'Summer Sparklers' for J. McLaughlin

Credit: Niki Nero Photography

“The most interesting cocktails for summer, whether you have a pool or not, have some effervescence which relates to the sparkling water filling the pool or the ocean, near or far. Champagne, or any sparkling wine, adds pure magic to a cocktail. You might call it bubbles, I might say dryness. But the wisest of us all know Champagne sprinkles a fairy dust of magic.

“There are a few things to think about when choosing a house cocktail. We do not want a ‘normal’ drink available anywhere and everywhere. Instead try something people might not have tried. Leave complicated cocktails to mixologists. Your home is not a bar. You must be able to make repeat versions; meaning a first drink, possibly a second, and if the occasion arises for a third, you will be able to walk up a flight of stairs and mix another….”

 Read more & find 3 recipes for easy, breezy Poolside Cocktails, all with Champagne (or Prosecco if you’d prefer), via J. McLaughlin’s newsletter/blog HERE!

'Half a Dozen Summer Party Tips' for J. McLaughlin

“The #1 tip concerns conversations because we haven’t been face to face in so long! Just thinking about it sparks excitement, which gets energy flowing and makes party planning extra pleasurable. 

Suzanne and a guest converse at the debut of our collaboration with J. McLaughlin…

[Credit: Niki Nero Photography]

Let’s Talk
Consider possible party talk even before your event. Conversation starters can range from fun and frivolous (like showing off your matching napkins and dress) to deep dives straight for the heart of the matter. Think about each guest and what might be going on in their life so that you can ask pertinent questions, showing that they have been on your mind and that you care for them. Conversations which easily shift from light to meaningful are unforgettable. Simply skimming the surface leaves an empty feeling later. To more easily dive deep, start shallow as a means of getting there. Pointing out your matchy matchy napkins and dress will ignite laughter and spark interesting talk.…”

Read the rest of Suzanne’s party tips and find our recipe for a perfect French 75 via J. McLaughlin’s blog HERE!

Summer Pantry Week Two

A few years ago I was working on a book with the working title, The Music of Food. For that project (not completed) I interviewed well known musicians whose second passion was cooking. My favorite question to ask was, What do you want to eat when madly in love? The answers were all fabulous but one stood out above the rest, from Grace Potter:

Spaghetti. All day. I mean, it’s a love food! It is the most romantic food in the world because it’s just like…twirl things around in your mouth, basically what love is, you know? Whether it’s the tongue or something else. It’s basically the most — I think it’s essential food. For me the tactile experience is like twirling the pasta, or if I am madly in love with someone who doesn’t know how to twirl pasta, watching his clumsy fingers trying to learn how to twirl pasta. I love that so much, it’s one of my favorite things. So it’s a lady in the tramp experience you know…

With Grace in mind, we put together four no-cook pasta sauces for Week Two in Summer Pantry. Most of the ingredients come straight from the cans, jars, bottles, and boxes sitting on your pantry shelves this very minute. No need to turn on the oven! Let’s keep the heat out of the kitchen and in rooms where hotness really belongs. First put love right on the dinner plate. Satisfying a tummy ignites happiness in the heart. Proudly serve a plate of pasta that will delight the pickiest eater in your house, or a James Beard Award-winning chef if one happens to drop by around dinnertime. 

P.S. Still time to sign up for the rest of our Summer Pantry series HERE, and you should because you never know what you will learn. More than the recipes!

Spaghetti with Tuna, Garlic, and Cream Sauce

Mix everything by hand to get a grainier, more interesting texture. Delicious with shell pasta! Seggiano is my favorite brand, carried by Whole Foods. The pasta has a rough surface to which the sauce can cling…

• 7-ounce can of tuna packed in olive oil, drained 

• 1 clove garlic, chopped fine

• 1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley, stems discarded, leaves chopped

• 4 tablespoons heavy cream

• 1 egg, lightly beaten

• 3 tablespoon butter, softened

• salt and black pepper in a grinder

• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiana, plus additional for the table

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook for about 9 minutes, or according to directions. 

