During a recent visit to Cancun, I enjoyed the opportunity to experience Grand Velas Riviera Maya luxury all-inclusive resort for a short three-day stay recently, during which I was treated to a wonderful cooking and plating demonstration by two of their world-class chefs. On the menu was a local favorite, Shrimp in Chirmole* sauce, prepared out on the patio of “Frida”, one of several restaurants gracing the grounds of their sprawling resort. The chefs were friendly and eager to share their culinary specialties with us, answering a number of questions and delighting our group with local histor ..read more

For years I have been using a three-bin system of composting, and I detested the waste of space. Mantis, of the “Mantis Tiller/Cultivator” fame, asked me if I would be willing to try out their Mantis Back Porch Compost Tumbler. Seeing how I have been composting for years and not loving the process I now use, I readily agreed. Preparing my recipes do produce a fair amount of waste product that ends up in the compost pile on the side of the house, so I was happy to try a new method that takes up far less space than I currently use. My current compost system initially took up a 3′ by 12′ space ov ..read more

There is no better way to explore a new city than taking a food tour, and Fort Wayne Food Tours delivered a 5-Star Experience during my recent trip to Fort Wayne, Indiana. Now in its 2-year of guiding their guest to delicious food experiences at local restaurants and sharing whimsical historical background about Fort Wayne, they also inspire you to step out on your own and explore. The 3 1/2 tour takes you to five different gastronomical locations to experience the best of what Fort Wayne, Indiana has to offer. Mostly visited by the locals, you get a first-hand experience that takes ..read more

Grilled Steak, Roasted Vegetables, and Risotto on the Grill video from December 2016. (I have no idea why I never shared this on the Cooking-Outdoors blog but I am correcting this oversite now.) One of the recipes I enjoyed immensely, from my visit to “Telefonica Gastro Park” in Tijuana an outdoor collection of amazing food trucks pushing the culinary edge of Baja California food scene, was the Grilled Steak, Roasted Vegetables, and Risotto that was served. This just captured everything I could ask for in a Tijuana Food Truck experience, freshly grilled meats, vegetables, creamy riso ..read more

So far I have made two Baja California Food Adventure trips and each time I have come back in awe of the amazing culinary art that I have encountered. In fact, all of my trips to Mexico have left me craving for more of their cuisine and I am not taking about streetside vendors handing out tacos. Many of the chefs I have met are from the U.S. and abroad but a large portion of them are Mexico born and trained. They have a passion and fever for their food that results in a cornucopia of amazing food served with pride. My last trip resulted in some fun food discoveries that have left lasting ..read more

Grilled Baja Style Cheese-Topped Portobello Mushrooms recipe is my recreation of a small plate I enjoyed on another great visit to Baja California Mexico. I enjoyed the great pleasure of visiting Cava de Marcelo Wine & Cheesemaker located in the Valle de Guadalupe Mexico. They served us small-plate and wine, where I just devoured these delicious Cheese Topped Portobello Mushrooms. They grilled theirs over a wood fire and topped the Cheese-Topped Portobello Mushrooms Ramonelli Queso. Of course, I bought a wedge of Ramonelli Queso to bring across the border ..read more

Corn Pone has a long and endearing history going back as far as Native Americans, Revolutionary War, and wonderful Southern Cooking. I have wanted to share this recipe for quite a while now and I hope you enjoy my version of Corn Pone. Not an original recipe, just my version, with some of my favorite Cabot Creamery New York Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese. Corn Pone is usually cooked two ways, stove top by frying and baking using a sheet pan or cast iron skillet. I prefer to fry my Corn Pone recipe using just a 1/2 inch of canola oil in a cast iron skillet. Corn Pone Recipe Ingredients How t ..read more

Having a hard time trying to find the perfect sauce to go with your Pulled Pork? Bill West's North Carolina Vinegar Sauce recipe just might be your new go-to sauce. You will find this North Carolina Vinegar Sauce recipe to provide a vinegary tartness, a little bit of heat and a touch of sweetness that pairs up very nicely with Pulled Pork. This is the third recipe I have made from Bill's cookbook “BBQ Tricks” and it is another winner! We tried this sauce on some pulled pork last night and it was delicious. I had trouble keeping the boys out of the bowl once we mixed it in. I don't think ..read more

Salt-Crusted Pork Loin is another one of those easy to make/cook recipes that I love to share. Big on flavor and the wow factor, you will find yourself adding this to the must make recipe collection, and making it again and again. I used a large 10″ Camp Dutch oven for this recipe based on the size of the Pork loin which was about one-third of a whole Pork loin. One-half of a Pork loin would fit nicely in a 12″ regular Dutch oven and a whole Pork loin would fit in an Oval-roaster perfectly. A couple of notes on the video: I used about 28 coals total. 20 to start with and 8 more at 45 mins t ..read more

My White Chicken Chili Recipe has a pleasant kick to it! I changed things up with some classic Cajun seasoning instead of the standard Cumin and Oregano. Let this be fair warning, you might get the sweats if you add too much. This recipe is quick and easy to prepare and cook, perfect for the Dutch oven and cooking outdoors! Most of the ingredients can be prepared in advance if you plan to take this recipe camping. A 12-inch Dutch oven is a perfect size for this White Chicken Chili Recipe and a 10 inch will work just fine if that's all you have. We managed to get two meals out of this recipe a ..read more