A few favorite looks from Christian Siriano’s fall collection. I’m in luck- I’m attending a Siriano fashion show this weekend. Ok, so it’s in Baltimore and not New York, but hey, I’ll take it.
The bebes turn 9 months tomorrow- whoa- and my father in law is paying us a visit. I’m going to make this and drink this (a full report with tasting note to follow), we’ll hang with the bebes and head out to the Baltimore School of the Arts gala. My hubby has choreographed a piece for the school that debuts tomorrow night with the fashion show to follow. An alumni of the school, Siriano will be chairing the gala and bringing his looks from the NYC runway to Bmore. Woohoo! As a loyal Project Runway fan, I love me some Siriano. Sunday, I hop a train to NY to co-host a baby shower for my dear friend, Katy Robbins- Volatizing’s resident style maven extraordinaire. Things are usually pretty low key around here but this weekend looks to be kind of stellar. How about you- what are you up to this weekend?
How much is too much? Coffee, I mean. Ever since the bebes have been strictly on the bottle, I have been on a coffee crazed binge. Well, let’s be honest- I’ve been on an Bialetti-brewed Illy and expensive artisanal coffee shop hipster-decorated latte binge. Delicious- yes. Wallet friendly- no. Healthy- probably not so much. I’m pushing 4 cups a day. I don’t know, everyone’s got their vice right? Mine is maybe one or two too many cups of delicious coffee, oh and dark chocolate. And not just a teeny feminine square per day, but sometimes nearly half a bar. Stop the insanity. Some things are just too good to give up. This all while I’m trying to lose the baby weight- right. But really, how much IS too much? What do you think? What is a sane amount of coffee per day? How many cups do you have? Please do tell.
(Above, a cup from one of my favorite local coffee spots, Northside Social. They use Counter Culture Coffee and boy can they brew a mean cup. I’ve actually caught myself “Mmmmm-ing” aloud. Embarrasing. The food is also great (especially the Spinach, Egg and Vermont Cheddar sandwich on an IPA roll) with a wine bar to boot from 5pm on. Check it out if you’re near DC.)
A Coffee Beer Float- genius, right? This, your brunch guests will love. How can they not? It’s a little meal in a cup and a yummy one at that. We recently had brunch with the bebes at the newish Maple on DC’s 1 1th St. restaurant corridor. The food at Maple is very good, the place itself is chic and relaxed- but this brunch friendly float was the standout.
It’s so easy to make, it’s almost ridiculous.
Here’s What You Need:
Flying Dog’s Wild Dog Coffee Stout
Black Raspberry Chambord
Vanilla Gelato- as a New Yorker I’m partial to L’Arte del Gelato but Ciao Bella does just fine too.
Here’s How You Make It:
1. Pour a 1/2 glass of Coffee Stout
2. Throw in a splash black raspberry Chambord
3. Toss in 1 scoop of vanilla gelato
4. Voila- a happy little cocktail for a wintery Sunday
Around this time last year when I was prego, I read Pamela Druckerman’s Bringing Up Bébé. While I did take issue with some of the author’s thoughts as I thought them a bit lofty and unrealistic, I largely found it to be a good read and pretty useful. The main theme and lesson I took from the book is the idea that by teaching your children the art of patience, you are ultimately helping them in their life’s journey. It does make sense. ‘Tis a virtue, that patience- it sure is.
In any case, one of the chapters focused on the French yogurt cake, gâteau au yaourt. This is supposedly the first thing a French child learns to bake by his or herself due to the simple ingredients and easy instructions. I thought it might be fun to take a crack at it seeing as I am usually altogether oven-challenged myself. If a 3 year old French kid can do this, surely so can I. We’ll see. We are off to NY on a mini road trip to see family and play with cousins. This would be a fun recipe to tackle with my nieces. In the meantime, here is the recipe via Clotilde Dusoulier’s Chocolate and Zucchini. I’ve always been a fan of her blog and she’s a Frenchie, so it must be authentic.
What are your plans for the weekend? As always, Cin Cin and Enjoy!
- 2 eggs
- 250ml (1 cup) whole milk plain unsweetened yogurt (if you use two 125ml or 4oz tubs, you can use them to measure out the rest of the ingredients)
- 200g (1 cup) sugar (you can use an empty tub of yogurt and measure the equivalent of 2 yogurt tubs if you used the 125ml or 4oz kind)
- 80ml (1/3 cup) vegetable oil (or a bit less than 1 yogurt tub)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (or 4 yogurt tubs)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- a good pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla paste/extract
- 1 tablespoon light rum
Preheat the oven to 180° C (350° F), line the bottom of a round 25-cm (10-inch) cake pan with parchment paper and grease the sides. In a large mixing-bowl, gently combine the yogurt, eggs, sugar, vanilla, oil, and rum. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture into the yogurt mixture, and blend together — don’t overwork the dough. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean. Let stand for ten minutes, and transfer onto a rack to cool.
