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...
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...
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
Venison and Bacon Meatloaf with Lingonberry BBQ Sauce
A recipe for Venison & Bacon Meatloaf with Lingonberry BBQ Sauce from Frederick, Maryland chef Chris Spear
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...
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...
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...
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....
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...
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.