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So too can a poor wine selection turn a thoughtful meal selection to chaos. Wine and food go hand-in-hand, something that people sometimes forget, or more often, take lightly. But being mindful about your food and wine pairing doesn’t have to be pretentious, over-bearing, or over the top. Simply let it be what it is: an extension of the meal itself. The right wine pairing can often allow delicious food to soar to even greater heights when the appropriate taste buds are encouraged to join in.

Wine Pairing

Just as we wouldn’t serve deep-fried pickles alongside foie gras, we need to be mindful of the flavors expressed in a particular bottle of wine, and how those flavors will stack up against the flavors of the meal. That bottle of Sauvignon Blanc is indeed delicious while we’re sitting on the porch with a soft white cheese, a baguette, and some fresh fruit in the spring time, but not so much when we just whipped up a gumbo full of andouille sausage, peppers and spices in the dead of winter. Clearly, just a little bit of forethought can go a long way.

Wine Grades

We know that we’ve got to be mindful in our selection, but whether you’re a novice or a sommelier, you aren’t going to know the characteristics of every bottle, every time. There is just too much good wine out there for that to be the case (*snicker*). The sommelier has it a little easier than the rest of us, but fortunately people are stepping in to try and help. The folks over at Supple Wine have a great idea going. Not only do they have a growing archive of reviews, pairing suggestions, and podcasts, but they’ve put together a growing, searchable database of wine via indicators such as the type of fruit flavor or aroma exhibited. Check it out.

Their grading system gives two scores. One is based on the typical 100 point scale, with attempts made to be slightly more conservative in the grading than traditional publications. The second score is value based for the wine overall. A great idea, putting both ends of that subjective spectrum together in one place. It’s just damn cool that if I want something fat with hints of tobacco, and I’m out of new ideas, someone is willing to throw me suggestions.

So don’t overthink it to the point of a panic attack, but do take a moment to consider how your wine selection will play as a functional part of the meal, and not something on the sidelines. Consider the interplay of what you’re making, what time of year you’re making it, and what you’re sealing each delicious bite with.

It’s not there just to wash down your food, you know.

I think, by now, that you realize that I am referring to Girl Scout cookie season and, if you are anything, like me, this scenario has played out a number of times in the past few weeks. However, this post isn’t about Girl Scout cookies per se. It is about cookies in general and my inability to stop eating them. The Girl Scouts have been peddling their wares for over 80 years now; however, the cookie as a delicious treat has been around for quite a bit longer. The earliest cookie-like creation is thought to date back to the Persian empire. Variations on these small cakes were enjoyed for centuries and it wasn’t until much later that the modern concept of the cookie evolved. The word “cookie” is derived from the Dutch word keokje, meaning “little cake” which was meant to denote the small test cakes used in baking. These then eventually evolved into the individual treats we know today.

I suppose you could call me a Cookie Monster. My mother did (and does) from time to time, and it has never really bothered me. I love all types of cookies whether they be hard or soft, cakey, sandy or cut in shapes. Different cookies remind me of various times of my life or bring feelings of certain seasons. Currently, I’m thinking Girl Scout cookie season. If I made Swedish pepparkakor, I would think about the holiday season and so on. Indeed, I think most people have some sort of cookie or another which they associate with the warm, fuzziness of a happy place or time. I use cookies as a form of currency. I bake cookies for presents (don’t you just love cookie gifts?), ask for them in exchange for services rendered and even use them as a bartering tool.

I understand that the real Cookie Monster of Sesame Street fame is now peddling a philosophy that cookies are “a sometimes food”. Now, being a student of the nutritional sciences, I can comprehend how it is important to teach young minds that they need to eat a balanced diet. I just think that cookies CAN and ARE an ALWAYS food. Just don’t eat too many, even just one can bring you back to that happy place. And don’t fret if you can’t bake your favorite varieties. These days cookie delivery is available worldwide from vendors such as David’s Cookies and people ship cookies in all sorts of varieties including gift baskets and cookie jars. Viva la Cookie!

So what should you do when you’ve grown accustomed to a cooking space that was spacious, well thought out, and as far as appliances are concerned, ready for almost anything, then suddenly you’re in a very dated, necessarily compact space, and as far as appliances are concerned, it’s described as basic? All in all, it probably equates to 5 times less surface and cabinet space, which is quite a significant transition.

