Beef stew, like a good wine or cheese, only gets better with time. So whenever we have one, I like to cook it a good three or four days in advance, at least. Just bring to stew to a boil for a few minutes each morning, keep on low heat for the rest of the day, and allow to cool overnight. Repeat as necessary. With the colder weather settling in, there’s nothing quite so wonderful as a pot of hearty stew simmering away on the stove’s back burner.

This stew, inspired by a recipe on smitten kitchen, was started last Monday in order to be ready for dinner on Thursday. And then the leftovers were refrigerated and served for dinner again tonight (Sunday). So, so, so yummy. I can’t wait to have more for lunch tomorrow.