Notes about Recipes in this book

• Miss Willmott's

  • bernalgirl on February 23, 2025

    This is a beautiful cocktail in flavor and color. I don’t have room for more amaros so I researched the flavors and level of bitterness and made substitutions with what I had. I used Mommenpop blood orange liqueur in place of the Amara, and because I think that has a little lighter profile, I went with Cardamaro in place of Nardini, and my favorite TJs find, McBride Sisters sparkling rosé in place of prosecco. The result is a lighter cocktail with depth of flavor, and all that brightness from the blood orange shrub. A keeper!

• Blood orange shrub

  • bernalgirl on January 30, 2025

    I made this to drink with non-alcoholic hop waters and it’s excellent. I cut the vinegar by 1/3 to maintain the subtle blood orange flavor and next time I’ll cut the sugar by 1/4 but overall I’m very happy with the result. I also look forward to trying it in the Miss Wilmott’s cocktail from the same book.

  • bernalgirl on May 07, 2025

    Most recent: 2 cups orange/grapefruit juice, 1.25 cups apple vinegar, 1/2 cup sugar

  • bernalgirl on May 07, 2025

    Most recent: 2 cups orange/grapefruit juice, 1.25 cups apple vinegar, 1/2 cup sugar

  • bernalgirl on May 07, 2025

    Most recent: 2 cups orange/grapefruit juice, 1.25 cups apple vinegar, 1/2 cup sugar

  • bernalgirl on May 07, 2025

    Most recent: 2 cups orange/grapefruit juice, 1.25 cups apple vinegar, 1/2 cup sugar

  • bernalgirl on May 07, 2025

    Most recent: 2 cups orange/grapefruit juice, 1.25 cups apple vinegar, 1/2 cup sugar

  • bernalgirl on May 07, 2025

    Most recent: 2 cups orange/grapefruit juice, 1.25 cups apple vinegar, 1/2 cup sugar

  • bernalgirl on May 07, 2025

    Most recent: 2 cups orange/grapefruit juice, 1.25 cups apple vinegar, 1/2 cup sugar

  • SheilaS on March 04, 2026

    Very refreshing when mixed with sparkling water. I peeled off the zest and macerated it with the sugar to draw out the oils. I used rice vinegar as I like it in citrus shrubs.

• Apricot and bay leaf Bellini

  • SheilaS on June 11, 2023

    I thought this was OK but not great. Lemon juice appears in the ingredient list but isn’t called for in the instructions. My farmers market apricots were sweet enough but needed more lemon juice than specified and the bay flavor was detectable in the purée but lost in the finished drink. Very pretty though!

• Cocchi Rosa Americano

  • SheilaS on June 11, 2023

    This is a milder version of an Americano with the Cocci Rosa which is less sweet and less bitter than Campari. I use the suggested alternate of Punt e Mes vermouth.

• Ben's focaccia al sale

  • MissKoo on April 13, 2025

    This focaccia was made as part of Cookbook Group meal based on recipes from Renee Erickson's three cookbooks. It just disappeared. It is light, redolent of olive oil, and tastes amazing. The recipe calls for a 9 x 13 pan so the bread was cut in squares or rectangles and does not look like the photo of round focaccia in the cookbook and doesn't rise that high. No matter, it is delicious, and not difficult to make.

• Ricotta and roasted cherry tomato crostini with too much olive oil

  • bernalgirl on June 06, 2023

    I love this kind of simple, ingredient-driven cooking and this recipe is lovely with a high-quality ricotta cheese like the one from Sonoma County’s Bellwether Farms. I added a pinch of chile pepper flakes to the tomatoes but otherwise followed the recipe.

  • SheilaS on June 11, 2023

    I made the creamy buttermilk ricotta from Bestia and made these while it was still warm so it was especially delicious! The perfect thing to make with cherry tomatoes that are past their prime.

  • Rinshin on June 25, 2025

    Made as written using my favorite seeded sourdough bread from Village Bakery in Santa Rosa and loved it. Definite repeat.

• Pizzette

  • rmardel on December 18, 2025

    These were fabulous! Also easy, and quick if you make the sauce the day before.

