Sassy Radish

It doesn’t cease to amaze me that while I am never late for dinner, an appointment, or even a party (fashionably late, what?), I can’t for the life of me meet my own deadlines. There’s a lemon tart that I’ve got for you in the next few weeks that was made nearly a year ago, but because I had missed the citrus season was tucked away for the year, leaving me with pangs of guilt. It’s coming, I promise, sometime mid-January. And while I also promise to throw some less waist-challenging fare your way, I firmly believe in indulging, if only a little, around the calendar. I will also try not to be tardy on my own blog. That, perhaps, might be my only New Year’s resolution.

While offering cookies after Christmas is a little bit like responding to a party invite a day after the party took place and promising to make something for it, I’m going to stick my neck out and tell you about these cookies after all. They’re good, very good indeed, and if you are looking for something festive-looking to usher in the New Year, look no further. They’re as sophisticated as cookies get, dressed up in black and white, toothsome, laced with white pepper. They are an adult, black-tie version of the Oreo, an Oreo that at the same time, kind of wants to be a whoopie pie. It’s made for a decadent feast, but then again, who’s ever wanted to have a humble New Year’s party?

Continue reading salt & pepper cookies.

Come Wednesday, Andrew and I are heading back to Boston’s North Shore where we’ll be visiting our families. Our towns are the kind of historic New England towns where the houses are often brandishing signs of the year they were built, the glass in the windows is always thicker at the bottom suggesting a notable age, and the entryway doors are lower and shorter hearkening back to the time when people were simply of a more modest height. We are neighbors to Salem, with its rich and dark history of persecutions, Puritans and propriety. Halloween is a real hoot there, by the way. And nearby is a little town named Marblehead. It’s a coastal town, small, beautiful, quaint. It delivers brutal winds in the winter and a much-needed breeze in the summer off the Atlantic. Sometimes you can spot a lobster or two sunning themselves in the shallow water. Marblehead, like Salem, is also rich in history, and its early sailors are considered the forerunners of the American Navy. It is also a town rich in fishing and fishermen. This cookie here belongs to them.

It’s not often that a cookie hails from the same place as you. And when you find out that it does, you pay attention and take notice. Especially when this cookie comes with a history and a story. On the outside, the cookie looks humble. It is, as you can see, brown and outside of a few sparkly granules of sugar decorating its top – it is a cookie unadorned. And it kind of likes it that way. It’s a cookie that doesn’t boast, isn’t in your face, and just quietly goes about its business with resolve and persistence.

Continue reading ginger rum molasses cookies – joe froggers.

Alas, we have arrived to the season of the cookie, perhaps the most inspired of all seasons because, let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a good cookie? It’s cold outside (and if you’ve been living on the East Coast, ooooh-weee did it get cold, or did it get cold?), you’ve got a cup of tea by your side, and you can’t be expected to have your tea solo, now can you? No, your tea deserves a companion, a partner in crime (if eating cookies is indeed a crime), and nothing accompanies a hot tea better than a simple, humble butter cookie. Also, few things make a better homemade gift around this time of year. Certainly, from the looks of it the butter cookie might come across as too unambitious a player in the Christmas cookie assortment, but it is precisely because it’s so unassuming and straight-forward, that it is the most versatile. Add a bit of lemon zest to it, and I’m a goner.

I should probably confess first that the butter cookie, the sablé, is my favorite type of cookie in the world. Throw a macaron in my direction and I’ll gladly, and gratefully, eat it. But give me a butter cookie, a tender, melt-in-your-mouth rich morsel of the perfect marriage of butter, sugar, and eggs, and I will be yours forever. It’s that easy. And no, while Andrew didn’t woo me with sablés, he sure appreciates a good cookie when he sees one. And this cookie that I got for you today is that cookie. It is perfection embodied and it comes in such a delightfully small size, that you could have a couple and not feel like you’ve just made a mess of things. One bite and the cookie melts in your mouth.

Continue reading lemon butter cookies.

Before I start with the onslaught of cookies, I wanted to share with you my suggestions for edible gifts. This will be a list that will keep growing and eventually will become its own page (once I figure out the coding details). But personally, I love nothing more, than a token of someone’s craft be it candy, cookies, or preserves. It’s a delightful way to spoil someone. Should you be watching your wallet as well, it’s a way to give a gift, without breaking a bank. Happy cooking and eating!

Salty Cashew Brittle	Fleur de Sel Caramels
Orangettes	Pepita Brittle
Spicy Marshmallows	Sugar & Spice Candied Nuts
Truffles with Cayenne	Homemade Oreos

Before I officially kick off some seasonal cookie recipes in the next few days, I want to share these muffins with you. You probably have already figured out from the title – Concord grapes are long gone and won’t be back until next fall. I’m sorry, it’s not fair for me to tease you like this, but I can’t allow this recipe to languish in the dark corners of my computer for nearly a year. I want you to tuck this recipe away somewhere, where you can easily find it. Also, I want you to mark your calendars for mid-September of next year. Pick a day and over it write “Concord Grape Muffins”. You won’t forget to make them, and trust me, you’ll thank me for the reminder.