2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, mash the drained tuna with a fork. Add garlic, parsley, cream, egg, butter, salt, liberal grindings of pepper, and 1/2 cup of grated cheese. Mix well until a creamy sauce emerges. Taste and correct with salt and pepper.

3. Drain pasta, toss immediately with tuna mixture, and serve at once.

"A Cozy Cocktail with Presidential Panache" for Garden & Gun

Credit: Niki Nero Photography

“In a nod to those who helped shape America—especially George Washington—Pollak created the Founding Father, a wintertime riff on a classic Remember the Maine cocktail, which typically includes some combination of rye whiskey, vermouth, absinthe, and cherry liqueur. After Washington’s second term in office, he built a distillery at Mount Vernon, setting up the whole supply chain on the grounds: His enslaved laborers grew and harvested the grains, ground the flour in the on-site grist mill, and converted the grains to whiskey, Pollak explains, resulting in about 10,000 gallons a year.”

Read the rest and find Suzanne’s perfect President’s Day cocktail recipe online via Garden & Gun!

Dressing for Zoom Parties

Credit: J. McLaughlin blog.

Forget about wearing your sexy red jumpsuit over the holidays! We cannot see most of your body nor even your shoes anymore. In 2020, party dressing is easier than it's ever been. All you have to worry about is the top third of you, from your breasts to your brain. 

• Don’t be that person who sits 20 feet from the computer so we have to squint to find you. Make it easy on the rest of us and sit a little closer to the camera.

• Flash your eyes — make those babies up! Light up the screen with smiles again and again (even more important since we cannot see people’s mouths IRL anymore). Big earrings? Yes! Strapless? No! Looks like you are topless. As for Lights! Camera! Action! Get yourself a ring light.* Action means bringing your A game, an extra snap of energy, burning 25% brighter because your vibes do flow through. 

• Use all parts of your brain. Know when to talk and when to listen. Social and emotional IQ are more important than ever. Each of us want to be seen, heard and treasured. Big No No: looking down at your phone. Can’t you just put that thing away for an hour? Please & Thank You. 

A party on Zoom can feel festive. We know, we’ve hosted 33 weekly 30-minute installments of an online happy hour, where we create a cocktail and listen to live music. We’ve learned that fun is more likely to occur with a plan for a shared activity, such as making a recipe together.

*Buy yourself a Merry Little Xmas present: a ring light for Zoom purposes. You will look happier, younger, less stressed…

For more life tips on connecting and community, cocktails and cooking, check out the Academy’s Winter 2021 Online Courses HERE!

Milk Punch

For your tiny holiday party, we suggest starting with a classic Milk Punch!

Credit: Niki Nero Photography

Milk Punch was first recorded William Sacheverell’s 1688 travelogue from the Scottish isle of Iona. The earliest written recipe for it appeared in a 1711 cookbook; then there was Benjamin Franklin in 1763 making his clarified milk punch with brandy and lemon added to hot milk. (Clarified milk punch is a glass of translucent and elegant liquid, fantastic indeed but time consuming to make. For now, we bring you the easier milky version.)

Milk punch reached the height of popularity in the middle of the 18th century. Queen Victoria issued a royal warrant in 1838 to Nathaniel Whisson as "purveyors of milk punch to Her Majesty”. A different sort of Queen, in a different era, the 20th C. Queen Mother used to tell her butlers, “You old Queens, get this old Queen a drink!” Yet another Queen by the name of Cleopatra supposedly bathed in the white stuff. Did she do that right before Marc Anthony ravaged her? Was milk bath the magic that drew Caesar into her web?

In today’s world, milk punch has made a comeback. This year in particular is perfect for milk punch, one reason being it isn’t really meant for a punch bowl. A bowl is just too much milk punch, unless you are bathing the baby. You cannot, must not, drink this stuff all night long. Milk punch is for making one or two at a time, shaking each batch to get that foamy froth. They are not alcoholic lattes but could be mistaken for one! 

