things i love this minute

this red hook, ny burrito truck

this short sleeved coat

this table setting

this bloody mary mixer

this kitchen 

this recipe

baked avocado + egg = yum

if i had a...

b   a   k   e   r   y

the walls
the counter
the door
&
of course
that luscious
about to be baked
bread
swoon deluxe.

from wish!

perfect meal

yum.

from paris to london

little icebox cakes

Chocolate wafer cookie and homemade whipped cream cakes

in
mini canning jars = brilliance!

Found here.

pasta carbonara

This recipe is straight from the new William Sonoma catalog.  

My mouth always waters when I peruse this catalog.

The recipes are always enticing.

The carbonara did it for me this time.

I made it over the weekend.

It was so easy and so very delicious.

This dish is so creamy without the cream.

The trick is the room temperature eggs 

whisked with the grated pecorino romano cheese.

The cheese gets the creamy consistency 

once you add the hot water from the pasta.

I used pancetta.

A must try!

The recipe is straight from the William Sonoma website:

This Roman pasta dish is traditionally made with guanciale—pork cheek that resembles unsmoked bacon and is cured with salt, pepper and sometimes garlic. Pancetta makes a fine substitute.

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs, at room temperature 
• 1 1/2 cups finely grated pecorino romano cheese, plus more for serving 
• 2 Tbs. olive oil 
• 6 oz. diced guanciale or pancetta 
• Kosher salt, to taste 
• 1 lb. dried spaghetti 
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste 

Directions:

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and the 1 1/2 cups cheese. Set aside.

In a 13-inch French skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the guanciale and cook until it is browned and the fat has rendered, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking water.

Slowly whisk 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water into the egg-cheese mixture.

Return the skillet with the guanciale to medium heat and rewarm. Add the pasta and 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking water and toss to combine. Remove the pan from the heat, pour in the egg-cheese mixture and toss well to combine. Season generously with pepper. Serve immediately and pass additional cheese alongside. Serves 4.

Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

brooklyn grange rooftop farm dinner

We went to our Outstanding in the Field dinner last eve

at the Brooklyn Grange, a one acre rooftop farm in Queens, NY.

Unbelievable.

 jim denevan, the founder with the staff from ABC Kitchen.

jim is also an accomplished artist.

 andrew loves it!

 glazed donut + peach + blueberry crostada = dessert

 ben flanner, the founder + farmer sat next to me.

lucky me...I asked him a zillion questions...so interesting.

 katie + jim giving a little history about 

outstanding....this was their first rooftop dinner.

 

brooklyn grange heirloom tomatoes with chilis + basil = DEElish

 view of manhattan skyline + farm

 see the table in the background?

usually there is one long table...but last eve there were 3.

 menu
everything was perfect.

a part of the staff from ABC Kitchen.

Last eve was a very high light of my summer!
Thank goodness Irene did not hinder our plan
+
Hallelujah! Our power went back on yesterday!

avocado egg in the hole

Does this look amazingly yummy or what!??!?!  Saw this on A Cup of Jo.  It's origin is OH JOY.

furious vulvas

One of my most favorite restaurants in Fairfield County is Bloodroot.  It is a very special place unlike any other in this part of the world. The organic, vegetarian, seasonal and delicious soups, salads, main courses, breads and desserts are all so yummy.  I went with my dear friend Jessica yesterday for a bowl of chickpea, potato and tomato soup and an open-faced avocado sandwich with sundried tomatoes, garlic and olive oil on toasted rye bread.  Perfect.  On my way out I noticed these chocolates made by a former employee of the restaurant...the name made me look again.  Furious Vulvas...12 bittersweet chocolate vulvas with hawaiian pink sea salt and pink peppercorns made for Noel, one of the owners of Bloodroot..oh did I mention it is a feminist restaurant.  Bought a box and boy (or should I say girl) are they special.  Hot with a bit of spice and perfectly salty.....just in time for Valentine's Day.

Check them out here.

din din smart stainless bus platter

What a great idea instead of plastic.  It's the din din smart stainless bus platter from here.

the full plate blog

Check out my friend Eila's blog, The Full Plate Blog, for great camp lunch box ideas!

magic juice

I discovered the Pimms Cup while in the UK.  Yum.  This is a cocktail recipe I found on *design sponge a while back.  This looks as refreshing as a Pimms...actually it's the same recipe.  Just swap out the gin for Pimms.  I will try this with Nigella's lemonade soon!

nigella's lemonade

We had a goodbye supper with our English friends, The Chads this eve.  Cathrin made the yummiest fish and chips.  Jack her 7 year old and I made the most delicious lemonade from one of Nigella's cookbooks.  The interesting thing about this lemonade is that you blend up two whole lemons, skins, pips and all!  You then put it through a strainer.  It was so lemony and thirst quenching.  I know this will be my go-to lemonade recipe from now on and I will forever remember our English friends, The Chads!  Here is the recipe & enjoy:

ingredients

2 unwaxed lemons

1 bottle of fizzy water

4 tablespoons sugar

recipe

cut lemons into eight pieces each so 16 pieces total

put 8 pieces of lemon in blender with 1/2 bottle of fizzy water 

add 1/2 sugar (2 of the 4 tablespoons)

blend until all chopped up

pour through sieve into a pitcher

repeat with other 1/2 of ingredients

pour over ice and serve: YUM!

44

44. Today. Wow. 

Time is a flying.

Now I would really like a piece of that cake please.

photo via Ruby Press

people's pops

I did mention these pops on Friday.  I thought I would mention again because they are SO yummy.  You should get yourself to the Brooklyn Flea or to  Chelsea Market to visit People's Pops for  a

Blackberry & X-tra Organic Cream

Plum, Organic Yogurt & Tarragon

Straight-Up Raspberry

Rhubarb, Organic Cream & Cinnamon

Blackberry & Jasmine

pop!
yum!

owl and pussycat vanilla biscuits

I picked up a box (could not resist the packaging) of these all natural vanilla biscuits at Starbucks the other day and boy oh boy are these cookies delish. They are melt in your mouth buttery goodness. The owl and pussycat cookies are so sweet looking......almost too cute to eat.....ALMOST. I found them online at Amazon of all places where you can get 4 boxes delivered right to your mailbox.

margarita!

I have a hankering for an ice cold margarita. This one from the parsley thief sounds divine. Can't have one now....I'll have to wait 4 more months before I even sip one. A virgin margarita just wouldn't be the same.

photo by Katie @ the parsley thief