I’ve known Amie of The Healthy Apple since we lived in NYC several years ago. We’d bump into each other time and again at blogger events but I really didn’t get a chance to speak to her in earnest until last fall. After following her medical events on her blog I was so pleased to see that she looked like a million bucks when we met in person. And now I know why: her diet! Amie has been thrown more health challenges than most and she has done an incredible job healing herself through her diet. Her unusual genetic situation makes her body more susceptible to processed food than the average person and it has wreaked havoc on her life. But once we she realized how to handle it through eating she began to do just that. These days she is a private Chef and incredibly talented writer and she recently chronicled her whole journey in this amazing book: Eating Clean: The 21-Day Plan to Detox, Fight Inflammation, and Reset Your Body. I am thrilled for her success and am excited to chat with her today!:
‘Tis the season for rosé so I thought I’d write a little bit about it for my wine love column today. Rosé has experienced a surge of popularity in recent years. It is hard to say why since “blush” or White Zinfandel has been around for decades and was always popular with grandmothers the world over. However, marketing has played a key part in its rise and, frankly, it’s delicious! Rosé hits all the right notes for summer with mild, sweet berry and tropical flavors, and a refreshingly high acidity. It pairs well with nearly all lighter summer fare like fish, gazpacho, and salads. Plus, it always looks pretty on a summer table. Here are a few of my favorite rosés and gear to go with it:
DMZ Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé: I wrote about this two years ago as it is still one of my favorite rosés. With a medium body and flavors of ripe berry and watermelon it is weighty enough to drink with a grilled burger or sausage. However, it isn’t so heavy that it can’t be sipped along with a light salad or summer soup. It is a well-balanced wine with a firm presence that doesn’t overwhelm.
Encantado: We picked up this gem in Napa and I am so glad we did. It is a delicious example of rosé that is lighter than DMZ, but still exhibits personality. The ripe citrus and red berry flavors make it a delightful summer sipper even on the hottest days. The residual sugar is just enough to make it ideal for pairing with dessert as well as dinner.
Sparkling Rosé: When we were at Mumm last year in Napa Valley I met my match: sparkling rosé. If there ever were a more refreshing, delicious rosé style in this world I have yet to find it.(Full disclosure: sparkling wine and champagne are my absolute favorites.) It is not the least expensive bottle in the wine shop, but it is definitely worth the splurge. Sparkling rosé will appeal to anyone and everyone who likes rosé or champagne, or both.
Gear: While the #yeswayrosé hashtag is a little overdone I don’t care. In fact, I care so little that I am happy to sport the bag whilst traipsing around the farmer’s market.
I am here with a fun giveaway today. As you know, I adore Zwilling J.A. Henckels knives and swear by them in the kitchen. This year it is the 40th Anniversary of one of their knife sets. How fun is that?! That means these carbon knives have been slicing their way through kitchens for longer than I’ve been alive.
Today my friends at Zwillings J.A. Henckels are excited to give a set of these beautiful knives to one lucky home cook. Here is how to enter to win!
Leave a comment sharing your favorite summer food to chop up with knives!
Contest runs from May 4th through May 11th. Winner will be announced in the May 13th newsletter. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!
When I think about my life as a cook it all starts with my childhood. When I was growing up in Cooperstown there weren’t many restaurants so we cooked at home a lot. Both of my parents are excellent cooks with their own specialties and they taught me recipes and techniques they’d learned from their own parents. The food they made was not overly complicated, but it was delicious. And happy. Everything from salad to dessert was easy going and fun. And of those dishes one of my favorites was the chocolate icebox cake.
This is a good one from my mother. She wrapped it up and sent it back to Connecticut with me that last time I was in Cooperstown. So many of my good recipes come from her! This isn’t a long post but I absolutely have to share this with you. It the best kind of loaf cake: soft and crumbly with a strong Meyer lemon flavor and a slightly crunchy, slightly sweet coconut topping. It is perfect with a cup of tea, sent to school in the lunchbox, or topped with whipped cream and eaten as dessert!
