Dining In + Spotify Playlist

“Eating is so intimate. It's very sensual. When you invite someone to sit at your table and you want to cook for them, you're inviting a person into your life.” - Maya Angelou

I’m often asked what meals I cook in a week, and to be truthfully honest it varies. There are some weeks where I cook my normal dishes - staples meals that are super quick to whip up on whim. Then, there are other times where I love experimenting with new flavors and trying different things. The kitchen is such a cool place to be, and it’s so much fun breaking out of my normal routine to create a delicious meal.

Normally, each week I set out a menu of what what is on the docket, and it really helps us stick to a meal plan. Also, setting a weekly is vital to not overspending or wasting a bunch of food! I love switching up the weekly menu, and having some diverse dishes - it makes mealtime really enjoyable.

Today, I am sharing a few dishes that I’ve cooked in the past few weeks. This post is accompanied by the perfect kitchen playlist, full of some of my favorite food related throwbacks. Enjoy!


analisemia · Playlist · 14 songs · 0 likes


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Crispy fried oyster sandwich with arugula and an old bay aioli on a potato roll

crispy fried oyster recipe

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Coffee dry rubbed duck with a cherry port wine sauce on a bed of basmati rice

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Portobello mushroom fries with a grated parmesan cheese garnish, with a jalapeño garlic aioli

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Chicken Milanese with arugula, avocado, tomato, basil, oregano, and a generous topping of freshly grated parmesan cheese

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Smoked salmon sandwich with arugula and homemade lemon dill dressing on a potato roll, paired with an arugula and avocado salad

lemon and herb smoked salmon recipe

Homemade sea salt, black pepper, rosemary, and thyme sourdough croutons - perfect for tossing onto a salad

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Pecan encrusted thyme and rosemary chicken tenders, paired with waffles, and accompanied by a homemade chili maple syrup


XO, Analise

Cork & Fork: Smoked Meats + Fried Oysters Wine Pairings

“Drinking good wine with good food in good company is one of life's most civilized pleasures.” - Michael Broadbent

One of my favorite things to do is pairing a delicious dish with an amazing bottle of wine.

This past Christmas I gifted my husband a smoker, and he has literally perfected the art of smoking amazing proteins. Also, one of my preferred seafoods to enjoy are oysters, especially when they are flash fried.

Today, I’m sharing some of my ideal food and wine pairings with meals that we have curated at home.


Smoked Chicken

Chicken is a protein we smoke and/or grill almost weekly. It is such a versatile protein, and you can add it to salads, sandwiches, nachos, tacos, or enjoy it by itself with a wide variety of sides.

This spicy smoked chicken is so delicious, and is layered with a variety of seasonings that pair perfectly with a velvet bordeaux style wine. The Octagon produced by Barboursville Vineyards is a winner for this dish. It is so smooth, and is such a unique blend of varietals Merlot 50%, Cabernet Franc 20%, Petit Verdot 30%. It is so well balanced, with notes of dark chocolate, coffee, baked berries, and a bit of oak. This wine is dry, but the finish has a nice smooth velvet texture.

Smoked thinly sliced chicken breast paired with broccolini and herbed potatoes with rosemary, sea salt, black pepper, and thyme with a spicy old bay mayo.

Smoked thinly sliced chicken breast paired with broccolini and herbed potatoes with rosemary, sea salt, black pepper, and thyme with a spicy old bay mayo.

Barboursville Octagon 2016

Barboursville Octagon 2016

Smoked chicken leg paired with broccolini and thinly sliced herbed potatoes with rosemary, sea salt, black pepper, and thyme.

Smoked chicken leg paired with broccolini and thinly sliced herbed potatoes with rosemary, sea salt, black pepper, and thyme.


Smoked Duck

When duck is smoked, it brings out some amazing flavors of the protein, and is tender and juicy. Also, the port cherry reduction is a great addition, the perfect compliment to the meat.

The wine I paired with this dish is a Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. It is soft, has an amazing body to it, and is fruit forward, while having a great texture and balance. This wine has notes of black fruit immediately on the nose, and cherry on mid-palate. The tannins on this wine are present, but not overwhelming, which is ideal with smoked duck.

Medium rare sliced duck breast with a port cherry sauce, accompanied with herbed seasoned red potato crisps.

Medium rare sliced duck breast with a port cherry sauce, accompanied with herbed seasoned red potato crisps.

Stretch Drive Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

Stretch Drive Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

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Fried Oysters

Oysters are something that I enjoy so much! Whenever I’m able to indulge in them, champagne is the obvious choice to pair with this dish.

The fried oysters are seasoned with lemon, pepper, sea salt, black pepper, a dash of cayenne, and a dusting of grated parmesan - which gives the protein a great balance of spice and citrus.

A champagne that is 100% Meunier is a lovely pair with oysters. Champagne Salmon was a great choice for me to accompany this dish, as it provides the right balance of acidity to the oysters.

Fried oysters paired with a pair of grilled rosemary crostini, and garlic herb aioli.

Fried oysters paired with a pair of grilled rosemary crostini, and garlic herb aioli.

Champagne Salmon - 100% Meunier

Champagne Salmon - 100% Meunier

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What are your favorite wine and food combinations? Feel free to share your favorite wine and food pairings below!

XO, Analise