simple breakfast with special company

i'm slowly coming back to daily life after another week long adventure in northern california. august is here, and summer is slowly start to wind down.

nicole, one of my very favorite people, traveled back to Los Angeles with me, and is sharing a bit of my LA life this week. we both love our breakfast pastries (check out our croissant diaries project!), so this morning we feasted on croissants from my neighborhood bakery, fruity jams, and creamy coffee. mmmm, how i love breakfast--especially on a weekday morning with a little something extra and special company!

food: carrot ginger soup & tastespotting

with a bunch of carrots from my last CSA box, i made a yummy carrot ginger soup with my own twist on this recipe. the punch of flavor and burst of color are perfect to brighten up gloomy june days!

i found a bunch of yummy variations of this soup at tastespotting.com, my new favorite place for recipe ideas. the website catalogs recipes with drool-worthy photos, and you can search their database based on ingredients that you have in the kitchen--perfect for finding new inspiration for your seasonal produce! dreaming about summer squash fritattas, apricot jams, tomatoes and basil, raspberry muffins...

listening to: four leaf clover by badly drawn boy (listen)

:: image from lillieinthecity / flickr

food/drink: blue bottle coffee

i've officially fallen in love with a new world of coffee: blue bottle of san francisco, a microroaster and coffeehouse and expert coffee brewery. they carefully roast all their own shade-grown beans. and then, individually prepare each cup of coffee using beehouse ceramic manual drippers. and every cup is a super rich, coffee-y kickstart to your morning (or afternoon or evening, if you're like me).

i had my first sip at the ferry plaza farmer's market on saturday morning. manual dripping isn't the most efficient setup for a busy day at the market, and the coffee line gets a bit long--but wowww, it is worth the wait. in fact, we waited twice when we couldn't resist going back for a second cup. and then an hour before leaving the city on sunday night, alex and i searched in vain for one last fix. it's that good.

i've lusted after bodum french presses for a long time. but after seeing blue bottle work their magic with a manual drip (and drinking many cups of yummy manual drip in the past few months), i think the beehouse ceramic dripper may be swaying my mind, heart, and tastebuds...

:: image from lillieinthecity / flickr

food: a night at chez panisse

sometimes it's hard to do justice to a meal in a handful of words, except to say, it was just right. last month, we ate at chez panisse in berkeley, and it was that kind of dinner. the food and the experience linger in your mind for weeks afterward. a dinner that was all about the details--from each carefully considered course to the individually printed menus (one standard, one vegetarian) to the simple table settings to the lowkey waitstaff to the little bit of chocolate at the end of the meal.

for fellow food lovers, here is the menu:
+ smoke black cod salad with cannard farm leaks and creme fraiche
+ bellwether farm ricotta gnocchi with fava beans and peas
+ grilled liberty duck breast with kumquat and cardamom sauce, potato cake, and roasted green asparagus
+ nougat confit glace aux fruits rouges

in short, it was delicious and everything was just right.

:: images from chez panisse menus for april 23, 2009

on community sustained agriculture

voila! my latest bushel of veggies from my local community sustained agriculture (CSA) program: the south central farmer's coop. a rough explanation of a CSA: it supports local agriculture by organizing people to "invest" directly in a farm--and in return for your share, you receive a regular assortment of seasonal, local farm fresh goods.

encouraged by a CSA-loving coworker, i started buying a bi-weekly box from south central. in the past month, i have experimented with more mixed kales, beet greens, and rainbow chard than ever before. i've discovered that a box of "greens" has a lot more flavor and personality than i ever expected. and i've also learned that when all else fails, everything tastes good sauteed in garlic and olive oil.

if you are in the LA area, check out south central and their many pickup locations around the city. if you are in elsewhere (including new england!), check out local harvest where you can search for a csa's in your area.

listening to: i don't know by lisa hannigan (listen)

:: image from lillieinthecity / flickr

cilantro pesto

i am about to jump in the car and head north to san francisco for a weekend visit with my little brother in his new city home. but first, i couldn't resist making one more batch of farm-fresh greens. (this week my life has involved an endless puree of greens and garlic.)

a few days ago, i made this pesto with a big bunch of cilantro from last week's CSA bushel. the pesto was a huge hit with friends at a "homemade happy hour" night. and so i was excited to find another cilantro bunch in this week's bushel. this pesto has a big fresh zesty taste with an awesome punch of garlic. if you like cilantro, you will love this.

cilantro pesto (an estimated recipe)
+bunch of cilantro
+5 cloves of garlic
+1/2 cup of olive oil
+juice of half lemon
+some parmesan cheese
+salt & pepper
(optional) chopped nuts--pine nuts, walnuts, etc.

