Al Spoler

Al and Hugh offer some wine picks that show that New Zealand can do more than just sauvignon blancs. Click the links to purchase Al and Hugh's recommendations at Kenilworth Wine & Spirits.

I was watching one of those cooking shows the other day, and a contestant decided to whip up a batch of panna cotta, the wonderfully light and fruity Italian dessert. I asked Chef Jerry Pellegrino of Schola Cooking School, since it's such an easy dish, why don't more people try it? And I think it's because the key ingredient is gelatin, something modern home cooks don't work with very often. Here's an easy recipe.

A pair of California labels over-deliver on classic wines. Click the links to purchase Al and Hugh's recommendations at Kenilworth Wine & Spirits.

Since a good chef never travels far from their roots, it is natural that our own Chef Jerry Pellegrino of Schola Cooking School should have an affinity for Sicilian cuisine.  In Sicily, geography is the key.  This island is surrounded by the Mediterranean, home to thousands of species of fish and shell fish.  And they all find their way into the Sicilian kitchen.

Here are a few of Jerry's favorite recipes from the old country.

Levening is what we do make dough rise and become much less dense.  This actually involves somehow incorporating air into the mixture.  Yeast, baking soda, baking powder and egg whites are the four most common mechanisms for levening dough.  The secret is to cause a chemical reaction in the dough that will result in the creation of carbon dioxide.

Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, reacts with the acid in a dough to produce the gas.  Typically, buttermilk, vinegar, or lemon juice provide the acid.

Baking powder, however, carries its own acid with it, thus avoiding unwanted flavors.

Here are several baking recipes Jerry has used at Schola Cooking School.

Significant improvements for an old and troubled wine region. Click the links to purchase Al and Hugh's recommendations at Kenilworth Wine & Spirits.

Super values from one of Europe's hottest travel destinations.  Click the links to purchase Al and Hugh's recommendations at Kenilworth Wine & Spirits.

When the whole Eat Local movement got started in the Bay Area of San Francisco, foraging in the wild for healthy edible food became a signature activity.  Alice Waters of Chez Panisse in Berkeley would dispatch dozens of volunteers to head out into the wilds and bring back baskets of amazing ingredients.  And as Chef Jerry Pellegrino points out, those of us living in "the other Bay Area" can do the same.

You don't have to shell out $80 or more to enjoy a good Piedmont wine. Click the links to purchase Al and Hugh's recommendations at Kenilworth Wine & Spirits.

With spring comes a collection of familiar foods that  help us enjoy the new season.  Few vegetables are more welcome than the first peas of the year.  Chef Jerry Pellegrino reminds us that peas are one of those ingredients that can stand alone very nicely or perform any number of supporting roles.

Spain's great seafood wine is achieving a great audience around the world. Click the links to purchase Al and Hugh's recommendations at Kenilworth Wine & Spirits.

This is one of the nicest times of the year to visit your market.  Strolling up and down the aisles your eye will be caught by the crown jewels of the season:  our fresh Maryland strawberries. My first instincts are for strawberries and ice cream with shortcake, but Chef Jerry Pellegrino tells me, we don't have to go for sweet dessert dishes all the time.  Strawberries can go savory too.

Lower in alcohol, supple in body, packed with flavor and very food-friendly, light reds are perfect for this time of the year.

Click the links to purchase Al and Hugh's recommendations at Kenilworth Wine & Spirits.

Spring is finally starting to feel like spring, and we are starting to sport the first new harvests of the year.  This gives us a whole new set of options as we work out ways to celebrate this tender season. I told Chef Jerry Pellegrino of Schola Cooking School, that I wanted to see if I could find any recipes for those two stalwarts of the season: spring lamb and spring onions.

Although the best Riesling may grow in Germany, other regions are having great success with the ultra-classy varietal. Click the links below to purchase Al and Hugh's recommendations at Kenilworth Wine & Spirits.

There's an old saying that if they give you a lemon, make lemonade.  It seems to me you can say the same about the invasive Blue Catfish, a scourge of the Chesapeake Bay. And Chef Jerry Pellegrino will tell you, if there is one thing we've learned about this fish, it's that it is very tasty to eat.  So in this case revenge can be served piping hot.

To stir up interest in luring the Blue Catfish to our dinner plates, the folks at Maryland's Best Seafood are holding a contest to find the best recipe.  But before you start experimenting, here's a little basic knowledge.

It's a perfect wine for the season and Al and Hugh have their recommendations for some delicious Pinot Noirs for under $25.00.  Click the links below to purchase Al and Hugh's recommendations at Kenilworth Wine & Spirits.

As our region's markets slowly wake up this spring, we begin to encounter all sorts of tempting food. With items like fresh baby spinach sharing space with the last of winter's butternut squash our minds start conjuring up recipe ideas. One of the best ways to make use of fresh Maryland produce is to become adept at making ravioli. Chef Jerry Pellegrino of Schola Cooking School points out, it's no exaggeration to say the possibilities are endless.

Here's some tips about making ravioli.

Al and Hugh give their picks for some notable chablis. 

At long last the moment is at hand, the culinary equivalent of baseball's Opening Day.  This coming weekend will mark the return of the Baltimore Farmers Market under the old JFX.  And for Chef Jerry Pellegrino of Schola Cooking School, this means that his cooking classes will have a lot of great local food to work with.

Maryland's farms are just about ready to start cranking out good fresh food this spring, and very quickly we're going to be washed away in a food avalanche. Since we can't possibly eat everything we'd like to buy, we have to have a plan B. There's no better expert than Chef JP of Schola Cooking School, and he says it's never to early to start thinking about preserving the bounty.

Al and Hugh discuss an assortment of interesting wines that you'll want to pick up this season. 

Spring is the season of eggs, themselves symbols of renewal.  It's also a great time for casual Sunday morning brunches. Al suggested and Chef Jerry Pellegrino of Schola Cooking School agreed, there are certainly more than a few million egg recipes that would do well for an informal little brunch.  And for best results, you'll want to use fresh Maryland eggs.

Al and Hugh give a rundown of some of the best Maryland wines.

With St. Patrick's Day looming large more than a handful of people are contemplating beer and how to best use it.  Now if I were making a list of things to do with beer, numbers 1 through 9 would be to drink it.  But slot #10 would actually be how to cook with it.  And as Chef Jerry Pellegriono of Schola Cooking Schol notes, we use various liquids in millions of recipes, why not use beer?

Off the top of his head, Jerry came up with four great uses for beer in cooking:beer batters, especially tempura, which takes advantage of beer's carbonation; braising liquids which utilize beer's natural acidity; in stew and chili recipes, which like the richness of a darker beer; and in baking where you can take advantage of some of the exotic flavors that are found in today's beer.

Al and Hugh give some picks for light and bright wines to have on your table this spring.

The first spinach, which often has been exposed to cold crisp air, is often the sweetest.  Besides its marvelous flavor, spinach is, as Popeye averred, really healthy for you.  It's a great nutrient delivery vehicle, and the only caveat we can offer is not to over-cook it. Al and Chef Jerry Pellegrino give two spinach recipes that'll keep you feeling strong and satisfied!

Al and Hugh give their picks for some French reds you can trust.