Vanilla

In this country, it is informally called "the Christmas tree," but in its native France it is croquembouche, or "crackle in the mouth." Both are descriptive, but if you want to serve one of these fantastic pastry centerpieces at your holiday party, there is only one place to go -- Joseph Poupon's traditional French bakery on East Baltimore Street, Patisserie Poupon. The croquembouche is a cone-shaped tower of cream puffs held in place by a sugar mixture that is at first sticky and then crackly.

We all entertain for different reasons, and a few days ago my husband and I hosted a small dinner for a very special purpose. Our guest of honor was one of my spouse's college students whose help we desperately needed. As the proud new owners of a flat-screen high-definition television (my spouse's belated Christmas gift), we found ourselves totally in the dark about how this slick, space-age set functioned. Even after a visit from the cable guy and several hours spent poring over the manufacturer's manual, we still couldn't get all the buttons to work.

A Chocolate Macaroon Bundt Cake was the request of Teresa Anderson of Sioux Falls, S.D. She wrote, "It is my husband's and my mother-in-law's favorite. I've looked through numerous cookbooks and have had no luck. Please help."Kay Krause responded with the recipe. "It is in the 'Pillsbury Family Cookbook,' which, I believe, is now out of print. The answer was right in her back yard. I'm also from Sioux Falls. This cake is so moist and so delicious. Don't substitute no-fat or low-fat versions of the sour cream.

WHEN I HEAR THE word "reunion," I usually think of bowls of stale chips, beverages in plastic cups and uneasy moments trying to remember the names of high school classmates from long ago.But recently I went to a reunion at Rudys' 2900 that was deliciously different from the stale chips type. At this reunion, chefs who learned their craft under the tutelage of chef Rudy Speckamp (and maitre d' Rudi Paul), returned to the restaurant in Carroll County to help their former tutor prepare a feast celebrating the establishment's 15th anniversary.

Kitchen fun keeps kids busy over the holidaysIf you're wondering what to do with vacationing school kids this week, "Cooking with Mickey & Friends" by Pat Baird (Disney Press, 1998) will keep them busy with easy recipes such as this:Jasmine's Fruitie SmoothieServes 41 medium, very ripe banana, peeled1 cup fresh strawberries1 cup nonfat plain yogurt or low-fat milk1/4 teaspoon vanilla (optional)2 ice cubesBreak banana into three or four pieces and place in a blender container or the work bowl of a food processor.

1995 Beringer Chardonnay, Napa Valley ($12).This is becoming a very predictable recommendation. Another year, another fine chardonnay from Beringer. Because it's made in large quantities, you can find it almost anywhere, but it bears none of the obvious signs of mass production. There's fine intensity, a delicate balance of oak and fruit, and well-integrated nuances of vanilla, apple and toast. Beringer continues to be one of the most reliable names in California wine.Pub Date: 8/03/97@

America's sweet tooth isn't a recent development.Amelia Simmons' "American Cookery" was delightfully heavy on cakes, puddings, pies, tarts and trifles. Cinnamon, nutmeg and mace were the most common spices, and rose water was used then much the way vanilla is now. Butter was used with glorious abandon, and even brandy made its way into the kitchen on occasion.Chocolate, however, is never mentioned.A cake she called "plain cake" is close to what is now called a poundcake. Her concise recipe was thus: "Three quarters of a pound of sugar, 1 pound of butter, and 6 eggs, worked into a pound of flour."

Souverain continues to offer consistently fine value with this rare example of a moderately priced California chardonnay with character. It beautifully integrates flavors of apple, spices and vanilla with toasty oak that doesn't get out of hand.

Time to toast a few nuts, particularly some pecans with vanilla coating.Frances L. Wilk writes that she purchased some toasted pecans at a craft fair held at the Maryland State Fairgrounds and that "they were covered with vanilla and other things. I was hoping someone may have tasted them too and would have the recipe for me."A similar request came from Dorothy Beelan of Baltimore who wrote, "I wonder if you could find the recipe for toasted nuts done in the oven."Miriam Colimore of Cockeysville responded with a recipe.

I DON'T WANT to cause a panic in Central County, but have you looked at your calendar? There are just three weeks left in November, and we all know what comes next, don't we?Pity the poor retailer who doesn't know what to feature in newspaper ads: snow blowers, cruise wear or holiday specials.But, Anne Arundel Community College knows exactly what you need: a winter pick-me-up in the guise of one of the college's 21 accelerated sessions in January.From Jan. 6 to 18, these quick courses offer knowledge on subjects from small business management to basic computer skills.

