The Best Margarita Recipe
The Best Margarita Recipe
Roasted Asparagus Fettucini with Peas, Mint, and Grated Gruyere
Roasted Asparagus Fettucini – A Light Spring Pasta
Although asparagus and peas are not technically in season, this pasta dish is one of my favorites to make during a warm Summer night. Roasted on my outdoor grill, the asparagus takes on a sweet and smoky flavor that pairs well with the peas and mint.
Finished with a bit of pasta water, grated Gruyere, and a sprinkling of red pepper flakes, this fresh and bright dish is best eaten al fresco with a nicely chilled white wine.
White Wine “Affogato” with Blood Orange Sorbet
While having a glass of white on a recent Sunday afternoon a blast of genius wafted over my ice cold glass of Pinot Grigio. The pint of blood orange sorbet I’d bought the day before had been taunting me all day but my glass of Pinot was truly hitting the spot—what to do, what to do?
My brilliant idea of course was to scoop the sorbet right into my glass. Mike looked at me like I was crazy (or a lush. or both.) but I knew that it would be delicious, and it certainly was.
An Affogato is traditionally made with espresso, but since “Affogato” technically translates to “drowned” I felt like I had creative liberty to change it up. A nice dry table wine works great here—the citrus undertones of the white works great with the blood orange and the sweetness of the sorbet melds well with a dry white.
Scoop, pour, and dip your spoon in the Summer goodness!
Handmade Pasta With Chorizo, Kale, And Cannellini Beans
Pasta tossed with a few ingredients is one of my favorite Summer meals. I’ve never been a big fan of heavy tomato sauces so it only makes sens that I’d gravitate toward a pasta dish like this. I made this recipe by modifying this Martha Stewart recipe for Pasta with Kale and Bacon.
While Martha’s recipe sounded perfectly yummy I wanted to make it just a bit more special by trying my hand at making my own pasta. While not an every night kind of thing, making my own pasta turned out to be fun and simple, adding a nice complex bite to the dish.
I rounded out the recipe by substituting my own homemade Chorizo for the bacon and adding Cannellini beans and grated Gruyere cheese. Tossed together with a bit of pasta water, this type of “sauceless” pasta is the perfect type of meal for a Summer evening.
Gruyere Grilled Cheese With Prosciutto and Mustard
Gruyere Grilled Cheese
When you’re feeling down or depressed, try making this gruyere grilled cheese sandwich. It’s yummy and cheesy and full of goodness and will instantly make you feel better.
Sliced Gruyere cheese is layered with thin slices of prosciutto and then placed inside thick slices of sourdough bread that has been spread with butter on the outside and mustard on the inside.
Don’t Skimp On The Good Bread
The key to this grilled cheese is the quality of the bread. I’ve used slices of my Tartine Country Loaf for this recipe which really makes all the difference. Sliced nice and thick and smothered in butter, the sandwich gets a nice golden color on the outside from the grilling.
Grilled on a cast iron skillet until all the cheese melts, this sandwich is the perfect comfort food…for any mood!


- 2 slices of good sourdough bread
- 4 ounces of gruyere cheese, grated
- 2 slices thinly sliced prosciutto
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Mustard
- Butter one side of each slice of bread
- Spread mustard on other side of each slice of bread
- Place both slices of bread on a heated cast iron skillet, butter side down
- Add cheese to one slice as it grills
- Add prosciutto to other slice
- As cheese melts combine both slices and flip until both sides are brown.