Before Savory Sweet Life began I knew very few people, including myself, who were passionate about good artisan food. I still don’t have a clue about what makes certain wines better than others –I’ve always been pretty content with the $2 buck chuck. A good wine to me is one which goes down smooth without me having to wince much. My knowledge of fine wines is still very much unrefined but this doesn’t mean I am closed minded to expanding my knowledge in the area. The same thing goes for gourmet cheeses.
Once in awhile I’ll attend a party where a cheese plate is being served and I never know exactly what I’m eating. But when I’m enjoying a good tasting cheese -I can’t explain how I know, but I just know it makes me happy. [click to continue…]
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[donotprint] I’m smitten with Chef Michael Symon. Not because he is an Iron Chef, Food Network host, or owner of acclaimed restaurants – Lola and Lolita. I actually don’t subscribe to cable so I’ve never watched him on TV. Come to think of it, maybe I’m not actually smitten with him, but I am in love with his bacon mac & cheese. You should know, I’m not a huge mac & cheese fan, so this is saying a lot.
I’ve tried all sorts of mac & cheese recipes and I’ve never tried one this good. It instantly becomes memorable, from the first to the last bite. This recipe by Chef Michael Symon is heavenly, and it even called for rosemary, which I found odd to pair with a bacon mac & cheese. By the way – I’m not a huge rosemary fan either. I don’t mind adding the herb to soups but would never consider adding it to pasta…not ever. And then there were the four cups of heavy cream this recipe called for. I thought this surely was a typo. Four cups of heavy cream for one pound of dry elbow pasta – what the heck??!! But I learned through this recipe that heavy cream can be reduced with prolonged simmering into a very thick sauce without any added thickener. [click to continue…]
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I used to love eating “cheap grocery store garlic French bread.” You know, the kind that is slathered in bright yellow margarine, overly seasoned with garlic salt, and sprinkled with dried parsley leaves?! Typically, these loaves of garlic bread are packaged in some type of foil bag and you bake it at home. All I know is this… there is a time and place for this type of bread. For me, I haven’t eaten this type of garlic bread in years. I guess I stopped eating it when I stopped attending community dinners which served this type of bread along with spaghetti, and an iceberg lettuce salad covered in ranch. Those were the days.
Fast forward to today. Although I don’t occasionally mind indulging in this type of garlic bread, I’ve moved on to a lighter cheesier version. One where the bread isn’t saturated with margarine but is seasoned with a light coating of butter and minced garlic. I also like to top it off with a little cheese, just for the fun of it.
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I love insalata caprese salad. I love everything about it, from the vibrant colors of each ingredient to how each element comes together for a delicious dish. Best of all is how simple this is to make but yet is stunning to look at when plated. Those are my favorite types of dishes to prepare! There is something deeply satisfying when I can create something at home in a few minutes yet feel like I’ve ordered it from a restaurant! I repeat what I said from the beginning… I love insalata caprese salad. I think you will too. Enjoy! [click to continue…]
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Today I went to the farmers market and bought 1 bunch of basil for $2. Of course I knew I would be making fresh garlic and basil pesto to use for a variety of dishes. What I love about pesto is its versatility. You can use it as a sauce on pizza, mix it with cream sauce, toss it with pasta, or on top of chicken and even on salmon.
Although you can buy basil in a jar at your local supermarket, nothing can compare to the taste and color of homemade pesto made from fresh basil and garlic. [click to continue…]
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