(San Francisco Chronicle)

10 green cardamom pods
1 1/2 cups good-quality vodka
10 slices of fresh ginger, 1/4-inch thick

Spread cardamom seeds on a cutting board and crush lightly with the broad side of a chef’s knife. Pour vodka into a 2-quart jar, and then add cardamom pods and ginger. Cover tightly with lid and shake gently. Place in a dark, cool area and shake gently every few days. After two weeks, strain infused vodka into a clean bottle. Use immediately, or allow to age further if desired.

(San Francisco Chronicle)

4 medium-size oranges
2 cups good-quality vodka
1 cinnamon stick
5 whole cloves

Heat oven to 200. Using a sharp paring knife or vegetable peeler, cut zest from oranges in strips. (Avoid cutting into the white pith, which is bitter.) Spread zest strips in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for approximately 1 hour, or until dry and fragrant.

Pour vodka into a 1.5-quart jar, and then add orange zest, cinnamon stick and cloves. Cover tightly with lid and shake gently. Place in a dark, cool area and shake gently every few days. After seven days, strain infused vodka into a clean bottle. Use immediately, or allow to age further if desired.

(Alton Brown)

4 eggs, separated
1/3 cup sugar plus another 1 Tbsp
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
3 oz bourbon
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color (using a stand mixer, hand mixer, or whisk). Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and continue to beat until it is completely dissolved. Add the milk, cream, bourbon and nutmeg and stir to combine.

Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat to soft peaks. With the mixer still running gradually add the 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Whisk the egg whites into the mixture. Chill and serve. (Will probably need to be stirred a bit before pouring.)

(Cook’s Illustrated, modified by Sarah)

1 russet potato (about 8 oz.), scrubbed, dried, poked a few times with a fork, and rubbed lightly with vegetable oil
1 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1/4 cup)
2 Tbsp sour cream
2 Tbsp buttermilk
1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1 medium scallion, sliced thin
Salt and pepper, to taste

Adjust oven rack to upper middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Bake potato for 1 hour. Cool potato for 10 minutes on a wire rack.

Cut potato in half and scoop out the innards into a bowl. Put the potato skins back in the oven. Meanwhile, mash potato flesh with fork until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients, until well combined.

Remove shells from oven. Spoon mixture into crisped shells, mounding slightly at the center, and return to oven. Bake until spotty brown and crisp on top, 10 to 15 minutes. (If you’re impatient, you can broil them instead.)

(The Art of Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan)

6 oranges (4 to slice, 2 to juice)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon, grated
4 Tbsp sugar

Peel 4 of the oranges with a very sharp knife. Remove all the white spongy pulp and the thin skin beneath. Cut the oranges horizontally into thin slices about 1/4-inch thick, removing any seeds. Put slices in shallow serving bowl. Add lemon rind, sugar, and lemon and orange juices. Carefully turn over the orange slices a few times.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or even overnight. Serve chilled, turning the slices just before serving.

1 head of cauliflower (about 1.5 pounds), separated into florets, rinsed and dried
Olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat oven to 475. Toss the cauliflower with some olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place in a baking dish or roasting pan. Roast for 30-40 minutes, stirring every ten minutes, until dark and crispy.

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Place all ingredients in a large bowl. Stir well, until sugar is dissolved. Turn on the ice cream maker and pour in the mixture. Freeze according to machine directions. Move to container and place in freezer for at least 3 hours.

(You can substitute half and half, whole milk or reduced-fat milk for some or all of the cream. It just won’t be as creamy.)