the final stretch

Welcome to October, the greatest month of the year, the real welcome wagon of Autumn, and my birthday month! Though I've been counting down for the past thirty days, we've now entered the final countdown and are quickly approaching my big day. Don't worry though, I'm checking off items from my dirty thirty to-do list just as quickly as the days go by. Here's another update for those of you who are keeping track of me and my homework. For our second installment, numbers 31 through 60 -

#32. look at all this pretty stationary waiting to be
signed, sealed & delivered to the perfect pen pal!

31. Get health insurance - It took a long while and there were many medical problemos along the way. I became a familiar face at the urgent care clinic and got used to waiting hours and hours for a new dose of asthma meds. But I survived it and now I have a job that I love and that loves me back by providing me with health care options! Though now that it's October, just about anyone can find themselves some form of these benefits.
32. Collect correspondence with friends - I love pen pals! I actually have a drawer full of cards, postcards and stationary just waiting to be mailed out. I love the excitement of getting something other than a bill or take-out menu in my mailbox (I don't mind catalogues so much because I love fake shopping,) and I like to surprise other with that same joy and delight. I actually just read this Buzzfeed bit about how everyone needs to start writing more letters and I couldn't agree more. If you'd like to be my pen pal, just send me your address!
33. Live through a blind date - A mutual love of mopey, sad sack indie rock does not make for a joyful date. It does, however, make for a good concert buddy so thanks for that set-up Mom.
34. Be a gracious guest - Well, I've never been banned from anyone's home and I usually come with a bottle of wine or homemade baked goods.

#38. one of many pairs crowding my closet.

35. Invest in ear plugs - We have oodles of these lying around the house but I have to say that I'm not particularly fond of them. My dad gave me a bunch when I moved to noisy New York but I actually enjoyed the city sounds. I much prefer some quite music through ear buds than the muffled, pseudo silence of little foamy bits in my ears.
36. Know your blood type - I've been a regular blood donor since my 18th birthday. The Red Cross and I are pretty friendly.
37. Confront someone who's done you wrong - It hurts to be honest sometimes, to know that you've done wrong and that has done wrong to you, to admit all of those wrongdoings. But it's awfully cathartic when you can air it our and let it go. Sometimes it takes longer than you'd like, but it's always worth it in the end, grudges just weigh you down.
38. Walk in heels - After I broke my leg I was terrified of two things - that I'd never ride my bike again and that I'd never wear heels again. Thankfully I've been able to continue doing both things. 
39. Watch the sun rise and set on the same day by yourself - At times I can be both a night owl and an early riser so the opportunities to follow the sun are not foreign to me. Most frequently, I enjoyed the orbits while Honey napped on our camping trip to North Carolina.

#39. sunrise.

#39. sunset.

40. Disagree. Out loud - I'm from New Jersey; I love a good debate.
41. Memorize your ring size - In case you care to buy me anything off my baubles, bling & shiny things Pinterest board, I wear a 6.
42. Have a mantra - Does "It's always better with bacon" count? Other than that, I'd have to say that my favorite word to live by is 'hopeful', my own realistic version of optimism.
43. Open a bottle of champagne - Haha I'm an old pro! My other mantra might just be Hester Browne's words of wisdom - "Always keep a bottle of champagne in the fridge for special occasions. Sometimes the special occasion is that you've got a bottle of champagne in the fridge."
44. Adopt an awkward teenager - My time as an after-school librarian was well spent mentoring and befriending dozens of awkwardly goofy but brilliant teens. They reminded me of better versions of my past self and I relished being the grown-up friend they needed.

#47. style icon

45. Eat soy - I love soy! Tofu, edamame, miso, all of it. I'm definitely not veggie but I do participate in Meatless Mondays and many Tofu Tuesdays.
46. Cultivate your own style / 47. Dress for longevity / 48. Own a cashmere sweater - Two words for you - Preppy & British. I love a classically chic outfit that is so timeless it could have been worn by a Hepburn or a Hathaway. The key is fit and fabric. I like to live by the word of Tim Gunn I'm a huge fan of J. Crew, Boden, Jack Wills, Madewell, Kate Spade & Anthropologie. Mix in a few key vintage, trendy or antique pieces for an effortlessly fashionable look that will never go out of style. 
49. Defy gravity - The kindly Jewish lady on Orchard Street helped me with this one. A quick glance at my boobies and she knew exactly what I needed. Never again will I be confused by all those ill-fitting over-the-shoulder boulder holders regular stores have hanging on the racks (no pun intended!)
50. Use a great dermo / 51. Get a massage - Ahh to be pampered. I miss NY for this very reason - the best facials in the world could be had at Christine Chin Spa and a great massage was right around the corner at the cheapy nail place. Gosh I miss those $8.50 manis!
52. Sleep in a hammock - I'm slightly terrified of hammocks because of an incident a few Fourth of Julys ago when I was rudely flipped out of one and did some damage to a few ribs (thanks again for that Pat, and happy birthday tomorrow!) But that fear hasn't stopped me from dozing poolside at the old homestead.