Another reason milk punch is the right beverage for this year: comfort and familiarity. All of us started life with our mother’s milk, or from a bottle. Milk may bring a feeling of safety and security. Yet milk punch is different enough to be fascinating and these juxtaposing characteristics set the stage for guests to feel safe and open up. There is something about milk punch helping to get us there, being our first beverage and all that.  

Milk punch gives a sheen to a holiday party, however small that party might be. I entertained a tiny group on Saturday night. We started out with milk punch cocktails, then we switched to our regular drinks, and the secrets started to spill. Wouldn’t you like to know what was revealed? Sorry, I am a vault. But I can share that milk punch set the stage.  

As cocktails have grown more fabulist, hyper intellectual, or just plain weird over the last 15 years, bartenders worth their muster feel they must create, like a professor trying to achieve tenure, so they mix new drinks with crazy ingredients and silly names. Sometimes we long for plain and normal, a classic that has stood the test of time, vestige of good old days, maybe even the days of 1688 or 1711. Since our old world is utterly changed, a new one struggling to be born, milk punch fits the times. 

The other stuff that turns milk into punch: Cognac or bourbon. Simple syrup. Nutmeg. 

COGNAC

Victor Hugo called cognac the “liquor of the gods”. Cognac is a symbol of French luxury, distilled twice, between October 1 and March 31. Cognac is brandy but not all brandy is cognac. Got that?

BOURBON

We Southerners know all about bourbon, especially in Charleston, and just ‘cause you may be from Kentucky doesn’t make you a world expert on the big brown liquor. Bourbon is made from at least 51% corn, but rye and barley make it more beautiful. 

SYRUP 

In order to incorporate sugar into a drink, it needs to be dissolved first or you’ll end up with a sandy mess (an effect only desired in mint juleps — come back this spring to learn more!).

Simple syrup is simply made by pouring equal parts water and sugar into a saucepan. 1 : 1. The following numbers are easy too, our favorite kind of math at the Academy. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes until sugar dissolves. Store for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer. Please don’t let us hear about any of you buying a bottle of simple syrup you didn’t make yourself. You might end up sitting with the dunce hat in our corner.

NUTMEG 

Why does McCormick pack 12 spheres of nutmeg in a bottle where one nutmeg by itself lasts several years? Dear Mr. McCormick: Not one of us needs jars of spice this size for anything at home. Spices lose their essence before we use a quarter of the bottle. 

Nutmeg grows on 40' trees in Indonesia, French Guiana and India. The fruit looks like an apricot. The pit inside is nutmeg. For those who want more trivia…the red lace covering the pit is mace. Only one pound of mace can be removed from a hundred pounds of nutmeg. So, there you have it! A useless tip to toss around. 

One more useful factoid to note: nutmeg’s aroma disappears quickly so you must ground it fresh on top of the milk punch. For that you will need a microplane. 

ABOUT PROPORTIONS… 

You do not always have to stick to proportions on recipes, though the Academy preaches you should. When a classic is right, do not mess with it! Find something else to mess with.

However, I messed with many milk punches on Saturday doing my due diligence for this blog. I do not like sweet drinks, but many recipes call for too much, at least for my taste. That’s why I was messing around. And then there were more weighty decisions, such as, bourbon or cognac? How unsweet can a punch be? How much milk does a milk punch need? At least I had my little posse of dinner guests to help me with the big decisions. Milk punch is a lovely appetizer drink. It does a beautiful job of saying: Welcome to my party, and to the holiday season. Let our night begin. 

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 oz simple syrup

• 1.5 milk

• 2 ounce booze 

• nutmeg 

Put in a shaker with ice. Shake, shake, shake until frothy about 20 seconds. Strain in a glass. Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg. Enjoy!

"Baking with Barbara " for J. McLaughlin Blog

“‘Tis the season for homemade challah! Grounded in ancient Jewish tradition, this gorgeously glossy braided bread graces the Chanukah table—and then makes the most wonderful French toast and grilled cheese sandwiches. While there are lots of places in New York to buy great challah, including Eli’s Market on Third Avenue on the Upper East Side, there’s something special about making a loaf from scratch.