rinse the cilantro, and try your best to remove the softer leaves and steams from the hard, lower stems. then mince the garlic. put cilantro, pesto, and all other ingredients into a blender. puree until smooth. eat on pasta, toasted bread, crackers...or eggs!

more soon with reports from the beautiful city of san francisco!

listening to: oh what a world by rufus wainwright (listen)

:: photos from lillieinthecity / flickr

white bean and kale soup

last week i received my first bushel of farm fresh produce through my local CSA program (more on that soon). this first box was a mix of winter root vegetables and a wild assortment of mixed greens--some still unidentified.

in my race to cook the greens before they wilted away, i made a yummy soup that turned out to be creamy, delicious, tangy, and garlicky. it totally hit the spot.

my version of this soup is based on the recipe at mothering. i love pureed soups in the winter, so unlike the original recipe, i put the entire soup through my blender. a messy process, but well worth it!

white bean & kale soup
+ 2 cups kale, washed and chopped
+ 2 large cloves garlic
+ 3 cups cooked cannellini beans
+ 2.5 cups vegetable stock
+ 1 tablespoon tomato paste
+ 4 fresh sage leaves
+ 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
+ olive oil
+ salt & pepper
+ grated cheese

in a soup pot, heat olive oil and briefly saute garlic. add the cooked beans and vegetable stock. heat for a few minutes, and add in tomato paste and sage leaves. add salt and pepper to taste. mix kale into soup and simmer until kale has wilted (10 to 15 minutes).

then, working in small batches, puree the beans and stock in a blender. add lemon juice and enough water to give the soup your desired consistency.

serve topped grated cheese and a piece of crusty, buttered bread. delicioso!

:: image from lillieinthecity / flickr

clementine cupcakes

life has felt especially busy lately. but still good. last night, i made a batch of clementine cupcakes with chocolate buttercream frosting to bring into work today. perfect for a december birthday!

this recipes uses the whole clementine--skin and all. it makes a dense, moist cake with little flecks of orange and a tangy sweet taste. i think the rich chocolate frosting (my addition) turned out to be a perfect topping.

i started using nigella lawson's clementine cake recipe, but revised it with some suggestions from her web reviews.

except for the whole cupcakes-sticking-to-their-liners issues (how does one avoid that??), these turned out great.

clementine cupcakes
+ 5 clementines (about 1 pound)
+ 6 eggs
+ 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
+ 2 1/3 cups ground almonds (or flour equivalent)
+ 1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
+ 1-2 tsp vanilla extract

place clementines in a pot of cold water. bring to a boil, and then turn down the heat and simmer for 2 hours. drain the fruit. once it's cool, cut in half, remove any seeds, and then pulverize the fruit/skins/pith. you can use a food processor for this--or a good knife.

preheat the oven to 375F. butter your pan of choice and line with parchment.

put the fruit pulp in a big bowl, and mix in the sugar and vanilla. add one egg at a time, mixing well. in a small bowl, combine the almond/flour and baking powder. then, fold the dry ingredients into the wet. mix completely, but don't overstir.

pour the cake mixture in your pan, and pop it in the oven. bake for 40-60 minutes until golden brown. enjoy!

:: photo from lillieinthecity / flickr

sweet potato & butternut squash soup

sweet potato & butternut squash soup from nytimes

sick days & comfort foods

i was home sick today and indulging in some much needed sleep and comfort foods. my non-medicinal cure-all's include: campbell's chicken noodle soup; stouffer's macaroni & cheese; and cold ginger ale. whether it's my stomach or my throat or my head that hurts, any combination of these make me start to feel better, take care of myself, and slow down.


:: campbell's soup by andy warhol

recipe roundup: autumn edition

recipes that are catching my eye now have taken a decidedly autumnal turn.

- banana cranberry bread from joy the baker
- roasted pears w. lemons, nuts & honey from apt therapy
- pilgrim's punch from cocktails.com!
- unfussy apple cake from 101cookbooks

hopefully i can test out some of these myself soon.
so many sweet ways to give thanks!


:: images by joy the baker [left] and faith hopler [right]

around town: artbites

another card picked up at the local coffee shop... artbites: cooking art history.
sounds like magic, huh? "think rachel ray meets sister wendy"


link: artbites.net

links: in the kitchen

last night i made a simple whatever's-in-the-fridge salad that turned out to be surprisingly sweet & colorful--a mix of mango, red & green peppers, and cucumbers. and tortilla chips for scooping.

a few recipes that i've collected and hope to make soon...
+ honey ice cream from orangette
+ any-fruit cobbler from the kitchn
+ favorite vegetarian chili from make it
+ best ever yellow cake & frosting from bake/shake
+ easy cinnamon muffins from joy the baker

do you have any new recipe finds to share?

