Ep 8. My Delaware Days

In season 6 episode 8 of Valerie's Home Cooking, titled "My Delaware Days," Valerie Bertinelli takes a trip down memory lane to her hometown in Delaware. She shares some of her favorite dishes from her childhood and puts a modern twist on them for her guests.

The episode kicks off with Valerie preparing her cocktail of choice, the "Delaware Haht Toddy," made with apple cider, bourbon, and fresh ginger. She explains that the drink is a tribute to her Delaware roots where the weather can get cold and windy during the fall months.

Next up, Valerie heads to the grocery store to pick up ingredients for her first dish, a classic chicken and dumplings recipe. As she shops, she reminisces about how her mother and grandmother used to make this dish on cold winter nights. Valerie includes a twist on the recipe, adding parmesan cheese to the dumpling mixture for added flavor. As she cooks, she talks about her memories of eating this dish with her family and how it always brings back warm and cozy feelings.

For her second dish, Valerie prepares a perfect seafood chowder. This dish uses fresh seafood, such as clams, shrimp, and crab, combined with bacon and potatoes to create a hearty and delicious meal. Valerie explains that this recipe was inspired by her summers spent on the coast of Delaware, where she would go clamming with her family. She also adds a special ingredient – fish sauce – to add an extra depth of flavor to the chowder.

As Valerie cooks, she also shares her love for the Delaware beaches and how they are a special place for her and her family. She talks about how she has fond memories of spending long summer days playing in the sand and swimming in the ocean.

For her final dish, Valerie prepares a dessert that she says is a "tribute to all things Delaware" – a peach crisp. This dish is easy to make and uses ripe peaches, brown sugar, and a crumbly topping of oats and almonds. Valerie talks about how the peaches from Delaware are some of the sweetest and juiciest she's ever tasted, and how this dessert reminds her of picking them with her family as a child.

Throughout the episode, Valerie shares personal stories and memories about growing up in Delaware and how they have influenced her cooking. She also includes tips and tricks for making each dish, such as how to properly clean and prepare clams for the seafood chowder.

In the end, Valerie serves up her delicious Delaware-inspired dishes to her guests, who are impressed with the flavors and heartwarming stories behind each one. Overall, "My Delaware Days" is a heartwarming and nostalgic episode that celebrates family, food, and the special memories that come with them.