• Chicken liver pâté on crostini with a glass of Chianti

  • bernalgirl on November 24, 2023

    A very straightforward pâté recipe, easy to work into pre-entertaining cooking and a popular addition to the pre-dinner spread. The rosemary, dry mustard and cayenne add nice background complexity. I was out of Marsala and used brandy as the suggested alternative.

• Warm Castelluccio lentils on toast with favas, mint and chèvre

  • SheilaS on June 01, 2023

    I used Rancho Gordo Puglia lentils instead of the Castelluccio lentils and kalamata olives instead of the Taggiasca olives but I thought this was still quite delicious with nice flavor/texture contrasts. Not sure why the recipe calls this "warm" because we are instructed to cool everything, including the grilled bread, down to room temp before assembling.

  • bernalgirl on June 29, 2023

    Preparing the lentils and favas the day before resulted in an easy and delicious appetizer. The mint and olives play beautifully with the lentils. I used Rancho Gordo green lentils simmered with onion, garlic, a bay leaf, and a pinch of chile. I also smashed the fava mixture so it would stay more easily on the crostini. The fava mixture alone is wonderful and the goats cheese is the master stroke.

  • Lsblackburn1 on November 02, 2025

    Nice dinner party app! I made a few substitutions, but they all worked. French green lentils, Kalamata olives and edamames. Easy to prep ahead and then do the toasted bread when guests arrived.

• Sliced coppa with celery, green olive, and lemon

  • rmardel on July 01, 2023

    This was a bright and delicious addition to a plate of hot coppa on a charcuterie tray. My celery was bitter (?) so I adapted the recipe somewhat, adding preserved lemon and peppadew peppers to sweeten the mix. I also used lovage instead of celery leaves, as I have lovage in abundance.

• Crispy zucchini with Parmigiano-Reggiano, lemon, and mint

  • SheilaS on June 22, 2023

    Loved the zucchini! I was afraid they'd be hard to flip with the cheese on top but cooking them for a few min with the cheese on top, as the recipe says, was all it took to melt the cheese and stick it down so flipping was no problem even though my pan was pretty full. I reheated leftovers on a mesh pizza screen in a convection oven and the cheese re-crisped nicely. I think an airfryer would work, too.

  • Babycarrot on June 24, 2023

    I loved the way this dish turned out but can’t say I loved the actual cooking process. My issue could have been that I only have a 10inch cast iron pan and so cooking in batches and crowding the pan were possible issues that left the first round tasting much too oily. That being said I omitted the extra OO that she recommends at the end. I didn’t follow the step of using the food processing and felt it was fine to grate using a box grater. All in all tasty though! The mint and lemon worked very well with the cheese.

  • pattyatbryce on July 05, 2023

    Very yummy. A definite make-again.

• Lamb chops scottadito with roasted potatoes and rosemary

  • bernalgirl on August 19, 2024

    This recipe is fantastic, especially with the salsa verde. I’ve only made this with chicken, and was taught to use parsley, rosemary and oregano, and to add peppercorns, chile flakes, smashed garlicky c and a halved lemon. The long marinade does something wonderful The long marinade does something wonderful, and the potatoes are absolutely addictive.

• Eggplant Parmigiano

  • bernalgirl on June 29, 2023

    I love this casserole-styled parm, and was pleasantly surprised at how the eggplant retained some crisp texture with only flour and the layered preparation. I used TJs Quattro Formaggio shredded cheese blend in place of part-skim mozzarella, and topped the pan with sliced fresh mozzarella before baking. A keeper!

• The perfect vermouth

  • SheilaS on June 06, 2023

    Nice light, lower-alcohol cocktail. Perfect for warmer weather.

• Le Boat Street

  • SheilaS on June 07, 2023

    Delicious brunch cocktail with a pretty coral color from Pineau and the bitters

  • bernalgirl on June 08, 2023

    The first time I I had everything for this cocktail except Pineau des Charentes blanc wine, and after reading up on it decided to substitute St. George Pear Brandy. Three of us found this too lemony as written, two appreciated it with a bit more sparkling wine while the other found simple syrup to be the ticket. On the second try, with the Pineau des Charentes Blanc, everything was in balance. What a lovely cocktail!