#49. do you buy a Titzling or do you buy a Brassiere?

53. Own a toolbox with all the basics / 54. Hook up something high tech by yourself - My father gifted me a basic blue toolbox when I moved into my very first apartment Junior year of college. It's followed me around ever since and helped me hang pictures, build a bookshelf, put together awful Ikea furniture, and so much more. High tech though? Does scanning photos and creating a digital catalog of my archive count? I'll say yes.
55. Memorize your favorite smells - Surround yourself with them. Like the sparks song says "the olfactory sense is the sense that most strongly evokes memories of the past." Spaghetti sauce cooking on the stove, delicious foods roasting or baking in the oven, fresh cleaned sheets with lavender spritz, a light breeze carrying hints of the bay, and freshly sawed wood. But my two favorite scents are ones that immediately bring back memories of the past and people - I love the waxy, perfumed scent of lipstick because it makes me think of my mom and her reminder to always wear lipstick. I also love the smell of pipe tobacco because it makes me think of my dad. Not because he smoked a pipe but because when I was little he would take me to the hardware store with him and the old man who worked there smoke pipes. I love those sentimental smells.

56. Fall in love (or lust) without blowing off your friends - Why would I want to ditch all of my awesome gals for my equally awesome guy? That seems so silly, especially when their combined awesomeness makes my life so much better!
57. Care about where your food comes from - I absolutely care about what I put in my body and where it all comes from. If I could always shop locally, organically and seasonally I would but it gets to be very expensive. I'm very fortunate to have a few very well supplied and varied farmers markets and little shops in my neighborhood and I frequent them as often as my wallet allows.

#58. the good life.

58. Fly first class - :) This might just be my favorite of all 100 items on the list, mostly because I never thought I'd be able to get it checked off since I don't frequently travel by plane and I'm certainly not wealthy enough to buy a first class ticket. But, every once in awhile things work out and prove that patience truly is a virtue. Here's how it all went down - On my way back from the SAA conference in New Orleans my flight was running a little late because of some passenger confusion. When I heard my name called over the loudspeaker my eyes nearly fell out of my head from rolling so hard. I begrudgingly walked up to the check-in desk only to find out that they simply wanted to see if I would mind them moving my seat to convenience a few difficult passengers. Of course I didn't mind, put me in the teeny tiny bathroom for all I care, just get me home to Honey! I could tell that, despite my flexibility, the poor airline staff was still having difficulties with a few of the not-so frequent fliers so I went back up to the desk and told them to seat me last. That they really could put me anywhere, just worry about getting everyone else on the plane first. And as a joke I let them know that I wouldn't mind sitting in first class if that's the only place they could find me a seat. Well, my kindness and easy breezy attitude didn't seem to be getting me that fancy front row seat because I found myself being shuffled to the back of the plane... only to be tapped on the shoulder and informed that seat 3C was available for me. 3C?! I was greeted with a chilled glass of white wine, a smile, and a huge reclining seat. Kindness and patience really do pay off!
59. Carry something to read, a notebook and a pen at all times - In our fast-paced modern times all of these items have essentially been replaced by our smartphones. Unfortunately they run out of a charge every now and then. I've always got a pen and a piece of scrap paper in my purse or pocket. To read, well I'll read just about anything and those free newspapers are always lying around cities when I've left one of my many books or magazines at home.
60. Make a killer cocktail - I've hung out at enough bars and befriended enough bartenders to learn a few tricks of the trade. I prefer the classics and perfected the art of the Manhattan, the Martini, and the Negroni. Though I really love going out and watching the real masters at work, I might just mix you up something if you came by for a visit.

Stay tuned throughout the rest of the week. I'll do my best to put aside party planning and keep you posted about my progress. Four more days!

big easy

Normally I try to avoid pre-seasoned or pre-packaged foods because they tend to be too salty and not that great for you. But every once in awhile, especially after a long day of field tripping with the fifth grade, I'm not in the mood to plan a menu and prep all the elements of the meal. Exhausted times like these are when it helps to have a few tricks up your sleeve and a few mains and sides in the freezer or pantry.

