When it came time to make Oysters with Tropical Mignonette for my Mad Men Party, the oysters went a lot easier than the clams with the help of this nifty video. Perhaps because oysters are more willing to be eaten? Or because I’ve done more oyster shucking? I’m not sure. Anyway. I used this really […]
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Baked Clams
This may be one of those projects that should really say, “Don’t try this at home.” No really. Every time I shuck oysters and clams it makes me really appreciate how cheap they are at restaurants. You heard me right, raw oysters in fancy restaurants are a bargain! This is seriously hard work, especially when […]
Continue readingOld Fashioned
An Old Fashioned is a go-to old school cocktail in my book and definitely required for a Madmen Premier cocktail party. While a rye whiskey is a good move if you’re channeling Don Draper, if you grew up in Wisconsin, like me, you’ll probably feel nostalgic towards the Brandy version. It’s a little sweeter, so […]
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Aviation Cocktail
I love this gin-based Aviation Cocktail for all it’s refined floral and citrus notes, but picking the right gin is important because of the more subtle ingredients in the cocktail (i.e. the maraschino liquer and the creme de violette). One of the properties that makes gin-based cocktails interesting to me is that gins taste quite […]
Continue readingSeared Snapper with Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
Apparently I forgot about some sweet potatoes from my last installment of my CSA (community supported agriculture) box. Let’s just say that the ground has been frozen here for a long time and who knows how old they were. The good news is, root vegetables seem to last forever and inspiration finally struck. I’m always […]
Continue readingLobster Salad with Goat Cheese Vinaigrette
I love avocado and citrus together. I routinely pair them together on salads and serve them as a side to many Mexican dishes, sometimes with black beans, corn and cotija cheese. In this case, I wanted to make the salad a little more glamorous for a dinner party. Also, recently I have seen the ingredients […]
Continue readingLiza’s Coconut Pancakes
My sister (in-law) Liza made a special request while we were on vacation. PANCAKES! These came out of the good weather and fresh coconut. I’m pretty sure she was pleased with the end result. And since Liza is a runner and needs a breakfast that will stick with her, I based them on the egg […]
Continue readingPiña Colada
I thought of a lot of names for this particular drink. Spring Break! Piña Coladas. Impeach the Groundhog Piña Coladas. Seriously, Winter! Piña Coladas. I bet you’re sensing a theme. I just came back from Clearwater Beach and spring was definitely on my mind. I wasn’t thrilled this morning when I awoke to big snowflakes […]
Continue readingKale and Many Mushroom Pizza
It’s surprising to me that this is my first pizza post because I love brainstorming pizza combinations. I like to follow the seasons and what’s at the market in terms of toppings. This particular one is special for many reasons. The cheese (and if you can’t find it, sub a smoked cheese or a sheep’s […]
Continue readingPizza Dough
The pizza dough I make is really simple. And you can adjust the flour up or down to make it more or less dense and more or less elastic. With this consistency you can just knead it by hand briefly, but with a lot more flour, you may prefer to use a mixer and a […]
Continue readingFresh Pea Soup with or without Ham
I love split pea and ham soup. It’s possible that was inherited from my dad. And it’s his birthday today, so this is in his honor. But for good split pea soup you have to plan way ahead and cook it for days. And it’s really heavy. This is a great alternative for spring. It […]
Continue readingStout Float with Chocolate Pretzels
Instead of root beer, I decided to make it an adult’s only party by adding beer. I like a stout for this, but I have seen it done with porters, lambics, cider and even a vanilla lager. Guinness is a classic St. Pat’s choice. The malty richness of the beer lends itself to dessert flavors […]
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