I love taking coffee out of the cup and bringing it into the kitchen. For me, the aroma of espresso opens the door to San Francisco, Ryan’s Café. And there, once again, is Carmen. Espresso brings a beautiful bitterness to these chicken thighs, balancing the brown sugar as it melts into a dark, glossy glaze. It is familiar but transformed, rather like memory itself. That is the wonder of cooking. A flavor is never only a flavor. It carries the kitchens where we worked, the meals we prepared, and the people who stood beside us while we created them. Recipe below and in my Substack at Lenorenolanryan 8 boneless chicken thighs @Maldon Salt and freshly ground black pepper @getgraza olive oil 1 cup strongly brewed espresso 2 tablespoons Dutch cocoa ½ cup dark brown sugar Zest and juice of 1 orange 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons each Dijon and coarse mustard 3 tablespoons sweet soy sauce 2 garlic cloves, finely grated 1 teaspoon @Burlap & Barrel smoked paprika 1 teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped ½ teaspoon dried lavender, crushed 2 tablespoons unsalted butter Finely grated orange zest and arugula, for finishing Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken in the skillet and cook, without moving it, for 3-4 minutes, until it begins to turn golden and crisp. Turn the thighs and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. In the same pan, add shallots and garlic, cumin and cook until softened. Add the espresso, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, orange zest and juice, mustard, sweet soy sauce, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, and rosemary and lavender. Bring it to a simmer and cook for 3-5 minutes, until slightly thickened and glossy. Add the chicken back to the pan and cook for 3-5 more minutes. Turn off the heat and swirl in the butter. Enjoy! #chickenrecipe #chickenthighs #espressorecipe #espressochicken #internationalcoffeemonth - @lenorenolanryan