As far as I'm concerned, side dishes are what make a Thanksgiving dinner great. Sure, I like turkey, but I truly love stuffing, gravy and mashed potatoes. For me, carbs topped with gravy make this holiday meal delicious. The problem is that most of us don't make these three dishes very often, so preparing them once a year -- for a table full of family and friends no less -- can seem intimidating and make you feel a bit like Dorothy walking into the dark unknown forest with the Tin Man and the Scarecrow. (Some of you may be able to tell that my daughters have just discovered the joys of watching - and rewatching and rewatching and rewatching -- the Wizard of Oz).

I made my first solo Thanksgiving dinner when I was 22 years old. My mom was sick and so I jumped in at the last minute. I had never made a chicken, let alone a turkey, but was excited to help out my mom and cook the meal. I muddled through the day, making boxed stuffing, lumpy mashed potatoes with the skins mixed in, and watery gravy. It was the worst Thanksgiving meal my family had ever eaten, but nobody seemed to care. Everyone just seemed thankful that they didn’t have to cook all day, and, of course, we were together.

Since then, I have cooked numerous Thanksgiving meals, some with help and some by myself. Each year I learn something new, try something different, and gain a little more confidence. My stuffing is now always made from Ciabatta and oven-roasted chestnuts, my mashed potatoes are creamy, and my gravy is (thankfully) thick. So, if you’re in need of a little Thanksgiving advice, here are a few things I’ve learned throughout the years about my three favorite parts of the Thanksgiving meal.

Moist Flavorful Stuffing
To stuff or not to stuff, that is the question. Although many recipes call for placing the stuffing in a baking dish and cooking it separately from the turkey to avoid bacterial contamination, I think this makes it dry. I therefore bake my stuffing in the turkey so all the lovely juices drip into the dressing, making it moist and flavorful. Without those, the stuffing is really just a mix of bread and other stuff. I then scoop it out when I take my turkey out of the oven, place it in a dish, and stick that back in the oven so it can heat up to the proper temperature while the meat rests. This allows you to get all the flavor of a stuffed dressing, while making sure it won't kill anyone.

Note: I won't recommend a specific stuffing recipe as there are tons of recipes out there.

Here's what I do:
1. Make your favorite type of stuffing, place it inside the turkey, and bake according to your turkey baking instructions.
2. When your turkey is resting, take the stuffing out of the turkey and scoop it into a buttered baking dish.
3. Drizzle about 1/4 cup of turkey broth on top.
4. Cover your dish and set it in the already heated oven for about 15 or 20 minutes while you make your gravy. The cover on the dish helps keep the moisture in, but baking it longer gets it up to the right temperature to be safe.
5. Bake until the stuffing is 170 degrees.
6. If you want a crisp topping, take the cover off for the last five minutes.

Basic Gravy
There are so many gravy recipes out there, but as far as I'm concerned, there's only one proper way to make it. Yes, I'm sure many of the results from those recipes are delicious, but the simple fact that gravy has to be made at the very end of the cooking process means it should be quick and easy. I don’t have time to chop up giblets or add special ingredients.

Here's my basic recipe:
1. Make a stock out of the turkey neck, giblets, onions, celery, carrots and whatever herbs you’re using for your turkey earlier in the day.
2. Warm the stock right before you take the turkey out of the oven.
3. When the bird comes out, set it on a serving dish to rest and then drain all the juices from the pan into a fat separator.
4. While the fat separates from the juices, put your turkey baking dish on the stove, mix in 2-3 tablespoons of flour. If you don’t have much fat in the pan, add in a couple of tablespoons of butter and create a roux.
5. Slowly start to deglaze the pan with the turkey stock. Don’t add any black crispy burnt pieces, however, as they’ll taste bitter.
6. Pour the deglazed juices into a pot, add the defatted juices, and then add more turkey stock until you have a smooth and rich gravy. If you have lumps, just whisk it or put a blending stick in and pulse until the lumps are gone.
7. Add in any chopped herbs you would like to accent the gravy. I like to use about a teaspoon of fresh thyme.
8. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Velvety Mashed Potatoes
I like my mashed potatoes creamy and so put them through a ricer to get a smooth consistency. If you don't have one, you can also mash the potatoes with a fork to get the same fine texture. It just takes a little longer.

