And the soft serve on every corner is back! Be still my heart.
March 27, 2009
March 25, 2009
March 24, 2009
Thinking
About birthdays. I remember a year long ago (am I now old enough to say long, long ago?) when the daffodils outside my bedroom window waited until the morning of my birthday to open. I remember thinking that it was a sign, nature's way of noting my birthday. Because I have always thought that everyone should celebrate my special day, Flora and Fauna included. And I have always loved having a spring birthday, something about being born in the month known for coming in like a lion and out like a lamb seems right to me. I guess I can relate (and so can those who witness me in the mornings).
Last year on my birthday I flew back from NYC to San Diego. I had just finished a whirlwind trip full of interviews and spent most of my actual birthday wandering around the city, reveling in being anonymous and wondering if I could in fact make this wild city my home. The decision of whether or not to make the jump East was suddenly very real and it was a melancholy plane ride home. In the airport I was greeted by two dear friends and a giant Happy Birthday poster. I was then blindfolded and taken to a rooftop bar (with an interesting elevator ride in between) where all of my dearest friends were waiting. Did I mention that my plane was about an hour late? The fact that my friends had waited for me to arrive (and hadn't touched the cake) on a "school" night well, it still brings me to tears. It was perhaps one of my best birthdays--ever. A night I have gone back to time and time again in the past year, a magical evening that enveloped me in love and made me feel secure in the decisions I was making.
So, here I am on the eve of my first official NYC birthday. As I walked home tonight I was thrilled to see purple and white and yellow crocus popping up in my neighborhood. Mother nature found me, 3000 miles away, and my lovelies well, you haven't really left my side.
Last year on my birthday I flew back from NYC to San Diego. I had just finished a whirlwind trip full of interviews and spent most of my actual birthday wandering around the city, reveling in being anonymous and wondering if I could in fact make this wild city my home. The decision of whether or not to make the jump East was suddenly very real and it was a melancholy plane ride home. In the airport I was greeted by two dear friends and a giant Happy Birthday poster. I was then blindfolded and taken to a rooftop bar (with an interesting elevator ride in between) where all of my dearest friends were waiting. Did I mention that my plane was about an hour late? The fact that my friends had waited for me to arrive (and hadn't touched the cake) on a "school" night well, it still brings me to tears. It was perhaps one of my best birthdays--ever. A night I have gone back to time and time again in the past year, a magical evening that enveloped me in love and made me feel secure in the decisions I was making.
So, here I am on the eve of my first official NYC birthday. As I walked home tonight I was thrilled to see purple and white and yellow crocus popping up in my neighborhood. Mother nature found me, 3000 miles away, and my lovelies well, you haven't really left my side.
March 20, 2009
Ways to Charm Me
Eating Underground. Seriously, you can feed me a bologna sandwich in your basement and I am yours forever. One of my favorite things about NYC is the way that every bit of space is utilized and there are stores and restaurants (not to even get into the size of some bathrooms) in the smallest spaces imaginable. There are also countless places that you can walk by for weeks and never realize are there—until someone points them out, or something catches your eye. Last night I had the privilege of being taken to the Spanish Benevolent Society-a totally unassuming building on 14th street that, once you walk down a narrow flight of stairs and step inside the doors, transports you back into time. First there are the mismatched tables with people playing cards and dominos and then there is the bar, whose patrons look like they have been sitting there through the winter, possibly the last decade of winters. You can almost imagine the cigarette smoke that used to lay heavy throughout the room. Wonderful (if somewhat unschooled) paintings, some done by “society” members grace the walls, as well as posters of Garcia Lorca and old maps of Iberia----a total hodgepodge but it works. I was in the company of Lolo, a jovial restaurateur with several wonderful tapas and paella places around the city, and the unofficial mayor of the Spanish benevolent society. He was greeted warmly, called out to the chefs and we were escorted into the private dining room and to a table that, to my great pleasure, afforded us a view of people walking by (or at least their shoes). Why I find such a bunker like place so cozy and charming I don’t know, but I think it has to do with being tucked away, especially in this bustling city. You have to enjoy your peace and quiet when you can get it. An easy enough task when you are brought several wonderful tapas dishes and some icy cold beers. And then, to cap it all off was a paella like no other I have ever experienced. Instead of rice this was made with pasta (broken into bite sized pieces) and mixed with all sorts of wonderful seafood. It was a delicious paella, especially the bottom. You have to love a dish that finishes as strongly and beautifully as paella, a dish that you have to almost finish to get to the best part-the socorrat. Who knew that slightly burnt and caramelized pasta would taste so fabulous? Oh but it does, especially when enjoyed in such a hidden location.
