Balsamic Blueberry Sauce
Blueberries cooked down with cinnamon, vanilla and lemon zest, then finished off the heat with Gold Label balsamic. Good on everything from gelato to French toast.
Oranges with Vanilla Gelato and Balsamic Vinegar
Blood oranges macerated with sugar, mint and vanilla, spooned over vanilla gelato with Gold Label balsamic and olive oil.
Classic Italian Tomato Sauce (Sugo di Pomodoro)
Roma tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, oregano and basil simmered into the sauce everything else is built on. Worth making in batches.
Pesto
Basil, pine nuts, garlic and Parmigiano brought together with good olive oil. The Ligurian original, with Pecorino if you want more bite.
Espagnole
One of the five French mother sauces: a brown roux built out with mirepoix, tomato paste, red wine and veal stock. The base for demi-glace.
Hollandaise
One of the five French mother sauces: egg yolks and lemon whisked over gentle heat, then emulsified with warm clarified butter.
Veloute
One of the five French mother sauces: a pale roux loosened with warm chicken or fish stock and sharpened with lemon.
Mornay
Bechamel enriched with Gruyere and Parmesan. The sauce behind gratins, croque monsieur, and the best macaroni cheese you will make.
Béchemel
One of the five French mother sauces: butter and flour cooked into a roux, whisked out with warm milk and finished with nutmeg and white pepper.
Pumpkin Pie
Roasted pie pumpkin or butternut pureed with condensed milk and warm spices, including a little black pepper for lift.
Apple Pie
Grandma Foster's apple pie: Honey Crisp and Granny Smith apples with brown sugar, cinnamon and butter under a proper crust.
Tomato Jam
Six pounds of heirloom tomatoes cooked down with sugar, balsamic and lemon zest. Yields five jars and belongs on every cheeseboard.