I love pesto; I really crave pesto when basil is not in season and usually eye-blinkingly more expensive than what it was just a few weeks prior. Traditionally pesto is basil, roasted pine nuts, olive oil, garlic and parmesan cheese. Though in the last few years pesto has unofficially turned into a culinary word for anything ground up with olive oil; maybe some nuts and cheese thrown in there for good measure. I have seen arugula pesto, creamy tomato pesto, roasted garlic pesto, sun-dried tomato pesto, chipotle pesto, even a kale pesto might show up on a menu near you. I have to guiltily admit … you will see many adaptations of ‘pesto’ on my catering menu as well - Though, the one I am sharing with you this shipment is my spinach pesto. Spinach is grown in California during the cooler months, and tends to be very sweet. During the hotter months it bolts (seeds quickly) and loses a lot of its natural sweetness. If you aren’t buying this from a local farm, baby spinach will just be fine to use. Depending on what I pair the spinach pesto with, sometimes I will switch out the olive oil for sesame oil and a quarter cup of sesame seeds instead of the almonds. Usually I use the more fragrant sesame oil if there is a super tannic red I am working with; also if I am using duck or a heavy red meat. Since this is a lighter pesto, I usually serve it with pork, chicken or fish. This recipe I use almonds not only as a ‘binder’ to gather up the spinach and olive oil, but as a nice crunch since I left half of them whole. The main reason why I use gruyere cheese (instead of parmesan) is that it has such a buttery flavor that really complements the spinach. If I am using this as a main dish, I sauté a pound of slice mushrooms and add it to the pasta.

Football! I developed this chicken wing recipe in college … for the purpose of bringing an appetizer over to a friend’s to watch a game. Though with school and work I had a time crunch of when I could make an appetizer to bring over. These wings you prep the night before, let marinate in the fridge in half of the sauce. Then the day of, while I was getting ready I would pop them in the stove and slowly bring the remaining sauce to a simmer to thicken it. Then put them on a plate and drizzle the sauce over them, throw on some sesame seeds and onions; et voila chicken wings for watching the game! They are still a favorite to bring to picnics on the plaza and can be served cold. Just remember to bring napkins!