There is a time for choosing the easy road. There is a time for taking the shortcut and doing things the fast way. But there is also a time for setting aside several hours to tackle something that will make you look back at all the dirtied mixing bowls in your sink, and chocolate shavingsContinue Reading

I’ve had a head cold with a vengeance all week. I don’t get sick very often, but for the last seven days I’ve been walking around talking like my nose is plugged (because, ha, it is), and marveling at the nasty tricks my body plays on my poor victim sinuses. Now is not the bestContinue Reading

I’m mildly ashamed for not bringing you cheesecake until now. This would be the time to admit that I’ve been known to prefer cheesecake over regular cake. A good cheesecake is, for me, like I imagine a glass of fine wine is for most people. And now I’m nervous because I’m a non-alcoholic girl inContinue Reading

I used to be a Girl Scout. I used to be 8-year-old LaChelle, with thick glasses and outrageous bangs, all decked out in my Brownie uniform, going to troop meetings each Friday after school. I think I was a pretty good little Girl Scout. Until the dreaded annual cookie-peddling season rolled around. I wasn’t blessedContinue Reading

You learn something new every day. Today I learned that trying to temper chocolate is not technically the same thing as actually tempering it. Who knew? Peppermint bark is ridiculously delicious. And it doesn’t take long to make, and it only has four ingredients, for crying out loud. I just had to not follow instructions onContinue Reading

Mom never let us drink straight egg nog. She would only buy it a quart at a time, and just between you and me, a single quart of egg nog doesn’t go very far when you’ve got four eager children vying for the stuff. So Mom diluted it down with milk to make it lastContinue Reading

Call me a sweet tooth (and you’d be dead on), but the real thrill of Thanksgiving dinner for me is always digging my fork into the pies at the end. If this bothers you, feel free to go find a Green Bean Casserole Blog . . . or something. If you’re anything like me, you’veContinue Reading

I just put my braniac pants on. I looked up the word ‘trifle’ in the dictionary. Yes I did. All the definitions pretty much said the same thing: Small, insignificant, of little value. . . Then this, sticking out like a sore thumb: English Cookery . A cold dessert of sponge cake and fruit coveredContinue Reading

Watch out, I’m getting all trendy and 21st century on you. Which is awfully pathetic, because we’re a good 10 years into the 21st century. Sugar Duchess is now on Facebook! I would be tickled pink if you hopped on over there and became a fan. Or Like. Or whatever it is you do onContinue Reading