by Sean Ludford | Dec 21, 2016 | Food & Eating
Nothing triggers holiday memories like big, bold smells that fill the house. If you want your friends and family to salivate well before dinner try this classic Christmas Eve Braised Beef Brisket. It’s not tricky to make and the cooking time far out paces the prep time. It keeps well in a warm oven so you can make it early in the day (it will...
by Sean Ludford | Aug 31, 2016 | Beer, Food & Eating, Wine
Somehow the calendar got set to fast-forward and now Labor Day weekend is soon upon us. It is widely believed that Labor Day is the unofficial end of summer but I’m not having any of that. Before the winter scarfs are taken from storage and the snow blower is tuned for winter I have more summer living to do. It’s time for new traditions...
by Sean Ludford | Aug 2, 2016 | Food & Eating, Sean’s Rant, Wine
The subject of corkage fees in restaurants has been a topic of great debate, for both restaurateurs and patrons alike, for many, many years. In fact the circumstance of navigating the corkage topic has been the source of some of my most uncomfortable moments – from both sides of the negotiating table. In truth, I rarely bring wine to a restaurant other than those...
by Sean Ludford | Jul 20, 2016 | Food & Eating
One of the great gifts of summer is basil pesto. Sure you can have it all year long, especially if you live in a perpetually warm climate, but for me it’s a summer thing. We grow enough basil in the garden to feed the pesto demands and in this way we can have pesto anytime, which is to say I eat on a daily...
by Sean Ludford | May 11, 2016 | Food & Eating
We love cooking with wine, beer, and spirits. Few ingredients bring as much flavor to a dish without taking it over. Cider brings great flavors to braised dished and its natural affinity with pork is on full display in this dish. This is a perfect dish to be served on a rainy weekend. Make a large batch and share it with friends. This dish...
by Sean Ludford | Apr 10, 2016 | Food & Eating
Mushrooms are incredibly versatile, delicious, and super nutritious. They are a great source of fiber, potassium, antioxidants, vitamin D and B while being very low in calories. Mushrooms can add flavor and complexity to everything from pizza to salads. Mushrooms are very easy to find and in your better groceries you can find a great variety of mushrooms as well. They are easy to...