There’s not much better than spicy, homemade mustard with some cured meat! I was surprised at how incredibly simple making your own mustard is - it only takes about 15 minutes of active cooking.

1/2 cup hearty beer - I used Rogue Ale’s Hazelnut Brown Nectar. Buttery, nutty, and not too hoppy

1/4 champagne vinegar
1/4 cup yellow mustard seeds
1/4 cup brown mustard seeds
1 tablespoon chopped shallot
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme

Add everything to a ceramic bowl, and pop that in the fridge for 24 hours. The next day, add the mustard to a blender or food processor. It took about 3-4 minutes of continuous mixing in my blender to get this mustard to the right consistency. Salt to taste as you blend. 

Fatted Calf Bierwerst was an awesome accompaniment to this spicy, nutty mustard.  

Trying to find the silver lining to about two weeks of dark and rainy weather, I’ve started eating udon about twice a week. Warm, slippery noodles and salty broth does the trick!

Traditionally, udon is made with dashi, but today I made my broth with chicken stock and shiro miso (white soy bean paste). It’s more like a miso broth but I’m not complaining!

1 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons-ish Shiro Miso 

1 package pre-cooked udon noodles: I buy Shirayuki Nama udon: a 3 pack that stays in the fridge nicely

Top with veggies of your fancy: scallions, carrot, radish, sliced broccoli… 

 - I cook the broth and noodles separately. Heat the stock and miso paste, and keep on low while the noodles are cooking

 - Udon noodles take 2 minutes MAX in near-boiling water. I put my noodles in before the water reaches a full boil, and let them sit for a minute before agitating.

Fork, chopsticks… SLURP!

It’s always a touching moment when you realize you have a deep appreciation as an adult for a food you destested as a child. Were you really so confused then that you couldn’t know the majesty of the lima bean or the brussel sprout? 

In truth, I’ve always loved the ol’ sprout, but I do understand there are a lot of people who recoil simply at the name. To those people: I invite you to grow up, step out on a limb and roast some brussels! 

Roasted veggies are possibly the easiest, hassle free way to prepare your greenery - if you’ve never done this before, shame on you!

- Preheat oven to 425

- Remove the bottom and half your sprouts

- Toss in a generous amount of olive oil, salt and pepper

- Spread on a foil lined pan, making sure the cut sides face down

- Let ‘em roast for about 15-20 minutes

You’ll know they’re done when the undersides begin to turn golden brown.

BONUS TIP: top with fresh grated parmesan cheese, and wonder why you never ate these little morsels before!