Friday, May 23, 2014

Strawberry Rhubarb Crostadas with Anthology and the Big (and belated) Front Page Story at The New York Times



I shall tell you all about these tasty little tarts. But first, something wholly overdue...



I have been so busy, that this story which I've had in the queue to share - back when it went live about a month ago - got lost within the myriad projects which have demanded my attention in the time since. It was such a pleasure to produce, that I just want to take a moment here to acknowledge that.  Especially with the ground Roberta's Cookbook claims these days. The whole thing is every bit as delicious as it looks.

Here are some outtakes from that story - and, a big thanks to Roberta's Pizza for know-how on resonating elemental ingredients! They melded - and melted! - together, making for such tasty pies. ;)












This last one, the "Green and White," was my absolute favorite. The marriage of crunchy, lemony, bitter greens, with the fatty, gooey cheese - and that crispy crust - heaven. Here is the full story if you don't already know it. 

And to the feature-at-hand… After juggling some tech issues at the mother ship, my most recent monthly with Anthology is out today!

These wonderful little pastries proclaim spring in a very fitting way. I hope you'll be transfixed by their beauty, enough to have a look at the recipe and consider making them for yourself. They're worth it. In any case, they celebrate spring, to which we seem to have fully arrived. Side note: here in Birmingham, it was a *hot* day yesterday, a sign of the much warmer still days to come. Hold on. And enjoy a fruit tart along the way….










I hope you are hungry now. Full belly rumble. As you can see I continue to have a ball with my monthly stories, and I love the Anthology ladies. Thank you Alexis, Meg, and Anh-Minh for being really great people to work with. 

Do you have ideas or requests for stories I'll produce next? What would just make you swoon? I would love to hear your thoughts. Keep it seasonal, but besides that, get creative! Let me know down in the comments.

On an altogether separate note, I contributed another feature with the fine folks at Food52, also a while ago now. I know, I'm making belated a trend. But only because so many wonderful projects have taken shape and demanded all my attention.

This story centered around red quinoa: nutty, versatile, delicious. I developed the recipes, cooked, styled, and then photographed them, as part of the "Halfway to Dinner" column. Here it is in full, and some of my favorite yummy images, below…. the shrimp and quinoa patties would make a great addition to your Memorial Day plans, if you haven't decided already to make the rhubarb and strawberry crostadas. Or, a version of this meal, with fresh seasonal produce and a fantastic charred steak…. :)







Stay tuned! There are a couple new features I'm cooking up with Food52 right around the bend. Follow me on Instagram if you want up-to-date gorgeous daily photos.

And, I am very proud to share that some of my grandmother's recipes have found their way into a beautiful story I produced for the next Anthology Journal, out this summer. I will let you know about it as the time approaches.

Beyond that, there's new work I just submitted with Birmingham Magazine, as well as The New York Times (two stories coming soon!), and another *huge* project I pulled off basically single-handedly. 

And there's more still. YES. I am so thankful for all these opportunities to be creative and share my love for beautiful, real food. 

Have a wonderful weekend!