I learned about Puerto Rican style roasted pork shoulder from watching Chef Daisy Martinez on public television when I first moved to NYC, circa 2005. Traditionally called “Perníl” in Spanish, the pork shoulder is marinated in a garlic-based “Adobo” wet rub and a few other key ingredients, all mashed together into a paste using a…
Coquito with Homemade Caramel
Coquito is a creamy coconut-and-rum-based cocktail that is very popular in Caribbean Latin households. It’s similar in concept to egg nog, except there’s no egg. When the Holidays are approaching, it’s common to receive a bottle of homemade coquito from various Puerto Rican friends and/or co-workers, and the concoctions can vary quite a bit from…
Flourless Chocolate Raspberry Torte
Since the emergence of the gluten-free movement, countless flourless cake recipes have surfaced based on the concept of trying to mimic the volume and texture of an actual “with-flour” cake, largely by adding lots of eggs. However, my first recollection of flourless dessert dates back to the late 1990s when flourless “cakes” took on a…
Skillet Baked Mac and Cheese
Recipes for a comforting batch of mac and cheese can quickly go from inspirationally gooey to a tragic cheese casserole of mush if not handled with care. Overcooking the pasta and to many cheeses are the two biggest problems huge problems in my humble opinion. To achieve a smooth and creamy cheese sauce all it…
Cranberry Apple Crisp
As Fall approaches and the temperature begins to drop, apple pie always comes to mind. However, making a really good pie crust certainly has some complicated obstacles, so making an apple crisp is an equally exciting easier option. And even better … both the filling and crumb topping can pre-made and stored in the refrigerator…