For me, the panna cotta is the answer to my classic conundrum of low-dessert-making-confidence, contrasted with a voracious craving for custardy desserts. Panna cottas are a light-tasting Italian custard dessert made with cream and gelatin. If you are looking for a summer dessert with an outstanding work to reward ration and guaranteed guest appreciation, Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Peaches is your dessert. Simple to make and tasting of sweet peaches and tangy cream, we eat a lot of panna cottas in our household. My goal in Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Peaches was a recipe with a nuanced tangy buttermilk base, and found that I couldn’t resist the classic peaches and cream combination.

Looking for more creamy summer desserts?  Check our funky Basil Yogurt Panna Cotta with blueberries and dead simple Meyer Lemon Posset.

Paul is balancing full time work and school this year; up early and home late. This means that he cooks on weekends, and weeknight cooking is up to me and my random taste inclinations. Paul claims to likes everything I make...but after the third consecutive meat-centric meal last weekend, I think I got the hint, more protein in the week. Our current favorite, these Fig Whiskey Glazed Chicken Legs, has a sweet and tangy glaze that turns the meat a rich mahogany hue. We licked our fingers clean while the dogs watched mournfully by.

Some mornings call for decadence. Whiskey Custard French Toast is ready in under 10 minutes, rich and custardy in the middle, golden brown and lightly crispy on the outside, delicately sweet, and spiked with the vanilla and peppery notes of a good whiskey. Being back in school this week has meant rushed chilly mornings without time for breakfast. With the weekend here, I was ready for an indulgent start to the day. 

It is peach season in Western Pennsylvania, and nothing shouts summer like Smoked Wings with Rye Whiskey Peach Sauce. These wings are slow roasted  to tender perfection with a rich pecan smoke flavor and finished on the grill to crisp the skin. Oak-aged spirits pair beautifully with peaches (see our Salted Rum Caramel with Grilled Peaches & Ice Cream), and we find that Wigle's Aged Rye Whiskey is the perfect foil to sweet summer peaches and smokey wings. This Carolina inspired barbecue sauce is quick, easy, and versatile -- delicious on everything from these wings to ribs to burgers.