Here are some tips to making velvety potatoes:
1. Use Yukon Gold potatoes as they have an innate creamy texture. I usually use about 2 - 2 1/2 pounds.
2. Peel the potatoes before boiling them and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Make sure the potato pieces are all about the same size so they cook equally.
3. Salt your boiling water to help season your potatoes.
4. When you can easily poke the potatoes with a knife, drain them, and then stick the potatoes back into the now dry pot and heat on medium for about a minute while stirring. This will dry any excess moisture from the boiling process so the potatoes can soak up your milk, butter and cream.
5. Place the potatoes in a ricer and press them into a large bowl.
6. Heat 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup cream and 1/4 cup of butter in a pot.
7. Add the heated milk mixture to the potatoes and stir. Stop adding when the potatoes are the consistency you like.
8. Add salt and pepper to taste.
9. Fluff the potatoes a bit with a fork to aerate.
10. Set the potatoes in a buttered casserole dish, top with small cubes of butter, and bake until the top is slightly crispy.
11. Serve.

Every year, the third Thursday in November is the first chance to enjoy the earliest fruits of the French harvest. Beaujolais Nouveau is a fresh, fruity wine that marks the end of the harvest, and that is reason enough for light hearted celebrations. Around the Bay Area there will be plenty of different ways to celebrate and even an option for those who can't stand Beaujolais Nouveau.

On Thursday, November 20 from 5:30-7:30pm celebrate the arrival of Georges Duboeuf's Beaujolais Nouveau at the Grand Cafe, 510 Geary St, San Francisco. Enjoy a complimentary glass served straight from the barrel. Light nibbles will be provided.

Starting at 6:30 pm on November 20th, Chef Roland Passot (Left Bank Brasseries, La Folie) will deliver an inaugural case of 2008 Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau via vintage hot red fire truck to the Left Bank, 1100 Park Place, San Mateo. Accompanied by Liam Mayclem, firefighters from San Mateo’s Station 21 and festive can-can girls, the arrival of the Beaujolais Nouveau will kick off a weekend of Moulin Rouge-style entertainment that will help benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

From Thursday, November 20 through Saturday, November 22, the Left Bank Brasserie in San Mateo, will feature a Beaujolais-inspired menu (in addition to the nightly dinner menu); a bar transformed into a lively Moulin Rouge – complete with Can-Can girls swinging, dancing and grape-stomping to celebrate the new Beaujolais Nouveau harvest; live bands; strolling accordianists; artists and more.

The bar's Happy Hour will extend from 3:00 pm until closing over the three days of celebration. The festivities will culminate on Saturday with a “Wine Down” party where the guest of honor, the 2008 Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau, will drop by $2 each hour until closing. Raffle tickets will be sold throughout the weekend to help benefit the Firefighters’ Association’s fundraising efforts on behalf of Muscular Dystrophy. Featured prizes to include 49’ers and Sharks tickets, a French dinner for four, assorted gift baskets, and more.

Beaujolais Nouveau not your thing? Also on November 20th from 6 - 8pm, Arlequin Wine Merchant at 384 Hayes St in San Francisco will present a Beaujolais Tasting featuring cru Beaujolais. For those with refined tastes, it's well worth checking out the best of the region, specifically cru Beaujolais, which are wines from the villages of Brouilly, Cote de Brouilly, Regnie, Morgon, Chiroubles, Fleurie, Moulin-a-Vent, Chenas, Julienas, and Saint-Amour. The cost for this event is $10.

