Cooking Light

Cranberry-Chocolate Biscotti

March 1, 2015 by Charles 1 Comment

One of the problems of having a food blog is – quite obviously – making sure that you have food to photograph. This problem is particularly acute when making dinner or when otherwise cooking at night. Photography at night is a no-win situation. There is no natural light, leaving only the harsh glow of the incandescents. When it comes to dinner, there is the option of photographing on long exposures while the meal grows cold, or simply hoping for presentable leftovers. When it comes to other recipes, the challenge is saving enough for a future daytime photograph.

And that’s the rub here. I made these chocolate-cranberry biscotti …

Pineapple-Coconut-Banana Upside-Down Cake

December 23, 2012 by Charles 1 Comment

I was a little skeptical about this recipe when I first saw it. Flaked coconut is often a miss for me. The same is true of canned pineapple. But the convenience of each is undeniable, particularly in the dead of winter, when the idea of finding a beautiful, ripe Pineapple at the local Giant seems utterly fantastic. But on the strength of the Cooking Light name, I decided to give this recipe a fair chance.

In the course of cooking and posting recipes on my blog,…

St. Valentine’s Day Pound Cake

February 14, 2012 by Charles 5 Comments

On Saturday, January 28th, 2012, Caitlin and I got engaged. I proposed as we sat in adjoining arm chairs, as we watched the sun slowly setting over the Chesapeake Bay. Later that night, we had dinner in the town of Easton to celebrate the occasion.

The next day, after a warm breakfast with our innkeepers, we strolled about the towns of St. Michael’s, Easton, and Annapolis, hands in tow. Later that evening, we shared the news with our friends and family. And then, on Monday, I got ready for work, and Caitlin boarded a plane for Europe, for what has become an all-too-regular business trip. I haven’t seen her since.

It’s been over two weeks since we got engaged. But in that sixteen-day span, only two have we spent together. And with the time-difference and our own demanding schedules, even the passing phone call has become a challenge. This past weekend, …