Tonight we opened the freezer and pulled out some seasoned waffle-cut fries and saucy cajun salmon. Even though the White House may consider french fries a vegetable, I don't. We needed more color on the plate and since we have seemingly never-ending supplies of beans and kale, that's what I made. I seasoned the kale with some sazon and cumin and steamed it with garlic, onion, and sliced summer sausage. I prepared the beans just like I would a spicy vegetarian chili, but only brought it to a simmer for a few minutes to make sure everything was hot but not totally cooked into chili; almost like a summer chili because it isn't as hearty as winter chili. Thirty minutes later we pulled the fish and chips out of the oven and spooned our two veggie sides from the stovetop for a bright, colorful, slightly inspired by New Orleans meal. Even better than the quick simplicity of the meal was the fact that the ease and swiftness with which we prepared it meant that the weather was still ideal for al fresco dining!

summer chili

ingredients

1 can red beans

5 campari tomatoes, large diced

1 small onion, large diced

1 tsp avocado oil

1 tsp pepper jelly

cayenne, chipotle, black peppers to taste

directions

1. In a small saucepan, heat oil and sautee onions until slightly softened. Add beans, tomatoes, pepper jelly and peppers. Simmer on a medium heat about 10-15 minutes.

hungary/hungry like the wolfs

Last night I shared my dinner party menu with you; the theme was March: in like a lamb, out like a lion/in like a lion, out like a lamb. And though I certainly found inspiration in the seasonal uncertainty us Baltimore folks have seen over the past few weeks, the dishes I prepared were not brand new to me. They come from one of my all-time favorite vacations, shown in the picture I shared. A few years ago I went to Budapest in search of something and came home with a full stomach and no awesome new Hungarian words for my foreign vocabulary. I tried so many amazing foods while I was there but there was one flavor that really stood out and stuck with me as one that I wanted to incorporate into my cooking - hot Hungarian paprika! Based on my March menu, you can see that the Eastern European cuisine has stuck with me and now I think it's about time I shared the flavors with you, darlings. (Also, please don't mind the photos, I had to capture shots of my leftovers because I was afraid I'd scare away the folks by having my camera out to capture their every deliciously satisfied nibble.)

this light and crisp Spring salad represents the lamb of March

To start, or finish depending on your preference, I prepared a simple Spring salad with frisee, mache rosettes, and sliced radishes. I originally planned on using watercress because I like the bitter creaminess of it, but then I saw the mache rosettes and they just looked so pretty. I'd never had this green before but it looked pretty similar to watercress so I gave it a shot; it was kind of the same but maybe a little sweeter. I topped the salad off with a tasty mustard vinaigrette that was super simple to make. In a small jar shake/stir together 1/3 c garlic infused olive oil, 1/8 c red wine vinegar, 1/8 c white vinegar, 1 bulb diced shallot, a pinch of sugar, dash of salt, and a few (or many, knowing me) turns of the pepper grinder, and 1 heaping tbsp whole grain mustard (my favorite is Tin Mustard for its mild flavor; I used the last of it for this recipe and don't know when I'll make it back to Bk to get some more, egads!) Refrigerate the dressing before serving. I like to serve the salad naked and let guests spoon their own dressing because everyone likes a different green to vinaigrette ratio. Ooo I also got to use my new salad plates! I found the whole set of four for only $9.99 at Home Goods! After all what's a dinner party without proper salad plates? What are we, animals?

Since I've been been piling my plates with veggies lately, the side salad was only the tip of the green iceberg. Uborkasalata is a mild Hungarian cucumber salad that kind of tastes like pickles and reminds me of the cucumber salad at M Shanghai. Using a mandolin, slice two large, peeled cucumbers, sprinkle with about 1tsp salt, and squeeze out all the water by putting the slices in between two sheets of paper towel, two plates and putting about 3-5 lbs of weight on them. Drain the water from the cucumbers every few minutes for an hour, changing the towels as necessary. In a medium sized bowl whisk together 1/4-1/2 c water (depending on how dry you were able to get the cucumbers,) 1/4 c white vinegar, pinch of sugar, and dash of garlic powder. Soak the cucumber slices in the liquid mix for a few hours in the fridge (at least 3 hours) until you're ready to serve. This dish should be served chilled. Make sure you serve it with a slotted serving spoon so that the vinegary juices don't get all over the hot dishes on your plate!

My third and final veggie dish was a quick and easy sauteed kale. Double or triple rinse 5-6 cups torn kale leaves, (they're usually pretty sandy when you get them fresh) but don't completely dry them. In a large skillet, heat up about 1-2 tbsp hazelnut oil with 1/2 tsp minced garlic, 1 tbsp diced shallots, and a handful of chopped hazelnuts. Add the damp kale leaves to the skillet and let cook down until it's wilted and tender. Season with course salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

And now for the main course! The spaetzle can be made a couple of hours ahead of time which is probably a good time saving idea, especially since it will heat back up when you toss it with the brown butter. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a large bowl mix 3/4 c scant cold whole milk, 3 eggs, 1tsp salt, 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper, and 1/2 tsp fresh ground nutmeg. Add 1 c whole wheat flour and 1 c all-purpose flour in half cup batches and stir furiously, the batter will be pretty goopy. Using a colander, a slotted spoon or a bachshaufel, push the batter through in stringy, squiggly batches into the boiling water. Let simmer for about two minutes while the strands float to the top. Set cooked spaetzle aside in a covered, buttered bowl. Prior to serving, heat up about 1/4 c unsalted butter in a hot skillet until it starts to brown, toss the spaetzle in the butter until warm and serve immediately alongside the creamy paprika chicken which is also quite easy to make -

creamy paprika chicken

ingredients

5 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into large chunks

2 1/2 tbsp paprika - equal parts smoked paprika mixed with hot Hungarian paprika (like Szeged)

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 onion, chopped

5-6 ripe plum tomatoes, chopped
1-2 c sliced mushrooms (optional)

2/3 c sour cream

course salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

directions

1. Toss cubed chicken in half the paprika mix with a little salt and pepper and set aside while you heat one tbsp butter in a large pan over a medium high flame. Cook the chicken, tossing occasionally until it is cooked through but not overcooked. Remove chicken to the bowl but keep the juices in the pan and slightly lower the heat.