• Big white beans, agrumato oil, and black pepper

  • bernalgirl on June 06, 2023

    This is a lovely side dish, nothing mind blowing but also not at all complicated to make — the simplicity makes for perfect vacation house food. A great side with grilled chicken and a big green salad.

  • SheilaS on July 01, 2023

    I made these with Rancho Gordo Royal Corona beans and while not really centerpiece material, I thought they made a great addition to a platter of nibbles. I served them with the fried zucchini from this book, dolmas and a salad of tomatoes, kalamata olives and feta.

• Fried sardines, sunflower tarator, and lemon

  • bernalgirl on August 25, 2024

    This was all around disappointing. The base was gluey in texture, though flavorful, my sardines fell into many pieces, and to me this cried out for a sauce or more assertive seasoning. The sardine pupu in Cook Real Hawai’i is still my favorite tinned sardine preparation.

• Fresh chèvre tartine with shredded carrots, currants, and dukkah

  • SheilaS on June 21, 2023

    Great combo of flavors and textures here. Basically a carrot/currant salad, dressed with lime and olive oil and flavored with dukkah, piled on grilled bread spread with goat cheese. I used raisins instead of currants and gave them a rough chop so there'd be a little sweet in every bite.

• Roast beef tartines for a crowd

  • SheilaS on July 01, 2023

    Personally, I feel that using sour cream for the horseradish cream makes the grilled bread soggy. To my taste, mayo is a much better choice for the base of this sauce, especially if making it for a crowd. Secondly, rubbing the toasted bread with a garlic clove greatly enhances the result.

• Clams with Dijon broth

  • bernalgirl on June 14, 2023

    Dead easy and delicious. I added a good pinch of chile flakes. My dad asked for the recipe!

  • pattyatbryce on June 25, 2025

    I had to remake these after my clam fiasco of 2023. Really lovey. But her "My favorite spaghetti with clams, crème fraîche, and green herbs" from Sunlight and Breadcrumbs is better.

• Halibut with anchovy butter

  • SheilaS on June 30, 2023

    Delicious! I got Pacific white sea bass in my fish share this week and decided to use that instead of halibut. I didn't have marjoram or garlic scapes so I used garlic chives. Honestly, the anchovy butter would be great with almost any fish so I'm pleased that I have plenty to add to my compound butter stash in the freezer. It will be so easy to pull out for a quick cook.

• Calvados sidecar

  • SheilaS on June 07, 2023

    Nice variation on the classic Sidecar

  • bernalgirl on June 12, 2023

    Agree that this is a nice variation, a good drink any time of year.

  • MissKoo on April 07, 2025

    Made this for cocktail group. Rated by everyone as delicious and quite lethal. And that was with getting 3 pours from each shaker, not 2 as the recipe indicated. The color is quite lovely. Would definitely serve again.

• Calvados and tonic with lemon peel

  • SheilaS on June 10, 2023

    For my taste, this needs a little squirt of lemon juice to round out the flavors so I garnish with a wedge or wheel of lemon instead of just a strip of zest.

  • bernalgirl on June 12, 2023

    Not a favorite, although I love tonic, I didn't like the quinine flavor with calvados

• Whale Wins old fashioned

  • SheilaS on June 07, 2023

    I love an old fashioned and enjoyed this variation

• Honfleur

  • SheilaS on June 07, 2023

    The combination of elderflower liqueur and Calvados didn't work for me. My least favorite of the five Calvados cocktails in this chapter. Didn't finish it.

  • MissKoo on April 13, 2025

    This was the starter cocktail for cookbook group meal based on recipes from all three of Renee Erickson's cookbooks. I used St. Germaine (elderflower liqueur) rather than elderflower syrup because that's what I had on hand, and a Crémant D'Alsace for the sparkling wine. Everyone loved this cocktail -- they said it was bright, fresh, and a great drink for springtime. Very pretty in the glass too.

