May Foodie Holidays: Week 4

May 22 - Vanilla Pudding Day
May 23 - Taffy Day
May 24 - Escargot Day
May 25 - Wine Day
May 26 - Blueberry Cheesecake Day
May 27 - Grape Popsicle Day
May 28 - Hamburger Day, Brisket Day
May 29 - Coq au Vin Day
May 30 - Mint Julep Day
May 31 - Macaroon Day

Grilling season is here! Maybe you have men in your family who rule the grill. Be sure to ask them for recipes or tips for the things they cook.

Cherry-Lime Macaroons (my own recipe, developed for a friend)

1 C. sweetened condensed milk
3 C. + shredded coconut
1/4 C. flour
1/4 C. minced sour cherries and/or maraschino cherries
4 Tbsp. lime juice
lime zest from the lime
1/4 tsp. salt

Directions: Preheat oven to 350F. Pour sweetened condensed milk into a bowl, add remaining ingredients and mix well. Add more coconut if it seems too gooey. Drop into small balls and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake 12-13 minutes until brown. Let cool on the cookie sheet 10 minutes before removing – once cool, they will peel off easily.

Available at Amazon.

National Drink Wine Day - Feb. 18th; Chef Kevin Sbraga

Chef Kevin Sbraga
New Jersey native Kevin Sbraga may be best known to some as the season 7 Top Chef winner. He's got his own restaurants, Sbraga and Fat Ham, with "menus that focus on pairing the most flavorful ingredients available with the perfect beverages." In addition to his restaurants, he also has a consulting business to help others with theirs.

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February 18th is Drink Wine Day! In 2000, when I did our first family cookbook, I was 30 years old. Certainly old enough to imbibe, but I hadn't really taken the time to develop a taste for wine. Now, even though I have, my husband has not, and I hate opening a bottle for just me. I think that probably puts our little family in the minority; a lot of Americans drink wine and enjoy it with their meals. Some of you probably have splendid suggestions for wine pairings with those meals. Why not add that do the recipe notes in your cookbook? Just one quick line, "Red Zinfandel goes really well with this Pepper Steak," would be all you needed, and it might be just the thing for someone just starting out. 

Available at Amazon.