chocolate molasses cookies + my best books of 2018 + a quick year in review.

I could do a year-end review in addition to giving you a stellar cookie recipe and my list of favorite books of 2018 but I'm not sure I remember all that much of this year.  I think whirl-wind doesn't even begin to describe 2018.  But in a year filled with never ending (terrible) news-cycles some happy moments stick out.   Paris with my sister (and eating the most unreal pistachio snail in the Parisian sun).  Tyler throwing me a surprise Birthday picnic with some of my favorite people.  Drinking wine and listening to music outdoors in New Orleans (and then stumbling across a High School marching band performing in the streets).  Endless beach trips with Tyler and Jackson (my favorite being the one where we ate pizza on a blanket and watched the sun set).   Throwing more dinner parties, brunches, and Sunday afternoon chessesteak parties.   An epic Southwest road-trip with my favorite road trip partner.   Eating oysters outdoors (and indoors) in Portland, Maine.  The first strawberry I ate after the winter that felt like the longest winter of all time.   A really super wonderful 4 days with friends in Massachusetts.   Picnics in Brooklyn.  Watching friends get engaged.   Eating my body weight in cherries.  Registering voters in the pouring rain with one of best friends (and eating pizza after).  Sitting by myself on a stoop Labor Day weekend people watching and eating a slice of NYC pizza before meeting Tyler for dinner (there was a lot of good pizza this year). Buying myself really amazing gold earrings for my Birthday.  Finally feeling somewhat more comfortable with who I am and the life choices I've made.  

I'm off work for the next couple of days and will be cooking (a lot!) in preparation for the multi-course NYE dinner party we are hosting.  But in between I will be reading and eating molasses cookies.    I read a lot of great books this year and if you are looking for something to read over the holidays, I'm here with suggestions!  Additionally, these cookies are great.  REALLY GREAT.  They are an adults cookie with the combination of ginger and cocoa powder and the texture is awesome.  They also come together in like 10 minutes which makes them ideal if you are looking for a cookie to bring to a last minute soiree (or a cookie to eat with tea while you spend 5 hours watching the Great British Bake-Off).      

5 Best Books of 2018 

1 - The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai - I can't remember the last time I loved a book the way I loved this one.  I had to wait 4 months to get it from the library but it was totally worth it.  Alternating chapters set-in 1980's Chicago during the AID's epidemic and present-day Paris.   It's a story about love, loss, and friendship and it's so beautiful.

2 - Bad Blood by John Carreyrou - The full inside story of Elizabeth Holmes and her founding of Thernos the multi-billion dollar biotech start-up.  It's a really fascinating look at how so many people drink the kool-aid when it comes to the latest it company in Silcon Valley.  Also she sounds like a serial killer.  

3 - The Leavers by Lisa Ko - The story of an immigrant mother who is forced to put her child up for adoption.   It's written from a number of different characters perspectives.  It's beautifully written, moving, and it feels especially poignant this day in age.   

4 - American Prison by Shane Bauer - A journalist who goes becomes a prison guard in an effort to get an inside look at how the prison system works.  Sheds light on how a system few people know much about works on the inside.   

5 - Normal People by Sally Roony - Not yet out in the US (I ordered it from a UK book publisher). Takes place over a 10 year period, and it looks at how unexplainable forces always seem to draw these two people together.   

Chocolate-Molasses Cookies

Recipe from the NYTimes 

I was out of butter and used coconut oil for these and I feel like this was a really great choice.  

½  cup/115 grams unsalted butter (1 stick) or coconut oil

1  tablespoon freshly grated ginger (optional)

1 ½  cups/190 grams all-purpose flour

½  cup/45 grams cocoa powder

2  teaspoons baking soda

1  teaspoon ground cinnamon

1  teaspoon ground ginger

1  teaspoon kosher salt

⅓  cup/65 grams granulated sugar

½  cup/120 milliliters molasses

1  large egg

 Sanding, Demerara or granulated sugar, for decoration 

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Melt butter  or coconut  oil in a small pot over medium heat and add ginger, if using. Remove from heat and let sit a few minutes while you prepare everything else.

In a large bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger and salt.

In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, molasses, egg and ginger butter. Using a spatula, slowly mix into dry ingredients, mixing until no dry spots remain.

Using your hands, roll small balls of dough about the size of a quarter (dough will be soft — if it is too soft for you to handle, pop into the fridge for a few minutes to firm up). Roll the balls in the sanding sugar and place on the prepared baking sheets about 1-inch apart.

Bake until just puffed and baked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Let cool completely before eating.

