Licking the Plate

Rainy Day Williamsburg

2012-05-06T11:20:00.003-04:00

Flowers have been planted around the tree in front of my house. I am freshly back from a fantastic trip to my hometown. But, those sweet bits are not what this story is about. Just before leaving on my trip home - a nonstop week of meetings, cleaning, and packing to depart, and cooking everything left in my refrigerator - my friend Katie Quinn Davies was in town, as part of a three week whirlwind USA trip (I'm starting to think that's the only way she travels!)... and dear Valery Rizzo - another super food photographer - offered to be our tour guide around Williamsburg as we ventured for lunch and then bopped around.

I spotted a cool photo-shoot in progress as I descended the J train steps. It immediately reminded me of the work of Denis Darzacq, with the talent twirling sideways in the air, seemingly repeatable on-command. That guy did it about 12 times, and that's just when I paused to watch. This kind of thing is one of the many which I love about Brooklyn. You never know what kind of unusual and completely cool (or zany - random - surreal) thing you'll come across. :-)

It was a rainy day. We lunched at Marlow & Sons and began our sight-seeing from there. Drizzling and occasionally more, we weren't deterred. We came to some of my favorite spots, and also landed new highlights for my Billyburg destination map. (Thanks, Valery!) With the fun we had, you'd think we had the fortune to play in the sunshine....

From diners to bric-a-brac shops, late afternoon cocktails to chocolate tastings, it was a grand time.

Enjoy the rain droplets wetting your skin. Find someplace new and get lost. Go someplace familiar and re-discover it for yourself again. There is beauty in everything!

Springtime Food - Lamb, Ramps, Peppery Cress......

2012-04-24T12:07:00.003-04:00

I thought I'd get out ahead of the curve and share some amazing food with you all for Easter. Ahem... right... I can say that I most certainly tested and cooked and photographed all of this in advance of said date - with you all in mind - but that numerous projects took over my days and effectively pushed the frolic and fun I so wanted to share, back...

This really isn't an excuse, but more a plea that you'll still love what I have to share, even though the story depicts tales now démodé. The saving grace is that it is still spring, and that you'll easily find all of these yummy ingredients at the market should you be driven to make any of the recipes! And I think you will.

They are that good.

Each is worth making alone, as something special to impress your sweetheart, or to eat with friends over for dinner. They are worth the effort - which thankfully in most cases - is minimal. Which leaves you free to deal with all of your other projects, ahem. ;)

Please enjoy and let me know what you think! I would love to hear your adventures with these recipes and any tweaks you've made along the way. Bon appétit...

Caramelized Onion & Potato Gratin

Serves 6-8

9 yukon gold potatoes, sliced thinly on a mandolin

2 yellow onions, sliced

2 shallots, sliced

1 cup gruyere cheese, grated

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

7 or so sprigs of fresh thyme

butter for baking dish

olive oil for sauteeing

sea salt & freshly ground pepper

Butter the baking dish and set aside. Sauté the onions and shallots together in a good glug of olive oil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until translucent and aromatic (5-7 minutes). Remove from heat and add cream, stir to combine. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Layer the potatoes like shingles as you go, topping with the onion-cream mixture and then a scatter of grated cheese to cover. Season each layer with salt and pepper. Repeat fanning the potato slices for each layer, choosing a pattern which pleases you. Add the sprinkling of cayenne and nutmeg to a layer - I chose the middle of the three - and finish with the shingled potatoes on top. Press down to compact the layers and add the thyme sprigs and a final dash of s & p. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 40 minutes. Check to see that it evenly browns and turn if necessary, baking for an additional 15 minutes, or until cooked through and golden on top.

Rack of Lamb Persillade - adapted from the fabulous Ina Garten

Serves 3-4

1 good-sized rack of lamb, frenched

1 cup parsley leaves, loosely packed

2 cloves garlic, halved

2/3 cup fresh breadcrumbs

2 tbsp lemon zest

good olive oil

sea salt & freshly ground pepper

a good knob of butter, melted

Preheat oven to 450 degrees (F). Place the rack in a roasting pan, fat-side up. Rub with olive oil and season with s & p. Roast the lamb for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place the parsley and garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely minced. Add the bread crumbs and lemon zest, and process again until combined. Remove lamb from oven and pat parsley mixture onto the meat. Drizzle melted butter over and return to oven, roasting for an additionl 15 minutes (for rare-medium rare). Take the lamb out of the oven and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes. Slice into chops, and serve.

Shallot-Mint Sauce
1 small bunch fresh mint, leaves picked
1 shallot, peeled and trimmed
1 cup good olive oil
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tbsp sherry vinegar
pinch sea salt

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until well combined. Resulting flavor should be zingy and bright. Taste, and season to adjust if necessary. Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate extra. Serve on lamb chops (above), or steaks. Delicious as a dressing for rustic slaws. Also great as dipping sauce for chips and flatbreads. Keep refrigerated. Good for up to 1 month.

Asparagus & Ramps with Hard-boiled Quail Eggs

Serves 6-8

2 bunches asparagus, ends trimmed

1 bunch ramps, cleaned and trimmed - you can also use spring onions if ramps are difficult to find

9 quail eggs

good olive oil

sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

for the dressing

1/3 cup good olive oil

2 tbsp sherry vinegar

sea salt

1 pinch red chili flakes

Bring a saucepan of water to boil. Meanwhile, sauté asparagus in olive oil over medium heat. Alternate covering, and searing uncovered, turning often, to achieve nicely cooked, yet bright green stalks - about 7 minutes. Add the ramps and brown for a minute or so, until they wilt. As water boils, add the quails' eggs in batches and simmer for a few minutes - no more than 4 minutes total each. Remove from water with a slotted spoon and immediately place in a bowl of cool water. Set aside. To make the dressing, whisk together all ingredients and season to taste. Adjust as necessary. Place the asparagus and ramps on a platter. Peel the quail eggs and slice lengthwise, dispersing them around the veggies. Spoon dressing over, reserving extra for the table. Can be eaten hot, cold, or room temperature.

Whoo! If you are at all drooling now that would be appropriate. Seriously, I'd love to hear your adventures with any of the recipes. :)

In other news, art director Jenny Barnes has made a gallery of my work here. She curates collections by artists and photographers around the world, all of them quite accomplished. I feel honored to be in such company. Thanks, Jenny!

News just confirmed - I will be teaching a workshop on food styling and photography, this October, with the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics! I'm over the moon with this.....to be able to share my knowledge and perspective with budding bloggers and photographers?? It really doesn't get any better! Look for me at the 2012 Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo, in Philadelphia. More on that soon....

And lastly, remember that there are three short days left to vote for my blog for Best Single Food Photo over at Saveur. Thank you all very much who have already registered your support and told your friends and loved ones! Even having placed as a finalist - after the editors at Saveur reviewed close to 40,000 submissions - is a wonderful accomplishment. I hope you adore my work as much as I love creating it! Until soon. :-)

Happy Easter! Chag Pesach Sameach!

2012-04-08T12:20:00.001-04:00

Look out for more from this feast, including recipes...... xxoo

Saveur 2012 Blog Awards, Plus More

2012-04-05T23:35:00.000-04:00

I am so pleased to write this today. After almost 40,000 nominations, a group of SAVEUR editors narrowed the field to six finalists for each category in the best food blog awards. I am nominated for best single food photo on a blog! Just yesterday I was wondering how the nominations were going, when this afternoon I received an email to notify me that I am a finalist. Please click the badge to vote and spread the word, tweet, and vote, vote, vote. ;)

Here is the image they selected...

