Fennel and Pear Salad

Garnish with blue cheese or Parmesan for an early springtime starter

We could be fancy and call this insalata di finocchio e pere. But it tastes just as good in English.

The subtle anise flavor of fennel plays well with the crisp sweetness of pears. Add a garnish of blue cheese (we favor Gorgonzola) or maybe Parmigiano Reggiano, and you’ve got a springtime starter that will awaken your taste buds from their long winter’s nap.

So yeah, we love finocchio (no Pinocchios).

Chicken and Andouille Jambalaya

You can feed a crowd with this spicy Creole dish

Mardi Gras may be over, but that’s no reason to ignore New Orleans-style cuisine. It’s good any time of the year!

So today we’re cooking jambalaya, which is pretty much every-day fare in Louisiana. And why not? It’s a one-pot dinner with outstanding flavor.

Best of all, jambalaya is not hard to make. Most of the cooking is unattended, and you can prepare it ahead of time. That makes for a perfect company dish.

It’s the big easy, you might say.

Guinness Beef Stew

Meaty goodness with an Irish twist

On St. Patrick’s Day we’re all Irish – and we want to celebrate. So how about some hearty Guinness Beef Stew?

It’s a great dish for entertaining. Because you braise the beef slowly, most of the prep work will be done hours before you need to serve. You can even make this dish a day ahead, then reheat it – the flavor will only get better.

In fact, it will have more flavor than you can shake a shillelagh at.

The Black Velvet Cocktail

This delightful mix of Guinness and Champagne is perfect for St. Pat’s

Sometimes a cocktail’s name really captures it.

The Black Velvet is soft, smooth, and well . . . velvety. Guinness adds dark richness to the sparkle of champagne. 

So forget the green beer. This St Patrick’s Day, make it brew and bubbles.