As the head of Pittsburgh’s legendary Kaufmann’s department store, Edgar J. Kaufmann was a man who knew what he liked, and usually found a way to get it! He and his wife, Liliane, and their son, Edgar Kaufmann Jr., brought Fallingwater to life with weekends and vacations spent enjoying the clean air and water of the Laurel Highlands…and the quiet splendor of their amazing house.
Edgar Sr.’s New Red Devil’s Food Cake Recipe
Chef Tom Shuttlesworth told us that Edgar Sr. had a soft spot for devil’s food cake. He updates that delectable classic here, with an intriguing herbal note of lemon verbena, and a Fallingwater-appropriate red batter. To see what Chef Tom designed for the dinner that precedes this delectable dessert, visit here.
Chef Tom loves this light cake with the same rich chocolate undertones as Edgar Sr.’s favorite midnight devil’s food snack. The gorgeous red color, the intriguing herbaceous hint of citrus throughout, the luscious cream-cheese icing with plenty of real vanilla. This is a great end to any meal.
The instructions are easy enough; if you want a little more elaborate presentation, you can always split the individual cakes into separate layers, but the recipe is perfect for three layers.
3 sticks butter: 2 for cake, 1 (softened) for icing
2 1/12 cups cake flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp vinegar
2 tbsp dry ground lemon verbena
For the vanilla cream cheese icing:
8 oz cream cheese, room temp
½ cup (1 stick) butter, room temp
1 lb confectioner’s sugar
·3 tbsp vanilla paste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat eggs; add sugar. Mix cocoa and food coloring. Add 2 sticks butter and egg mixture; mix well.
Sift together flour and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Blend in vanilla.
In a small bowl, combine soda and vinegar and add to mixture.
Pour into three 8-inch round greased and floured pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out dry.
For the vanilla cream cheese icing:
Whip all together in a stand mixer or with hand mixer until light and creamy.
Story and Recipe by Chef Tom Shuttlesworth Photography by Andrew Burkle Food Styling by Clare Vredevoogd Production by Burklehagen Shot on Location at Fallingwater thanks to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
TABLE Magazine contributor Sara Ghedina does it all: writing, recipes, photography and styling. What energizes her? Helping people reimagine deliciousness … in ways that avoid meat. Here, she explains her commitment, and shares a recipe for Vegan Mushroom Potato Soup.
The choices we make every day, no matter how small, have an impact on the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the land we live. Our lifestyles are ultimately responsible for the wellbeing of our planet.
Mushroom Potato Soup, Why Vegan?
It’s easy to understand how recycling, walking or biking more often, choosing renewable energy sources, composting food waste, or using cloth bags instead of plastic, helps the environment. The food we eat, however, represents one of the our most trenchant impacts, with meat at the top of the list. Animal agriculture is recognized as a leading cause of global warming. Cows themselves produce an incredible amount of greenhouse gas, and raising them wastes huge amounts of water, is one of the main causes of deforestation, and consumes fossil fuels in the production and transportation of animal feed.
The case against meat is very strong, but obviously we can only adopt new habits when there are valid alternatives. Many people are under the misconception that being vegan is extremely difficult or that vegans live off lettuce and carrots and a few other unappetizing foods. This couldn’t be further from the truth: nature offers us an incredible array of vegetable products and it’s up to our imagination to turn them into delicious and nutritious dishes. It often goes unnoticed that Mediterranean and other cuisines offer many dishes that are already vegan, and additional recipes that can easily become vegan by using newly available plant-based products.
The Creative Side of Veganism
I’ve been vegan for seven years, and since then I’ve become more and more creative with food, taking the opportunity to discover new ways of filling raviolis or making a fluffy and luxurious chocolate mousse. To be honest, I’ve never been a big meat eater, and I didn’t find the transition to a vegan lifestyle all that hard. The biggest challenge I face is fighting the misconception that vegan food is boring and tasteless.
However, I do recognize that for many people giving up meat and dairy altogether can be extremely difficult, psychologically and emotionally as well as physically. Food is a cultural practice and giving up hot dogs on Fourth of July is far more than a dietary change. But here’s the good news: meat consumption is not an all-or-nothing decision, and vegan food is not just for vegans. There are multitudes of middle-of-the-road positions that can help people move away from meat-centered diets.