To prepare for the all-important holiday baking season, Barbara McLaughlin and her daughter Madeline signed up for Carbs 101, an online class at the Charleston Academy of Domestic Pursuits. Taught by Barbara’s friend Suzanne Pollak, founder of the Academy, professional baker and cookbook author, the classes are the next best thing to being in Suzanne’s cozy kitchen in Charleston, not far from our J. McLaughlin store on King Street….”

Read more about Barbara & Madeline’s adventures baking challah with Suzanne, and find a recipe for making loaves of your own this Holiday season, via J. Mc Laughlin’s blog HERE!

Crush Thanksgiving

Bake the best pie on the block. Choose a different fruit this year, because…well, everything is different. So why shouldn’t dessert be too? Pear Pie is delicious, surprising and has the added benefit of getting tastier by the day. So you can bake on Tuesday and then you’ll have at least one Thanksgiving task crossed off your list. Music to our ears! Just be sure to keep pie away from spouses, family pets, and others for 48 hours to serve at Thanksgiving dinner. Save a piece for Friday breakfast.

Another tip? Let’s do what the Queen of American Cuisine, Julia Child, did. The lady who taught your mom or grandmother all about cooking was nothing if not practical. She served Goldfish with reverse martinis at her Thanksgiving. No one can question Julia. (If something stronger appeals to your tiny crowd think about the utmost of classic cocktails: the Old Fashioned.)

Pssst…still a couple of spots left in Pie Pastry class this Saturday at 10:00 AM EST. Grab a spot to learn a new Thanksgiving dessert plus a lifetime skill that will keep on giving. Sign up HERE!

Mason Jar Gifts

Homemade gifts are often the loveliest presents because who really needs one more thing?

A gift made in your kitchen can become everyone’s most anticipated present, especially if given on an annual basis. Why not start a signature gift that becomes your holiday offering to loved ones near & far? Make sure it is super delicious and include directions on how to use...

For ten years, I gave mason jars filled with homemade mincemeat from James Beard’s tremendous recipe. Recipients can make mince pies in fifteen minutes and serve a holiday dessert that tastes like Christmas distilled.

These days I give jars of George Washington’s punch, an extraordinary concoction of alcohols mixed and blended, smooth as velvet. The punch can be served in two ways: poured into a punch bowl (complete with ice ring) and topped with two bottles of champagne at a holiday party, or individually as the world’s best Old Fashioned. Just add a bit of soda water and an orange slice. Divine!

Another mason jar gift which is a tasty treat all year long is Alison Roman’s granola. The Academy’s adopted version (adding whole nuts and coconut, subtracting buckwheat) pairs exceptionally well with the Handbook as a hostess gift for your nearest & dearest...

A non-mason jar homemade never to be forgotten gift is a Buche de Noel. If you are lucky enough to be invited to a Christmas Eve or Day dinner, consider arriving with a Buche (but do tell the host in advance.) I had a friend who gave large annual holiday buffets for years, and I always showed up with two Buche de Noels. This year I am making two again, one for Christmas Eve and one for Christmas Dinner. Sometimes you can’t get enough of a good thing.

Turkey Talk for November VIE

“It’s time to elevate the ordinariness of the daily dinner. My experience from marriage and mothering, from listening to Charleston Academy students, and from accepting invitations to other people’s houses, is this: If you never use your dining room or you do so infrequently or only on big occasions, and if your family only grazes according to their individual schedules with eyes attached to a screen and not on each other, then you will be sorely disappointed. This goes not only for Thanksgiving but also for decades later. The nightly meal is a small but mighty vehicle of opportunity. Your table can be jam-packed with inspired learning — a classroom for watching and doing — and realizing what to be thankful for: manners, nutrition, and bonds, among other things. Eat enough dinners at the table, and you and yours will become aces at many social skills.”

Suzanne serves up her wisdom for Thanksgiving (and every other meal of the year, big or small) in the November issue of VIE Magazine HERE!

