Holiday Food and Wine Pairings Part 2

Aside from my love for all things sparkling, I really am a red wine drinker...so in doing my research and checking my wine logs on appropriate recommendations for whites, I rediscovered how many whites I enjoy and with but a few exceptions, most of these I've enjoyed over the holidays!

Unlike my last post, I think this time I will list the wines with a little description and then recommend foods to go with them.

Arneis: This light to medium bodied Italian wine is one of my favorite wines for appetizers.  So if you are having friends pop in for tree trimming or to watch a classic holiday flick...consider serving this wine, a few nibbles and you'll have happy guests! With hints of fruits like peach and pineapple, it loves proscuitto and melon.  I would also serve it with poached shrimp, grilled scallops, an antipasto platter and goat cheese served with fruit.  Wild Horse Arneis is a good value, but if you want a stellar example of the varietal, check out Cal-Italia vintner Viansa, on-line or on-site sales only...their Arneis was my introduction to this wine and is still my favorite!

Chardonnay:  We have twins here...but they are not identical!  First we have the full bodied buttery, sometimes oaked Chardonnay.  I would pair this with a holiday turkey, complete with all the traditional fixings.  Anything cooked in a brown butter sauce would be very happy paired up with this twin!  Seafood like butter poached lobster, baked cod, fried clams, or roasted salmon will shine with a buttery Chardonnay...Mer Soleil Reserve Chardonnay 2013 is worth the $35 for a special holiday meal...especially if buttery is your kind of Chardonnay.  For a real splurge, I recommend Cakebread Chardonnay 2012 or 2013 at about $45.  Cakebread is a classic Chardonnay and has long been a favorite of mine.

As for the lighter to medium bodied Chardonnay which is typically aged in steel and features grassier notes, along with some minerality...this begs for brinier foods...whether crabs, shrimp or oysters...most shellfish pair well with this sister.  So, if a seafood salad or boiled shrimp were to make an appearance on your Christmas Eve buffet...go with the unoaked Chardonnay like Chateau St. Jean Sonoma Coast Chardonnay ($30)...bright and light aromas of kiwi, lemon and peach.  For a refreshing and inexpensive quaff, consider Kenwood Sonoma County Chardonnay 2013 ($12)...it is full of green apple pucker and zingy lime and ginger notes.  It is perfect for a salad course or leftover turkey sandwiches...light on the mayo!

Drunken Shrimp Salad

For Hanukkah, perhaps latkes and sour cream..try the kosher Backsberg Chardonnay ($12)...a nice, natural acidity with hints of lemon zest, white peach and hazelnut notes.

White Burgundy: The first wine I sipped that made me want to drink more wine was a Chassagne Montrachet...a glorious white burgundy...so blame Paris...a sole meuniere to die for and this very special occasion wine for my predilection for wine...perhaps you might indulge for a romantic New Year's eve lobster dinner...ask your wine merchant for availability and pricing.

Gewurztraminer:  Probably the most versatile white I can recommend is a Trimbach Gewurztraminer ($24).  The 2013 is a bright pale gold with aromas of warm spices, lychees and roses.  The taste is rich, spicy and well balanced, pairing beautifully with ham, turkey, foie gras, lobster and fried seafood and Thanksgiving leftovers!

Riesling:  Another favorite Alsatian white is the Trimbach Riesling 2012 ($20).  It is light, crisp and has honeyed fruit highlights...all of which pair nicely with  corn pudding, trout, scallops and yes...the New Year's Eve staple...Chinese take-out.

The next three wines are worth experiencing...but you may want to go to a wine tasting first to try them...they can be pricy...and very often are too sweet for the uninitiated.  But that being said...this is the perfect time of year doe these dessert wines and they should be experienced with love and joy!!

