Recent Posts

Asparagus Salad

April 2, 2013September 1, 2016 asparagus, salad, vegetables

Asparagus Salad Recipe I have a confession to make. I've been eating too much sausage. I feel heavy. And with Spring here, I felt the need for a refreshing vegetable dish. Hence, asparagus salad. I actually forgot this salad. I made it a while back after watching Anne Burrell make... Read More

Pasta Recipe

Paccheri with Italian Sausage

March 31, 2013September 1, 2016 Italian, Mains, pasta, pork, sausage, tomatoes

Now that I had my homemade Italian sausage, I was dying to use it in a dish. This is an easy pasta that can be thrown together in literally half an hour. Served with simple garlic bread you've got a meal that will make you rethink eating out at local... Read More

Germany Riesling Tasting Wine

2010 Loosen Bros. Dr. L Riesling

March 30, 2013September 9, 2016

Riesling is one of those grapes that gets a bad name. There is a lot of sweet, cheap, schlock being made that tastes more like Sprite than wine, so many red drinkers dismiss the grape entirely. They couldn't be more wrong. Ah, Riesling. From lovely, bright, bone-dry acidic versions to... Read More

Recipe Snacks

Country Terrine or Pâté de Campagne

March 29, 2013September 1, 2016 charcuterie, pork

I adore charcuterie. From fresh sausage to cured hams, I haven't met a piece of meat that isn't made more delicious by preparing, smoking, mixing, or preserving it. Preparing these dishes at home has been a fantasy of mine for a while, and although intimidating, last summer I tried making... Read More

How To

Store-bought Egg Whites – Italian Macaron Challenge

March 28, 2013July 28, 2016 cookies, desserts, macarons, pastry, sweets

Store-bought Egg Whites - Italian Macaron ChallengeAfter the decent results of the French meringue macs using store bought pasteurized egg whites (you can check out the post here) I decided it was time to try the Italian meringue method and see what happened. I used Pierre Herme's Coffee Macarons today,... Read More

Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot Tasting USA Wine

2007 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars S.L.V.

March 27, 2013September 9, 2016

Tonight's wine was a bit of a celebration for my husband and I. We had our first trip to Napa a year ago and Stag's Leap Wine Cellars was one of the highlights of the trip. In case you haven't heard of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars (not to be confused... Read More

How To

The Food of Jerusalem – Part 4: Homemade Pita Bread

March 26, 2013July 28, 2016 bread, pita

This recipe isn't out of Jerusalem: A Cookbook, but I'm including it in this series of posts because it was an integral part of the meal. Bread is one of the staples of every cuisine, from the French baguette, to Indian Naan, each food culture has it's requisite bread. So... Read More

How To Mains

The Food of Jerusalem – Part 3: Kofta b’siniyah and Salad

March 26, 2013September 1, 2016 cucumbers, lamb, Mains, pine nuts, salad, tahini, tomatoes

As the center of the Jerusalem meal, I made Kofta b'siniyah (pg 195). Kofta are really just meatballs, shaped more like torpedos than rounds. What was interesting to me about the recipe is that, unlike most meatball or meatloaf style recipes I've tried, the kofta included no breadcrumbs or eggs.... Read More

How To

The Food of Jerusalem – Part 2: Basic Hummus

March 26, 2013July 28, 2016 chickpeas, garbanzo beans, Greek, hummus, snack

In the past, I've always made hummus from canned chickpeas. Toss in a food processor with tahini (or peanut butter, not as good, but still yummy,) lemon juice, garlic, parsley and called it quits. What I usually make is tasty enough, but nowhere near as smooth and unctuous as the... Read More

Cookbook

The Food of Jerusalem – Part 1

March 26, 2013July 28, 2016

I have never been to Jerusalem. I have a basic understanding of the political and religious struggles, but no real knowledge of what the city is like. I don't understand the cultural melting pot that is the city of Jerusalem, or the culinary traditions that make up the food. So... Read More