2019-05-01 Better Homes and Gardens

May 2019 | 105

tres leches

strawberry

shortcake

Iconic Mexican

and American

desserts meet in this

decadent combo.

Tres leches (aka

three milks) typically

includes evaporated

milk, sweetened

condensed milk,

and cream, but Kate

trades evaporated

milk for buttermilk.

The tangy wild

card balances the

cake’s sweetness.

ingredients are so vast and versatile. I like

to create dishes that are surprising and don’t

take themselves too seriously.”

Like her fried chicken. It turns out that a

jar of pickled jalapeños makes a delicious brine

yielding flavorful, moist chicken. And her

stuffed poblanos are equally unexpected. She

fills the charred peppers with spoon bread—a

soufflé-like Southern corn bread—with a little

Maytag blue cheese from Iowa stirred in to

merge the flavors of her present and her past.

Gathering around the table to share meals

and stories continues to be a way to preserve

her families’ traditions. “We’ve always lived

away from our families, so cooking dishes

that blend our cultures has become a way to

connect to our roots.” n

burnt-

orange añejo

sour

This mash-up

between a margarita

and a whiskey

sour features

añejo, a dark aged

tequila that has

woodsy, caramel

flavors. Kate

tops the drink with

an orange slice

she caramelizes

with a kitchen torch.

(The broiler

works as well.)

“There’s

so much color

to Mexican

food. I like

the table and

surroundings

to reflect

that vibrancy.”