CALVINE

Snacking in the Heat

2010-07-18T17:05:00.007-04:00

I hope everyone has survived the heat wave this weekend. Wright and I had the most delicious meal sitting in the "back forty" garden of Back Forty, one of our favorite restaurants. The food was fresh and cucumber cocktails delectable, but I can't lie, we were running towards air conditioning by the time we finished (and this was at 10pm!). We woke up early Saturday morning and headed straight

Cooling Down

2010-07-14T07:46:00.003-04:00

Oh, hello. Are you readers still there? If I were you I might have given up on me. I've had quite a busy past month, as I just started in a new job last week. I'm still working in the art world, but am very excited about the transition and my new company. Though of course, it's been hectic! I no longer have time to edit blog posts while I have lunch at the office, or even (gulp) to spend too

Early Summer Pico de Gallo: A CSA Study

2010-06-21T13:03:00.003-04:00

This month our CSA has started again! It is so much fun to go pick up fresh vegetables every week - I really missed having a refrigerator crowded with local produce over the winter. While the first couple of weeks are generally loaded with greens, we ended up with some lovely spring onions this week, so I thought I'd use them in a pico de gallo. Generally, my pico de gallo recipe consists of

Summer Reading

2010-06-14T21:06:00.006-04:00

It will come as no surprise that I enjoy reading books about cooking. I do try to break it up a bit, but most of the books I've read in the past year have something to do with food. I recently picked up the book Lunch in Paris, by Elizabeth Bard, taglined "A Love Story, with Recipes." Totally up my alley, but I was definitely worried about the cheese factor.There are a lot of these "love

Cookbook Therapy and Rhubarb Cake

2010-06-06T16:49:00.008-04:00

Last week, the Sunday paper ran a review of all the stand out new cookbooks coming out this summer. I was positively drooling over each review, and trying to narrow it down to only three purchases was utterly impossible. Of course, I came home and took one look at my cookbook shelf and reluctantly threw away my list. I have way, way too many cookbooks - many which sit for months without my so

Diner's Journal

2010-06-02T12:56:00.002-04:00

Is everyone else as obsessed as I am with the re-vamped Diner's Journal blog from the New York Times? They recently combined it with Mark Bittman's and Eric Asimov's blogs, and added some fantastic new features. My favorite is Dear FloFab, where Florence Fabricant answers questions about dining etiquette. I've always liked her writing, but had no idea she was such an expert on things like what

Cookin' Lobstah

2010-06-01T16:30:00.000-04:00

Wright and I had the house in Maine to ourselves this weekend so we decided to be adventurous and cook up some live lobsters. I'd been eagerly anticipating this activity for a few weeks, excited to try something so drastically different from anything I'd done before. I pictured us cheerfully picking out the liveliest lobsters at the pound, laughing as we had lobster races around the kitchen, and

Fresh Berry Scones

2010-06-01T11:23:00.003-04:00

I have an announcement to make: I have discovered a scone recipe. A scone recipe that is out of this world - crunchy on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside, and not too difficult to make. Scones are one of those pastries that usually allude me. Often hard as rocks or unbearably buttery, I rarely find a scone that doesn't disappoint, whether from my own kitchen or purchased at a bakery.

Ready for Summer

2010-05-25T17:11:00.004-04:00

Well, I guess you never know how many readers you have until you space out for a couple weeks and forget to post. I'm so sorry that I've been MIA this month. Is it just me, or is May the busiest month of the year? It's actually become competitive with December this year! For some reason I feel like I haven't had the chance to slow down at all this month to sit back and enjoy the beautiful

Spring Vegetables

2010-05-11T16:32:00.003-04:00

Despite back and forth weather, it finally feels like spring is in full swing in New York when you visit the market. Ramps, asparagus, rhubarb, strawberries, irises, peonies... it is so exciting these days! I've been obsessing over ramps and leeks and just itching to make my first strawberry rhubarb pie of the season.One thing that I've been keeping my refrigerator stocked with these days is

Frozen Blueberries

2010-05-03T10:01:00.004-04:00

While (not) cleaning out my freezer, I stumbled upon a bag full of frozen blueberries. I may have some mysterious items in that freezer, but I do try to be diligent about writing the dates on things I freeze. Sometimes this backfires. Like when I found blueberries from July 2009.The good thing about finding blueberries from July 2009 is that you know they were fresh and most likely even local.

A little Spring Cleaning...

