The Wines of California's Santa Lucia Highlands

When most people think of California wine country, Napa Valley is usually the first place that comes to mind. But would you be surprised to learn that roughly 200 miles south of the famed Napa Valley is a wine region that’s producing truly exceptional wines you definitely need to know about…especially if you’re a fan of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Did I get your attention?

In fact, it was only a few short years ago that the Hubs and I found ourselves heading south on Highway 1 (aka the Pacific Coast Highway or “PCH”) towards the Santa Lucia Highlands - NOT north towards Napa. It was a strange feeling, however, we were meeting friends for a long weekend in Carmel-by-the-Sea and were looking forward to the adventure that also included winery visits as well.

THE SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS AVA BY THE NUMBERS

The rugged California coastline was a beautiful sight to behold and definitely worth adding a little extra time to our drive (see photo above). When we arrived at our destination, we checked into the posh L’Auberge Carmel hotel, a Relais & Châteaux property, and it didn’t take long to completely fall in love with our accommodations as well as the quaint, charming town. And while many of the local wineries have beautiful, well-appointed tasting rooms conveniently located downtown, we wanted to experience the real thing. So the next morning, we headed towards wine country for our appointments.

Approved as an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in 1991, the Santa Lucia Highland’s 6,400 acres of grape vines are nestled along the eastern-facing slopes of the Santa Lucia Mountain range that measure 40-2,330 feet in elevation. Below, on the Salinas Valley floor lie expansive fields of vegetable row crops that are collectively referred to as “The Salad Bowl of the World.”

In stark contrast to chic Carmel-by-the-Sea, the pungent aroma of brassicas permeated the air while vegetable-laden trucks lumbered past us, kicking up plumes of dust on the the dirt roads. The change in ambiance confirmed we were getting close and we knew arrival was imminent when the dirt roads ultimately gave way to no roads and our cell service ceased altogether.

Our first appointment was a tasting of the Morgan Winery wines with winemaker Gianni Abate in the famed Double L Vineyard. The winery was officially founded in 1982 by Dan and Donna Lee who have done much to build the reputation of the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA. The Double L Vineyard was named for the Morgan’s twin daughters (Double Luck) and even today is widely regarded as the “crown jewel” of the appellation. We were situated at a picnic table under a solitary shade tree in the middle of the Double L and I gotta say, you just cant beat this special vineyard as the place to taste wines made from its hallowed fruit.

The bucolic beauty of the region was breathtaking and Abate was in great spirits having completed an early harvest a few weeks prior to our late October visit. He guided us through the flight of Morgan wines consisting of the Double L Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah. Rows of vines surrounded us on all sides as the late morning sun provided ample light to evaluate the wines. The wines were truly sublime, demonstrating exceptional structure and depth of flavor across the board.

Following our wonderful tasting of the Morgan wines, we headed to our next stop, Pisoni Vineyards. The Pisoni family is another one of the area’s pioneering families who were farmers first before making the leap to wine and their influence on the Santa Lucia Highlands appellation cannot be understated. What followed at Pisoni was one wild ride - literally! Patriarch and Pinot Maverick Gary Pisoni hosted a delightful lunch for us which also included a tasting of the Pisoni’s wines (which include the Luli and Lucia labels as well), and a tour of the family’s legendary vineyards in Gary’s beloved 1966 jeep.

At Pisoni it’s very much a family affair with Gary’s sons Mark and Jeff Pisoni serving as Vineyard Manager and Winemaker respectively. And as if that weren’t enough vinous star power, Jeff’s wife Bibiana González Rave is also an accomplished winemaker in her own right. In addition to holding winemaking positions at Pahlmeyer and other prestigious labels, she also makes her own wine under the Cattleya label (scroll down for more information). Lucky for us, the entire family was in residence during our visit so it was a wonderful vinous experience - for more details, please click here.

Our visit to the Santa Lucia Highlands left me wanting to learn (and taste) more about this unique, under the radar region that’s been making wine since the 1790’s. It wasn’t until a small group of pioneering families behind the Hahn Estate, Paraiso, Sleepy Hollow and La Estancia labels united in the 1970’s that the region’s potential was truly discovered. Over the following 20 years, local ranching and farming families like the Pisonis, Franscionis, Manzonis and Boekenoogens joined in to develop this potential into what it is today.

