Dinner at The Shack
This weekend I finally made it down to The Shack in Staunton, VA, where chef Ian Boden is serving some really creative, contemporary Southern food. Here is a look at just a few of the dishes we had Warm Farro & Market Vegetable Salad – watercress – barrel aged...
Holiday Cocktails
I know Halloween just passed, but it's never too early to think about holiday cocktails. I'm truly honored to have two of my cocktails featured on the Imbibe magazine website. I even did my own photography. The first is the Rusty Rudolph, a boilermaker of sorts, which...
Benefit Dinner (with a side of moral dilemma)
Last week I hosted a benefit dinner for our local food bank. This is the third year we've held the event, and it was a sold-out success that raised over $10K. For the past two years, I have created a 5 course meal using mostly canned and dried goods that could most...
Dinner at Cosme
This past Tuesday I had the opportunity to have dinner at Cosme, Enrique Olvera's new restaurant in NYC. I'm a long-time fan who has never eaten in any of his restaurants. I was in town for the StarChefs International Chefs Congress, which chef Olvera was a presenter...
Beef Tongue Sauerbraten with Gingersnap Mustard
Here’s a recipe for beef tongue in the style of German sauerbraten. Served cold, a great condiment is gingersnap mustard. This recipe is by Frederick, Maryland chef Chris Spear
How I Do Grits
I am not a southerner and I didn't grow up on grits. It wasn't until I met my wife 15 years ago that I first tried them. But those weren't really grits. They came from a packet, were mixed with microwaved water and finished with a knob of butter. I was unimpressed....
Venison and Bacon Meatloaf with Lingonberry BBQ Sauce
A recipe for Venison & Bacon Meatloaf with Lingonberry BBQ Sauce from Frederick, Maryland chef Chris Spear
Sage Brown Butter Solids
Sometimes you start down one path, and end up going down a much more exciting one. I was working on some sage brown butter for a new dish. It was simple. I melted a few pounds of butter with a handful of fresh sage and an extra scoop of dry milk to boost the "brown...
Masa Projects
On Sunday I broke out the masa harina, thinking I was just going to add water and make tortillas. But we were serving Prime Rib, and had all this wonderful fat, so I thought I'd render some out and make tamale dough with it. And Sunday morning coffee seemed like a...
Sunday Projects
Since deciding not to do brunch anymore, Sunday mornings have become a little less hectic. I enjoy being able to work in things. Today, we're breaking out the tortilla press.