I was making a delicious spring salad when I saw these beautiful peelings I had, leftover. I knew I had to photograph them. The casualness of the scatter - and the intense color of the remaining orange flesh - made it even more fun to shoot.

Thank you so much!

A couple other wonderful bits to share with you...

Xiaolu at Six Bittersweets just wrote a gorgeous piece on me, with lots of images. Check it out, here. And a few weeks back, Audrey at This Little Street paired another of my tasty salads (hmm, a theme maybe?) for a sweet story with the great work of Lucas Allen. I'll take it. :)

There's more coming soon.... But hopefully, this will fill you for right now and put smiles on your lovely faces. Thanks for your wonderful support.

Ryan Tate: Dine, Don't Just Eat

2012-03-26T13:01:00.000-04:00

I had the pleasure recently of interviewing a friend who has been a chef on the restaurant scene for a number of years. Ryan Tate spent the last 4 years as chef-de-cuisine at the well-known Soho restaurant, Savoy, creating the menu, helping to source the ingredients with owner Peter Hoffman, and cooking the food so beautifully for customers on a nightly basis. Savoy has since been revamped, and now Ryan as a chef is looking to find his own niche in New York City. I hope you enjoy the interview, and that you see the adventure in his food.

What is one of the most important things to you right now in the world of food, whether an issue, an ingredient, a philosophy?

I guess I don't necessarily have a food philosophy that I feel is important, other than extracting purity of ingredients. As far as the locavore sensibility goes, I don't personally follow that at all times. I just want to get the best ingredients that I can, and make them taste as good as possible. So, locavorism, farm-to-table - they are great things and work really well, but for me, why wouldn't you just get the best stuff you can serve, no matter where it's from? The planes are going to fly from Scotland anyway. Put my langoustines on the plane! The plane is coming anyway. That's the world we live in. We can prevent doing more damage, but a it seems unrealistic in many ways.

Being yourself as a chef is my biggest sticking point. I want to be someplace where I can perform as the chef I want to be. I didn't get into this business to work at a concept restaurant "homestyle" or many of the other catchy terms out there now. That's my philosophy, what is most important to me at the moment.

Duck breast, chiogga beets, scallions, rhubarb, anise hyssop, olive bread

Do you want to talk about the chef you want to be?

There are a couple people in the city that are getting it right: Wylie Dufresne, the guys at Roberta's, even the Do or Dine guys down the street. They're doing what they want to do. I want to cook the food the way I want to cook it, I want to make well thought-out dishes, well composed menus. I don't want to replace somebody's Tuesday night meal because they don't feel like cooking. I want dinner to be an experience for people. The landscape of the dining scene, especially in New York, is moving more towards replacing cooking in their own homes, rather than seeking a unique experience. Not that those places don't need to exist, but that's not what I see in the arc of my career.

Was your mother a good cook? Did you have adventurous meals or more meat & potatoes style meals as you grew up?

My mom is a very good cook, and we were never hungry. There were four of us in the house: two boys, my dad and my mom, and we ate so much! We were true mid-westerners, overeating at almost every meal. Thankfully we also had high metabolisms and we're still pretty thin people. I really enjoyed the way she cooked when I was younger. The excitement happened, but only on the weekends, really. My dad is a total meat & potatoes guy, and did not like when my mom would step outside the box and try new things. She was always interested to try new things - she wanted to cook what she wanted to cook too, but also knew she had to satisfy the alpha male in the house. There was a little flair here and there, but not a lot.

What was a standard meal that she would make that you loved? And what was a way that she stepped outside of that and was adventurous?

The one thing I would always do - I loved her spaghetti sauce, but when she was frying the beef and the onions and the garlic, I would pull a couple spoonfuls of that out and season it and eat the ground meat and the garlic before the tomato sauce got in there. I liked parts - like anything - but when the tomato sauce got incorporated, I didn't care for it much. We always had family taco night, steaks on Saturdays, we went to fish fries on and off. On Friday nights we'd go out - maybe an old Christian belief not to eat fish before the Sabbath - I'm not sure, but Friday night everywhere where I grew up was fish fry night. We'd do lake perch. Sunday we always ate at 3 or 4 o'clock at my grandparents house. That was usually pretty meat intensive, like roast beef or a pot roast or something. Pretty typical.

Her most adventurous (standard) dish was chop suey with water chestnuts. She'd make the white rice, we had soy sauce, it was like we were at a Chinese restaurant, minus the chopsticks.

When was it that you took a different direction in food?

When I decided I was going to be a professional cook, I was living in Michigan and went to a place called the Food Dance Cafe - Julie Stanley was the chef and owner, and was like the Alice Waters of southwest Michigan. I always worked at restaurants growing up and this place was different. It was still homey and had meat and potatoes, but she always used the best ingredients that were nearby. She bought tomatoes and berries from the local producers and knew them by name. It taught me not to just reach for canned food. How do I get more of an experience this way, I asked myself? Julie said I needed to get out of the country[side]. "Pick a city and go work there", she said.

Being a small town boy, I stayed close to home and moved to Chicago. It wasn't a risk really, but I found a place that was renown - chef Ted Cizma had just won a Food & Wine 10 best new chefs award. But in retrospect, the menu was meat and potatoes. It was wild game: antelope, buffalo, interesting fish I'd never seen before - in the Friday night fish fry, you don't even know what you're eating half the time. I was seeing whole, real ingredients, but at the end of the day it was roasted venison with potatoes and glazed carrots, and that was the make-up of most of the dishes.

Roasted rabbit, adzuki beans, moo radish, sweet potato molasses

I worked at a very busy place called Spring, only for two months while I waited for another job to open, but it was my first exposure working with asian ingredients on a regular basis. That became a way to make more interesting combinations without it being "meat and potatoes". I learned you can have an interesting menu that integrated world flavors. Then, I helped open a restaurant called Fortunato, which was my first dealings with northern Italian style food. No red sauce! I don't necessarily go-over for Italian food, but I admire the approach to the ingredients: don't weigh the food down, let the product sing - like raw artichokes with chestnut honey and fennel. Simple - that was a dish! I didn't stay there very long either (laughs), but it was a great way to see how you could buck traditional French techniques and still have quality food to bring to people. That was an influential restaurant for me, even though things didn't end well for me there. You can never go wrong as long as you're paying attention to what's going on and formulating opinions on what you see, whether good or bad. If it doesn't work, don't do it. If it does, then do it!

What are five ingredients that are indispensable to you?

Anchovies, bottarga, butter, olive oil, - or some sort of fat. I love animal fat, so some kind of fat would need to be represented. Cheese is another ingredient. Any type of cheese - I love lactic flavor. From Cato Corner, they have one that is so funky and so good, called Hooligan. It's available at the farmers market. Saxelby's carries that cheese as well. Basically, if it is coming from a good cow, it will make an amazing product. Fennel, licorice, anise, hyssop - any would be my last of the five ingredients. I love licorice flavor, and I think it's gotta be a genetic trait passed on from my father. He used to munch on black licorice candies all the time.

Flounder roe, brown butter pudding, carrot dashi

What are five things you would have at your last meal?

I would love to eat the quail egg raviolo I ate at Schwa again. It was one of the most perfect bites of food I've had, ever. And, a really well-aged duck. Duclaire duck, aged, roasted whole. The intensified meat flavor is great. A glass of sparkling water - I love sparkling water. Also, a really light red from northern Italy's Alto Adige region - like a blaufränkisch or such. I'm not wine smart enough to tell you, but something from around there is great. And then lastly, Alaskan crab... maybe with fennel and bottarga, like from above.

