Category Archives: Foodie Faves

Apple Spice Cocktail

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In the spirit of traditions, every Thanksgiving I make a new “signature” cocktail to kick off the meal. I don’t have an ounce of “mixology” in my body, so I take to Pinterest for inspiration. Last year I made Lauren Conrad’s Pilgram Punch (which was dangerously good). This year I made an apple spice recipe from Love and Lemons and it was delicious! I made a few tweaks based on ingredients I already had (waste not, want not) and let me tell you, it went down nice and easy. This is an easy drink to make for all of those upcoming holiday parties.

*Disclaimer – the “base” for this drink needs time to steep and chill, so be sure to make it the night before.

  • 18 ounces apple cider
  • 6 cinnamon sticks
  • 6 star anise pods
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 18 ounces Stoli Premium Vodka
  • 6 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon
  • crushed ice
  • 12 oz. bottle of sparkling water (optional)
  • 1 red apple, sliced for garnish (they are sooo good to eat after you’ve finished the drink)

In a small saucepan simmer the apple juice with the cinnamon sticks and star anise. When it barely comes to a boil, remove from heat and let steep for 30 minutes, then chill for a couple of hours (or overnight).

When your’e ready to start making cocktails, remove the cinnamon sticks and star anise and set aside for garnish.In a cocktail shaker, shake the spiced apple juice, vodka, lemon, and ice together (work in batches if you need to).

Pour into glasses, add a splash of sparking water, and garnish with apple slices, cinnamon sticks and star anise pods.

apple spice cocktail

Happy Eating Drinking, XO.

A conversation with Martha Stewart, part 2

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I know you all have been anxiously waiting to hear the rest of what Martha had to say, so here it is! (If you missed the first post, you can catch up here.) This “part 2” is around Martha’s tips on holiday cooking – they’re coming sooner than you think people!

Martha’s holiday cooking tips

  • Vacherin cheese is a wonderful “winter” cheese made from cow’s milk. It’s very creamy in texture, a little “funky”, and is best eaten spooned right out of the rind.
  • She said her couscous royale is always a hit at holiday parties. It has the perfect blend of herbs and spices, and is great for your vegetarian guests.
  • And now for the big reveal – how Martha cooks her turkeys! Martha is very much about home-grown goodness and sustainable farming, whether it be vegetables, turkeys, or goats. For her holiday turkeys, she prefers to use one of her own grown Lebrun female turkeys as they tend to be bigger (up to 22lbs) and juicier. Her secret for cooking it comes in the form of a cheese cloth soaked in white wine and butter. (I was, and still am, drooling over this.)

From Martha’s Mouth:

  • Florence asked Martha’s opinion on whether or not you’re born with a good palette. “Yes, I believe you either have a good palette or you don’t. Some people are just born with it.” She went on to reference many famous chefs who have made it because their palette is so broad.
  • A reoccurring theme throughout the conversation was Martha’s praise for the people she works with. “The greatest influence in my life are the people around me, the people I work with. I learn from them every day.”

It was such an experience getting to meet Martha Stewart and learn a bit about who she is. If any of you ever get a chance, I highly suggest taking advantage! That woman has a wealth of knowledge that we can all learn a little from.

martha and florence

A conversation with Martha Stewart, part 1

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This past weekend I was in East Hampton visiting family, and I heard through a PureWow email (I’m obsessed with PW) that Martha Stewart would be making an appearance at Guild Hall -“A Conversation with Martha Stewart”. Who was I to pass up this opportunity with the one and only Martha Stewart? And for $15?! Yeah…

My friend and I snuck in a couple minutes late (don’t get me started on parking) and although we only snagged seats in the back, we could still see her clear as day.