In addition to these pioneering families, another important factor makes this region truly unique: location, location, location! In order for cool climate grapes like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to truly thrive, a dramatic temperature shift needs to occur each day to shut down photosynthesis (aka the ripening process) and preserve the grapes’ acidity. The region’s close proximity to the Monterey Bay on California’s Central Coast allows the region’s legendary wind to blow the marine layer that’s created when the warm air mass contacts the cool water of the bay into the vineyards where it blankets the vines, providing the perfect cooling effect for these precious grapes after a day of ripening under the California sun.

In addition to moving the marine layer, the region’s winds serve another important purpose: to alter the composition of the grape skins. The ever present wind that has an average daily speed of 10-15 miles an hour with gusts of up to 25 miles per hour, actually increases the presence of phenolics in the grape skins which results in deeper flavors in the grapes and their final wines.

As we wound our way down to the valley floor after our visit, we actually got to witness the marine layer rolling in off the bay, cresting the peaks and unfurling down the slopes of the hills like a ethereal mist. It was magical and dramatic to watch and we were amazed at how the climate can change so quickly from warm and sunny to cool and foggy.

I hope you’re inspired to seek out the wines from the following fantastic families of the Santa Lucia Highlands:

10 SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS WINERIES TO KNOW

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Wine Word of the Week: Bâtonnage!

Don your beret and grab a glass of Chardonnay, my fellow wine lovers - it's time for a little French lesson for our latest Wine Word of the Week!

Bâtonnage (ba-tun-AJH) is a French term which refers to the stirring of a wine with a bâton (pictured below) while it is being fermented sur lie, or "on the lees." Lees is a French term that refers to the dead yeast cells and other particulate matter that collects at the bottom of the barrel as a normal byproduct of fermentation. Allowing the wine to remain in contact with these cells imparts a fuller, richer body and more complexity to the wine.

Stirring or bâtonnage facilitates this process by maximizing the wine's exposure to the lees (see video below). The extent to which this technique is employed is determined by the winemaker and the style of wine he or she is trying to produce. The more contact the wine has with the dead yeast cells, the more effect it will have on the wine. Ultimately the lees are filtered out of the wine before it is bottled once it has completed its vinous mission.

Because they are intrinsically linked, you will usually see the terms "sur lie" and "bâtonnage" used together. These techniques are best known for their role in producing white wines such as White Burgundy as well as New World incarnations of the Chardonnay grape.

I hope you enjoyed this Wine Word of the Week, to view previous installments of this segment please click here. And if YOU have a wine word you'd like to learn more about, please let me know in the comment section below - thanks!

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Halloween Entertaining: Savory Severed Arm in Marinara Sauce!

“Double, double toil + trouble; fire burn + cauldron bubble!”

If you enjoy getting in the Halloween spirit as much as I do, this recipe for Savory Severed Arm in Marinara Sauce will be a hands-down favorite! And if you’ve scrolled through the photos and are a little skeptical, let me assure you - it is every bit as delicious as it is gruesome so please don’t be put off by its gory appearance. In fact, I’ve been making “the arm,” as its come to be known, for about eight years now for family and friends and every time I serve it, there’s never a scrap left!

And while we’re foregoing our usual Halloween gathering due to the pandemic, I’m still making “the arm” for the Hubs + pups and I also thought this would be the perfect year to revamp this post since I haven’t in quite some time. So please enjoy the new and improved, super gory, updated photos that are very much in keeping with my glamorous, brand new website.

I first saw this recipe on "Nadia G's Bitchin' Halloween Special" many years ago and it is one of the few dishes I've ever made that can be described as simultaneously revolting and delicious. Butterflied flank steak, Italian cheeses and bread crumbs are rolled up to form an “arm” while the hand consists of a ground beef patty seasoned with delicious spices. Once formed, the entire thing is then covered with thinly-sliced prosciutto which, when cooked, resembles the most horrid-looking monster arm, covered in crispy burnt flesh. It IS Halloween after all!

Please take note, this recipe is a tad time intensive and I’ve made adjustments such as using pre-made marinara sauce that definitely cuts down on the cooking time. You can also assemble the arm earlier in the day and pop it in the fridge until you’re ready to cook it. You will also need some kitchen twine to tie up the arm as it roasts so be sure to pick some up at the store. Just be sure to allow some time for it to come to room temperature before searing. And the ground beef mixture needs to sit for about an hour before forming the hand and fingers so please plan accordingly.

