This recipe is special to me because it represents a few firsts; the very first recipe I created from scratch, and the first time I used vegetables grown by yours truly. Years ago, I decided to plant a small garden as a hobby. It was limited to tomatoes, squash, zucchini, and a few basil plants. It was successful, to a degree. And I found myself with an abundance of those vegetables at the same time. So, what do do with them all? I decided on a Summer Pasta Salad with homegrown veggies. It has been a favorite of my kids ever since.  My Summer Pasta Salad is the most requested meal I make and the best part is, it is so simple! Using the freshest ingredients and having a great extra virgin olive oil is key in making the dish shine.

Even though I have been making this recipe for years, I hadn’t thought about the pairing much…until recently.  Pecorino, a white wine from Italy, was recently introduced to me, and I love it!  The wine is medium-bodied with light tannins and medium acidity which holds up nicely to the tomatoes in the pasta.  This wine reminds me of Etna Bianco and will pair with similar foods like seafood and fresh ricotta cheese.  I hope you enjoy this pairing!

I’ve never been interested in baking.  But these past few months being at home has given me a newfound interest.   I decided to start my baking career with scones because I like that they are not too sweet and they pair well with my morning coffee. I did a ton of research and tested lots of different recipes to come up with my Orange, Honey & Herb Scones recipe.  What I love about this dish is the unexpected flavor the Herbs De Provence brings to the scone.  And it balances the sweetness of the orange blossom honey beautifully.

For the pairing, I chose a Cava, which is a sparkling wine from Spain.  Much of the Cava wine in Spain is produced in the Catalonia region along the Mediterranean coast. Cava is made in a similar way to champagne but uses a unique blend of Spanish grapes.  It has a unique flavor profile that can include citrus notes and an aroma of Mediterranean herbs such as rosemary and thyme. What’s really great about Cava is that you can get a really great bottle at an affordable price!  If you like Prosecco, I highly recommend you try Cava!

Summer is all about using the freshest of ingredients in a simple way to create amazing recipes.  One of my favorite things to do in the Summer is to visit the farmers market to get the freshest, local ingredients I can find.  And this time of year, local heirloom tomatoes are the best.  I use them to create a fresh sauce for my healthy grilled chicken parmesan with heirloom tomato sauce.

For the pairing, I chose a Barbera wine from Italy.  It is an everyday, affordable wine that is one of the most food-friendly wines available.  It is full-bodied with a deep color and nice fruit flavor.  It typically pairs well with pasta and other comfort foods that include cream or tomato-based sauces.  I love it with the grilled chicken parmesan and heirloom tomato sauce recipe because it really enhances the flavors of the tomatoes.  I hope you like it as well!  To learn more about Barbera wines, check out my Barbera pairing page.

I’ve been making my own homemade tomato sauces for years.  In fact, I’ve even taught my children how to make my basic sauce because it is so easy yet so much better than any store-bought brand.  Over the years I learned that the French also have a version of a tomato sauce that is a bit richer and less acidic than the Italian version.  It is considered one of the French “mother sauces”.  The classic French sauce typically includes onion, carrot, pork or bacon, chicken stock, sugar, and fresh herbs.  And the unique part of the French sauce is that it starts with a roux mixture of butter and flour.  This will not only thicken the sauce but make it rich & creamy.

I discovered through research there are many different versions of this classic French sauce.  So, I started experimenting with my own version and that is how the Rosé Pasta & Burrata recipe came to be.  My goal was to lighten it up a bit but still keep it rich and creamy.  So, I replaced the roux with a parmesan cheese rind and finished the sauce with 1 tablespoon of butter to balance the acidity of the tomatoes.  My version also includes Rosé wine along with the chicken stock.  Why?  Well, why not?

You are probably not surprised that my pairing for this Rosé Pasta & Burrata dish is a Provence Rosé.  I like to serve this pasta at room temperature and the wine only slightly chilled.  It is an unexpected pairing, but they surprisingly go really well together.  I hope you enjoy it!  To learn more about Provence Rosé, check out my Rosé pairing page.

The best salads for me have the freshest, seasonal ingredients.  But also, the least amount of ingredients.  I like to make 1 ingredient the STAR of the show and then complement it with texture and crunch. In this strawberry and spinach salad, seasonal strawberries, wild if you can find them, are the BEST.  The fresh ricotta gets firm and creamy when you strain the liquid and it adds a nice creamy texture to the salad that blends nicely with the strawberries.  The maple walnuts add a nice crunch and the balsamic dressing brings it all together.