Last but not least, on Saturday, November 22nd, from 11- 4 pm at 1605 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley, Café Fanny and Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant will host their annual Beaujolais Nouveau party. The wines from Domaine Dupeuble and Cédric Vincent will be served at $6 - 8 per glass and chef Christopher Lee of Eccolo will prepare a lunch of poulet au vinaigre with new potatoes for $15. There will be music and merriment. For more information, call 510-524-1524.

Wondering how to cook with Beaujolais? Here's a recipe courtesy of Chef Roland Passot.

Seared Duck Breasts with Beaujolais-Pomegranate Sauce

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 ¼ cup of Beaujolais
¾ cup chopped shallots
4 ½ cup tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Whole black peppercorns, crushed
1 cup of pomegranate
1 cup of pomegranate juice
3 cups chicken broth
3 (1-pound) duck breast halves with skin

Method:
Preheat to oven to 250F. Season duck with salt and pepper. Heat 1 large skillet over medium heat. Place duck breasts, skin side down. Cook until skin is brown and crisp, and keep removing excess fat as it’s cooking, about 8 minutes. Reserve and keep in warm oven.

Pour off duck fat from skillet, reserving 2 Tbsp of fat for sauce. In the same skillet, add shallots & pomegranates, cook for few minutes. Deglaze with balsamic, Beaujolais and pomegranate juice. Reduce by half, add 1 cup of chicken stock, and reduce until coating consistency. Finish searing duck breasts. Slice duck breasts crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices. Place sliced duck breasts on plate, drizzle with sauce. Serve with root vegetables and cooked grains.

Are you drinking kombucha? Among my friends, it's becoming all the rage. Kombucha is a tea-based drink that has been fermented and is effervescent. Many varieties of kombucha are available these days at stores like Whole Foods and Rainbow Grocery. While not proven, many tout health benefits such as liver detoxification, better digestion, increased blood circulation, and a general boost to the immune system. I personally like kombucha because I like the flavor -- with its fermented qualities, kombucha reminds me of an alcohol-based drink without the alcohol.

Last week, I had the chance to taste a great kombucha that is being produced locally: Lev's Original Kombucha. Lev Kilun is making kombucha-on-tap in carefully created small batches. He sources his ingredients with intention, starting with a green tea that is chosen for its flavor. "You can't make good wine from bad grapes," he says, explaining that the same is true for kombucha.

Contrary to what I learned, Lev says that kombucha is not a mushroom-based drink. Instead it is fermented with a mother -- similar to vinegars. Lev says that the Russian word describing a mother is close to the word for mushroom, so the misinterpretation began the myth.

Lev's Kombucha is available in two flavors: black currant and original. You can try it at Cafe Lyon in Rockridge, Power Source Cafe in the San Francisco Financial District, or eight other locations around the Bay Area.

Cafe Lyon
5701 College Ave
(510) 547-0800

Power Source Cafe
81 Fremont Street (at Mission)
(415) 896-1312

Whether it's a lazy weekend morning, or a busy holiday, there’s nothing nicer than having breakfast with family and friends. On Thanksgiving, I love to start my day by drinking coffee while I chat with my mom and sister as my kids and their cousins run around and play. Often, however, we need to chat and drink our coffee while also preparing for the big feast later in the day. As cooking a Thanksgiving or other holiday dinner is an all-day event, breakfast needs to be easy. So, while I am always tempted to make something elaborate, I rarely do as the morning plays second fiddle to the Turkey main event later that day.

But a recipe doesn't have to be difficult or time consuming to be delicious and look great. Case in point: Challah French toast stuffed with cream cheese and jam and topped with berries. Regular French toast is a universal favorite, but with just a little extra effort, you can make it exceptional. Even better, this breakfast couldn't be easier to make and you can even prepare most of the dish the night before.

I use Challah bread in the recipe as the egg dough makes it light and fluffy, which is perfect for French toast. You can use whatever bread you like, but just make sure it’s not sliced as you want to be able to cut nice thick pieces so you can create pockets for the cream cheese and jam.