For aesthetics, I finished the hand with sliced almond "fingernails" which made the meaty, gory arm even more creepy. And be sure to pour the marinara sauce around the arm not over the arm, you want the prosciutto to be dry so it gets nice and crispy as the arm bakes. And although it looked positively hideous when it came out of the oven, it always receives rave reviews from my guests and there’s never a "fingernail" or crumb of the arm left at the end of the night.

And for you wine lovers hankering for a special bottle to pair with your Savory Severed Arm with Marinara Sauce, a full-bodied, food-friendly red wine would be a perfect choice. My recommendations include:

• First + foremost an earthy, tart red-cherry infused Chianti Classico Riserva given the arm’s Italian origins - producers to look for include Banfi, Fattoria Felsina + Antinori.

• A fruity, full-bodied Australian Shiraz - producers to look for include Chateau Tanunda, Yalumba + Mollydooker.

• A spicy, juicy Argentine Malbec - producers to look for include Alta Vista, Tikal + Bodega Catena Zapata.

If you happen to be looking for other recipes to round out your Halloween feast, here are a few more from Nadia's Halloween special: Worm and Maggot Salad, Double-Decker Coffin Sandwiches and Creepy Bocconcini Eyeballs with Prosciutto "Flesh" & Blood Salsa. And while these recipes are also delicious, "the arm" is definitely the pièce de résistance! Please scroll down for the recipe for the Savory Severed Arm in Marinara Sauce and you can find the other recipes from Nadia's Halloween Special by clicking the recipe names above.

Cheers to a very Happy, Delicious + Safe Halloween + please scroll down for recipe! xo

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"SAVORY SEVERED ARM IN MARINARA SAUCE"

Adapted from Nadia G's Bitchin' Kitchen

Serves 6-8

For the Hand:

• 1/4 cup fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, minced

• 1 teaspoon steak spice

• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes

• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 bunch fresh chives, chopped

• 1 egg

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• Kosher salt + freshly ground black pepper

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef

• Sliced almonds for fingernails

For the Arm:

• 1/2 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs

• 1/2 cup pecorino cheese, grated

• 1/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped

• 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 5 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 1/2 pound flank steak

• Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper

• 4 slices mozzarella cheese

• 4 slices provolone cheese

• 4 ounces sliced prosciutto

• 45 oz. jar of marinara sauce (Prego works perfectly)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. For the hand: Mix together the parsley, steak spice, chili flakes, oregano, chives, egg, garlic and some salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the beef and mix together for 30 seconds to season the beef. Don't over-mix. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. For the arm: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together the breadcrumbs, grated pecorino, cranberries, parsley and garlic in a small bowl. Quickly mix in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and set aside.

3. Lay the flank steak flat on a cutting board and with a sharp Chef's knife, butterfly the steak by slicing it in half lengthwise but leaving it connected at the outermost edge so it opens like a book (for a great video on how to do this, please click here). Sprinkle inside with salt and pepper and then lay the mozzarella and provolone slices on the inside of the freshly butterflied steak. Add the breadcrumb mixture and roll up the steak, tying with butcher's twine at each end and in the middle to keep the width of the arm as uniform as possible.

4. When ready to cook, sprinkle the entire exterior of the roll with salt and pepper and heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Brown the arm roll on both sides, approximately 10 minutes + then remove the meat with tongs and place in the center of a baking sheet. Cover the arm with half of the prosciutto slices so that it looks like skin.

5. Assembly and cooking: Remove the hand mixture from the refrigerator and make a large patty to resemble the palm of a hand and place it at the end of the arm on the baking sheet. Cover with some of the remaining prosciutto. Roll out 5 fingers with the remaining beef mixture, using your own hand as a guide. Cover each finger with the remaining prosciutto and then place a sliced almond where the fingernail should be.

6. Cook: In order to see the arm more clearly, pour the marinara sauce all around the arm on the baking sheet rather than over it. It's nice to let the prosciutto "skin" get nice and crispy! Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake uncovered until tender, another 45 minutes.

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Which Wines to Pair With: Florida Stone Crabs!

Fall leaves. Pumpkin spice. Sweater weather. There are many things to love about October but here in South Florida, this month marks another special occasion: the start of Stone Crab Season! Yes, October 15 kicks off the season which runs until May first and during the ensuing months, Floridians are obsessed with procuring our next “fix” of this crustacean delicacy.

