I love serving this mocktail to guests when hosting brunch, or even making one for myself as a midweek alternative to a  glass of wine.

“Dry January” is long over but we’ve reset the year to enjoy cocktails with lower ABVs, fresh ingredients and distinctive  flavors. 

For this recipe I use St. George Botanivore gin, but any classic gin works great! 

The vibrant cucumber juice base is delicious on its own. Try it with sparkling water and serve it as a spring mocktail. Just make sure to save plenty of juice for the gin! 

A California twist on a classic Irish Whisky Highball,  make these for St. Patrick’s Day or anyday!

This dish is simple to make, but incredibly tasty and looks darn fancy on a plate. You only need to wait till late summer when stone fruit and figs are at their peak.

The best part about being home in Chicago is getting to cook a meal for people I love. Basil pesto and corn get me nostalgic for Chicago summers, so Mom helped me whip up this dish with her pesto recipe. 

This wine cocktail sounds way fancier than it is. This is what I make for friends when it’s warm and sunny. I’d like to think it’s the perfect beverage for afternoon consumption (aka day-drinking). It’s low-alcohol, floral, and not too sweet. If you’re looking to sip something a little stronger, just omit the sparking water.

We had a variation of this lunch most days of our trip through the South of France. Have a glass of chilled rosé and you're all set! 

My lovely neighbor brought me some ripe apriums from her yard (yes, that’s a hybrid apricot plum mix) on one of the last days of summer. And because there wasn’t enough time to eat all of them before they were overly ripe, I made this quick fruit compote with a little honey and fresh thyme.

I love reinventing the classics. This is my take on “carrots and peas”. Cooked on the grill, it’s a crowd-pleaser for kids and adults alike.

I’ve cooked 1000s of scallops over the years, (not an exaggeration!) starting as a line cook in a busy French restaurant in Chicago years go. Scallops are a crowd-pleaser, the perfect seafood for a decadent special-occasion dinner.

For this recipe I use Bombay Sapphire gin, mainly because I’ll stick with the devil I know. I love the juniper berry notes in gin, and while I’d love to know more about the spirit, sadly I’m the only gin drinker in my house, so a collection seems useless. That being said…Friends, send me your gin recommendations.

These sautéed mushrooms get an extra punch of briny flavor from a few spoons of pickle juice. Don’t knock it until you try it.

We’ve been making this versatile sauce at home for years. It’s somewhere between a smooth chimichurri and a pistou (a French pesto without pine nuts or cheese).

I don’t think you can underestimate the importance of a good vinaigrette. Mastering the balance of oil, acid and some simple aromatics makes leafy greens sing

I call this a winter salad because of it’s seasonal ingredients, but also because it looks fancy on a plate and is a lovely addition to any Christmas, New Year’s or even Valentines Day meal.