I am lucky enough to have an apple tree in my backyard. Unfortunately, it has been diagnosed with fire blight, so I think this may be its last year. The aborist says it can't be saved, which makes me want to weep. Our beloved apple tree was already misshapen from years of neglect before we bought our house, but it now additionally has broken branches and peeling bark. Overall, it looks pretty shabby. But I don’t care how it looks. I adore the fruit it bears.

The apples from my tree aren't anything like what you get at a store. They are unique and part of an age when heirloom varieties grew in abundance. I never have it sprayed, so the cores may sometimes house a happy little worm, but the meat is beautiful, organic and tastes fantastic. Our apples are crisp and delicious right off the tree while also holding up well when cooked or baked. The thought of going to buy a replacement tree makes me depressed. I like the old scruffy tree we have.

One of the best things about having an apple tree is being able to go in my own backyard to pick apples to make a cake. I have quite a weakness for apple cake, especially when the apples are crisp and sweet. So, in honor of my tree and the many apples it has bestowed upon us for apple slices, apple tarts, apple butter, and, yes, apple cakes, I'd like to share my recipe. As you'll see, the cake is full of apples, but don't be alarmed that it looks like there are more apple pieces than batter. The abundance of apples makes the cake wonderfully moist. The apples also bake nicely into the batter so they don't detract from the cakiness of the texture. With a hint of cinnamon and some toasted walnuts, it's perfect for dessert, brunch, tea, or an afternoon snack. It's also easy and quick to make.

I am still hoping for a botanical miracle that will save our tree. Maybe I'm feeling sentimental because it's dying, but I've always seen it as a sentry of sorts in our backyard, marking the passing of time: blooming in the spring, bulging with fruit in the summer, dropping golden leaves in autumn, and standing bare and empty in winter. And then it does it all over again, or at least it did.

So in honor of my apple tree, here's the recipe. I hope you like it as much as we have over the years.

Apple Cake

Makes: 10 - 12 Servings

Ingredients:

1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
4 heaping cups peeled and chopped apples (about ¼ inch thick cubes)
½ cups toasted walnuts (optional)
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butter or oil a bundt pan or a 9x13 baking dish.
3. Combine oil, eggs and sugar in a large bowl.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon
5. Add flour mixture to egg and sugar mixture, being careful not to overstir.
6. Add apples and nuts (if using) to the batter.
7. If using a bundt pan, sprinkle the final ¼ cup of brown sugar and ½ tsp cinnamon on the bottom of the greased bundt pan.
8. Pour batter into your pan, spreading evenly.
9. If using a 9x13 baking dish, sprinkle the ¼ cup of brown sugar and ½ tsp cinnamon evenly on top of the batter.
10. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or until you can pull a toothpick out clean.
11. Sprinkle with powdered sugar when cool.

Every few years an amazing baking book comes along. You may already have a tried and true favorite, but if you are still on the hunt I have a suggestion for you, check out The Art and Soul of Baking from Sur La Table. Beginning bakers and seasoned experts alike will find something to love about the book. With glowing recommendations on the back cover from baking authorities and pastry chefs such as Peter Reinhart, David Lebovitz, Sherry Yard, Emily Luchetti, Dorie Greenspan and Flo Braker and an introduction from Alice Medrich you know it must be good, right?

The book is massive, over 450 pages with 250 recipes. Along with easy to follow instructions there are tips for success and little snippets called "what the pros know" that give even more insight. Recipes include classic brownies, pot pies, Danish pastries, elegant soufflés, breads, pizza and more. There is also information on more than 50 pieces of baking equipment and special chapters dedicated to basic pantry staples, sauces, garnishes, and decorations.

Author Cindy Mushet is going to be in the SF Bay Area October 23 - 26 teaching Baking Bootcamp classes at various Sur La Table locations.

What: Baking Boot Camp

Where: October 23 - 26 at Sur La Table stores in Los Gatos, San Francisco and Palo Alto.