2010-04-30T15:18:00.009-04:00

I've been reading the book The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin and have been absolutely loving it. In it, she describes her year-long quest to become happier by trying out small things, so that she could change her life and be happier, without actually changing her life (no running off to Italy or Bali for her!). There are so many different things she tried that are really thoughtful, and

Food for Thought & Baking for Good

2010-04-28T11:50:00.000-04:00

Do you remember bake sales? As a child, I remember them being a highlight of elementary school. Not only was it exciting to buy a homemade treat, but it was thrilling to be on the other side of the table and spend an afternoon baking cupcakes with my mom. As a teacher, I was always a big fan of them. Not only do they encourage wonderful moments at home (learning to cook! A fun activity with

Tomato and Sausage Risotto

2010-04-27T11:03:00.003-04:00

On Sunday morning, I (as usual) had a Barefoot Contessa episode playing while I was getting myself organized for the day. Ina was making a spring vegetable risotto, which caused Wright to immediately request risotto for dinner that night. I'd planned to make dinner family-style for a group of friends before we caught up on Lost (!!), so that seemed like a reasonable request, but I couldn't help

Dinner Party Solution: Quiche

2010-04-19T17:40:00.006-04:00

On Saturday night, I had a small dinner party at my apartment. I'm lucky enough to have an open kitchen, so whenever I host friends for dinner, I can cook and participate in conversation at the same time. (Technically, one can do anything in my one room apartment and participate in the conversation, but let's not go there.) The only problem is, I'd rather just relax and have fun - it's kind of

A Recipe Index!

2010-04-14T17:32:00.006-04:00

"Bookshelf 11" by Jane MountI started this blog when I graduated from college as a way to keep in touch with friends and write about the adventures I was hoping to encounter. At first, I stuck with my theme of "Art, Food, Travel, Life" and wrote pretty evenly about each of those topics. In fact, I just realized that the first six months or so of my blog was mostly focused on art reviews! Random

Back Forty Spring Cheese Dinner

2010-04-14T13:12:00.004-04:00

I am embarrassingly addicted to daily e-newsletters; I subscribe to a multitude - DailyCandy, The Zoe Report, Tasting Table, Tasting Table New York, A Sharp Eye, Grub Street, Politico Daily Playbook, Who What Wear, and the list goes on - you name it, I get it. Or I'll sign up immediately after finding out about it. I don't know what it is - the excitement of getting so many emails, perhaps -

Back in the Kitchen... and baking bread!

2010-04-13T08:13:00.005-04:00

It felt so good to be back in my kitchen making a mess and cooking up a storm this weekend. I was beyond thrilled to hit the Farmer's Market for the first time since February (eek!) but the sunshine didn't exactly mean great produce - I left with two small herb plants and a large bunch of peach blossoms. Oh so beautiful, but not exactly the bundle of joy (ahem, spring vegetables) that I was

On Cooking for 25

2010-04-12T14:57:00.002-04:00

Over Easter weekend, my godmother had a casual dinner party... for 25 of us. The four families that made up most of the group (mine included) have been friends for decades, so we always have a blast getting together, and dinner at her house in Charleston has becoming something of a (wild) tradition. Needless to say, we always plea with Nancy to let us bring something or help out, but she is

Some highlights from Bruges

2010-04-07T12:48:00.006-04:00

Bruges, which was the first stop on our trip, is an absolutely lovely medieval town in Northern Belgium. We were lucky enough to be there on two beautiful days, and we thoroughly enjoyed exploring the cobblestone streets, riding bikes along the canals, and even taking a boat ride!Bet you didn't know I could ride a bike!Of course, a highlight was visiting Cafe Vlissinghe, a pub that has been in

Home Sweet Home

2010-03-30T14:38:00.003-04:00

I finally arrived back in New York yesterday. Though it wasn't the most beautiful of days, the city was shining through my eyes - it's amazing how comforting home can feel when you've been gone for so long. I may have been dazed and exhausted, but walking into my apartment after almost four weeks away was beyond thrilling - I couldn't help but run my fingers along my counter top and look at all

Flowers

2010-03-15T03:47:00.006-04:00

I spend the hours of 10am - 7pm inside an extremely large convention center, the "MECC." Though it certainly provides it's fair share of dusty air, lack of sunlight, and artificial lighting, one part of the fair is a welcome respite: the flowers.Holland takes it's flowers very seriously, particularly it's tulips. And the various displays, both in the booths and around the hallways, are always

Maastricht Market

2010-03-12T12:46:00.000-05:00

One of the main squares in Maastricht is the "Markt" square, which - shocker - holds a market on Wednesday and Friday mornings. There are a ton of stands, selling all sorts of things, from fresh seafood to flowers, fabrics to spices.It certainly wasn't the same as the Union Square farmer's market, but it was a lot of fun to wander through and explore. I felt like a real local picking out and

Snapshots of Maastricht

2010-03-11T15:42:00.006-05:00

Working at the fair, it is easy to forget what a beautiful little city Maastricht is.It's located right on the river Maas, with the old city center on one side, and a more modern area on the other (including a university and the lovely "MECC" where the fair is held).Maastricht is the oldest city in the Netherlands, and actually was part of the Roman Empire. There are still ruins from the walls at

Missing home!

