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SAGE BASICS
Buying: Fresh sage leaves should be a dusky green color and free of blemishes. Wrap leaves in a slightly damp paper towel and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Cooking: Sturdy sage holds its own in sausages and creamy sauces. Fresh, finely chopped leaves can be added at the beginning of a recipe or flash-fried whole for a fragrant, edible garnish.
SAGE WISDOM
Revered for centuries due to its medicinal value, sage is a member of the mint family, first cultivated in the Mediterranean. This earthy, slightly lemony herb is commonly found in traditional stuffing recipes and the classic Italian dish veal saltimbocca.
AROUND RVA
Pamplin Poultry: Pamplin starts with pasture-raised chicken and builds on the flavor until its pepper-sage sausage tastes like a proper country breakfast.
La Cucina: Wrapped in prosciutto and cooked in a white wine sauce, La Cucina's veal saltimbocca is awarded an herbaceous note from sage, which sits front and center in the dish.
Ardent Craft Ales: Ardent's Sweet Potato and Sage Saison is right up there with boots and sweaters as a harbinger of fall, and this year, for the first time, it’s available in canned four-packs.
“Sage has always been the welcomer of fall. The smell brings me back to warm kitchens with friends.” —John Kreckman, owner of Bombolini Pasta
COOK LIKE A LOCAL
John Kreckman, owner of Bombolini Pasta (Photo courtesy Bombolini Pasta)
Brown-Butter Sage Sauce Over Bombolini Pasta
By John Kreckman, owner of Bombolini Pasta
Serves 2
Nutty brown butter and floral sage belong on the list of classic pairings right next to peanut butter and jelly. When it comes to fall cooking, Bombolini Pasta owner John Kreckman says, “Somehow, sage sneaks its way into every dish,” pairing well with both duck and game. This straightforward sauce recipe relies on high-quality ingredients showing off atop a bowl of perfectly al dente fettuccine.”
“Sage has always been the welcomer of fall,” says John Kreckman, owner of Bombolini Pasta. “The smell brings me back to warm kitchens with friends.”
8 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, crushed
10-12 sage leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound Bombolini fettuccine, cooked
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter is bubbling, add crushed garlic clove. Stir constantly until the butter begins to turn light brown. Roll the sage leaves up into bunches of five and chiffonade, releasing the oils in the herb and creating a nice presentation.
Toss cooked pasta into the sauce, and serve with a small pinch of Parmesan cheese on top.
