All the Write Ingredients

He’s a scientifically-savvy guy; she’s a logophile and stickler for correct grammar. He’s a dog lover; she’s more of a cat person. He’s all about Van Halen – and an enormous catalog of other artists; she’s into Counting Crows – and a few select others.

At times, seemingly opposites – but several significant common interests link them.

Like Harry Potter.
And fitness.
And food.
And each other.

So, these two epicures are cooking up a wedding (a vibrant, summer celebration) while learning to temper to each other’s interests – both in and out of the kitchen.

Through this blog, we’ll be sharing a bit of ourselves and a slice of our wedding plans. And you’ll be hearing more (much more!) about our love of food and the recipes that inspire us – from old favorites to new forays. We’ll be working to establish our narrative voice within the blogosphere, and encourage you to join in the conversation, sharing your kitchen successes and, well, blunders.
To sum it all up in a word? Complementary. Good and bad, half-baked and measured…sweet and savory. Maybe that’s the secret? Sweet and savory, after all, are most satisfying when they work harmoniously, bringing with them all the right ingredients.

Bacon and Gruyere Mini Muffins,
with Caramelized Shallots and Sage

I modified a Gourmet recipe, replacing the scallions with caramelized shallots, and adding in finely-diced sage. They were a big hit as appetizer on Thanksgiving -- yes, I know, I'm already behind on my posts -- and were (surprisingly) more delicious after having cooled completely.

Ingredients

6 slices bacon
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup grated Gruyére cheese (about 4 ounces)
1/3 cup caramelized shallots
2 TBS finely minced fresh sage
3/4 cup milk
1 large egg
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Preparation

Preheat over to 425°F and butter 12 mini muffin tins.

In a skillet, cook bacon over moderately low heat until crisp, and transfer to paper towels to drain, reserving 1/4 cup bacon fat. Crumble bacon.

In a bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, Gruyère, sage and bacon. In a small bowl, whisk together milk, egg, mustard, shallots and reserved bacon fat. Add milk mixture to flour mixture, stirring until just combined (do not overmix).

Divide batter evenly among muffin tins, and bake in middle of oven six to eight minutes, or until golden and a tester comes out clean.