We've traveled to many places around the globe, and Provincetown, Massachusetts on the tip of Cape Cod is still our favorite of all vacation spots. In fact, we'd like to live there part-time at some point in our lives. We've spent many summer vacations in P'town, but this fall, we're taking a two-week road trip there, three dogs in tow, for a couple of weeks. While we're there, we're going to … [Read more...]
“Fried” Chicken, Okra and Tomato Corn Cakes, and Chipotle Peaches
My family called me a bean pole when I was growing up. When I was in high school, I was 6'1" tall, and I weighed in at a whopping 130 pounds. I got all the jokes, including "when you turn sideways you disappear" and "you have to run around in the shower to get wet"! Obviously, I was blessed with an over-the-top metabolism because I had a ravenous appetite. From the time I came home from school … [Read more...]
Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Figs and Red Onion
Fig season is here, and when I saw big, plump, black mission figs on the market shelves last weekend I had to buy some. I've said before that figs are not my most favorite fruit. I've never really enjoyed them raw, but last year I made grilled lamb chops with roasted figs and my opinion of them shifted. Something about the roasted figs in a savory dish changed my mind. Sweet and savory dishes … [Read more...]
Grilled Corn with Chipotle Lime Butter and Cotija
When I was a kid, I loved watching plants grow. I always enjoyed going to my grandparents' garden and seeing all the vegetables maturing. I was fascinated by a germinating seed that ultimately produced food I would eat. One summer I wanted to take ownership of a plant that I could nurse to maturity, so my grandmother helped me plant a corn kernel in her back yard. Over the next … [Read more...]
Grilled Seafood Skewers with Tomato Basil Butter
I lived in Jacksonville, Florida for a couple of years early in my career. One of the things I remember most about those days was the access to fresh-out-of-the-water seafood. I frequented a small market where everything in the store was right off the boat, and there wasn't a trace of fish smell. The owner always had fresh jumbo shrimp, scallops, grouper, and snapper displayed beautifully on ice. … [Read more...]
Brown Butter Nectarine and Blueberry Cobbler
If you live in the South, cobbler is in your blood. We Southerners grow up eating the ubiquitous dessert from an early age. Although there are may variations of cobblers, the one that I remember was the Peach Cobbler at Shelaine Restaurant in my hometown. The fresh peaches were baked with a thin, crisp, buttery crust that was melt-in-your-mouth delicious. I've never been able to master that type … [Read more...]
Welcome Home, Milo!
I want to acknowledge my absence from the blog for the last couple of weeks and offer an explanation. We took a 9-day vacation and spent the following weekend with friends at their lake house, but the real reason is that we have a new addition to our family. … [Read more...]
Horseradish-Crusted Strip Steaks
We're just back from a marathon drive up the West Coast. We started in Los Angeles and drove along US 1 to Brookings, Oregon in 8 days, stopping somewhere different every night. Whew! Marathon is an understatement, but it was an amazing drive with lots of windy, curvy ups and downs and incredible vistas. One of our stops was the Hearst Castle in San Simeon. Built by American publishing magnate, … [Read more...]
Mushroom, Burrata, and Arugula Crostini
Burrata seems to be everywhere these days. I frequently observe it on restaurant menus around town. I'd had it before in an appetizer and I knew it was delicious, but I didn't pay too much attention to exactly what type of cheese it was. As I was thinking about making something with this special cheese, I did a little research into how it's made. Burrata, which translates to "buttered", is a … [Read more...]
Calzones with Smoked Chicken, Collards, and Pimento Cheese
There's nothing better than something smoked for the Fourth of July. It doesn't matter whether you're making ribs, pulled pork, salmon, or chicken; it's just not the 4th without some form of outdoor cooking. Whenever I fire up the smoker, I make enough of whatever I'm cooking to last for several meals. Last week I smoked a couple of chickens with plans to make a Summer Pizza with Smoked … [Read more...]
Blueberry Lemon Buttermilk Sorbet
The Deep South heatwave has hit! We've been in the mid- to upper-90s for a couple of weeks now. I spend my days at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention doing technology consulting. This health-promoting agency practices what it preaches and encourages healthy lifestyles for its employees. I'm fortunate in that I can take a couple of 15-minute walks during the day. It's amazing how much … [Read more...]
Summer Pizza with Smoked Chicken
I have a confession to make. I'm an occasional QVC shopper. There...I said it. I'm somewhat obsessed with kitchen gadgets; Jim says my pantry looks like a Williams-Sonoma store. My friends all tease me, but in my defense, I use every item that I've bought, with very few exceptions. I've been smoking on a Big Green Egg for years, but it's a bit of a production to prepare and cook on it. In a … [Read more...]