Comfort food, no matter what background you come from, or what the food style you are cooking, is the best. Full Stop. Winter is the season that I think most of us associate with the need to eat foods that are not only warming, but comforting, as well. Stews, soups, casseroles, and all other warming rich dishes are busted out in the winter to help us feel better and make our bellies happy and warm.

I often get asked about my favourite food and restaurants, but the thing is that I really don’t like having a single favourite of anything. I eat with mood and craving, so things are always different and changing. This is the way it should be, in my opinion. If I am pressured to narrow things down, it always comes down to something comforting. Talk turned to these kinds of foods yesterday, and I got the idea in my head that I needed to make a Bolognese to go along with some wonderful handmade pasta I had been given, recently. I have been thinking about pasta lately, and it is not something I eat very often, and rarely order when I am out, unless it is handmade, and something special. When I get on the kick, though, watch out. Likely there will be some mac & cheese happening in the kitchen soon, also.

So, what did I do differently with this sauce that makes it worthy of posting on the old blog? There is very little traditional about this, other than the very base ingredients, and methods, and then I went off page. A friend, and amazing cook, Lorella makes hers with porchetta. It is the best I have ever had, hands down. Legit. Respect. So on, and so forth. Totally forgetting this, I decided to pull out a piece of porchetta that my girl DivaQ had made for me a while ago, and that I had been saving in the freezer. Again, legit product, Danielle is amazing. I’m lucky to be surrounded with some of the best people, for serious.

When I think pig, I think apple. When I think apple, I think honey. Can you see where I am going with this? No? Well, let me spell it out for you.

• We (yes, the Royal "we") took some onion , carrot, and apple (about 1/3 of a cup of each, give or take), grated it, and cooked it in some olive oil with a clove of confit garlic (chopped will suffice, but you really should make confit garlic to have around, ill post my method soon) on med-low heat for about 10 minutes.

• I soaked some dried mushrooms in hot water too add, but these are optional. Always keep the water from this type of thing, in a jar, it is great to add to sauces and stocks.
• Then, threw in some chopped up porchetta that I had seasoned with habanero flakes and paprika, and cooked it until the meat browned.
• Then I added some honey (1/2 cup), salt and pepper, and a cup of wine to deglaze, being sure to scrape all of the goodness from the bottom of the pan

• Next? Added some cream (about a cup)and simmered it for about 30 minutes, until it got nice and thick.
• Add in a big chunk of butter (and 2 tbs) and stir it through.
• Cook your favourite pasta, and you are ready to go.
• Don’t forget the cheese! Mmmm cheese. 

I was pretty proud of myself with tis one. Shows what good ingredients, and a little patience, and a pinch of knowledge can do.