Tim and I learned a new skill this summer. A very valuable skill. One that makes our friends and family very happy. We learned how to make real BBQ. Not the fire-up-the-grill-and-throw-on-some-burgers kind of BBQ. But real BBQ. Delicious, moist, smoky, falling-apart BBQ. BBQ that takes all day long to cook. Ohhh yeah. That kind. [...]

In addition to all the talk about how grapes are grown, Tim (of Winexpert) described the array of flavors of the different grapes. Some of the descriptors he used were apple, blackberry, cherry, melon, grapefruit, black currant, gooseberry, lychee, honey, herbs, pepper, grass, violets, and chocolate… Sounds pretty delicious to me! So how does one [...]

A couple weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend a wine pairing seminar held by Tim Vandergrift of Winexpert. Winexpert makes and sells a wide variety of wine kits for home winemaking enthusiasts. I freely admit that I don’t know much about wine. I’m a beer person (obviously). The most I can usually say [...]

Fall is just around the corner (sad, but true), which can mean only one thing… Oktoberfest, ja! So, in honor of Oktoberfest, today’s pairing lesson is all about German amber lagers, perfect for the coming season! Oktoberfest/Märzen Oktoberfest/Märzen is a medium-bodied lager with a broad range of color, from golden to reddish orange. The bitterness [...]

This month’s Session topic (hosted by Beer 47) is “Beer Desserts”: What beer desserts have you tried and liked? Disliked? What beer styles work well with dessert and which ones do not? Do you have any beer dessert recipes that you enjoyed and would like to share? Cooking with beer is interesting, because it’s similar [...]

Now that you’ve read my last post, you know a little bit about how sour beers are created. Now let’s talk examples. Here are my reviews of two very contrasting sour ales. Monk’s Cafe Flemish Sour Ale Monk’s Cafe is a well-known restaurant and bar in Center City Philadelphia that’s famous for its enormous selection [...]

Food is much more satisfying when you make it completely from scratch. Wouldn’t you agree? That’s why I like to make my own pizza dough. Sure, I could just buy it pre-made from the store, but where’s the fun in that? I use Fine Cooking‘s recipe for pizza dough, because that magazine has never steered [...]

Mmm… crème brûlée… Crème brûlée is just one of those desserts that’s too good to be true. Rich, creamy, decadent, ooey-gooey wonderfulness. And that crunchy sugar top that’s just so satisfying to break with a spoon… How can you not love crème brûlée? Okay, maybe if you were lactose intolerant. Or allergic to milk. Or [...]