{Image Credit: Penny Klett at Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen}
Going on a fabulous holiday in the Greek Isles? No? Well, just do as the Romans do (or in this case, Italians in general), and make it up. Apparently over 3 million Italians have been found to fib about a phantom holiday. Embarrased, ashamed- whatever, Italians feel pressure to lie about their vacations, or lack thereof, to keep up appearances. If you can’t afford to take one, just make one up. Fake it ’til you make it? Hmmm. I came across this while reading Joanna Goddard’s Cup of Jo. The Guardian article is from 2003, I can’t imagine much has changed. Read the article here.
Better yet. Who needs a swim in Santorini? Well, ok- who doesn’t, but as a very wallet friendly alternative, just plan a mini stay-cay with all things Greek.
Pick up a bottle of a Santorini white (Sigalas is my personal favorite but just look for the Assyrtiko grape) to start your holiday. I am loving the volcano these days. The mineral notes from the volcanic isle of Santorini along with hints of fresh lemon peel and sea salt may just make you want to jump up and do the Tsamikos. Prepare yourself a lovely feta, watermelon and mint salad and you’re good to go. Joy the Baker’s recipe here includes sesame seeds, a nice addition. Lay on the moussaka if that doesn’t satisfy, it is February after all and you may need a more stick-to-your-ribs kind of meal. Netflix yourself some Summer Lovers-a hilariously cheese-filled romp through the Greek Isles starring a very young Peter Gallagher and Daryl Hannah- or better yet the Harry Hamlin Clash of the Titanswhich never disappoints if you are into cheesy 80s special effects and Burgess Meredith. I must have seen Clash of the Titans at least 100 times. Growing up, it was a favorite in our household. I later did Chicago with Lisa Rinna and had Harry sign a vintage Titans poster for my little bro. Maybe the best present ever. I mean really, who wouldn’t want Perseus’ John Hancock? But, I digress… Would you, or have you ever faked a vacay?
Ok, I know we’d all rather be frolicking at the Acropolis- especially alongside Jackie O.- but this is not a half bad alternative for a random Tuesday night in February.
{Image Credit: Infinity pool shots in Santorini, Perivolas Resort; Watermelon, Feta and Mint Salad by Joy Wilson, Jackie O. at the Acropolis from Russ Considine‘s private collection. }
It’s Super Bowl weekend again. I’m not the most devoted NFL fan but I do love a good game, let’s bring it Raven and 49ers. I’ve always liked the 49ers but now that I live in the DC area, I kind of have to go for the Ravens so… Go Ravens!
Even more fun than the game (for me at least) is the food, drinks and sometimes the halftime show. Beyoncé will be bringing it as she always does- lip-syncing or not (she is one of the few living performers who can totally pull off shades in rehearsal- see above) and I’ve decided I’m all about dips this year. I will be making this white queso dip from the Brokeass Gourmet, this buffalo shrimp dip from Skinny Taste (I’m usually not much one for low cal recipes, but hey- something’s gotta give somewhere in this menu) and serving The Sauce Queens‘ delicious salsa- totally obsessed. I cannot get enough of this stuff. They don’t have major distribution yet but if you happen to live in the DC area, you can find their salsa at Whole Foods. We think they should go on Shark Tank- another obsession. I just finished listening to Barbara Corcoran’s memoir/business guide, Shark Tales. She is a girl with gusto and her book is a funny and endearing peek into her ambition filled career with sweet anecdotes from her childhood and life lessons from her badass mother. Barbara is one of 10 children, if that tells you anything. A fun listen.
For drinks, I think it’s gotta be DC Brau from the can because, come on- it’s the Super Bowl and a rosé cava. Bubbly is always a good choice with chips but salsa and spicy dips can prove to be tough pairings. The bubbly and the fruit from the rosé should be a good match for the super bowl spice. A good cava also keeps it simple.
For those of you completely uninterested in the game, i.e. those of you who will be tuning into Downton Abbey as opposed to those of us who will be DVRing it and then probably watching post-game, check out this hilarious Downton Abbey Bingo. Last week’s episode was a doozy, bingo will bring a bit of a pick-me-up to this week’s watching.
{Image Credits: Beyoncé photo from her tumblr page, hot and spicy buffalo shrimp dip from SkinnyTaste, Downton Abbey bingo cards from Paste Mag)
Ina Garten’s white wine, lemon and butter sauce is unbelievably good, always a winner, and one I use on so many dishes. I discovered it when making her Chicken Piccata recipe, which is a serious crowd pleaser. I now use the sauce on any and everything I think it will go well with- roasted red potatoes, asparagus, haricots verts, grilled salmon, trout or chicken- you name it, this stuff is indispensable. A simple, basic and delicious French sauce, put in in your recipe book. Thanks Ina!
A few scenes from my recent holiday in the Lone Star State.
Not the original Dr. Pepper recipe from Dublin Bottling Works in Dublin, TX., but a Dr. Pepper made with Imperial Cane Sugar- still pretty darn good. As of last year the original recipe is sadly, no more. The factory sold its rights to the recipe to Dr. Pepper/Snapple after much litigation. Read the New York Times story here. The Dublin bottling co. now makes its own sodas, cola’s take on the craft beer, sold at hipster restos and bars in Austin. A happy ending to a sad tale. I wish I had a stash of the original stuff. I just saw a case up for auction on ebay for $9,999.00. Wowzers. $400 a bottle? I don’t know, I might opt for a bottle of Cheval Blanc instead but there are certainly Pepper fans out there who will pay top dollar for the original sauce.