How: Three hour demo classes are $69

Why: The class covers the following: Versatile Bread Dough -- Spongecake -- Chocolate Toffee Scones -- Classic Apple Pie with Flaky Crust -- Pumpkin Spice Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting and Caramel Sauce -- Chocolate Soufflé with Cocoa Nib.

Want to see what an entry in the book looks like? Here's the recipe for luscious Duo-Tone Chocolate Pots de Crème reprinted by permission from The Art and Soul of Baking.

Duo-Tone Chocolate Pots de Crème 
Serves 6

Milk chocolate is often overlooked in the quest for the newest and darkest offerings, but it’s still a favorite—with kids and adults alike. Its presence is a surprise in this recipe, as the luscious milk chocolate custard is hidden under a thin layer of warm chocolate ganache. So although the spoon dips into a dark surface, it comes out with a lighter custard full of the malty, caramel-like qualities of milk chocolate. The interplay of cool, milky sweetness against warm, dark richness is sublime.

Equipment:
Medium Bowl, Small Bowl, Medium Saucepan, Whisk, Fine-Mesh Strainer, Pitcher or Large Measuring Cup with Spout, Six (6-Ounce) Ceramic Ramekins or Custard Cups, Large Roasting or Baking Pan, Tongs, Cooling Rack, Small Saucepan, Silicone or Rubber Spatula

Ingredients
Custard:
7 ounces good-quality milk chocolate, finely chopped
1 large egg
4 large egg yolks
1¼ cups (10 ounces) heavy whipping cream
1¼ cups (10 ounces) whole milk
¼ cup (1¾ ounces) sugar

Ganache:
1½ ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (up to 64 percent cacao)
5 tablespoons (2½ ounces) heavy whipping cream

Softly Whipped Cream (page 416) and milk or dark chocolate curls (page 428), for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F and position an oven rack in the center.

2. Make the custard: Place the chopped chocolate in the medium bowl. Combine the egg and egg yolks in the small bowl. Heat the cream, milk, and sugar in the medium saucepan over medium heat until just before the mixture boils. Immediately pour it over the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for 1 minute, then whisk gently but thoroughly to completely blend the mixture. Add the whole egg and yolks, whisking to incorporate thoroughly.

3. Strain and bake the custard: Pour the custard through the strainer into the pitcher. Place the custard cups in the large roasting pan, making sure they don’t touch, and divide the warm custard among them. Pull out the oven rack and place the pan on the rack; then remove one of the cups, pour enough hot tap water (not boiling) into that area to come halfway up the sides of the cups, and replace the cup. Cut a piece of foil large enough to fit just inside the edges of the pan, then lay the foil across the top of the cups, making sure it doesn’t touch the custard. You may need to smooth and flatten the foil on the counter if any wrinkles touch the custard. Gently push the rack back into the oven, shut the oven door, and bake the custards for 50 to 60 minutes, just until the edges of the custards are set—there should still be a dime-size liquid area in the very center of the custard (test by gently tapping the side of the pan).

4. Remove the foil and then the pan from the oven, being careful not to tilt the pan and splash water on top of the custards. Set the pan on a heatproof surface. Use the tongs (or your hand protected by a kitchen towel) to immediately remove the cups from the water bath and place them on a rack to cool to room temperature, about 40 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours or overnight.

5. Add the ganache layer: Place the chopped semisweet chocolate in the cleaned small bowl. Heat the cream in the small saucepan over medium heat just until it begins to simmer (do not allow the cream to boil and evaporate). Immediately pour the cream over the chocolate. Allow the mixture to sit undisturbed for 1 minute, then gently stir with the spatula until thoroughly blended and smooth. Spoon a tablespoon of ganache onto the surface of each custard, then gently swirl each cup until the dark chocolate completely covers the custard. (If the ganache seems too thick to spread easily, heat another tablespoon of cream and add it to the mixture).

