It’s cooler (there I said it) outside! It’s October and I should be expecting it but we’ve been spoiled - not too long ago, with some great t-shirt weather and I was hoping for a bit more. But it’s time for the season to show its true colors - literally! I was driving down one [...]
The first time I made duck, I made Duck a l'Orange. It must have been about 30 years ago and quite honestly, although I'd only ever tasted it once before, in a restaurant I could barely afford at the time, it turned out delicious. I'd seen it made on TV a dozen or so times [...]
Whenever my wife and I were in Paris, one of her favorite past times was sitting in a café (on any boulevard really) with a coffee or tea, and a sample of one of the local pastries. With every bite of a different pastry, she would challenge me - subtly of course, to recreate it at home. [...]
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! So much to be thankful for isn’t there. Not the big things you have around you, but the things you can’t put value on – parents, siblings, kids (no matter how old, they will always be our kids) and good friends! Health, so much to be thankful for here, no matter how [...]
Beautifully imperfect! That’s what I learned from my friend Chef Maria. The beauty of handmade pasta is in the imperfections. Oh don’t get me wrong, the rhythm and discipline of all those wonderful nonnas that use homemade gadgets to give us that perfect looking gnocchi, tortellini etc., is truly an art, a skill and something [...]
Is it a cake or a pie? Well it is cake batter that is baked in a pie tin - hence PiKe (I liked this name better than any other alternative combinations)! I bought some nectarines last week. I’m a sucker for that sweet juicy “makes me think of summer” flavor. I love them plain, [...]
Here’s a great weeknight supper, long overdue on my list of blogs to write up for you. The secret to this dish is to sear– that’s sear, not stew, not sauté, not fry – the chicken. I used very simple seasoning on the chicken – salt, pepper and some garlic powder. Oh don’t you be [...]
"Hi! My name is Chris and I don’t make Red Velvet cakes!" Well that was before. My good friends asked me to make three cakes for multiple celebrations they were having on the same day. Strawberry Shortcake – no problem I chuckled, Chocolate Cake – again, I laughed inside – I had this in the [...]
For those of you that haven’t heard, I’m doing this fusion style class with my good friend Chef Maria Marotta. We’ve taken some tasty treats from both countries and combined them - flavors and textures, to tantalize and delight your taste buds. Our menu consists of Naan Bruschetta – no not just any tomato topping [...]
I look forward to this time of year mainly because it is peach season - and it is everything peach this season for me and my blog. Sadly however, it’s almost over. I’ve been trying to vary the recipes I post, but every time I walk by the peach displays at my grocers or market, I’m just drawn to them. [...]