2. Add the second tbsp butter to the pan adding the onion and cooking until softened, making sure to scrape up all the browning bits in the pan. Add the rest of the paprika and continue to cook, stirring and scraping for a couple minutes. Add in the tomatoes and 1/2-3/4 c water (depending on how much juice you've already got in the pan) and stir until the tomatoes are softened and the liquid is saucy. Add the mushrooms, if desired, and allow to cook through.

3. Dump the chicken and juices back in the pan to reheat and finish cooking, about five minutes. Stir in the sour cream and bring the mix to a simmer. Season with extra paprika, salt and pepper before serving  on top of or next to the spaetzle. YUM!

they might be leftovers, but they're still delicious!

                                                                                                                                                           
All of this tasty goodness was served up with two Austrian wines, a red and a white (I went to Austria on that trip, too!) They were both bold a dry and perfectly complimented the whole meal. Thanks to the folks at Chesapeake Wine Co. for the recommendations! This is truly one of my favorite meals and it turns out that the Wolf folks love it, too! I think I did a darn good job and genuinely impressed and satisfied our guests. How could a meal this filling and flavorful not put a smile on your face and some warmth in your belly! It's absolutely perfect for cool or chilly nights or just when you need something comforting. Something you'd want to enjoy while sitting around the kitchen table with your family.

looking over the Danube to Buda from Pest 

P.S. Earlier in the post I mentioned my trip to Budapest and that my reason for going there was a little bit of a search. What exactly was I searching for? Well, it's a little corny and embarrassing but I was out to find my soulmate. You see, my adorably, madly in love, amazing parents who have been married for about a billion years met at a bar in New Brunswick when they were teenagers (you could drink at 18 back in the day.) The bar was called the Budapest. So in my silly, dreamy mind I thought that if I went to the actual city of Budapest I might have a chance of meeting my soulmate. I didn't find my soulmate on that trip but, along with some great culinary inspiration, I was able to do a bit of self discovery. Hungary was the most foreign place I had ever been to but I still managed to get by (with the help of the amazing folks at Carpe Noctem Hostel) and explore one of the most beautiful cities I've ever seen. Hmm, maybe I'll have to go back through my photo albums (yeah, I think this was before I even owned a digital camera) and share a photoblog of my Budapest memories with you, darlings. Something to look forward to soon!

chowdah-heads

I love field trips, always have.  So when the opportunity to chaperone a trip up to Boston with the school's jazz ensembles and jazz choir for the Berklee Jazz Festival, I said heck yeah!  True that I'm not a huge fan of Boston (it's cold and I've had a crummy time every visit I've made,) but there are a few things native to the New England area that I am a huge fan of.  Plus, by chaperoning an overnight trip, I got to stay in my very own hotel room and I lovelovelove hotels!  It was so cosy and New England-y with all the down pillows and comforters and a stunning view of the Boston skyline - well as stunning as it can be when all I can do is compare it to the NYC skyline that I can see from my rooftop in Brooklyn.  Even despite the lacking skyline, the hotel room was the perfect place to crash after a long, noisy bus ride with forty high school musicians.  But not without a nice bite with the grownups before bedchecks.  So off we headed to the hotel restaurant where I indulged in a bowl of New England clam chowder that was so chock full of buttery little shellfish and cream that completely beats out my Manhattan variety.  Let's face it, nothing beats a creamy soup, even if it does have a NYC namesake.  I was the perfect beginning to my plateful of baked, crispy cod with roasted vegetables.  Mmmm Boston knows how to do seafood, that's for sure!

