Mexican-Spiced Braised Short Ribs

Hearty and flavorful, this dish will warm up autumn

Chillier weather is headed our way. So we’re pulling out the braising pot – which is dusty after not being used all summer.

Braised beef short ribs are a fave around here. And we love Mexican-style dishes, so adding chilies is a natural.

We think you’ll love these short ribs. Serve them to guests, and they’ll love you too.

Italian Corona Bean Salad

Use any white bean to make this easy, tasty main or side

A hill of beans, you say? Coming right up.

Today we’re using corona beans (aka royal corona beans), a large white bean that’s very popular in Italy. Their size makes them perfect for an antipasto dish or salad. But if you don’t have corona beans on hand (they’re hard to find), you can substitute any white bean for this dish.

Coronas are worth the effort to search out, though. If for no other reason than to say you’ve bean there, done that. 

The Picon Punch Cocktail

This Basque-inspired drink delivers sparkling flavor

As summer wanes, we’re looking for drinks that can ease us into autumn.

Enter the Picon Punch, an afternoon cooler that works equally well as a predinner drink. Its flavor is bracing, with lively orange undertones.

The Picon Punch is not a particularly well-known drink, which makes it a fun choice for introducing to friends.

Because that’s what friends do.

Chimichurri Sauce (or Dip)

This traditional Argentine herb sauce is great on grilled meat or fish

Chimichurri Sauce mixes minced parsley (and often cilantro) with lively spices and vinegar. It’s a traditional topping for grilled steak in Argentina. But it’s also tasty on any grilled meat, fowl, or fish.

This sauce takes only a few minutes to make. And, conveniently, you can prepare it a couple of hours ahead of time.

The flavor is so enticing, you’ll be tempted to use it as a spread or dip. Ask us how we know.

The Rum Julep Cocktail

This Tiki classic delivers complex, festive flavor

Need mint in your julep? We’ve got that.

But this drink offers a twist on the julep theme, using rum instead of bourbon. (Two rums, in fact.) Plus two fruit juices and other assorted ingredients.

So making this cocktail is a bit of a production. But totally worth it.

Quick and Easy Piña Colada Fudge

Make this booze-free, no-cook beauty in a mixer

Craving sweets but don’t want to turn on the oven during hot summer days? We have the answer!

You can make this addictive Piña Colada Fudge in mere minutes, using just a mixer.

Unlike a real Piña Colada, this one has no rum in it. But you can always accompany it with a tipple if you wish. Because summer.

The Nui Nui Cocktail

Tame summer heat with this 1930s Tiki smooth sipper

It’s hot outside (where we live, at least). So let’s seek relief in liquid refreshment.

Today we’ll quench our thirst with the Nui Nui Cocktail, a Tiki classic. It’s a delightful combo of rum, fruit juice, and flavored syrups.

Fearless ingredients combining forces to beat the heat? A heroic feat of satiation, we say.