March 16, 2009
Reading
...in life, each person can take one of two attitudes: to build or plant. The builders might take years over their tasks, but one day, they finish what they're doing. Then they find they're hemmed in by their own walls. Life loses its meaning when the building stops.
Then there are those who plant. They endure storms and all the many vicissitudes of the seasons, and they rarely rest. But, unlike a building, a garden never stops growing. And while it requires the gardener's constant attention, it also allows life for the gardener to be a great adventure.
Gardeners always recognize on another, because they know that in the history of each plant lies the growth of the whole World. ~Paulo Coelho
Then there are those who plant. They endure storms and all the many vicissitudes of the seasons, and they rarely rest. But, unlike a building, a garden never stops growing. And while it requires the gardener's constant attention, it also allows life for the gardener to be a great adventure.
Gardeners always recognize on another, because they know that in the history of each plant lies the growth of the whole World. ~Paulo Coelho
Thinking
Spring must be close, I have lost two scarves in the past week. Just left them behind as I went about my day. Am I shedding?
March 13, 2009
March 12, 2009
Thinking
It's good to know that wildflowers are blooming.........somewhere. And this time last year I was soaking them in.
March 10, 2009
Recipe for a Bruised Heart
Big Bad Wolf Spicy Apricot Chutney
This recipe was pulled from the Fields of Greens but modified slightly (we used 2 lbs of apricots). The aroma from the spices and orange juice simmering away on the stove will lift your spirits and help erase a winter funk. The resulting cheery orange chutney is laced with pretty spirals of green jalapenos that provide just enough heat to take your mind off of other things. And as for the name, well, it was the nicest one we came up with.
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground coriander/ground cloves
**we used whole coriander seeds and whole cloves, simmered with the orange juice and sugar and then strained out
Pinch of black pepper
1/4 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of honey
1 cup of fresh orange juice
1/2 pound dried apricots (diced into uneven pieces--it is chutney!) about 1/2 cup
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup golden (or otherwise) raisins
1 fresh jalapeno chili, seeded and sliced into half moons
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Soak the apricots in water for about 10 minutes or until soft(er).
Combine spices and set aside.
In a small saucepan, dissolve the sugar in the orange juice and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the apricots, ginger, salt and mixed spices and cook over low heat until the apricots are tender (about 15 minutes). Remove the pan from the heat and add the remaining ingredients. There will be some liquid in the pan but the fruit will absorb it. Continue to cook over low heat until the apricots seem nice and soft (at this point you can start to squish them a bit with a wooden spoon, an added benefit for those nursing a damaged ego). The chutney will hold in the fridge for a week or two or even longer if stored in tightly sealed containers.
This chutney is delicious with goat cheese on toast.
Or spread over roasted chicken. Go wild!
This recipe was pulled from the Fields of Greens but modified slightly (we used 2 lbs of apricots). The aroma from the spices and orange juice simmering away on the stove will lift your spirits and help erase a winter funk. The resulting cheery orange chutney is laced with pretty spirals of green jalapenos that provide just enough heat to take your mind off of other things. And as for the name, well, it was the nicest one we came up with.
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground coriander/ground cloves
**we used whole coriander seeds and whole cloves, simmered with the orange juice and sugar and then strained out
Pinch of black pepper
1/4 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of honey
1 cup of fresh orange juice
1/2 pound dried apricots (diced into uneven pieces--it is chutney!) about 1/2 cup
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup golden (or otherwise) raisins
1 fresh jalapeno chili, seeded and sliced into half moons
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Soak the apricots in water for about 10 minutes or until soft(er).
Combine spices and set aside.
In a small saucepan, dissolve the sugar in the orange juice and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the apricots, ginger, salt and mixed spices and cook over low heat until the apricots are tender (about 15 minutes). Remove the pan from the heat and add the remaining ingredients. There will be some liquid in the pan but the fruit will absorb it. Continue to cook over low heat until the apricots seem nice and soft (at this point you can start to squish them a bit with a wooden spoon, an added benefit for those nursing a damaged ego). The chutney will hold in the fridge for a week or two or even longer if stored in tightly sealed containers.
This chutney is delicious with goat cheese on toast.
Or spread over roasted chicken. Go wild!
