Recent Posts

For the love of espresso…

June 16, 2013September 25, 2016 coffee, espresso

Let me start this post right away by saying I am most definitely not a coffee snob. I like milky espresso drinks, flavored syrups, and if you can make art on the top of my cappuccino, all the better. But that doesn't mean I can't get some good old fashioned... Read More

✷ Recipe Soups and Stews

Pasta e Fagioli – Pasta and Bean Soup

June 14, 2013September 1, 2016 beans, Italian, Mains, pasta, soup

I love Pasta e Fagioli. I've made quick versions at home using canned tomato sauce and canned beans and I've eaten super authentic regional versions in restaurants, but I've never gone whole hog and made a traditional Pasta e Fagioli at home. Dinner tonight is another Marcella Hazan inspired dish.... Read More

✷ Breads and Baking Recipe

Homemade Popovers

June 14, 2013September 1, 2016 bread, eggs

Homemade PopoversI remember the first time I ever ate a popover. The thrill of that steaming, glorious roll, super puffy and golden, with a crispy crust and custardy interior, still impresses me to this day. Funny enough, popovers are super easy to make. All you need is a blender and a... Read More

Pasta Recipe

Vetri Spinach Gnocchi

June 13, 2013September 1, 2016 gnocchi, Italian, Mains

After the success with Marcella Hazan's Potato Gnocchi I decided to try my hand at another gnocchi recipe that I've been hanging onto for more than a year. This one is Marc Vetri's famous Spinach Gnocchi with Shaved Ricotta Salata and Brown Butter. I had this gnocchi at Vetri, Marc... Read More

Pasta Recipe

Marcella Hazan’s Potato Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce

June 12, 2013September 1, 2016 gnocchi, Italian, Mains

Marcella Hazan's Potato Gnocchi with Tomato SauceOn my recent vacation, I came across Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking at a used bookstore. I had heard of Marcella Hazan, in particular her Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter, and figured now was the time to try her sauce. So... Read More

Pinot Noir Tasting USA Wine

2011 La Crema Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

June 12, 2013September 9, 2016

In general I avoid the fruit bomb Pinots coming out of California, but there are a few CA regions that I think serve Pinot Noir really well, expressing the fruit cleanly and simply, without overpowering the delicate grape with excess wood or over extraction. Sonoma Coast is one of the... Read More

Chardonnay France Tasting Wine

2010 Chateau de Maligny Chablis Premier Cru Fourchaume

June 11, 2013September 9, 2016

When I drink white wine, I love the bracing acidity, minerality, and freshness of a good Chablis. I had read wonderful things about tonight's wine, so I was very excited to try it, but I ended up sadly disappointed. Chablis is a subregion in northern Burgundy that really specializes... Read More

✷ Recipe

Cooking Vacation: Double Chocolate Tart

June 10, 2013July 26, 2016 chocolate, pastry, shortcrust, tart

Technically, this chocolate tart was part of the dinner Weldon and I made for friends, but while the Korean recipes and Hand-Pulled Noodles were experiments and learning experiences, this chocolate tart was a play on ones I've made before, so I feel confident sharing the process and the recipe! There... Read More

How To Personal

Cooking Vacation: Korean Dinner For Friends

June 7, 2013July 26, 2016 beef, dumplings, japchae, kalbi, kimchi, Korean

Korean Dinner for FriendsWeldon and I are cooking together again. Another friend of ours has a toddler and a second child on the way, so we arranged to make their family dinner. Our theme was Korean food (it's one of Weldon's favorites to make and I was dying to learn)... Read More

How To Personal

Cooking Vacation: Hand Pulled Noodles

June 5, 2013July 26, 2016 Asian, beef, noodles, soup

Hand Pulled Noodles I'm not home in Orlando right now, I've gone to Ohio to visit my family and catch up with old friends. It's the perfect time for a cooking vacation. My dear friend Weldon and I decided to spend some serious kitchen time playing with our food, trying... Read More