2010-03-10T16:18:00.002-05:00

Couldn't help but notice this in Amsterdam yesterday. It made me think of, well, home. I smiled.

A Day in Beautiful Amsterdam

2010-03-10T07:27:00.007-05:00

We worked two very long days on Sunday and Monday getting the fair set up (almost there!), so a day off yesterday was very welcome. Though I was tempted to sleep in, relax, give myself a manicure, and sit at a cafe in Maastricht drinking wine all afternoon, I resisted and woke up early to catch a train up to Amsterdam. When in Rome, right? Amsterdam is about a 2 1/2 hour train ride directly

Hello from Holland!

2010-03-06T09:13:00.005-05:00

I am currently sitting at a small desk in my home-away-from-home hotel room in Maastricht, where I will reside for the next three weeks. As you may or may not know, I work at an art gallery in New York, and each year we participate in an art fair, The European Fine Art Fair, in the Netherlands. Alas, I said goodbye to friends and family this week and am now settling in for a month of working in

LOST

2010-02-24T09:57:00.004-05:00

About a year and a half ago, I started watching the TV show Lost from episode one. About a year and 5 months and one week ago, I had watched four seasons and could not think about anything else. Luckily, I made Wright and my mom start watching as well, so I was in good company.Lost has become one of my favorite TV shows, by far. And no, I'm not normally into sci fi or drama shows, I tend to

Ina Garten's Parmesan Crackers

2010-02-23T19:57:00.003-05:00

I've been thinking about this recipe, from Ina Garten's most recent cookbook Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics for awhile. Something about it was so intriguing. Perhaps it was the fact that these crackers sound dull and look dull? Or that the recipe was bizarrely simple? I just couldn't imagine them being anything but tough, thick, boring, and thirst-inducing. But I trust Ina. I knew she'd

Please Fix My Hard Drive Pasta

2010-02-19T12:43:00.004-05:00

I had a hard drive issue last weekend, you can read the complete story here. One of my favorite go-to dishes for things like begging friends to help me with technological traumas or making dinner for my boyfriend's roommates while he is away is this pasta dish. It takes some time, but the actual in the kitchen effort is quite minimal. It's also something that's easy to do in someone else's

Technology Trauma

2010-02-19T11:14:00.005-05:00

I'm going to tell a [kind of long] story about my weekend last weekend. No, this was not my entire weekend, I also went to see the movie Valentine's Day. On Valentine's Day. True. I should also preface that my boyfriend was away this weekend, so I was fending for myself. And yes, I had to fend. Fend off technology disasters. Anyway, the story.I got home late Friday night to a bizarre

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Raisin Muffins

2010-02-15T12:41:00.003-05:00

After such a success with the coffee cake last week, I've been on a bit of a breakfast baked goods kick. I enjoyed my slice of coffee cake and half grapefruit so much each morning, why not spend the time to make a batch of muffins or a loaf of bread over the weekend that you can enjoy for the remainder of the week?My timing was perfectly aligned with Mark Bittman's Whole Wheat Muffin article in

Snow Day Coffee Cake

2010-02-10T12:16:00.009-05:00

Is there anything better than a snow day? There's a beautiful storm outside my window and I've got the day to myself. I sprung to action and hit the grocery store early - what else would I do but play in the kitchen when it looks like this outside?I decided immediately that it was time for my first coffee cake. This is one of those breakfast items that I just never get around to making - who

Sunday Routine

2010-02-02T10:32:00.002-05:00

Each Sunday, the New York Times interviews a New Yorker about their "Sunday Routine." The activities are as varied as the New Yorkers - from David Chang to John McEnroe - but one thing remains the same: a routine. I love the idea of having a Sunday routine, and recently realized that I've subconsciously developed one myself. Isn't a relaxing routine what Sundays are for?I almost always sleep

Burger Night

2010-01-27T09:57:00.004-05:00

A few months ago, I picked up some ground bison meat at the New Amsterdam Market. If you haven't had a bison burger before, I'd highly recommend it - the meat is much healthier and leaner, plus it's really delicious (and not too far off from regular ground beef, so you don't notice all that much, except that your burger is surprisingly good). Anyway, it promptly went into the freezer, waiting

A Sweet Treat

2010-01-26T15:12:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago I had a few friends over to celebrate my birthday. We had some champagne and I made a few appetizers to nibble on, but I wanted to keep it low key. I'm not a huge birthday person to start with, and I don't like surprises or lots of attention focused on me, but I didn't have a housewarming for my apartment, so I thought this would be a good excuse to have some friends over who

Daniel Boulud's Lamb Stew

2010-01-20T10:15:00.002-05:00

It has been the perfect coincidence to have a beautiful new dutch oven right at the height of soup and stew season. I've been having a wonderful time honing my techniques and trying out new flavor combinations. This stew recipe is adapted from Daniel Boulud, who adapted it from a recipe his grandmother used to make when he was young. I found the recipe in one of my favorite cookbooks, The

