Lemon Juice

Cheryl Nevitt of Spring Grove, Ill., requested a recipe for Lemon Bread. She writes that she made the bread in home-economics classes in junior high school "many years ago. It was more like a poundcake, not kneaded, and when it was finished and still warm, we poured a sort of lemon-juice mixture over the top. It was delicious. Any help would be appreciated." Jody McKean of Hot Springs, S.D., responded with a recipe she says came from a cookbook her daughter was selling when she was in high school in Moreno Valley, Calif.

Hairdresser on Fire. You see that on Fleet Street Kitchen's craft cocktail menu and you're immediately intrigued. That's not a question. So you continue on to the ingredients. Mezcal? Smoky and potent. Check. Campari? Classic bitters - this is going to be strong. You're in. Sherry … sherry? Wait, what? Apologies in advance to chefs and old ladies, but sherry, to me, is a cooking ingredient at best … or maybe something my grandma would take a nip of on special occasions. Why would I drink that?

John M. Risher of Greensburg, Pa., sent in a request that was short, asking for a dish that will surely be sweet. "I would like to know the recipe for making apple butter," he wrote. Betty Mullins of Spring Lake, N.C., responded with a recipe that she says came from the Pillsbury Cookbook. Apple Butter MAKES 4 HALF pint jars 8 cups peeled and cored apples 2 cups apple cider or juice 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 teaspoon lemon juice 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground clove 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice In a microwaveable bowl, add apples and cider, loosely cover and microwave for 12 to 15 minutes, or until tender.

While the craft cocktail may be the mainstay for a quiet firelit evening at a jazz club, there comes a time in every establishment's life when patron volumes and desires trump the ability to slowly put together housemade infusions, bitters and tinctures in favor of something that can be put together quickly, efficiently, and above all else, uh, tastily. Enter the theme cocktail list. Whether at a fast paced rock 'n' roll sushi restaurant or, like Cowboys and Rednecks ("C&R Pub"), a country western joint, theme cocktails give catchy names and descriptions to cocktails that are easy to assemble for the inundated bartenders while keeping patrons' mouths happy.

Check out the trendiest restaurants these days and you'll see crocks of creamy bean purees where pats of butter once resided.Replacing butter with low-fat bean spreads has become terribly chic, yet Mediterraneans have been making aromatic blends of beans and other legumes for centuries.The most famous of these, hummus, hit it big in America and become a ubiquitous offering at parties and delis. But why limit yourself to chickpeas? While exploring the Mediterranean, I discovered an array of luscious spreads.

Embracing the flavors of the Mediterranean, this recipe spans many countries with vibrant colorful vegetables crowning a fresh filet of fish. Thyme, a fragrant and abundant herb, proliferates in that region and enhances this robust dish. Credit must be given to Steve Raichlen's new book, "High Flavor, Low Fat", for inspiring us to adopt recipes such as this one that yield the most satisfying tastes while paring fat.Couscous is a minute, pebbly grain used frequently in the Mediterranean, and perfectly complements the fish and vegetables.

300 Best Stir-Fry Recipes By Nancie McDermott The About.Com Guide to Shortcut Cooking By Linda Larsen F+W Publications Inc. / 2007 / $17.95 Although this book features 225 different shortcut recipes, the focus is mostly on entrees. The recipe I tried was too much of a shortcut. When I finished making the Beef and Nectarine Stir-Fry, the beef was overdone and tough. The directions should have been clearer. The book says to slice along the grain when the beef is frozen, but it does not describe the width of each slice.

A quick way to make a delicious plum tart: Puff pastry is rolled and shaped into a free-standing pastry shell, then filled with a mixture of almond paste, eggs, lemon juice and zest, and flour. The tart is topped with plum wedges and baked until the crust is golden brown.Plum-almond tartMakes 6 to 8 servings1 (about 9 3/4 -by-9-inch) sheet frozen puff pastry, defrosted (see note)1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened1/2 cup (4 ounces) almond paste, broken into chunks1 tablespoon granulated sugar1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (grated color portion of rind)

Mount Vernon's Sascha's 527 is an elegant but approachable space for enjoying a fine meal and a cocktail, its deep red walls adorned with colorful paintings and a chandelier complementing each other to provide a fun, classy vibe. Which is probably why I blinked a few times when I glanced over the menu and noted a cocktail featuring two flavors I hadn't seen, or maybe just hadn't thought of, since childhood - grape and lemon. For whatever reason, the images of Kool Aid's lemon and grape Purplesaurus Rex flavor danced in my head.

Although caviar and smoked salmon have a strong following, I think the most popular holiday food may be icy jumbo shrimp.Shrimp are graded by the number of pieces in a pound, and packed accordingly. Shrimp marked "U-10" means there are fewer than 10 shrimp per pound, while those marked "26-30" have more and smaller shrimp per pound.Store shrimp on a cake rack in a pan. Place plastic wrap over the shrimp, then cover with flaked ice. Drain occasionally and refill with ice as necessary.Even if you're not serving them for several days, cook them in the shell and refrigerate in an airtight container, peeling just before serving.