Chateaubriand is the most elegant form of serving a thick, aged, delicious beef tenderloin there is. This is a special-occasion or splurge dish, so don’t shop for the cheapest tenderloin you can find – instead, go try that butcher shop, (yes, that high-priced one) you have always been wanting to try and ask him for his very best tenderloin.
A Symphony or rather a selection of fresh cream chocolate truffles, this is my basic recipe with a few indulgent added extras…….such as toasted almonds, stem ginger with brandy or rum! These decadent rich truffles are perfect to finish of a dinner party with, especially if you serve them on a Truffle Tree – Recipe #270171 Do try to use very high quality minimum 70% solids chocolate, it really does make such a difference to the taste. They also freeze very well – which means you can make them in advance and at leisure; they only take about 1 hour to defrost at room temperature.
Linzer Torte is a holiday classic in the Austrian, Hungarian, Swiss, German and Tyrolean traditions, often prepared for Christmas. The recipe for this rich dessert has been known since the late 1600s and is thought to have originated in Linz, Austria. A copy from 1696 can be found at the Vienna Stadt-und Landesbibliothek. In the 1850s, an Austrian traveler by the name of Franz Hoelzlhuber allegedly brought the Linzer Torte to Milwaukee, from where the recipe spread over the United States. PS Let common sense be your guide when turning on the oven to pre-heat.
I have a friend in Duxbury, MA, who used to describe herself as the “hamburger queen.” This recipe was concocted for her to show her that ground meat can not only be truly tasty, but also elegant, exotic and fit for company… This recipe is Bohemian in origin. You may substitute commercial puff pastry, if desired, although it will change the texture and make the results much heavier. Fussing with the phyllo is worth the time and effort.
This is a mouthwatering Swiss specialty dish originating in the town of Zurich, Switzerland. Typically served with Rosti (Swiss hashbrowns), but equally good with mashed potatoes, spaetzle, or dumplings. There are many versions of Geschnetzeltes that can be found throughout the region in restaurants and in home kitchens, alike. I particularly like this version with lemon and parsley.
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