Authentic Flavors from a Mediterranean Kitchen
Enjoy naturally sweet Mediterranean desserts recipes made with honey, nuts, fruits, and wholesome grains. Discover traditional sweets like baklava, semolina cakes, and olive oil cookies.
I need to tell you about the night I almost ruined a dinner party in Rome. October 2015. I was working as a private chef for a family in Parioli — lovely people, very particular about dessert — and they had specifically requested classic tiramisu for twelve guests. I had made it forty times before … Read more
Okay so picture this: Valentine’s Day 2023, my kitchen looks like a phyllo dough crime scene, and my friend Nadia is standing in the doorway holding a bottle of rose water like it’s evidence. I’d just attempted my first batch of baklava hearts with pistachio & rose water and honestly? They looked like sad, soggy … Read more
September 3, 2023. Anniversary dinner, attempt number one. I present my boyfriend Jake with what I thought was crème brûlée with lavender and vanilla bean. He taps his spoon. It doesn’t crack. He taps harder. Still nothing. Finally digs in anyway and… grainy. Like, sandy grainy. We ate ice cream instead. Eleven failures later (yes, … Read more
February 14, 2024. Valentine’s dinner. My seventh attempt at Parisian chocolate mousse with rose water. The previous six? Grainy disaster (attempt one), deflated puddle (two), weird soapy aftertaste that tasted like I’d blended perfume into chocolate (three—used way too much rose water), separated mess (four), overwhipped concrete (five), and burnt chocolate that smelled like a … Read more
March 12th, 2021. My boyfriend’s birthday dinner. I’d researched chocolate lava cakes for weeks, watched seventeen YouTube videos, and promised Marcus that dessert would be spectacular. I inverted the ramekin. A fully-baked chocolate muffin slid out. No lava. No molten center. Just… a dry cake-shaped disappointment. Marcus ate it anyway (he’s a saint), but I … Read more
October 12th, 2023. My dinner party for eight was in three hours, and my tiramisu looked like cottage cheese (thanks, expired mascarpone). In a panic, I called my friend Maria – honestly, she’s saved more dinner parties than I can count – and she said two words that changed everything: “Greek yogurt panna cotta.” I … Read more
Sweet Potato Soufflé: Roast the Potatoes, Don’t Boil Them (and Cut the Sugar in Half) I need to say something slightly rude about the sweet potato casserole most of us grew up with, which is that it is a dessert wearing a side dish’s clothes and it is not the sweet potato’s fault. The standard … Read more
Sweet potatoes provide resistant starch that acts as a prebiotic, feeding beneficial gut bacteria. No typical sugar crash. Beta-carotene converts to vitamin A—one serving provides over three times your daily needs! The glycemic index is moderate (55-60), lower than white cake (70-75), causing gentler blood sugar rise.
These brownies use sweet potato purée in place of most of the fat, which makes them dense and fudgy rather than cakey. The balance that matters is the purée’s moisture against the cocoa and almond butter — too much purée and the middle never sets. Makes 16 squares. What Makes These Sweet Potato Brownies So … Read more
The thing about frozen Greek yogurt bars is they’re like that perfect friend who’s both fun and responsible. They satisfy your sweet tooth but pack in protein and good stuff your body actually wants. Plus, they’re so simple that even if you’re not much of a cook, you’ll nail these on your first try.