These flower knots, 花卷 hua juan, are a simple, but pretty variation on basic steamed buns. Layers of scallions, oil and salt add additional flavor and texture.

This is the foundation recipe for steamed buns or bao. A freshly made steamed bun has a lovely yeast-y flavor and great texture that you just can’t get with the frozen variety. Plain buns can easily replace rice or noodles for many meals.

I make some version of a rum cake each year around Christmas time and this particular year I chose to fill it with figs, currants, raisins and orange zest. The olive oil cake base keeps things light and moist. The end result is an aromatic and festive cake. Enjoy!

This is an entirely artificial coloring free macaron recipe. Using natural orange zest and juice really brings out a vibrant flavor. A little beet powder enhances the buttercream color, but can be omitted if you want to go entirely au naturel.

These are some of the sweetest, juiciest persimmons I've ever had farmed by Dragonberry Produce in Oregon.

This is an easy dish great for quick lunch. Using a pressure cooker for this recipe can cut cooking time down to 30 mins, but you could also make this stovetop in a pot as well.

I like the combination of orange and rosewater so that there’s a bit of acidity to cut the sweetness of a rose cake. In some parts of this world, this type of sponge cake is known as a "fatless sponge" as no butter or oil is added to the mixture. Nevertheless it is still a tender, delicate cake.

These classic Shanghai buns, "生煎馒头," are a cousin to xiaolongbao in terms of their pork filling mixed with a jellied stock that turns into hot soup during the cooking process. However they have a much more rugged exterior featuring a crisp bottom and a fluffy bao top.

This is a series featuring fruit and flowers that I did for a friend’s wedding reception.