We hosted a Mac & Cheese Tasting at The Market this week and it was fantastic to sample with our selection of wines! Winter's ultimate comfort food! We paired these recipes up with a domestic Malbec, Sparkling Rose and a sweet bubbly white from Michigan. 

PIMENTO MAC & CHEESE
2  6 oz tubs of our Housemade Pimento cheese (I've not tested this with other brands)
1 1/2+ cups Heavy Cream
16 oz Dececco Cavatappi Pasta

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 3 qt baking dish.
Boil pasta according to directions, drain but do not rinse.
In a heavy saucepan, bring cream to just boiling, lower heat to low and add both tubs of pimento cheese. Stir until cheese is melted and fully incorporated. Salt & pepper to taste. Stir into pasta and turn into buttered dish. Bake about 15 minutes until just golden browned. 

SMOKED GOODNESS MAC & CHEESE
16 oz Dececco Cavatappi Pasta
1 lb. Smoked Gouda cheese, grated
1 lb. Smoked Pepperjack Cheese, grated
2 cups Heavy Cream
1 package Spanish Chorizo, sliced 1/4 inch thick

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 3 quart casserole dish.
Boil pasta according to directions, drain but do not rinse.
In a heavy saute pan, fry chorizo until just browned and oils have released. Set aside chorizo. Add heavy cream to pan and bring to just boiling, reduce heat and add grated cheese in 3 batches, allowing each to melt before adding more. Season to taste. Add pasta and chorizo to cheese and turn into prepared dish. Bake 15 minutes until just golden brown. 

3 CHEESE MAC & CHEESE
I used this Bon Apetit recipe omitting only the onion and thyme. 
www.bonappetit.com/recipe/mac-n-cheese


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Rose wine has been "trending" in the past few years, thanks to millennials and instagram.  The positives of that trend is we are seeing more brands available, better quality wines and better price points! The negatives are per usual; more choices that aren't always great quality, odd styles that are unexpected and our favorite brands are sold out quickly for the year! 
Rose in January? Isn't it a "summer" wine?
Some of my very favorite wines are Rose!  Of course many roses are styled to be the best in summer...crispy, bright, light and acidic for the hottest days. Others are quite a bit more versatile; bolder, rounder and fuller body makes them a great choice all year! These Roses are also lovely for lighter meals, brunches and rich cheeses! 
Pink wine? 
OK this is the deal.....all wine grape juice is WHITE! It is only when the juice comes into contact with the grape skins that the wine turns to red. In the case of Rose, the skins are left in contact with the juice for a very short time. Viola! 
I only drink.....
Honestly, we can learn to appreciate many things in life! If you end up hating the wine you're with, here are a few ideas to use it up.
Freeze cubes to add to sauces & soup bases.  
Cook pasta in wine.
Poach fish or chicken in wine.
Garlic makes everything taste better (so does Vodka). 
De-glaze a pan with it (perfect for caramelized onions) and make a pan gravy to serve on meats.
Make a slushie and add additional fruit and spirits to it.
The options are vast. Take a chance, think outside the box, you might like it......Cheers!


 

I'm a sucker for potatoes and cheese. It's magical and comforting and tastes the best to me in October and November. I served this particular non-traditional cheese Tartiflette at our wine tasting...I think it was perfect with the Apremont and Mondeuse wines!  My photo is from a Tartiflette lunch in Normandy this September and paired with a hard apple cider from the same area. You can play around with personal cheese flavors if you wish, but I think this dish ALWAYS does the best with a stinky cheese!  Makes 9X9 ish size dish or 6, 6 ounce ramekins. I hope you enjoy it as well! 
TARTIFLETTE
2 1/2 lb potatoes, peeled
1/2 lb slab bacon, cut in small dice
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3/4 cup dry white wine
Salt Pepper
1/2 lb Camembert cheese
1/2 lb Tallegio  cheese, rind removed

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Place the potatoes in the pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are easily pierced with the knife. Remove from the heat, drain, and let sit until they are cool enough to handle. Cut the potatoes into small dice and set aside.
    
In the sauté pan, cook the bacon over high heat until browned. Drain, leaving 1 tablespoon of fat in the skillet and add the onion. Cook over moderately high heat for about 5 minutes until golden brown then add the bacon and wine and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the potatoes and season with salt and pepper.

Remove the potato mixture from the heat and place half of it in the ovenproof dish. Spread half the cheese slices atop the potato mixture. Cover this with the other half of the potato mixture. Top with the remainder of the cheese. Bake in the hot oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbling. Serve hot.

I posted this recipe for the first time many years ago and it's still a favorite! Its a quintessential autumn recipe to share or not....
You are welcome to change the cheeses to your preference, but I always go back to traditional Swiss cheeses as I think they really complement pumpkin and it really is a component versus a vessel! 
Enjoy! 

Pumpkin Fondue

1 5lb-ish PIE pumpkin (do not use jack o lantern type pumpkin)
1 lb. Cheese- 1/2 lb. Gruyere and 1/2 lb. Emmentaler or read above
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups stock, vegetable, chicken or veal
a generous pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
10 1/4 inch thick baguette slices, toasted until dry and crispy
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
a pinch of Salt
Remainder of Baguette sliced into 1/2 inch thick slices for eating

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut top off pumpkin and clean out seeds. Sprinkle salt onto inside flesh of pumpkin.