What's one of your favorite all-time recipes?

Vegetable custards. I love them, always include them, and it's an easy thing to do. The custards deliver a lot of flavor for comparatively small effort. I made a cauliflower custard last year with gruyere broth and trout roe, with burnt leeks. We did a green garlic custard, too, with fava beans, baby carrots, and peas. It is something I continue to return to.

Candy cap mushroom tofu, favas, baby carrots, peas, asparagus and black trumpet mushroom broth

Who in your experience has been a role model? Why?

Peter Hoffman, obviously. He spent a lot of time familiarizing me with the business aspects of the workings of a restaurant. He was always comfortable with my level of cooking and acumen, so we ended up spending a lot of time understanding managing people, and how we evolve in approaching what we can do in a space. That was valuable. Mike Gaspard, one of my closest friends, was the first chef who spoke to me in a way that didn't make me feel like a total idiot. He was chef at that meat & potatoes place in Chicago (which has since become modern American cuisine focused). He was a hard guy, but when it came to speaking about the food, he would speak in a language that you could understand. No punching in the neck.... "Here, you need to do it like this, let me show you". Simple, right? I have friends whom I admire so much too. You never get to say it to them because you see them - you're in the business working - but my friend Blake Joyal is the chef at Wong, and he's doing amazing work there. My really good friend Stephanie Isard in Chicago is doing great things at her restaurant The Girl and the Goat. She's just been nominated best chef for the 2012 James Beard Awards. We don't ever get too intimate and say "hey buddy, I'm proud of you"...

Rabbit liver, hedgehog mushrooms, brandy cream, dried figs, black walnuts, red wine

In the time you have been in New York, how has the culinary landscape changed? What observations do you have?

This is where I get all whipped up and foam at the mouth. (pause) I'm clearly frustrated with the landscape at the moment. I know I'm smart enough to realize the world changes. The economy changes. And therefore all the things that go along with it change as well. What people want to eat, how they want to eat it, when they want to eat it, how much they want to pay for it. I think 2008 ruined anything high-caliber in this city and instantly changed how restaurants do business and how to make food. It's a fair realization for these business owners, I just don't have to like it as a culinary professional. I don't think everyone wants a cheeseburger all the time. Yet, we are feeding people cheeseburgers everyday all the time in this city. Enough already. It's a business, I know. Why can't we be what we want and do what we want? Not every chef is a restaurateur, chefs still want to be chefs. That becomes complicated in a financial environment. When you wear both hats, you have to make hard choices, and I don't agree with them all. I think there is some good stuff. Torrisi delivers, without a huge cost to the diner. You don't need all the pageantry of fine dining, but it's important to retain fine dining! You don't have have crystal to have a good meal, but you don't have to choose meatloaf either. I think we went too far to one side without pausing in the middle ground. Maybe as things improve financially, as the world stabilizes a little more, things will push back again. That's what I want.

Veal tongue, smoked apples, mustard seed caviar, rye crisps, baby mustard greens

Whiting, green chili purée, meyer lemon conserve, 60 degree egg yolk, capers

It's like the automatic de-cultivation of things - whether food, manufacturing/making of goods and objects, every single thing you can look at, expectations, refinement, and lack of education, are all intertwined.

It seems like there is too much easy satisfaction going on. We are all different, why should the restaurant scene be so homogenous, with $12 being the price point and ... I want to charge a fair price, pay my rent, pay my bills, and deliver an amazing experience (regardless of those things). Don't let your worries creep into the dining room. People should dine, not just eat. We're well trained people, let us do what we do and deliver an experience. I want people to relax and enjoy that.

Sweet Paul Tarts

2012-03-12T10:14:00.000-04:00

The Spring issue of Sweet Paul is out!!! It is always a real delight to spend a time on a new project with Paul. Our collaborations - the ease of how we figure out this detail or that, what kind of feeling we want a shoot to convey, and also just getting the work done - make each new shoot a lot of fun to tackle. I hope you'll enjoy the playfulness and whimsy in this story. And you know, it was every bit as delicious as it looks... :)

An outtake of Paul getting this tart ready... (that honey was divine, and we used it on a number of things.)

Sweet-salty, juicy, herbacious... these are some words I would use to describe the flavors of these tarts.

The custard-y quality of eggs mixed with young veggies or herbs in tart shells, the soft creaminess of cheese - whether goat's, ricotta, pecorino, or other - where each a heavenly addition to these creations.

This tart was my favorite. Simply fantastical in its many pointy peaks, and yet quite practical in that sturdy pan! The piney fragrance of the rosemary, along with the savory sweetness of that honey (there it is again), set into the backdrop of chevre and young roasted beets, all wrapped in puff pastry... It was a surprising delight.

You can probably see by now how immensely satisfying the whole thing was, start to finish. Perhaps you'll make one of these for friends as a special meal to celebrate together. Or, maybe an easy (but glamorous-looking) fix to hunger on any night, to treat yourself right. Here's the story, with all the recipes to make for yourselves. Enjoy!

Best Food Photography Finalist - Vote for Me!

2012-03-04T17:30:00.002-05:00

Thanks to lots of determined people, I am one of 6 finalists for best food photography in the Homies awards! I hope you'll agree that my images are gorgeous - real food that is lovingly prepared, with an elegant-rustic touch. Thank you all for bringing me this far!!! Now, the work is to get everyone together to vote me to the top!!!!! We have until Friday, March 9th, and I think we can do it. :) XO

Confused by the voting process? Here's how it's done:

If you haven't registered,
1. Click on the image above and then scroll to very bottom of page and click on "register".

2. Add your email and make a password.

3.Click here, sign-in, and VOTE!

Here are some of my favorite pictures from various stories I've produced - enjoy!

This food makes me happy

A birthday story

desserts make everyone happy.....!

fresh, beautiful food is what living is all about

Thank you all sooooooo much!!! Have a great week and see you on Friday!

Tibetan New Year, Jackson Heights, Queens & The New York Times

2012-02-28T11:51:00.001-05:00

A couple weeks ago I received a phone call from the photo editor at The New York Times to shoot a new story. She wanted me to visit two Tibetan restaurants and capture everything about their special dumplings - momos - handmade all night and stuffed with a variety of fillings for Losar, the Tibetan Lunar New Year celebration. The story printed just in time as festivities began.

Needless to say it was an exemplary experience worth repeating! In fact, I am eager to return to Phayul Restaurant, pronto. The quality of their food - and the owners who were so obliging and sweet - is worth getting to know better. Humble people with some really special things to share...

Dawa Lhamo, one of the owners, makes dumplings like these for much of the night

Hand-rolling the dough - supremely meditative to behold

Each kind of momo has a different shape


The red sauce is sepen - a homemade garlicky, fiery chili sauce. Foreground (cup) is a flavorsome beef bone broth

Left: Tsak sha la kor hot, a beef-daikon creamy broth that packs a punch...!


This scene tells the feeling well

Norling Tibet Kitchen, the second location for my shooting that night, is literally across the street from the Jackson Heights subway hub. Until recently is has been Chautari Restaurant, so if you know it by that name, you have found the right place. :) They're doing a variety of inspired foods - obviously Tibetan, but also some Indian to go with the dominant flavor of the neighborhood, and Nepalese cuisine as well.

Right: crispy vegetable pakoras with sepen

This scene looks like a still from a movie, I thought...