The jam can be any flavor you'd like. I'm partial to using raspberry preserves for the filling and then topping the final product with fresh raspberries, but apple butter is a fantastic alternative and would go great with cooked apples on top.

The egg mixture is seasoned with vanilla, maple syrup, and cinnamon, which add sweetness and a great aroma. It also includes orange zest to brighten the flavors and add a little nuance to the raspberries. If you don’t have orange zest, you can just add in a tablespoon of orange juice.

Whether it's Thanksgiving, another holiday, or just a regular old morning, Challah bread French toast with cream cheese and jam is a pretty great way to start the day.

Cream Cheese and Jam Stuffed Challah French Toast with Raspberries

Serves: 6 - 8 people (double if feeding a larger crowd)

Ingredients:
1 loaf Challah bread
4 eggs
2/3 cup whole milk
Zest from one orange
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup of raspberry jam
Butter for frying
Warm maple syrup to top the French toast
Fresh raspberries
Powdered sugar

Preparation:
1. Cut bread into 1-inch thick slices.
2. Cut a pocket into the side of each piece and set aside.
3. With a butter knife, spread some cream cheese into the pocket of each slice and then spread some jam on top of the cream cheese. Note: If you tear a little hole in the bread while spreading the cream cheese or jam pinch the bread to seal.
4. In a large baking dish, mix the eggs, milk, orange zest, cinnamon, maple syrup and vanilla.
5. Set each slice of bread into the egg mixture, making sure each side is evenly coated. Turn each slice over so they're covered on both sides and then let sit for at least 5 minutes so the egg starts to soak into the bread. You can also let the mixture sit overnight. Just make sure you flip the bread in the egg so it's covered on both sides and then cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
6. Heat a large griddle or frying pan to medium high.
7. Coat the bottom of the pan with butter (and don’t be stingy). Once it's sizzling, lay your egg-coated Challah inside.
8. Cover the pan and lower the heat to medium or medium low and let the Challah sit for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom side.
9. Flip the Challah pieces and cover again until the French toast is browned on both sides.
10. Finish cooking the rest of the egg-dipped Challah (adding more butter between each batch) until finished.
11. Top finished French toast with maple syrup and raspberries.

Listen to Food Pantries and Soup Kitchens on KQED's Forum.
Aired on KQED 88.5FM Fri, Nov 14, 2008 -- 10:00 AM
Stream online at KQED.org/listen

Food Pantries and Soup Kitchens
The economic crisis is creating increased demand at the nation's food pantries and soup kitchens. At the same time, food banks are suffering from a falloff in donations. How are non-profit food distributors in Northern California dealing with the crisis?

Host: Dave Iverson

Guests:
Father John Hardin, executive director of the St. Anthony Foundation
Jessica Bartholow, director of programs for the California Association of Food Banks
Larry Sly, executive director of the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano
Lynn Crocker, director of marketing and communication for the Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties
Paul Ash, executive director of the San Francisco Food Bank

A few months back, I was buzzing around my restaurant, busy as usual, when I was stopped by one of my managers.

"Hey, I need you to get me a black napkin for Angie," was all he said.

"A what?"

"A blaaaack naaaapkinnnn." He had slowed he speech down as though speaking to one of his small children. "We've got some downstairs with the rest of the linen."

In the eight years I'd worked at the restaurant, I'd neither seen nor heard tell of such a thing. Why on earth would Angie want a black napkin? To match her outfit? She never wears black. And it is highly doubtful that she was engaging in any sort of bizarre culinary mourning ritual. My thoughts were that, if one of the owners of this restaurant wants a damned black napkin, I'll get her a black napkin. Besides, she's one of the nicest, least demanding people I've ever worked for, so I'm happy to indulge this rare little whim of hers. Indulging people is what I do for a living.

When the pace of the evening's work had slowed down enough to engage in real conversation, I decided to bugged my manager about them. "What's with those napkins?" I asked.