While stone crabs can be found in waters as far north as Connecticut, the best are widely believed to come from Florida. The world famous Joe's Stone Crab in Miami's South Beach is the authority on these crustaceans, also known as Menippe Mercenaria (Menippe = Greek, meaning force or courage and Mercenaria = Latin meaning something of value). Stone crabs are beloved for their delicious, sweet flavor and their heavenly texture is somewhere between the delicacy of crab and the decadence of lobster.

Unlike most other crabs including Maine's Peekytoe, Chesapeake Blue, or the Pacific Dungeness, only the claws of the stone crab are harvested and the crab is not killed during the process. Stone crabs are captured in baited traps and only one claw per crab can be taken, allowing the crab to continue to defend itself against predators. The claws make up about half the weight of the entire crab and, once harvested, the pricey appendages are classified and priced according to weight - Colossal size claws can weigh up to 25 ounces or more! Once harvested, the crab is returned to the water where the claw will regenerate in approximately 12-24 months.

The stone crab gets its name from their extremely hard shells and the claws must be cracked prior to eating - an art form in and of itself! If you plan on enjoying them at home, you might want to ask your fishmonger crack them for you, otherwise, there are plenty of videos out there that show how to use some elbow grease to DIY.

Stone crabs are traditionally served with a mustard sauce that complements the delicious sweet meat although some people prefer to eat them plain with nothing at all. Many establishments are know for their mustard sauce and there's much debate as to which type of sauce is the best. Some folks lean towards a spicy mustard sauce (like us!) while others like it sweeter sometimes with the addition of honey. Which type of mustard sauce do you prefer if any at all?

5 WINES TO PAIR WITH STONE CRABS

In order to complement the texture and flavor of the crab as well as the tanginess of the mustard sauce, opt for wines with notes of citrus and stone fruit with a racy, cleansing acidity. Champagne, Sauvignon Blanc, Vermentino, Roussanne and unoaked Chardonnay are wonderful choices to pair with Florida Stone Crabs and here are a few of my faves:

1. Champagne Taittinger Brut La Francaise, Champagne, France, NV ($44): This light, elegant Champagne crafted from a blend of Chardonnay (40%), Pinot Noir (35%) and Pinot Meunier (25%) is the perfect bubbly to pair with stone crabs with its floral-infused notes of citrus, white peach and brioche along with a bright, lively acidity.

2. Round Pond Estate Sauvignon Blanc Rutherford, California ($20): This delightfully juicy Napa Valley Sauv Blanc is bursting with notes of citrus, white peach and green apple that match up perfectly with stone crab meat and mustard sauce. It’s like adding a squeeze of lemon to any dish you pair it with!

3. Banfi La Pettegola Vermentino, IGT Toscana, Italy ($20): This crisp, delightful gem from Tuscany is racy and bright with notes of yellow apple, apricot and juicy grapefruit accentuated by hints of lavender and almond that carry through on the finish.

4. Drouhin Réserve de Vaudon Chablis, Burgundy, France ($30): This terroir-driven, unoaked Chardonnay named for the northernmost region of Burgundy where it comes from, is a classic seafood match with pure, mineral-infused notes of lemon, green apple, white peach and a hint of chamomile.

5. Truchard Roussanne, Carneros, California ($24): This utterly delightful, Rhone-inspired white wine is rife with juicy notes of Fuji apple, honeyed citrus, peach and spiced pear with a lively acidity and vanilla-tinged finish. This wine’s hint of sweetness make it one of our favorite pairings for any seafood with a sweet succulent quality like scallops and clams.

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Wine Word of the Week: "Terroir"!

"Terroir" is a French term which, loosely translated, means "a sense of place." It is used to refer to products (i.e. cheese, meat and, of course, wine) that reflect or represent qualities unique to a specific geographic location. With respect to wine, terroir refers to the intersection of grape variety, soil type, climate and winemaking technique and how these factors come together to create a wine that cannot be produced anywhere else in the world.

The art of blind tasting is based on the concept that a wine can look, taste and smell a certain way depending on where it was produced. So, if a wine is said to express terroir, the wine is believed to represent where it comes from and is therefore considered a "wine of place."

It is important to note the concept of terroir has special significance in Old World wine regions (i.e. France, Italy, Spain) where wine has been produced since approximately the fourth century. Today, winemakers in these storied regions are tasked with upholding and preserving the vinous traditions of their ancestors by relying on their wisdom, keen observations and tried and true techniques which have been passed down from generation to generation.