Daomaine Laurier Brut From: California Price: $12 Serve with: Hors d'oeuvres, by itself There's a place in this world for a good sparkling wine that's made by the same methods as Champagne at an affordable price. This is not a wine you'd mistake for Dom Perignon, but it's quite a pleasant bubbly for its price range (giving some competition to Domaine Ste. Michelle). It's quite clean, with none of the funky flavors that afflict Spanish sparklers, and it offers pleasant flavors of vanilla, nuts and minerals as well as a creamy texture.

Vanilla beans are so expensive. Is there a way to save money on them? Even if a recipe calls for a whole vanilla bean, you don't necessarily have to use the whole thing. The long pod often is folded in half in the container, so you can cut it into two lengths and just use one section. If you use a vanilla bean to infuse something like a syrup, you often can rinse the pod, let it air-dry and use it a second time. If the recipe calls for slitting open the pod to scrape out the tiny seeds, such as when you flavor a vanilla ice cream or custard base, you also shouldn't throw away the leathery pod. Bury it in sugar in a closed canister or jar and let it sit for a couple of weeks.

Dripping with butter and maple syrup or topped with fruit and whipped cream, the humble pancake is at once so decadent and comforting that it is right that it should have its own holiday. Pancakes are the traditional food for the last meal before the start of Lent, the Christian season of fasting that starts next week. Whether it is known as Fat Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day, this day was used by our penitent ancestors to consume the last of the sugar, butter and eggs before the traditional 40 days of denial began.

Madagascar is a huge island off the coast of southeast Africa, set amid the Indian Ocean. The area is known for its natural wonders, beautiful scenery and interesting wildlife. Not unlike the movie currently in theaters, Madagascar has some unique animal characters in residence, such as lemurs, sloths and tomato frogs. The situation for tourists (and natives) is not ideal in this very poor nation, where infrastructure, like roads and buildings, shows signs of distress. Still, tourism is beginning to thrive.

There are power wines and finesse wines, and this Rioja classic is finesse all the way. It's a medium-bodied red with tremendous intensity. At five years of age, it has passed the adolescent stage and reached a level of mature smoothness. (There's no reason to think it can't maintain that level for five to 10 years.) It offers penetrating black-cherry and blackberry flavors with hints of Mediterranean herbs and a touch of the vanilla flavor imparted by American oak. 2003 Baron de Ley Reserva From: Rioja, Spain Price: $28 Serve with: Grilled red meat, roast poultry

When professional ice-cream tasters visit their franchise locations, they sample the vanilla. It is the benchmark ice cream, the one other flavors spring from. It is hard to hide flaws in vanilla. So when I recently went around town on a milkshake search, I ordered vanilla. These shakes were made with hand-scooped ice cream - no soft stuff here. They were blended with a shot of milk and an occasional dash of vanilla syrup, in genuine milkshake makers. The sounds, the aromas and the effort of digging hard ice cream from the bottom of the freezer reminded me of how I spent one summer of my youth, making milkshakes at a drive-in restaurant.

In this country, it is informally called "the Christmas tree," but in its native France it is croquembouche, or "crackle in the mouth." Both are descriptive, but if you want to serve one of these fantastic pastry centerpieces at your holiday party, there is only one place to go -- Joseph Poupon's traditional French bakery on East Baltimore Street, Patisserie Poupon. The croquembouche is a cone-shaped tower of cream puffs held in place by a sugar mixture that is at first sticky and then crackly.

Pure Dessert By Alice Medrich Desserts by the Yard By Sherry Yard Houghton Mifflin / 2007 / $35.95 I was thrilled to discover Sherry Yard's new dessert book, because now I know what to serve should Hugh Grant come calling (Chocolate-Caramel Tart). And if faced with a mob of sugar-starved Academy Award winners, I know exactly what to whip up (Chocolate Truffle Tarts with Chocolate Creme Brulee Diamonds and Seven-Bean Vanilla Ice Cream). Yard, the executive pastry chef at Spago Beverly Hills, combines cookbook and memoir in this collection of recipes that ranges from her Brooklyn beginnings to the razzle-dazzle of Hollywood.

What if little Jack Horner never pulled a plum from his Christmas pie? What if it was a raisin? It's possible. According to Alan Davidson's Penguin Companion to Food, the word "plum" was used to describe virtually any dried fruit (including raisins) during the Middle Ages, the period when the rhyme originated. The juicy plum is easier to distinguish these days, but it still comes in many shapes and colors. According to worldshealthiestfoods.org, the plum (in season from May through October)

We all entertain for different reasons, and a few days ago my husband and I hosted a small dinner for a very special purpose. Our guest of honor was one of my spouse's college students whose help we desperately needed. As the proud new owners of a flat-screen high-definition television (my spouse's belated Christmas gift), we found ourselves totally in the dark about how this slick, space-age set functioned. Even after a visit from the cable guy and several hours spent poring over the manufacturer's manual, we still couldn't get all the buttons to work.