True Confessions
This tale starts with my most dreaded and most frequently-asked question once someone discovers that I’m a personal chef: “Do you still cook at home?” My true confession/dirty little secret is that I DON’T. After I’ve cooked all day long frankly the last thing I want to do is cook again. I just don’t. It’s pitiful – a chef eating cheese and crackers or store-bought hummus on top of store-bought pita and calling it a night. I create beautifully delicious, balanced meals for others but not for me. Well
Posset Anyone?
What’s a posset? Well, it’s like a syllabub. HA! Seriously, it’s a British dessert made of thickened cream traditionally flavored with lemon. The acid in the lemon causes the cream to ‘curdle’ in a good way. Unlike a panna cotta (‘cooked cream’ in Italian) or American puddings which use gelatin or flour to thicken, a posset relies on the acid of the lemon to do that job. It’s wonderfully rich and light at the same time and with just 3 ingredients, it’s a snap to make as long as
Cacio e Pepe
For a recipe with so few ingredients, there are many variations on the cooking method. Keep in mind that the quality of the ingredients is key to the final result. Splurge on true pecorino and freshly ground pepper! Here’s the way I typically make this quick and delicious dish: Save Print Cacio e Pepe Serves: 4 Ingredients 1 pound bucatini pasta* 4 or 5 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon ground black pepper ¾ to 1 cup grated pecorino Instructions Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add
Cocktails Delivered to your Door
Recently I received a very cool gift – a subscription to Cocktail Courier. Yep, all the pieces/parts needed to make an unusual cocktail delivered right to my door. Each delivery includes a small (but not a miniature) bottle of the alcohol along with all the other ingredients needed to create the drink right down to the garnish. So far I’ve received “Coffee Talk” developed by a Chicago bartender and “Highbiscus” whose creator hails from New York City. The Coffee Talk is an odd-sounding combo of bourbon, simple syrup, cayenne,
Anthony Bourdain Was Correct!
“This is probably the single worst thing I have ever put in my mouth.” Anthony Bourdain, on Iceland’s national dish, hákarl With an endorsement like that how could I say no to an innocuous looking bit of ‘rotten Greenland shark’ while in Iceland? My host, Chef Tyffi Tyffasson, stopped me as I lifted the sugar cube-sized bite toward my mouth, saying “Wait, you must have some Black Death to go with it!” Well, okay then. So he poured a shot of Brenivin aka Black Death, a caraway liqueur reminiscent of Aquavit,
Lemongrass “Martini”
One corner of our small raised bed garden is occupied with all things ‘lemon’ – lemongrass and lemon verbena. Both of these took off like gang-busters with our rainy, cool spring and hot, dry summer. What do to with all that abundance? Make a cocktail of course. Here’s what I came up with. Save Print Lemongrass "Martini" Author: Monica Thomas Ingredients 1 cup water 1 cup sugar 2 stalks fresh lemongrass, tops trimmed Instructions Lemongrass Simple Syrup Place water and sugar in a heavy-bottomed pan and bring to a
East Coast Ambrosia
If you are a true Southerner PLEASE stop reading this article now. It will only make you angry and you’ll send me nasty emails. Go…run away now… For those of you who are NOT Southerners, I’m going to tell you about a dish that I created for Southerners who asked me for a healthier Ambrosia Salad. Impossible you say – well, I respectfully disagree. As most of you know, the typical ambrosia salad consists primarily of pineapple, mandarin orange segments, sweetened coconut, and heavy cream whipped with sugar and