Quick...what's the first thing that springs to mind when thinking of rosemary?

Ok, maybe the title and picture influenced your answer, but I am guessing most people did not quickly associate fruits with rosemary.

Rosemary is by its nature quite assertive. Its sweet pine-like fragrance can enhance a variety of full-flavored dishes – usually those involving meat or strong-tasting vegetables. It naturally mixes well with smoky grill flavors, in chicken or eggplant stews or in a variety of roasted dishes – particularly in its classical pairing with lamb.

Rosemary is also an herb that works well in baking. The well-known Ligurian focaccia bathed in fruity olive oil and perfumed with onions and rosemary is simply delicious. Lesser known, but equally delectable, are rosemary-flavored buttermilk biscuits or baked polenta gnocchi with chopped rosemary butter drizzled over the top.

But rosemary and fruit?

That is usually the response I get from the unsuspecting when I introduce one of my favorite late summer or early fall dishes: rosemary-scented apples.  More...

We've recently updated our video on how to make zopf, which has a few important changes.

First, we've changed the music (and added some creative credits), which is now completely original.  This unique music is the work of our Swiss friend Gavin Norton, and replaces the 'borrowed' work of John Carpenter from the movie Escape From New York.

The second major change was a bit of tune-up work in the blog engine, which allows the silverlight video to function in all major browsers (Opera, Internet Explorer 7, Firefox 2 and 3 and Safari).  You will still need to download the newest version of silverlight if you do not already have it installed (don't worry, it's free and painless).

We hope you have a chance to view the posting on making zopf and become inspired to give it a try at home.  Feel free to leave a comment or drop us a line and let us know if you have any questions or comments.

I usually shy away from using the term ‘comfort food,’ but I will make an exception when referring to blueberry muffins.

Sadly, most commercial muffins are stale, over-mixed, high calorie bombs loaded with trans fats, and have a shelf life of around forty years. Freshly-made muffins are light and airy, contain no industrial trans fats, and have a shelf life of about one day…and that is something I am quite comfortable with.

The small cake-like American-style muffin is quite similar to a quick bread. They can be sweet or savory, and they are (as the name implies) quick to make. Because they are leavened by baking powder and steam (not yeast), no fermentation time is necessary. Further, they are supposed to be tender products with little gluten development…meaning mixing them takes just a few minutes.  More...

There are many who give into the temptation of buying strawberries really early in the season…say February or March. Perhaps their enthusiasm is spawned by a desire to shake off a long winter…something food marketers are only too happy to nurture. And by the time the real season fully blossoms, the urge to eat strawberries is muted and replaced by other summer fruits - which by the way, have not quite reached their peak either.

Too bad!

Yes, the strawberry season is coming to a close with only 1-2 weeks remaining. But the fresh local strawberries currently available throughout Switzerland are a reward to those who have patiently waited for the taste of a real strawberry. They are highly aromatic, full-flavored, richly colored and filled with healthy vitamins and antioxidants.

They just don’t last long.

A really fresh strawberry will maintain flavor, aroma and nutritional value for about 2 days after harvest. Obviously, this limits your available sourcing options to local markets or harvesting your own.  More...