Florence Fabricant, a critic for the NY Times, was casually talking to Martha over a cup of coffee as if 200 eyes weren’t hanging on each tip she gave. I whipped out my phone so I wouldn’t miss any of it, and could share it first hand with all of you. In fact, she gave so much information I didn’t want to overload you with it. The second post on Martha’s holiday tips will be coming out in a couple of weeks. But now, to get you through the last few weeks of summer…

Martha’s seafood tips

  • The best lobster: The best time to buy and cook a lobster is right after they molt (shed their shell). You can tell when the time is right because they are a much brighter red than the rest. This is when the shells are the softest and the meat is the sweetest.
  • Cooking clams: Forget about boiling water, it’s much simpler than that. Get a big skillet and spread the clams in one layer on the bottom. Grind some black pepper over the top of them and cover. Cook on medium heat until they open, anywhere from 5-10 minutes.
  • Want to make some crab meat salad? Peking crab meat is the sweetest, and in her opinion, the best.
  • Her favorite pasta dish to make includes bottarga (salted fish ro from mullet or tuna). Buy the bottarga pressed so you can shave it over the pasta noodle of your choice. For the sauce, combine breadcrumbs, parsley, chopped onions, and capers.

On Martha:

  • Her favorite kind food is Japanese.  (Fun fact: Although it may seem simple to prep, the ingredients take years to cure. Seafood for instance can take up to 24 months to dry.) If you’re ever in the NYC area, her favorite sushi restaurants are Sushi Nakazawa and Ichimura.
  • Her favorite dish, however, is her mother’s perogies.
  • On health: sadly her sister recently passed away from a brain aneurysm. Martha was adamant about taking care of yourself, no matter how hectic your schedule. “Exercise everyday, get regular doctor check ups, and drink green juice.”

I always admired Martha Stewart because she was “Martha Stewart!”. However during this conversation, you could see she’s more than just the brand. She exudes passion for everything she does; from sustainable farming, family recipes, to living a healthy lifestyle.

Stay tuned for Martha’s holiday tips!

Martha and me

Happy Eating, XO.

Too busy to go food shopping? No problem.

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It’s summer time, who wants to waste it inside of a grocery store walking down freezing aisles trying to buy enough food so you don’t starve for the week, yet dreaming of how you could be on the beach? Well, we have the perfect solution(s)! There are tons of new sites popping up that will deliver food right to your door. And I’m not just talking about PeaPod or FreshDirect. I’m talking some good quality shh. We ran a post a little while back on some of our faves. Here comes round two…

instacart Fill up your online cart and a personal shopper will deliver it to you in about an hour. Um, yes please?! (Although they’re not available everywhere (yet), they are available in the big cities: NYC, Philly, Chicago, LA.)

FreshNationLogo You know the rage this summer is all about farmers markets. Can’t seem to get to one, but don’t want to miss out on the trend? Fresh Nation will have the food delivered to you! No more carting heavy bags up five flights of stairs.

You can also check out your local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). Some require pick up, but at least you’ll be outside!

 

Happy Delivery! Er, Eating!

For those nights you just really can’t deal

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Listen up here, I know this title may be shocking to some of you as this is a blog about recipes, but we all have those moments that we are just too tired or bored with our go-to meals that we need a little help from the outsiders. Below are some suggestions for the times where we can’t be bothered with grocery lists, grocery store lines, and just the whole thinking of how and what to make.

Blue Apron First batter up is, Blue Apron – Their claim to fame is: “A better way to cook. Fresh ingredients, great recipes  delivered weekly to your home”.

PlatedOur second contender (by the way this is in no specific order, definitely not in terms of preference either) is Plated – which is similar to the above in that they want you to: “Cook something extraordinary tonight. Chef-designed recipes & fresh ingredients delivered to your door”.

Fresh 20Last is this little gem that I referenced in my weeknight dinner recipe. It somehow got buried in the rambling of my blog post, Fresh 20 – means shopping for 20 Ingredients in 20 Minutes to prep the entire week’s meals. It takes an hour at the start of your week to save you valuable time during busy weeknights.

I don’t want to hear any of you ever sigh and say “I just can’t”. Good food doesn’t have to be a pain in the butt. Get your A game on and check out one of these sites to help you eat well with minimal effort.

Happy Eating, XO.