New recipe, April 29, 2014

Spiced Fava Bean Soup with Rice and Tomato from the April 2014 Bon Appétit. Quite tasty, this gets a 4.

Wine: Van Ruiten Chardonnay 2009. Not at its best

New recipe, April 28, 2014

Grilled Hanger Steak with Cucumber Salad from the April 2014 Bon Appétit. We give this a 5!

Wine: Von der Leyen Riesling 2012

New recipes, April 27, 2014

Tuscan Steak with Sandy Potatoes from the May 2014 Food and Wine. Served with a garden salad with and orange vinaigrette.

I was going for the char on the steak that the recipe called for, and over cooked the steak. As cooked, it makes a 3. The potatoes get a 5!

Wine: Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino 2004

New recipe, April 26, 2014

Quick Rotini with Sausage and Tomato Sauce from the May 2014 Cooking Light, served with the Chopped Kale Salad with Prosciutto and Figs from the May 2014 Food and Wine. We give the rotini a 3, it has nice flavors. The salad was another step up, we give it a 4.

Dessert was a reprise of the Top Secret Mousse from NPR

Wine: Fattoria Rodáno Poggialupi 2007--a nice match

New recipe, April 25, 2014

Greek Style Chicken Breasts from the May 2014 Cooking Light--very tasty, we give it a 4. Served with a reprise of the Carrot Salad with Coriander Vinaigrette and Pistachios from the May 2014 Bon Appetít, still a 5.

Wine: Terredora DiPaolo Aglianico 2010

New recipe, April 24, 2014

Carrot Salad with Coriander Vinaigrette and Pistachios from the May 2014 Bon Appétit. Amazing, it gets a 5! Served with sautéed Turkey Italian Sausage.

Wine: Infinite Monkey Theorem Rosé 2013--a reasonable match, perhaps a bit sweet.

New recipe, April 23, 2014

Tonight's new recipe is a cocktail, the Italian Berry Mule, from the May 2014 Food and Wine. Besides vodka, lime and ginger beer, this has raspberries and balsamic, which give it a really nice flavor profile. We give it a 4.