the rhubarb using a slotted spoon and chill, reserving for pie or tart filling. Strain and chill the liquid separately.

3. To assemble: When lemon liquid is completely frozen, use a fork to scrape or shave the ice. Place back in freezer. Combine 1 cup rhubarb liquid with soda water, and shake carefully to combine. Fill glasses with lemon granita and top with rhubarb soda. Add pieces of rhubarb if desired.

Get ready for sunnier days with this light catchall market salad, topped with a rich poached egg.

With a teasing warm afternoon here and there, and more than a few dreary rainy days, spring certainly feels right around the corner. Nothing celebrates the  upcoming season of asparagus! strawberries! ramps! quite like a stroll-through-the-market salad. Toss in a bit of whatever you fancy, whatever you can find, or whatever you have on hand. Fresh cheese, mushrooms, some prosciutto perhaps — and use up extra eggs by topping the salad with a perfect poached egg. Add a little balsamic and you have just the thing to tide you over until the farmer’s market is flush with the produce you have been dreaming of all winter long.

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Everyone seems to have a dish they remember eating as a child — a favorite dinner, straight-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookies, the smell of mother’s apple pie — and just the thought can take you back to a certain moment in time. For Cheryl Tan, nothing compares to her grandmother’s pineapple cookies. In her new memoir A Tiger in the Kitchen, Tan leaves the busy life as a fashion writer behind as she embarks on a personal journey to learn the special recipes of her childhood. The New-York-based writer recently shared how the year she spent with her Aunts and mother in Singapore taught her the history of their family ­­and gave her confidence in the kitchen.

You were a fashion writer for the Baltimore Sun and the Wall Street Journal, living a busy life in New York City. What similarities are there between the fashion and food world?

I went from covering a world that’s about avoiding eating to one that’s all about eating. When I was covering fashion, I went to some of the best restaurants for lunches or covering events, but all everyone does is order a salad. Of course there are some common threads­ — in both industries you have very artistic people who are focused on the details. And I have always loved food.

In the early part of your book, you mention your lack of skill when it comes to cooking — from your failed coconut cookies to your need to follow a recipe. Do you feel as though you have mastered cooking now?

I wouldn’t say that I’ve mastered it, although I’m much more of an expert. Originally, I taught myself to cook. I was living all by myself, so I started clipping out recipes in the newspaper, or off Campbell soup cans. I became more experimental, but I was still glued to recipes. But after the year with my Aunts, Grandmother and my mother­­ — watching them in the kitchen inspired me to be a little more confident.

What is the most important skill you learned in the kitchen?

Of course there were lots of little things, like how to chop quickly so your hands don’t get hurt. But the most important thing was just to be more free with cooking. I was always scared to be free with cooking, but my Aunts said agak-agak, which means guess-guess. Just taste, don’t be so wetted to precession. If it’s too sweet today, you’ll make it less sweet tomorrow.
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Savor your lemons with this Mediterranean staple–the salty, sour taste brightens everything from grilled fish to salads to cocktails.

When the New York Times recently published their DIY Handbook, a little spurt of horray! went through me. A long supporter of saving your veggie scraps for stock, using mushroom soup seconds for pickled delights, and taking the two-day time to hand fold puff pastry, these simple recipes- everything from a corn muffin mix to fresh cheese- go hand-in-hand with my living life for food mentality. So I was excited to try these hallowed writer’s suggestions on the best homemade concoctions, and you can’t go wrong with this preserved lemon recipe.

Like the other dozen or so recipes in the mix, this is a variation from a tried and true home preservation cookbook– specifically the recipe hails from Paula Wolfert’s tome Couscous and Other Good Food From Morocco. A staple of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine, preserved lemons are often used to fragrance tangines and marinades, in chicken dishes and in salads. Though you can purchase the salty-sour citrus in stores, the homemade variety allows for additional spices such as cinnamon, cardamon or fennel, and you can continually add left-over lemons to the salted lemon juice (just make sure everything is completely covered in liquid). After a few weeks you’ll not only have pickled lemons to julienne into spring salads, coleslaws, and top sautéed fish with, you’ll also have a great lemony brine to add to salad dressings and marinades. So the next time you find yourself with a few extra lemons almost past their prime, save the day with this DIY recipe.

Preserved Lemons, adapted from New York Times D.I.Y. Handbook, makes two-pint jars
7 to 9 medium, organic lemons
1 1/2 cups kosher salt
2 heaping tbsp black peppercorns
4 bay leaves

1.  Scrub  7 to 8 lemons, enough to fit snugly in the two jars. Slice the lemons from the top in half, just to a 1/2-inch from the bottom, and then again the other way, so the lemon is quartered but still attached at one end.  Rub kosher salt all over lemons and reshape back together.