6. Serve the custards immediately, while the ganache is still warm, or refrigerate up to 1 hour. As the ganache chills, it begins to harden and pull away from the sides of the cup, losing its silken texture and exposing the custard beneath, thereby spoiling the surprise. Serve each with a spoonful of whipped cream, topped with a scattering of chocolate curls if you like.

What the Pros Know
Milk chocolate and white chocolate are different from dark chocolate in two main ways. They have very little or no dark cocoa solids, otherwise known as cacao mass, which provide the dark color and thick viscosity of dark chocolate. In addition they have milk powder added. Because of these differences, milk and white chocolate cannot be substituted for dark chocolate in most recipes. Sometimes, however, they can be substituted for each other. In this recipe, for instance, you could create a white chocolate custard by substituting it for the milk chocolate in the ingredient list. Keep the dark chocolate ganache topping the same. If you want to add an additional layer of flavor, infuse the milk and cream with the spice, herb, or flavoring of your choice and let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes (or until you like the flavor) before reheating the mixture, pouring it through a strainer over the chocolate, and continuing with the rest of Step 1.

Getting Ahead
The custards may be baked up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated, covered with plastic wrap. Cover with the warm ganache shortly before serving.

I've lived near Fillmore and Sacramento in San Francisco for about six years. There are benefits to spending so much time in an area -- I know exactly where to shop, where to drop off my dry cleaning, and when the neighborhood Victorian gets a new paint job. But there are also frustrations -- shops and restaurants can bore me after a while. Don't get me wrong -- I love sitting at the bar at Florio when I'm feeling flush, and think that Ten-Ichi is a good neighborhood sushi place, but I was getting tired of the same old scene.

Things started to change on Fillmore last year when SPQR opened. The great food by the A16 group meant that Fillmore Street was becoming a destination for people who wanted to try A16's Roman counterpart. The hour-long waits and no-reservations policy of SPQR mean that people are often milling about outside, and the energy of the street has changed. A wine bar called Wine Jar has even opened up across the street and has been referred to as "the SPQR waiting room."

But one restaurant is not enough to sustain this food lover. That's why I've been so excited about the other changes in the area as well.

Two weeks ago, Pizzeria Delfina opened on California Street at Fillmore. It's the second pizzeria for the folks at Delfina in the Mission, and the pizza that I had on the second night they were open is as good as that at the 18th street restaurant. The spot is bigger than 18th street, and is already quite crowded. I'm loving the house wine they have on tap -- Segromigno from Unti Vineyards -- and the reasonable price of all the wines-by-the-glass.

Later this year, we are looking forward to a couple more additions to Fillmore Street. Dosa will be opening on the corner of Fillmore and Post, in the old Goodwill store. I've been peeking through the windows for months, and Eater has some photos of the design. Also, Woodhouse Fish Company is redesigning the space where Toraya was located, across the street from SPQR, and should be open within the next few months. Finally, we've been waiting about a year for our installation of Charles Phan's Out the Door to arrive on Bush street at Fillmore. Word is that may be a bit longer as Phan is busy with other projects around town.

You'll notice that all the restaurants mentioned above are not original -- most are the second or third outpost for already successful restaurants around town. But at the moment, I will take what I can get and am looking forward to a much improved dining scene on Fillmore street in my immediate future.

SPQR
1911 Fillmore Street (at Bush)
San Francisco
415-771-7779

Pizzeria Delfina
2406 California Street (at Fillmore)
San Francisco
415-437-6800

Wine Jar
1870 Fillmore Street (at Bush)
San Francisco
415-931-2924

Sunday mornings are special at my house. Instead of rushing around and trying to make breakfast for my daughters while finding homework or soccer shoes, I get to lounge around, reading the paper while my husband cooks up a pot of steel-cut oats. I live for Sunday mornings, with my hot cup of coffee and steaming bowl of oatmeal.