After wandering around the convention center the next day, attempting to keep track of my 35 kids, getting them dressed and to rehearsals and performances on time, and enjoying some out of this world jazz music from young geniuses I got to wander around on my own.  But I stuck around to hear a few more great performances because despite the fact that I don't know my ass from my elbow when it comes to music (I still blame this on my mom not letting my take up the drums in fourth grade,) I do know that I love jazz.  A lot.  After my fill of music, I decided to wander around the Berklee area of Boston, beautiful, clean, snowy, kind of fancy pants posh.  It reminded me a bit of Princeton or certain areas of Baltimore with the boutique shops and historic architecture.  Unfortunately, Boston is not Princeton or Baltimore so I still wasn't able to fall in love with the city.  I think the next time I head up there, I'll definitely need to go with someone who knows their way around and can show me all the worthwhile stuff to do and see.  The lobster rolls and clam chowder bread bowls I devoured at some dive bar for supper after a long day of chaperoning and exploring came pretty close to converting me into a lover of Boston, but not quite.  So who's up for the challenge?  Who wants to take me on a grand tour of Beantown?  You just have to promise that we get a few more of these -

escape from new york

A lovely long weekend is upon us and I plan on taking total advantage of it!  I suppose all of my weekends are long these days as I don't really have much to do or anywhere to go, but I'll pretend that this is special and that, along with the rest of the country, I get to enjoy an extra, blissful day off.  Since I've been crashing at the LES loft I haven't been able to do much cooking or baking - though the pad comes complete with cable and a working elevator, it is unfortunately sans working oven.  I thought about heading back to Brooklyn and throwing a dinner party with my much missed friends and an insane amount of food but since they all seem to have fled the county of Kings for exotic locations like Canada, Upstate, and Austin, Texas, I'd just end up eating all that food on my own.  So instead, I too have decided to flee the city streets for a more rustic locale and will be returning to the olde homestead in South Brunswick.  There, I will fatten up my family for the coming winter months with a special Autumnal menu that I have crafted and plan on preparing over the next few days.  I hope everyone enjoys what looks to be a fabulously fall-like weekend and looks forward to hearing all about these new culinary creations I'm working on.  Want a sneak peak?  Here you go:

* tiny, mini, adorable personal cran-apple pies
* moroccan acorn squash cous cous
* ginger snap cookies
* pantry cookies a la Kate's challenge
* roast chicken
* cornbread stuffing
* brussel sprout hash
* something cider-y

And if I have time, maybe a hobble along the canal and a stop in Princeton to meet up with some old friends.  Princeton is so beautiful this time of year; well, always, but especially in the Fall.  But before I bust outta here, I'm off to a belated birthday / catch-up supper with Meg at Back Forty.  I hope everyone's weekend is as yummy as mine!

a mediterranean staycation

I have unfortunately been suffering from a troubling affliction for quite some time now.  An illness with no cure.  The travel bug.  Since my first solo trip abroad about eight years ago, I've wanted nothing more than to jetset around the world visiting one fabulous, exotic location after another.  Well, maybe not nothing more, I yearn for very many things but travel has always been way up there on the list.  Though I've been afforded the great opportunity to visit many cities and countries since I became a passport holder, one locale that I haven't had the chance to jet off to is the Mediterranean, particularly the Eastern coast.  This dream of mine does not begin and end with the crystal blue waters, the luxurious lifestyles, or the rich (art) histories of the region, though.  No no no.  What I might look forward to the most about my eventual trip is the food.  The spicy and savory spices, the fresh and hearty cuisine, colorful, (relatively) healthy, and foods as ancient as the traditions.  

Since I'm currently unable to afford a vacation (no Mom, New Jersey doesn't count,) I occasionally base an entire meal around the culinary masterpieces of the Mediterranean.  Plus, the food is all pretty simple to make, healthy and perfect for summertime because none of it's super hot.  Since my desire to make something late last night led me to whipping up an ungodly amount of hummus, tonight became one of those wonderfully themed suppers!

To start, that wonderfully simple hummus with red peppers, carrots and pita chips.  Hummus, like the guacamole I make so well, is pretty much made to taste with a few simple ingredients.  It's a recipe that doesn't really require a recipe.  So here are the basics:

hummus

ingredients

chick peas

lemon juice

olive oil

garlic

tahini

salt & pepper

directions

1. Blend together in a food processor or blender until desired consistency is reached.

Simple enough for you?  You can mix it up and make it a little more 'complicated' by throwing in pine nuts, roasted red peppers, fava beans, sun dried tomatoes, or my personal favorite, olives!  

For the main course, falafel stuffed pitas, salad and pasta salad with Greek twist.  I'd love to say that I make my falafel completely from scratch, but I'd be fibbing if I did.  Instead, I use one of the many packages you can find in the 'ethnic' aisle of your grocery store.  All you have to do is add water, shape into little balls, and fry.  I suppose you could bake the falafel, but I feel like that would be cheating even more than I already do so, into the skillet they go!  I make up for the unhealthy frying by using whole wheat pitas.  Then, I load up the pitas with falafel, chopped onion, hummus, tahini, diced tomatoes, lettuce, and tzatziki.  Tzatziki is another simple, to taste recipe.  All you have to do is mix together plain Greek yogurt (the super thick kind,) fresh dill, chopped cucumbers, salt and pepper.  Voila!  

A simple salad with a vinaigrette and whatever leftover veggies you have makes a perfect side.  Another perfect side is my Greek pasta salad.  A nice twist on the traditional picnic side of canned black olives, tri-color spirals, raw carrots and Italian dressing, my pasta salad is loaded with veggies and drenched in a savory Greek dressing from one of my many classic loves, Mr. Paul Newman.  Put this next to the boring old pasta salad at your next bbq and see which one goes first, I dare you.

