pears Tag

No matter how often you make a recipe, it can trip you up. I created this Pear & Smoked Gouda Dutch Baby years ago for my book.  I know it well. I know it likes a hot, hot pan. I know the buttery pears will sizzle and...

Someone, who looks suspicious like my husband, informs me that I missed the whole appreciation concept when I moaned about Thanksgiving in Saturday's post. Apparently, it's all about gratitude and love, not weather preferences. He's right. As usual. While I might not be ready to offer you pumpkin recipes, I was and am very grateful. For many things. Like this view of the garden. And my sister's help with the planting when the 200 daffodil and tulips bulbs I bought somehow expanded into 1200+ .

When you do nothing to your pear tree but leave it be, you can expect trouble. And trouble came to my friend in the form of dozens and dozens and dozens of bug-free, blemishless, picture perfect pears. Her punishment? Driving some over to me. That'll...

I'm telling you up front, this cookbook scared me when it arrived. I haven't the patience to make confit, wouldn't touch foie gras if you paid me and can't even begin to tell you where to get quail eggs. Venison, bison and Cornish hens have never been, and likely will never be, on my grocery list. And quite frankly, I'm a bit afraid of pickled eggplant. But despite all this, Simply In Season: 12 Months of Wine Country Cooking by Tony de Luca is just the kind of cookbook I need. Yesterday, while Stick Figure Charmian was falling off a treadmill, Real Life Charmian was looking for ways to break out of her comfort zone. And the path to culinary inspiration was sitting right on my shelf.