2019 edition - a holiday wish list/gift list

I contemplated putting together this list because I'm currently in this weird head space where I both hate the idea of buying things but also really love some things (and am therefore buying them for myself because I'm terribly impatient).   So this years list is both a wish list but also my gift suggestions in case you are looking for wonderful gifts to buy others.  

The underlying theme of this list is basically buy less (and not from big box stores - I'm looking at you Amazon) and only buy what you love and what you think others will love and what will make you/them happy.  I realize more and more that a lot of stuff makes me stressed out but I also think there is always something better out there and then buy it because I think this newer/cooler version will make me happier.  I'm making a conscious effort to try and shake that mindset.  IT IS REALLY HARD.  

So here you go.  

1 - Panettone by Roy - If you've had panettone before you're probably like this is OK but nothing special.  This is what I've always thought.  But this panettone is the dreamiest most wonderful thing I have ever eaten.  Roy sells traditional flavors but also updated versions (Banana Caramel!).   This year I ordered one of these instead of a birthday cake for myself (it was passionfruit flavored) and let me tell you, I may never order a birthday cake again.   Also, if you're looking to give this for a gift, you can get someone a 3 month panettone subscription for $93 with shipping.  THIS IS SUCH A GOOD DEAL (especially when you look at the cost of a single panettone) THAT I GOT IT FOR US!  Share with your friends.   

2 - Portable Fireplace Candle - We do not have a fireplace but we do have this candle which is as close as you can get to a fireplace in a 650 square-foot apartment.  It's a really rich smoky, woodsy, scent that we both love (and the scent actually lingers)!  We finished one last year and bought a second one this year.  It also lasts an incredibly long time.   

3 - Linen Napkins - I've been hosting more dinner parties and am looking for new napkins.  These look and feel luxurious and the mustard color is my ideal pop-of-color on a dinner table.

4 - Sweatpants - I've come to realize that the bulk of my time at home is spent in sweatpants and having a matching set just feels like the ultimate luxury (at least to me).  I love this brand so much and the matching sweatshirt/sweatpant set is just the thing for lazy Sundays.   

5 - Socks - I am VERY particular about socks.  These are great with boots and sneakers so I can pull-off that whole cropped jeans with sneakers look I love (the cotton ones are also a favorite of mine).   They stay up which is always my biggest sock peeve.   

6 - Cookbooks! Ottolenghi Simple + The Nordic Baking Book +  Israeli Soul - The Ottoleghi Simple book I bought myself the second it came out.  I've used it pretty much once a week every week since I got it.  The recipes are thoughtful, vegetable driven, and  a lot less labor intensive then some of his other cookbooks.  

The Nordic Baking book just looks super fascinating especially since it includes both sweet and savory baked goods.   

The Israeli Soul book is being added to this list because I read it includes 13 different recipes for hummus (!!!) and also because I really love Middle Eastern food.      

7 - A New set of Mugs - I like a large mug since the large size fits our Italian coffee pot.   These are timeless and chic and the exact size I'm looking for.  Plus they are made by a local ceramist in Brooklyn.    

Picture from here.

buffalo chicken dip.

I've said 3 times over the past 2 days that I can't believe Thanksgiving was a week ago.    Time has felt weird as of late.  I constantly feel as if I am hurtling towards something and yet I'm not entirely sure what that thing is.  The end of the year?  Something I'm not even aware of?   It leads me feeling slightly off-kiltered probably due to the fact that I hate ambiguity.  I like things planned.   I always want to know exactly what is next and when I can expect it to happen.   Right now, everything feels like the great unknown.

To counter all of this I've tried to instill and stick to the routines that work for me and the things I can control.   Allocating time for reading a book each day, watching an episode of whatever show we're binging, making dinner.   

Yes, I made us Buffalo Chicken Dip for dinner.  Really it was a side to go with the kale and lentil soup I made but we ate it for dinner and it made the meal more fun.  I'm sharing it here because as we head into December you will most likely find yourself going to holiday parties and looking for something to bring.  Bring this.   Everyone will love you.   

Buffalo Chicken Dip
Recipe from the NYTimes

Serves 4 - Halves Easily

1  tablespoon unsalted butter
2  cups shredded, cooked chicken
½  cup Buffalo-style hot sauce
½  teaspoon fresh lemon juice
¼  cup sour cream
4  ounces cream cheese, cut into pieces and softened
½  cup freshly shredded white Cheddar cheese
¼  cup crumbled blue cheese
1 ½  teaspoons finely chopped chives, or to taste
Celery sticks, carrot sticks, bread, potato chips, and-or tortilla chips, for serving

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. In an 8-inch cast-iron or ovenproof skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and hot sauce and simmer until the sauce has thickened and reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes.