2. Cover the bottom of each jar with 2 tbsp of kosher salt. Fit all the lemons into the two jars, breaking them apart if necessary. Sprinkle each layer with remaining salt.

3. Press the lemons down into jars to release their juices. Add to each jar one tbsp black peppercorns and 2 bay leaves, and any additional spices you may desire. Squeeze the additional 1 to 2 lemons into the jars until juice covers everything. It may be easier to pour the contents of the jar into a bowl, mix thoroughly and then refill the jar, layering the lemons with the brine.

4. Close the jars tightly and place in a cool dark place, shaking the jars every day for 3 to 4 weeks, or until the rinds are tender to the bite. Continue to store in the refrigerator for up to one year.

5. To use: remove a piece of lemon and rinse. Julienne, or thinly slice, lemon rind and add to salads, at the end of cooking (especially good with sautéed hearty greens and seafood), and baked goods. Scoop the pulp (or use the brine) out and add to everything from jams to marinades to purees (or Bloody Marys).

With all the buzz that Ruth Reichl will helm a new Gilt Groupe food website, I see an opportunity to work for my idol. So, I’m taking matters into my own bit of cyberspace. Here’s why Ruth should entrust me as web editor and food writer extraordinaire:

1. I’m obsessed with food
I spend all my money eating at every restaurant in town, spend every minute of my time reading food websites, magazines and books, testing and cooking recipes, writing for (this lovely!) website and freelancing. When I’m in a lull between foodie adventures – from festivals to food-based vacations to markets – something just feels off.

2. I’m qualified on paper
A master’s graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, I am a one-man-band reporter/editor. Need a video shot of a chef butchering a whole lamb in the a.m., edited by mid-day and posted online, with additional high-quality photographs plus links with suggestions for butchering knives, by afternoon? I’m your gal. I’ve done the CSS and HTML for several websites (including this one!), maneuvered my way through several CMS platforms, shot and edited video and audio for interactive packages, and helped design/execute a prototype magazine for the iPad, Beaucoup, using Adobe’s new software.

3. I’m actually qualified
I have a bachelor’s of science in culinary arts from Drexel University and over seven years experience in the restaurant industry. My first real job was working at Spago Beverly Hills where Pastry Chef Sherry Yard kicked my butt into shape, which means I not only know how to hold a chefs knife, quenelle, and make a souffle properly, but I can taste the difference between Seascape and Gaviotta strawberries. From the farm focus I learned at Spago and my stage at Manresa to the modernist cuisine I learned at Providence and my stage at The Fat Duck, I can write my way through any food experience, culinary challenge or recipe.

4. Gourmet was the best job I’ll never have
Gourmet was the first food magazine I can remember reading and was the real reason I applied to journalism school. It had been my dream to work with the team that created Gourmet since I can remember, and everything I did, from culinary school to writing restaurant reviews for my college paper to working on a French goat farm was a step towards my goal of Gourmet. The day it was announced that Gourmet was done, I cried. Literal tears streamed down my face. If that’s not dedicated I don’t know what is.

5. I am a Ruth Reichl fanatic (in a good way)
I’ve read all your books, the Gourmet weekly e-mail  word-for-word, Gourmet every month (see above), and follow your tweets. I want to work with the best, and you are the best.

6. I’m hardcore
You can’t work for seven years in restaurants and not be. Twenty days of 17-hour shifts. Been there. Five a.m. shifts, done that. Work till 2 a.m. and back at 6? Done that too. I’m willing to do whatever it takes, whenever, to get the job done and my standards are cut from the perfectionist block of the chefs who trained me.

7. I’m well-rounded
I can do more than just recipes and cookbooks. As the food science reporter for Medill News Service, I covered a variety of health and science related topics, including but not limited to breaking news updates on poultry safety regulations, the state of economics of Illinois farming and the intricacies of preparing a cow horn with quartz for biodynamic farming. And my fellowship with the Initiative for Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern allowed me to research how climate change affects our food systems and practices.

8. I’m a forward-thinking gal
I believe that for any publication to succeed in this ever-evolving world of online media, it is absolutely crucial to keep at the forefront of the industry and develop an innovative relationship with the reader. I am constantly reading about media, web, and technology and teaching myself the techniques necessary to craft this relationship.

9. I’m me

I’m hoping that this list will act as my personal homing beacon straight to you-know-who. If you’re reading this, Ruth, my portfolio’s here and I’d love to tell you even more reasons why I’d be a sure-fire asset at your new site.