Chop or grate cheeses and set aside. Bake baguette slices until crunchy and golden brown. Mix heavy cream, stock and nutmeg together.

Place pumpkin into shallow roasting dish and layer baguette slices, then cheese, then cream mixture into 2 layers inside pumpkin. You may have baguette left over. 

​Put pumpkin top back on. Rub exterior of pumpkin with olive oil. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and pumpkin is golden brown. Using 2 spatulas, remove from baking dish carefully and place on platter. Serve with additional baguette slices or as a side dish. You'll want to scoop up the roasted pumpkin flesh with all the cheese as you are serving or eating!

Cooler September days get me in the mood to bake a little something that is quick and delicious! This is a lovely focaccia bread that can be served as an appetizer and keeps well for a few days. I like to serve it with Alsatian white wine that is dry, crisp and acidic but still fruity...Riesling or Pinot Blanc. 

• For the dough:
• 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast I like to use instant yeast, 1 T no proofing required)
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for the bowl
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

• For the topping:
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing
• 2 medium onions, halved lengthwise and sliced into thin half-moons
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 8 ounces apricot preserves
• 4 ounces aged, crumbly goat cheese (I prefer Goat Gouda but you could use fresh as well)
• Crunchy sea salt

1. In a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water and stir well. When small bubbles start to form on the surface, after 5 minutes or so, add 1 cup of the flour and stir well. Let rest for 10 minutes.
2. Add another cup of the flour, the oil, rosemary, and salt, and stir until you have a shaggy mass. Turn out onto a well-floured work surface and sprinkle the dough with about a tablespoon of flour. Allow the dough to rest and absorb the flour for about 10 minutes. Wash the bowl, dry well, and lightly oil it.
3. Using a spatula or a bench scraper, gently lift, fold, and press down the dough, then give it a quarter turn. Continue this gentle kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic, about twelve turns, adding as little additional flour as possible. This is a wet, sticky, dough.
4. Place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat in the oil, then cover with a tea towel and let rise for an hour. (Or, for a tangier focaccia, place the covered bowl in the refrigerator for up to 2 days for a slow rise. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.)
5. Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large sauté pan over low heat. Add the onions, season with plenty of salt and pepper, and cook slowly until well browned and caramelized, 14 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat.
6. Preheat the oven to 450° F. Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment. Brush the parchment with oil.
7. Place the dough on the parchment-lined baking sheet and press out into a 14- by 10-inch rectangle. If the dough shrinks back and fights you, let it relax for 10 minutes, then press it out gently. It does not need to be perfect by any means. Dimple the focaccia all over with your fingertips (as though you were lightly playing the piano). Let rest for 20 minutes.
8. Brush the focaccia lightly with olive oil. Using an offset spatula, spread the preserves to within 1/2 inch of the edges. Cover the preserves with the onions. Break up the cheese and dot it over the onions. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with crunchy salt and pepper.
9. Bake the focacccia until it is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly and toasty, 20 to 25 minutes.
10. Serve warm or at room temperature

I love September for it's bounty of vegetables, warm days and the first touches of autumn in the light on on the trees. I still drink rose but can make a Zucchini Gratin on a cool day.  Here's my go to recipe....

6 tablespoons butter, plus extra for topping
1 pound yellow onions, cut in 1/2 and sliced (3 large)
2 pounds zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick (4 zucchini)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup hot milk
3/4 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
3/4 cup grated Gruyere

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Melt the butter in a large saute pan and cook the onions over low heat for 20 minutes, or until tender but not browned. Add the zucchini and cook, covered, for 10 minutes, or until tender. Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes. Stir in the flour. Add the hot milk and cook over low heat for a few minutes, until it makes a sauce. Pour the mixture into an 9 X 9 inch baking dish.
Combine the bread crumbs and Gruyere and sprinkle on top of the zucchini mixture. Dot with 1 tablespoon of butter cut into small bits and bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and browned.

I've also made this with cauliflower successfully. It freezes quite well if you don't mind the vegetables disintegrating a bit and I warm it straight from the freezer in a 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes. I serve it alongside most any meat dish, but I think it works really well with grilled italian sausages and a fresh green salad.

It seems hard...you couldn't be further from the truth. Enjoy my go to recipe and open up a bottle of Sparkling something..."Champagne is always a good idea"

1 XL egg
4 XL egg yolks
1/2 Cup sugar
3 cups Heavy Cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1/2 vanilla bean
1 Tablespoon orange liquer; I like Grand Marnier or Cointreau

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Fill a 9X13 pan halfway with water and place in oven to preheat as well.
In a small saucepan, combine cream and vanilla over medium heat and scald. Remove from heat and set aside
In a large measuring cup (easier for cleanup later! I use a 4 cup) add egg, egg yolks and sugar. Whisk until pale and thick. 
Add a small amount of cream to egg mixture and whisk until combined, this "tempers" the eggs. Add remainder of cream and whisk until totally combined.
Pour into 6 6 ounce ramekins and place into hot water bath.
Bake 35-40 minutes until custard is set in middle.
Chill 2 hours. Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of sugar on top of each custard and melt with a small torch or place under broiler until melted and caramelized.
Serve immediately.

It's steamy in Michigan this time of year. Summer is winding down even if the temperatures and humidity are not.  I love drinking white wine with all the garden fare and grilled meats. I tend to prefer something a tad quirky, simply because life is short and there are so many great wines out there! Here's a couple of my picks for August.