Turn off the heat, then stir in the lemon juice, sour cream and cream cheese until combined. Sprinkle the Cheddar cheese over the top.

Bake until bubbling around the edges and the cheese has melted, about 10 minutes. If you’d like the top to get browned, run it under the broiler for a minute or two.

Immediately garnish with blue cheese and chives. Serve with chips, bread or vegetables for dipping.

sweet potato streusel loaf.

I did not intend on buying another pie book.  As much as I love pie, I have a love hate relationship with baking them.  Mostly because I suck at crimping pie edges.   One can't be good at everything.   

But alas, I did, because it's the Sister Pie Cookbook and when Tyler and I went to Detroit I fell in love with their shop.   It was cute and quirky and all of their baked goods were awesome.  It's an ode to the classic American bakery but with a twist - pies with local and seasonal fruit, peanut butter cookies with paprika, and savory scones.  It's everything I love nestled in corner shop on a street with really beautiful old homes.  

This book is great.  Especially now that we have gone from 80 degree and bare leg weather to me reaching for sweaters and a coat every-time I leave the apartment.  I'm not complaining.  It's baking, nesting, reading on the couch with a cup of tea and piece of this loaf weather.       

The technique used in the recipe for this loaf is awesome.  Throw all the loaf ingredients in a bowl and let rest over night.  This breaks down the oats and gives the whole thing a bit of tangy-fermented taste.  I love the juxtaposition of savory-ish cake with the sweet streusel topping.   The nuggets of cream cheese and sweet potato just make it fall.  And that's kind of all I want right now.   

Sweet Potato Streusel Loaf
Recipe from Sister Pie Cookbook

This freezes very well.  Slice before you freeze so you can have a piece whenever you want.

For the Sweet Potatoes

12 ounces of sweet potatoes (skin-on) scrubbed and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Cake

1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup full-fat yogurt
1 large egg
1/3 cup oil (canola, grapeseed, etc.)
1/4 cup turbinado sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup spelt flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

For the Streusel 

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons butter straight from the fridge cut into 1/2 inch cubes 

To Finish

4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature cut into 1/2 inch cubes
Turbinado sugar for sprinkling.

Roast your sweet potatoes.  Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Place the sweet potato cubes on a baking sheet and toss evenly with the olive oil, brown sugar, and salt.  Place in the oven and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes or fork tender.  Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool.   You can prepare the sweet potatoes up to 2 days in advance and store in an airtight container in the fridge.  

Mix the batter: In a medium bowl whisk the buttermilk, yogurt, egg, oil, sugar, and vanilla until well mixed and smooth.   In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, whole wheat, and spelt flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, allspice, cinnamon, and ginger.  Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients, using a silicone spatula to gently fold them together until no dry spots remain.   Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and place in the refrigerator overnight.   

White the batter hydrates, make the streusel.  Combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl.   Place the butter in the bowl and coat on all sides with the flour mixture.  Work to break up the cubes with your fingers and continue to cut the butter into the flour under the streusel resembles wet sand.   You can make the streusel up to 2 days in advance.  Store in an airtight container in the fridge.  

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9x5 inch load pan with parchment.   Butter your parchment.  Spoon 1/3 of the batter into your parchment lined pan.  Top with 1/3 of your sweet potato cubes and 1/2 the cream cheese cubes - press the cubes down into the batter.  Sprinkle with turbinado sugar.  Pour in another 1/3 of the batter and top with another 1/3 of your sweet potato cubes and the remaining cream cheese cubes.  Again, press the cubes gently into the batter and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.  Top with the remaining 1/3 of the batter and the rest of your sweet potato cubes.  Gently press the remaining sweet potato cubes into the batter.  Distribute the streusel evenly over the loaf making sure to press down to adhere.   

Place the loaf in the oven and bake for 35 - 45 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.  Let cool on a wire rack.  Dust with powdered sugar.  Slice into 1 inch thick slices.  Remaining cake can be stored in the fridge for up 2 days or in the freezer for a month.   

applesauce cake with cream cheese and maple frosting.

September is essentially gone.  Tyler and I spent the majority of it on a most epic road-trip across the Southwest.  It was therapeutic and eye-opening and we came back from the desert to our dog and perfect fall weather and now, all I can think about is apple desserts and pasta bakes.  

