C – “You want to make what?!” I asked. “Duck confit. It will be great. I want to be more technical and show more interesting techniques on the blog,” Luke said with delight. I was excited. But, I didn’t know what this duck confit adventure would lead us to. TROUBLE! … Continue reading
C – Luke loves to teach. I am so grateful. I get to learn all these great things from a professional chef, without having to attend a class. It’s like having a private cooking lesson every week. Knowing proper cooking techniques is the foundation of being mindful in the kitchen. … Continue reading
C – Proper tools and a good crust are key to making great pizza. You can’t just bake pizza in an oven. A pizza stone is key to a successful pizza. We have one! I am so surprised that a pizza stone could cost so little. Why haven’t I bought … Continue reading
C – There’s nothing more nerve racking than a professional chef … looking over your shoulder and saying “I don’t think the recipe you’re making is working.” Luke didn’t want to make this recipe. He wanted to watch me make it, instead. Making ricotta cheese is really simple. But, it … Continue reading
J – Why in the world do I struggle with gnocchi? What’s wrong with me? Gnocchi are delicious, heart-warming and oh-so-addicting. When we made it the first time, Luke reminded us to pace ourselves when eating. Too much gnocchi and you are flat on the couch in food coma. A … Continue reading
J – I’m a huge fan of basil pesto. I’ve also had some really-not-very-good “green stuff” that passes as basil pesto. I think the trouble with most of them is that the recipe is too complicated. Here’s a simple, fool-proof recipe we’ve used many times with great success. Simple Basil … Continue reading
J – Double your pleasure… Bacon pleasure, that is. One of the wonderful parts of the lamb we broke down last week was the breast. It’s sort of a super-mini version of pork belly, with very little fat. Lamb bacon sounded over-the-top good. Luke suggested that, since we were smoking … Continue reading
J – Why do most of the salads we get in really good restaurants taste so good? Note: I say “most” because I’ve had poorly done salads at all levels. However, for the most part, salads you get in better restaurants are made only after lots of practice. They are … Continue reading
C – Some days I hate my refrigerator. There are times when there is nothing in it except a few jars of year-old condiments. Stuff that needs to be thrown away. Other times there is just too, too much food. We can’t even see the back of the refrigerator and … Continue reading
C – I hate wasting food. It’s one of my biggest pet peeves. Bread is one of those things that I don’t eat very often. But, when I do I tend to go overboard on buying it. It usually isn’t my fault though. Usually, the good bread I want comes … Continue reading