• Horse race

  • SheilaS on June 07, 2023

    I didn't think I'd like the combination of Calvados, mint and lime but this cocktail was a delightful surprise. Kind of a lightened Calvados Mint Julep. Light, refreshing and perfect for a warm summer afternoon or evening.

• Bloomy-rind cheese with boozy prunes

  • SheilaS on July 01, 2023

    Nice combination of ingredients to enjoy with a glass of wine, or with a glass of Armagnac as a dessert/cheese course.

• Moroccan spiced walnuts

  • SheilaS on July 01, 2023

    I wasn't wild about these on their own but served with the bloomy rind cheese and boozy prunes, they were a nice accent

• Potted shrimp

  • SheilaS on July 05, 2023

    The do-ahead aspect of this is appealing as is the option of portioning out into small servings but if I’ve got lovely, sweet Oregon Bay shrimp and that much butter, I'll add a squeeze of lemon and toss them with pasta.

• Boat Street Normandy chicken with buttered boiled potatoes

  • Lsblackburn1 on October 17, 2022

    Lovely fall dinner. I used 7 chicken thighs for this and 2 Granny Smith apples. Drained off most of the chicken fat after browning it - seems like a good call! Served with roast potatoes.

• Cucumber-basil gimlet

  • SheilaS on June 23, 2023

    Gimlets can be very sweet but I thought the basil and cucumber made this a nicely balanced cocktail.

• Lemon gin and tonic

  • SheilaS on June 23, 2023

    I think lime is a must for a gin & tonic but this lemon version was fun to try.

• Soft-boiled eggs, sage aioli, and fried sage

  • SheilaS on July 01, 2023

    I made a 1/3 batch of the sage oil on p 343, which gave me 1/2 cup of oil, perfect for a one-egg blender aioli. Taste before you decide to thin it with water as I thought it needed more lemon and used that instead. If you are starting with fridge-temp eggs, the 6-min cook time isn't going to produce eggs that look like the book photo - almost hard boiled - nor will they be finger food so I put them on toast. Cook them the way you like!

• Strawberry and black pepper G&T

  • Jviney on June 09, 2023

    Great for strawberry season. The black pepper was a nice touch. Pretty and summery. I’ll make it again next year.

  • SheilaS on June 10, 2023

    I'm usually wary of strawberry cocktails because they can be too sweet but this one is nicely balanced between the sweet berries and bitter tonic.

• Dates and Manchego

  • SheilaS on June 15, 2023

    The contrast between the chewy/crisp, caramelized exterior and soft interior of the dates is just lovely and I enjoyed eating this. But I had big, multiple-bite dates and it's a good thing no one was watching. If I were to serve it to others, I'd either seek out smaller, bite-sized dates or maybe pit and quarter the dates after sautéing then skewer each piece on a toothpick with a chunk of cheese. This would work equally well as a appetizer or as a dessert course, maybe with port, sherry or a sweet wine.

• Paloma with rosemary

  • SheilaS on June 21, 2023

    Love this combination of flavors! If you like rosemary, as I do, put a rosemary sprig into a shaker with ice and all of the other ingredients, except for the soda water. Give it a good shake so the ice can bash up the rosemary and release its flavors. Strain over fresh ice and top with the soda water.

• Tocayo's mezcal and tonic

  • SheilaS on June 21, 2023

    Nice light cocktail - just one ounce of mezcal in a tall glass of tonic. But it's enough to add plenty of flavor along with the grapefruit bitters and squeeze of grapefruit juice.

• Clam dip with saltines (or potato chips, or course)

  • SheilaS on June 29, 2023

    In my non-expert opinion, as written, this dip has too much sour cream, not enough clams and not enough lemon. For my second batch, my fix was to make a half batch, 4 oz each cream cheese & sour cream, upped the lemon juice and used one 6.5-oz can of Snow's clams plus one 4-oz can of Matiz cockles. I was happy with the result.

  • bernalgirl on December 26, 2024

    Taking the advice to reduce the sour cream, and increasing the hot sauce by 1/2, this received rave reviews. Definitely a keeper, especially with the delightfully tiny and flavorful Matiz cockles.