Think Meatless Mondays or meatless breakfasts; think going vegan for a full day every week or for a full week every two or three months; think substituting your burger with one of the delicious plant-based alternatives now available; think giving plant based gelato a try next time you’re in the mood for ice cream. All these simple choices are based on the idea that little steps can produce big changes. Millions of people going meatless for one day a week have a much bigger impact on the environment than a handful of year-round vegans. The choice is up to us!
Perfect for colder days during fall season, this hearty and warming soup comes together in 35 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
10 oz white mushroom
10 oz crimini mushroom
3.5 oz shiitake mushroom
5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cubed
4 to 5 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves only
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 cups vegetable stock
Instructions
Clean the mushrooms and pat them dry. Trim and discard any dried stem ends, then chop them roughly and set aside. In a large pot, heat 4 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat, then add shallot and 3 garlic cloves and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until slightly softened and fragrant.
Add potatoes, thyme and chili flakes, and season with a pinch of salt and black pepper to taste. Cook for 5 minutes more, then add mushrooms, keeping aside about 3/4 cup for serving. Cook, stirring frequently until mushrooms release their liquid and start to brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Cover with hot vegetable stock and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook until all the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
While soup is cooking, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a small skillet, adding remaining garlic and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the reserved mushroom, season with salt and pepper and cook until they soften and brown. Keep warm and set aside.
Remove soup from heat and let it cool off a bit, then puree using a hand-held blender or whirling it in batches in a blender or food processor. Pour it back in the pan and add more stock if it is too dense, or let it cook longer if it needs to thicken a bit. Serve hot, garnishing each bowl with a spoon of sautéed mushrooms and a few croutons.
Notes
For a more intense flavor, substitute common white and crimini mushrooms with Portabella and baby bella mushrooms, or a mix of your favorite wild mushrooms.
Russet potatoes instead of Yukon Gold will work as well.
Story, Recipe, Styling and Photography by Sara Ghedina
If you’re looking for the perfect over-easy egg, you’ve found it: chorizo and eggs. Make Portuguese Fried Eggs in the leftover drippings from fried chorizo. This provides a glistening coating of natural oils and deep flavors in which the eggs dance while cooking until the edges reach the perfect crispiness.
Portuguese-Influenced Fried Eggs
Mediterra Cafe Executive Chef Aniceto Sousa says, “We grew up eating these ingredients. My mom would make Portuguese chorizo and eggs, crispy around the edges and with a dippy yolk, to eat with bread. That was our really simple, easy Saturday morning breakfast.”
Along with the Chorizo and Eggs, Sousa serves a grilled halloumi cheese, which is a perfect accompaniment to this traditional Iberian breakfast dish. The zhoug sauce adds a contemporary herbiness to the whole affair.
Travel around the world just by changing up your breakfast table.
Ingredients
Scale
For zhoug sauce:
½ cup parsley
1 cup cilantro
2 garlic cloves
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
2 wax peppers
4 tbsp rice wine vinegar
For eggs:
1 package (1 lb) fresh Spanish chorizo
4 eggs
Salt, pepper, and smoke paprika
4 tbsp canola oil
1 package (250 grams) of halloumi cheese, sliced into 4 equal slices
Instructions
For zhoug sauce:
Combine all ingredients in blender. Puree until smooth, set aside.
For eggs:
Slice chorizo into ½-inch slices on the bias.
Heat sauté pan with 2 tablespoons canola oil over medium heat. Fry chorizo until crisp on both sides, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove and keep warm.
Fry eggs sunny-side up in leftover chorizo renderings and oil to preferred doneness, seasoning with salt, pepper, and sprinkle of smoked paprika.
In separate nonstick sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons canola oil to high heat. Pat slices of halloumi with paper towel to dry and add to oil to sear cheese until crisp on one side, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and heat second side until cheese is completely heated through and crisp. Remove to paper towels.
For plating:
Smear spoonful of sauce across platter top with eggs, halloumi, and chorizo. Serve with bread.
Recipe by Chef Aniceto Sousa Styling by Keith Recker Photography by Dave Bryce
It’s not every day that an octopus makes its way into your kitchen! But when it does, this octopus recipe from Chef Jamilka Borges of Lilith is a great way to welcome it. Drawing upon her Puerto Rican heritage, she infuses it with sofrito and other Caribbean-inflected ingredients… and the dish emerges with a layered flavor profile you won’t forget!
The perfect texture of octopus comes from sautéing.