How lucky am I that I can go to amazing restaurants here in New York City, and some of the best international cuisine lies just a wee bit further in an oasis like Queens?? Take the train and do it now. And then write me and thank me once you have gotten your fill of momos and tingmo and all that is deliciously Tibet.

From Lithuania with Love

2012-02-20T13:56:00.000-05:00

I was recently interviewed for Llamas Valley, a gorgeous online journal all the way from Lithuania, and the issue is now out. Please get yourself a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, settle in, and have a look. My feature begins on page 116, but you may find yourself spending the afternoon leafing through the whole thing... sooooo many beautiful images and stories!

It is an honor to be in such creative company. Thank you Alge! Our many back and forth communications getting everything set up properly for the debut worked out beautifully.... :)

Happy Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T09:49:00.000-05:00

I think you could say I may have gone a little overboard. I love romance and sentiment, and so I've cooked up some goodies that you'll love, I think, no matter if you're embracing Valentine's for one, two, or a party with all your peeps. In the spirit of L-O-V-E, I have also updated my banner. It was time, and I hope you will enjoy all the little nooks and crannies in the new display! :-)

If you're still on the hunt for something special for yourself or your sweetie, go for some gorgeous blooms at Graceful Gardens - all the flowers in these images were graciously selected and arranged by the lovely ladies Grace and Francesca, at their floral shop in Brooklyn. Rarefied or classic, they have just what you seek.

Whether or not you have plans to celebrate, there is a lot of pleasure in the confections you're about to see. I will confess I found some good inspiration from recipes I've just discovered in Donna Hay while thinking up what might make for a sweet story. Don't be surprised if you find yourself in full swoon, repeating "be mine, be mine..." after the aching temptation brought on by viewing these treats.

Here's to Love Day...

Raspberry Mascarpone Creme stuffed Double Chocolate Cookies

For the cookies:
3/4 lb good dark chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 oz pastured butter
2 pastured eggs
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1/4 tsp baking powder, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract

for the creme:
1 cup mascarpone
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 cup raspberries, chopped

Place two-thirds of the chocolate and all the butter in the top of a double boiler to melt over medium heat. Be sure not to let the water spatter, turning the heat down if necessary. Place eggs, vanilla, and sugar in a large bowl and using a stand or hand mixer, beat until light and creamy - think the color "buff"- about 10 minutes. Stir in all remaining ingredients: the flour and baking powder mixture, the stirred chocolate-butter mixture, and the remaining chopped chocolate. Let stand for 10 minutes, and preheat oven to 350 degrees(F).

Spoon tablespoonfuls onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 8 minutes or so, until tops are puffed and cracked. Allow to cool completely on trays before making into sandwiches. To make the filling, stir together mascarpone, sugar, and chopped berries. This can be done ahead of time and re-refrigerated. For the sandwiches, spread a nice layer of the mascarpone creme on one cookie, and sandwich with another. The perfect combination of not-too-sweet berry-creaminess, and decadent-airy chocolatey-ness, these will not last long...

Champagne with Spiced Cranberry Sugar Cubes

In a food processor, combine:
1 cup fresh or thawed cranberries
juice from 1/2 an orange
zest from one orange
2 tbsp brandy
1 stick cinnamon

Pulse until all ingredients are well combined. Add a cinnamon stick and seal in a jar, refrigerated, for a day or two for flavors to meld. On the day before you want to use the sugar, place however many sugar cubes you'd like to use in a small dish, and cover completely with the cranberry mixture. Be sure that all sides are covered, ensuring better saturation. After about an hour, check to see color absorption. Do not let sugar cubes sit in the mixture for longer than a couple hours, as they will begin to dissolve... Remove cubes from the dish scooping with a fork and dry on a wire rack. Store in a sealed container after dry.

When you are ready, place the cube (you can use more than one, but I don't like it too sweet) at the bottom of a glass, and pour Champagne, Prosecco, or Cava (all delicious sparkling wines - choose one that is crisp more than sweet) over. The sugar will fizz until it completely dissolves, leaving a sweet-tart cranberry finish to your drinking pleasure!

Sea Salt Ganache Tartlets

Makes 6

1/3 cup heavy cream

2 1/3 ounces of good semi- or bitter-sweet dark chocolate, chopped

Large flake salt, like Maldon

Prepare dough for 1/4 portion pâte sucré and roll out to 1/8 inch thick - similar to pâte brisée but with the addition of egg yolks and a bit of heavy cream. Check here for the recipe if you need, and scroll to the galette recipe.... Using a 2-inch cookie cutter, cut rounds and carefully mold into lightly greased tart tins and re-refrigerate. Preheat oven to 350 degrees(F). Line tart shells with parchment and fill with baking weights or rice, and bake for 8 minutes. Remove the paper and weights and bake for another 5 minutes or until golden, and remove from oven, setting aside. Full disclosure ~ once baked, my tart crust overlapped just enough along the edge of the tins that I could not dislodge them without them crumbling. Keep that in mind as you form the edge of your dough.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring cream to a boil and remove from heat. Add chopped chocolate and whisk until dark, creamy, and glossy. Allow to cool slightly, and pour or spoon into the baked tartlets, and top with sea salt flakes. Can be eaten warm, room temperature, or chilled. Pure seduction.

Grapefruit - Strawberry Sips

for the strawberry syrup:
1 cup strawberries, cut into wedges
1/4 cup cane sugar
water

for the drink:
Natural grapefruit soda - I used Gus
Wide strips of orange peel - be sure to trim off any bitter white pith
Chilled gin, vodka, tequila, or other spirit, to your liking

Pour enough water in a small saucepan to just cover the berries and sugar, and turn flame to medium-high. Stirring occasionally, bring to boil and then skim off any foam which forms. Skim and stir intermittently, for about 10 minutes, checking for color saturation in the cooking liquid. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Pour liquid through a sieve and mash fruit with the back of a spoon to extract their juices, discarding the pulp. Chill and store for up to one week. Can be added to ice cream as well as beverages...

Mix fruit soda and syrup in a measuring cup to taste. I used 1 tbsp syrup for every 12 ounce soda bottle. Pour into glasses. Thread orange twist onto cocktail stirrers, add spirit and stir to enjoy.

Barely-Done Brownies with Pomegranate Seeds

Makes 6

4 pastured eggs

1 1/3 cup brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 sticks pastured butter, cut into cubes

12 ounces good semi-sweet dark chocolate, chopped

Seeds removed from 1/2 a fresh pomegranate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees(F). Using a double boiler, melt half the chocolate and all the butter. Be careful that the water doesn't bubble up into the top saucepan as you do so. In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the eggs, sugar, and flour. I used a fork for this, but you could use a mixer if you like. Add the slightly cooled melted chocolate mixture and the remaining portion of chopped chocolate, stirring to combine all. Line a square or small rectangular baking tin with parchment and pour the mixture in. Bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out almost clean. If you jiggle the tin, the center should move just a little. Cool in the tin, cut into squares, scatter the pomegranate and enjoy the combination of gooey, molten-like chocolate heaven and bright, juicy sweetness of the fruit.

Whatever February 14th means to you, live it to the fullest. You never know when something crazy might happen, so take time to savor this life with those you love! Thank you all for reading with me and for indulging in all the sweet fun. :-)

Winter Reds, and Tomatoes, too...

2012-01-27T11:12:00.000-05:00

I have a gazillion recipes that I say to myself, "One day I'll make this". That, somehow I am going to just dedicate time to special (and strange) recipes from my grandmother and my mother - and other places in my history - and share them with you all. Usually, it's an idea tucked way far away in the back of my head. I comb through books and the internet and usually end up creating from what's right in front of me.

