I’ve been promising this recipe to my good friend Joan for some time. There is usually a batch of these sitting in the ‘fridge; due to the volume of booze, they keep forever. (For those not familiar with her, Alice was Gertrude Stein’s lover, a fabulous cook, and a pretty good writer herself – her cookbook, still in print, is a hoot.) This is Ms. Toklas’s second most famous recipe, after her cannabis fudge. Although they contain no fat, they are unbelievably unctuous; even prune-haters (and they are legion) find them delicious. Thus, Fruit Rule #4: Dried Fruit is Best Soaked in Booze.

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The Beyond Basics Series begins next week with the Herbs & Spices component. I think this is a good place to start for intermediate students – they’ve mastered the basics (or at least they feel comfortable with them). But they seem to hit a wall with seasonings. It’s an education, this use of fresh herbs and whole spices. But Americans are eating more globally in restaurants these days, so why not broaden your culinary horizons at home?

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