New World wine regions (i.e. United States, South America, Australia), on the other hand, have only been making wine since approximately the sixteenth century, often using vine cuttings and winemaking techniques imported from the Old World. By simple virtue of time, New World wine regions don't yet have the experience with and knowledge of their geography that Old World regions do. Today, the evolution of terroir in the New World continues to be an exciting and dynamic process.

I hope you enjoyed this Wine Word of the Week and learning more about the fascinating concept of terroir. And if you would like to suggest a wine-related term for Wine Word of the Week, please leave it in the comment section below.

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Sweet + Spicy Gochujang Roast Chicken + Honey-Lime Potatoes

“Food, like a loving touch or a glimpse of divine power, has the ability to comfort.”

When I think of comfort food the FIRST thing that comes to mind is roast chicken. Succulent, crispy skinned, flavorful roast chicken. And what better time of year for comfort food than Fall, especially in these strange, unusual and unsettling times we’re living in. Comfort food has never seemed more necessary.

Roast chicken is one of the first things I ever learned to cook and, decades later, it’s still one of my absolute favorite things to make. In fact, I think it’s safe to say roast chicken is my “spirit dish.” It’s a blank canvas upon which you can channel the spirit of a particular season or specific region depending on how you’re feeling. From my experience, it seems like most dedicated home cooks have their own signature roast chicken recipe (mine is right here!).

I can’t even count the number of incarnations I’ve experimented with over the years, but I definitely remember the standouts, and this recipe for Gochujang Roast Chicken with Honey-Lime Smashed Potatoes is definitely one of those delicious gems.

During the pandemic, I’ve been experimenting with Asian-inspired recipes and ingredients and I’ve become absolutely smitten with gochujang. This sweet, spicy, fermented Korean red chili paste is packed with flavor and imparts a fiery, umami deliciousness to whatever dish you add it to.

Straight out of the tube, it’s a deep crimsony, brick red color but when roasted, it turns a beautiful burnished, mahogany that goes especially well with golden brown roast chicken skin.

Gochujang is made from chili powder, glutinous rice (aka sticky rice), fermented soybean powder, barley malt powder and salt. Traditionally the mixture is fermented over years in earthenware pots, usually outdoors. Over time, the starches in the glutinous rice are converted to sugars which gives the paste its sweetness, while the chili provides the enticing heat. And it’s the fermented soybean powder that round out the trifecta with a fabulous umami kick.

A few important things to keep in mind when making this delicious dish:

• The gochujang I recommend is listed below - you will need TWO tubes of this particular brand to make this recipe so Amazon Prime it up and you’ll be enjoying this dish within 48 hours!

• This recipe will require you to spatchcock your bird and before your mind heads to the gutter, this term simply refers to removing the backbone from the chicken. It is kinda fun, in a much different way than you were initially thinking, and you’ll need sharp poultry shears to accomplish this task - I’ve recommended my favorites shears below. They are an investment you will NOT regret!

• A microplane is the best way to grate the garlic and ginger into the gochujang oil and a potato masher sure comes in handy to smash those glorious potatoes. You can also use the back of a wooden spoon but I found it had a tendency to shoot the little suckers across the kitchen. Please see my recs below for both items!

And while hearty roast chicken and potatoes might immediately inspire thoughts of a fuller-bodied red wine…think again! In this case, the heat and spice of the gochujang paste together with the honey and lime in the potatoes should lead you in another direction. Remember, you pair wine as much with the protein as with the “prep” and any other ingredients and it’s important that the wine doesn’t clash with any component of the dish.

Part of what I love about Asian ingredients are their delightful complex flavors that are so much fun to pair with wine. And when if comes to this recipe for Gochujang Roast Chicken with Honey-Lime Smashed Potatoes, the Morgan Double L Vineyard Riesling ($24), an aromatic dry Riesling from California’s Santa Lucia Highlands region, turned out to be the perfect choice! It’s notes of lime, peach, honey and white flowers together with a vibrant acidity complemented the dish beautifully, creating a wonderful synergy with its flavors and textures and a truly memorable, lengthy finish.

Dan and Donna Lee, founders of Morgan Winery, are true pioneers in the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA with over thirty years of winemaking experience in this very special region. Their crown jewel is the Double L Vineyard, named “Double Luck” in honor of their twin daughters. They purchased and planted the land in 1996 and in 2001 it became the first certified organic vineyard in the entire AVA. Today, the Double L Vineyard is the source of Morgan’s best wines, the Double L Pinot and Chardonnay and is one of the most famed wine growing properties in California.