Ingredients
Scale
¼ cup white vinegar
1 lb baby octopus
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 large yellow sweet onion, minced
1 tbsp granulated garlic
2 tsp Manzanilla olives
28 oz crushed tomatoes
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
3 tbsp simple sofrito
2 tsp capers
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp homemade sazón
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp paprika
2 cups water
Vegetable oil for searing
Instructions
In a stockpot boil 5 qt water and add a ¼ cup of white distilled vinegar. Add your octopus and simmer for 45 minutes or until tender.
In the meantime, prepare the criolla sauce. In a big sauté pan, heat the coconut oil, sweat onions and garlic, adding olives, tomatoes and all spices. Let cook for 30 minutes in low heat, once your octopus is ready, transfer to the criolla sauce and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Serve with fried plantains, rice, or any preferred starch.
Chef Jamilka Borges, ever-busy at her restaurant Lilith, consistently puts a bright spin on vegetables. Here she combines the pierogi, a classic Pittsburgh comfort food, with an Asia-inflected blend of spices. Simply delicious!
Where Are the Best Pierogis in Pittsburgh?
We went on a journey to find the best pierogi in all of Pittsburgh. Check out our ranking to help inspire where your next batch of potato pierogi will come from.
Rather than potato, Chef Jamilka uses carrots for a vibrant pierogi filling.
Ingredients
Scale
For the dough:
4 cups AP flour
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
¼ cup sour cream
1 cup carrot juice
¼ oil
For the carrot filling:
2 cups small dice onions
1 cup minced garlic
¼ cup minced ginger
2 lb ground pork
4 qt carrot pulp
1 cup soy
1 cup sambal
½ cup red wine vinegar
2 cups carrot juice
1 cup minced cilantro
Salt
Instructions
For the dough:
Place all dry ingredients in mixer bowl, add eggs, sour cream and slowly add juice.
Mix until it comes together in a bowl. Knead with extra flour until smooth. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap.
For the carrot filling:
Sweat all alliums and ginger then add pork. Brown pork then add carrot, deglaze with all liquid and let cook. Finish with cilantro
For assembly:
Roll sheets of dough with a French roller on a smooth surface. Cut with a 4-inch cookie cutter and fill, seal the dumpling by pinching your thumb and index fingers creating a cress. Let rest in freezer for 30 minutes.
Bring a pot of water to a boil and have ready a “shocking station” – plastic container with plenty of ice and water.
Boil pierogies for 3 minutes and shock in ice water, transfer to an oiled container. Sauté with butter and olive oil until golden brown. Serve with crème fraîche and salsa verde.
“Getting together and sharing simple things with people, that’s what food is all about to me,” says Chef Justin Severino, the culinary creative at Morcilla. A smoky, nutty, and thoroughly delicious romesco lifts broccoli to a wonderful level of deliciousness…and keeps everyone at the table happy.
The romesco is brilliant for more than just broccoli too.
Ingredients
Scale
4 large tomatoes
1 small red onion ½-inch slices
¼ cup almonds
¼ cup hazelnuts
¼ cup walnuts
1 cup roasted piquillo peppers
½ cup roasted garlic
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 oz sherry vinegar
2 oz olive oil
2 tbsp smoked pimentón dulce
1 tbsp espelette pepper
2 tbsp salt
2 broccoli heads, quartered
Salt
2 oz olive oil
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Remove the core from the tomatoes and score the bottom. On a sheet tray place the prepared tomatoes and the sliced red onion. Roast in the oven for 1 hour until skin is falling off and the outside of the tomatoes and onions are nicely caramelized.
Toast the nuts in the same oven for ten minutes until golden brown.
In a food processor begin to chop all the ingredients. Start with the tomatoes, peppers, onions, and garlic, and then all the nuts.
Mix in a medium-sized bowl with the lemon zest and juice, sherry vinegar, olive oil, pimentón, espelette, and salt.
Turn grill on medium-high heat. Toss the quartered broccoli with the remaining salt and olive oil and begin to grill. Continue to turn the broccoli until fork-tender and nicely colored.
Arrange the broccoli on a platter and cover with the romesco sauce. Serve warm.
Someone’s grandmother would surely have seen this Apple Cinnamon Hot Toddy as medicinal, so think of it as a necessary step in warming up from a nice hike in the wintery woods. Try it with a slice of our Winter Stone Fruit Polenta Cake.
Is a Hot Toddy Good Medicine?
Up to a point, the answer is yes. The steamy heat of a toddy can soothe a sore throat, relax muscles, and open nasal passages. Honey has some mild antibacterial properties. It also coats the throat and helps reduce irritation. The lemon (and this recipe’s apple cider) offers up helpful vitamin C. In small amounts, whiskey can help relax you and send you off to sleep.
