Strawberry Crumble with Chili Crisp

Sweet with a touch of spice, a perfect way to celebrate strawberry season

We love us some summer berries! Especially in baked goodies.

Like this Strawberry Crumble with Chili Crisp. We’ve taken a traditional recipe, then added an iconic Asian condiment for pizazz.

Because who doesn’t like pizazz?

Margarita Cheesecake Mousse

Tequila and lime-fueled tingle in a cooling summer dish

Cheesecake? Absolutely! But who wants to turn on the oven in this heat?

Enter Margarita Cheesecake Mousse. It’s a rich, no-bake tongue pleaser that’s loaded with flavor.

The taste mimics that of its namesake cocktail. But there’s no hangover if you have one too many.

We’ll, um, drink to that.

Dark and Stormy Icebox Cake

Cool and tasty, the perfect antidote to summer’s swelter

No-bake cake? We’re in!

Especially when it tastes like a Dark and Stormy Cocktail – with whipped cream.

So grab your bottle of rum and get ready to whip up a cool dessert. Yo ho ho!

Blueberry-Lemon Parfait

Quick, no-bake, and cool

Ready for retro cool? Back in the day, parfaits were the “company” dessert. And why not? They look fancy, taste great, and are easy to make.

Best of all, you can serve them straight from the fridge, so they make the perfect end to a summer meal.

No need to worry about dessert for your next dinner party. Just chill out.

Peachy Cream Shortcake

Why should strawberries have all the fun?

When we think shortcake, we usually picture strawberries.  But shortcakes can friend any fruit.  So with fresh local peaches hitting the stores now in the US, the time is right to use them in one of America’s favorite desserts.

That explains the Peachy part of the title, but what about the Cream?  Well, this recipe is heavy on cream.  In addition to using whipped cream as a topping (natch!), it also features cream-biscuit shortcakes.  For double the flavor, you know. 

But be warned:  This dish is so tasty that once you serve it, all conversation at the table will probably cease — until the plates are licked clean.  The next words you hear will be, “Could I have seconds, please?”

Easy, No-Cook Fruit Fool

Blueberries & strawberries star in this luscious dessert — but your favorite fruit probably works too

Summer in North America brings an abundance of fresh, ripe berries and other fruits.  They’re wonderful eaten as is, but eventually we hanker after variety.  Time to transform some of that fruit into dessert.

And when summer turns up the heat, no dessert can beat a Fruit Fool.  The no-cook version of this dish gives you sweet deliciousness without heating up the kitchen (you just macerate some fresh fruit and mix with whipped cream).  It’s easy to make, looks gorgeous, and tastes even better. 

The Fruit Fool is a cousin of the trifle and parfait, and might even be an inspiration for the smoothie.  But it has a flavor that’s all summer.

So after all those berry cobblers, pies, and buckles, why not try something different?  And discover a new adage:  A fool and its berries are soon eaten.

Irish Coffee

Perfect for Saint Patrick’s Day

March 17th is the feast day of Saint Patrick, the best known of Ireland’s patron saints (the others are Saints Brigid and Columba). Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated by people of Irish descent around the world — and by those of us who decide to become Irish, at least for the day.

In the US, we’ll consume a lot of Corned Beef (which is good stuff) and green beer (which usually isn’t). For a much better drink, try Guinness. Or better yet, Irish whiskey.

Prefer your liquor in the form of a cocktail? Then let’s mix up an Irish Coffee.

A sip or two of this excellent elixir, and you’ll be ready to get your Irish on.

Homemade Meringues with Strawberry Sauce

A Macaron Cousin for Mother’s Day

Meringues - egg white and sugar nests of airy sweetness - are one of those old-fashioned desserts that wax and wane in popularity.

Lately, they seem to have lost some appeal. Which is odd considering that macarons - a cookie-form cousin of the meringue - are all the rage these days.

When I was a child, meringues were the special-occasion dessert at our house, served with vanilla ice cream and fresh strawberries, and sometimes whipped cream.

Because meringues have the reputation of being somewhat finicky to prepare, I think my mother always mentally held her breath each time she made them. And she probably didn’t exhale until the first bite revealed that, once again, meringue success was hers.

And speaking of mom, Mother’s Day is just around the corner. What better dessert to celebrate with than meringues?