In the event you can’t find this particular selection, simply ask your local wine shop for something similar. As I mention in this post, developing a relationship with your local wine shop is one of the most important components to empowering your palate and learning about wine! I hope you enjoy this pairing as much as we do and that it inspires your love of roast chicken in all its seasons and forms.

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“GOCHUJANG ROAST CHICKEN WITH HONEY-LIME POTATOES”

Adapted from FOOD52 recipe by Molly Baz

INGREDIENTS

• 1 3 1/2-4lb whole chicken

• 5 Tbsp. gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)

• 1/4 cup plus 3 Tbsp. olive oil

• 1 head of garlic

• 1 1/2” piece of fresh ginger, peeled

• 1 1/2lbs. baby Yukon Gold potatoes

• 2 fresh limes

• 4 scallions, green + white parts thinly sliced

• 2 tsp. honey

• Kosher salt + freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and place it breast side down on a cutting board. Using sharp poultry shears, cut up each side of the backbone from tail to neck until the backbone can be freed + removed + either reserve for stock or discard.

3. Place freshly spatchcocked chicken (yes, YOU just spatchcocked a chicken), breast side up, on a rimmed, medium-sized baking sheet. You want the chicken + potatoes in a single layer to fill the majority of the sheet. Otherwise, if the baking sheet is too big, the juices will evaporate. Press down on center of breast to get chicken to lay as flat as possible. Season liberally with Kosher salt + freshly ground black pepper.

4. Whisk together 5 Tbsp. gochujang paste + olive oil in a medium bowl until combined. Peel + grate 3 cloves of garlic from the head of garlic into gochujang mixture, followed by the 1 1/2” piece of peeled, fresh ginger. Whisk to fully combine grated garlic + ginger into gochujang oil. Using a pastry brush, brush half the gochujang mixture over chicken.

5. Cut the remaining head of garlic in half crosswise + place both halves + baby Yukon Gold potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Add the additional 3 Tbsp. olive oil + remaining gochujang oil + toss well to coat. Season potatoes + garlic with Kosher salt + pepper + toss again to thoroughly combine.

6. Arrange oil-coated potatoes + garlic halves around the chicken on the baking sheet, making sure the garlic halves are cut side down. Roast chicken + potatoes for 40 minutes without disturbing. Then rotate pan and turn potatoes to coat in juices. Drizzle with additional olive oil if the pan looks like it’s getting dry. Roast for an additional 20-30 minutes until chicken is a deep reddish-golden brown + potatoes are golden + tender when pressed with the back of a spoon or potato masher.

7. Transfer chicken from baking sheet to a cutting board to rest for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the potatoes. Using a potato masher or wooden spoon, gently smash potatoes to expose their flesh to the heavenly juices in the pan so they can soak it up. Drizzle potatoes with 2 tsp. honey + juice of one lime half. Taste potatoes + season with Kosher salt + pepper to adjust seasoning. Finish by scattering sliced scallions over potatoes.

8. Carve chicken + arrange pieces over roasted potatoes. Serve with remaining lime wedges + be sure to squeeze out roasted garlic cloves into potatoes as desired.

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Top 10 Fall Favorites for Food + Wine Lovers

“Autumn seemed to arrive suddenly that year. The morning of the first September was crisp + golden as an apple.”

Well, it’s official - my absolute favorite season of the year is finally HERE! (insert happy dance)

Yes, this week welcomed the first official day of Fall and, as a fellow food and wine lover, you’re probably awaiting with great anticipation all the deliciousness that’s in store for us in the coming months. Dishes like Rosemary Roast Chicken with Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms, Porcini Mushroom, Thyme and Barley Soup and Ina Garten’s Pear Clafouti are just a few that get my tastebuds going. Not to mention all the delicious, fuller-bodied wines!

I have so much to share with you in the coming months so I hope you’ll stay tuned and, since we’re all still dealing with #pandemiclife, it’s as important as ever to practice culinary #selfcare and nourish your body AND soul. I sincerely hope my curated list of Top 10 Fall Favorites for Food + Wine Lovers helps you to appreciate the wonderful sights, smells, sounds and flavors of this delightful season and truly inspires you to “feed your senses” and celebrate Fall to the fullest. xo

TOP 10 FALL FAVORITES FOR FOOD + WINE LOVERS

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