Meyer Lemon-Olive Oil Cake

Come January, my body does not crave sweets in the same manner as the other months of the year. Perhaps I require a period of reprive after spending countless hours baking during the holiday season. Or maybe it is my overconsumption of Christmas cookies and goodies. Whatever the reason, I naturally transition into wanting hearty, healthy eats.

For most chilly January days my diminished sweet tooth presents no issue - Mike must usually be coerced into eating anything other than chocolate chip cookies, so the lack of dessert is no cause for concern. But his mother and aunt joined us for lunch last weekend and not serving dessert was an unimaginable option.

Per their request, we decided to order lunch from our favorite neighborhood Italian restaurant. Flipping through my recipe file, I stumbled upon a recipe for a lemon olive oil cake. It may not be a traditional Italian dessert, but I figured it would pair beautifully with the thin crust, wood-fired pizza and rich, creamy penne vodka.

At the store, a basket of Meyer lemons beckoned me like a ray of sunshine and I immediately decided to utilize these yolk-colored beauties for their traditional relative. As a cross between a mandarian orange and a lemon, Meyer lemons provide a distinguishable sweetness, with far less acidity than a regular lemon.

Winter Chicken Noodle Soup

The remnants of the crippling Christmas snowstorm are still visible here in New York City. The dirty snow drifts slowly melt into the crowded sidewalks, littered with uncollected mountains of trash. As I write, fluffy snowflakes fall steadily outside the living room window. Media outlets are vying to see if the city implements lessons learned from last week’s accumulation. Mike just departed for work, looking especially handsome in his new snow boots and cozy flannel shirt.

And yet this impending snow storm provides a feeling of excitement, the same feeling a child receives on a snow day from school. Once both parties safely return home from work, there is something incredibly romantic about a snowed-in weekend. We stocked our groceries, ran any pressing errands, and now have nowhere to go, nowhere to be for the next two days. We have shelves lined with books, a fancy new Scrabble board, and an endless supply of Mike’s recently bottled hard apple cider.

Such cozy weekends beg for a hearty soup, one with an ability to warm you down to your tippy toes. One of my favorite choices is chicken noodle soup, but the usual bowl can sometimes taste a bit thin. Keeping the classic components of the soup in mind, I created a one-pot version, ensuring every morsel of taste and flavor infuses the resulting soup. The roasting chicken creates the initial layer of flavor, later deglazed with a healthy dose of chardonnay, and eventually the soft, caramelized vegetables drown in flavorful chicken stock.

In the Cucina

Early last spring, working my way through my daily line-up of food blogs, a post by Joy the Baker caused me to pause in question. Her words were simple enough, alerting her faithful fan base she updated the ‘About’ section on her sweet blog.

At that point, I was just becoming serious about the process of blogging. I assumed my only readers were family members, so I could not imagine writing anything unknown in my own ‘About’ section. At the off-chance someone unrelated stumbled across my blog, I composed a few paragraphs, and returned to baking cookies.

Like Joy, when I discover a new blog, I also instinctively want to know more about the author. Where in this big world are they writing their posts? How did they develop an interest in food? What do they look like? I want to feel as though I know, or at least share some connection, with the person behind the words and the camera.

That said, I recently realized my own ‘About’ section no longer adequately described either me or my adventures in the kitchen. It was silly to think these pages are set in stone - instead they should evolve, reflecting progress in the author’s life.

So if you want to know a bit more about me, here I am, as of today. And as my future and path continue to unfold, I will be sure to keep you updated.  In the meantime, feel free to continue sending me your questions, food related or otherwise.

Brooklyn Brewery: A Photographic Tour

The Brooklyn Brewery is one of my favorite places in New York City. The exposed brick, industrial setting, and worn wooden picnic benches welcome me on each visit, enticing me to pass a few relaxing hours with friends and sip delicious brews.

Mike and I venture to the converted warehouse as early as possible on weekend mornings to snag a sliver of table and play a few handfuls of gin. When the beer begs for a warm, cheesy sidekick, we call down the street to Vinnie's, and within 20 minutes we are indulging in a fresh pie. People also bring picnics, although this option always slips my mind.

The brewery offers quick, informative tours and the friendly employees are always willing to answer any questions. We usually forgo the tour, although we do opt to participate when introducing the brewery to family or friends for the first time.

An expansion is already underway at Brooklyn Brewery and there will soon be more space not only for brewing, but also for us locals who love to pass an afternoon sipping on their delicious recipes.

Brooklyn Brewery
http://www.brooklynbrewery.com
79 North 11th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211-1913
Phone: (718) 486-7422


Hours: Friday 6 pm to 11 pm; Saturday 12 pm to 8 pm; Sunday 12 pm to 6 pm
Tours (free): On the hour: Saturday 12 pm to 5 pm; Sunday 1 pm to 4 pm
Subway: L to Bedford Avenue

Photographic Tours

As the train steams forward across vast Virginia farmland, I sink into the wide business class seat, stretching my legs forward. For the first time, I am traveling by train thanks to the total shutdown of New York City airports.

The end of 2010 approaches as rapidly as the passing trees, abandoned barns, and cows. To pass the time, I organize photos of the previous year. Since purchasing my beloved dSLR in March, we have been attached at the hip, and there are now few places I venture without the heavy, safe strap around my neck.

Not surprisingly, food comprises most of my photos. Another chunk of my photos are places I frequent, mostly around New York City: markets, restaurants, and bars. I realize I did not share most of these with you because I was uncertain if you are interested in the daily happenings of a Manhattan-ite.

Whether that interest exists or not, I have decided to start sharing more snippets of my daily life. Perhaps these photographs will help you in planning an upcoming trip or just help you escape your daily routine for a few moments. Either way, I hope they provide a true glimpse of what it is like to live and work in this city.