Dishin': Meet Pedro Ximénez

Phillies fans may be celebrating the return of Pedro Martinez, but we're celebrating the rise of Pedro Ximénez. Also known as PX, Pedro Ximénez is the name of a Spanish white grape, as well as an intensely sweet and dark dessert sherry.

For last month's "Pork and Beans" challenge for Sound magazine's "Dish-Off" (two chefs each design a multi-course meal based on a song; "Pork and Beans" is by Weezer), Chef Philippe Thomelin of Olivar prepared some Pedro Ximénez-braised pork ribs that were super-tender, slightly acidic, and almost sugary. This was melt-in-your-mouth good eating.

The song for this month's "Dish-Off" is Carole King's "Chicken Soup with Rice," and Chef Jose Maria Larrosa of Taberna del Alabardero continued the Pedro Ximénez theme, serving up chicken wing bombón. Inspired by Maurice Sendak (whose book King put to music), Taberna said that the three drummettes are "reminiscent of a drum mallet, [and] are marinated in garlic and parsley and set a beat for what's to come." Said in Sound: "The raisiny and molasses-like Pedro Ximénez reduction is a perfect counterpoint to the salt and garlic in these cute bites. The plating is beautiful, with a sprig of rosemary providing an accent."

The current issue of Sound is on newsstands now. We recommend reading it while sipping some PX and dreaming how you can use it in your cooking.