Concord grapes and I go way back. As in “back in Russia” way back where we called them Isabella grapes, purchased them for eating (as opposed to juicing), and ate them spitting out the pits (it’s not pretty, trust me). I hadn’t tasted a single seedless grape until I arrived to America. Grapes without pits – now that’s the ticket! Those grapes were yet another thing to make me tumble into love with my new homeland even more. Already, it offered some irresistible things in the way of food: pizza, chocolate chip cookies, brownies, Thanksgiving, peanut butter and chocolate together. But nothing – and I mean nothing – tastes like a Concord grape, unless you want to throw grape juice into the mix. And while I suspect, not many crave a tart grape with gelatinous flesh, I continue to pop them like candy, so much so that while I bought a few bunches intending to make this, I remembered my original intention only after I’d eaten the last grape of the bunch.

Continue reading concord grape muffins.

Are you out of baking powder and don’t want to leave the house, but want/need to make those cookies? You can easily make your own by combining the following ingredients and amounts: 1 teaspoon baking soda + 2 teaspoons cream of tartar + 1 teaspoon corn starch. You can increase or decrease the amount, and once mixed, store in the refrigerator. Best part – you can ensure that your homemade baking powder is aluminum free.

Who wouldn’t want this Upside Down Apron for their kitchen? Not only does it protect your clothes from stains brought on by cooking, it also gives you cooking times and measurements printed upside down, so when you are wearing the apron the print is right-side up for you! It’s a win-win for everyone. Don’t you want one for yourself and one to give as a gift?

For a friend of family member who has the everlasting crush on Brooklyn (o hai), this pair of Fishs Eddy Brooklyn Mugs just might be the ticket. Morning coffee will never taste better. Also, they have just the right amount of aesthetic – I think coffee mugs should strike a nice balance between restraint and design.

Do you have a baker in the family? Does she (or he!) make stunning layer cakes for every festive occasion (or just because?)? This milk cake stand might be the most beautiful way to display those cakes – what an entrance would they make? The minty green has just the right amount of retro, but the clean lines around the edges spell modern.

Simon Pearce Pie Dishes – I’ve fallen in love with Simon Pearce glass. We visited the store and studio while in Vermont over Thanksgiving – and Andrew’s parents generously gifted us with a this stunning Barre serving bowl. I can’t stop staring at it. On our way out, I saw these pie dishes and decided that my next Simon Pearce splurge will involve one of these – just look at them – aren’t they works of art?

I know some cooks might be apprehensive about using a cast iron pan. You can’t put it in the dishwasher, you can’t soak it, you can’t use harsh ingredients, you have to dry it after cleaning, you have to periodically reseason it. Sounds like a pain in the butt! But trust me, this will be your workhorse, your go-to pan, and if you take care of it, it’ll last a lifetime, and might be something you pass onto your children. It goes from stove-top to oven, you can make latkes, roast a chicken, or bake a tarte tatin, just to name a few. It’ll be indispensable and well-loved, and since we could all use more room in our kitchens, aren’t items that can multi-task the best? Besides, no one can argue with this price tag, especially when knowing that this can be a lifetime investment.

Pricy – yes. Insanely useful and can last forever – also yes. Staub enjoys an almost fanatical following from its users and with good reason: the quality and versatility are incredible. This 5-quart cocotte above is a great size that will allow you to make soup, chili, braise a chicken, bake a loaf of that no-knead bread. In stores, when I was doing research and was asking about Le Creuset vs Staub, everyone kept voting for Staub. “But Le Creuset photographs better,” I whined. The ardent Staub loyalists pointed out to me, however, that Staub has more enamel coatings and is thus more resistant to chipping; the dark interior has ground up quartz in it which make for better heat resistance and a rougher surface (which gives better browning); and those strategically placed spikes on the lid help with the braising process. Plus, they were slightly cheaper, being a younger brand that has more to prove. In short – I’m now an owner of 3! Though to be fair, I paid only for one of them and it was on sale for $50 at TJMaxx. I know – life just isn’t fair. But $50 or $200 – this might be a really lovely and thoughtful splurge on someone near and dear to you: a boyfriend who loves to make chili for a Sunday football game, or a mother-in-law who loves to braise. Besides, when not being used for cooking, this cocotte doubles rather excellently as a free weight you use in lieu of going to the gym.

Those who’ve lived this long without an immersion blender, upon being given one will thank you endlessly for opening their world to a better life. I mean it – these are indispensable! Imagine not having to use dirty a blender to puree your soup – it can be done in the very pot your soup is cooking. Fewer dishes to wash – sign me up! This is a perfect give for someone who seriously lacks kitchen space – I am dearly attached to mine.