Because one batch of oats was never enough to feed the four of us, my husband started making two batches each Sunday. But two batches was just a bit too much for our crowd and I often ended up with about a cup of cooked oats leftover. With this little container of oaty goodness each weekend, I set out on a quest to find the perfect oat cake recipe. Remembering some lovely oatcakes I used to order at a little café when we lived on Nob Hill, I started experimenting.

After a few tries, I came up with a recipe that created great breakfast cakes: supple, yet still firm, with a hint of nuttiness, and just the right amount of fruit to add bits of sweetness to each bite. They are the perfect quick breakfast for a hungry child before school, and an antidote to a crazy Monday morning.

I’ve also added jam, instead of fruit and nuts, to create a Sunday dessert. The outcome is a pan of delicious oat squares filled with gooey strawberries. It’s a crowd pleaser for both kids and adults.

With either recipe, these oatcakes take only about five minutes to throw together. So now, in addition to benefiting from the treat of a lovingly cooked oatmeal breakfast on Sundays, I get the added perk of a nut and fruit oat cake on Monday mornings, or strawberry oat squares Sunday night. It’s a win/win/win situation.

Note: For a great recipe detailing how to make steel-cut oats, see Kim Laidlaw’s Steel-Cut My Oats. Trader Joe’s also sells cooked steel-cut oats in their freezer department. I tried them in my recipe and it turned out great. So, if you’re not interested in making your own pot of porridge, this is a great alternative.

Nut and Fruit Oat Cakes

Makes 9 servings

Ingredients:
1 cup cooked steel-cut oats
3/4 stick of softened butter
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup cut up currants, prunes, raisins or dried apricots
1/4 cup chopped pecans, walnuts or almonds

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degree.
2. Combine butter, sugar and egg and mix until combined. I use an electric mixer, but you can do this by hand.
3. Add in the cooked oats, being sure to fully incorporate it into the mix.
4. Mix the flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl and then add to the oat and butter mixture.
5. Add in fruit and nuts and mix until just incorporated (but not too much or the batter will become rubbery).
6. Spread the batter into a greased 8 x 8 pan.
7. Bake for 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
8. Cool and serve.

Strawberry Oat Squares

Makes 9 servings

Ingredients:
1 cup cooked steel-cut oats
3/4 stick of softened butter
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup strawberry or other fruit jam
2 Tbsp brown sugar

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degree.
2. Combine butter, sugar and egg and mix until combined. I use an electric mixer, but you can do this by hand.
3. Add in the cooked oats, being sure to fully incorporate it into the mix.
4. Mix the flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl and then add to the oat and butter mixture.
5. Spread half the batter into a greased 8 x 8 pan.
6. Top with the jam, spreading it evenly over the batter.
7. Spread the remaining batter over the jam.
8. Sprinkle brown sugar on top.
9. Bake for 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
10. Cool and serve.

Having just recently returned from the UK, I am currently obsessed with a dessert that is considered, by many of my British friends and family, "nursery food." I am speaking of bread and butter pudding. At its best, bread and butter pudding is both crispy and creamy, sweet and salty, simple and comforting, with just the right amount of butter, enough custard to soak through the layers of bread, a few sprinkles of raisins, and a toasty golden brown top. (At its worst it's a soggy, insipid, flavorless blob with too many raisins, but we don't have to go there.)

Lest you think it is the same thing as what we Americans call bread pudding, you are wrong. At least most of the bread puddings I've had here, which tend to be richer, heavier, and sweeter, with all sorts of extras thrown in (chocolate, fruit, etc). Don't get me wrong, when it's good—case in point: Tartine's bread pudding—it's divine.

The timing could not have been better the very first time I ate bread and butter pudding. We had just arrived in London, on a cold wintry day in January, and were completely jetlagged. Our very good friends Andrew and Helen whipped one up, and I was in heaven. It was perfection, and made me feel like I’d been wrapped up in a squishy comforter in front of a roaring fire. The recipe they used (from Simon Hopkinson's Roast Chicken and Other Stories, a very favorite cookbook of mine), was exceedingly simple, and simply perfect.