A Day at the Museum

2010-01-19T15:05:00.003-05:00

Having yesterday off was wonderful - a treat made even sweeter since I didn't find out I had it off until Friday, so I hadn't overwhelmed myself with plans or tried to squeeze in a trip. I had a full day with nothing to do!Since it was a comparatively balmy 46 degrees out, Wright and I decided on a picnic in the park followed by a museum trip. We'd gone to MoMA the day before, had already seen

From the Pantry: Mushroom Pasta

2010-01-15T11:48:00.003-05:00

I wasn't feeling very well when I got home on Wednesday night. Though I was tempted to just order pizza and glue myself to the couch, I knew that wouldn't make me feel better any faster. I needed a somewhat nutritious, but most importantly, comforting meal. And I certainly wasn't going to the grocery store.I had some mushrooms leftover from the coq au vin in the fridge, and a half box of whole

The Weekend

2010-01-11T14:02:00.004-05:00

Happy Monday! Was this weekend too short or what? Mine was generally quiet but highlighted by seeing the play The Understudy, which was absolutely fantastic. It's only out for a few more days, though, so if you are in New York I'd definitely recommend you rush to the theater. It's a small off-Broadway comedy starring Justin Kirk, Julie White, and Mark-Paul Gossalaar, and it is really a riot. (I

Coq Au Vin

2010-01-07T17:00:00.002-05:00

For my inaugural dish using my new Le Creuset dutch oven, I decided on coq au vin. Nope, this was not a last minute decision, I'd known for a long time that I'd make this dish first. It's just one of those dishes that I'd always wanted to make, but never could without the right pot. Kind of like how I'll make cinnamon ice cream when I get an ice cream maker (if I can ever fit an ice cream

A Brown Lunch

2010-01-07T12:47:00.006-05:00

Today was not a great lunch day for me. I ate a carrot muffin and some pretzel goldfish with a coffee. Very brown, very boring, very unhealthy.Why, you might be wondering, would I subject myself to this lunch? It's a little bit of a long story. You see, I got an amazing dutch oven for Christmas from my grandparents. I could go on and on about it, and I suspect I will in future posts. I was so

On Cooking

2010-01-05T13:27:00.003-05:00

Michael Ruhlman, one of my favorite bloggers and cookbook authors, wrote a great post recently on the message being sent to Americans today that cooking is hard, or that we are just "too stupid to cook." Read the post here, and get cooking! I promise it's not hard!

Mmm... Pancakes!

2010-01-05T10:39:00.004-05:00

One of my favorite Christmas gifts this year was a fabulous cast iron grill pan from Wright. It has grill marks on one side and a flat surface on the other - perfect for pancakes!I briefly mentioned my experiment with apple cinnamon pancakes a few weeks ago. Though they were certainly delicious, they were not nearly as wonderful as the version we made this weekend, on the new griddle. With

Christmas Cake

2010-01-04T16:17:00.004-05:00

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had fun and restful holidays. I'm excited to get back to cooking and blogging - I got a lot of great kitchen gifts that I'm eager to try out and tell you about. Before I get to the presents I received, however, I want to tell you about the gift I gave my parents.For the first time, my boyfriend and I decided to spend Christmas together, with both of our families.

This Weekend We Made (and ate)...

2009-12-14T15:25:00.003-05:00

Crispy Latkes with homemade applesauce...Delicious (and decorative!) Christmas Cookies at Kate's...Apple Cinnamon pancakes with walnuts...And homemade pasta with bolognese sauce.Needless to say, I had a salad for lunch. Note: latke picture not our latkes, we were too hungry to photograph, as usual.

Tyler Florence's Chicken

2009-12-11T10:47:00.004-05:00

When I first became interested in cooking, I painstakingly relied on recipes - following them exactly and panicking if I did something wrong. I gradually stepped off that train and began to experiment, using various recipes as foundations for my own cooking. I wasn't whipping up anything particularly special on my own, but generally I could make a meal out of whatever I had in the refrigerator

One Year Ago

2009-12-07T15:33:00.003-05:00

A lot of blogs that have been around for awhile do fun little "One Year Ago..", "Two Years Ago..." etc. posts, which I love to click on. Every once in awhile I want to do something similar on my blog, but I haven't been writing nearly long enough or often enough to make it a regular thing. It's rarely even possible that dates line up to do it! Today, however, is an exception.One year ago today,

The Birthday Party

2009-12-07T10:47:00.002-05:00

This weekend we hosted a party for Wright's birthday at his apartment. Wright, his roommates, and I were all very excited about the party, but with holiday parties, business trips, concerts and the like all week, it ended up being a little bit more last minute than we'd (okay, I'd) expected. The email I sent out was purposefully casual, as I knew Wright would be quick to call me out on turning a

