It’s apple picking season! With so many of us heading to the orchards, I wanted to share a quintessential autumn treat, baked apples. Brown sugar, cinnamon & a pinch of nutmeg fill the hollows of cored apples while a homemade buttery crumble tops the apples, seeping into the hollows to thicken up the filling, making the inside almost molten-like. The aroma alone embodies the warm comfort of fall and the soft fragrant flesh tastes just like apple pie. Baked apples is a feast for the senses when the temperatures drop.
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“The great white Pear tree Dropped with dew From leaves and blossom Under the heavens Of happy blue.” -Jean Ingelow The voluptuous and succulent pear. It’s that time of year when these curvy fruits begin to fill up baskets and bins at the local farm markets. Although their juicy sweetness is perfect as-is, something truly delicious happens when these plump beauties are simmered in Bordeaux, scented with autumnal spices and warm vanilla, then left to chill overnight.
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Pappa al Pomodoro is a fragrant, flavorful Tuscan bread and tomato soup born from the ancient tradition of using stale bread and fresh garden ingredients like tomatoes, garlic, and basil. Embracing a rustic spirit, it invites personal twists such as oregano and white wine, if desired, offering a comforting, and robust taste of Tuscany.
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As featured in Condé Nast Traveler Magazine “How to Build the Ultimate Picnic Basket, According to Chefs Around the World.” (France) Leeks are a staple in my springtime kitchen. They are one of my favorite seasonal ingredients for their gentle fragrance. I add them to soups, mashed potatoes, braise them in wine with pasta, and make this Savory French Leek Pie. The French have elevated leeks to an almost noble ranking. The leek, le poireau, is harvested in France throughout most of the year, and recipes abound and vary by region and family. I first tasted this particular dish during a brief stay in France and, unlike most savory pies, it doesn’t require…
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A luxuriously decadent, grown-up dessert. With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, I wanted to make a fun and sophisticated treat. Then it happened! Chocolate red wine cupcakes. Oh, yes… These decadent and grown-up chocolate cupcakes are made with a blend of natural and Dutched unsweetened cocoa, hinted with Bordeaux, and swirled with luscious homemade buttercream. You decide if you want to frost them with vanilla or chocolate, I’ll give you the recipes for both. And yes, even the frosting has red wine. No store-bought boxed cake mix here. Just a few pantry ingredients and a couple of minutes is all it takes to make these cupcakes from scratch.