Ice Cream Camp

Cliftonville, Kent c. 1954

Mom would never knowingly sign Little Man up for Ice Cream Camp but sometimes parents cannot control what happens when kids are away from home!

Camp began as soon as mom dropped the toddler at her parents. She met them at a midpoint burger joint and they insisted on the first order of business: double chocolate milkshakes all around. After dinner, apparently, a trip to the local peach shed complete with ice cream cones. Wait? How much ice cream did you say? How many times a day!? When word got back to Dad, a chef, he had a fit because he does not approve of so much sweet dairy introduced to his youngster’s taste buds. 

However, parents beware: grandparents have rights too! When the grandchildren visit, grandparents are entitled to make their own rules. And grandparent’s rules and plans cannot be the same as the parents. What’s the point of that? We like the idea of no rules for the seven and under crowd.

There is a time and place for creating a few elysian days. Everyone deserves a streak of nothing but fun and games, no matter what age. Parents get a break and the generations on either side get time out too.  Parents need time on their own of course, but so do kids. I am sure my children wanted, needed, craved breaks from my stifling summer rules — swim team twice a day, one hour of reading, no Nintendo, no TV. FYI they all turned out fine with no damage at all in the fun part.

P.S. Rest assured that when Little Man returned home all buzzed out, Mom and Dad immediately enrolled him in Veggie Boot Camp. (Pro. Tip: VEG out your eggs at breakfast, whether its mushrooms and something green sautéed on the side, or diced alliums and sweet peppers mixed in.)

Don’t you wonder how that turned out?

Self Love Series: Start with Someone Else

Photographer: Hugh Mangum, circa early 1900s

We all want to know: Who will be there for me?  But sometimes you must get out of your own head. Be there for others (not in a phony way) and they will be there for you.

As we look around at all our friends and loved ones, we might notice that everyone seems a bit low in the water. There is only one remedy to correct this state of mind, and it begins with you. Figure out which problems in your life are actionable and which ones there is nothing you can do to solve. When the in-actionable problems take over your brain, it’s time to start thinking of things other than yourself. Be there for someone else.

Charity doesn’t have to change the world. It’s enough if you can change a few moments for another. Little changes bring about big shifts over time. Here is a running list of Little Actions:

• Bring dinner. Flu is rampant. Sick people need to eat but cannot get to the store or stand in front of the stove. You could do it for them, delivering a dinner of chicken noodle soup already in zip lock freeze bags so they can have two or three dinners.

• Be an active listener. Try not saying the word “I” for twenty minutes in your next conversation with an acquaintance. Your friendship will dive deeper as a result.

• Spread joy. No matter how terrible you feel, pretend you feel joy, if only for a few minutes. Call a friend in need and ask how they are. Do not discuss any of your problems on the call. 

• Give someone a happy surprise. Pay for someone’s small purchase but don’t tell them. At One Broad in December, a young man I hardly know asked the cashier to put my cookie and tea on his card. When my turn came to pay I was flabbergasted! When I needed a lift, there it was. And for the last eight weeks, I haven’t forgotten this generous gesture, nor will I forget.

• Share your expertise. One of my closest friends who died recently always had words of encouragement, wisdom, business advice, empathy — never wanting anything in return except friendship. As I mourn his loss and importance in my life, it is my turn to take my wisdom and empathy to another. We all hold each other up one moment at a time. 

Polar Vortex Stew

Bundle up! No need to lose your cool…

Want to warm everyone around you, make the house smell amazing, and have something useful (but still easy) to do when you cannot leave the house? Providing you have the ingredients on hand, this stew is soul-satisfying because the flavor is more than just meat . We use a smoked ham hock and bones from the meat to extract even more deliciousness. 

