A few weeks ago, on our last day in San Gimignano, we ate lunch at a small place just off the main piazza called Osteria del Carcere. Despite being just down the street from where all the tourists congregate and queue up for gelato (there’s an award-winning gelateria in San Gimignano) the osteria seemed ratherContinue reading “Vellutata de Ceci (Chick Pea Soup) – Tuscan Vacation Inspiration”
Yearly Archives: 2015
San Gimignano and the Via Francigena, Travel Post Part 2
Hard to believe Cheryl and I were in San Gimignano going for a hike on the Via Francigena just a week ago. Seems like it was longer than that. What is it about vacation weeks moving too fast and work weeks taking forever? We covered the first part of our Tuscan holiday in my lastContinue reading “San Gimignano and the Via Francigena, Travel Post Part 2”
Roaming Around Tuscany – Travel Post, Part 1
It’s been 4 years since the last time we were in Italy. Waaaaay too long for me, so all year long whenever Cheryl asked ‘where would you like to travel next?’ I said ‘Italy.’ Every. Time. It seems to have worked because here we are in San Gimignano, Tuscany. Not that I really had toContinue reading “Roaming Around Tuscany – Travel Post, Part 1”
Poulet Normande – Because It’s Fall
As the calendar flips to October I feel it is time to start cooking more regularly in the kitchen. This week, in celebration of kicking off fall menus, I decided to make a simple one pot dinner: Poulet Normande, or Chicken Normandy. A delicious, early fall dinner to help warm up the now chilly nights.
Curry Brat Currywurst for Oktoberfest
It’s that time of year again…Oktoberfest! Beer, pretzels, sausage. I don’t know if currywurst is a traditional Oktoberfest dish but it is for Cheryl and me. It’s one of our favorite German festival foods and I make some for our Oktoberfest party. This year I’m putting a spin on the currywurst with a new sausage:Continue reading “Curry Brat Currywurst for Oktoberfest”
Lemon and Ricotta Cheese Tart
Last week we were on vacation in Colorado, and if you’re like me you pick up a magazine or two at the airport for the flight. When we headed back to Chicago on Sunday I bought one of my traveling go-to magazines: Food & Wine. In it was a recipe for ricotta cheese and sourContinue reading “Lemon and Ricotta Cheese Tart”
Travel Post: A Nice Hike in Snowmass
Out of town this week on a vacation with Cheryl’s family in the Colorado Rockies. We haven’t had much time to ourselves but were able to break away for a few hours the other morning for a nice hike along the ridge above where we’re staying in Snowmass. For all of my outdoors-y friends whoContinue reading “Travel Post: A Nice Hike in Snowmass”
Fried Pork Belly – Using Up the Bits
What do you do when you have left over pork belly trimmings? Turn them into crackling, pork rinds, chicharrón…well you get my drift. There are many different names for this little porky treat but whatever you call them, they’re delicious and easy to make. You didn’t think I’d go six weeks without a meat postContinue reading “Fried Pork Belly – Using Up the Bits”
Summer Corn Chowder
Even though my favorite cooking season is fall, I do like summer cooking. Mostly because there’s just such an abundance of fresh vegetables which is constantly changing from week to week as the season progresses. As such, it shouldn’t be a surprise most of my summertime posts are vegetable-centric. Like this week’s post for example.Continue reading “Summer Corn Chowder”
Heirloom Candy Stripe Beets and Goat Cheese Salad
I’ve been wanting to do something with beets and goat cheese since our dinner at Bistrot L’Entrepont in Montreal where Cheryl had a beet and goat cheese mille-feuille. I played with that idea a little, but alas I just can’t get everything to come together as well as the chef did that night, so IContinue reading “Heirloom Candy Stripe Beets and Goat Cheese Salad”
The Roaming GastroGnome 