Pound cake got its name because its four main, and classically, the only ingredients each weigh a pound. Back in the early 18th century, when pound cakes were first made, that all-important ingredient, butter, plus sugar, eggs and flour, was all it took cooks in Europe and then in the southern US to make that quintessentially perfect cake. Served toasted and gilded with yet more butter and a spoonful of jam, with a cup of tea on the side, this is a cake that I return to time after time.

Here, though, is a pound cake which diverges from the classic recipe in a few subtle ways. Most importantly, the butter used here has been browned and then recongealed in the freezer before using it in the batter. And like in the modern versions, this version uses a bit of chemical leavening in the form of baking powder to open up the crumb of the cake slightly, leading to a melt-in-the-mouth tenderness. Except for the butter, have the other ingredients at room temperature for the creamiest batter and best results. The recipe follows:

8 ounces cake flour (generous 2 cups) or all-purpose flour (1-3/4 cups)

3/4 t. baking powder

1 t. salt

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1 vanilla bean (pliable and fragrant)

8 ounces (1 cup plus 2 T.) granulated sugar (fine grained a/k/a baker’s sugar leads to the best textured cake)

8 ounces whole eggs (depending on the size of each egg, this could mean 3 or 4 large eggs), beaten to combine yolks and whites

Sift flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside.

Spray an 8″ x4″ loaf cake pan lightly with pan release spray and set aside.

In a heavy saucepan place the butter and the vanilla bean. Cook over medium heat to melt and then continue cooking until the butter is a deep golden brown. Allow to cool slightly, remove the vanilla bean (wash and dry it and refrigerate it well wrapped if you plan to reuse it) and then pour the liquid butter through a fine-meshed sieve (to remove the blackened specks of browned milk solids) into a freezer-proof bowl or measuring cup. (You will lose a bit of the original weight of the butter here but that’s accounted for so don’t fret.) Place the browned butter into the freezer and allow to congeal before proceeding.

Place congealed browned butter into the bowl of an electric mixer outfitted with a whisk attachment. Beat at high speed for about 2 minutes, or until lightened. Then begin adding the sugar in a stream. Continue beating until the mixture is well blended. Add the eggs in a stream and beat until emulsified, scraping the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl thoroughly. Using a wide rubber spatula, gently but thoroughly fold the sifted dry ingredients into the cake base. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, level it off with a spatula, and bake for approximately 40 minutes, or until a thin stick or skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. When done, remove the cake to a cooling rack and allow to cool thoroughly. When cooled, turn the cake out onto a cake plate and store at room temperature, covered. When serving, slice with a serrated knife. You may wish to serve the cake as is, toasted, or with a seasonal fruit compote or jam of your choice.

Cooler and cold months are when citrus come into their own. Here in California, we are blessed with a large and colorful array of these sun drenched fruits. From fragrant Meyer lemons to gorgeous blood oranges with their almost raspberry flavor and mellow golden grapefruit to tangerines and clementines of many varieties, the possibilities are endless. Whether juiced or peeled and then removed from their membrane, these citrus specialties come at a point in the year when even a bit of sunshine is often in short supply. (Mind you, “dreary” in southern California seemingly never lasts more than a few hours, with some bright sunshine often peaking through the clouds; but elsewhere, where true winter weather worthy of the phrase prevails, and where I grew up, those brightly colored and flavored citrus fruits are particularly welcomed).

Yield: 4 servings

The glories of citrus, vanilla and cream tremulously set by gelatin come together here in a delicate early winter dessert. Soft and nearly melting on the plate, this creamy, do-ahead sweet gets its distinctive flavor from the zest of a whole range of citrus fruits now in season: Cara Cara oranges with their pinkish-orange glow, Satsuma tangerines, Kishu clementines, Melogold grapefruit and blood oranges. Citrus and vanilla, the signature flavors of panettone (a traditional Italian sweet yeasted bread often studded with raisins and candied fruit) transform the humble and simple-to-make panna cotta into something special. Plan to make this dessert a day in advance to allow it to set. Thinly sliced and toasted panettone (you can make your own or purchase it) and filets of a rainbow of citrus fruits finish off the plate. Flavors pop in this ensemble of cream, crunch and juicy fruit–a great ending to a festive dinner.