This is the dilemma I find myself in now, as my Stainless Steel GE Profile and Monogram Series has become, we’ll say, more entry level. But what is truly tough isn’t the lack of the big hardware. The range, fridge, and to a lesser extent, the sink, I can deal with. The lack of a dishwasher is something I also don’t think about much. What does become more and more difficult is the lack of the smaller appliances. Most of all, living without a food processor and a mixer of some sort after you’ve had them for years seems like it’ll be okay when you embark on that journey, but eventually something will crop up and you will realize that you need these tools on a more frequent basis.

Oh, the space issues. As much as I desire a high-horsepower, top of the line stand mixer, there is just no possible way one can live inside my kitchen. In the meantime I’m considering a hand mixer, as my limited needs cooking for one would find it in storage more than in use, and there is some cabinet space left to be used. Something with enough umphf to turn oatmeal cookie dough, that can stand on the counter with its beaters up, maybe?

And there’s still the issue of the food processor. And although there are a myriad ways to turn, I can become set in my ways, and I’m already honing in towards a Cusinart. Indeed, that’s the brand I fell in love with using. With a wide range of prices and features, and solid brand recognition, this feels like a safe angle to explore. I only need something that can handle small to medium sized batches, is easy to clean, and can be stored with a minimal impact on space.

As I sift through all the options, and consider what is best for my needs VS my space, I begin to realize that these decisions have another level of consideration to weigh: There is the distinct possibility that my current locale is temporary, and there may be a new kitchen to assess in the not too distant future. So this complicates the process, but also makes me take stock of what is really needed. Not only storage issues to consider, but possibly repackaging, and moving issues as well.

The food processor can’t wait. I’ve made too many things lately, for medium to large groups, that require far too much chopping to do without any longer. And as far as storage is concerned, I’m not going to find a kitchen with much less than I have now, so it’s a pretty good starting block for those considerations.
But the more I think about it, and look around the space itself, and think about the lack of a mixer… I don’t want to settle. I’m not going to just settle for the hand mixer because it’s somewhat useful for my space at the moment. No, I’m going to holdout for the real deal, maybe even in stainless steel, when the time is right. Because it feels dirty to settle.

So although there may not be room in my kitchen to love all of these items now, what is physically my kitchen is likely about to grow and evolve again. When it does, I’ll have to take stock of what these tools can do for me, and how easy or difficult it will be to maintain, manage, and care for them. Because if I don’t have the time or space to maintain these additions, then they’re really only a strain on the function and use of the space I do have. And I don’t want to put anymore strain on this kitchen, as it certainly won’t help alleviate the pain of the departure from kitchens of the past.

By choosing wisely for the size and function of my food processor, I can upgrade my kitchen in a big way simply by its addition. A stand mixer would be too much commitment right now, and it’s okay to shy away from that. A hand mixer would be the easy way out, and clearly only a temporary solution, and it’s okay to shy away from that as well. So I find that I must move forward and progress with the food processor, if only to pave the way for the stand mixer that will eventually stand proud, in the kitchen that I’ll share my heart and hands with.

Because, you don’t think I’d go into cooking with loose ends in my kitchen, do you?

Toast, egg, and bacon (or in this case, prosciutto) in one handy package. Yeah, you're going to need a muffin pan.

I am not certain this falls under the umbrella of e-rock’s recent shout out to the incredible, edible egg, but I do know that I love breakfast at most any time, day or night. I made brunch with a friend a few days ago, and I wanted to share one of my old favorites. I have made something along these lines for years, but I had not made this ridiculously simple recipe in quite some time, and upon doing so again I am sure it will become a regular once more. With just a touch of patience, this is a super-quick and elegant hit, every time.

Compact Breakfast

Serves 2

• 4 thin slices of La Farm Rustic Sourdough, crust removed
• 2-3 slices of Prosciutto di San Daniele
• 4 Bladen County family-farm fresh eggs from Kelly, NC
• Maple View Farm heavy cream
• Chopped garlic chives
• Grated Grana Padano
• Butter
• Kosher salt
• Cracked black & white pepper

Preheat oven to 375°. Butter the muffin pan, and butter the bread on each side. Press each slice into muffin cups with all 4 corners pointing up. Bake for 4-6 minutes, depending on thickness of the bread slices, until browning begins.