Ice Wine:  this sweet white wine is made from grapes that were allowed to freeze on the vine before harvesting...intense fruit flavors from raisin to pear and apple, this type of wine is perfect for sipping after enjoying fondue or raclette before a roaring fire!  Enjoy apple pie with a slice of cheddar, some cheesecake or perhaps some shortbread cookies as an end to your repast.  While up at Niagara Falls this past summer, I purchased some Inniskillin Vidal Ice Wine to enjoy this holiday season.

Russian Tea Cakes and Ice Wine!

Muscat (or Moscato) is a fragrant, sweet and spicy wine which is quite reminiscent of a liqueur. Highlights are warm spice notes, peach and or candied orange flavors. I have spent many a dinner in Europe finishing up an lovely meal with a muscat and some biscotti for dunking in the sweet wine. Creamy custards, panna cotta or souffles are naturals for this wine,  Muscat that has prominent orange flavors was meant to be enjoyed with dark chocolate....as a matter of fact, a perfect hostess gift would be a bottle of Michele Chiarlo Nivole Moscato d'Asti ($15.00) and some dark chocolate truffles...hint...hint...

And my final recommendation for a holiday white is a Sauterne.  I always feel very grown up and special when I am offered a glass of this lovely French white.  I believe that simpler is better with Sauternes...it is all about this wine after all...so a lovely stilton and some pears or an almond tart or cake...simple and delicious.  If serving Sauterne as an aperitif, consider almonds, pate de foie gras or campagne, blue cheeses or stuffed mushroom caps. The Chateau Guiraud 2005 375 half bottle ($45) is an excellent dessert wine that is full bodied with hints of honey, vanilla and nuttiness and is a very good wine at a very good price.



"If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough."  Meister Eckhart

Next post...Holiday food and red wine!

Cheers!

Holiday Food and Beverage Pairings I: Champagne and Sparkling Wine

This post is coordinated with my Facebook page Champagne Thursday by Alice Anne Barbo...and as a supplement to my self published cookbook,  Champagne Thursday!www.facebook/mychampagnethursday/


I have been asked by many friends and family members to help them with food and beverage pairings, particular recommendations and even to develop signature cocktails for their holiday fetes and menus so over the next few weeks, I'll be posting some of my favorite ideas, recipes and beverages to serve as a guide for your holiday plans.

A couple of notes before talking about pairings...
1)  Drink what you like and like what you drink...Looong gone is the notion that you must drink red wine with meat and white wine with fish...experiment...or ask a knowledgeable person at a restaurant or liquor store about what they'd enjoy with this dish or that...or drop me a line...I have lots of ideas!

2)  There are two old adages that have served me well...everything in moderation...so drink responsibly and... never mix the grape and the grain...by this I mean...if you are going to drink wine, then stick with wine during the festivities...same holds true for beer, hard cider, or spirits...for some reason if you start the festivities with a cocktail and switch to wine and maybe finish off with a liqueur, you are almost always guaranteed a hangover...so moderately enjoy...stick to one type...certainly, you can progress through wines from white to red to sweet...if you do choose to have a mixed drink or a beer before wine, try drinking a large glass of very cold water in between...hydration helps.

3)  If you are entertaining on a budget, consider having a signature drink for your event/s.  I like to prepare a champagne cocktail to serve alongside the unadulterated version of wine.  From a classy Kir Royale which is sparkling wine with a splash of Chambord to something out of the ordinary, like my Sparkling Rose' Sangria Punch...having a go to cocktail saves money and affords less stress during the holidays! Adding some lovely garnishes like whole berries, pomegranate seeds or long peels of citrus zest, jazz up a glass of Prosecco or Cava.

4) Finally...hosts should never be so inebriated that they lack judgement because as we all know, friends don't let friends drive drunk...buzzed...tipsy...if they've had even one drink at your home, make sure they have something non-alcoholic, like very cold water, coffee, tea or juice... at least 30 minutes before departing your home.  Have the contact info of a cab company or UBER posted by their coats...it's your responsibility to see that your guests are safe.

Now that that's been said...over on Facebook I started with a little background on Champagne and Sparkling wines and how, if there were but one beverage to serve for all the upcoming occasions...you'd find success if it sparkles.

