This coffee spice rub is great on red meat. It goes great on all beef. Surprisingly enough though, this rub goes incredibly well with salmon. Try this out this summer, not just on the meat of your choice but also on salmon to really taste how versatile this rub is.

Traditonally, gazpacho is made with day old break and was a peasant’s dish. When the Spanish broguht tomatoes back from the New World in the 16th century, gazpacho evolved into a dish for the bourgeoisie.

This recipe calls for heirloom tomatoes because of their extraordinary flavor and color. Use a high quality extra virgin olive oil and while it costs a bit, it is will worth the extra expense. Enjoy this soup chilled on a warm summer day with a glass of Sonoma-Cutrer Sauvignon Blanc.

This is a fun recipe! One for that backyard summer party when the barbecue is on, the sun is taking hours to set and you want to spend time with guests, not going crazy with kitchen prep. Homemade burgers are always a hit, but why not spice it up a bit with lamb?

These lamb burgers are juicy, delicious and a great pairing with the Sonoma-Cutrer Owsley Pinot Noir.

And, did I mention bacon onion jam? Adding a bit of sweetness with savory bacon is an easy trick to enhance any burger. Not only that, if you make it a couple hours before your guests arrive, the whole house smells like bacon! The Aleppo pepper is originally from the ancient city of Aleppo, Syria. It is less spicy than it is tangy and smoky. As for the aioli, its easier to make than you think and is a great way to impress your guests.

When it comes to polenta, it is all about the corn. Corn and summer are practically synonyms that go hand-in-hand. While this recipe doesn’t use fresh corn, there are varieties of corn that make for better polenta than others. One such varietal is Otto File, Eight-Row Flint. Otto File is an heirloom varietal of corn that originally was grown in New England before any Europeans settled the North American continent. While the yields are much smaller than your typical yellow summer corn, Otto File produces such a sweet flavor and creamy consistency, you might want to try the recipe without any butter or cheese first.

Every bite of this dish will make your mouth water for more fish, more corn, and more Sonoma-Cutrer Founders Reserve Chardonnay.

Spring marks the beginning of morel season here in northern California. Morel mushrooms, which are generally harder to find and more expensive, are now available in abundance and well-priced. Cooking morels with shallots and white wine will result in an explosion of flavor and umami!

Pickling is a great way to preserve leftover vegetables and white asparagus is one of my favorites to pickle! Try this terrific appetizer paired with the Russian River Ranches Chardonnay to get the full experience.