Extra-Dark Chocolate Pound Cake, by Pernigotti Cocoa for Williams Sonoma

A little dark chocolate cake for St. Valentine’s Day!

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Perignotti is an unsweetened, vanilla-flavored, extra-dark cocoa that is Dutch processed, but made in Italy, exclusively sold by Williams-Sonoma. This recipe was published in a Williams-Sonoma catalogue in the 1990s.

While Perignotti is, of course, preferred, this dark pound cake can also be made using another cocoa, such as Hersey’s Special Dark Cocoa, by adding a little more vanilla.

Extra-Dark Chocolate Pound Cake
1½ c. sifted flour
½ c. sifted dark cocoa
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Simply Sensational Truffles, by Kraft’s Philadelphia Cream Cheese

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Originally saved this truffle candy recipe from the inside of a Philadelphia Cream Cheese box, but it is now readily available at Kraft’s site: http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/simply-sensational-truffles-107529.aspx#.  But, since recipes like this come and go, it is repeated here, just in time for St. Valentine’s Day.

Simply Sensational Truffles, by Kraft’s Philadelphia Cream Cheese
5 pkg. (4 oz. each) Baker’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate, divided
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
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Pecan & Peanut Butter-Chocolate Bonbons, circa 1983

Fancy peanut butter cups, with pecans! A recipe from the early 1980s, and a classic, perfect for St. Valentine’s Day.

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2 c. sifted powdered sugar
1 c. graham cracker crumbs
3/4 c. pecans, chopped
½ c. flaked coconut
½ c. peanut butter
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Raspberry Creams, The White House Cookbook, by Ziemann, Gillette

Victorian era candy for St. Valentine’s Day.  And these come from America!  They appear in the first cookbook to reveal how The White House entertained; The White House Cookbook.

Published back in 1887, it is still a stand-out cookbook, as it features Chef Hugo Ziemann.  As noted by the cookbook, Ziemann was caterer for Prince Napoleon (the Napoleon who died fighting Zulus in Africa), steward of the famous Hotel Splendide in Paris, “conducted” the celebrated Brunswick Café in New York, and the Hotel Richelieu in Chicago.

Mrs. F.L. Gillette co-authored the cookbook, adapting recipes “to the practical wants of average American homes.” Here is the recipe as printed, except Trumpeterhill separated ingredients, added explanations and suggested substitutions, in italics.

The 1887 White House Cookbook Raspberry Creams
Confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp. raspberry jam
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Grey Goose L’Orange Cosmopolitan

A lovely way to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

 

This recipe first appeared in a magazine ad for Grey Goose L’Orange.  It has been very slightly revised to add a squeeze of a fresh orange alongside the lime juice, and it is garnished with an orange peel instead of a lime peel.  That slightly revised cocktail can be found at http://www.greygoose.com/en/us/cocktail-recipes/cosmopolitan

Since we’ve enjoyed the original, and find it apt for a lovers’ holiday, we post it here:

Grey Goose L’Orange Cosmopolitan
3 oz. Grey Goose L’Orange
1/2 oz. Cointreau, or Grand Marnier (sweeter than Cointreau)
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Belgian Cherry Bon-bons

Pretty little melted bon-bon cookies with a crimson cherry in the center.

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Belgian Cherry Bon-bons
1 c. butter, softened
2 c. confectioners’ sugar (also known as 10x or powdered sugar)
½ tsp. almond extract (may substitute vanilla)
1½ c. walnuts or pecans, finely chopped
2½ c. cake flour, shifted
2 (3½ oz.) containers candied cherries
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New England Poached Salmon with Dill, Caper & Egg Sauce

IMG_1124A little wild salmon for post Valentine’s Day brunch. The lightest and, perhaps healthiest, way to gently coax the flavor from the fish.

This dish, is a slight variation (~we just add dill and capers and punch up the flavor of the sauce) of the Salmon with Egg Sauce that was a favorite of President John Adams and First Lady Abigail Adams, the first family to entertain in the White House.  Poppy Cannon and Patricia Brooks’ 1968 The President’s Cookbook, reveals, Mrs. Adams thought the dish “so memorable she decided the ‘American’ quality of it made it perfect as an Independence Day dinner.” It was served with Green Turtle Soup and Apple Pan Dowdy for dessert.”

So, here is Abigail Adam’s original recipe, with a boost of flavor in italics.

New England Poached Salmon with Dill, Caper & Egg Sauce
4-6 lb. center-cut piece salmon
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