However, alcohol can dehydrate you. It can also potentially interact with other medications you might be taking. Honey and whiskey can load your system with sugars, which can interrupt sleep and make you feel unhealthy.
Perhaps the best practice here, as always, is moderation. While a hot toddy like this one can be a treat once in a while, warm herbal teas are probably better everyday choices.
Heat the apple cider, lemon juice, honey and cinnamon stick on the stove and bring to a simmer for about 3 to 5 minutes until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Add bourbon and serve hot.
Mixology by Justin Matase Photography by Dave Bryce Plates by FD Ceramics.
Crisp, bubbly, and just a little bit sassy, this Pear Cider and Gin Bellini is the perfect toast to fall. With the delicate sweetness of pear cider, the botanical notes of gin, and the celebratory sparkle of brut wine, it’s a drink that feels both refreshing and elegant. Finished with a sugared rim and fresh fruit garnish, it’s as beautiful in the glass as it is delightful to sip.
Pear Cider and Gin Bellini Recipe
This easy cocktail is ideal for autumn gatherings, from cozy brunches to festive holiday parties. The pear cider brings a seasonal twist to the classic Bellini cocktail, while the gin adds a subtle herbal depth that balances the sweetness. A touch of sugar on the rim makes every sip sparkle, and the garnish of pear and blackberry also adds a pop of color and flavor.
Whether you’re raising a glass to a special occasion or simply treating yourself to something a little fancy, the Pear Cider & Gin Bellini is a quick, crowd‑pleasing choice. It’s simple to make, easy to customize, and also guaranteed to bring a touch of elegance to any moment worth celebrating.
It’s five o’clock. In most parts of the United States, the winter sun went down quite a while ago, and you’re probably not gong anywhere. Perhaps it’s time to huddle with your loved one over a cocktail and some good conversation. This Clove Old Fashioned will give you a starting point: candied or fresh orange peel?
What Makes a Great Old Fashioned?
The classic Old Fashioned is, appropriately enough, a simple, old fashioned affair! Start with quality ingredients. A good bourbon or rye whiskey, around 90–100 proof, is the place to start. They both work well. Choose bourbon for its innate sweetness, or rye for its gentle spice.
Next, go for two or three dashes of classic aromatic bitters. If you’re feeling a little adventuresome, try orange or cardamon bitters.
Keep a firm hand on the amount of sugar! One quarter ounce of simple syrup or one sugar cube is generally enough. Try demerara cubes for a richer flavor.
Ice is key to a great Old Fashioned, as well. We love a single giant ice cube, but regular cubes are fine. Just avoid crushed ice.
Express the oils from a generous piece of orange peel over your glass before serving. It’s a must! Toss it into the drink and stir once. Add a top quality Luzardo cherry as the final touch.
Bring ingredients to a rolling boil, let cook and remove cloves. Simple can be stored up to two weeks refrigerated.
To really step up the presentation on this cocktail, we used candied orange peel, which requires some forethought. If it’s a cold wintery night, and you just need a clove old fashioned, worry not, a regular orange rind will do.
If you do want to make your own candied orange peel, using a sharp paring knife, remove 1/2” wide strips of orange rind, avoiding the white pith s much as possible. Toss them in a sauce pan with 2 cups water and 2 cups sugar with a few crushed cardamon pods. Boil for 15 minutes.
Remove and let drain on a paper towel. When cool and relatively dry, place in a large sealable container with 3 cups white sugar. Seal the container. Shake until you’re sure the peels are coated with sugar and not stuck together. Let rest in a cool, dry place for at least a week. Shake every day if you can! When you remove for use, dust off some of the sugar…or leave it on!
For the clove old fashioned:
Mix ingredients together, serve on ice and garnish with candied or fresh orange peel: You decide.
Recipe by Justin Matase Styling by Keith Recker Photography by Dave Bryce Placemat by Kim Seybert Wooden plates by Crate and Barrel
Everyone loves a warm latte on a crisp fall day. That’s what makes Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte so popular. Before you get on your bike or in your car to head to the nearest location… it turns out that they’re easier than you’d think to make at home!
Making a Coffee-Shop Latte at Home
The most important part of making your latte taste coffee-shop-worthy is making a flavored syrup. I did this one with cinnamon, maple, and vanilla, but the possibilities are endless. Once you’ve got that done, brew yourself some strong coffee, add your favorite milk (bonus points for frothed), and voila, a Cinnamon Spice Latte!