first soup of the season

a sure sign of fall is a craving for soups. in my companion cookbook from last winter, i found a perfect recipe for the start of the season...

eliza's damn good butternut squash soup
1 butternut squash
3 1/2 c. water
1 1/2 c. broth
3/4 c. milk
1 med. onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs olive oil
salt & pepper
rosemary/sage
preheat the oven to 400F.
prep the squash. wash and peel your squash. cut into quarters, and scoop out seeds [save them for baking!]. pour water into a large baking dish, and place quartered squash in dish. cook for 1 hour, or until browned and very tender.
blend the squash. once baked, remove squash from pan, and mush it into a blender. slowly add 1 c. broth and 1/2 c. milk. work in batches to get all ingredients well blended.
prep the seasonings. heat olive oil in a medium saucepan. add garlic, then onions, and saute on medium heat for about 3 minutes.
combine it all. add the squash puree to the saucepan, along with the remaining broth and milk. garlic and onions add "savory chunks" to the soup--but you can put it all in the blender again. season with salt, pepper, and herbs to your taste.
serve hot with sour cream & freshly baked bread!


:: image from myflickr

baked butternut squash seeds

after making butternut squash soup tonight (more on that tomorrow), i scooped together the leftover seeds for a second tasty treat. like pumpkin seeds, squash seeds make a delicious snack.

tossed with a teaspoon of olive oil and some salt, i baked them at 250* for 20 minutes. they come out golden brown, light & crunchy, and a perfect combination of nutty/salty flavor. yum!

seeking homebaked chocolate chip cookies

the nytimes writes about the search for champion chocolate chip cookies. a delicious quest. raw dough or chewy centered or crispy crunch, i'll take these cooies any way i can get them.

best of all, this article's first paragraphs feature my hometown hero Ruth Wakefield, who invented this perfect cookie in whitman, mass. her recipe is published on the back of every pack of Toll House chocolate chips.

and NOW i find out that she also published a cookbook: toll house tried and true recipes. yup, she's a woman after my hometown heart.


image of chocolate chip cookies from nytimes.com

dreaming of [chocolate] baked goods

unfortunately our oven is out of commission at the moment.

BUT if i could be baking, here's what i'd be making:

+ flourless chocolate walnut cookies. yumm.
+ heavenly chocolate cream pie. yummm.
+ nabisco wafer icebox cake. (oops! doesn't actually require oven)
+ supernatural brownies. oh my!
+ homemade oreos. !!!

possibly having a bit of a chocolate craving tonight?


:: images from for me, for you; bake and shake; and 101cookbooks

this is just to say

i have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

this is just to say
by william carlos williams


:: image by sputnik+

moosewood muffins

moosewood restaurant new classics is the first cookbook that i read chapter-by-chapter like a novel. it is full of delicious, easy recipes and lots of good advice for building a healthy, homey kitchen.

last weekend, we tried their classic muffins for the first time, and i am hooked!

the best part is adding whatever "extras" you want. they have some great suggestions: peach blueberry -or- mango banana chocolate chip -or- pumpkin apple cinamon.

for easter, we tried granny smith apple + blueberry. i want to test a new combination this weekend!

DELICIOUS MOOSEWOOD MUFFINS
wet ingredients
6 tbsp butter at room temp
1/2 to 3/4 c sugar
1 egg
1/2 c plus 2 tbsp milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 c "extras" (fruit/nuts/etc)

dry ingredients
2 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon

streusel topping
[they say optional, i say necessary]
1/3 c flour
1 1/2 tbsp cold butter, diced
1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar, packed
1/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of salt

preheat oven to 350. prepare 12-cup muffin tin by lining each cup with paper liner or a bit of butter. first, make the streusel topping. combine all streusel ingredients and blend with a fork until the butter is pea-sized or smaller. set aside. next, the wet ingredients. in a mixing bowl, cream together the butter & sugar until smooth. beat in the egg and then the milk & vanilla; the mixture will look lumpy. by hand with a rubber spatula, fold in the "extras." set aside. now, the dry. in a separate large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. mix well. then, add the wet ingredients to the dry, and fold togther with a rubber spatula. don't overmix! spoon about 1/3 c of the batter into each muffin cup. sprinkle each muffin with a scant tbsp of streusel topping. and then, immediately place the muffins in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes. after about 20 minutes, rotate the muffin tin in the oven to ensure even baking. when they are puffed & golden, remove the muffins from the oven and place the tins on a rack to cool for about 15 minutes. enjoy!

tuesday morning

easter brunch leftovers for breakfast this morning... allison's yummy fruit salad with lots of pineapple. and a cinnamony blueberry&apple moosewood muffin (a great recipe that i will share!). and coffee. yumm.