Beginning with a holiday breakfast or brunch, Champagne or sparkling wine cocktails bespeak of celebrations.  I find that a glass of oaky Champagne does wonders with anything cooked in butter.  I guess that is why I love having Champagne with a classic French omelet.  And if you care to add caviar to your morning eggs...then Champagne is the ONLY drink to enjoy.  Champagne along with other dry sparkling wines is very versatile.  The bubbles balance the unctuousness of fats and fried foods...it highlights foods that are smoky and grilled...it can handle spiciness or support sweetness in fruits and dessert.  So whether you are sharing charcuterie and cheese or chilling out over your favorite Chinese takeout...add some bubbles...they come ready for any party.

This year, we will be starting our Thanksgiving with a traditional southern style brunch:

Sausage gravy and biscuits
Asparagus wrapped in crispy prosciutto
Scrambled eggs (with caviar optional)
Monkey Bread
Grapefruit Brulee

My beverage selection will include a sparkling California Blanc de Noir, sparkling apple cider for those who prefer their boozy buzz to begin later in the day...strong coffee and plenty of sparkling water. This year, I will have a blood orange and pomegranate mixer available for a festive mimosa.

Serving appetizers?  Keep the bubbly flowing...Champagne and most other dry sparkling wines love cheese and crackers, creamy dips, pigs in a blanket and seafood...smoked salmon or trout, shrimp, scallops wrapped in bacon and of course...the sexiest of all, raw oysters...served with a classic mignonette sauce: 
In a small non-reactive bowl, combine 1/4 cup red wine or Champagne vinegar with 1 tablespoon finely minced shallots, 1/4 tsp. fresh, coarsely, ground black pepper...serve icy cold and drizzled over chilled oysters or clams on the half shell.  Makes enough for 1 dozen oysters.

If you feel the need to continue with sparkling wine throughout the festivities...I applaud your aplomb and recommend, especially with turkey, duck, or ham even a red meat like beef tenderloin a sparkling Rose'.  With just a hint of sweetness and lovely fruit forward notes, a sparkling rose' like Schramsberg Mirabelle Brut Rose' (about $25) or Cerdon du Bugey NV ($22) pairs beautifully with everything from cranberry sauce to cornbread stuffing!

When I serve something elegant like lobster (or lobster mac and cheese) I will serve the driest sparkler I can find...Tattinger Brut La Francaise ($50) or Champagne Billecarte-Salmon, Brut ($60)...with oaky, buttery,toasty and yeasty notes...come to mind.

And, if you like to serve mushrooms as a side or in a sauce...something magic happens when a sparkling wine appears!  For a more conservative budget, try an affordable American blanc de noirs like Gloria Ferrer (a personal fave at $25!) or Gruet ($17)...a slight sweetness from the red grape varietal, but it works with the "floor of the forest" terroir of mushrooms and red meats.

For dessert and or a cheese course, try a demi-sec (sweet) or doux (sweetest) champagne! Try Veuve Cliquot Demi-Sec Champagne ($55) with holiday pie, French style pastries like Macarons or with a fruit and cheese platter...focusing on dried fruits like apricots, figs and fresh fruit like pears and apples...the cheese, a triple cream, like Brillat Savarin or a very creamy goat cheese drizzled with honey and chopped pistachios.

Dried Apricots with Goat Cheese and Sweet & Spicy Pecans

Here's to your holidays..
"For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends."  Ralph Waldo Emerson

Next post:  Which white wines to serve for your finest holiday occasions.

Bon appetit!

Making Liqueurs for Gifts

I know, I know...it is not even Halloween yet, but it is time to start thinking about homemade gifts...and if you want to give homemade liqueurs for the holidays, now is the time to get started.

Last year, I made a sinfully spicy Gingerbread Liqueur...I think I will make it again, but this year I am also making an Orange Spice Liqueur to pair with it as holiday gifts.

