Mangia

We were reminiscing one day about the peanut butter sandwiches of our youth, and the idea for a peanut butter muffin came into being. If you are feeling nostalgic for things past, or are simply in the mood for something that is sure to please, make a pan of these. They are really good with bacon or grape jelly. Remember this recipe when you are putting together a lunch to go- be it a brown bag for...

We make Chelsea Buns every Friday but only on Fridays-and customers literally wait in line for them. Buttery, rich, and satisfying, the buns are made with yeast dough, which takes time to prepare. You'll find the time well spent, though, when you taste one of these still warm from the oven. If baking your own is too much, come in early on a Friday morning and get in line! That said, though, w...

Sticky" says it all. If you love caramel, this is the recipe for you. Like Chelsea Buns these are made from yeast dough. Letting the dough rise, then punching it down, is time-consuming. The beauty of this recipe (and Chelsea Buns, too), however, is that the yeasty, butter-rich buns can be baked the day before and reheated for a delectable breakfast treat.

The butter makes it rich; the cake flour makes it tender. Dried fruits lend not only lovely color but also a tart sweetness and texture. Serve this stylish loaf for breakfast, with a cup of tea in the afternoon, or à la mode for dessert. You can even toast it if you wish. Like our other loaf cakes, this makes a great gift.

Ordinarily, banana bread is exactly low in fat! But with no butter, only a little oil, unexpected ingredients like cocoa powder and raspberry preserves, and a lot of mashed bananas, this unusual rendition of an exceedingly popular quick bread is lower in fat than more traditional recipes. You need really ripe bananas for this. Choose the ones with the skins that are almost black-in other words, th...

As quick breads go, carrot is popular and zucchini bread is even more so, which makes this one, with carrot and zucchini, an odds-on favorite. Many versions of zucchini cake contain walnuts, but not this one. It does have the requisite moistness of all well-made zucchini breads and a lovely spicy taste, though. If you are looking to gild this lily, spread a little cream cheese on each slice for a...

Mascarpone-rich Italian cream cheese helps to make this a tender loaf, and bittersweet chocolate and crystallized lemon or orange peel combine to make it unusual. The lemon peel-chocolate combination will get your attention because it is different; the orange peel with chocolate is more of a classic pairing of flavors but is no less fine. Serve a slice of either version of this elegant loaf with a...

Lots of hazelnuts and butter, plus chocolate, explain why these cutouts are so addictive. There is no other way to say it: These fly out the door.

These were one of the first cookies we offered when we opened in 1982, and they are still an all-time favorite. The better the chocolate, the better the cookie. Even though we call these chocolate chip cookies, the chips are chunks.

This classic scone, one of the first we ever made when we opened in 1982, is still one of our most popular. Buttermilk, which we use in all our scone recipes, creates a more tender crumb than regular milk does and adds a slightly tangy flavor. The golden raisins make them just sweet enough and add visual appeal. Fresh out of the oven, these are irresistible topped with softened butter, a fruit pre...

While these rich-tasting, golden scones are a natural accompaniment to either a bowl of soup or a salad at lunch, they also happen to be wonderful for breakfast, with crisp bacon and eggs. They are also excellent, as are the Gruyère and Parmigiano-Reggiano variations on this theme, served with baked ham and assorted mustards and chutneys. You can substitute smoked Cheddar for the sharp that is cal...

These cutout cookies are wonderful, particularly at Christmastime when you can use prized seasonal cookie cutters. You will not believe how wonderful your house will smell when you bake these. Another plus is that the dough can be prepared in advance. Make it up to 1 week ahead and freeze. Defrost it overnight in the refrigerator, then let it stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before rolling...

These were on our menu when we opened in February 1982, and are still a great favorite. Lots of butter, sugar, currants, and granola, in addition to rolled oats, make these rich and satisfying. They look fabulous in a glass cookie jar, if you can keep them around long enough to store them. Fortunately, they are drop cookies and therefore easy to make.