Remove the pan, and put the prosciutto on the bread in the bottom of each cup. Crack an egg in each cup, and add 1-2 teaspoons of heavy cream per cup. Season with salt and pepper.

Place the pan back into the oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the whites are just finished to the desired consistency.

Remove each CB from the pan with a silicone spatula, and smother with desired amount of cheese and garlic chives, immediately.

Consume!

As mentioned, this recipe is super-easy, as long as you pay attention to the cooking time on your bread and eggs. Presentation on this writes itself (although you could chop the garlic chives finer than I did; I was worried about the eggs over-cooking while taking this marginal iPhone pic, sorry), but the taste is even above and beyond the visual. This is definitely as easy for 12 as it is for 2. Clearly the ingredients are somewhat flexible, but I like to note local flavor where pertinent.

Furthermore, I chose garlic chives as they are more like garlic than chives, just milder. And although chives may seem optional for this dish, I’d say they are too intense amongst the richness of the egg and cream.

I chose Grana Padano for similar reasons, as it is also mild, in comparison to something along the lines of Parmesan. And despite Prosciutto di San Daniele having far more delicate flavors than other prosciutto, I chose to flash it briefly to bring out the salt a bit.

Really, just pay attention to the time you cook the eggs.

In case you haven’t been to any store lately, Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching. The plethora of candy, hearts, stuffed animals, jewlery and flowers is overwhelming. If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably gotten pretty bored with these choices a long time ago (No, I am not saying that I don’t eat sweets like it’s my job). Plus, with the current trying economic times, it seems like a good idea to buy a gift that would be both beautiful and tasty. So why not try something new? Try giving the gift of meat.

Below you will find a list of meat-based choices to give to your lover. I am using the term “meat” rather loosely to encompass any sort of animal tissue used as food. To further the romance, I recommend that you just give the gift of meat and then decide together how to eat it. I’ve always been an advocate of cooking together as a way to bring people closer.

7. Steak

This choice is classic. Steak is extremely versatile and you can use it in virtually any type of cuisine. If you can’t be together on February 14^th, there are a number of companies which will package and send you steak to enjoy anywhere in the United States. (Hint: You can find Kansas City Steak Company coupons here)

6. Bison

Bison meat is another name for buffalo meat. The two names are interchangeable for a large, four-legged, horned ruminant, usually brown in color, and similar to an ox/cow. Bison meat is very lean and has become quite popular. Personally, I find hamburgers made with bison meat to be extremely tasty.

5. Lobster

This is another classic. I have been told that lobster has aphrodisiac qualities; however, I think this is a function of its luxury rather than a biological process. In any case, eating (and cooking) lobster is definitely an enjoyable experience. (Hint: Lobsters aren’t available everywhere at all times. You can find Lobster Gram coupons here).

4. Sausage

It might seem sacrilegious, but I have lumped all types of sausage into this one category. In fact, I could probably make a whole list consisting of different types of sausage. These tasty results of economical butchery come in a dizzying array of forms and styles. Choose your favorite and go.

3. Oysters

These bivalve mollusks are great raw or in a number of cooked preparations. Like lobsters, oysters are considered to be an aphrodesiac: however, since they only consist of water, protein and carbohydrates and very little, sugar and minerals, it is probably more of a psychological effect. If nothing else, please make sure you get them as fresh as possible from a reputable seller.

2. Bacon

It’s bacon. Enough said.

1. Iberian Ham

This is probably the ultimate in cured ham right now seeming as the first true jamones ibéricos were only released for sale in the United States in December, 2007. Made only in Spain from at least 75% of the cerdo negro (black pig), this would be the ultimate gift for any food lover. The Black Iberian Pig is the only breed of pig that actively seeks and eats acorns resulting in an incredible ham.

Of course, not every eats meat, which I can understand. There are also traditionalists who want to give/receive chocolate and flowers (Hint: to save some cash you can find Teleflora coupons and Chocolate Source coupons here. Or you could splurge on jewelry by using Diamond.com coupons or Ice.com coupons) and that’s ok. In my case, I hope that special someone gives me a pound of Iberian Ham to enjoy this Valentine’s Day.