Well it’s kind of spring. The abundance of asparagus in the stores tells us it’s spring, but the weather…eh not so much. One day it’s sunny and warm, trees and flowers are budding, then the next day it’s snowing. This week I made a creamy asparagus soup and it matches the weather too, you can serve it hot or cold.Continue reading “Creamy Asparagus Soup – Kitchen is Almost Back to Normal”
Cooking Easter Lamb in a Work Zone
We’re a little more than a week into our kitchen work and it’s going really well. In fact, the kitchen really looks like a kitchen again and it feels good. Lots of the anxiousness from last week has melted away. Mostly because the sink finally showed up, but also because our stove got hooked up in time to roast my Easter leg of lamb.Continue reading “Cooking Easter Lamb in a Work Zone”
Please Pardon The Mess…Updating Our Kitchen
Cheryl and I have been looking at this kitchen since we bought the place back in 2012. We upgraded the appliances shortly after moving in but held off doing anything major. It wasn’t that horrible and since it’s not the kitchen that does the cooking we figured we’d overlook the decor until we couldn’t stand it any longer. We reached that point over the winter. Continue reading “Please Pardon The Mess…Updating Our Kitchen”
Wheaten Soda Bread
Corned beef and cabbage is the traditional food on St. Patrick’s Day here in America, and is usually accompanied with Irish soda bread. However, there’s much more of a chance in seeing soda bread year round in Irish pubs and restaurants. And just like corned beef and cabbage is an American contribution to St. Paddy’s Day, so is soda bread.Continue reading “Wheaten Soda Bread”
Braised Pork Belly with a Blood Orange Ginger Glaze
Just a quick post this week as real life is intruding a bit and I am running hither, thither, and yon. Anyway, I know you were left wondering ‘what did he do with the other half of the pork belly from last week’s post.’ Well, wonder no more. I fancied up a simple braise with a delicious blood orange and ginger glaze.Continue reading “Braised Pork Belly with a Blood Orange Ginger Glaze”
Pork Belly Goulash (Gulyás) with Spaetzle
This week I fully intended on turning pork belly into bacon and thawed a 4 ½ lb slab, but we were super busy over the weekend so I never got around to it. Unlike last week’s ‘blizzard’ Tuesday was actually quite a miserable day with some rain, sleet, and snow. Good old wintry mix. Not much but just enough to make you want a nice hot dinner. So I took some of the pork belly and made a pork belly goulash.Continue reading “Pork Belly Goulash (Gulyás) with Spaetzle”
Cabbage, Potato, and Sausage Soup
Yesterday I was preparing for a late February blizzard dusting here in Chicago and decided a good soup would be in order. It just so happened there was an interesting recipe for potato, cabbage, and chorizo soup in last weekend’s Wall Street Journal. Looked good so I took the basics of it and transformed it into something of my own. You’ll notice my soup is a cabbage, potato, and sausage soup NOT a potato, cabbage, and chorizo soup. (See what I did there? Ha!)Continue reading “Cabbage, Potato, and Sausage Soup”
Some Thoughts on Teaching a Sausage Making Class
Last night I had a fantastic opportunity to take charge of a sausage making class at one of my favorite local stores, Savory Spice Shop, up in Lincoln Square. It was a really fun evening and even though I was there to give some sausage making instruction, I learned a few things myself.Continue reading “Some Thoughts on Teaching a Sausage Making Class”
Red Wine Risotto with Pancetta and Radicchio
Valentine’s Day is around the corner and if you’re like me you’d probably rather cook a nice romantic dinner at home than go out for dinner. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but if you’re here reading this I’d say cooking is your thing. I’ve got a good story about red wine risotto too. One which I think fits in well with the whole romantic theme of the coming weekend.Continue reading “Red Wine Risotto with Pancetta and Radicchio”
Salami di Felino – Mmmm, Salami
Meat service is back on the blog after a vegetable post last week! And not just any meat service but cured, dried, fermented salami meat service. Oh hells yeah! Salami di Felino is an excellent starter salami as its flavor profile is simply garlic and pepper. This is the kind of stuff I dreamed about making one day when I first went down the charcuterie rabbit-hole years ago. As you can probably tell from my enthusiasm, it turned out great.Continue reading “Salami di Felino – Mmmm, Salami”
The Roaming GastroGnome 