asian-inspired risotto

i recently experienced a bit of a culinary adventure when i volunteered to bar tend a private dinner party for a personal chef friend of mine.  among learning how to make a martini on the fly and tasting fresh black truffles for the first time, i got an invaluable little tip from someone who actually went to culinary school.  apparently, when making risotto it helps to fry the raw rice in the oil with your garlic and onion before you add water... Read More

pluot cobbler tart

people think tarts are so fancy, so european.  but in reality, all you need to make one is the pan.  the crust that you press into it isn’t far off from that of a pie and the filling is much simpler – just dice up fresh fruit, arrange it in concentric circles and voilà!  you have yourself a certified fancy dessert and like the pizza i made a few weeks ago, this treat just happens to be gluten-free.  i used ground cashews and oats... Read More