Greek pasta salad

ingredients

1 lb tri-color radiatori pasta

fresh baby spinach

mixed Kalamata olives, pitted

chopped tomato

chopped cucumber

crumbled feta cheese

1 bottle Newman's Own Greek Vinaigrette dressing

directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and dump in the pasta.  Cook about 8 minutes until al dente, pasta salad pasta should never be mushy.  When cooked, drain and rinse with cold water to make sure it completely stops cooking.

2.  In a large bowl, toss together a few handfuls of spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers and olives.  Once the pasta is fully drained and cooled, mix it in with the veggies.  Pour the dressing over the mix (use as much as you want though I usually stick to only half a bottle.)  Toss everything together well, making sure everything gets a good coating of dressing.  

3. Top the salad with crumbled feta cheese.  Cover and chill for at least an hour.  The salad can be served cold or at room temp.

So what if I can't jump on the next flight to Cyprus and lounge on a yacht for awhile.  I've got almost all of the goodness of the region here in my tiny Brooklyn kitchen.  It's exotic enough for me now.  And regionally themed suppers cure my wanderlust, for a few moments at least.  Until next time.

bastille my heart

Bonjour my lovelies!  Today is one of my favorite holidays of the year, La Fete Nationale!  Not only is it a  day to celebrate my favorite historical period, the French Revolution, but it's also the anniversary of my parents' first date.  Though I'm not in any way French, I always find a little francophile in me to celebrate with the best of them on this July day.  So throw on your beret and hop on your bike, and dance to Edith Piaf because you can-can pretend to be Parisian and enjoy all that the Frenchies have given us today!  And how convenient that this holiday happens to fall just a day after National French Fry Day?

I try to make something at least a little bit patriotic for this day each year, but since am not a pro at French cooking despite my love of Julia Child, I'm usually stuck making something relatively simple.  This year, I opted for the simplicity of a red, white and blue confection in honor of the flag that the revolutionaries hoisted after setting free all seven prisoners (epic, right?) and confiscating all of the gunpowder stored in the fortress-like jail that was the Bastille.  (Now, if you happen to be in Paris, don't bother to go looking for the Bastille as it isn't there anymore.  You could end up wasting an entirely good tourism day searching for it, right Elliot?)  Well, with these patriotic colors in mind and my mom's cherry challenge hovering over my head, I whipped up some vanilla almond panna cotta with cherry and blueberry compotes and crunchy candied almond sprinkles.  Challenge served!

all we're missing is the white!

Now, I know what your thinking - 'panna cotta?  But isn't that Italian?'  Well, yes it is, but since the first night I spent in Paris I dined at an Italian restaurant before watching the Eiffel Tower glitter with Parisian brilliance, I deem this completely appropriate.  And it was surprisingly simple to make.  As usual, I consulted a few different blogs and recipe sites before I began cooking and came up with my own perfectly delicious recipe for a vanilla almond panna cotta.

bastille day panna cotta with blueberry & cherry compotes
ingredients
1 1/2 c heavy cream
1/2 c milk
2 1/2 tbsp sugar
1 1/8 tsp unflavored gelatin
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp bourbon vanilla (in honor of the French Bourbons!)
directions
1. In a small saucepan, combine gelatin and about a third of the milk, whisking together allowing the gelatin to soak up.  Warm the combination on a very low heat, stirring constantly, until the gelatin is dissolved.
2. In a second small saucepan, warm the remainder of the milk, cream and sugar until it just begins to foam around the edges, stirring regularly to make sure the sugar dissolves.  When it begins to foam, turn off the heat and stir in the almond and vanilla extracts.  
3. In a bowl, combine the gelatin mixture with the warm cream.  Let stand for about 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so.  
4. Pour into 1 or 2 dishes lined with plastic (optional*) and let cool in the fridge for at least four hours.  Flip the set custard out of the dish when you're ready and scoop on the toppings.


compote **
ingredients
1 c fruit 
1/4 - 1/2 c water
1 tbsp confectioner's sugar
directions
1. Mix all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a light boil over a low heat, allowing the pulp of the fruit to turn into a kind of jam-like consistency.  Cool until ready to serve. 

