Egg Yolks

Mary Louise Lance, no address, wrote: "Somehow I have misplaced my recipe for Peaches-and-Cream Pie. It has a crumb top and one of the ingredients is sour cream. I want to make my favorite pie." Marilyn Hilen of Santa Rosa, Calif., responded with tester Laura Reiley's choice. Briefly, Hilen wrote, "You recently printed a request from Mary Louise Lance. My version is attached. I hope this helps her out." Peaches-and-Cream Pie Makes 10 servings 1 package (11 ounces) pie-crust mix 4 pounds peaches, peeled if desired, and cut into 1/2 -inch-thick wedges 1 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar (divided use)

Different folks have different nog needs. The eggnog served at the New Age office party where everyone behaves is not the same kind of nog you sip at home, nodding off by the fire.I am told that in some quarters, the old eggnog ain't what it used to be. Worried about high cholesterol levels or the remote possibility of food poisoning, some folks have stopped using raw eggs in their nog. Others have dropped the alcohol.Frankly these nouveau nogs are not my favorites. My nog is old-fashioned, and embattled.

A woman called recently with news that her friends were afraid of my eggnog.They wouldn't drink any because they were afraid of one of the ingredients. Not the 2 cups of bourbon, not the 1 1/8 cups of sugar, not the 4 cups of whipping cream. But the 6 egg yolks.Since the yolks weren't cooked, the friends of this woman were worried that the eggs could be contaminated with salmonella bacteria, and that drinking the nog would make them ill.What, the woman on the phone wanted to know, could she do?

It is eggnog time again.Just about this time every year I print the recipe for the best eggnog in the world, mine.And every year about this time people read the recipe, try it, then enter a state of high-fat bliss.They laugh, they smile, they sing. They feel goodwill toward men, including investment bankers.Then they lose the recipe.And 12 months later they call me up, in a panic.They tell me about the wonderful time they had last year. And under questioning, they tell me where they last saw the recipe.

A red bell pepper sauce for Laune Collacchi of Baltimore was a request easy to find and easy to enjoy. She wrote that she and her husband had enjoyed the sauce in St. John in the Virgin Islands last summer. "It was on a gnocchi appetizer and was creamy, garlicky and delicious."Her answer came from Dolores C. Morgan of Cumberland who writes that the sauce, "which is almost like mayonnaise, is delicious with fish, chicken and potatoes as well as grilled foods."Morgan's red bell pepper sauce1 thin slice French bread1/4 cup strained fish broth (see note)

Peggy Swift of Locust Point is seeking a recipe for a seven-layer-cake that was served at either Hochschild-Kohn or Hutzler's department stores. Her 91-year-old friend wants the recipe, she says. Her response came from Clausen Kelly of Arnold, who noted, "This is the seven-layer cake I make for my wonderful son-in-law. He's special. I purchased tinfoil pans for the seven pans I needed. This recipe is in the `Woman's Day Cookbook of Favorite Recipes,' copyright 1958." Seven-Layer Cake Serves 8 to 10 CAKE: 6 eggs, separated 1 1/4 cups sugar 2 tablespoons lemon juice 3/4 cup sifted flour 1/4 cup cornstarch 1/2 teaspoon salt CHOCOLATE FROSTING: 4 squares unsweetened chocolate 4 egg yolks 2/3 cup sugar 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 1/4 cups butter Line 8-inch round tinfoil pans with wax paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

For a gorgeous finale to a casual meal out on the patio - under the lingering heat and lengthening rays of the sun - offer a slice of frozen flourless cake layered with a luscious hazelnut semifreddo and the golden pixie dust of crushed homemade praline. To save time, you can buy the praline, too, but the candy takes minutes to make and yields the kind of sultry, caramel flavor that's worth the effort. This simple terrine looks more complicated than it is; the entire confection can be made ahead of time.

An almond tart is the foundation of wonderful desserts through the spring, summer and even autumn. Top these light but rich tarts with the freshest of berries and fruit or even TC perfect compote of preserved or dried fruits.This tart is made from eggs, ground almonds and spices. The foaming characteristics of the eggs create a light texture, and the ground almonds form a crust-like exterior.Although this tart contains eggs, it does not contain the butter found in most other tarts, so it is somewhat lighter.

Bobbi Jo Beaver of Rapid City, S.D., was looking for a pecan-pie recipe made with unsalted butter that she called "luscious." She thought the name of it was "76th Street Cafe Pecan Pie." She was close. Stacey Politzer of Baltimore and Frances Morgan of Arbutus responded to her request with a recipe for "72 Market Street Pecan Pie," named after a restaurant in Venice, Calif. 72 Market Street Pecan Pie Serves 10 to 12 CRUST: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks)

Since 1930, 30 million copies of "Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook," an unfailingly accurate, red-and-white checked kitchen companion, have rolled off the presses and into the country's kitchens. Dog-eared, gravy-spattered copies of the spiral-bound cookbook have served as culinary bibles for generations of American cooks.An 11th edition (Meredith, $25.95) has just been issued, which assuredly will introduce a new crop of users to its common-sense, mainstream approach.Lemon grass, mascarpone, quinoa and mesclun are some foods that have moved into the cookbook.