I’m regularly inclined to rank fruits in order of my affection. However pointless this is, I have to say that blackberries are creeping up from second place to first — especially after making Deborah Madison’s recipe for Blackberry Crisp from The Greens Cookbook.
I think “OBSESSED” would be a good way to describe my feelings for Deborah Madison’s recipes.
Megan Herbert, who works and lives in Reykjavik, Iceland, mader her illustrations into stencils for use when dusting cocoa or sugars on cakes and cappuccinos, among other things. The set of two stencils is available for purchase from her website for €25.
(*via Cool Hunting)
I spent the weekend at home with family in Amherst and savored fresh, home cooking all weekend long. It was casual, easy and vegetable-centric thanks to the goodies from both my and my mom’s CSA (Community Support Agriculture) memberships. I’m delighting in the weekly deluge of veggies both familiar and foreign.
Our meals included (see links for recipes or sources):
Father’s Day gift shopping is tricky for many of us. I compiled a list of 10 items that my dad might like or that I’ve given to him in past years. Maybe one of these ideas will work for your pop too.
1. BugKwikZap Bug Zapper Electric Fly Swatter ($7.99) : I didn’t know if it was legal to purchase these in the United States. Thank goodness it is. A summer of fun-filled mosquito fighting lies ahead. (Pictured above.)
2. Root Cellar Preserves Pickle Lovers Gift Set ($22.95) : The set contains three favorites, Sweet & Spicy, Apple Cinnamon, and Dill. Root Cellar Preserves is a great company dedicated to the craft and traditions of canning and preservation. A portion of proceeds benefit local community development and historic home preservation.
3. “Hesitation” Card Karakuri Model ($16) : Karakuri is an old Japanese practice of making mechanized puppets. This one is made from paper by renowned designer Keisuke Saka. It takes some time to construct, but that’s the fun of it and it will stand strong once fully assembled.
4. Truffle Salt ($28) : This is one of my all-time favorite possessions and my father now feels the same. TRANSFORM corn on the cob. And everything else.
5. TOMS Shoes ($44) : Not a wildly original idea, but TOMS are classic and stylish, affordable, surprisingly comfortable — and feel-good. For every pair you purchase, a pair is donated to a child in need.
6. A Strange Arrangement by Mayer Hawthorne (CD $16.98) : I waxed about this record on last Friday’s Bryn Listens but I’m happy to do so again. It’s soulful, creative and captures the early motown/R&B sound that will bring your father joy and sweet nostalgia.
7. The Hyena and Other Men by Pieter Hugo ($49.95) : If your poppa would dig it, this book is a powerful, awesome and wildly fascinating collection of portrait photography of the legendary “Hyena Men” in Nigeria.
8. A Donation to Public Radio ($up-to-you) : Maybe he has a favorite show and you can make a donation specifically to that or just to NPR in general. They need the support and it could be a great gift for a public radio fan. On a related note, tickets to Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me live broadcasts are also total winners!
9. Copper Fire Pit ($299.95) : Long lasting and good looking, this fire pit is handcrafted in Turkey from 100% recycled copper. If you have a little money to burn (heh), this could be a really exciting present.
10. World Cup Team Jerseys ($69.99) : Find your father’s favorite team and get him an official jersey to wear in solidarity. All jerseys made by Nike this year are made from recycled plastic bottles — a new environmentally-responsible technology just released with this year’s kits, as in the picture above of South Korea’s home jersey.
(*Pickle idea via Tasting Table)
I had another opportunity to work with Karen Mordechai of Sunday Suppers on a shoot for Martha Stewart Living that appears as a feature story in this month’s issue!
Karen is the photographer, creator and food stylist of a delectable blog and dinner series (see an earlier post about our first collaboration) and for this special evening, I used a rustic, European, casual style of lettering for the menu pictured above and a framed sign for the party favors. The editorial team of Martha Stewart Living also asked me to contribute spot lettering for the guest list, pictured below.
It was thrilling to get my hands on a glossy copy of the June issue and see it for myself.
Congrats to Karen on her always-wonderful work and to Liz of Linda & Harriet for the spot-on design of the paper goods.
(First and last images courtesy of Karen Mordechai/Sunday Suppers)
I found this recipe on Cookstr and made it several times in the past couple months. It is so simple and so delicious. The last few times I’ve added leeks or ramps in for the last fifteen minutes of roasting and it worked perfectly. Timing is forgiving as well; it’s hard to overcook sweet potatoes, just let them get mushy and glazed and good.
I’ve pasted the recipe below but you should have a look at Cookstr for more ideas — they source recipes from an impressive collection of cookbooks. This one came from The Illustrated Kitchen Bible.
Ingredients
5 orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (yams), peeled
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp soy sauce
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut the potatoes into large chunks and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast the potatoes for 30 minutes, turning halfway through, until almost tender.
2. Mix together the sesame seeds, honey, and soy sauce. Pour over the sweet potatoes, and toss. Roast 20 minutes more, or until well glazed and tender.
Just so you know, I’m not insisting on commercialism for Valentine’s Day, but with a blog to populate on a daily basis, it’s quite handy to have themes and holidays to focus on. I vote for true love however you want to show it — and if this tray helps you express it, so be it.
Brilliant though, right? The glossy acryclic design of the Le Petit Dej’ Breakfast Tray includes a graceful, small bud vase so there’s no toppling of the flowers as you make your way to the bedroom. Three cheers for Peter White of ByWhiteDesign.
It’s available in yellow or white for $92 from A+R Store.
(Images from A+R Store)
Switch it up this Valentine’s Day and spread love with cheese. These DIY Cheese Kits from Urban Cheesecraft would make a great gift for the aspiring fromagier in your life. Or get started now and you can make your valentine a box full of heart-shaped paneer.
You can choose a kit for goat and chevre; mozz and ricotta; paneer and queso blanco; or go for the gold and get the Deluxe Starter Kit, which includes the instructions and key ingredients for all the varieties. Each kit has the makings for 10 batches of cheese. Your only task is to buy the milk. Um, yeah, and then make the cheese.
Purchase the Deluxe Starter Kit for $50. All other kits are between $18 – $27.
(*via Tasting Table; Images from UrbanCheesecraft)
There is a marvelous and thorough photo collection on The Selby that document the bean-to-bar process of making chocolate bars at the Mast Brothers Chocolate Factory. The photos are beautiful and if you’ve tried their bars before, you know the product is also a work of art.
A few of my favorite images are included here but be sure to view them all.
All images courtesy of The Selby.
Visit the factory (open on weekends 12pm – 8pm):
105A North 3rd Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Hot Bread Kitchen is one more thing New York City has to be proud of. It is a non-profit social enterprise that provides professional employment opportunities for immigrant women. The business of selling breads and baked goods not only creates jobs; the products and baking methods are designed to preserve the baking traditions of the world’s cultures, thanks to the rich diversity of their staff. Hand-ground corn tortillas, traditional lavash, foccacia, granola — their baked goods earn rave reviews in publications like Food & Wine, Town & Country and The New York Times.
Support Hot Bread Kitchen through donations and purchases! Retailers are listed on their website or make a donation online.
(*Image via Brooklyn Flea)
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