Suzy Greenberg

2009-12-03T09:30:00.003-05:00

I'm a big fan of concerts and always have been. Growing up outside of the city, we had access to amazing shows and if I do say so myself, I took great advantage of this. I've written more extensively about my appreciation for concerts before, but I felt I had to write about the outstanding Phish show I went to last night at MSG.Phish was by far my favorite band throughout high school and into

Thank You Oatmeal Cookies

2009-12-01T16:34:00.002-05:00

My friend Hallie just moved into my building, which has been wonderful in so many ways. While I was on vacation last week, she kindly offered to pick up my mail and newspapers and hold them for me. Going above and beyond the call of duty, she even retrieved her mother's Dining Section for me when my Wednesday paper disappeared!To thank her, I decided to show off my newly acquired baking skills

Happy December!

2009-12-01T09:21:00.003-05:00

A new gown was on display next to my gallery this morning!

Print Society

2009-11-30T16:27:00.003-05:00

A few months back, I posted a link to Jen Beckman's 20x200 project, a fantastic site for finding great, affordable art. After making numerous purchases there, I started looking around for other sites, and quickly became overwhelmed by the amount of fantastic art that is out there and available. Why would you ever buy another poster when all of these amazing, unique prints are at the ready, and

Returning Home

2009-11-30T14:10:00.003-05:00

Isn't there something that is so uniform about the evening after you get back from a vacation? I'm always tired, no matter how relaxing the vacation was. My stomach feels a little sensitive from the flight or car trip (yes, I obviously get motion sickness). My arms are weary from dragging my bag around and lifting it in and out of taxis or up and down subway stairs. And when I walk into my

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-24T10:29:00.003-05:00

So, is anyone else wondering where in the world November went? Last I checked it was Halloween but all of a sudden it's Thanksgiving. And I've posted a mere six times this month, pathetic! What has been keeping me so busy? I have no idea. Really.But anyway, tomorrow I disembark on a family- and sun-filled Thanksgiving trip. It should be wonderful and relaxing, exactly what I need as we head

Orange Honey Glazed Drumsticks

2009-11-17T10:32:00.004-05:00

After a week of being thankful that I'd started stocking up on frozen foods (time to defrost the eggplant parmesan!), I was really excited to cook dinner on Sunday night. I had some chicken drumsticks and decided to use my growing pantry to the full extent and make a nice glaze to roast the drumsticks in. A lot of glazes I found in my cookbooks and on websites were loaded with soy sauce, but I

Pete and Dexter

2009-11-16T10:52:00.004-05:00

One of my new favorite writers is Pete Wells, in particular his series "Cooking with Dexter" that appears in the New York Times Magazine every few weeks. The articles describe, lightheartedly and touchingly, his adventures in cooking with his five year old son, Dexter. Wells does a fantastic job at pinpointing the wonderful things about children in the kitchen, as well as children in general -

A Taste of Maine

2009-11-13T12:48:00.004-05:00

Tucked away in a tiny spot on East 7th street, a new haven for lovers of Maine has arrived. Luke's Lobster is small and simple: it serves fresh lobster, shrimp and crab rolls, straight from Maine. And that's it. There are a few stools and you can get a root beer and a pickle if you'd like, but otherwise the place is really about the lobster, and by that I mean fresh lobster from Maine.Luke grew

Kandinsky at the Guggenheim

2009-11-10T07:22:00.003-05:00

I am so sorry that I have been missing for the past week! A ton of work at the gallery collided with a small fever and all of a sudden I realized that it had been forever since I've posted. Feels like it's been forever since I've had a minute to sit down and relax, as well. I'm looking forward to adjusting back into my normal routine of not working 7 days a week plus evenings, and doing things

Cold Season

2009-11-02T19:11:00.004-05:00

I woke up on Sunday with a bit of a cold, which seemed very appropriate given that it was November 1st. There was a chill in the air, and after sniffling my way up and down the east side of Manhattan, I buckled down Sunday afternoon to make some chicken noodle soup and lay low. I went a little bit overboard with the soup.Yep, pretty much made enough soup to last for the next four winters. And

Guest Post: Halloween Soup

2009-11-01T09:58:00.007-05:00

Editor's Note: While I was handing out cider and donuts at a children's Halloween parade on Saturday, Wright took over the kitchen and made this Halloween Soup. He even decided to take pictures during the process and write a guest post about it...I guess sometimes boyfriends get jealous of their girlfriends' blogs! -- Calvine A Halloween inspired soup with seasonal

Candy Corn

2009-10-30T07:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Halloween Eve! If you're like me, you've been gnawing on candy corn for the past few weeks. There's a bowl in the office that I just can't stop sneaking into, I keep some in my foyer for visitors (ha, or me), and people just keep handing the stuff out!Do I like candy corn? That's a good question. The answer would probably be no. Do I eat it anyway? Yes. Definitely, yes. Do I know what

