Their acidity and soft, melting texture make them perfect for baking.
As Mary says: "It's best to be prepared!" With this in mind, Mary and I have the perfect festive baking treat: the mince-pie advent calendar.
Regional eats include the Ozette, a fingerling-shaped Spanish potato; the Geoduck, a clam-flavored mollusk; the Pluot, a cross between a plum and apricot, and of course, small, sour pie cherries, perfect for baking.
The weather on day 11 was perfect for Nadal, baking the clay into the sort of surface on which his top-spun forehand normally creates mayhem, but not this time.
'The Great British Bake Off: How to Bake the Perfect Victoria Sponge and Other Baking Secrets', with a foreword and practical tips by Mary Berry, is published by BBC Books, priced £20.
Make sure that you have at least thirty minutes a day to yourself, and at least a few hours a week to do whatever it is you want to do, whether it's learning French, perfecting your lasagna baking skills, or just relaxing with a new novel.
During the show, five chefs and producers staffed a table full of computers and iPads, reading select questions aloud, on topics like baking a perfect apple pie, appetizers for children and whether or not to brine a turkey.
The term conjures up visions of professionals using acres of counter space and island stoves to perfect their braising and baking — like Julia Child's kitchen memorialized in the Smithsonian.