And let’s not forget cookbooks. This has been a great year for cookbooks – with some wonderful ones coming out. I tried to keep myself on a budget and not buy every cook book I wanted, but I did treat myself to a few and a few were generously sent to me for review. Here’s a sampling of the ones that have charmed me: Around My French Table, In the Kitchen With a Good Appetite, The Essential New York Times Cookbook, Gluten-Free Girl & The Chef, Ready for Dessert, Baked: Explorations, Sticky Gooey Crispy Crunchy, Good To the Grain, and The Perfect Finish. My requirement to make the cut was simple – each one I set aside at least six recipes to make. If I’m missing a few, please forgive me – I’ll be back in the apartment tomorrow night and double check to make sure I didn’t miss any books. Me – what cookbook(s) do I want this holiday season? Plenty and Ottolenghi: The Cookbook – by Yotam Ottolenghi. Ever since our trip to London and the most amazing meal there, I’ve been dreaming of those cookbooks, which I’m hoping to make mine sometime soon. Is self-gifting too self-indulgent?

This is that time of the year when we are all searching for the perfect gift for our friends and family, but find ourselves constrained by time, the weather, and if, like me, you live in a city, having to carry everything by yourself running from one store to the other. Me – I’m not a schlepper of things. I am an online orderer, though I do like to browse some shops from time to time.

As far as gifts go, there are many considerations to make, nevermind minding your budget as these things add up quickly. Each year I get excited for the guides from Design*Sponge among many others. This year, I absolutely loved Luisa’s guide which turned me onto the Amco lemon squeezer. Anyway, here are a few of my favorite non-kitchen related things that you might like. I’ll have the kitchen one ready for you in the next few days. Until then – enjoy these!

Red Flower Candles – I first fell in love with Red Flower products over six years ago when a friend gifted me a candle. It was Moroccan Rose and to this day it remains my favorite candle fragrance. I randomly wound up sitting next to the founder, the beautiful and elegant Yael Alkalay, on a train one day and told her just how much I loved her products. Red Flower candles use sustainably sourced, natural ingredients, and burn for 50 (!) hours (that’s a bang for your buck!), filling your home with a very pure, natural scent. I’ve tried just about every luxury candle brand out there and this is my favorite one hands down. And while candles are sort of a “general” gift given out to hostesses and such, these candles are different – not a single scent that smells overwhelming or overly perfumey. Each is lovely. Whoever receives this will thank you for introducing them to the brand.

High Street Market – I love the vintage products such as this milk glass bowl from High Street Market, one of my favorite Etsy shops. Each item is beautiful, striking, unique. Last year, I shopped here for a bunch of holiday gifts. I found an antique horse-head letter opener for my friend Brita and a beautiful silver fruit bowl for Jennie. This bowl, among so many things in this store, would make a wonderful and thoughtful gift. Just imagine how beautiful citrus will look in it!

Dear Fieldbinder, – Sigh. I want everything from this boutique. Each. And. Every. Thing. Every item that makes it into the store is carefully curated and selected with a keen eye and precision. Not only is the stuff great, but consistent in their feel from one piece to the next. My most coveted items, besides their Madison Marcus dresses, are their stunning jewelry items such as the earrings above. And while many of the items at the store aren’t exactly a bargain, this is a place for a thoughtful splurge-worthy kind of a gift.

Shlomit Ofir – So here is another Etsy favorite of mine – Israeli jewelry designer, Shlomit Ofir. Last year besides High Street Market, I was besotted with her entire line. So much so that pretty much many of the ladies in my life got necklaces and earrings from her fabulous line. And I’ve picked up a few items this year – the bird necklace above is simple, elegant and while offering a vintage feel, does it in a modern, clean style.

I think these bowls from Heath Ceramics are lovely. As is everything else they offer in their store from tableware to houseware. I’m always blown away by people’s ability to “curate” their stores, and not just sell objects, but works of art that are consistent with their vision of aesthetic. These bowls are not just items for your home – they’re handmade with expertise and meticulous attention to quality. If you give one to your mom – she’ll proudly display it at every family gathering!

Brooklyn Tailors Shirt – is what I’d give my boyfriend as a gift had I not gone and splurged already for him on an iPad and a cloud and airplane themed tie (two things he loves!). But I’m keeping an eye on this amazing Brooklyn-based husband and wife team that makes stunning bespoke shirts for men (and ladies) using crisp, classic fabrics. I know Andrew would look stunning in one!

As I write this, my heart is somewhere in Vermont, where Andrew and I spent Thanksgiving week with his family and friends in a cozy house replete with bananagrams, a thousand piece puzzle, naps, and snow. It was perfection and neither one of us wanted to return to New York where lately I’ve been feeling a beat or two behind. We ate, rested, laughed. We watched quite a bit of football. There was a mishap with a golf cart that got stuck on the field. And everything about our trip left us grateful for having amazing family and friends. We’d go back in a heartbeat.

This post took me a whole week to write. A whole week, people! A Sisyphean task! I’ve been writing distractedly lately, and it’s been really hard to get my mind focused and honed on this wee space here. There are changes in the air; changes I will write about more clearly soon, but they have been on my mind in a singular, all-consuming way.

Continue reading chana masala.

If you need to roll out your dough, but lack a rolling pin (maybe yours got lost in the move, or you went on a trip and didn’t bring one), you can always use an empty wine bottle to roll out the dough. It does the trick in a pinch, and until I found my dream rolling pins here and here, I was doing just that.