Snacking

2009-10-28T09:38:00.004-04:00

Do you ever get home from work excited to make a nice dinner, but totally starving? And it'll be an hour before your dinner is ready? Plus there are nine other things you have to do before you can even start on dinner? And so you end up lurching for that leftover blondie or giving up on making dinner all together or snacking so heavily that by the time dinner is actually ready, you're not even

Pumpkin Cupcakes

2009-10-27T11:15:00.005-04:00

What is the difference between a cupcake and a muffin? There's probably some technical divider having to do with the process of making them or the moisture or the crumb. In the case of these pumpkin cupcakes, however, I've decided that the only difference is the frosting. So this morning, I had a lovely pumpkin muffin for breakfast.With Halloween approaching, it is clearly time to dust off the

Colors are changing...

2009-10-26T17:19:00.003-04:00

As I mentioned earlier, we were up in the suburbs this weekend. Though I hadn't noticed any trees changing colors in the city yet (possibly because, well, trees are hard to come by), Autumn was in full swing just thirty minutes north! It was a beautiful weekend, right at that moment where the leaves are brightly colored but haven't started to fall off. Wishing this would last just a few more

Game Night Dinner

2009-10-26T09:37:00.002-04:00

Wright and I were out in Rye this weekend. With a rainy day and a large kitchen on our hands, we decided to make a special Game Night dinner on Saturday, to eat while watching the Yankees game that evening. Ruling out hotdogs, we ended up deciding to make cheese steak sandwiches. (Not Philly cheese steak, as we were not going to be celebrating the team that the Yankees would potentially play

Irresistable Popcorn

2009-10-22T16:31:00.004-04:00

I've written before about how there are some things that once you start making them yourself, you never go back to the package. For me, this includes vinaigrette, granola, roast chicken, marinara sauce, soup, and popcorn. Ever since we found ourselves in Maine on a rainy day a few summers ago, with only popcorn kernels and no microwaveable bags, I've been hooked on making my own popcorn. The

Another Event to Stop by...

2009-10-22T14:51:00.002-04:00

Madison Square Park is having a market event all month long, with gifty shops and various food vendors setting up on the west side of the park. It's daily until 8pm, and I'd definitely recommend strolling by if you are in the area sometime in the next few weeks. I picked up some delicious hot apple cider and apple cider donuts there last weekend, and am hoping to go back for some Fatty Crab or

Reminder: Market on Sunday

2009-10-22T11:57:00.002-04:00

For everyone in the New York area, I just wanted to remind you that the second installment of the New Amsterdam Market is being held on Sunday. If the weather is anything like it is today, it will truly be fantastic. This weekend's market is focused on meat and butchers, with lots of vendors and special events. Hope to see many of you there!For pictures from last month's market, click here.

Long Island Vineyard Tour

2009-10-21T11:58:00.006-04:00

When I lived in Charlottesville, VA, we used to go wine tasting a fair amount. There are numerous vineyards in the area, and each one is in a more beautiful setting than the last. We're talking rolling hills, farms, mountains in the background, with decent wine to boot. Okay, there are some where the wine isn't exactly the best, but at the end of the day, who cares? It's a beautiful setting

Where the Wild Things Are

2009-10-19T14:44:00.004-04:00

Though I tried to restrain myself from going to see the movie on opening night (I am not a fan of crowds or lines or hectic-ness), I could not keep myself away from opening weekend. Rachel and I may have had to order tickets online and climb over a few people to get seats, but look what else we got!The movie was wonderful and thoughtful, funny and emotional. It was what I'd hoped for, and I

Ah, the weekend...

2009-10-16T13:01:00.005-04:00

Mmm... it's finally Friday afternoon. Rain may make the day seem slow, but my boss brought in Magnolia cupcakes, so it's going pretty well so far, if I do say so myself.Sorry for the lack of posts this week, but I've got some things on tap for the weekend that I hope will inspire some blog action. Wright and I are going on a triple date tonight, and I hope watching the Yankees win after that.

Rainy Day Comfort

2009-10-16T11:05:00.003-04:00

It was about 3pm yesterday, as I was staring out my office window into the dismal rain, that my friend Liz emailed, looking for a chili recipe. Before I could even hit reply, I'd decided that I, too, absolutely needed to make chili for dinner. It was one of those nights.There are many great things about chili - it's ability to freeze, the fact that it tastes better the next day, it's combination

Flower Arrangements

2009-10-14T10:42:00.003-04:00

I have a wonderful foyer in my apartment. It is perhaps my favorite part about my apartment - since it is a small studio, the foyer really makes it feel more spacious, and I don't feel like I'm staring at the front door while I'm trying to fall asleep. I've set up a table with various books and frames on it, as well as a place for keys and mail. I also love the idea of having fresh flowers here -

Pear Tart

2009-10-13T09:33:00.003-04:00

Over the weekend, I made a wonderfully simple pear tart, and it was immediately screaming classic. The preparation and completion could not have been easier, and the flavors were divine.Wright and I were immediately drawn to the juicy, sweet pears at the farmer's market on Saturday. With plans to have friends over for dinner that night, I quickly scooped up four pears and, perhaps too hastily,

First Fall Soup!

