....is Coq au Riesling

May Grey is finally here in San Diego, I ususally grumble thru the cloudy start to summer (May Grey followed by June Gloom and occaisionally a misty July). But, it's a welcome change to the 100 plus degrees and wildfires we had last week. I used the oven and stove sparingly during the Santa Ana heat wave. We don't have air conditioning or even good cross ventalation to help cool the kitchen. Luckily San Diego tends to cool off in the evening and helps keep our home (with the help of a few fans) relatively comfortable.

This past winter I learned about braising, the slow simmer allows flavors to develop and keeps meats tender & juicy. So, I took the break from the heat to make Coq au Riesling, a heart warming and delicious meal. There are typically three parts to braising, the ingredients can vary but the result is always wonderful.

1. Brown the Meat

(and set aside)

2. Saute Aromatic Vegetables

3. Add Liquid

(bring to a boil & simmer)

I'm heading up to Sacramento today. I'm meeting my brother & cousin up there to visit family and I get the added bonus of visiting with a few of my college roomates. Over the weekend I plan to make this dish and a big batch of Chocolate Chip Cookies to share.

....is Samoa Adjacent

It was a bitter sweet moment when I realized Girl Scouts were no longer standing outside every grocery store tempting me with cute smiles and devilish boxes of deliciousness. I waited, maybe a week, to scour Pinterest trying to find a recipe for homemade Samoas. I love these cookies, they are my favorite second only to the classic Chocolate Chip Cookie but I will probably leave them to the Little Brownie Bakery from now on. There's a lot of time between each step and I like the two steps it takes to open the box and eat a cookie. I did learn how to paint with caramel & chocolate when dipping was too difficult. I got to choose the shape of my Samoa, a circle, a dog, a star & a fleur de lis. (Why do they cheat you out of the hole in the center? That's just more room for caramel, coconut & chocolate!) Overall it was a lovely afternoon with MMcK, while I waited for the cable company.