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds beef shank with bone

• 1 - 1.5 pound smoked pork hock 

• 2 - 3 tablespoons olive oil 

• 2 cups wine - white, red or a mixture

• 3 cups water or stock

• 1 large onion, peeled and cut in half

• 8 whole cloves

• 4 garlic cloves, peeled

• a sprig of bay, or 6 to 8 leaves

• a couple sprigs fresh thyme

• 4 carrots, cut in chunks 

• 4 celery stalks, cut into 3“ pieces

• kosher salt

• black peppercorns 

Directions:

1. Cut the beef into large pieces, trimming off some of the fat. 

2. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or casserole and cook the pork hock until lightly brown. Remove the hock. Put the beef pieces into the hot oil, searing on two sides. Add the bones from the meat and brown. 

3. Deglaze the pot with a little wine. Add the rest of the wine, the meat, ham hock and meat bones and enough water or stock to cover the meat. 

4. Stick the onion haves with cloves and put in the pot along with the garlic, bay leaves, thyme and celery. Season with salt — not too much because the ham hock will add salt to the stew. 

5. Bring to a simmer and cook on stove top over low heat for four hours.  Alternatively cook in a 250 F oven. 

6. Taste for salt and pepper. Remove ham hock and take off any bits of pork and add to the stew. 

7. Serve with mashed potatoes, thick slices of toasted bread, or a pasta stirred into the sauce before serving. 

The Art of Gift Giving for VIE December

Three Wise Men at Strassbourg Cathedral, Germany (c. 1940)

“The Three Wise Men Understand the Art of Gift Giving…”

Suzanne asks three experts — a world-class chef, one renowned jewelry designer, and a stylist to the stars — to share their wisdom on what to get your loved ones (knives, anyone?), when to give it (surprise them!), what to do when you forget (it happens), and how to give the really big one (diamonds, of course.)

Read the full article in the latest issue of Vie Magazine HERE.

"Setting New Traditions" for November issue of VIE

Rita Hayworth carves the bird.

Expecting a crowd? Extended family or perhaps friends for a long Thanksgiving weekend? This may be the season to take the torch from those who have gone before you, to branch out and begin traditions of your very own. In case you are looking for a few great ideas on how to implement your personal style — from frying turkeys to divy-ing up dish duty, plus what to serve beyond the feast — (or if you just need a pep talk…)

Find the Dean’s latest piece for VIE Magazine HERE on their site!

The Simple Art of Stew I: Braised Short Ribs

As Summer turns to Fall — or rather to Hurricane Season as we know it in the Lowcountry — so we shift from our Salad routine to making Stews of all kinds. In our newest recipe series, the Dean shares the art of preparing one-pot wonders that will feed a crowd and streamline suppers on busy school nights. Though most stews require some prep. time, the rest is just keeping an eye out as they simmer on the stove. They always taste better the next day and freeze beautifully. Even if you are only cooking for one or two, stews are smart! Simply divide the large batch into individual portions. What could be better after a long day of work?

Stews make for a healthy, delicious dinner; comfort for the stomach and spirit. And don’t forget the aromas funneling from the kitchen and making their way into every nook & cranny of your house. To kick off our Stew series: Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs! But first, let’s talk about browning your meat. The searing process takes place in a hot pan with a little oil, and relies on patience as you must work in batches, careful not the crowd the pan. The purpose is to release fat, caramelize the outside of the meat, and deepen the flavor. Don’t be afraid to go dark; extra dark means extra flavor.

For Short Ribs, you will need:

• 2 tablespoons oil

• 3 tablespoons butter

• 5 pounds short ribs

• 2 large onions, peeled and roughly chopped

• 1-2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

• 1-2 stalks celery, roughly chopped

• Head of garlic, sliced through

• 1 bottle red wine

• Some branches of thyme

• A bay leaf or two

Here’s what to do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Put oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven and turn heat to high. Brown the ribs well on all sides. This will take about 20 or 25 minutes. Salt and pepper as you cook. As the ribs finish searing, remove them to a plate.

3. While the ribs are searing, put 2 tablespoons of butter into another pan and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic and salt and pepper. Cook until the onion is soft, about 10 minutes.

4. Remove the fat from the Dutch oven. Add the meat and onion mixture back into the pot, then pour in the wine and thyme and bay leaves. Cover and put into the oven for about 3 hours, until the meat is falling from the bone. Stir every hour.