Over the past few years, I have made Limoncello, Lavender Limoncello, Cranberry Orange liqueur,Pecan infused Bourbon, and the aforementioned Gingerbread Liqueur...I think I am getting the hang of it and it is a unique gift to bring to any holiday event.

With any homemade liqueur project, you need some few basic equipment and at least 6 weeks for the most flavorful spirits.

So, before you get raring to go, gather up the following:
1/2 gallon and or quart sized, wide mouth jars with airtight seals
Medium saucepan
Funnels
Paper coffee filters
Fine mesh strainers
Cheese cloth
Vegetable peeler
SHARP paring knife

Decorative bottles with airtight screw caps or corks...I prefer 375ml cordial bottles with cork stoppers.

Orange Spice Liqueur

Yield:  ~6 cups

Ingredients

5 oranges, peeled, pith removed

1 vanilla bean

5 whole cloves

1 cinnamon stick

4 cups vodka

1 cup brandy

1 cup simple syrup:  combine 1 cup white granulated sugar with ½ cup water.  In a saucepan, bring to a rolling boil for 2 minutes and reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes.  Stir to make sure the sugar dissolves completely.  Cool  before adding to alcohol mixture.  Simple syrup may be made in advance and be kept for up to a month in the refrigerator.

Method

Wash and peel the oranges, removing the white pith from the peels. The pith can make the liqueur bitter.

Place the cloves in some of the peels by piercing the skin with the stem end of the clove…be careful not to crush the clove bud.

Place the vanilla bean, cinnamon and peels into a ½ gallon wide mouth jar.

Add the vodka and brandy to the jar and gently swirl to coat the peels.

Press the vanilla bean and peels down under the liquid to make sure it is covered.

Cover the jar with tight fitting lid.

Set the jar in a cool dark place for 2 weeks; give the mixture a gentle swirl every three or four days.

After 2 weeks, strain the vanilla bean, cinnamon, peels and cloves from the liqueur.

Save the vanilla bean; dry it off, split the bean and insert into 2 cups of granulated sugar. Store in an airtight container.  After a few days, the sugar with take on a vanilla essence…use in coffee, baking or on fruit.

Place a coffee filter in a funnel and strain the liquid into a large jar or pitcher, to remove any solids.

This step may be repeated to obtain a very clear liqueur.

Add the one cup of simple syrup to the spiced mixture and stir thoroughly.

Cover tightly and age for another 4 weeks.

When ready to bottle, taste the liqueur and if necessary, adjust to taste:  if too sweet, add more vodka; if too sour or bitter, add more simple syrup (up to ¼ cup more).

Pour the liqueur into properly washed 375ml liquor bottles (I buy mine from Amazon.)

Secure with a cork and store in a cool, dark place.

Add a decorative label describing the contents and serving suggestions.

Can be enjoyed as a cordial, in a Cosmopolitan martini, or as syrup over vanilla ice cream!

Cheers!

Fall-ing into a New Rhythm and Recipes

I can't believe that I haven't posted a recipe in 3 months!  But I guess househunting, buying a home and moving twice in 10 months is a legitimate distraction.

We have our dream home on Beacon Hill, along with a dreamy kitchen...so it is time to get back into the swing of things, tasting and testing, researching and writing all about the bounties of Boston and our lovely Commonwealth.  I really need a schedule and with the crisp days ahead, running out and about the neighborhoods will get me back into research and development mode...finding the next great ingredient or adapting some toothsome treasure from one of our local chefs...I look forward to setting my ideas to page and plate!

Recently, the pumpkin blitz began and everyone seems to be in a frothy frenzy for pumpkin lattes and spiced this or that.  I have resisted the fervor and have stretched summer as long as the Farmers' Markets allowed, but the last of the tomatoes are dwindling...basil is supplanted by sage...and apples...gorgeous apples are piling up all over...from Honey Crisp to McIntosh and Jona-Golds to Macouns...the apples are enticing all sorts of recipes from my tickle files and explorations around the city's restaurants.