I made this applesauce cake last weekend.  I liked that it was one-bowl and had frosting.   I also liked that the author of said recipe was Julia Turshen.  If you don’t know her you should rush out to buy her cookbooks and then follow her on Instagram.   She is a superwoman badass with the most adorable dogs and equally adorable wife.   She spends a lot of her time finding ways to support under-represented chefs and cooks, volunteering at different community organizations, and encouraging people to vote.   Also her food is the kind of simple, no-fuss but really delicious stuff everyone craves (and her recipes always work as written).   Basically she’s my idol.  

This cake is great.  I see myself making it a lot – for impromptu parties or just because it’s Tuesday. The frosting is just the right combination of tangy and sweet.  The cake is impossibly moist.  It’s exactly what you want from a fall dessert.      

Applesauce Cake with Cream Cheese & Maple Frosting

Recipe tweaked ever so slightly from Julia Turshen

The original recipe uses honey in the frosting.  I like honey but I really love maple syrup so you can most certainly guess which I used.  

For the Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp ground ginger

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp baking soda

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup buttermilk, kefir, or plain yogurt

1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce (Homemade please!)

1/3 cup canola or other neutral oil

For the Frosting

6 oz cream cheese, at room temperature

2 tbsp sour cream or labneh

1/4 cup maple syrup or honey

Pinch of kosher salt

For the cake:  Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake pan with baking spray and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. Set the pan aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and baking soda. Add the eggs, sugar, buttermilk, applesauce, and oil and whisk gently just until everything is combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the batter into the prepared pan and then smooth the surface so it is even.

Bake the cake until it is just barely firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Set the cake aside on a wire rack to cool to room temperature.

Use a dinner knife to loosen the edges of the cake from the pan sides and then invert it onto your work surface. Peel off and discard the parchment. Invert the cake one more time onto a serving platter.

For the frosting:  In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, honey, and salt and whisk together aggressively until the cream cheese is slightly aerated (you can also do this with a handheld electric mixer or in a stand mixer).

Spread the frosting over the top of the cake and don’t worry too much about making this perfect. I think a not-too-perfect cake is so much better than a perfect cake. Cut into wedges and serve. Leftovers can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

tomatoes with spiced yogurt sauce, feta, and pistachios.

August.  (This is joy, this is summer.  Frank Ocean)

I haven’t been cooking so much as assembling things on a plate and avoiding the oven.  It’s been a fun game of figuring out how many ways you can eat raw corn and tomatoes (the answer is a lot of ways).  Most of my dinner inspiration has come from the Six Seasons cookbook.  If you don’t own it, I highly suggest you rush out to buy it.  It’s by far my most used cookbook and an endless source of ideas.  Joshua McFadden just gets vegetables much in the same way Yotam Ottolenghi does (his vegetable books are also fantastic).   He understands why pairing in-season produce with different textures and flavors will also result in a dish that is exciting.   

In taking inspiration from his cookbook, I’ve been challenging myself to come up with my own hot weather salads.  This dish was born from that challenge.   Sliced heirloom tomatoes are drizzled with a spiced yogurt sauce, pistachios, feta, and herbs.  The whole thing comes together in about 10 minutes and works as a side to sausages or BBQ chicken.  On its own, it also makes an excellent dinner for one on a hot summer night.   

Tomatoes with Spiced Yogurt Sauce, Feta, and Pistachios

3 -4 Medium sized heirloom tomatoes (or a combination of regular tomatoes and cherry tomatoes)

¼ cup yogurt

1 tablespoon olive oil

Juice of ½ a lemon

¼ tsp. Aleppo Pepper

Salt and pepper to taste

2 – 3  tablespoons toasted pistachios, chopped

¼ cup crumbled feta 

Mint leaves for garnish

In a small bowl combine the lemon juice, yogurt, aleppo, salt, and pepper.  Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.  The yogurt should be runny like half and half.  If too thick, add more lemon juice or a little water.   

Slice the tomatoes (or quarter if using cherry tomatoes) and arrange on a platter.  Season with salt and pepper.  Drizzle with yogurt sauce and olive oil.  Sprinkle pistachios, feta, and mint leaves over the top.   Serve with bread for sopping up juices.   

blueberry, spelt, and oat scones.

If you are fortunate enough to find yourself invited to someone's house for the weekend, I strongly suggest you bring these.   

These are not cinnamon rolls or doughnuts or the kind of thing small children beg for.  They are not coated in sugar or filled with white flour.   They are instead the kind of scone I've always wanted.  Nutty, dense, and packed full of ingreadients that leave you full but not heavy.   They still taste good on day 3 (especially if you wrap them in tin foil and reheat for about 10 minutes in a 300 degree oven).   They have seasonal fruit and almond butter and can be baked directly from the freezer which is a good thing if you find yourself getting invited to the Hamptons, Jersey Shore, or somewhere else at the very last minute.   



