As a prelude to our annual choucroute extravaganza, we usually make an Alsatian onion tart. It may seem foolish or counter-intuitive to serve a rich creamy dish before a rich fatty dish, but they really work well together. Pate Brisée, Savory Pie Dough An all-purpose pie crust for savory pies…

A Sacred Family Tradition — Choucroute is only good after it has been reheated seven times — an old Alsatian saying Each family has their own sacred holiday traditions they look forward to every year. Rituals that are passed down from generation to generation to pay homage to our cultural roots and identity. …

French Home Cooking at its Wintery Best — Anthony Bourdain once said, “Context and memory play powerful roles in all the truly great meals in one’s life.” I couldn’t agree more though I may add storytelling as another attribute. …

An Inexpensive Way to Bring the Savors of France onto Your Table — If you are looking for a cost-effective (and tasty) method to feed your family this winter, look no further than utilizing this simple French technique. Confiting is the perfect way to take leaner, less expensive cuts and transform them into tender, moist, and MORE flavorful pork morsels. How to Make Confit (click here for a duck confit recipe)

how I processed the death of a close family member — I recently lost my father-in-law Gary to cancer. From diagnosis to his passing occurred within a week’s time. Far too quick to fully grasp everything that happened and really let the emotions soak in. Perhaps this post is yet another way I am working through it. I process death a…

A postcard from the nexus of garden and table — alternate title: Pencil Leeks — God’s Gift from the Garden I was thinning my 50-foot row of leeks the other morning wondering what I should cook with them. For those who don’t eat leeks often, they take on a silky smooth texture with a mild onion-like flavor when cooked. My…

the spicy confessions of an addict — My one major food takeaway from covid is Lao Gan Ma Chili Crisp. Everyone else can rhapsodize about the sourdough bread phenomena or some other crazy food fad. I eat everything drenched with chili crisp. My chili crisp addiction has gotten so bad I started buying it by the case…

3 Ingredient Chicken Dinner — The other morning I was zipping off for a photo shoot and forgot to get dinner started. I quickly ran back into the house and opened the fridge wondering what to cook. …

The Best Day and the Worst Day of My Life — The best day and the worst day of my life are actually the same. For several years, I had a reoccurring dream that I would be involved in a horrific accident. My dream gave all the details right down to the exact minute it would occur. When the night finally…