* I say use a dish lined with plastic because I like to flip it out onto a plate and scoop the compotes on top as if it were a mold.  You could use glasses or any other pretty dish you have and separate into as many molds as possible, though you may want to consider doubling the recipe if you plan on serving more than two.
** I made my cherry and blueberry compotes separately because I wanted to use them as two totally different flavors and toppings.  You could mix  fruits or use any kind of fruit you'd like since a compote is one of the simplest things in the world to make.  The word 'compote' is actually French for mixture.
*** Since I used almond extract in the panna cotta, I considered putting a splash of almond extract in with the compote but, alas, I didn't have any in the house.  Try it out with different complimentary liquors.

blue, white & red

Ok, so these might not be the prettiest pictures and they certainly don't give this dish it's due.  I know I should probably have waited until at least 10:00 in the morning before even thinking about dessert, but I just had to try some before I skipped out for work.  And if you think about it, panna cotta is kind of like vanilla yogurt, right?  The tartness of the blueberries and cherries was the perfect accent to the rich and creamy subtle sweetness of the custard.  

breakfast of champions (it's the same in french & english,
so you need to say it with a goofy accent)

I wish it was a little more portable so I could have brought it with me to work, but at least it will be waiting for me when I get home.  And tonight I get to have another Dad Date!  I think I might take him to Flute for their champagne fueled fete.  Or Cercle Rouge for a rollicking game of Petanque.  Maybe we can rent bikes and pretend we're in the Tour de France?

tour de france - brooklyn style (last year)

In order to look festive for the holiday and my Dad Date, I spent this morning rummaging through my shrinking wardrobe (I really should do laundry) to find something festive to wear and had a very tough time.  All of my striped shirts need to be washed, my tour de France dress is too sporty for the office, and I gave my carnival dress to Aunt Carolyn.  I finally settled on a pretty little red dress with blue and red dots that kind of look like fireworks.  I think the lady I bought it from is French and I wore it on my way to Paris so it works.  Plus i broke out my firework bobby pins from VintageIce for the occasion!  But, how much do I wish I still had this little getup to wear in honor of the second red, white and blue holiday of the year?!

baby baby j

Don't know much about history?  Here's my very brief intro to the historic day that we celebrate on July 14th -  Back in 1789, Louis XVI was acting even weirder than usual and his gal, Marie Antoinette was getting a real bad rep for being a floozy and spending all of the country's money on tacky extensions and baked goods.  The downfall of the people of France was not entirely the fault of the government or the royal family, they shelled out a lot of money to help us out during our revolution and there were shortages of food because of the weather and stuff, but people were cranky and wanted someone to blame so... a bunch of these "regular folk" got together to play tennis and sign some papers swearing to split from the King and start some rough drafts of a constitution.  (I wonder if this is how the French Open started.  Hmm, tennis.)  So then a bunch of people without pants got nervous that their tennis superstars were in danger and decided to storm the big jail known as the Bastille and set free the prisoners (seriously, all seven of them) and raid all the weaponry and gunpowder storage.   There was a lot of fighting and storming and yelling and fire and blood.  And that's pretty much the big event that kicked off the French Revolution.  Vive la France!

Oh, and a quick sorry to the gals of the French women's soccer team.  We didn't mean to ruin your Bastille Day with our all-American awesomeness.  Maybe next time ladies.

baby, you're a firework

I hope everyone's prepped and ready for the big day tomorrow!  After a breakfast of tasty bagels, I escaped the city for the wilds of Connecticut.  And boy is it wild... so much green you'd think you were in a jungle, wild animals around every turn, a grocery store that you have to drive to.  It's the honest to goodness wilderness.  So drive to the grocery store we did.  But not just any grocery store, this was Stew Leonard's.  All we needed was a little bit of parsley and mustard for my patriotic red white & blue potato salad since I accidentally left those two important ingredients in Brooklyn.  Well thank goodness I did because had I not, I never would have been able to visit the labyrinthine aisles of this market / butcher / grocery store / hoedown.

we decided that we need corn too.
what's independence day without corn?

This store is awesome.  Entertainment while grocery shopping?  Yes, please!

After a leisurely trip through the market, we headed back to the lake house to prep for tomorrow's feast and fix up some supper - not-quite-all-American shrimp tacos with fresh guac and leftover squash slaw.  I was doing an awful lot of work in the kitchen and my sous chef, Fatso, was not as helpful as I had hoped.

After all that hard work in the kitchen (so much chopping,) I was rewarded with a tasty, boozy mojito with fresh mint from the beautiful little garden...

and a lovely boat trip on the lake.  Look how pretty and relaxing.  Boozy boating is my new favorite hobby!  Can you row canoes in the East River?

Well, as you can see my fourth of July celebration is coming along nicely.  And since fireworks are totally legit in Connecticut, tomorrow is sure to be a blast (pun totally intended!)

In case you're not as prepared as me with your holiday themed recipes and party plans, here are a few culinary creations and ideas celebrating the original 13 colonies.

And to get you in a rockin' mindset, I share with you my top ten America the Awesome patriotic party songs.  Well, they at least mention this great land in one way or another.  So put on your classiest, or trashiest, red, white and blue ensemble and get ready to dance under the bottlerocket's red glare - (this is just a quick, off the top of my head list,  but we'll call it a top ten anyway.)