Blueberry, Spelt, and Oat Scones
Recipe from the Violet Bakery Cookbook

2 cups whole grain spelt flour, plus more for rolling
1 1/2 cups oat flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice or lemon juice
1 tablespoon orange zest or lemon zest
4 heaped tablespoons (about 3.5 oz.) almond butter
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1 3/4 cup fresh blueberries

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. To make the scones, whisk together the spelt flour, oat flour, sea salt, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the agave and maple syrup, the orange juice and zest and the almond butter. Pour in the melted coconut oil and whisk together. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients along with the blueberries. Mix until the wet and dry ingredients are just combined.

Allow the dough to rest for five minutes. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a rectangle about 1 1/2-inch thick. Cut the rectangle into 12 triangles (I usually cut into 6 "squares" and then cut each square in half on the diagonal).  Chill in the fridge for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bake the scones for 15 to 20 minutes until slightly golden. Serve immediately or let cool and freeze.  They are good from the freezer and reheated. 

spicy lamb meatballs with raisin pesto.

Over the last couple of weeks we've started (once again) eating alfresco.  When you're four flights up facing a courtyard and surrounded by herbs and twinkly lights, you no longer feel as if you are in the city, it feels as if you are somewhere else.   Drinking cocktails, eating the latest farmers market offerings, and watching the sun set - it's magical. 

Dinners, as is typical of me this time of year, revolves around small plates of different things.  Fresh farmers market vegetable salads, really good cheeses, and occasionally local meat.   We recently got a phenomenal butcher in our hood and it's been fun trying their offerings (we are big fans of their cheesesteak sausages).   I love the fact that when you go in for ground meat, it has actually just been ground.  It's such a novel and old fashioned concept.   

I made these meatballs with the aforementioned freshly ground lamb and I have to say, these are just insanely good.  The meatballs are spicy and come together quickly but it's the raisin pesto that I want to eat by the spoonful.  Salty, sweet, herb-y, it pairs brilliantly with the lamb and yogurt.   This will be my Summer 2018 repeat dish.   

Spicy Lamb Meatballs with Raisin Pesto
Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit 

For the Meatballs

1 large egg
1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
3/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes or aleppo pepper (if using aleppo increase to 1/2 tsp.)
1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
1/4 tsp. sumac (optional)
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 clove of garlic 
1 lb. ground lamb

For the Pesto

1/2 cup parsley leaves with tender stems
1/4 cup pistachios
1/4 - 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic
1/2 cups mint leaves
1/2 cup cilantro
3 Tbsp. golden raisins
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 tsp. pomogranatte molasses
1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
Black to pepper to taste

Plain whole-milk Greek yogurt (for serving)

Place a rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 425°. Combine egg, panko, cumin, red pepper flakes, turmeric, sumac, finely chopped parsley,  oil, and 1½ tsp. salt in a large bowl. Finely grate 1 garlic clove into bowl. Add lamb and mix with your hands until evenly distributed.

Gently roll lamb mixture into 1½"-diameter balls (about the size of a golf ball; you should have about 20). Place on a rimmed baking sheet, spacing evenly apart. Bake meatballs until browned and cooked through, 8–10 minutes.

Meanwhile, puree parsley, pistachios, garlic, mint, cilantro, raisins, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, salt and pepper, and a 1/4 cup olive oil in a blender until smooth. Taste pesto; season with more salt if needed - if too thick, add more olive oil.

Spread yogurt over plates and divide pesto and meatballs on top. Top with sesame seeds if desired.  

Do Ahead: Pesto can be made 2 days ahead; cover and chill. Meatballs can be formed 2 months ahead; freeze on baking sheet until firm, about 2 hours, then transfer to a freezer bag and keep frozen.

anthony bourdain. thanks for being you.

The death of Anthony Bourdain really hit me.  I ready Kitchen Confidential what feels like a decade ago (now I think about it it most definitely was a decade ago).  The book was shocking but I loved its honesty when it came to the underground world of the restaurant industry.  Anthony Bourdain was a badass, fearless, and completely unapologetic about who he was as a person and as a chef.   He was forthcoming about his struggles with drugs, alcohol, and depression and in a world where so many people try and constantly paint an unrealistically rosy picture of their life, Anthony was a breath of fresh air.  He told it like it was.   

