Sweet Endings: Chef Andrew Smith's Boozy Pound Cake

Chef Andrew Smith's version of a childhood favorite takes just one detour from the recipe his mom and sister tweaked and perfected over the years: booze. Ostensibly, brushing the cake (first it's poked all over with a skewer) with rum simple syrup keeps the crumb moist. In practice, though, "people are more drawn to it because it says 'Boozy Pound Cake,' " Smith says with a chuckle. This grown-up treat is served with whipped cream and a jumble of berries macerated only in a little sugar. Because the berries are such an important component, this cake appears on the Philco menu only when berries are in season (look for it in June or July, when berries come in at local farms). philcodiner.com