March 9, 2009
Thinking
Something interesting is happening. As I approach my one year mark here in NYC the city has begun to lose a bit of it's shine. I'd like to blame it on the weather, this winter business is no joke and has really dug in it's heels. I am so ready to hang up my coats and bust out my summer wardrobe. I am ready to leave my gloves and beanies and scarves at home and not miss them once the sun sets. I think I have an honest to goodness case of cabin fever. At night my dreams are of the countryside or rivers or the ocean and during the day I fantasize about jumping into a car and driving along an open road. It seems funny that one of the things I miss most about California was something I used to complain about--the driving. Lately, however, I have missed the freedom a car affords and I miss the ease with which one could take a short drive and get a complete change of scenery. Here I am limited by where public transportation can take me and I'm starting to feel a little boxed in. Sometimes when a train is delayed for no apparent reason or when it stops between stations or when an express suddenly starts to run local I feel like screaming...or crying. It turns out that life in New York is much like life anywhere. You work, you sleep, you do your laundry and sometimes there's a foot of snow for your morning commute. I guess what has happened is that I have acclimated. And now, like so many other New Yorkers, I am waiting for the bulbs that are just beginning to push through the cold, hard soil to burst into bloom. I know that soon spring will overtake the city and I will fall madly in love with it again. And I can't wait.
March 8, 2009
Food for Thought
Check out this article from Slate about young gourmads:
This article has me reminiscing about summer vacations long ago. In addition to being a complete nerd and attempting to read every single book in the children section of the local library, I also spent my summers in the kitchen, happily preparing lunches for my parents. I have two very clear memories of these “lunches.” One, I was absolutely terrified of my parents stove, an old restaurant gas range that required matches to light the burners. I remember standing on a stool, gas turned up high, tossing lit matches into the range, hoping one would catch. This went on until my dad caught me (I guess the smell of gas throughout the house gave me away) and we stood there practicing proper lighting techniques until I got over my fear of lighting my arm on fire. I think there were some tears involved in this process.
My second memory is that my parents very kindly ate canned soup throughout the summer, as this was a staple in my cooking repertoire. I think I might have made a sandwich to go with the soup (chicken and stars, my favorite) or at least some cheese and crackers. I also discovered, on a trip to the library that summer, a cookbook geared towards children. Most of the recipes were pretty basic but I remember being enchanted with the recipe (requiring parental assistance) for a roast chicken. Thus began my love affair with cookbooks and, more importantly, the enjoyment I derive from preparing a meal.
So, back to this article. I am all for kids learning how to fend for themselves in the kitchen but we live in a world where there are way too many gadgets and access to exotic ingredients and not enough lessons in simplicity and starting with the basics. The Food Network and Celebrity Chefs phenomenon has taken over what can be one of the most simple pleasures, putting together a meal for your loved ones.
No longer afraid of stoves..............
This article has me reminiscing about summer vacations long ago. In addition to being a complete nerd and attempting to read every single book in the children section of the local library, I also spent my summers in the kitchen, happily preparing lunches for my parents. I have two very clear memories of these “lunches.” One, I was absolutely terrified of my parents stove, an old restaurant gas range that required matches to light the burners. I remember standing on a stool, gas turned up high, tossing lit matches into the range, hoping one would catch. This went on until my dad caught me (I guess the smell of gas throughout the house gave me away) and we stood there practicing proper lighting techniques until I got over my fear of lighting my arm on fire. I think there were some tears involved in this process.
My second memory is that my parents very kindly ate canned soup throughout the summer, as this was a staple in my cooking repertoire. I think I might have made a sandwich to go with the soup (chicken and stars, my favorite) or at least some cheese and crackers. I also discovered, on a trip to the library that summer, a cookbook geared towards children. Most of the recipes were pretty basic but I remember being enchanted with the recipe (requiring parental assistance) for a roast chicken. Thus began my love affair with cookbooks and, more importantly, the enjoyment I derive from preparing a meal.
So, back to this article. I am all for kids learning how to fend for themselves in the kitchen but we live in a world where there are way too many gadgets and access to exotic ingredients and not enough lessons in simplicity and starting with the basics. The Food Network and Celebrity Chefs phenomenon has taken over what can be one of the most simple pleasures, putting together a meal for your loved ones.
No longer afraid of stoves..............
March 6, 2009
March 3, 2009
Lentil Soup
Soups are one my favorite things to make, in part because they are so forgiving. Just throw in a bunch of ingredients, let simmer and voila! And then there's the fact that they taste so much better the next day, you just have to love anything that makes even better leftovers! And nothing tastes better on a cold winter's day (wait, is it March?) than lentil soup.
My first lentil soups all followed a pretty basic recipe (culled from the Joy of Cooking and Moosewood--my first cookbooks!). To this basic recipe I have added all sorts of things, usually whatever I have lurking around in the fridge. Although I have read all sorts of interesting recipes and testimonies about French lentils and blue lentils and red lentils I have never before experimented, using instead the basic green lentils one usually finds sold in bulk. But, while my dad was visiting last month I took him to a few of my favorite grocery stores (we both love a good market) and I was immediately drawn to this package of lentils.