For the pairing, I chose a Rosé wine from the Tavel region of France.  The fruit flavor in the wine tastes like strawberry and orange which pairs very nicely with the fruit in the salad.  Tavel wines are also more robust and spicy which I love with the arugula.  Check out my Rosé pairing page to learn more about Tavel Rosé.

Over time, I have really learned to appreciate vegetables. In fact, there was a time in my life I considered being a vegetarian.  But, I enjoy a good steak as well so that quickly fell by the wayside!  My grilled vegetables and Pistou sauce recipe, however, can make anyone consider being a vegetarian.  It is extremely simple to prepare but the combination of the smokiness from the grill and the freshness of the Pistou sauce adds an element of sophistication that is so satisfying.  Serve this dish as a vegetarian main course with a loaf of good crusty bread.  Or, add it to your holiday buffet table.

The wine pairing I chose is a Provence Rosé.  Since Pistou is a sauce that comes from the Provence region of France, it’s a perfect pairing. While I have yet to visit Provence (it’s next on my bucket list), this pairing immediately takes me there! To learn more, check out my Rosé pairing page.

I love a good burger.  But then again, who doesn’t?  However, I don’t like the excessive toppings that most restaurants add to their burgers.  I feel it detracts from tasting the meat – especially when you are using a great, local source for the ground meat.  I also wanted a healthier burger so I replaced the bun and heavy toppings with sautéed vegetables.  I included a little bit of cheese because, in my opinion, every burger needs cheese.  But instead of melting the cheese on top,  I combined it with the meat which makes for a moist burger. My grilled burger with spinach, mushroom and gruyere cheese is the perfect healthy burger for summer!

For the pairing, I chose a Cotes du Rhone red wine because they are simple, yet elegant wines that will elevate any meal.  And, the ingredients in this burger are very French (Dijon mustard, gruyere cheese) so it only seemed fitting to choose a French wine!  I absolutely love this pairing…I hope you do too! Check out my Cotes du Rhone page to learn more.

As I’ve mentioned before, I am not much of a baker.  I don’t really like it and I’m not really good at it.  But I quickly realized that every great meal ends with an equally great dessert.  So, I started experimenting with some baking recipes.  One of my first was an olive oil cake infused with lemon and limoncello.  I really loved the citrus flavor but the limoncello was overpowering.  What I loved most was there was no butter in the recipe!  Since the extra virgin olive oil in the cake makes it a bit healthier, I started experimenting with other ways to make a healthier cake by cutting down on the refined sugar and all-purpose flour.  And since I love the combination of orange and olive oil, I included both the zest and juice.  The result, my orange olive oil cake with summer berry salad. The perfect summer dinner party dessert!

For the pairing, I chose a French White Burgundy, specifically a Bourgogne blanc.  These wines are typically unoaked which makes them very food-friendly.  The wines are crisp and refreshing with natural citrus flavors that complement the orange in the cake and lime in the berry salad.  It’s the perfect pairing for a hot summer’s night dinner party or afternoon picnic.  To learn more, check out my White Burgundy pairing page.

One of the rules I like to follow when cooking is simple is better.  Another is that ingredients do matter.  This dish couldn’t be simpler, but the amazing result depends on using the best, and freshest ingredients you can find.  Whenever I serve a whole filet mignon, I go to my local butcher.  It will cost more, but trust me, it is worth it.  Besides, it is not every day that you serve a whole filet, right!  Interestingly, I started serving this dish as part of my annual Christmas day “extravaganza” party (more about that in my upcoming Holiday eBook).  But I realized that this Filet Mignon with Lemon & Basil sauce was too good to serve only one time a year!

For the pairing, I went with a classic red meat pairing, Cotes du Rhone from France.  But you could easily explore pairing with white wine to complement the citrusy sauce.  I think I might try a French White Burgundy the next time I make this dish.  Let me know what you think in the comments below.  To learn more, check out my Cotes du Rhone and White Burgundy pairing pages.

We eat a lot of fish in my house — especially in the summer.  I love grilled seafood because the simple preparation really allows you to appreciate the taste of the fish.  That is also why I typically complement my fish dishes with light and simple sauces.  Swordfish is one of my favorite fish to grill.  And the lemon, olive oil and caper sauce couldn’t be easier.  Be sure to use the best, extra virgin olive oil you have.  It really does make a difference!

For the pairing, I chose an Etna Bianco from Sicily as it pairs so well with all seafood, but especially grilled seafood.  This pairing is so simple yet elegant it is perfect for a summer dinner party al fresco!  To learn more about Etna Bianco wines, check out my Etna Bianco pairing page.