No trip to Texas is complete without a meal at Joe T.’s and this church sign is just too great.
I love the Greenwood. We threw my mom a surprise 60th here in the tiny town of Bluff Dale.
A coffee shop- Austin style. I took a road trip to visit my brother and sis-in-law in Austin and stopped at the Thunderbird on my way out of town. We went to the Alamo Drafthouse to see Les Miz and to Sway for dinner. Both aces. The Alamo is the only way to see a movie. I had a craft beer and ginger soda cocktail and a Tex-Mex pizza with my Jean Valjean. I can never go to a regular movie theater again. Good thing they seem to be taking over the world. With Alamo Drafthouses opening all over the country in the coming year, soon you won’t be able to go to a regular movie theater ever again either. And Sway is a must for anyone visiting Austin, excellent and inventive modern Thai food. A serious yum.
And my 1st attempt at making cream gravy- a Success! I’m a longtime devotee of this gravy of the Gods but my mom’s always made it. Turns out, I can turn out a pretty mean serving.
Homemade fried pies? Gotta be in Texas. And here’s mother nature just blatantly showing off again. Sunset at my mom’s ranch- pretty spectacular. Thank you and Adios Texas!
Ok, I know it’s the New Year and all and this is not exactly a waist-line happy recipe, but I couldn’t resist. I made this little diddy over the holidays at my mom’s place and thought it worth sharing.
Because I was in Texas, I wondered what a bit of chile powder would do to this traditional chocolate cream pie recipe. Visions of Juliet Binoche infusing her chocolates with chile from the movie, Chocolat danced in my head and I thought I would give it a shot.
The result was pretty delicious. I used Scharffen Berger Bittersweet Dark Chocolate for this recipe. That never hurts.
Crust:
I used store-bought Marie Callendar’s frozen crust and it was delicious. I know, I know but hey, with 6 month old twins, what can you do? If you are ambitious, go for a homemade crust. Recipe here.
Chocolate Cream Filling:
2½ cups half-and-half
double pinch of sea salt
triple pinch of chile powder
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
6 egg yolks, room temperature
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS:
1. Bake the frozen crust according to instructions or make your own crust. Allow to cool.
2. Make the Chocolate Cream Filling:
-Mix the half-and-half, double pinch of sea salt and 3 tablespoons of the sugar in a medium saucepan
-Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon
-In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and remaining sugar
-In a medium bowl, whisk the yolks together for about 30 seconds
-Add the cornstarch and sugar mixture into the saucepan and whisk until glossy, about 1 minute
-When the half-and-half reaches a full simmer in the saucepan, pour ½ cup hot half-and-half over the yolks as you whisk
-Then whisk the egg yolk mixture back into the simmering half-and-half
-Return to a simmer
-Throw in a triple pinch of chile powder
-Continue to whisk until you see bubbles and the mixture is thickened and glossy
-Take your filling off the heat and whisk in the butter.
-Add the finely chopped bittersweet and unsweetened chocolate and whisk until melted and fully integrated.
-Stir in the vanilla.
3. Pour filling into pie crust and refrigerate.
-Pour the filling into the cooled pie crust and Voila!- a triple pinch chile chocolate cream pie.
-Refrigerate your pie for at least 4 hours or until firm.
Michel Chapoutier and Anne-Sophie Pic’s Saint-Peray.
This is an awesome crisp, chalky white for under $20. My tasting notes below, a go-to for me- any night of the week.
Nudo Olive Oil
We adopted an olive tree from a grove and Abruzzo a couple of years ago through Nudo and received these beautiful little tins of olive oil throughout the year. A great idea and a delicious olive oil to boot. I really wanted to go visit our little tree- maybe next time.
My Dutch Bike imports bikes from the Dutch company, Workcycles. These babies are beautiful and the real deal. A bit pricey at around $1900, hey- a girl can dream…
Butter’s Royal Navy is a rich and beautiful navy, I just love a navy nail. Butter is always formaldehyde, toluene and DBP free.
Ok, so they are a bit hipster-ish, but I have to admit- I love these Warby Parkers. I just got mine and really dig them. These are the Zaggs in Tennessee Whiskey.
Jeff Koons designed the ’10 Chateau Mouton-Rothschild label. The most expensive artist on the planet is fitting for this Bordeaux 1st growth.
I’m not a big tat girl, but this is really pretty kickass. Matthew Kaner, beverage director at Bar Covell in LA, sports a northern Rhone-shaped bottle on his arm. Specifically, a Thierry Allemand “Reynard” Cornas Syrah-shaped bottle. Here is a great post on Whitney Adams’ blog, Brunellos Have More Fun, for more info on Matt and his tat.
Former showgirl, forever travel junkie, sometime sommelier, and mom to twin bebes. This little blog is a mixed bag of tasting notes, travels, tales of motherhood, and current musings. Thank you for stopping by. Cin Cin! (photo by Amy Dickerson for Anthology Magazine)
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