On a particularly cool morning, I woke up to the thoughts of my favorite apple cake.  It is one of those come a-calling cakes, you know if you are heading to someone's house for supper or need to offer comfort in a time of need...my Apple Pecan Cake fills that bill...and I was craving its warm, spiced goodness.  I first made this cake during my own time of need...to serve mourners after my mother's funeral services...like her, I needed to comfort my kin and this cake offered that food hug.  The next time I made it, it was for a church bake sale...and I got calls and requests for the recipe.  And every year since, this cake has made it onto our table during Autumn and for just about every brunch I've ever laid out.

I hope this cake finds you and offers you a food hug...from my kitchen to yours!

Apple Pecan Cake

Ingredients
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup vegetable or coconut oil
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
2 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
4 cups peeled, chopped apples ( I like to mix Honey Crisp and Granny Smith)
1 cup chopped pecans

Method
Preheat oven to 350*.
Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan.
Place chopped apples in enough water to cover and add the juice of a lemon to prevent oxidation; drain thoroughly before adding to batter.
Beat eggs at medium speed with an electric mixer until thick and pale yellow.
Gradually add the sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating until blended.
Beat in on low speed, vegetable oil and vanilla extract.
On a large sheet of parchment paper, sift together the flour, salt, soda and spices.
Gently lifting the paper, forming a funnel, pour the dry ingredients into the egg mixture, and stir with a spoon until well combined.
Stir in the apples and pecans.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.
Bake at 350* for 1 hour 25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes before running a blade around the cake, before removing  cake to the cooling rack.
Allow the cake to cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting.
Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.

Serve warm with vanilla or cinnamon ice cream or fresh whipped cream!


Recommended beverage:  A nice hot cuppa joe!

Bon appetit!

A Menu to Celebrate Dad All Day Long

Our girls are older now...not under the same roof, but when Dads' Day rolls around, there is an energy and enthusiasm infusing the preparations.

If most dads are like my husband, they want to have a fun, family day...outdoors...with the Red Sox game playing softly on the radio in the background, perhaps a golf game muted on TV...but the day is about relaxing, laughing and playing!  From bocce to playing cards or watching Hunt For Red October, the day is all about making dad happy...and so tired that a good night's sleep is the day's last best gift!

To kick off the day, I make Bill's favorite breakfast sandwich while he pours over the sports page of the Boston Globe...

Bill's Egg Sandwich on a Grilled English 

Ingredients
 2 large farm fresh eggs
Raft of woven bacon slices...check out the YouTube how to video

2 slices of provolone cheese (or your favorite!!)
1 Bay's English Muffin
Sliced Avocado
Sliced Tomato
Butter
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
*****Reserve the bacon fat in a sealed container, refrigerated, to use in other dishes

Method
Heat 1-2 Tbsp. good quality olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high.

When oil is very hot and starting to shimmer, crack your eggs into the skillet and season with salt and  a  hefty pinch of pepper. 

Oil should be bubbling around up around the edges of the egg whites;  with a spoon CAREFULLY baste the egg with hot oil to crisp them up.

 Fry until whites are golden brown and crisp at the edges and firm around the yolk  about 2 minutes. If you like runny yolks, remove from heat now; if you want a slightly firmer yolk for use in an egg sandwich, cook for another 20 -30 seconds. 

Remove from the pan to a paper towel to absorb excess oil before making sandwich.

With folded paper towels, carefully wipe out the warm pan and add  a teaspoon of butter and a teaspoon of olive oil.

Return to burner over medium high heat.

Place fork split English Muffin, cut side down in the hot fat and place a weight, like a bacon press or small flat bottomed pot on the muffins.

Griddle the muffins until dark gold brown and then flip them over and toast the other side for about 30 seconds.

Remove the English muffin to a warm plate and begin assembly.

Assemble the sandwich as follows:

On one half of the English muffins, place the slices of cheese, then top with the hot eggs.