10. Woody Guthrie - "This Land Is Your Land" (you know you love Woody)

9. James Brown - "Living In America"

8. Elliot Smith - "Independence Day"

7. Elton John - "Philadelphia Freedom"

6. Tom Petty - "American Girl"

5. Bruce Springsteen - "Born In the USA" (or really anything Bruce. c'mon, he's The Boss)

4. Animal Collective - "Fireworks"

3. Violent Femmes - "American Music"

2. Simon & Garfunkel - "America"

1. David Bowie - "Young Americans"

a sojourn to so bruns

This past weekend, the husbo and I made a trip to my hometown of South Brunswick, NJ to visit some family and run a few errands.  After a quick trip to the dentist (no cavities!) we decided to take my kid sis out for lunch at one of the town's oldest establishments - Burrito Royale.  The place has been there since 1975 and has been a part of local lore since the day it opened; my mom went there when she was in high school, so did my cousins, so did I.  This place may look like a dive on the Southbound side of Route 1 next to a gas station, but visit it and you'll soon realize it's truly a tiny little one room Mexican food oasis.  

New sign, same satisfying food.

Now, there's definitely nothing fancy about this spot, but it's guaranteed to be an inexpensive and delicious quickie lunch in the SoBro area.  Husbo, sis and I delighted in a classic burrito, a chili enchilada, and chicken burritos slathered with guacamole.  Simple and fresh food that hit the spot and cured Justin's week-long burrito crave-fest.  

Before this visit I hadn't been to Burrito Royale in about as many years as it's been since I went to the dentist.  But no matter how often or infrequently you pull into the gravel parking lot and grab some grub to eat on the wobbly picnic tables or bring home to your own casa, this place is guaranteed to leave you totally pleased with the few bucks you spent.  The menu hasn't changed since the first time I visited and it doesn't seem like the prices have changed much either.  Be sure to check it out next time you're driving down the suburban stretch of the Atlantic Highway in central Jersey.

All this for less than a Taco Bell date night!

Stuffed and satisfied we headed down to TCNJ to see my fab sister-in-law perform as Gloria in the college's production of Thoroughly Modern Millie.  She's awesome and the jazz hands were out of this world!  Later on, we strolled through Princeton grabbing a few drinks with the wacky alums in their orange and black regalia.  No joke, those Princeton U folks are funky fly when the P-rade rolls around.  But no matter how exciting the fancy kilts and bow ties were, the simplicity of tasty Mexican grub at Burrito Royale was the highlight of our visit to the jerz! 

He'll learn to love NJ even if it takes the rest of our lives!

wednesday smörgåsbord

How about a quick midweek note about some goodies that have come my way over the past couple of days? Sounds good to me!

New York is full of free samples.  People are always standing around handing out granola bars or tastes from the new dumpling shop or froyo joint.  Just last week there were three food trucks giving out treats to advertise new tv shows.  Well yesterday, as I was walking by the Flatiron, there were some folks giving out little bottles of the newest flavor of coconut water.  It was chocolate!  Coconut water is awesome for a lot of reasons: it's tasty, hydrating, full of potassium, cures hangovers.  Add a little chocolate and creamy coconut and what do you get?  A healthy liquid Mounds bar!  It was awesome and I think the Easter Bunny needs to put a case of it in my basket.

Have you seen the latest issue of Saveur?  It's the sandwich issue.  Sandwiches are pretty high up on my favorite foods list and I pride myself on making a damn good turkey club.  They're really the perfect food (portable,versatile, share-able) and are certainly deserving of their own post.  But for now I'll just chat up the coverage they get in the magazine.  The editors give readers recipes for all kinds of goodness on a roll: international sandwiches, breakfast sandwiches, hot sandwiches, cold sandwiches, stacked sandwiches, dessert sandwiches... you get the idea.  Plus there are beer and soda pairings for a bunch of the recipes, too!  One of the standout things about the sandwich is that it is the perfect picnic food.  Going on a picnic is such a treat and this year my outdoor eating experiences will be extra special since I get to break in the new picnic basket that Nick and Jenessa gave us for our wedding!  I really enjoy planning themed menus and picnic themes are always fun.  With all the ideas Saveur is giving me, I'll be able to plan many menus for the upcoming months of alfresco dining.  Bahn Mi on the beach anyone?  I sense a beautiful friendship blooming between me, the sandwich issue, and the picnic basket.



best wedding present ever!

Speaking of themed meals, I've started working on my menus for Passover and Easter.  They're gonna be delicious.

And speaking of sandwiches (or at least sandwich-like foods,) does Iceland really have the world's best hot dog?  As a hot dog connoisseur, someone who was born of a mother who craved nothing but hot dogs throughout her entire pregnancy, I feel that it is my duty to find out.  I suppose I've found my next vacation destination.

An elderly French man whispered 'tres jolie' as I passed him.  It could have been creepy but I'm in a good mood so I'll think it was sweet instead.  Perhaps something French for dinner?  Or better yet, a French 75 after work!  A stop on the way home at The Richardson or a detour to sip at Madam Geneva?  Tough call.

Happy Wednesday!