5. Transfer to a platter. Strain the liquid, put into another bowl and refrigerate. The following day skim the fat from the liquid. Reheat, bring to a boil and add the ribs. When ribs are warm, stew is ready to serve.

Summer Salad #3: Art Project

Rule #1 - We first eat with our eyes! Contrasting shapes and colors can be a beautiful thing. The cubes of croutons and logs of carrots make this feel like an art project, painting on the plate.  Flavor becomes a balancing act as well. Academy Croutons and roasted Carrots Vichy deliver the satisfying crunch, complementing the buttery texture of tender lettuce leaves.

Academy Croutons can sit in their frying pan for over a half hour after cooking, soaking up extra olive oil. The wait makes the fried bread even tastier, turning each cube into crispy little bombs delivering crunch, fat, flavor all in one bite. If there is still olive oil in the pan, use it to finish the salad.

To make Carrots Vichy, peel whole carrots - not baby carrots, not woody large carrots in 5-lb. bags, but carrots in bunches with their leafy tops intact. Cook carrots in a sauté pan over medium heat with a little bit of olive oil and enough water to come halfway up their sides. When a knife tip can barely poke inside the carrot and the water is almost evaporated. Add fresh thyme. Wait till carrots are room temperature to use in the salad, either sliced into 1-inch lengths or simply left whole. Know that these beauties are yummy hot, cold or room temperature for apps and dinner. 

There are two ways to finish this sort of salad. For more crunch, you could add celery. Simply slice across the stalks to get a handful or two of pale green half moons. But if you crave more flavor, spice and fat, then salami is your friend! Thickly slice and dice and toss in salad. A little bit goes a long way. (In our latest version, pictured above, we opted for a few nubs of blue cheese. Delicious!)

Summer Salad #2: Porky Pig

Why do we love eating decadent fatty meals disguised as salads? Because everyone everywhere loves to be deceived, lulled into thinking their meal was extra healthy. But guess what? This salad is actually healthy, despite the indulgent addition of slow-roasted pork...

FRISÉE - A lettuce that balances the fattiness with its bitter bite and texture. Remember, one small head delivers way more volume than you can imagine once you separate the leaves and tear them into manageable, bite-sized pieces. Tearing is absolutely necessary. Who wants a mouth full 4” spiky leaves, delicious as they may be?

PORK - We like to make this the day after serving Pork Butt in Milk with Cabbage Slaw for dinner. If you and your guests were not too piggy (pun intended) then you'll have plenty of leftovers. Simply reheat in a frying pan over low heat, or in the turned off oven after roasting the eggplant. The pig will crisp right up.

EGGPLANT - Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Thinly slice unpeeled eggplant. Lay slices on parchment paper. Lightly drizzle olive oil on slices, turn over and drip olive oil on top. There is really no wrong way to do this. After years of making these eggplant slices, we can say for certain that sometimes they turn crispy, sometimes softer, but every time delicious! Roast slices in a 425-degree oven for 15 minutes, turn over and roast another 5-10 minutes, until golden brown on both sides. Some parts will blacken but that is okay. There is a fine line, a few minutes, between a little black, and the burn taking over the slice.

"The Romance of Outdoor Rooms" for VIE

Photo courtesy of G. P. Schafer

Summertime is finally here again! In Charleston, this means lots of lounging in the shade of our (or our friends') porches and piazzas, iced beverage in hand, fresh off a dip in the sea. For the June issue of VIE magazine, Suzanne reflects on a life lived in outdoor rooms, from Tripoli to Ghana to the Carolinas, and the magic of bells, birds, and blue skies experienced in these inspiring spaces.

Read the full article HERE on VIE's site... 

Cooking with the Dean on FOX24 News

The Dean returned to FOX24 News for Valentine's Day, cooking the perfect Pork Chop, mixing up an Old Fashioned, and talking food & love with Leyla Gulen.

Find the recipes and watch the full video HERE...