Next place the bacon raft on the eggs and add a couple of very thin slices of avocado on the bacon.

To the top of the tower, place a slice of tomato, seasoned with a sprinkling of salt and pepper.

Cap it of with the remaining muffin half and gently squish it or pierce it with a long skewer or food pick... be careful not to break the egg yolk!

Serve with additional seasoned, sliced avocado and tomatoes on the side.

Beverage Recommendation:  Nice cuppa hot Joe!

For a healthy picnic in the park or back yard, we pack up a variety of veggie and herb toppings to go on our Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

Filling:

1 1/2 lbs. ground chicken or white meat turkey

2 tbsp. coconut oil

1 tbsp. Chinese Five Spice Blend (combine and process in a spice grinder: 2 tbsp. cinnamon, 2 tsp. star anise, 2 tsp. fennel seeds, 1 1/2 tsp. black peppercorn, 1/2 tsp. ground cloves or ginger)

Low sodium soy sauce (to taste)

Wraps:  butter, bibb or iceberg lettuce leaves, washed and dried

Method

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.

Melt coconut oil.

Saute the ground chicken until no longer pink.

Add the spices, a pinch of salt and pepper and incorporate thoroughly.

Cook until browned .

Drain any excess oil and place cooked chicken in packable container.

Sauce:

2 tsp. sesame tahini or peanut butter

1 tsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. toasted sesame oil

1 tsp. sesame seeds for garnish

Method

Combine the first three ingredients in a mixing bowl.

If the sauce is too thick, it may be thinned to desired consistency by adding warm water or chicken broth.

Transfer to a pack-able sealed container and sprinkle with sesame seeds before closing container.

Suggested Toppings:

Shredded carrot

Chopped celery

Cilantro

Diced cucumber

Shredded red and/or savoy cabbage

Strips of jalapeno or cubanelle peppers

Garnishes:  Sesame seeds, chopped peanuts, mint, lime wedges

To assemble:  

Place a scoop of seasoned meat in the center of a lettuce cup.

Drizzle a small amount of sauce over the meat...a little goes along way.

Add your favorite toppings and garnishes and roll the lettuce wrap like a burrito and enjoy!

***When packing up for your picnic, make sure to keep food properly sealed in unbreakable containers and chilled to 38-42 degrees. Frozen water bottles or juice boxes serve double duty in your picnic basket!  

Recommended beverages:

Sparkling water infused with lime and mint

If alcoholic beverages are allowed try this Mai Tai :

2 ounces golden rum

1/2 ounce orange flavored liquor like Curacao

1/2 ounce Orgeat

1/4 ounce simple syrup

2 ounces fresh lime juice

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled 1/3 with crushed ice.

Shake very vigorously and strain into a chilled old fashioned glass, with 1/2 cup crushed ice.

Garnish with lemon, lime and orange slices and a sprig of mint.

What is Fathers' Day without a cookout?  Rounding out our day is this variation on a summer classic...the hamburger...check out Spicy Blue Bison Burgers.

Ingredients for 4 burgers

1 jalapeno pepper

1 lb. ground bison

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tbsp. bacon fat.

1/4 lb. blue cheese, crumbled

1/2 tsp. each sea salt and pepper

Method

Preheat grill to 400 degrees; clean and oil the grill at this time.

Split jalapeno in half (remove seeds and white ribs if your prefer a less spicy burger)

Place pepper on hot grill and cook until grill marks appear.

Allow pepper to cool and remove the charred skin.

Dice the pepper and place into a mixing bowl.

Combine the bison, pepper, bacon fat, seasonings and blue cheese until well mixed, but be careful to not make the meat mixture mushy.

Form the mixture into 4  four ounce patties.  Place a dimple in the center of each burger , to allow for even cooking and prevent mounding of the center of the burger.

Grill the burgers 4 minutes each side for medium...add an additional minute per side for medium well.

Serve on toasted sour dough bread or potato rolls!