Yes, I am even a sucker for lentil packaging (you should see what happens in Sephora). This pretty box sat around being admired in the cupboard for about a month and then on Sunday, with reports of a giant snowstorm, inspiration hit. I needed a recipe that would match my fancy lentils and so I browsed through the Fields of Greens Cookbook to see what they suggested. Drawing on ingredients I had on hand I borrowed the idea of Roasted Garlic from their Mexican Lentil Soup with Roasted Garlic and Chilies recipe and sweet potato from their Moroccan inspired rendition. The results? Fantastic (if I do say so myself)! I topped mine with a handful of sauteed spinach and a dollop of greek yogurt.
**Basic Lentil Soup Recipe
1 large carrot, diced
2 medium celery stalks, diced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
a handful of chopped garlic
1/2 a red bell pepper (if desired and in your fridge)
2 potatoes (sweet or otherwise), diced
approx 2 cups of lentils--picked over and rinsed! (French green lentils are my new favorites but experiment!)
about 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Cup of white wine
a little over 2 cups of broth (chicken or veggie)
1 case of diced tomatoes
sea salt and ground black pepper
cumin, coriander, ground ginger
1 bay leaf
In a large pot, saute the garlic and onions for a minute in olive oil, then add the celery and carrots. Season. Cook until veggies begin to soften, then add the wine and let simmer for a minute. Add broth. Dump in the lentils and the potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer. Serve once lentils are soft.
**Modifications
I roasted a whole head of garlic (about 30 minutes at 450) and substituted it for the raw garlic, sauteing it with the other veggies. Gave the soup a nice depth and richness.
Because it was all I had on hand, I added canned fire roasted tomatoes to my soup which offered a nice smokiness.
Delicious with a fried egg on top! Or fried shallots. Or both.
**Up next: Tangy Red Lentil Soup with Nicoise Olives, bring it on winter!
My first lentil soups all followed a pretty basic recipe (culled from the Joy of Cooking and Moosewood--my first cookbooks!). To this basic recipe I have added all sorts of things, usually whatever I have lurking around in the fridge. Although I have read all sorts of interesting recipes and testimonies about French lentils and blue lentils and red lentils I have never before experimented, using instead the basic green lentils one usually finds sold in bulk. But, while my dad was visiting last month I took him to a few of my favorite grocery stores (we both love a good market) and I was immediately drawn to this package of lentils.
Yes, I am even a sucker for lentil packaging (you should see what happens in Sephora). This pretty box sat around being admired in the cupboard for about a month and then on Sunday, with reports of a giant snowstorm, inspiration hit. I needed a recipe that would match my fancy lentils and so I browsed through the Fields of Greens Cookbook to see what they suggested. Drawing on ingredients I had on hand I borrowed the idea of Roasted Garlic from their Mexican Lentil Soup with Roasted Garlic and Chilies recipe and sweet potato from their Moroccan inspired rendition. The results? Fantastic (if I do say so myself)! I topped mine with a handful of sauteed spinach and a dollop of greek yogurt.
**Basic Lentil Soup Recipe
1 large carrot, diced
2 medium celery stalks, diced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
a handful of chopped garlic
1/2 a red bell pepper (if desired and in your fridge)
2 potatoes (sweet or otherwise), diced
approx 2 cups of lentils--picked over and rinsed! (French green lentils are my new favorites but experiment!)
about 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Cup of white wine
a little over 2 cups of broth (chicken or veggie)
1 case of diced tomatoes
sea salt and ground black pepper
cumin, coriander, ground ginger
1 bay leaf
In a large pot, saute the garlic and onions for a minute in olive oil, then add the celery and carrots. Season. Cook until veggies begin to soften, then add the wine and let simmer for a minute. Add broth. Dump in the lentils and the potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer. Serve once lentils are soft.
**Modifications
I roasted a whole head of garlic (about 30 minutes at 450) and substituted it for the raw garlic, sauteing it with the other veggies. Gave the soup a nice depth and richness.
Because it was all I had on hand, I added canned fire roasted tomatoes to my soup which offered a nice smokiness.
Delicious with a fried egg on top! Or fried shallots. Or both.
**Up next: Tangy Red Lentil Soup with Nicoise Olives, bring it on winter!
Tuesday Trio
Three things I'm loving right now.
This nailpolish, which reminds me of grape kool aid.
(and having nails to paint!)
These ladies, who made me laugh all weekend.
This homemade pizza with goat cheese, fig jam and arugula (and a sprinkling of parm). Next time we're adding carmalized onions.
This nailpolish, which reminds me of grape kool aid.
(and having nails to paint!)
These ladies, who made me laugh all weekend.
This homemade pizza with goat cheese, fig jam and arugula (and a sprinkling of parm). Next time we're adding carmalized onions.
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