Crème Brûlée and Egg Nog are truly two of our favorite things…especially this time of year. So, we thought it only fitting that we combine these two masterwork delights into one super dessert. One will do the trick, but if you devour three, expect the Holiday Sugar Plum Fairies to still be dancing in your head the morning after!

It’s sometimes difficult to “mess” with a good thing, but because like so many chefs and foodies live to play mad scientist on the grill, I also wanted to see what extra layers of flavor, texture I could bring to this now iconic, and very American recipe. These days I prefer to “smoke” the beer can chicken rather than simply grill, roast it - using the traditional technique, but now with the addition of hickory or pecan wood over hot coals. We all know that smoke and beer go brilliantly together, and the neutral meat of poultry simply make it possible for the fragrance and flavors of both to harmonize.

Our family garden is coming along beautifully this year, and although we’re already harvesting most of the smaller varieties of tomatoes, the larger, more sought after Goliath and Arkansas Traveler fruit are still hanging green from the vine. So, our impatience can be validated by making this amalgamation of traditional southern fried green tomatoes with a Korean style preparation and sauce.