I can assert now, however, that things have moved more in the other direction as I write about this wonderful jam-syrup creation. My friend David calls this sandalwood jelly, from somewhere in his own history, and it hails from 1948, come my way by another dear friend, Bluejay. I love the idea of savory-sweet preserves, and so tucked this into my files for that down-the-road-someday time. When ripe tomatoes were abundant a few months ago I took to making the preserves. A bit labor-intensive, it was entirely worth it. I wish I'd made three times as much, in fact.

Tomato Preserves
Select the smallest plum tomatoes you can find, so you can leave them whole.

plum tomatoes - Make at least 3 pounds of tomatoes - gives you a good starting amount, and also makes the math simpler

for each pound of cored, peeled tomatoes:
1/2 lb sugar - I used organic brown cane sugar
3 cloves
1 stick cinnamon
1 1/4-inch peeled fresh ginger, cut into thin slices
1/4 lemon, thinly sliced and seeds discarded
cheesecloth and kitchen twine

Select slightly underripe tomatoes. Core and then peel off their skins by cutting a shallow X at the rounded end and dipping them in boiling water for 30 seconds. Slice tomatoes in half across the middle if they are large, and remove their seeds. Layer tomatoes and sugar in a deep, enameled pot (or other heavy saucepan). Cover, and let stand overnight (do not refrigerate).

The next day, put the spices in cheesecloth and secure with string. Add the spice bag to to tomatoes, along with the sliced lemon. Over medium heat, bring pot to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have become slightly translucent and the syrup is think and begins to gel. This will take a while and is the most labor-intensive part. Do not boil the syrup, or the tomatoes will fall apart. If the tomatoes finish first, remove them from the pot and reduce the syrup over medium-high heat. Discard the spice bag. Meanwhile, sterilize enough jars to accommodate the preserves. Fill the jars 3/4 full with tomatoes and lemons, cover with syrup, and seal using your preferred method.

Eat the preserves with a creamy or bold, nutty cheese on bread crisps or crackers. I promise you it won't last long...

Savory Winter Rock Shrimp & Sausage Pies, Cast Iron Skillet Tri-tip Steak, Black Pepper Tomato Focaccia....

Savory Winter Rock Shrimp and Sausage Pies
Serves 4

pie filling:
2 tbsp butter
2 leeks, quartered, rinsed, and chopped - I used the whites and light green parts, and saved the dark green for stock
2 medium potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes - I used yukon gold
2 spicy pork sausages, quartered and chopped into small chunks - you may use sweet sausage, or even another meat - I liked the subtle heat that the spiciness imparts
1 lb (raw) rock shrimp
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry vermouth
1 cup fish or shrimp stock

shortcrust for pie tops:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 cup cold butter, cut into small cubes
1/4-1/2 cup ice water
1 egg plus 1 tbsp heavy cream, lightly beaten, for egg wash

Pulse dry ingredients for the shortcrust in a food processor a couple times to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture looks like a coarse meal. All can be done by hand, using a whisk to combine, and 2 butter knives to cut the butter into the flour mixture. Slowly pour in 1/4 cup ice water and pulse just until mixture begins to hold together. Add more water if dough is too dry, a spoonful at a time, and pulse again. Divide dough into four mounds, gather into balls, and place (each) wrapped loosely in saran. With your palm, lightly flatten into disks. Refrigerate until firm, about an hour (or overnight).

Remove from saran and roll each disk of dough out to just under a 1/4-inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut out a circle from each using the ramekin sizes as a guide, allowing for some overhang. Using a small cookie cutter or tiny glass (a shot glass is perfect here), press into center of circles and remove cut-out, for steam to release. Mound scraps together and save for a separate use (keeps frozen for a few months). Refrigerate again to firm, while filling is cooked and then spooned into dishes.

Melt butter in a deep cast iron skillet over medium heat. Sauté leeks until softened, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes or so. Add the sausage and brown on all sides, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and sear until fragrant, a minute or two. Stir flour in to combine, and then the vermouth, incorporating liquid to leek-sausage mixture. Add stock and potatoes and cook until potatoes are just tender, about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp, stir to incorporate with the rest, and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F). Divide the filling into 4 four-inch ramekins, and top with the cold shortcrust dough, pressing slightly the along edge to adhere. Brush egg wash over tops, and bake until pastry is golden and filling bubbles, about 18 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.
These were delightful both as an easy supper, as well as a savory breakfast pie the next day... :-)

Tri-tip Cast Iron Steak
Serves 4

1 1/2 lbs grass-fed tri-tip steak
1 clove garlic, cut in half
1-2 tbsp large flake sea salt - I used Maldon
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup medium bodied red wine, such as Côtes du Rhône or Sangiovese
1 tsp butter

Tri-tip steak is relatively uncommon, and is far less expensive than similar cuts of meat. Only two per cow, it is the tip of the sirloin. This cut is superbly flavorful due to its nicely marbled flesh, and makes an excellent candidate for grilling, broiling, and roasting. Are you drooling yet...?

Bring steak to room temp, rinse it and blot it dry. Dry-age it on a wire rack (use one from a toaster oven, or for cooling cakes, etc.) and set over a plate overnight in the refrigerator, or on the counter for an hour. Rub meat all over with the cut side of the garlic. Heat a dry cast iron skillet over high heat, and scatter sea salt over its surface. When the salt begins to pop, press the steak into the pan, and sear it on both sides until brown, about 9 minutes total, for medium-rare. You may want to turn a fan on or open a window, as this process will make the kitchen smoky.

Transfer steak to a cutting surface, top with freshly ground pepper, and let meat rest for 10 minutes or so. Pour the wine into the skillet and scrape any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Reduce the liquid by half over medium-high heat. Remove from the flame and add the butter, swirling it in the pan to incorporate. Serve the steak in slices, pouring the sauce liberally over, and accompany with fresh, crisp veggies.

I used pira cicaba, seared just briefly in the empty pan. It is an heirloom green similar to broccoli which I discovered at the market one day. Delicately floral and with a sturdy crunch, it made a nice counterpoint to the rich, juicy flavor of the steak.

I must confess I did not make the delightful black pepper-tomato focaccia. I only harvested the airy, oil-rich flatbread from its shelf so that I could nibble away at it immediately. I discovered this bread on a rainy Sunday morning, on one of my habitual trips to a neighborhood farmers' market called the Foodshed. My bags overflowing with organic and local produce, eggs, bread, honey, and other delicious things, it is a uniquely great experience that nourishes on every front. So, you can't fault me, right? You'll agree that it looks good enough to steal away with, and maybe challenge me to actually make focaccia soon. Keep your eyes peeled.... :)

And that brings me to the last recipe in this soothing story...

Apple Bourbon Bundt Cake
from The New York Times

for the batter:
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra to grease pan
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra to dust pan
4 free-range eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg - I add more, as I love the spice it imparts

additions to the batter:
3 tbsp bourbon
1/2 cup candied ginger, chopped
1 cup sour cream
1 tbsp good vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
2 medium granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely grated
1 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped

for the glaze:
1/2 cup sugar - I used organic cane sugar
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup bourbon

This multi-staged cake is well worth it: moist, subtly nutty, and fragrant with liquor. The only difficulty is its numerous components, so dive in!

Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan and set aside. In a small bowl, combine bourbon and chopped ginger, and let stand 10 minutes. In a large bowl, beat together brown sugar and butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy with stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment. - Or, using a hand-held mixer... I hadn't seen this detail in the recipe, and had made my mind up that I absolutely was going to make this delicious-sounding cake, and so forged ahead using my vintage hand-me-down hand mixer. It worked just fine... Determination goes a long way. - With my hand-held mixer, it took about 7 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour with baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. In another bowl, fold vanilla into sour cream until combined. Pour in the bourbon from the ginger mixture (save ginger), whisk until smooth, and stir in zest.

Turn oven to 325 degrees (F). With mixer on medium speed, add dry ingredient mix and sour cream blend to the sugar-butter-egg solution in three additions, alternating adding one and then the other. Fold in the ginger, apples, and pecans. Pour the batter into the bundt pan and bake until golden brown, where a skewer inserted into the batter comes out dry, about an hour.

Cool in the pan for 15 minutes and run a butter knife around the sides of the pan to release the cake. Cool on a wire rack, bottom-side-down. While cake cools, make 10 slits on top with a paring knife, and heat the 1/2 cup sugar and bourbon together in a small saucepan over low heat. Gently stir until sugar dissolves, remove from heat, and add lemon juice. Pour half the sauce onto the still warm cake. When it has fully cooled, flip the cake and pour over half the remaining glaze. Turn upright, serve, and accompany with the last of the sauce.

I hope you have thoroughly enjoyed this warming and wintry adventure. So many things to keep us cozy on chilly nights! Here's to a little frost on our windows to inspire us all. :)

A New Winter Story

2012-01-24T13:16:00.000-05:00

Winter is here. There are some new things I am eager to share, so give me a day or two while I put the finishing touches in place. Things to soothe you on chilly days and delight you in their surprising deliciousness. Think winter, and warmth... :)

Happy New Year!!

2011-12-31T15:53:00.000-05:00

It has been quite a holiday season. Instead of allowing myself to slow down these last days, things seem to have only picked up! My parents have come to town and I LOVE being with them (they are like my best friends), but I gotta say we've been doing far to much lifting and running around. A turn of the century highboy is now in our living room, as is a Knoll mid-century settee, and a Spanish tiled end table. They are beautiful. I feel so lucky to live with these new beauties, but I am pooped having lugged them to our top-floor apartment.

I made a wicked hummus, a roast chicken, garlicky mushrooms, lentils and preserved lemons, and a cranberry apple tart for a special potluck upon my parents' arrival. For Christmas - and for my step-grandfather who doesn't get much home cooking - my whole family teamed up to prepare garlic and rosemary roasted leg of lamb, minted mashed peas, roasted veg - including tons of shallots and the sweetest tiny carrots! - caramelized turnips, parsnips, potatoes, and an exquisite pan jus. And yesterday we endeavored a fab butternut squash risotto with toasted walnuts and shaved parm, and a raw celeriac-haricot salad with grain mustard vinaigrette. Just the right amount of creamy butteriness and bright, crunchiness.

What's on the menu for New Year's, you ask? I haven't got a clue. But, I'm sure I'll figure something tasty out. In the meantime, these sweets and bites may make an appearance while I catch up to myself...

Crunchy Bacon-Wrapped Potatoes with Thyme Mayonnaise
Serves 6-8

For the mayonnaise, I used a good, prepared mayonnaise to make my life easier. In a mixing bowl, squeeze juice from half a lemon onto 3/4 cup mayonnaise, and add leaves from a good bunch of fresh thyme. I like the peppery taste thyme imparts, so feel free to use as much as you like. Season with s + p to taste and stir the mixture to combine. Spoon into a dish and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F). Take 20 small potatoes (I used Yukon Gold) and give them a good scrub under cold water. Slice 10 pieces of good bacon in half and wrap around each potato, securing with a toothpick. Place all in a roasting pan and put into oven to bake. After 10-15 minutes the kitchen will smell of heavenly bacon and the crackling, sizzling sounds will drive you crazy. Turn each skewer for even browning, and repeat the process after another 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven when bacon has cooked through or to your liking, a half-hour or so. Set on absorbent paper to cool, and then place on a serving platter with sauce to devour with friends.

Pear & Dried Cherry Tartlets
Makes 6 tartlets
6 peeled and cored bosc or similar firm pears, chopped into 1/2-inch chunks
1 1/2 cup dried cherries
1 cup Calvados or other spirit
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup cane sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp heavy cream

For the pastry
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp sea salt
2 sticks cold butter, cut into small cubes
1/4 cup ice water, or a little more if necessary

For the pastry, pulse the dry ingredients in a food processor until combined. Add butter and pulse until the mixture looks like a coarse meal. Drizzle ice water in and pulse again, until dough just starts to come together. If dough is too dry, add a tiny bit more water and pulse again. Empty out onto two sections of saran wrap, separating into two mounds. Gather each into a ball and then flatten into disks, wrapping loosely in the plastic. Give each a once-over with a rolling pin in each direction, and refrigerate until firm, about an hour.

Dress the pears in juice squeezed from a couple wedges of lemon and set aside. Put the cherries in a small bowl and pour liquor over. Let sit for 1/2 hour or longer so that the cherries may absorb the liquid (they should plump up nicely). Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Roll out first disk of dough to 1/8-inch thick and cut out 6 rounds using your tartlet tins as a guide. Drape the dough across each tin and press into the bases with the back of your index finger. Refrigerate until firm. Roll out second disk and do the same - these will serve as the top crusts. Using a small cookie cutter, perforate 3 of the dough rounds in an off-center pattern. You can paint a little water on the cut-outs to re-affix onto the dough surface if you like, echoing the original cut-out pattern. Refrigerate again.

Toss the cherries and liquor in with the pears and add the spices and sugar. Mix well to combine. Spoon the mixture into the pastry shells, mounding it in the center. You can add a few dots of butter if you like, but I didn't this time around and they turned out just great. Lightly beat the egg and cream together, and paint the wash along the edge of the tart shell. Place the top crust over and press gently around the edge to seal the two together. Be careful of thin lines in your perforated design: remove from the fridge and allow to warm slightly so that when you drape it over the tart filling, it does not tear. Paint surfaces with egg wash and chill again. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets and bake for 35 minutes or until crust is golden. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes and then using a pot holder or plate, invert to release from tart tins.

Everyone needs a good bubbly to celebrate with, and we are blessed enough to rely on the expertise of our friend Leigh. Her lovely little wine shop, Picada Y Vino in Brooklyn, showcases great and unusual finds like this biodynamic and crisp (with notes of strawberry!) sparkling rosé. We bought a few bottles to give as gifts, and we are excited to stock a few more for ourselves. :-)

Salmon Roe and Quail Egg Blini

Serves 6

12 blini

3 oz salmon roe

12 quail eggs

2 tbsp crème fraiche

2 tsp dijon mustard

6 tarragon stems

7 chives, minced

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees (F). Warm the blini for 5-8 minutes on a baking sheet. I bought mine from this wonderful deli called Russ and Daughters - a Manhattan establishment open since 1914 - but you can certainly make yours from scratch if you like! Mix the crème fraiche, chives, and mustard in a small bowl and set aside. In a cast iron skillet or stove-top griddle on medium-high heat, fry the quail eggs sunny side up. Transfer to a plate when cooked through, keeping the yolks soft.

Place the blini on a platter and spoon a little crème fraiche onto each. Top blini with a quail egg and then spoon a little salmon roe onto each yolk. Garnish with tarragon, and celebrate!

Lastly, amidst this sweet revelry, I would like to wish you all a prosperous, loving, peaceful, and just 2012. Let's embrace our loved ones and empower others in creating a more just world for us all to live in, for our children and our children's children.

