February 2021

Have you visited Cary Towne Center lately?  Although it maybe smaller than the more popular Triad malls, like Raleigh’s Crabtree Valley Mall or Durham’s The Streets at Southpoint, it does have a couple anchor’s you will not find elsewhere in the Triangle, like Dillard’s and Dave and Buster’s.  If you are a popcorn fanatic or […]

Last week, I shared one of my recent adventures and most memorable culinary experiences of 2017 in Hendersonville, NC.  My morning included a tour of Underground Baking Company and Independent Beans Roasters with co-owners Matthew Hickman and Lisa Hoffman, a tour and beer tasting at Sanctuary Brewing Company and cocktails, dinner and dessert at Chef Jesse Roque’s […]

Looking for a Girl’s Night Out or a Date Night with your better-half?  Mark your calendars for a special night of Dessert & Wine with a Preview Screening of Men Always Leave-Limited Series hosted by Royal Cheesecakes and Varieties Bakery in Brier Creek Commons, Thursday December 14, 2017 from 7pm-9pm.  Tickets are $15.00 per person and include: light […]

BUILT [Custom Burgers] is the new addition to Alston Town Center located on 5033 Arco Street in Cary, NC.  It joins the recently opened Whole Foods and existing businesses like CYCLEBAR and MOE’S Southwest Grill.  BUILT Custom Burgers is a fast-casual version of The Counter restaurant chain and debuts its first stand alone location in North Carolina. […]

I am not a doctor, however, anytime I am sick, I will supplement medication with teas and soups to help soothe a sore throat, cough or congestion.  First hand medical attention from a physician to properly diagnose a cold, flu or other ailment is always key.  However, I find comfort in some old-fashioned remedies using […]

Cauliflower is quite a versatile vegetable.  I have fried it, roasted it, sautéed it and now I have puréed it to create a Roasted Cauliflower Parsnip Za’atar Soup.  I admit that I was not sure what the end result would produce.  However, I really enjoyed the cauliflower, parsnip and Za’atar combination.  All items are elevated […]

In the fall of last year, I collaborated with Tonbo Ramen and TOPO Distillery to Host a “Paloma Battle” to Benefit A Place at the Table.  The month-long “Paloma Battle” featured three individual versions of a paloma, including my creation, La Paloma Viajera. While I am not a mixologist, I use my passion for creating […]

Are you surprised that I managed to squeeze in Aperol into a traditional Mexican cocktail?  I am not!  The apéritif is one of my favorite pre-dinner cocktails.  Aperol’s zesty orange notes complements the fresh squeezed grapefruit juice and lime juice in this recipe. Adding complexity to this cocktail is my recent fascination with Thai chiles.  […]

For a while now, I have been wanting to place a spicy spin on my classic macaroni & cheese recipe.  Specifically, I wanted to add some flavors found in Indian cuisine that I have tasted in the Morrisville and Cary area in North Carolina.  These NC cities are home to beautiful and diverse international eateries.  […]

None of our family BBQs are complete without a bowl of avocado salsa, better know as guacamole.  While my traditional avocado salsa is a fan favorite, I love playing around with flavors and introducing unlikely elements into my recipes.  Although the end of pomegranate season is fast approaching, I thought the delicious sweet and tart […]

This Cranberry Caipirinha only requires four ingredients.  Cranberry Simple Syrup and cachaça are two key ingredients in this festive holiday cocktail.  The deceivingly complex caipirinha gets its unique flavor from cachaça, a distilled spirit made from fermented sugarcane juice.  If you have never tried cachaça, its flavor profile is somewhat similar to rum.  Cachaça, however, […]

Candied cranberries are incredibly easy to make, but they will require a minimum of 12 hours to cool and set.  I make these sugared cranberries in the evening and let them set overnight.  After preparing these candied cranberries, you can choose to use them glossy, covered in sugar or a combination of both.  Regardless of […]

In preparation for Thanksgiving dinner, I purposely bought an excess of fresh cranberries.  I wanted to incorporate the deliciously tart fruit into more holiday recipes.  Not only do I use fresh cranberries to make a homemade cranberry chutney, but I also use them to make a simple syrup.  The following recipe may seem untraditional, but […]

When I think of grapefruit, I think of  South Texas.  The land and weather in the Rio Grande Valley makes it optimal for growing citrus.  My earliest memories of my grandfather include watching him tend to the approximately 25 – 30 Ruby Red Grapefruit trees in his backyard.  As such, citrus runs through my veins. […]