September arrives and I begin to seek warmer, more woodsy, aromas and flavors. A sizzling pork chop dinner offers a comforting acoustic on a chilly and dark evening. Mushrooms, whether foraged in the wild or purchased from my local market, add an element of autumnal magic and enchantment. With only a few handy ingredients, let’s take an otherwise tired pork chop recipe and create something more worthwhile. Pan Seared pork chops in wine and mushroom sauce is an easy weeknight dinner. I like to serve this with a side of jasmine-scented rice or roasted potatoes to satisfy our hungry bellies. This is a wonderfully fragrant dish, with hints of smoked…
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Autumn is waking and I’m sharing my favorite seasonal burger recipe, Caramelized Onion & Brandied Apple Burgers. The orchards have opened for apple-picking and the weekends are beginning to bustle with excited out-of-towners enjoying their time on the farms. Early harvest favorites, like local Zester and Honey Crisp apples, are making their way into my seasonal cooking – and with each bite I savor, I’m reminded that my heart belongs to autumn. Caramelized Onion & Brandied Apple Burgers, generously topped with sticky-sweet caramelized onions and warm apples robed in brandy. The best part? Once all of the ingredients are assembled and ready, cooking time is just about 20 mins. Weeknight…
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Chilled peaches in honey and wine is an Italian remedy for a hot summer night. This peach dessert uses the ripened fruit of late summer – the heavily laden peaches, at the height of their season, that are so ripe and full that even touching them risks bruising. Those peaches are perfect for this dish. A fragrant and deeply golden syrup is prepared by simmering white wine with local honey and vanilla bean, robing the peaches in a flavor and aroma that almost requires a balmy August evening. In Italy it is called pesche al vino, and, like many recipes, it varies greatly by region and family – some recipes…
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Smoked rosemary bramble sour is a smoky cocktail inspired by an old New York City speakeasy I visited pre-lockdown. The bartender torched a plank of fragrant wood, then captured the smoke in an swirling aromatic veil that encircle the inside of my glass.
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It’s Shark Week, and we love having a little fun with this summer rum cocktail. With just a few ingredients, and a splash of grenadine for drama, this Shark Bite: Blood in the Water Cocktail is bloody delicious!