My dad, like Anthony Bourdain, taught me to seek out off the beaten path food no matter the location.   BBQ restaurants that look like shacks on the side of a highway in Delaware, hole-in-the-wall empanada spots, BYOB fish-fry restaurants in former dark wood-paneled bars.   Anthony Bourdain made it cool to travel far and wide in search of food that told the story of a place.   He taught you to be adventurous and daring and above all to live fearlessly with an open mind and an open stomach.   I will miss him and his voice.   

strawberry-rhubarb pandowdy.

I know social media gets a lot of crap for being the worst thing that's ever happend to society - it's rotting our brains, disrupting out sleep schedule, tracking our every move, blah blah blah, but if I am being honest, I love (like really love) Instagram.  

I love Instgram for the sheer fact that it has afforded me the opportunity to discover/meet/become friendly with a whole world of really amazing cooks.  Women who are cooking the kind of food I always want to eat (i.e. in-season produce filled one pan salads and pastas, lots of fruit desserts, cookies!).  In a lot of ways Instagram has replaced my cookbooks when it comes to weeknight cooking.  I basically run through my feed and from there come-up with an off the cuff dinner plan solely based around someon

e's beautiful picture.  I'm really digging this on the fly, being inspired by whatever crosses my path kind-of cooking.  It feels really liberating.   

I got this recipe from one of those uber-talented women that I follow on Instagram.  Emily is a mom who somehow manages to get her kids to eat all sorts of really exciting foods that I am 100% sure I wouldn't have touched when I was 8 (fiddlehead ferns and rhubarb?!).  She posted this recipe and I was extremely excited about it - a cross between a cobbler and a custard but with a hilariously funny name, it's basically a dream June dessert.  I made it over Memorial Day weekend and we all loved it (I really love it for breakfast the next day).  It would be amazing come August filled with peaches.   



Strawberry-Rhubarb Pandowdy
Recipe from Emily C. at Food 52

To make the rye crust

1 cup (120 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (60 grams) rye flour
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 to 6 tablespoons ice water

In a food processor, pulse flours and salt to combine. Scatter butter pieces over the flour mixture, then pulse until the butter is the size of large peas, about 6 to 8 short pulses. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of water over mixture and pulse a few times, then repeat with 1 tablespoon of water at a time, or just until small curds start to form and dough holds together when pinched with fingers. It’ll look kind of crumbly but that's okay. (Alternatively, you can do this by hand.) 

Empty dough onto clean counter or piece of wax paper. Using bench scraper, gather dough into a rough rectangular mound about 12 inches long and 4 inches wide. Starting from the farthest end, use the heel of your hand to smear about one sixth of dough against your work surface away from you. Repeat until all of your dough has been smeared. Using bench scraper, gather the dough again into a 12-inch long and 4-inch wide mound and repeat smearing of dough with heel of hand. The dough should be smooth and cohesive at this point; if not, repeat smearing process again. 

Form dough into 4 inch disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm about 1 hour. The smearing process creates long layers of butter in the dough, which translates to long flaky layers in the cooked crust.

To make the filling and assemble pandowdy

1 1/2 pounds strawberries, hulled (leave small berries whole; halve any large berries)
1 pound rhubarb, chopped
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup quick-cooking tapioca (sometimes called granulated tapioca or tapioca pearls)
Pinch of kosher salt
Finely grated zest + 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, from 1 small lemon
1 large egg, separated into white and yolk (egg white lightly beaten with a fork)
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Heat the oven to 400° F. 

In a small bowl, mix together the sugars, tapioca, and pinch of salt until well integrated. 

In a 10-inch cast-iron or ovenproof skillet, gently toss the strawberries with the sugar-tapioca mixture, lemon zest, and lemon juice. 

On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough into a 12-inch round, dusting with flour as needed. (Don’t worry if your dough isn’t perfectly round.) Gently lay round of dough atop the fruit filling, tucking and folding the dough edges around the fruit, leaving a small rim that sticks up against the side of the skillet. Brush with egg white and then sprinkle evenly with turbinado sugar. Poke a few small holes in the crust so steam can vent. 

Bake pandowdy for about 30 minutes (place a foil-lined baking sheet underneath the skillet to catch any fruit juices that spill over), then remove the skillet from oven and break the dough into large pieces with a sharp knife to “dowdy” its looks. Return to oven and bake until the crust is golden and firm and the fruit juices are bubbling up through the crust pieces, about 20 minutes longer. 

Meanwhile, whisk together the cream, egg yolk, and vanilla extract in a measuring cup with a spout. Remove the pandowdy from the oven and let the juices settle for a minute or two. Slowly begin pouring the cream mixture into each of the cuts; use the back of a spoon or a knife if needed to help with the flooding, working your way around the entire pandowdy. Some of the cream will go under the crust and much will pool on top. This is okay (and expected)! 