"She likes them because they don't get lint all over her outfit." I was about to argue that our normal, cream-colored linen is made out of the same if-you-burn-them-they-will-melt unnatural fibers as the black and both are equally incapable of shedding lint, but I decided to let it drop and go home. I satisfied myself with the thought that perhaps the true upshot to using a black napkin is their ability to hide lipstick stains. Or wine stains.

Owing to what I saw as an over-supply of these dark squares of polyester versus the one-woman demand for them, the wait staff took to using them for wine service-- using one black serviette to catch the drips from each pour of red wine made much more eco-sense, in both the -nomic and -logical meaning. The practice has worked so well and saved our restaurant so much money on linen-laundering, that it is now required of us to use them.

But more and more people are asking for them. The other day, an ostensibly straight man (My assumption, since he was talking, with food in his mouth, about his wife) requested one for his dark blue worsted suit. It surprised me that a man who doesn't know which fork to use and chews with his mouth open would request such a thing. But he did and he got it.

Based solely on the unscientific fact that straight guys have started asking for black napkins, and straight guys are typically about two years behind women and gay men in terms of trend-setting, I concluded that this was some arcane little fashion that I had somehow missed.

I was wondering aloud to a co-worker the other day about this napkin mini-trend. "I think it's an L.A. thing. Lots of restaurants in L.A. have them," was all she said.

It's been a while since I've dined or waited tables in Los Angeles. I don't think that city has contributed anything as meaningful to our cultural landscape since Botox. When I left, the biggest restaurant trend was for having everything on the side, not in one's lap, though the idea of dropping hot food items in that general area was a constant temptation.

Have these dining accessories been spotted elsewhere in the area? I would very much like to know if this is happening in other restaurants where the effete meet to eat. I'd also love to hear some pro- and anti- black napkin feedback because I feel that this issue could serve as the tinder which ignites the greatest Culture War of our time. Personally, I don't agree with them, but I acknowledge their right to an equal and dignified life alongside other, more culturally approved of napkins and, therefore, will fight for them. Perhaps you'll see me at the black napkin rally this Saturday.

Cheers.

Local chef and restaurant owner Ranjan Dey will share the history and stories of curries from around the world, including the spread and cultural effect of curry in Southeast Asia. Learn about curry and get a chance to sample it as well at this presentation put on by the World Affairs Council Young Professionals International Forum.

Ranjan Dey not only runs a successful restaurant in San Francisco, New Delhi, but also is the creator of a line of spices and seasoning mixes. I have used several of the spices and really like them. If you don't cook Indian food frequently, and don't have a set of fresh Indian spices, using prepared spice mixes is easy and convenient. It is also much tastier than using prepared sauces.

You can also find good Indian spice mixes and pastes at local spice shops and Indian grocery stores such as Bombay Bazaar in San Francisco and Viks in Berkeley.

What: Curries of the World, History & Tasting

Where: World Affairs Council, 312 Sutter St, 2nd floor, San Francisco

When: November 25th, 2008 6 pm to 8 pm (arrive early for registration)

How: Purchase tickets, $15 and $10 for World Affairs Council members.

Why: Every week there are lots of culinary programs and events to choose from, but only occasionally do I find one that is such a bargain to attend. Tickets for this talk and tasting with a large sampling of curries, are only $15.

Here is a mild curry recipe that can be made using any Madras style curry powder.

Shrimp Curry

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 large onion, quartered
1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
1- 2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon curry powder
1 to 2 fresh serrano chiles, halved lengthwise, some seeds removed if desired
1/2 cup water
1 14-oz can unsweetened coconut milk (not low fat)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 lb large shrimp (21 to 25 per lb)

Preparation:
Pulse onion, ginger and garlic in a food processor until finely minced. Cook onion mixture with salt and sugar in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in curry powder and chiles and cook, stirring frequently, 2 minutes. Stir in water, coconut milk, and lime juice and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile peel shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Add shrimp to sauce and simmer, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt to taste and serve over rice.