Recommended beverage:  Ballast Point Grapefruit Sculpin Ale or Sam Adams Summer!

Bon Appetit  and Happy Fathers' Day!

BBQ, Cookouts and Picnics...Oh My!

With the unofficial start to summer coming up this weekend, I decided to pull out  and organize some classic and family favorite recipes for all our warm weather entertaining.

I came upon a long lost recipe for barbecue sauce, that I first enjoyed as a child in Williamsburg, VA, at the home of my parents' dear friends, Tom and Phyllis Tutwiler.  Phyllis is the epitome of southern hospitality and everything she offered was lovely, tasty and made one feel loved!  She used to make petite pork sandwiches or baby back ribs adorned with this concoction and yee haw, pass the slaw!

I hope you enjoy this sauce, whether over pork, chicken or even kidney beans...I'm looking forward to this trip down my culinary memory lane!

Missus Tut's BBQ Sauce
makes about 2 1/2 cups

Ingredients
1 cup minced onion
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup ketchup
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. molasses
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tbsp. orange juice
1 tbsp. orange zest
1/2 cup white vinegar
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
pinch of salt and black pepper

Method
In a deep sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat.
Saute the onion and garlic until golden and softened.
Add the remaining ingredients plus 1/3 cup of water to to pot and bring to a boil.
Lower the heat to low and simmer, uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring frequently to prevent scorching and sticking.
Once the sauce has thickened to the consistency of good ketchup, remove from the heat and forcefully strain through a fine sieve or china cap
Cool and store in a mason jar.
Sauce will keep for a week in the refrigerator.

Pork BBQ Sandwiches
makes 6 large or 12 petite

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds cooked pork tenderloin, thinly sliced
1 (up to 2) cup Missus Tut's BBQ Sauce
6 large or 12 small potato rolls
Dill pickle slices
Cole Slaw (see following recipe)

Method
In a heavy Dutch Oven or cast iron pot, combine the sliced pork and BBQ sauce.
Heat over low heat until heated thoroughly, stirring to evenly coat and prevent scorching.
Add more sauce if needed....the pork should be evenly covered but not gloppy.
Place a heaping spoonful of pork on each sliced roll.
Top with a couple slices of dill pickle and or coleslaw.
Serve with lots of napkins!

Cole Slaw
serves 8+

Ingredients
4 cups shredded green cabbage
4 cups shredded red cabbage
2 cups shredded Granny Smith Apple
2 carrots, finely grated

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt.
1/2 tsp. celery seed

Method
In a small bowl, combine 1 tsp. vinegar and shredded apple.
Toss to evenly coat.
In a large bowl, whisk together the mayo, remaining vinegar, honey, salt and celery seed.
Add in the apple, cabbages and carrots.
Toss gently to thoroughly coat.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.

Serve with BBQ Pork Sandwiches.

And as it is Strawberry season, try this Colonial Williamsburg Classic...perfect for a picnic...

Skewered Pineapple and Strawberries in Kirsch
serves 8+

Ingredients
1 fresh pineapple, well ripened
1 qt. fresh strawberries (about 45)
1/2 cup kirsch or white rum
bamboo skewers
mint for garnish

Method
Peel and cube the pineapple into 1 inch chunks.
Wash and hull the strawberries; dry off with paper towels.
Place the fruit in a bowl and sprinkle with the kirsch, gently tossing to coat.
Chill, covered for at least half an hour up to 4 hours.
Skewer 4 pieces of fruit, alternating one, then the other on each pick.
Garnish with minced, fresh mint.


Recommended Beverages:
Sparkling Mint Lemonade:  make frozen lemonade according to directions, substituting sparkling water for the tap water.  Add 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves and stir.  Do ahead tip.  Make lemonade ice cubes, each with a mint leaf and or half a lemon slice.  Add these to the prepared Sparkling Lemonade and as the cubes melt, they won't dilute your drink.