Happy New Year!!!

Adding to the List

2011-12-20T15:06:00.002-05:00

Just a couple quick things today. There are wonderful things all a-buzz around me, and if I don't sit down and write you all right now, it ain't gonna happen. Seriously, when are they going to invent the 35-hour day??

For those who like to celebrate in style, I have a new photo feature in tomorrow's (printed edition) New York Times that will go nicely with some chilled bubbly. As it is online today, you may also read it here.

Also, as a thank you for writing about the products they shipped me, Gilt Taste has offered me and my readers a delicious discount until end-of-day on the 22nd. You still have time to indulge in any of their gourmet products for yourself or for friends! For 15% off, use promo code lickingtheplate. Merry Christmas. :-)

Getting to the Root

2011-12-13T11:30:00.002-05:00

Eat from the earth. Literally. We have arrived upon the season where bounty has grown ripe deep in the dirt, and is ready to bring to the table. These roots in their many shapes and colors, dense and heavy, are some of the greatest eating around. This is a story of L-O-V-E. There's more, too. Like the great things I did with the stuff Gilt Taste sent me a couple weeks ago: Becker Lane's gorgeous pastured pork shoulder, and BliS bourbon barrel-aged maple syrup, which is every bit as dynamic as it sounds. Savory, sweet, hearty, and all of it comfort food.

Pairings at The New York Times

2011-12-08T16:21:00.000-05:00

Suffice it to say, I love shooting projects for The New York Times. I love the challenge to create something interesting and graphic that will show well in either color or black & white, depending on how that week's paper layout determines. Here's an article - with a great recipe, by the way - in which I produced the photography. Appeared in yesterday's print edition and is currently viewable online.

Another I liked, an outtake...

Tis the season.... merry, merry. :)

The Beauty of Fall

2011-11-25T12:13:00.012-05:00

As I write this, the year is slipping away faster than ever. I can't believe it - there are still so many dishes to make and share, and experimentation to get lost in. At least I have the day-to-day provenance of coziness in making - and eating - so many of the results!

This food you're about to see was all SO good. That's what I mean - I want to make it all again and yet, I have adventures waiting in the queue, new stories tugging at me to make them. I guess there are tougher problems to have, right?

* 29 November - Updated with recipes - scroll down to view!

The goodies from our anniversary adventure

I was informed by the kind folks at The New Amsterdam Market to stop by one particular Sunday, so that I could swoon at crazy, gorgeous mushrooms. I know that doesn't seem to qualify for "kid in a candy store" material, but it was exactly that. While there, I met Les Hook and Nova Kim and learned about their wild foods - harvested on Saturday in Vermont, driven to NYC for Sunday's market. I made the acquaintance of mushrooms I never knew existed.

Had we shown up at the very beginning we would have found an even greater selection, but I left happy, with many paper bags filled with earthly delights: Lobster mushrooms (those bright red-orange beauties, and they do taste quite like their namesake); White Matsutakes, lower left; Chicken of the Woods, at lower right (they taste exactly like chicken); and the most unusual, Blue Alb mushrooms, at top right (they are a gorgeous sparkly blue-black hue, and bitter - an acquired taste, ultimately).

With these, I made a fantastic mushroom ragout adapted from those great ladies at Canal House. Served with creamy polenta, it made for the perfect comfort food.

The pretty squash we brought home got some loving from the organic elixirs shipped to me from Crown Maple Syrup... I painted their grade A medium amber syrup (mixed with some olive oil) all over their surfaces, sprinkled with some sea salt and cracked pepper, and let them roast away in the oven. The result was caramely-savory, soft, delicious squash. Perfect autumn. I used some as a side dish and then pureed the rest in a soup.

Then, there were the apples. Oh, those apples. So many sweet, tart, crisp and juicy apples. We ate plenty straight out of the sack, but I wanted to have fun with them and so hollowed a bunch out and stuffed them with spiced goodness. Worth doing many times over.

Lastly was the pie. It was my first attempt at a shingled crust. I tossed the apples in nutmeg, brandy, and lemon juice. It's so nice to try something out for the first time and for it to become a smashing success!!! Know that you have to be patient as a saint for all the cutting-out of those shapes for the crust, but it too was absolutely worth it.

I hope I have tempted you all well enough to return, so you can make these treats for you and yours. Happy, cozy days..... :-)

Winter Cooking, Chocolate Mousse & Sweet Paul Holiday Edition

2011-11-16T22:11:00.001-05:00

Sweet Paul Magazine came out yesterday, and we all agree that it looks fabulous. I had so much fun working on the issue! There is photography by me throughout, including this and that. But the real show-stoppers are my Winter Cooking story, and the Fave Photographers' feature. So cool!!!

Here is another look at the tasty morsels...

I can attest that each and every item is sensationally tasty. Please click here for the recipes and tell us what you think!

When Paul asked me about my signature holiday dish for his favorite photographers story, my mind went racing. I could do the leg of lamb I love so much or different cookies that sing the holiday-tune, but as I thought further, I knew my Kahlúa chocolate mousse had to be it. In an ad torn from the pages of a really old issue of Gourmet, this recipe is what I make to surprise neighbors and colleagues with (and when I don't make it, you can believe I hear about it).

Here's a pairing I fancy that didn't appear in the magazine. The plum garnish is a playful adaptation from the famous "Twas the Night Before Christmas" poem, where it says "...while visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads"... The glistening sugar coating offers a nice crunch, and the flesh makes for a bright and juicy accent in all that chocolatey depth!

A sublime treat to enjoy whenever, and especially nice to share with loved ones. This has been another great adventure. More on the way soon!

Sneak Preview to Holiday Treats

2011-11-14T10:59:00.001-05:00

Good day! It appears the holidays are upon us, and what better way to celebrate than with sneak previews to tasty goods that anyone would love to have? Michaela Hayes of Crock and Jar was just featured on Clean Plates. Her kraut blends are amazing and zingy, with all the crunch you can handle. After shooting her products for Sweet Paul Magazine, she sent me home with jars of her Spicy Kraut (think delicious kimchi, with a twist), and the Pickle Kraut (tangy, assertive, wonderful). These unusual treats make a great and thoughtful gift for anyone who loves a food adventure. :-)

Speaking of Sweet Paul, the holiday issue comes out tomorrow! Here's a sneak peek - including photos by yours truly - over at Bright. Bazaar. I photographed a number of things for this issue, and I am so excited to see how it all has come together. Paul says we can see the full spread after 8 am. I'll be there with a warm cup of coffee to keep me company! Here is a teaser from a story I shot:

There's lots more great bits on the way. The nice people at Crown Maple Syrup sent me some of their fantastic, organic syrups for me to play with, and Gilt Taste thought to include me (thanks, Ruth!) in their new bloggers list to receive products and share stories. So look forward to more treats, coming soon. :)

Making Pasta

2011-11-04T13:55:00.002-04:00

I was invited to take a class at the Institute for Culinary Education, and after browsing various options, decided on a pasta and sauce making course. I love a good fresh pasta, and am a total sucker for the process.

It was a grey, wet day, but I was energized to cook! Our chef instructor reviewed several pasta variations we would attempt as groups: a saffron-based dough, a whole wheat version, and one formed using spinach (or other similar greens). We were also going to create sauces to accompany these delicious noodles: a fresh tomato sauce (and another, with the addition of meat), an alfredo, a fresh herb-style, a Bolognese, and a roasted pepper-cream sauce.

