Shrimp Mango Curry with Tamarind & Mint

By Lynne April 9, 2013
Two bowls of food on a table with spoons.

I have really been crazy for Asian curry soups lately. Recently I posted about a Thai Curry Chicken Noodle Soup, and now here I am again with a Vietnamese-style Shrimp Mango Curry with Tamarind & Mint. Both dishes contain fresh ginger, shallots, coriander and fish sauce, but the Thai Curry was flavored with guajillo chiles, garlic,…

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Gaufrette Potato Crisps & Traina Sun Dried Tomato Ketchup

By Lynne March 31, 2013
A bowl of salsa next to some grilled potatoes.

Do you have a person in your life who asks what you want for Christmas, and no matter how obscure the item, goes out and ruthlessly discovers it, no matter how long it takes or what it costs? Well, that is the perfect description of my sister-in-law, Ann. I think she really enjoys the hunt and…

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Patricia Rose and Fresh Food in a Flash ~ Presents Weekday Dinners Cooking Class

By Lynne March 26, 2013
A couple of cups filled with food on top of a table.

I love going to cooking classes, especially when they are participation and the students do the cooking. So when my friend and fellow food blogger Patricia Rose, of the blog Fresh Food in a Flash, invited me to her cooking class, I was really happy to go along and photograph the whole thing. Her Weekday Dinners…

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Thai Curry Chicken Noodle Soup

By Lynne March 13, 2013
A bowl of soup with cheese and cilantro.

I was looking through the March 2013 Bon Appetit magazine and came to this photo of a soup showing noodles, chicken, cilantro and lime wedges. The broth looked redish and creamy. I had to make it. Any dish that has lime wedges squeezed over it is totally irresistible to me. What is so intriguing about this…

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Danish Smørrebrød ~ Herring & Apples on Rye

By Lynne March 10, 2013
A close up of two pieces of bread with cheese

I am very glad to be back, after not posting for almost two weeks. I was knocked out by a very debilitating virus from which I am still recovering. Also, I was without a camera, but now am the proud new owner of a Canon T4i. I am still learning how to use it to best…

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Chocolate Pavlovas & Cheesecake Mousse with Strawberry Balsamic Compote from Grace-Marie’s Kitchen at Bristol Farms

By Lynne February 27, 2013
A white plate topped with ice cream and strawberries.

On a recent Saturday, a Chocoholics Party was held at Grace-Marie’s Kitchen for those smitten with all permutations of desserts: chocolate. On this special day we were feted with Cherry-Almond Chocolate Truffles, Italian Piedmont Chocolate Pear Tart, Chocolate Crepes filled with Chocolate Espresso Mousse, and Chocolate Pavlovas & Cheesecake Mousse topped with Strawberry Balsamic Compote. Now…

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Chocolate Crepes with Chocolate Espresso Mousse from Grace-Marie’s Kitchen at Bristol Farms

By Lynne February 19, 2013
A plate of chocolate cake with mint leaves on top.

If you were stranded on a desert island and could only have one food forever, and your answer is chocolate, then this was the class for you. Last Saturday Grace-Marie held a Chocoholics Party, which included four fantastic chocolate confections, Cherry-Almond Chocolate Truffles, Italian Piedmont Chocolate Pear Tart, Chocolate Pavlovas with Strawberry Balsamic Compote, and Chocolate…

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My Food Photographs as Art ~ A Homage to My T1i

By Lynne February 10, 2013
A plate of food that is on the table.

Well, here I am without a camera. On Friday, my trusty Canon Rebel T1i was sent off to the Canon Factory Hospital for a diagnosis and an estimate. I knew something was wrong when I had to shoot those Orange Biscotti on two different days, taking about 100 photos and none of them were in focus.…

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Golden Orange Almond Biscotti Sprinkled With Turbinado Sugar

By Lynne February 5, 2013
A plate of food and a glass of wine.

Here I am, still posting about what I made for my Christmas dinner. And this is not the last one either. I hope you don’t mind. We really enjoyed these Biscotti for dessert with ice cream and sherbet. After a big meal – and we were stuffed – biscotti are a light, sweet end with serious…

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Three Cheese Stuffed Puff Pastry Pinwheels

By Lynne January 28, 2013
A white bowl filled with some food on top of a table.

Last year around this time my local Ralph’s Market sent out a little brochure with a great appetizer recipe, Bacon Wrapped Dates with Choriso & Goat Cheese. This year their brochure included these Cheesy Puff Pastry Pinwheels, which are stuffed with just about every ingredient that makes your tastebuds sing: artichokes, feta, kalamata olives, roasted red…

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Turkey Bacon Tomato on Cheddar Biscuits

By Lynne January 26, 2013
A sandwich with bacon, tomato and cheese on it.

I LOVE LEFTOVERS! All I have to do is heat them up and eat. No cooking. No waiting. It’s like telling your replicator what you want and **zing** there it is. Come to think of it, we now have 3-D photocopiers that are making guns, lamps and airplane parts. Is a food replicator far behind? Its…

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Port Wine Pudding Cake

By Lynne January 19, 2013
A cake sitting on top of a white plate.

The recipe for this cake was given to me by my father-in-law, Grandpa Cyril and it is one that I treasure. Cy passed away several years ago just before Thanksgiving and we all think about him during the holidays now. This guy loved to cook and he put on a Thanksgiving feast every year for the…

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Welcome to Cook & Be Merry

A woman with glasses smiling for the camera.Hello! My name is Lynne Hemer, and I am a woman obsessed with food and cooking, in search of new, unusual, exotic, and sublime ingredients and recipes. I love reading cookbooks, taking cooking classes, going to restaurants, photographing food, and blogging about it all! I hope you enjoy my website as much as I enjoyed creating it.

Feel free to contact me at lynne@cookandbemerry.com

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