Dessert Recipes

My friend Lena asked why I couldn’t just toss the cranberries in sugar while they were still wet from the rinse. I started to explain … Read more

My sister had declared her hatred for strawberry shortcake for a solid decade. Ten years. She claimed the soggy, syrupy mess of store-bought sponge cakes … Read more

This was supposed to be a classic vanilla cupcake. A simple, no-fuss recipe for a friend’s birthday. I had the butter softening, the flour sifted, … Read more

I was at the hardware store, of all places, buying a new faucet washer when the woman behind me in line started talking about banana … Read more

This was supposed to be a full-sized, picture-perfect pumpkin pie for the Thanksgiving table. I had the deep-dish pie plate ready, the homemade crust chilling … Read more

There used to be a tiny patisserie tucked between a vintage bookstore and a dry cleaner on Magazine Street in New Orleans that made the … Read more

There used to be a diner off Route 9 in Connecticut called Millie’s that made a pecan pie bar that ruined me for all others. … Read more

I was sitting on a wobbly stool at my accountant’s kitchen island—tax season, if you must know—when he casually mentioned he’d just pulled molten chocolate … Read more

My cousin Leah wasn’t trying to impress anyone. I’d stopped by to drop off a book she’d lent me, and the smell of vanilla and … Read more

My neighbor, Mrs. Kowalski, wasn’t trying to impress anyone. I’d stopped by to borrow a cup of sugar on a particularly gray Tuesday afternoon in … Read more