2009-10-09T10:35:00.003-04:00

As luck would have it, I received a beautiful butternut squash in my CSA yesterday! I was so thrilled to not only be able to use some of the chicken stock I'd made the night before, but also to bring out my favorite kitchen tool: the immersion blender.I've mentioned before my love for this blender and making soups, but I, unfortunately, took a break from soups over the summer, it being too warm

Stock

2009-10-08T09:48:00.002-04:00

There are some things in cooking that once you learn to do them yourself, you never go back to store bought. For me, vinaigrette is definitely one of those things - I haven't bought dressing at all since I learned how easy it is to make an array of flavorful vinaigrettes. Other things that fall into that category include roast chicken, soups, and tomato sauce (I do still buy vodka sauce - not

The Future of Magazines: Gourmet and Lonny

2009-10-07T09:29:00.006-04:00

I've been thinking a lot about the folding of Gourmet magazine. Of course we've all been hearing about the troubles of the magazine and newspapers industries, but this news is particularly worrisome to me. A lot of the magazines that have been closing were small publications, newer titles, or very niche-driven, so when you see a long time magazine that has been a mainstay in its industry for

Now that it's Fall

2009-10-06T10:46:00.004-04:00

I thought I'd share a little fall twist on my go-to fancy leftovers dish, the tartine. Ingredients include oat bread (toasted), sliced mushrooms (sautéed), sliced yellow onions (caramelized), and gruyere cheese (grated). If you happen to have made this dinner last week, you'll have everything stocked in your fridge. All of the prepping is simple and can be done simultaneously before the even

The High Line

2009-10-05T12:00:00.000-04:00

On Saturday night, I finally made it to the High Line - a new park created on the old high line train tracks on the west side of Manhattan. I've been meaning to get there for weeks but it always seemed like a hassle, and the first month it opened there were lines and well, it just didn't happen. It seemed like it wouldn't happen Saturday either - it poured rain the whole day, and it wasn't

What's My Age Again?

2009-10-05T09:40:00.004-04:00

Wright and I have a funny connection with the band Blink 182. It goes back to Wright being a 16 year old growing up in Florida, who loved wakeboarding and punk rock bands. One of his favorite bands, Blink 182, was little known outside of the punk rock circuit, but had put out a few albums and young Wright had gathered up his friends to drive to Ft. Lauderdale to see them play for a group of 300

The Suburbs

2009-10-02T09:36:00.003-04:00

I grew up in the suburbs of New York City. And by suburbs I mean total and utter suburbia, a simple 35 minute train ride from Grand Central up to a tiny town packed with houses that - gasp! - have yards. It was quaint. Idyllic. Picturesque. Suburban. (Try not to associate it with that Leo and Kate movie, Revolutionary Road, ok?)Anyway, I've since moved into Manhattan but my parents and

Fall Flavors

2009-09-30T14:26:00.002-04:00

Was anybody else drooling over their paper this morning? Melissa Clark's article on Autumn was so delectable, I could almost smell the roasted figs in my apartment. Find it here, and find me in my kitchen cooking everything this weekend.Photos courtesy NYTimes

Dinner Last Night

2009-09-29T08:19:00.004-04:00

It was wonderful to have someone to cook dinner for last night. Wright had returned from the West Coast and my refrigerator was still brimming with vegetables from last week's load, so I thought I'd take the time to make a nice meal. It turned out to be vegetarian, but as Wright said, it was pretty hearty vegetarian.I made a potato and turnip gratin - the simple version by Alice Waters (also

Why I Don't Hate Mondays

2009-09-28T18:53:00.003-04:00

Baby Bell Peppers

2009-09-27T18:20:00.003-04:00

There were wonderful baby bell peppers in my CSA last week. They were so colorful, I couldn't resist snapping a few photos.They are kind of cute, no?Now I just need to resist petting and actually make something with them!

DBGB

2009-09-24T17:32:00.004-04:00

Before Wright left for Washington, he was kind enough to take me on a date to restaurant we'd been dying to go to since it opened a few months ago - Daniel Boulud's DBGB. The restaurant is the first downtown venture of the famed chef - both in location (Houston and Bowery) and in the sense of the word. With a focus on sausage and beer, there has been a lot of talk about the high-quality food

Something Sweet...