Around here, we often tell you about books that have just been published. Perusing my bookshelf yesterday, I realized that the new books are often not the ones that I turn to again and again. Sure, some of them become essential but many of them lose their luster and are never used again.

Starting today, I am going to occasionally try and let you know some of the books that are important to me that are neither new nor shiny. They're the everyday soldiers of my library that are used again and again.

A few years ago, I noticed an old, cracked book on the bookshelf of a friend's mom. As soon as I picked it up, I knew that I had to get my own copy. Herbs, Spices and Flavorings was originally published in 1982 and was written by Tom Stobart. Stobart went on to produce and direct the Master Chef series on the BBC.

Herbs, Spices and Flavorings is largely a research text in paperback form. I've used it often to satisfy my curiousity about a particular ingredient, or to learn more about the way food is flavored. It has entries for every herb and spice that you can think of, as well as interesting sections for things like Khas-Khas (an aromatic herb grown in hot climates and used to flavor sherbets), fishy flavors (a two page entry describing the importance of these flavors to some cultures), and Harvey's Sauce (an old English sauce that is similar to Worcestershire sauce, but without any heat).

This is not a book that is necessary for new chefs learning to boil water. But if you're like me and spend a lot of time thinking about food, perusing recipes just for fun, and wondering how to dissect flavors within restaurant dishes, this is a book that you would most likely enjoy.

The cookbook with the most stains in my collection is also the first one I ever bought: a copy of the 45th printing of the 1975 Joy of Cooking. It helped me survive my teen years, and then it helped me graduate from college with a bit more meat on my bones. I never did upgrade, and that white bible of the American kitchen (complete with its two silky red ribbons) is still my go-to tome for pancakes, muffins, cakes, pies, dinner rolls, dressings, and quick breads.

I'm still discovering new foods in its pages. A recent addition to our family favorites is a Tran variation on a Rombauer adaptation of a Davidis classic: German pancake with apples.

A minister's daughter who became a teacher and housemistress for wealthy German families, Henriette Davidis wrote an important and influential cookbook that was essential for "Die Hausfrau" of the mid-nineteenth century. She later adapted her Old World dishes for German American immigrants who missed the foods of their homeland. Her recipes were translated into English and Dutch for hungry, ingredient-challenged settlers throughout the Midwest and Great Plains.

If you read German, you can learn about her life and work at the website of the Henriette Davidis Museum in Wetter-Wengern. If you're expanding your digital library of German classics, you can obtain a careful scan of her original book through the Projekt Gutenberg-DE.

Fortunately for the rest of us, the University of Wisconsin reissued her American cookbook in an English-language paperback: Pickled Herring and Pumpkin Pie: A Nineteenth-Century Cookbook for German Immigrants to America.

Pfannkuchen refers to a specialty of Southern Germany, not the similarly named doughnut of Berlin. There are lots of recipes for German pancakes, also known as Dutch babies for the Pennsylvania Dutch cooks who helped popularize German food in the United States. I'm not sure how many Germans really eat giant, eggy pancakes for breakfast -- we always had to chase down dense, dark bread and good cheese for our German visitors -- but this dish is now entrenched in the culinary lore of American immigration and adaptation.

I've seen versions that use beer and others that call for milk or water or both. Some require sliced apples tossed with cinnamon; others simply call for a sprinkle of sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice at the table. Some recipes recommend sturdy flour, while some have not a spoonful of the stuff. Many require the use of a hot oven; a few take the easier but less fluffy route on the stovetop.

For those expecting the cakiness of an IHOP stack or the undulations of a sweetened Yorkshire pudding, you'll be pleasantly surprised by this riff on Henriette Davidis' recipe.

As someone who grew up halfway between Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, I learned to love German-influenced dishes. My own version has zigged and zagged through all my family's likes and dislikes. We settled on soufflé, not too sweet, cooked with fresh apples in the fall and topped with berry jam the rest of the year. Used to cakes bound with starches from corn, potato or water chestnut, I didn't look askance at the flourless version.

