Fall is upon us. Ashy gray skies are the daily standard and funky shaped gourds have taken over the farmer's market. Autumn on the East coast means different things to different people, but here's what comes to my mind when I forage through mental photographs of fall past: Read more »
apple+bacon+cheddar grilled cheese
grown up comfort food
So something fantastic scurried through my twitter feed this week about April being grilled cheese month... As I dug further down the cheesehole, I found out there was actually a grilled cheese showdown going on out in L.A. this weekend , which made me think: What would I submit if I were entering? My main ingredients instantly came to mind: I flashed back to last weekend where I spent some time touring the vineyards of North Fork, Long Island. On the tasting barn's wall at Shinn Estate, there was a framed magazine clipping of a fontina and grape flatbread pizza. It was the kind of picture that made you stop and stare - or maybe that's just the food-lover in me. Regardless, I was drooling at the mere sight of it and today I thought, why not fontina and grape grilled cheese? Read more »
white truffle grilled cheese
One of my favorite coworkers and food-minded friends gave me an incredible gift this Christmas season and I was absolutely over the moon when I received it: a bottle of white truffle oil. Countless times I have watched Mario Batali finish a dish with a few 
shavings of these highly esteemed funghi and send whatever plate of goodness he has created completely over the top. However, with truffles ringing in at well over $1,000/pound and being a chef with a moderate budget, I had little intention (or hope) of ever working with them myself.... until now. As soon as I unscrewed the cap, my nose was on sensory overload with the pungency of the aroma. I inhaled and instantly knew I was dealing with some serious sophisticated mushroom flavor. Furthermore, I realized that just a little drop would go a very long way. If I couldn't work with truffles themselves, this had to be the next best thing. Read more »