Rose'- Whispering Angle 2014  Caves D'Esclans Cotes de Provence  13% abv

Trendy Cocktail:  Moscow Mule:  
2-3 ounces vodka (I'm in love with Bully Boy Vodka right now!)
1 tsp. fresh lime juice
4 ounces Ginger Beer
Lime slice and mint leaves for garnish
Pour the vodka  and lime juice into a copper mule mug (or chilled high ball glass) over 4-6 ice cubes.
Gently pour in the ginger beer, stirring to mix.
Garnish with lime and for an unexpected twist, bruise a couple of mint leaves and toss them in too!

Cheers and Bon Appetit!

It's Spring, but Baby It's Cold Outside

We are pretty much settled in our Boston rental apartment and have adapted to our downsized lifestyle...ok, we are adapting.  Not loving the functionality of my very stylish  kitchen...missing my six burner Wolf range...and the refrigerator...ugh...I lived with a freezer on the bottom style for 20+ years and stooping to find things in the back of the Frigidaire apartment sized unit it sooo not working for me!  But, this is an important reminder for when I design my dream kitchen in our next permanent home!!

Wasn't it so nice of Mother Nature to welcome us with wave after wave of snow!?!  Good thing my city is so very walk-able, and Whole Foods is less than a 1/4 mile away! And despite all the grousing and grouching, Bostonians navigated the mounds, piles and puddles with aplomb and a smile.

One thing that hasn't changed is my penchant for making soup on chilly days...thus far, we have enjoyed and in the freezer, French Onion, Creamy Cauliflower (sans cream), Split Pea with Ham, Minestrone, Butternut Squash, Spinach and Tortellini, and 3 Bean Chili...yeah, I know it is not soup, but it is a close cousin!  I like having homemade soup on hand as it is quick, nutritious meal to have after a day romping in the Common with Reilly the Wonder Dog, or strolling up and down the quiet streets of Beacon Hill as the snow falls upon you as if you were caught in a snow globe...

In celebration for smashing the snow accumulation record...enduring a few more snow showers and this not at all spring like weather, I am traveling to Italy in my dreams and whipping up a hearty pot of White Bean and Kale soup with Pancetta and Sour Dough croutons.  It is rich, a tad spicy and very, very delicious!

Tuscan White Bean and Kale Soup with Pancetta Crisps
Serve 10
Ingredients
8 oz. Sweet Italian sausage (no casings)
10 slices Pancetta or bacon, thin cut
1/4 cup olive oil

1 tbsp. minced garlic
Pinch red pepper flakes
2 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tsp. grated nutmeg

3 cups fresh kale or super greens mix, washed and chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped, small dice
1 large sweet onion, chopped, small dice
1 tbsp. tomato paste

3 cups cooked or canned cannellini beans

2 quarts chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup dry white wine ( I like Pinot Grigio...cook with what you'll pair the meal !)
1 cup cold water

Salt and pepper
Sour dough bread, sliced and toasted
Grated Parmesan cheese

Method
In the bottom of a Dutch over, saute the Pancetta slices in oil until crispy and lightly brown on both sides.
Set aside on paper towel lined plate.

In remaining fat, over medium high heat, crumble and cook sausage until browned.
Remove from pan and drain on paper towel lined plate.
Lower heat to medium/med-low, and saute the onions and garlic until soft and golden.
Add carrots, tomato paste, thyme, nutmeg and red pepper flakes, stirring for 3 or 4 minutes or until fragrant.
Add stock, wine and water to the Dutch oven and gently stir to loosen browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add kale and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cooking for 15 minutes, covered and kale wilts.
Add sausage and beans to the soup and continue simmering for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Taste for seasoning and adjust, adding salt and pepper if needed.

Place a couple ladles of soup into warmed bowls.
Garnish with a Pancetta crisp and sour dough toast.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Wine recommendation:
2012 Livio Felluga Pinot Grigio from Friuli
2010 Castello Banfi Chianti Classico Riserva

Bon Appetit!