Below is my own immigrant pancake, by way of Henriette and Irma, Germany and Vietnam, Missouri and California.

Pfannkuchen

For a simpler yet equally delicious version, omit the apples and top with good quality strawberry or raspberry jam. To obtain a more cake-like rather than custardy texture, fold in 1/2 cup sifted flour in place of the cornstarch.

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 apple, peeled, cored and cut into thin wedges
Fresh lemon juice
4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup milk (preferably at room temp)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Fresh lemon juice and confectioners' sugar

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, positioning the rack in the middle. Toss the apple slices with lemon juice.
2. Beat egg whites to soft peaks.
3. Whisk together egg yolks, milk, cornstarch, sugar, salt and lemon zest. Gently fold in the egg whites.
4. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Melt butter, and as soon as the bubbles subside, add the apples. Arrange the apples in a single layer, and then pour in the batter. Cover partially and cook for 10 minutes.
5. Uncover and transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom and set in the middle.
6. Sprinkle with lemon juice and confectioners' sugar, and serve immediately. The pancake may collapse, but it will still taste good.

It's always an honor to be asked to be part of or contribute to a wedding, but it's even more flattering when your culinary skills are called upon for said wedding.

In October, Kim specifically requested I bring my "famous potato salad" to her post-Scotland wedding reception, and last weekend, Catherine, Jeff, and all of us wedding guests toasted their happiness with my Lady in Red at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

Over the summer, Catherine -- for whom I once designed a simple birthday cocktail to go along with her gift of St. Germain elderflower liqueur -- asked if I would shake up a special wedding cocktail. Her only request: it had to be red to match her dress.

After first assessing what the Mandarin Oriental stocked in their bar, I set about to concocting the cocktail. Aside from staining its cheeks crimson, I wanted this cocktail to be three things: seasonal, celebratory, and reflective of the bride's tastes. Well, not all of that happened.

Ignoring sangria and all other wine-based cocktails of that ilk, I knew that the red hue was going to come from cranberry or pomegranate juice (seasonal!), and after a few (read: nine) attempts, I ditched the cranberry juice. It was too easily diluted in both color and flavor. I also had to ditch my idea of including both bourbon and ginger ale in this cocktail (the bride's signature drink) because no matter what I did, the bourbon came out too...bourbon-y.

A few weeks later, I started with a whole new plan and a whole new red. Now working with the stronger, tarter pomegranate juice, I cried, "Eureka" after three passes and then set to refining the flavors.

Victorious and hung-over, I presented the recipe to the bride along with a list of potential names: Ruby Slipper, Scarlet 75 (the drink is an adaptation of the classic French 75), Red Letter Day, and Lady in Red. (She chose "Lady in Red," so if you now have Chris de Burgh in your head, it's not my fault.)

(Okay, maybe it is.)

On my reserve list of names was Study in Scarlet, Red-dy or Knot (my husband's contribution), The Red Menace, The Scarlet Letter, The Cat's Meow, My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose, and Redrum. (I will be saving that last one for a blood-soaked mojito or daiquiri in case Stephen King ever wants me to design a wedding cocktail for him.)

Lady in Red

2 oz. pomegranate juice
1 1/2 oz. gin
4 oz. ginger ale (preferably very spicy ginger ale)
Sparkling rosé
2-3 dashes Angostura bitters
Pomegranate seeds

Shake pomegranate juice and gin with ice; strain into a cocktail glass. Add ginger ale and top off with sparkling rose. Finish with bitters. Garnish with four pomegranate seeds for health, happiness, love, and laughter.

I am pleased and relieved to report that the drink was extremely well received. Even my French friend, who I thought preferred champagne to everything, was seen drinking more than one Lady in Red. Additionally, the bartender told someone else that he's seen a lot of guest-created cocktails pass through his shaker, but he had never seen one reordered so many times. Finally -- and most importantly -- the bride, the groom, and all my cocktailing friends loved it.

I hope you do, too.