For the panna cotta:

3 sheets gelatin (weighing approximately 6.75 grams) or 3 t. (approximately 6.75 grams) unflavored powdered gelatin

12 ounces (1-1/2 c.) heavy cream

2 T. zest of a variety of citrus (tangerines, blood oranges, grapefruit), grated

3 ounces (scant 1/2 c.) granulated sugar

4 ounces (1/2 c.) sour cream

1 t. real vanilla extract

If using sheet gelatin, place it into a bowl and place into a bowl with enough ice water to just cover. When it has softened, remove from the water, squeezing out excess and set aside. If using powdered gelatin, sprinkle it over 5 T. cold water and stir. Allow to sit until it expands and absorbs the water. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, heat cream and citrus zest until simmering. Remove from heat. Allow to stand for about 15 minutes. Then pour the mixture through a fine-meshed sieve, pressing on the zest to release as much flavor as possible into the cream. Discard the contents of the sieve and reheat the infused cream in a clean saucepan until boiling. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the sugar,stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, continue to cook until the sugar is fully dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in the bloomed gelatin and then sour cream and then stir until the gelatin has disappeared into the mixture and the sour cream is incorporated. Stir in vanilla extract and mix to combine. Pour the mixture through a fine-meshed sieve set over a bowl. Sieve again into a clean bowl and then ladle, or using a measuring cup with a pour spout, pour the mixture evenly into molds (silicone molds are available in many different shapes and capacities from www.demarle.com and are easy to unmold, yielding an attractive shape). Place molds onto a flat sheet pan and then place onto a perfectly flat surface in the freezer until firm. When fully frozen, remove from the molds and place one panna cotta on each of six serving plates. Refrigerate, lightly covered, to allow to thaw. (This can take about 2 hours or so). While the panna cottas are thawing, prepare the other elements of the dessert as follows.

For the citrus segments garnish:

1 Cara Cara orange*

1 Melogold or cocktail grapefruit*

1 to 2 tangerines (depending on size)*

1 blood orange*

*www.melissas.com is a great source for all of these citrus varieties in season

Peel by using a small sharp knife, following the contour of the fruit. Try not to remove any of the flesh as you remove the pith and peel. Over a bowl, remove the filets of citrus from their connective membrane by making a cut adjacent to the membrane toward the center of the fruit and then make a second cut from the center outward. Continue this process until all of the citrus filets have been removed from the fruit. Save any juice that collects as you remove the filets from each citrus fruit.

For the panettone croute garnish:

Using a sharp serrated knife, slice the panettone into four very thin pieces, measuring roughly 4″ by 3″. Place on a cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 350 degree F. oven for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned and crisp. Remove from the oven and set aside.

To serve:

Garnish each panna cotta with a variety of citrus filets and one thin croute of the panettone. As desired, carefully spoon fresh citrus juice reserved from above around the base of the panna cotta (or as shown in the photograph, into the indentation at the top center of the panna cotta. If you use the kind of silicone mold which I did, the dessert will appear somewhat like a sunny side-up egg, a bit of visual irony in a custardy-textured dessert that has no egg whatsoever). Serve immediately.

A cross between a lady apple and a crab apple, despite its diminutive size, the Crimson Gold is picked fully grown but weigh only about an ounce each. Organically grown in Northern California, this variety dates back to the 1940’s. Thirty years later this variety was resurrected from the ruins of orchards that were abandoned due to financial difficulties of the growers. Though small in size, they’re large in crunch and juiciness. When roasted or poached, they lend themselves to being used as a beautiful and delicious garnish around a roast chicken, duck or even turkey. Grab ‘em while you can, and if you pack a lunch, they’re the perfect dainty fruit to eat out of hand. But you might wish to pack more than one for a satisfying and healthy treat to have on hand all day long.