You achieve the domed shape of these buttery peanut butter shortbread cookies by using a small ice-cream scoop. The dough is tender and soft, and your hands won't work nearly as well as the scoop. Purchase one at a kitchenware store, and then you will have it when the urge to make these calls, which could be often. (The scoop should be 1 ½ inches in diameter.) Like almost anything made with p...

There are chocolate chip cookies, with a rich twist-white chocolate chips and dried cherries. These are splendid at teatime or for dessert.

We started baking these bars in November 1996. They were an immediate hit then, and they still are. Mocha-flavored chocolate on a rich shortbread base is a great combination. The instruction in the recipe for wrapping the still-hot pan of pastry in plastic wrap is admittedly unorthodox but necessary. When the pan is enclosed so that it is airtight, the topping steams and achieves a lovely, custard...

This rich shortbread crust serves as the base for our Espresso Bars. The dough is simple to put together and even easier to handle: You roll it out between sheets of wax paper, then use the paper to transfer it to the baking pan. You need to make the dough at least 1 day in advance of finishing the bars because it needs to freeze overnight extra step, but a necessary one that prevents shrinking. A...

These are beautiful party cookies and a delicious challenge for the experienced cook or cookie maker. The effort, including two different baking, will be worth it when you see just how lovely looking (and tasting) these are when finished. Delicate hazelnut dough cutouts are topped with strawberry or apricot preserves, ringed with piped almond paste, and then drizzled with melted chocolate. You hav...

This very American fish chowder has a rich flavor without a cream base. The small amount of cream that is added at the end is there to "finish" the soup, to enrich and smooth it. This chowder is not about cream; it's about fresh salmon, corn and potatoes, and bacon. Serve it as a warming main dish, in bowls or in cups, followed by a crisp, clean-tasting salad. The flavors are fulles...

Thesis remarkably rich tasting and full-flavored, more like a stew than a soup, thanks in large part to the generous amount of roasted tomatoes that serve as the base. You can prepare the tomatoes and make the soup base 1 day in advance. Then it is just a matter of reheating the soup and adding the scallops. The key to keeping them tender is to add them right before serving. With crusty bread and...

When made classically, bisque is a thick, creamy, super-rich seafood soup. At one time, a cup of bisque set the stage for still richer things to come. Times have changed, though, and so have people's preferences, including our own. We kept the seafood, but cut way back on the amount of cream, with no loss to either texture or flavor. Easy to prepare and slightly retro but still very au couran...

If chicken soup can be regal, then this one is. Sophisticated ingredients-sundried tomatoes and oyster and cremini mushrooms, plus porcini mushroom oil-make this especially flavorful. The porcini mushroom oil is a must; it lends a singular, concentrated flavor. There is no substitute. Look for it in specialty food stores and after opening, store it in the refrigerator. (Once you have a bottle, you...

Chicken and rice soup is one thing. Chicken and wild rice soup is another. This is a wonderful winter soup-just the one for the holidays and it can be made almost entirely in advance. All you will need to do before serving is combine the separate components, heat the soup through, and season it with fresh black pepper a seemingly innocent final touch that lends a sizable amount of warmth.

A classic Mediterranean pairing-potatoes and chorizo-are combined here with chicken and peas to make a full-flavored, hearty bowl that can be served as a meal in itself, or as a prelude to a dinner of simply grilled or roasted fish. Chorizo, one of our favorite ingredients, should be good and garlicky- well seasoned, in other words. Look for it in butcher shops and larger supermarkets in the pork...

A prep person in the kitchen from Puebla, Mexico, showed us this fun and very flavorful family-style recipe. The ancho chile powder adds a smoky flavor and a dried chile scent. As for the oregano, if you have access to a market with Latino products, look for Caribbean or Mexican oregano. It has a hint of mint that makes it worth the search. The touch of crème fraîche-hardly a Mexican tradition was...