Since first trying a barrel-aged beer in my early 20s, I have been one of the “bourbon-barrel” chasers. I will try most everything with a little aging in barrels. I think, if done well, it gives depth of flavor to nearly everything it touches. Now, some of this stuff gets out of hand, as far as aging goes, but I was always curious how someone could do this at home. It seemed as if exposure to barrel wood was the key, but I could not be sure. Continue reading »

While others may (or may not) love it more, I have made it no secret of my love for Giardiniera. I have also not hid my affinity for soup. It is with both loves that I began to think about how to make a giardiniera soup. There was a brainstorming period that lasted for an entire weekend, but while I was looking for something else, I came across a technique that looked interesting. This idea, Gelatin-filtered consommé, would serve as a baseline for giardiniera soup. Continue reading »