Return the pandowdy to the oven and bake until the cream just sets but is still a little jiggly, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack and let cool completely. Even when fully cool, the pandowdy will have lots of juice, part of its charm, so serve in bowls with spoons. It's best on the day it's baked, but it's not bad at all on Day 2 straight from the fridge (breakfast, perhaps?!).

potato pizza.

I am not much of a potato person.  To be honest, if you look at the recipe history of this blog, it's fairly devoid of potato recipes. 

To me, if I'm going to eat a starchy, carby, food, pasta will always win and for that reason, I tend to overlook potatoes.  But when the farmers market returned 2 weeks ago (hip hip hooray!) and they were selling what they referred to as "Fancy Yukon Potatoes" I felt I was doing myself a disservice by not buying them. 

I brought them home, looked at them and thought they were adorable and very fancy looking, and I had no idea what to do with them. That was until I made a lunch pitstop at Sullivan St Bakery and saw the potato pizza and realized combining your favorite thing (bread) with something you love less (potatoes) may result in a very tasty dinner.  

This is my ode to that in-between weather.   When you are aching for BBQ's but the weather isn't quite there yet so you make a pizza thats perfect for sharing with friends.   It's good with rose, it's good with beer, and it's even better the next day with an egg on it.   

Potato Pizza 
Recipe tweaked from Jim Lahey 

4 teaspoons fine sea or table salt
6 to 8 (1 kilo) small to medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 to 5 tablespoons olive oil
4 pieces of spring garlic, white and light green parts thinly sliced
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan or pecorino 
1 recipe Pizza Dough (see below)

In a medium bowl, combine the 1 quart lukewarm water with salt, stirring until the salt has dissolved. Use a mandoline or your best sharpest knife to slice the potatoes very thin (1/16 inch thick), and put the sliced directly into the salted water, which prevents oxidation and also helps soften them so they cook up nicely. Let them soak for 1 1/2 hours or up to 12 in the fridge overnight.

Heat your oven to 500°F with a rack in the center. Brush a 13×18-inch rimmed half-sheet pan with olive oil. Use your fingertips, oiled or dusted with flour, to pull, stretch, nudge and press the dough across the bottom of the pan. The dough will be thin and imperfect. If holes form, just pinch them together. It’s all going to work out, promise.

Drain the potatoes in a colander and use your hands to press out as much water as possible, then pat dry on paper towels. In a medium bowl, toss the potato slices with the onion, spring garlic, parmesan and olive oil. Spread this potato mixture over your dough, going all the way to the edges so that there’s no uncovered edge; put a bit more topping around the edges of the pie, as the outside tends to cook more quickly. Usually the salt the potatoes were soaked in is enough, but you can sprinkle more on if desired.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the topping is starting to turn golden brown and the crust is nicely bronzed underneath. Serve pizza hot or at room temperature.

Jim Lahey’s Basic Pizza Dough

2 cups minus 1 tablespoon (250 grams) all-purpose or bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoons (5 grams) instant or active dry yeast
A heaped 1/4 teaspoon fine sea or table salt
A heaped 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
2/3 cups (150 grams) room temperature water

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar. Add the water and, using a wooden spoon or your hand, mix until well blended, about 30 seconds. Cover the bowl and let sit at room temperature until the dough has more than doubled in volume, about 2 hours. Continue using instructions above.

paris, france.

Two-ish weeks ago I came back from a quick Paris trip with my sister.   The first time I went to Paris I was 20, a junior in college, and about 3 weeks into dating Tyler.   It was a magical first experience and my most vivid memory from that trip involves drinking champagne (though in hindsight I don't think we actually splurged on anything remotely as nice as champagne) with a handful of my good friends underneath the blinking Eiffel Tower.  I was so young and carefree and wearing a coat much to thin for the January weather.  It was great. 

This trip was different but just as memorable.   Hayley and I rented an apartment in the Marais.  We criss-crossed all across Paris walking 10 plus miles a day.   I ate some really good croissants and basically explored the city in a way I've never done before.  Most of the trips I take are to places I've never been, but there is something nice about visiting a place you've been before.  You don't need to stop and see all the major sites because you've done that.  You can instead spend your days walking down little streets and getting lost.  Stopping in stores that interest you or restaurants that seem quaint.  It's very liberating.   

So here's a list of places I visited.  I didn't hit everything but I did hit a lot of places.  I did not eat badly on this trip.  

