the_maestroJan 168 minThe Chef in Charlotte – Soup Billi-BiI excitedly watched the weekend weather forecast for the Charlotte metro area develop over the past week––a massive winter storm was set...
the_maestroDec 31, 20219 minThe 2021 Variant of the Big Drunk Gay AwardsPerhaps it was the sense of impending doom resulting from waking up every day in this pandemic, now again in a terrible phase, that...
the_maestroJul 25, 20213 minNational Tequila Day – The PalomaAs a child of Utah, I remember July 24 fondly as Utah's statehood anniversary, dubbed Pioneer Day––a little extra 4th of July, with...
the_maestroFeb 26, 20215 minQuarantine Cuisine: Sea Urchin PastaToday I present another of my neglected posts from back in the early parts of quarantine in Iowa, with the hopes that you, too can find...
the_maestroFeb 22, 20214 minTable X @ Home – Salt Lake City, UTOne of the cooler trends we've been seeing emerge during the pandemic from restaurants are take-home, heat-and-eat style dinners. These...
the_maestroJan 9, 20216 minThe Maestro's Big Drunk Gay Awards – 2020 Dumpster Fire Edition!I really enjoyed issuing a series of absolutely meaningless "Big Drunk Gay" awards last year, highlighting the very best things I ate,...
the_maestroOct 1, 20203 minThe Chef in Charlotte: Cacio e pepeLike much of the country, I woke up on Wednesday morning feeling pretty darn terrible. Not just because of the amount of rum I drank the...
the_maestroSep 20, 20203 minThe Chef in Charlotte: Moroccan ChickenI always love exploring the various cuisines of the world, but know relatively little about African culinary traditions. I have, however,...
the_maestroSep 14, 20203 minThe Chef in Charlotte: Salmon and gritsNow that I am back in the south, some of my memories of the south come back from time to time, and my discovery of the wonders of grits...
the_maestroSep 11, 20203 minThe Chef in Charlotte: Bison tenderloinAh, we have a new series to inaugurate! "Quarantine Cuisine" no longer seemed quite right, since I am, for all intents and purposes, not...
the_maestroSep 1, 20205 minThe Maestro moves to CharlotteWell kids, what can I say? Life is crazy, and my dearth of posts this past month was due in part to my grand adventure in Alaska, yes,...
the_maestroJul 17, 20204 minSummer Grilling: Thai Chicken ThighsThings have been slow around here recently, mostly owing to the fact that my much-anticipated trip to California had to be shelved due to...
the_maestroJun 6, 20203 minSummer Grilling: ChurrascoI suppose now that we are out of the most intense aspects of the "Quarantine" these days, at least in Iowa, I have decided to rename the...
the_maestroMay 22, 20203 minThe Quarantini Series: SangriaThings are getting warmer around the country! With that in mind, I decided to present one of my very favorite beverages for warmer...
the_maestroMay 17, 20204 minQuarantine Cuisine: Duck breastRounding out our order from D'Artagnan was a beautiful breast of duck, one of my favorite proteins to cook, and one that is sure to make...
the_maestroMay 16, 20207 minQuarantine Cuisine: PaellaBack when the pandemic was just starting, I noticed that our old reliable supplier of fresh seafood, Fulton Fish Market, was offering a...
the_maestroMay 11, 20203 minQuarantine Cuisine: Mother's Day SpecialHappy Mother's Day to all the mamas and mama figures out there! It's been a wonderful day here in Cedar Rapids. Despite some really...
the_maestroMay 9, 20204 minQuarantine Cuisine: Veal chopSome nights call for a simple, classic meal. Mom and I have been working diligently on transforming our kitchen, and things are slowly...
the_maestroMay 3, 20206 minQuarantine Cuisine: Brunch editionI had received some feedback recently that my Quarantine Cuisine series features a) entirely dinner items and b) entirely meat or...
the_maestroApr 30, 20203 minThe Quarantini Series: New York SourSomehow, springtime just screams for citrusy cocktails, which I suppose is why the Quarantini Series has been oriented toward tipples...