We made our way into smaller groups and Chef Loren demonstrated each process to insure a success of our efforts. After all, we were going to eat the results.... :) I had so much fun photographing everything, I had to remind myself to stop and actually perform each process so that they would gel for later (in real life!). I hope you all enjoy the photographs. Note: you can click on each series to see them larger! It's worth it.

Measuring flour and making a well

Incorporating the egg into the flour, bit by bit

Incorporating the mixture using a bench scraper, then by hand

Loren describing the gluten network

kneading and forming the dough

Porcinis and pancetta, starting out the Bolognese sauce

The three groups made dough using different means - my group made the saffron dough using the dough hook attachment on a stand mixer. Not my favorite way. Chef agreed that it was tedious, and volunteered that his preferred way to make the dough was by using a food processor. I was sold.

He also showed us how to roll the dough out, first using a stand mixer attachment (easy-peasy), as well as a hand-roller. I asked about using a rolling pin as I don't own either, and in his dry wit, complete with a raised eyebrow, explained that that is the traditional way to do it, but to be prepared for a lot of work. Ah well, challenge is my middle name....?

Making tagliatelle

This goddess was framed on the wall; the Bolognese shaping up

Ravioli demo

The stand mixer slowly bringing the saffron dough together; a nice photo of me looking like I know what I'm doing :)

Loren shaping tortellino

A humerous moment talking about navels - the namesake for this great pasta~!

Finishing up, time to feast

It was an ambitious list and we did not get to it all. Everyone was focused, however, and some truly delightful dishes were created through the learning process. Nothing like a glass of wine in the afternoon, accompanying food that you toiled and scrambled to make!

I was happily surprised by how delicious it all was. YUM. As a result, I am definitely going to invest in a proper pasta roller to make experimenting at home a real option. There is nothing quite like fresh pasta and its sauce. Thank you for joining me in this adventure!

Anniversary Apples

2011-10-18T15:04:00.003-04:00

I haven't meant to be away so long. There have been all kinds of wonderful things happening, like an ICE pasta course I have been invited to take (and will be documenting, mmm I can't wait). Look for that soon. And the Brooklyn specialty foods line I am helping to launch. And stories I've shot for the holiday issue of Sweet Paul magazine! I could go on. But I am here to instead share with you - now almost a month ago - the enchanted time J and I had on our anniversary.

We rented a car and drove to an orchard just beyond Beacon, NY. We chose Lawrence Family Orchards because they seemed to have the most variety, and I was hungry for a farm experience in all its glory. As it turns out that wasn't exactly so, but we dove in and made the most of it. Here is the fruit from our labor... :-)

Orchard views, down the slope

We happily stumbled upon some raspberry bushes - too ripe to take home, we ate our fill while picking


Looking for broccoli

Our wagon full of goodies

I hope you experienced a little of the enchantment from our special day. We brought home broccoli greens (for stews and soups, since the florets were mostly harvested), kabocha and pumpkin squash, purslane, some sad tomatoes that I have since made incredible preserves from, and over 20 pounds of apples! Look for a part two story (with tasty recipes) coming very, very soon.

Recent Features

2011-09-23T14:21:00.001-04:00

There have been a lot of things recently underway. One of the most exciting is - I have a new website. It has been many, many weeks of editing, retooling, and trouble shooting.... and finally, I have a great new - and vastly improved! - online portfolio. Have a look and leave a comment below if you like. :)

In other news, I've had bits collecting here and there of work I produced in the past month or so. The lovely people at Gotham asked me to shoot a another story, this one about the new Ladurée boutique opening up on Madison Avenue. The little sweets were shipped directly from France, and Asprey lent some of their fine pieces for the shoot. Here is what my editor selected, followed by some outtakes.

In other news, my editor at The New York Times had me photograph this lovely story, when berries were still in abundance. *Sigh*. Summer really did fly. As it so happens, I heard from a friend who made the recipe, that it is totally delicious.... ;-)

Here are two more delicious items recently in print. If everything else hasn't gotten your stomach gurgling, these certainly will.

I am on to shooting glorious stories made for campfires and cabins... look for news of this soon! Happy fall everyone. ;-)

The Shapes of Summer

2011-09-08T15:38:00.003-04:00

The days are changing. I looked at the sunlight in my studio just the other day and I saw new directionality in the light streaming in. With the added milestone of Labor Day behind us, schools are back in session and people have returned to their full-swing things, signifying Change. I will volunteer and say that I am not ready for autumn, as much as I love its crispness and soft, worn hues. Autumn is actually my favorite time, but I am stuck in love with the heady ripeness of summertime's flavors and shapes - bright and bold, each so easy to love.

Here is a collection of amazing-tasting things I managed to prepare in recent days. Thankfully, much of the bounty of the season is still available at farmer stands, so you still have time! I hope that once you pour over the images, you will be inspired to try your hand at one (or all!) of these. They are - almost entirely - surprisingly simple to make, and the return on flavor is well worth it. Enjoy!

Please let me know if you try your hand at any of these. I'd love to answer questions should you have any, or just hear how much you enjoyed a recipe you shared with loved ones!

Birthday Celebrating

2011-08-12T12:39:00.011-04:00

Now a little while ago already (where does the time go??), I made sure to celebrate my birthday this year properly, by making trips to two of New York's most fantastic and specialized markets, back-to-back! Smorgasburg on Saturday, and The New Amsterdam Market on Sunday, my special day. Smorgasburg was with my dear friend D. In the sultry sun, I didn't want to make a big deal of taking pictures so the series is shot completely on my iphone. Sunday was with my sweet man, and he was kind enough to be the official camera chaperone when I didn't feel like shouldering it. :-) As you'll see there was lots of good eating to be done between the two. I am so lucky to call New York my home with this incredible bounty of interesting foods.

The most incredible avocado ice cream (really!) from La Newyorkina

Neill with the goods at Bon Chovie

The lawn, looking out onto the East River

Toothsome organic pastas from Flour City

The impressive menu from I8NY - seriously tasty

It was a bright, sultry day

New Amsterdam Market, at the old Fulton Fish Market in lower Manhattan

Heirloom fruits at Flying Fox Fruiterer

We took home a wonderful sunflower rye loaf from Nordic Breads

Stone Barns' vegetable harvest

The Dumpling Diva and her poffertjes

poffertjes, with a smear of butter and confectioners' sugar

Pour-overs from Blue Bottle Coffee

The ice block at People's Pops

Sampling the hay (earthy, honey, yummy!) and basil ice cream from Early Bird Cookery

Summertime! Hamptons Magazine, The New York Times, and More

2011-08-02T15:13:00.000-04:00

I've been eager to share these images with you all for a while now - a series I shot at the end of June for the Hamptons Magazine. It's for the Soft Serve Fruit Company - healthy, actually, and quite a tasty list of offerings (as you can see)! Having fun photographing melting things is some of the most spontaneous creativity out there. :)

For more fun with food, I photographed a new still life for The New York Times, which appeared in last's week's dining section.

For the still life, I sourced from friends. My good friend Jon is an expert on all things delicious, and a few years ago he shed new light on what a good mussel is. He over-nighted 5 pounds of these plump, sweet, and sustainably grown mussels, harvested from the nutrient-rich waters of Puget Sound. The carrots and beans are from the well-tended gardens of none other than Susan Orem, who runs a yoga & retreat center in heart of the Catskills. I am (as ever) eternally grateful to these folks. Wisdom, friendship, and great food! What more can a girl ask for?

As you might guess, I had a good bit of leftovers and so got to cooking. I hope you'll adore these preparations. Rather different from one another, equally outstanding in flavor.