Brunch

Nectarines for Brunch

three nectarine wheels, closer brighter

The other night, the Frenchman and I biked to the river. We dismounted at the promenade, parked the bikes against the railing, and sat down on one of the benches facing Governor’s Island, the Statue of Liberty, and lower Manhattan. The sun set over the water, and he asked me what was for dinner.”Well, I made a stock from pork and chicken bones, an onion, celery, garlic, peppercorns, thyme, bay leaves, and a little ginger. Then I caramelized some onions, which I’ll swirl into the broth, after I add two eggs for poaching. Then I’ll pour the broth, the onions, and the poached eggs over that last nub of stale baguette I found in the bread bowl.Also, I made a kind of ratatouille with zucchini and tomatoes from this week’s CSA box, plus thyme, garlic, and shallots. I cooked it down with red wine and olive oil, a pinch of sugar, salt, and pepper. Then I stirred in the croutons leftover from the weekend. I spooned it into individual ramekins, dotted the top with goat cheese and shaved Parmesan, and I’ll put them in the oven until the tops are bubbling.”There was a pause. “So.. we’re having soup?” Read more »

Watermelon Ginger Cooler

It’s summertime, which of course means it’s time to whip up some refreshing drafts. Here’s how I approach my cocktailage:

1. Use ingredients that that are, themselves, inherently restorative under wilting conditions.*
2. Keep it simple. Try to keep your concoctions to five ingredients or less.
3. Locate your fine self a cabana/pool/palm-draped hammock.** Relax. Imbibe. Read more »

All About Crêpes

While crêperies originated in Brittany, that northwestern region of France famed for its rain and a slew of lovely edibles, they can now be found all over. If you must know, my very favorite crêperie is Le Bain des Fleurs; a family operation perched on a windy boardwalk in a town called Chatelaillon. What can I say? I am a fool for the multi-tonal blue and gray interior, which mirrors the sea. The stellar crêpes and affable service don’t hurt either.

A crêperie’s menu is typically split into two equal halves: crêpes salées (which are made with buckwheat flour and filled with savory fixings) and crêpes sucrées (made with white flour and eaten for dessert). You should get one of each. To drink, it is appropriate to order hard cider served in ceramic bowls, because it is traditional and because it tastes very good. Trust me on this. Read more »

Nut Butter and Jelly: Dinner and Dessert

Here is a secret, a weird, weird secret: even as a kid, I never liked peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. It’s true. Are you shocked? Don’t get me wrong, I get it: salty and sweet, crunchy and smooth. It all makes sense. But for some reason, I’ve always preferred my peanut butter and jelly separate.

Even despite my anti-penchant for this combination, the following two recipes have been in the works for a while, for completely ingredient driven reasons. Number one: Marcona almonds. Oh, tiny treasures from Spain! Marcona almonds are smaller, softer and creamier than the California variety, and like all good Spanish things, they usually come wrapped in the warm embrace of sea salt and olive oil.

Next, I had some wild blueberry preserves to consider. At Christmas, when the Frenchman and I were in the Pyrenees, I insisted on bringing back at least two jars. (Don’t worry; I know how obnoxious that sounds.) Read more »

Madeleines

For Christmas this year, Paul’s grandparents gave me a book called La Cuisine Authentique de nos Grand-mères (translation: The Authentic Cooking of our Grandmothers). It is easily one of the best gifts I’ve ever received. I am currently working my way through all 400 butcher-paper pages, albeit slowly; there is only so much français a girl can read at a time, even when it pertains to la cuisine.

The book is full of the kind of French home cooking that made me fall in love with spending time in the kitchen in the first place. Best-quality ingredients are emphasized, and the recipes encourage slowing down for a minute. You simply cannot flambée les bananes au rhum with your mind on other things. (Well, I suppose you could, but in that I case I suggest you keep a fire extinguisher on hand.) Read more »

Pear and Cranberry Cake

This is a family recipe, no denying it. It was my Aunt Martha’s creation, but quickly became a holiday staple in my house as well. I distinctly remember eating this cake as part of our Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, and then again the next morning for breakfast; a huge treat for my sisters and I. Now I make it too (although the pears are a recent addition), because it is mixed and in the oven in under fifteen minutes, and because it makes my kitchen smell divine. The flecks of mild, sweet pear and bites of sour cranberry are little gems, lending this moist, citrus-spiked cake a distinctive holiday look and taste. Read more »

Sautéed Kale, Roasted Sweet Potato and Poached Egg Holiday Toast

I entered this recipe in a “your best holiday greens recipe” contest on Food52.com, and had the following to say:

When considering holiday recipes, I try to embrace versatility. After all, holiday dining is not confined to one meal period. Equally important is the time in between the ceremonial, family luncheon—breakfast and lunch the next day, the four o’clock snack. Since the holidays almost always involve feeding more mouths than usual, I think it is essential to assess mileage as well as flavor. This toast is colorful and hearty in its own right, but it also serves the handy function of putting leftovers to good use, particularly if you make the sautéed kale and roasted sweet potatoes as side dishes for a big holiday meal. This way, you get three dishes for the price of one!

Since it is currently the end of August though, I will say a few more words to convince you that you need not wait until December to try this recipe. To me, this is kind of the ultimate autumn, brunch/late night comfort food. (Poached eggs and cheese…. need I say more?) It’s a bit more filling than what I typically crave in the summer, and I the colors also recall fall. The use of ginger and nutmeg help to place this dish firmly in the winter-is-coming category too, I think. Read more »

Blood Orange and Ginger Summer Punch

This summer has been hot. Really, really hot. To conquer the heat, punch happens to be tremendously thirst quenching—especially when imbibed outside in the shade, preferably with a group of friends. And while I currently live in a one-bedroom city apartment instead of say, a charming cottage with a sprawling, verdant veranda….no matter. I built a cocktail around two of my new favorite beverages—Italian blood orange juice and Fresh Ginger’s Original Ginger Ale. The orange juice hails from Sicily, where at the base of Mt. Etna volcanic soil aids the growth of the fruit. It is sourer than regular orange juice, and vibrantly colored. The ginger ale is made with real ginger, so it has a satisfying, almost spicy bite. These two ingredients are paired with lime and, for the adult version, liquor. For mine, I used ginger vodka, but you could use another kind vodka or rum, if you prefer. Read more »