Author: chefalice

This stunning cake is a complete showstopper for special occasions such as a wintry holiday party, a bridal shower, or a birthday bash. The coconut pastry cream filling can be made a day or 2 in advance to simplify the process. The cake layers can also be made in advance and chilled, which makes for easier handling and decorating. However, be sure to allow time to let the cake come back to room temperature before serving, because that’s when the flavor and texture are at their peak.

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Tuna didn’t find its footing in American cuisine until after it began being sold in cans in 1908. It was branded as Chicken of the Sea to add a sense of familiarity, and soon became America’s most consumed fish and was commonly used in many family recipes like tuna noodle casserole and tuna croquettes. While tartar sauce has been around since the 1800s, it rose in the public eye in 1947 after the Mazola company began taking out four-page color advertising spreads in magazines, extolling the pairing of tartar sauce and fish.

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Pineapples have long symbolized Southern hospitality, but especially so in the sultry port city of Charleston, South Carolina. Its centuries-long business ties to the West Indies are reflected in its culinary history of serving tropically flavored—if not daringly bold—chutneys and curries to well-heeled, well-traveled people. Beau Monde, the Spice Islands brand’s legendary seasoning, is an heirloom-exotic blend of salt, celery, and onion with an underlying sweetness (think cloves, allspice, nutmeg, and mace). You can tweak this cheese ball recipe any number of ways by using different cheeses, crumbled bacon, plumped golden raisins, or dried cranberries . . . you get…

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Some people like their pimiento cheese mayonnaise-y, but I like just enough mayo to keep freshly grated, good-quality cheese clinging together for dear life. In this recipe, hints of fresh jalapeño, sweet onion, and garlic add zip, while cucumber slices and celery ribs make crisp, cool hosts for the spread. Use a vegetable peeler to remove strips of skin from the cucumber before slicing it into rounds to create a striking effect.

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