However, Hopkinson's recipe uses a few ingredients that are quite difficult to get here in the states, such as tea cakes (like little raisin rolls) and double cream. So I came up with a revised version for those of us on this side of the pond who have fond memories of British comfort food.

An American Bread and Butter Butter Pudding Tribute
Based on Simon Hopkinson's recipe from Roast Chicken and Other Stories

Makes 1 big pudding; feeds 2 to 8 depending on how much comforting you need

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons raisins
2 tablespoons (sweet not peaty) whisky or dark rum
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
8 thick slices of stale challah bread
3 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup sugar plus more for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
small pinch of cinnamon (optional)

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. In a small bowl, soak the raisins in the whisky to plump. Grease a baking dish large enough to hold all of the bread with butter.

2. Spread the sliced challah thickly and evenly with the 4 tablespoons butter, then cut the slices in half crosswise.

3. Drain the raisins, reserving the whisky. Lay the challah slices in the dish so they overlap slightly, sprinkling the raisins in between the bread slices.

4. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, sugar, salt, cinnamon (if using), and reserved whisky. Pour over the bread evenly. Let stand for about 30 minutes so the bread soaks up the custard (I occasionally press down on the bread for extra absorption).

5. Bake the pudding until crisp and brown on top, about 35 minutes. Let stand for at least 10 minutes before serving big scoops. It is delicious with lightly whipped cream.

Next weekend, the inaugural Asian Culinary Forum kicks off at the San Francisco Ferry Building and the theme is Asian Food Beyond Borders. There will be tours, classes, workshops and panel discussions. Learn about chutneys, kimchi and sambal, how to pair wine with Asian food, all about Asian diasporas, the delights of South India and so much more.

One highlight of the weekend will be the program The Politics and Practicalities of Rice, a panel discussion and tasting, taking place on Saturday October 11th from 10-12 at the Ferry Building and tickets are only $20, $12 for students/seniors. On the panel will be Ross Koda, of Koda Farms, a Japanese American family rice farmer from the Central Valley, Kenneth Lee, president of Lotus Foods, specialty rice importer and distributor, Kent McKenzie, researcher and director of the California Rice Experiment Station and Raj Patel, food policy analyst and author of Stuffed and Starved. Learn about farming techniques, global food policies, and environmental issues. You'll also get a chance to taste half a dozen different varieties of rice from California and around the world.

What: Asian Food Beyond Borders presented by the Asian Culinary Forum

Where: Events take place at the Ferry Building in San Francisco and at various other locations for tours

When: Friday October 10 - 12, 2008
How: Purchase tickets.

Why: Hear from speakers ranging from Maddhur Jaffrey, to Martin Yan, local farmers and chefs with ties to Japan, Korea, Indonesia, India, Vietnam and more. Taste, talk, explore!

About 3 million people depend on rice for survival. This simple rice soup is almost endlessly versatile. Recipe adapted from Into the Vietnamese Kitchen, by Asian Culinary Forum co-director and co-founder, Andrea Nguyen.

Basic Rice Soup "Cháo"
Makes about 8 cups, to serve 4 as a light lunch or 6 with 2 or 3 other dishes

3/4 long-grain rice
2 1/2 quarts (10 cups) chicken stock
4 quarter sized slices unpeeled fresh ginger
2 scallions, white part only
Salt

1. Put the rice in a 4 quart saucepan and add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Stir the rice with your hand 8 -10 times then let the rice settle. Drain the water and rinse the rice to remove some of the starch.

2. Add stock, ginger, and scallions and ring to a oil over high heat. Lower the heat to a vigorous simmer , and then cover partially. Cool for 5 minutes, stir the rice to make sure it is not sticking and gently simmer.

3. Recover partially and continue cooking for one hour or until the rice has thickened and turned creamy white. Discard the ginger and scallions and salt as necessary. Use this soup base with chicken and cilantro, seafood, shredded pork or salted preserved eggs.