When local berries, stone fruits and luscious melons are long past, there is always something new on the produce shelves in my market to inspire a delicious recipe. Now’s the time for Crimson Gold apples, those tiny sweet/tart fruits with a ruby and golden glow. Here I am simply roasting them with some whole spices, a bit of apple cider and just enough brown sugar to bring out the fruits’ natural sweetness. Some cubes of roasted Korean pears also figure in the mix. Topped with jewel-like pomegranate seeds and whipped cream or a mixture of yogurt and whipped cream, the fruits serve as a seasonal ending to a weekend brunch when accompanied by fresh thyme-flecked scones (see recipe below), just out of the oven.

For the roasted apples:

Yield: 4 servings

12 Crimson Gold apples, washed and dried *

2 T. brown sugar

4 whole cinnamon sticks

1 star anise

Apple cider or juice, as needed to cover the bottom of the baking dish to prevent burning

1 Korean pear, peeled, cored, and cut into cubes *

1/2 cup pomegranate arils * (the edible seeds, either purchased as is, or removed from a whole pomegranate)

To garnish:

Heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks, either on its own, or combined with yogurt, as desired

*All available through www.melissas.com

Place the apples, sugar, spices and cider into a shallow baking dish. Bake in a preheated 400 degree F. oven for approximately 35 minutes, or until tender. Turn them occasionally during baking so that they are evenly coated with the liquid in the baking dish. When tender, remove from the oven and store at room temperature if using within an hour. (For longer storage, refrigerate and then reheat as desired). Place the Korean pear onto a Silpat-(silicone mat) lined sheet pan and roast in the oven for about 30 minutes or until crisp tender. Set aside. If the apples and pears have been prepared in advance, refrigerate, covered, and then allow them to return to room temperature before serving. Sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds just before serving.

You may also return the fruits to a warm oven just until heated through. Serve with softly whipped cream or a combination of whipped cream and yogurt and the scones below.

For the Thyme-Flecked Scones:

Yield: 6 scones

6 ounces (approximately 1-1/2 cups) all-purpose flour

1 t. baking powder

1 ounce (approximately 2 T.) granulated sugar

3/4 t. salt

4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter

4 ounces (½ c.) milk (full fat, low fat or nonfat, as desired)

1 egg yolk from 1 large egg

½ t. fresh thyme leaves

For the egg wash:

1 egg yolk

1 T. milk

Set the oven rack half way up from the floor of the oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt together and place into the bowl of a food processor. Add the butter and process until you achieve the consistency of a coarse corn meal. In a small bowl, whisk the milk and egg yolk until blended. Add to the flour and butter mixture and process just until the mixture starts to come together. Add the thyme leaves and process briefly to disperse evenly. Remove from the processor bowl to a lightly floured surface. Press gently to compact into a rough rectangle, measuring approximately 4″ by 8 “. Cut the dough into 6 equal squares and place the squares on a parchment-lined baking sheet. For the egg wash, whisk the milk and egg together and brush onto tops of each scone. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. (You can make these in advance and then rewarm briefly in a hot oven.)

Sweet yet tart, green or yellow skinned, Oroblanco grapefruits, as their name would imply are the “white gold” of the citrus world. A cross between a pommelo and a white grapefruit, the white-fleshed fruit segments are fragrantly sweet and juicy and lack grapefruit’s characteristically bitter edge. Developed in 1958 and patented in 1981, this thick skinned variety pairs particularly well with avocados, firm but fattier fish such as Chilean sea bass and black cod and its skin can be candied for a delicious after-dessert dessert.

Serves 4 as main dish, 6 as appetizer

Taking my cues from rojak, the famous Indonesian/Malaysian salad of fruits and vegetables, here’s a tropical breeze on a plate that features shrimp and the best of early winter citrus (plus some crunchy bok choy and jicama) for a bright perky street food-inspired meal. Make the spicy soy-tamarind dressing a day in advance to allow its flavors to mellow and marry. A perfect combination of sweet and sour, salty and crunchy, this main dish salad pulls what seems like disparate elements into a pleasing and coherent ensemble of textures and tastes. A great online source for top quality produce including Oroblanco grapefruits, now in season, is www.melissas.com. They ship nationally.

