Almond

Decades after the fateful bite that I took of the peach when I was in Padova at the age of twelve, I still think there is nothing more sensuous than biting into a perfectly ripe peach. When the same peach is baked, though, it takes on an additional element of complexity in flavor. Bake the peaches on an amaretto crust, with a hint of chocolate, and you have a delectable Italian flavor harmony.

There is a really interesting publication from 1969 titled El Dulce en Mexico (The Sweets of Mexico). One of the things it talks about is old cookbooks with alfajor or alajú recipes (alajú means “the stuffing” in Arabic). The author describes a candy that he called a “type of fruit cake,” (even though it doesn’t seem to have to do anything with one) from 1786, which I, in turn, have translated. It is basically a sweet paste made from honey and different nuts, which is thinly “sandwiched” between two wafers. They are absolutely addictive! Feel free to play around with different nuts and spice combinations.

Brittles in Mexico are made with honey, piloncillo, all sorts of nuts, and sesame seeds. There are different kinds depending on the area, but overall they tend to be a bit too hard so I like to add a little butter and baking soda, which gives them a wonderful crunch without breaking your jaw. The brittle can also be ground in a food processor and used to top ice cream.

This recipe takes very little time to make but amazes everyone. The natural oil from the peanuts, or any other nut you are using, comes out when you grind it, and the sugar barely holds this crumbly, nutty sweetness together.

Almonds were used in most of the convents, and these prunes filled with an almond candy similar to marzipan capture the love the nuns had for this ingredient. You can always buy almond flour, but I find that the flavor of the nut really comes through when you make it at home, and the honey adds a delightful sweetness. You can fill dried figs, dried apricots, or dates instead.

These cookies are unusual because you must make caramelized almonds, grind them, and then add them to the dough. But it’s worth it because it gives them a lovely and unexpected crunch.

It is believed that in the eighteenth century, egg whites were used as a sort of glue to bind sheets of golden and white gold. There were many leftover yolks that were then used to create various sweets and to thicken others, such as rompope. This eggnoglike beverage is wonderful served cold year-round. I like to put it in the tres leches mixture (page 142), use it to top ice cream, and make a gelatin with it (page 138). It is still sold in many convents around Mexico. Estela Romo de Vivar makes one of the tastiest almond versions I’ve had.

Theobroma cacao, the botanical name meaning “food from the gods,” captures the magnificent essence of the cacao bean. It’s the perfect way to start the journey through the sweets of Mexico because it is also considered one of the most important contributions from the land to the world. Cacao was consumed by the Olmecas as early as 1500 B.C.E. Mayan priests used it for religious rituals, mixing it with chiles, vanilla, and honey. The Mexica indians consumed it hot or cold and mixed it with ground corn, vanilla (the orchid and the bean), magnolia flowers, achiote, allspice, or honey, and used the bean as currency. It was (and continues to be) energetically beaten with a molinillo, poured from up high so it is foamy, and often taken in ceramic cups or jícaras (gourd bowls). In Mesoamerica, the fruit of the cacao symbolized the human heart, and the ground toasted bean symbolized the blood. Moctezuma Xocoyotzin offered the first chocolate beverage to Hernán Cortés. Cortés sent cacao to Europe as a tribute to Spain, explaining the different uses and the importance it had in Tenochtitlan; it quickly became the preferred beverage of the king. In Mexico, chocolate remains an ingredient used primarily in beverages. Its importance has lasted many centuries, and there are many different kinds of chocolate mixtures. Many places preserve the tradition of slowly toasting the beans on a comal, peeling them (an atole is sometimes made from the shells), and grinding them by hand over a warm molinillo; others go to a community mill. Either way, most mix it with sugar and cinnamon (the cinnamon is also toasted and ground, in most cases). Then tablets or balls are formed from this granular mixture and left to dry in the shade. The ones with almonds, vanilla, and/or spices are usually reserved for special occasions. I wanted to make my own in a modern kitchen using a food processor because much of the hot chocolate that is exported doesn’t have almonds and uses artificial flavoring (luckily, though, a couple of really good brands are becoming more available); I was very happy with the results. You can make the hot chocolate with water or milk and use a whisk if you don’t have a molinillo, but make sure it is really frothy and hot when you drink it.

This is a great mix of pretzel sticks, smoked almonds, and sesame sticks. Melting the butter and adding it to the mix helps the savory-sweet-spicy seasonings stick together. (And that little hint of cayenne will keep them awake!) Bag these up so that they can be taken to class for a power snack.

PAT Broccoli, broccoli, broccoli! We love this simple vegetable. Nothing is easier than blanching broccoli, and once this delicious dressing—a little sweet, a little savory, a little sour, and a little spicy—is added, the transportable dish becomes super-duper. As Gina always says, “A great dressing is like a great handbag and shoes. It makes the whole outfit look (taste) perfect.”

Cacio Faenum is a fragrant sheep’s milk cheese that, like little baby Jesus, is lovingly laid on a bed of hay to rest. Unlike the newborn king, however, the cheese is actually wrapped in dried grass and buried in a hay-filled barrel for a little more than a month. You’ll recognize this incredible cheese by its charming hay wrapper and a grassy, barn-y fragrance that marries nicely with the earthiness of apricots and almonds.

The unexpected crunch of cornmeal gives this version of classic thumb-print cookies a distinctly Southern accent. When making these jam-filled cookies, try using several different jams and preserves, such as blackberry, raspberry, and Brandied Figs (page 301).

Southern summers are too hot for rhubarb to grow, so we Southerners must make the most of our short-lived springtime harvest. This buttery, crunchy tart is one of my favorite ways to do just that.

The quick blanching process used in this superfresh salad unlocks the beans’ flavors without boiling away their satisfyingly snappy crispness. As with most salads, using few, minimally processed ingredients means that the quality of each ingredient—from the oil to the greens and even the salt—plays a significant role in the quality of the finished product. Using high-quality seasonal ingredients makes this salad positively shine.

This recipe came from Mark Zink, who holds the distinction of being the only male pastry chef we ever had at Bayona. This tart is plenty nutty (no offense, Mark!) and richly flavored, thanks to an abundance of almonds. Just after baking, the tart gets a dousing of scotch while it’s still warm—an unusual, aromatic, and delicious twist.

This is the classic almond macaroon. Bet you can’t eat just one!

Adapted from The Royal Oak Restaurant and Pub. I fell in love with this creamy sauce when I first tasted it back in 1970 at the Royal Oak Pub in New Orleans, owned by Mr. and Mrs. John Newsham. They used to serve it with fried eggplant, and it is one of those texture and flavor combinations that I will never forget: the crisp eggplant nestled into the nutty, garlicky puree (as thick and luscious as butter-cream). Later, when I became a chef, the Newshams were big supporters of my career and even shared with me two of their family recipes, including this one, after Mr. Newsham passed away. I will always be grateful to them for the many food memories, and for their kindness.

Here’s a clever idea for serving store-bought ice cream. The snowballs are especially fun for children. You will need 1 1/2 cups of topping total. Use toffee chips straight from the bag, or crush up your own favorite candies.