Category: Eat
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Herb Phyllo Tomato Tart
This is my absolute favorite-ist thing on the whole planet to do with tomatoes in the summer! It takes a little work to put the layers together, but it’s worth it when you literally layer in the flavor. A very addicting, tasty treat – delicious straight from the oven, room temp or even cold. It…
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Tomato Peach Panzanella Salad
I had my first peach of the year yesterday and it was divine! Perfumey, juicy, soft – I could have eaten a bushel. It reminded me of this salad that is just the best of summer in a bowl! Peaches, tomatoes and basil are wed with shallots, fresh mozzarella and a light vinaigrette for a…
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Hot Artichoke & Beet Green Dip
I planted one artichoke plant in my garden bed a little too early before the summer was over last year and I’ve been struggling to keep it alive. I had hoped I might get an artichoke or two this season, but it just wasn’t strong and mature enough…sigh. I was riding my bike around town…
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Mini Egg White Frittatas
I’m sure you’ve seen those expensive egg cups in the grocery store lately. They are everywhere! I’ve been making them at home for over 10 years at about $0.70 each. This version below uses egg whites and has Italian-inspired ingredients. However you can easily replace egg whites with whole eggs – probably 8 large eggs…
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Any Meat Bones Stock
Learning to make proper stock in culinary school was a fucking game changer. It was what we did from day one to the day before graduation. Laying out 50 pounds of bones-du-jour on to sheet pans, roasting them until deep brown, struggling to get them in the huge industrial stock pots bolted to the floor,…
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Jersey Tomato Pie
No matter your opinion of New Jersey, it is, after all the Garden State. That’s where I grew up – farms just miles away with summer bounty of fresh Jersey corn, peaches and tomatoes. My first job at 16 was actually at a farm store selling fresh fruit and veg with a bakery that made…
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Roasted Peach Compote
Nerdie gave me a half a flat of peaches from Gold Country where his dad lives. There were pretty ripe so I didn’t think they would hold up being baked in a pie. Instead, I envisioned a sweet and savory chunky jam that would go equally well with cheese as it would over vanilla ice…
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Limoncello
There is a beautiful Meyer Lemon tree in the yard of the carriage house I’m renting in downtown Napa. My landlords, who live in the Victorian on the property, have two young kids and don’t have the time to do anything with what grows in the yard. One Saturday in February, I got a ladder…
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My First Kill
The winery I work for part-time doing estate tastings and sales also has a 40 acre farm on one of the mountains in north Napa Valley. After a bunch of us at the winery took an official tour of the farm this past summer, I expressed an interest to the Farm Manager that I’d like…
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There is no team in ‘I’
I’ve seen so many god-damn videos featuring world-renowned restaurants where the chef puts on a show about how great he is (like 99% he) and their restaurants are. I understand that BS and videography are besties…it’s not just restaurants. But, good lord, it’s the same thing over and over again. Aren’t I so cool? Isn’t…
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