Adapted from my first book, The Vivid Flavors Cookbook, copyright © 1994 by Robert Wemischner.

For the dressing:

1 2″ piece fresh galangal (a variant of gingerroot with a somewhat mint like though hard-to-describe flavor personality), peeled, crushed slightly and sliced into 1/2″ coins (available at Asian markets)

2 T. white wine vinegar

1/4 c. tamarind concentrate (available at Asian markets)

1/2 c. kecap manis  (bottled sweetened soy sauce available at Asian markets; if unavailable, substitute 6 T. dark soy combined with 2 T. molasses)

1/2 t. shrimp paste (blacan--from the Philippines, or trasi from Malaysia and Indonesia; available at Asian markets)

1/2 t. sambal  oelek (Indonesian chile paste; available at Asian markets; if unavailable, substitute sriracha sauce, its Thai equivalent)

Salt and granulated sugar to taste

For the salad:

1  2″ piece gingerroot, peeled and sliced into 1/2′ thick coins

Zest of l medium lemon

1-1/2 lbs. medium shrimp, in their shells

1 bunch bok choy or head of Napa cabbage, thinly sliced, about 5 c.

1 large red bell pepper, sliced into thin long strips about 1/4″ wide

1 large cucumber, peeled and then cut into thin rounds, used either as is or halved into half moon shapes

1 c. jicama, peeled and cut into 1/2″ cubes

1 large Oroblanco or other sweet white grapefruit, peeled and sectioned, free of membrane or seeds

1 large navel orange, peeled and sectioned, free of membrane or seeds

1 c. fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and then cut into 1/2″ thick wedges

1 c. fresh mango or papaya, peeled and cut into 1/2″ cubes

For the garnishes:

1 bunch fresh cilantro, leaves only, washed and dried well

1 c. roughly chopped roasted peanuts

Zest of l brightly colored lime, grated

One day in advance of serving, make the dressing.  Place galangal into stainless steel or crockery bowl and mix with vinegar.  Add tamarind, ketjap manis, blacan (shrimp paste) and sambal oelek, whisking to combine. Add just enough water to thin slightly.

Salt and sugar to taste. (The resulting dressing should leave a tart but not sour aftertaste; when combined with the intense sweetness of the fruits, sweet and tart should be in perfect balance.) Remove the galangal from the dressing before using.

To cook the shrimp:

Using a 2 quart pot, place the ginger and lemon zest in enough water to cover.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and add the shrimp.  Cook just until the shells turn bright pink or red and the shrimp feel spongy to the touch, about 4-5 minutes.  Do not overcook.  Allow to cool in the liquid.  Remove from liquid, peel and devein and set aside. 

To blanch the cabbage:

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil.  Pour over the bok choy or cabbage and let stand until cool.  Drain, refresh with cold water and drain again.  Dry and place on large decorative serving platter.  

To serve:

Array the ingredients, including the chopped peanuts, on the platter as desired.   Sprinkle grated lime zest over all.  Serve the dressing separately.

Tea is coming into its own in this country as more and more good leaf is becoming available. But it is using the tea leaves beyond the china cup, beyond providing a great beverage for any time of day, that is under consideration here. (For more information about the sweet and savory uses of the leaf, seek Cooking with Tea, written by me in collaboration with Diana Rosen), from which the recipe has been adapted.  

In this cooler weather brisket dish which accompanies this post, brewed black tea becomes an integral component of the sauce for the meat, tenderizing it and flavoring it with a slightly smoky personality that is irresistible. Teas from India, China and even Hawaii, work beautifully here, each imparting a slightly different aroma and savor to the braising liquid. I recently had the pleasure to work with fresh and processed Hawaiian tea leaves when I was invited to participate in the Taste of the Hawaiian Range (www.tasteofthehawaiianrange.com), a yearly locavore event on the Big Island celebrating the island’s agricultural diversity and richness.