2009-09-24T14:14:00.003-04:00

You know the drill. It's 9pm, you ate dinner two hours ago, and you're hungry. Hungry for something sweet. And this is precisely why you don't let yourself buy snacks or candy to keep in the house: you will eat it. And a lot of it, especially if no one is looking. So, you search your cupboards and refrigerator, and settle on something less than satisfying - usually a small cracker or a scoop

Eating Well

2009-09-24T09:45:00.004-04:00

Recently I've succumbed to super fast meals eaten at my counter and semi-homemade concoctions eaten on the couch. This happens -- particularly when suddenly it's fall and you're busy and your boyfriend is out of town and you're just feeling lazy. This is not a bad thing, but I do think it is important to balance those meals with ones that you take a little bit more time on, that force you to

Georgia O'Keeffe at the Whitney

2009-09-23T09:35:00.004-04:00

I've never been a huge fan of Georgia O'Keeffe's work, and I'm going to go ahead and guess that many of you would agree. The flowers and skulls are well, pretty, but kind of overplayed. And kind of boring. And I'm not a huge fan of all the meaning that people try to attach to them. Okay, now that's out of the way. On Tuesday night, I went to see the new exhibition, Georgia O'Keefe:

Feeling Crunchy...

2009-09-22T12:52:00.004-04:00

One of the many items on my to-do list this weekend was to make another batch of granola. I know, I know, I promise I haven't gone off the deep end, granola is actually really easy to make, and it stores very well. I started making it awhile back, and have had fun experimenting with different additions and methods. The nice thing is that you can make a big batch and store it for months, so you

Semi-homemade [cringe!]

2009-09-21T12:00:00.004-04:00

I have a little trouble with the concept of "semi-homemade" particularly when it is associated with a certain food network host. While the term is meant to be a positive - that you make sure to insert homemade efforts into meals - I think it ends up sounding kind of negative. That you only made part of the meal. Maybe it's just the connotation with "tablescapes," I don't know.But anyway, last

Book Signing

2009-09-15T21:27:00.006-04:00

The gallery I work at is dangerously close to Barney's. I'll admit I wander in at least twice a week on my way to the subway. Just to browse! Anyway, last night was no exception, particularly when I got out early from work and Scott Schuman, of The Sartorialist, was going to be there signing copies of his new book, which I'd been meaning to pick up anyway.The store itself was quiet, so I

New Amsterdam Market

2009-09-13T20:07:00.003-04:00

This weekend, I expanded my usual Farmer's Market stop to include the New Amsterdam Market on Sunday morning. Held once a month during the fall, the market seeks to "reinvent the public market" and bring together various local vendors including farmers, butchers, bakers and everything in between, creating a lively market full of fresh produce and deliciously prepared goods. Kate and I arrived

A Beautiful Day

2009-09-13T16:02:00.004-04:00

After three days of rain, the sun finally came out today. I took a walk along the East River from the South Street Seaport up into the Lower East Side, and felt like I was walking on air the weather was so fantastic. I hope I'll never be jaded by the view of the Brooklyn bridge on a beautiful day.

Quick Dinner for One

2009-09-11T07:52:00.000-04:00

Between picking up my CSA and heading out last night, I made a hasty dinner that was surprisingly flavorful and refreshing. I came home in a hectic rush, but the tomatoes that I'd just picked up were calling my name. I took the juiciest red and the juiciest yellow ones, chopped them up, tossed with goat cheese, fresh basil, salt and pepper and stuffed it into an open pita. I ate it standing up,

Those Afternoons...

2009-09-10T15:56:00.004-04:00

It's one of those afternoons... where the sky is overcast, the weather slightly cool, and I am feeling tired. I'd like to do nothing but relax when I get home from work.But I will wake up.And get dressed.Because it's Fashion's Night Out.So I'm going out.To shop. And I am an avid fan of shopping. All photographs by James Merrell.

The Baking Project

2009-09-08T21:43:00.000-04:00

Labor Day has passed and we are moving all too swiftly into mid-September. I even wore a jacket to work this morning! The onset of Fall not only means cool breezes, this year. It means the end to my summer-long Baking Project.What baking project, you may ask. Yes, I am asking myself that as well. Because I really don't think my weak attempts at baking can qualify as any sort of project. But,

New York Summer

2009-09-08T20:40:00.003-04:00

No one will argue that it has been a strange summer in New York. We had a beautiful, hot May, an unbelievably rainy June, a mild July, and an August that was, well, perfect.Having a few days to myself this August, I've tried to seek out some pretty spots in my neighborhood. Who would have thought this field of flowers could be found in the East Village?Don't panic, there is a trash can in

A Day-Off Lunch

2009-09-01T11:11:00.004-04:00

I used to make this lunch for myself a lot when I was in college. It's an easy way to use up various items you have in your kitchen, and just luxurious enough to feel like you're making yourself a fancy lunch. Tartines are a perfect snack for in between classes or a meal when you've got a day off from work.To make it, turn on your broiler (or toaster oven) and let it heat up. Lightly toast two