Blog: Julia M. Usher

Need one of Julia’s foolproof recipes? Some stunning cookie decorating ideas? Or a quick fix on Julia’s latest news and events? Well then, you’re in the right place! Here, you can stay up-to-the-minute current on everything that’s happening in Julia’s kitchen and studio – and in that always-churning mind of hers! IMPORTANT: Julia is still formatting blog entries prior to 2021 to conform to the new site layout. Please don’t be surprised if some back entries look a little wacky, and please be patient as she edits them over time.
Julia M. Usher

Red Raspberry-Rose Sorbet

The base of this rosy sorbet is a mixture of raspberry purée and simple syrup (1 part sugar to 1 part water) infused with the essence of Rosa Rugosa, my favorite summertime flower. (For a glimpse of this lovely, see

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Julia M. Usher

Good as Gold

Once upon a time, long before I ever wrote about cookies, I owned and operated a bakery. There in my humble South St. Louis shop, I happily crafted all manner of fancy wedding cakes, from modern mosaics and sculptural suspensions to more romantic chocolate-wrapped and

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Julia M. Usher

Mixed Seed Wafers

An enticing dichotomy, this Cookie Swap treat is thin and crisp, yet packed with the robust flavor you’d expect of a bulkier cookie! The seeds make it a natural fit for a spring garden party, too! Yield: 3 1/2 to 4

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Julia M. Usher

Mother Deserves Best

The topic of mothers has been on my mind lately, and not just because Mothers’ Day is right around the corner. After a year of non-stop work on my next book Ultimate Cookies, I finally submitted the manuscript a couple of

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Julia M. Usher

Home for the Holidays

Like it or not, we’re homebound this holiday. My husband is on call through Christmas, and I’m between photo shoots for my next cookie book, struggling to see my way past the latest blizzard of powdered sugar. Cookies in various

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Julia M. Usher

Roasted Garlic-Chive Cheesecake

Though less common than sweet versions, savory cheesecakes are no more difficult – and just as satisfying. To morph sweet into savory, simply omit the sugar, use crackers or toasted bread in lieu of graham crackers or cookies for the

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Julia M. Usher

Rosewater Marguerites

I originally developed this cookie recipe for a garden party chapter in my first book Cookie Swap, but I’m convinced it’s perfect for Valentine’s Day as well. Call me sentimental, but there’s something about the rosy flavor and surprise red filling

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Julia M. Usher

Back-to-School Bonanza

OK, I admit it, I was and always will be a nerd. While other kids were cajoling their parents into taking them to Bob’s Surplus, where new stand-on-their-own stiff Levi’s could be bought for ten dollars or less, I was

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Julia M. Usher

Maine Blueberry Pancakes

Most visitors to Vacationland busy themselves with swimming or hiking or sailing. And me? Well, truth be told: as much as I subscribe to the virtues of physical fitness, my favorite summer pastime remains on the extreme energy-conserving end of

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Julia M. Usher

Refrigerator Dill Pickles

To the uninitiated, pickles can be off-putting. Any food that vies for blue ribbons at the state fair automatically implies a certain level of complexity. Couple this award-winning potential with the lore of champions relinquishing titles over softness, cloudiness, or

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Julia M. Usher

Lemon Pavlova

By the mid-1920s, Russian prima ballerina Anna Pavlova had become such a superstar that one ardent chef-admirer created the world’s most airy dessert and named it after her. (Some say the chef was inspired by the dancer’s fluffy tutu worn

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Julia M. Usher

White Chocolate-Basil Panna Cotta

Pretty soon basil will be flooding farmers’ markets, overstuffing fridges . . . and launching most home cooks into pesto overdrive. Sure, you can freeze the zesty green stuff, but why not turn the herb into a dish that’s really

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Julia M. Usher

Hello, Summer

Normally I’m not one to relish the unexpected house guest, but when summer descended on my little island home-away-from-home of Stonington, Maine fully three weeks ahead of schedule, I embraced the convergence of seasons with a giant bear hug –

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Julia M. Usher

Cheddar-Chive Pinwheel Biscuits

A handful of ingredients. Check! A minimum of kneading. Check! Plus, a pretty pinwheel pattern on top. Check! Yes, indeed, these one-bowl biscuits meet every prerequisite for fun, no-fuss picnic food! At my recent Memorial Day celebration, I dunked them

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