My professional menu had two petit fours: Tropical Dream and Chocolate Dream. This summer, a third joined them — Midsummer Dream, built entirely around fig leaves. A half-sphere of fig leaf custard mousse sits on a fig leaf pistachio sablé, finished with toasted coconut, chopped pistachios, and a white chocolate pearl. I'm documenting the whole process here, including the white chocolate mousse that completely failed before I found the version that finally worked.

A reflective look at pipián verde, pumpkin seeds, and why traditional sauces still make sense when we want to eat better without trying harder — with a simple everyday pipián, its nutrition, and an unexpected pairing with grapefruit.

If you love hearty, nutritious grains but haven’t explored the “GABA” setting on your rice cooker, you’re in for a treat.