"CarrotCake" news and stories

For months I have been itching to try Archana's Spiced Carrot Cake, a sweet treat that is pumped up with the addition of ground cardamom. I'd been leaning on my banana bread recipes for those moments when a sweet, but not sugar-saturated treat was in order, but it was time for a change.

When you have all the ingredients prepared, this is a great, simple recipe that yields solid, tasty results. The cardamom gives this nice, subtle push of flavor that sets this mix apart. But be warned -- it's a pain in the arse to grind it. I bought some over the summer, but this was the first time I used some. The shells are very stubborn, and a lot of effort will give you just a bit of appropriately ground spice. I heated it with my cast iron skillet and then used a mortar and pestle and my coffee grinder to get the powder. It took a while since the cardamom is so light that it flies above the blades. If you want speed, I suggest some pre-ground cardamom.

But the result is a treat. It was the middle of the night, and I was too impatient, so I just ripped chunks off and ate them warm, without a glaze or confectioners sugar -- both of which would really make this cake. But without, it's still nice and light, moist, and great for a quick nibble.

• What should your last meal of 2006 be? Why, french fries topped with cheese and gravy of course!
• Or maybe you'd like something a little more sophisticated.
• Don't just serve bread tonight, try some popovers.
• Yes, Boston has one of the top caviar producers in the country.
• 5 food critics pick their 5 favorite cookbooks of 2006.
• Spending New Year's Eve in Boston? The Globe has some ideas for First Night dining.
• This week's recipes: Candied Orange Rind, Crown Roast of Pork with Rice Pilaf, Carrot Cake, and Tourtiere.

Imagine that you are considering dining at a restaurant you have never been to before. If all your friends like it and the professional critics like it, chances are reasonably good that so will you. When it comes down to it, though, your friends are not professional food critics. Whose advice do you place more weight on -- the friend's or the word of the person who gets paid to eat?

It is a difficult decision, because most people are inclined to trust the professional, the expert. As Sarah alluded to earlier, Jeffrey Steingarten said that he felt obligated to let go of his personal food preferences and hang-ups when he became a food critic. In order to see things from his perspective, to take from his reviews what he does, do we have to let go of our food preferences? Of course not. Everyone likes different things. The question is really why you would choose to take the "professional" recommendation. Their palate is likely to be different from your own, so why should it be a reliable source of advice for you?

Some drinks are just not meant to be. Witness the Carrot Cake Cappuccino. This drink, created by Bob Blumer of the Surreal Gourmet, is a combination of spiced, thickened carrot juice with sugar, oil and cream added to it and topped with foam. Very fortunately, Mr. Blumer did not combine cream cheese with the foam for some sort of frosting. Aside from appearing on the menu at Alinea for the sake of being innovative or just plain strange, I am not sure that there are too many venues for this particular beverage. I'd rather have a real cappuccino and a slice of carrot cake.

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