Mokonuts - I came here for a chocolate chip cookie that was unlike any chocolate chip cookie I've ever had.  It is very much the French version of an American classic and I literally can't stop dreaming about it.  I wish I had had time to eat a full meal here.  

Septime - The one must-go on my trip.   It was a truly magical meal (4 courses and 2 glasses of wine!)   I plan on re-creating the asparagus dish with pistachio pesto and yogurt.   

Au Passage - A menu that rotates on a daily basis.   Lots of vegetables.  Casual but very French and a staff that is extraordinary friendly and accommodating.


Du Pain et Des Idees -  I could write 1000 words just about the pistachio chocolate snail but I wont (I will say I brought two back in my suitcase).   Everything (and I mean everything) is good.   Get as many things as you can and eat them outside while drinking an Americano.


Jambon Beurre - I stumbled across this one while we were walking through the Louvre area.  A very good ham and butter baguette sandwich with cornishons!  (All ham sandwiches on a baguette should include cornishons.)   

La Bourse et La Vie - Neo-bistro French food.  (It doesn't get much better then this.)  I had an incredible fish and fennel dish and text-book perfect creme caramel.  Also the restaurant is gorgeous.   
Poliane - For the most incredible apple tart you will ever (and I mean ever) have. 

Jacques Genin - Passionfruit-Mango Caramels.  I could eat 100 of them.   Buy a bunch and bring them home (they keep well in the fridge).   

And for non-food things...

Museum of Hunting and Nature which is totally absurd and also amazing.  

Marché aux Puces de St-Ouen - You have to walk through a lot of crappy vendors but once you do, you are rewarded with all sorts of beautiful antiques that you wish you could shrink down and fit in your luggage.   

Any Churches - I love old European churches.   

coconut, almond, and blueberry cake.

The snow will just not stop.   I always imagined that I could live in a place (like Alaska or northern Maine) where winter truly existed for 6 months of the year but I've come to realize after I am not cut out for that life. It takes a truly special kind of person to live there.  Someone who is capable of not wanting to burn their snow jacket by the end of March.   

SO! If you're in need of a little bit of summer sunshine and looking for a remarkably easy cooking project on this snow day, this is the cake for you (especially if you are blessed with a freezer stash of last summer's blueberries).   This cake bakes up with a pudding-like consistency that makes me feel as if I am getting the best of two deserts in one.   The edges of the cake are firm but as you move towards the center it's soft and almost custardy with pockets of jammy blueberries throughout.   The coconut is not a typical addition but it really adds a nice textural punch and flavor to the cake.  I couldn't help but tweak and add some ground ginger because I love nothing more then the combination of lemon+ginger+almonds.   It's not necessary but it adds another flavor dimension that works.   

Here's to spring (hopefully) coming.   

Coconut, Almond, and Blueberry Cake

Recipe from Sweet: Desserts from London's Ottolenghi 

The original recipe called for 1 1/4 cups of sugar which seemed like more sugar then needed.  I dialed it back to about 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons and think I could go to 3/4 cup next time.  I've listed a range below.

I also dialed back the butter to 3/4 of a cup (from 3/4 + 2 tbsp) because I hate having random amounts of butter left.  There didn't seem to be any ill-affects from doing this so feel free to do the same!

12/3 cup /180g ground almonds/ almond flour

2/3 cup / 60g desiccated coconut

3/4 -  1 cup /150 - 200 g granulated sugar  

½ cup plus 1 tbsp/70g all-purpose flour

¾ tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground ginger

4 large eggs

¾ cup/173 g unsalted butter melted and cooled

1½ tsp vanilla extract

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon 

1 1/2 cups/225 grams blueberries (fresh or frozen)

1/4 cup/ 20g flaked almonds

Grease and line a 23cm/9-inch spring form cake pan. Preheat the oven to 350F/180C.

In a mixing bowl add he almonds, coconut, sugar, flour, ginger, and salt and whisk to aerate and remove the lumps.

In another bowl add eggs and whisk lightly. Add the melted butter, vanilla extract and lemon zest and whisk again until well combined. Pour this into the dry mix and whisk to combine. Fold in 1 cup of the blueberries.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and then top with rest of the batter.  Scatter the remaining blueberries on top.   

Sprinkle with the flaked almonds and bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Keep a close eye on it towards the end of cooking.

Set aside for 30 minutes before inverting out of the tin, removing the baking parchment and placing the cake the right way up on a serving plate. It can either be served warm with cream or set aside until cool.

This will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container or wrapped in aluminum foil. It also freezes well for up to a month.