Cream Cheese Pound Cake with Citrus Glaze

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I find it next to impossible to bypass recipes for cheesecake or pound cake, so it was a given that when I stumbled on this recipe I would have to give it a try. The recipe comes from Bon Appetit magazine and I thought the citrus flavors would make a wonderful base for macerated fruit. Fresh berries have made their way to our markets and I wanted to sample the cake with berries to see if it would work as a simple Mother's Day dessert. Fortunately, I read the comments others had made, here, so I knew there were some problems associated with the recipe. I, who have grown too soon old and too late smart, decided to try it anyway and see what would happen. I'm glad I did. This cake has wonderful flavor and if you enjoy layers of citrus in your desserts, I suspect this recipe will quickly make it to your permanent rotation. I am, however, only cautiously recommending the recipe to you. While I did not experience the difficulties some reported, the fact that so many reported the same problem makes me leery to endorse it. Apparently, the cake has a tendency to sink as it cooks and that is more than mildly off putting if yours is the one that falls. I do hope, however, that some of you are adventurous enough to give this recipe a try. The cake is delicious and out of the ordinary. Here is how it is made.

Citrus Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We had a really drab day today. The fog lingered until early afternoon and the sun never did poke through the clouds. I decided to create internal sunshine using some of our Christmas bounty. We receive fruit-of-the-month baskets throughout the year, and while I puzzle over what to do with all the pears and tropical fruit we receive, I never worry about the boxes of citrus. This recipe is one of many that I have for simple citrus salads, and while the limes may make it too tart for some, it has a lovely pucker quality that I know many of you will enjoy. If you are a trumpet player, the limes can be replaced with additional orange and grapefruit segments. This is the type of recipe whose ingredients need not be set in stone, so let common sense guide any additions or substitutions you make to it. It is, however, important not to stray too far from the recipe for the salad dressing. It is special, but it comes with a caution. Dress the salad just before it is served. It loses its visual appeal quickly and you don't want to serve your family a cold hot mess. The recipe was developed by Grace Parisi for Food and Wine magazine and the salad she created is delicious. Here is how it is made.

Citrus Salad with Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients:
6 oranges
2 red grapefruits
2 limes
1 large shallot, very thinly sliced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
Salt

Directions:
1) Using a sharp knife, carefully peel oranges, red grapefruits and limes, removing all bitter white pith. Working over a small bowl to catch fruit juices, cut in between membranes to release sections. Cut lime and grapefruit sections into thirds and leave orange sections whole. Transfer all citrus to a serving bowl and add sliced shallot and chopped parsley. Reserve citrus juice for another use.
2) In another small bowl, whisk lemon zest with lemon juice, crème fraîche, maple syrup and poppy seeds. Season dressing lightly with salt. Pour the dressing over fruit, toss salad gently and serve right away. Yield: 6 servings.

Make Ahead The poppy seed dressing can be refrigerated overnight. Whisk gently before tossing with the citrus.

One Year Ago Today: Chicken Cutlets Pojarski

Two Years Ago Today: Chocolate Cheesecake Squares

Three Years Ago Today: Raspberry Streusel Muffins

Sangria

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I'm an observer by nature. As we travel, I love to watch new parents caring for their infants and young people caught in the first flush of love. Custom and tradition differ from one country to another but the tenderness they share is unmistakable and knows no borders. We had a whirlwind day today. Chance placed us in disparate spots where we watched two very different types of weddings. One was a homemade affair, held beneath a bower in a public rose garden. The other was far more grand, held in wine country at the King Estate. Both brides were lovely and the tenderness in the eyes of their new husbands was unmistakable. I would be hard pressed to say which bride will have the most pleasant memories of the day. The tonier wedding had food that you are all familiar with. The simpler feast was a truly homemade affair. The bride made her own cake and the sandwiches which were served to her guests. The groom whipped up the brew just before the ceremony began. They obviously had me in their camp the moment they said "I do." As I watched him make a punch that looked surprisingly like sangria, I knew exactly what would accompany our dinner tonight. Sangria is a wine punch that comes from Spain. I've made this sangria for better than forty years and it is, without a doubt, my favorite version of this wonderful summer drink. The original recipe belongs to Dione Lucas. She was the first woman to graduate from Le Cordon Blue and was a respected chef and restaurateur. She predated Julia Child on television, but lacked Julia's camera presence and thus was history writ. She was a marvelous cook and wrote many terrific cookbooks, one of which I still use today. I must warn you that this sangria is like a rum drink. It really packs a punch and gangs up on the unsuspecting very quickly. It is very easy to make. Here's the recipe.

Sangria...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Dione Lucas

Ingredients:
1 large lemon, sliced
1 large naval orange, sliced
1/2 cup Cognac or good brandy
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups soda water
1 bottle (fifth) Rioja or other dry Spanish red wine

Directions:
1) Place lemon and orange slices in a large pitcher. Add brandy and sugar. Sitr well with a wooden spoon. Let mixture stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
2) Just before serving, add wine and lemon juice. Stir well. Add ice cubes and soda water. Stir contents well, adding more ice cubes if necessary to chill sangria. Yield: 2 quarts.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Limoncello - One Perfect Bite
Cranberry Cocktail - One Perfect Bite
Iced Watermelon Drinks - One Perfect Bite
Sangria - Foodista
White Sangria - Delish
Basil Sangria - YumSugar