I made tiramisu for Gabe’s birthday dinner party. This particular recipe called for raw eggs, heavy cream and Marsala wine, and I tried to stay away from anything that told me it was “quick and easy” — my friend Gabe deserves a little more than that Rachel Ray shit for his birthday, ya dig? Marsala wine and coffee to dip the ladyfingers in…I learned one thing — don’t fret too much about the quality of the coffee you use to dip the ladyfingers, because in the end, it doesn’t matter. I used Folger’s instant coffee, and this turned out like a dream.

You will definitely need one of these babies to cook.

Mise en place. Getting all the shit ready. I’m not quite good at following directions, so I have to get rid of my cooking anxiety by making everything ready to toss in.