Category: Beverages

Cauliflower and Aged Gouda Soufflé

Cauliflower and Aged Gouda Soufflé

Cauliflower and Aged Gouda Soufflé

These delightful soufflés are perfect for a springtime luncheon! 36 month-aged Gouda from the Netherlands adds nutty, butterscotch flavors and an interesting salt crystal crunchy texture. This flavorful cheese pairs well with a full-bodied complex Alsatian Pinot Gris.

The soufflés are super easy to prepare, and bake up to a puffed golden brown in 35 minutes. Served with a pretty side salad, they make a lovely light lunch…or easily double the recipe and serve them on a platter as part of a buffet because, as a bonus, the soufflés hardly deflate so they are excellent for entertaining.

Cauliflower Soufflé Recipe

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Fromage Langres et Champagne

Fromage Langres et Champagne

Kicking off my first post of 2022 with a theatrical Champagne and Cheese Course. Not just any cheese, but a special cow’s milk cheese that originates from the plateau of Langres in the Champagne region of France.

What Grows Together, Goes Together

A broadly accurate principle for matching wine with a particular food is to choose components from the same region…the pairing of fromage Langres (pronounced Lawn-gruh) with Champagne is no exception.

A Unique Cheese

Langres is only rotated once during maturation. The weight of the liquid in the cheese causes it to collapse creating its signature concave cap. The dent on top is the result of the cheese not being turned as it matures, making the cheese settle in the center. It is not exactly clear who originally thought that this dent would be the perfect place to splash some Champagne, but it is!

To Serve Fromage Langres et Champagne

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Maltagliati all’Arrabbiata

Maltagliati all'arrabbiata

Maltagliati all’Arrabbiata
Calabrian Chili, Burrata, and Fresh Basil
Served with an Amalfi Spritz

Buon Natale! Merry Christmas – this is a brilliant vegetarian dish for the holiday with its beautiful striking red and green colors. But how could it possibly be any good? The pasta, maltagliati, literally translates to “badly cut” and the sauce arrabbiata translates to “angry”! Turns out this bad-cut-angry pasta dish is actually deliziosa…and perfect for the holidays.

Maltagliati all’arrabbiata Recipe

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A Curated Meal Kit Crafted by James Beard House Fellow – Part 2

A Curated Meal Kit Crafted by James Beard House Fellow

James Beard House Fellow

A Curated Meal Kit Crafted by James Beard House Fellow

First Course

Jerk Shrimp with Pico de Gallo and Avocado Crema

Main Course

Scotch Bonnet-Braised Beef Short Rib with Fall Greens and Polenta

Dessert Course

Peanut-Coconut Brittle Drops with Oloroso Sherry

The monthly Beard Box meal kit for two is shipped overnight and costs $100. The portions are generous, and it is a delight to experience the emerging chefs’ creativity while supporting the James Beard Foundation.

For decades, cooking at the James Beard House in New York City’s Greenwich Village has been an aspiration for many chefs and considered a career milestone. In May of 2021, they launched the Beard House Fellows program, which re-envisions the potential of the historic space into a hub of training and professional development for talented emerging chefs.

Each Fellow has a one-month residence at the Beard House where they receive hard skills training along with the opportunity to develop a meal kit that is available across the country.

Emerging Chefs

May 2021 – Nicole Merino

June 2021 – Mimi Chen

July 2021 – Theodore Coleman

August 2021 – Sofia Mendoza

September 2021  – Kencito Vernon

Curated Meal Kit by Chef Kencito Vernon

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Vegas-Style Cactus Ginger Margarita

Cactus Ginger Margarita

Vegas-Style Cactus Ginger Margarita

Kick back and relax poolside under the bright Vegas skies while sipping on a Fabulous Vegas-Style Margarita. Groove to the smooth sounds of crooners Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. Enjoy dinner crafted by one of the dozens of celebrity chefs, take in a show. Later in the evening, cruise the casinos and let Luck Be A Lady Tonight!

Cactus Ginger Margarita

My original Poolside Signature Cocktail is the marriage of a Ginger Margarita and a Prickly Pear Margarita.

Cactus Ginger Margarita

Tequila, orange liqueur, lime, and salt are all it takes to make the perfect classic margarita… but substitute Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur for the usual Triple Sec or Cointreau and add an ounce of the fabulous desert-born, magenta-hued prickly pear cactus syrup…and Viva Las Vegas My Friends!

Cactus Ginger Margarita Recipe

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