Recent Posts

Cold Brew: My New Coffee Obsession

June 20, 2017 cold-brew

It seems everywhere I go I cannot escape cold-brewed coffee. At first I didn't get the hype. I am admittedly espresso obsessed. I had abandoned iced coffee years ago because it was too weak and too bland... Read More

✷ How To

Top 5 Cooking Mistakes and How To Avoid Them

June 13, 2017June 15, 2017

Dull knives, crowded pans, over-mixing, there's lots of important tips I could give you to help improve your kitchen game. From resting meat and cutting against the grain, to properly blanching veggies or salting pasta water, this Top 5 Cooking Mistakes list could be a Top 10, Top 20, or... Read More

Cocktails

The Perfect Gin and Tonic

May 31, 2017

I'm a serious gin fan. For years I wasn't. I thought gin smelled like those artificial pine scented air fresheners and I wouldn't go anywhere near it. Then I had a gin and tonic. A clean, refreshing, aromatic gin and tonic with a squeeze of lime. It was like a light... Read More

Sparkling Tasting Wine Wine Info

Sparkling Wine Discoveries for the Summer

May 23, 2017

People love to ask me what wines I like. What are "good" wines? What should they be drinking? While all three of those are extremely personal and subjective questions, I am lucky enough to get to taste a lot of wine and I really enjoy giving suggestions to folks looking to... Read More

✷ Mains Recipe

Hoisin Glazed Broiled Salmon

April 5, 2017 fish, salmon, seafood

I'll admit it, I don't eat enough seafood. I like it, that's not the problem, yet I somehow don't think of fish or shellfish on a random Tuesday night when I'm hangry and want dinner in 30 minutes. I usually reach for ground meat or chicken breasts. Those aren't bad options, but... Read More

How To Mains Recipe

Homemade Bratwurst

March 29, 2017 charcuterie

I've been promising this bratwurst recipe for a while now, just waiting until I had enough time to sit down and get it written. But as we move into spring, the recipe can wait no longer. I must warn you - these homemade brats are so far beyond store-bought in terms... Read More

How To

Charcuterie Fundamentals: Homemade Sausage

February 13, 2017February 13, 2017 charcuterie, pork, sausage

For most of my adult life, I considered charcuterie beyond the realm of the home kitchen. As an American, charcuterie surrounds us in life as hotdogs, bologna, bacon and more, but we don't really talk about making our own. We buy bacon or sausages and we cook them. I assumed... Read More

✷ Cocktails Spirits

The Monkey Gland Cocktail

January 9, 2017September 29, 2017 absinthe, Gin, grenadine, orange

To be honest, the Monkey Gland cocktail sounds gross. Glands are not particularly appetizing. But who am I to rename a cocktail, particularly when it's been around since the 1920s? It is what it is, but trust me, it's delicious. I was first introduced to this drink by the PDT... Read More

Cocktails

The Green Deacon Cocktail

January 5, 2017January 9, 2017 absinthe, Gin, grapefruit, sloe gin

I'm making cocktails today and starting with the Green Deacon. There are some drinks I love immediately, then there are those that take time. I can't say that I honestly love the Green Deacon cocktail, but I do keep coming back to it. From PDT genius, Jim Meehan, the Green... Read More

Orlando

Plant Street Market… The place to be this weekend.

December 14, 2016

One of the biggest benefits of living in Florida is the gorgeous weather. While December means cold and snow for most of the US, here in Orlando the weather is perfect. I don't know about you, but bright sun, low humidity and a cool breeze makes me yearn for the outdoors.... Read More