Smoked rosemary bramble sour is a smoky cocktail inspired by an old New York City speakeasy I visited pre-lockdown. The bartender torched a plank of fragrant wood, then captured the smoke in an swirling aromatic veil that encircle the inside of my glass.

It’s Shark Week, and we love having a little fun with this summer rum cocktail.  With just a few ingredients, and a splash of grenadine for drama, this Shark Bite: Blood in the Water Cocktail is bloody delicious!

The kitchen was heady with the aroma of salty sea air and fresh snipped basil.  The halibut was fresh from the seaport, seasoned with salt and pepper and olive oil, skewered and grilled, and served alongside an heirloom watermelon. Grilled halibut skewers with watermelon and peppery basil oil is one of my favorite halibut recipes.  It takes a standard fish kebab up a notch or two. I make this halibut recipe quite frequently during watermelon season.  Fresh halibut from our local fishmonger (who brings these beauties in from the New York seaport each day while we sleep), sweet watermelon from our local farm, and a good handful of basil from…

Just in from the summer fields, and nestled in their rustic farm bins, were tiny purple and white eggplants, harvested just before they fully ripen – because that’s when they taste the best.  Cherry tomatoes in golden yellow and burnt orange, tight bulbs of fresh garlic, and onions still dusty with earth.  With these goodies in tow, White Wine Pasta with Caramelized Onions, Roasted Eggplant and Blistered Tomatoes will hold a welcomed place on tonight’s table. An incredibly simple meal to prepare and a nice variation when considering a pasta an eggplant recipe.  The eggplant and tomatoes take care of themselves while roasting to perfection, the onions need only a…