• Goat cheese with honeycomb, chipotle, and salt

  • SheilaS on June 30, 2023

    This combo of warm charred tortillas, creamy goat cheese, smoky-hot chipotle and sweet honey is so dang good! Believe it or not, I had this for breakfast with a big mug of strong, black coffee and a bowl of blueberries and it was perfection! I can see serving this for happy hour nibbles or bringing it out after dinner for a combo dessert/cheese course. Winner!

  • bernalgirl on July 01, 2023

    I had everything but the honeycomb however I did have a beautiful local honey, so I drizzled it over the cheese and chipotle and ¡Listo! A delicious and easy appetizer, especially nice while cooking dinner.

• Summer tartine with ricotta and figs

  • SheilaS on July 01, 2023

    This is a simple way to show off perfectly ripe figs. I used the creamy buttermilk ricotta from Bestia which makes it especially luxurious.

• Shrimp on toast with capers, dill, and chervil

  • SheilaS on July 01, 2023

    This recipe calls for a LOT of shrimp - 6 oz for each slice of toast - I scaled that down and used about 4 oz per slice. No chervil so I used a mix of parsley, cilantro and basil, plus plenty of dill. I added a squeeze of lemon juice, as I do. I think I'd prefer this as a dip with chips or crackers. The shrimp and herb flavors are delicate enough that I don't think they're enhanced by any sort of char. Still, with a glass of wine, this made a lovely light meal.

• Toasty cheese and chile jam sandwiches

  • SheilaS on July 01, 2023

    Nice grilled cheese variation. I skipped mixing the butter and mayo together and just used mayo on the bread and a little butter melted in the pan.

• The Barracuda

  • SheilaS on July 01, 2023

    I subbed passion fruit syrup in for the fresh passion fruits and agave nectar. I will try again when passion fruit is in season in my area. The Ancho Reyes Verde has a fairly strong green vegetal note that works will with the passion fruit.

• Dill dip with potato chips

  • SheilaS on July 01, 2023

    Not my favorite dip but super easy and a great way to use up a bunch of dill. Works equally well with chips or fresh veg.

• Horseradish cream

  • SheilaS on July 01, 2023

    As a condiment, this works fine made as written with sour cream but for use on the roast beef sandwiches for a crowd, I find it makes the bread get soggy and prefer mayo or a mix of mayo and sour cream as a base.

• Deep-fried green beans with Calabrian chile aioli

  • SheilaS on July 02, 2023

    The Calabrian chile aioli, just doctored up mayo, is a great dip or spread for all sorts of things. I cheated and grilled the beans instead of deep frying, still delicious.

  • kbrooks on August 31, 2024

    Nice light side dish or appetizer. Didn't have Calabrian chile paste, so mixed sambal olek with mayo for the aioli.

• Roast chicken salad, green beans, fennel, potatoes, and grainy Dijon vinaigrette

  • SheilaS on July 06, 2023

    I used a rotisserie chicken from the store which made this a very quick and easy meal. In addition to the grainy Dijon mustard, I added extra regular Dijon for a little more bite. Would definitely make this again.

  • FlowerGold on May 30, 2025

    Very nice summer salad. Can serve as a meal. Would definitely serve to guests.

• Dano's Negroni

  • SheilaS on July 07, 2023

    This isn't a bad cocktail but I don't think Dano should call it a Negroni. All that lime juice and agave nectar make it something else. I reduced the agave nectar by half and it was still plenty sweet for me. It's a very pretty cocktail.

• Salsa verde

  • bernalgirl on August 19, 2024

    The proportions in this salsa verde are perfect. I was trimming my herb garden so I also added a bit of oregano and basil, but it was perfectly delicious before that.

• Hibiscus tea

  • skvalentine on May 21, 2025

    Came out a bit strong for me. I used cut pieces of hibiscus and that may have been the problem. Will try half the amount next time. Added some rose and hibiscus simple syrup I had on hand from a cocktail and it was very good.

• Grainy Dijon vinaigrette

  • FlowerGold on May 30, 2025

    Very nice. Use half Dijon mustard and half stone ground mustard.