This recipe is from the Williams-Somona Thanksgiving 2003 collection.

Biscuit tips: keep ingredients cold and handle the dough as little as possible to result in light, flaky biscuits.

Combine 2 cups flour, 1 Tbsp baking powder, and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl.

Cut 8 Tbsp cold butter (cut into small pieces) into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or knives (not your hands!) until it resembles coarse meal.

Add 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese and 2 tsp sage (I used chopped fresh, they call for crumbled dry) and stir to combine.

Add 2/3 cup milk (I used whole milk, and ended up adding a bit more) and stir until liquid is just absorbed.

With lightly floured hands, knead the dough just until it comes together in a flaky ball.

Roll or pat the dough out on a lightly floured surface to 3/4-inch thick. Cut 2-inch rounds out with a biscuit cutter or a glass. Re-roll and cut again. The more the dough is handled, the tougher the biscuits will be.

Brush the biscuits with butter (optional). Bake at 450F on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for 15 minutes until the biscuits are golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes. Serve warm or room temperature.

Bon appétit!

Wine pairing: An oaky, buttery chardonnay would be a decadent pairing with these biscuits. We enjoyed ours with a slightly more crisp Macon-Villages Bourgogne. Sparkling wine would be lovely as well. Cheers!

We serve panini almost weekly at our house as an easy weeknight meal.

Chevre, bacon, arugula, chopped tomatoes (Roma, grape, or cherry) in olive oil seasoned with salt and pepper, dijon or whole-grain mustard on foccaccia. Grill in panini press. Add arugula before and/or after grilling.

We use uncured, thick-cut pork belly, and lightly season it with salt and pepper during frying as our bacon.

Bon appétit!

Wine pairing: As compliments, several red varietals come to mind that include “bacon fat” as a descriptor – Tannat from either Southern France (Maderain, Irouleguy) or Uruguay would be lovely. As would Syrah from the Rhone (Hermitage), Malbec from either Cahors or Argentina, even Cabernet Sauvignon – perhaps from South Africa to impart that funky earthy character. For a lighter-bodied red wine I would choose an earthy Tuscan wine.

As a contrast, a refreshing sparkling wine would be a pleasant contrast to the fat in this panini. A dry, full-bodied white wine would also work – I would recommend a Viognier from Virginia or France.

Cheers!

Sautee one finely chopped shallot in 1 Tbsp each of olive oil and butter over medium heat until fragrant and soft but not browned.

Stir in 1-3 tsp finely chopped sage and thyme, a pinch of salt and pepper and continue sauteing for about a minute.

Add 2 Tbsp of dry white wine (recommended: Viognier or Chardonnay) and let reduce.

Stir in 1 cup of Arborio rice and let cook for 2 minutes, stirring a couple of times, until rice is opaque.

Add 2 more Tbsp of the wine and start stirring constantly. Once the wine has evaporated, start adding 2-3 cups of stock (chicken, turkey, or vegetable) or water 1/2 cup at a time, letting the liquid completely reduce before adding the next 1/2 cup. Stir constantly to release the starches from the rice to result in a creamy risotto.

Add 1/2-1 cup butternut squash or pumpkin puree. Stir in thoroughly and let heat through over medium-low heat.

Stir in 1/4-1/2 cup of grated Parmiginano-Reggiano until combined.

Season to taste with salt, pepper, and some freshly-grated nutmeg.

Serve with a green salade.

Bon appétit!

Wine pairing: Viognier or Chardonnay are recommended for use in the dish and would pair beautifully. Beaujolais would also be a good choice.

Clean meat off the bones/carcasses of 2-3 chickens or one turkey – I do this as I use chicken, freezing the bones until ready to make stock.

Roast the bones for 45 min – 1 hr at 400F for brown stock.

Add bones to stock pot with:

1 yellow onion, peeled and quartered

1-2 cloves garlic, peeled

1-2 carrots, scrubbed and peeled if necessary

1-2 celery ribs

bouquet garni (thyme, parsley, & bay leaf tied together in cheesecloth)

8-10 peppercorns

Cover with water (several quarts). Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer for 3-6+ hours to reduce, depending on desired concentration. Discard foam/scum from surface of stock.

Once at desired concentration, remove solids with tongs. Filter stock several times through a fine sieve, roughly filtered stock is fine for rustic preparations, thoroughly filtered stick is necessary for delicate recipes.

Let cool and refrigerate/freeze as desired.

Bon appétit!

Dissolve 1/2 cup of sugar in the juice of 12 lemons. This concentrate will keep refrigerated for about a week.

Fill glasses with ice, then 1/4 full with the sweetened lemon juice. Top with still or sparkling water. Garnish with mint, if desired.

Cheers