me bespoke

What do you think of the new title?  Clearly I needed a new one.  I met a friend out for a drink a couple of weeks ago and at the top of the bar menu was written, Bespoke Cocktails.  I've been entranced by the word ever since.  It means tailored, or tailor-made, among other less romantic definitions.  I'll lift the veil and tell you that the original title was a newlywed tribute to Eric's thesis.  We've been doing some growing since then and I don't think he needs my blog title anymore to spur him on to greater heights.  So, I'm going to sit with this one for a bit. 

moules frites, three years better

Omg, I was completely obsessed with Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine.  And, I apologize.  I forgive you self.  Seriously, that was crazy to read some oldie posts.  I went back looking for the first time we cooked mussels and found it along with way too many references to Everyday Food.  Umm, next time I do that, please tell me.  We made them (mussels) again last night and blew our first attempt out of the water, three years later.  Because for one -we used an actual recipe, and two -we made some frites to go on top.  Don't skip the frites.  I know I'm getting close to overdoing it on the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook references, but I did get the recipe there, coincidentally.  :)

Sunday night, please don't leave me.   

something for you, something for me

Today I put my daughter in line to exchange a Valentine's Day card with Curious George.  This costumed adult was probably four times the size of the "real" Curious George which made me wonder why they didn't just use a puppet.  Understandably, she looked stunned.  I walked away feeling sheepish and a little embarrassed that I had taken part in the commercialization of the holiday.  But then she wouldn't put down her Valentine, kept smiling at it, nibbling on it and asking where Curious George was.  Okay fine, no harm done.  Plus, I got us each something to pass the afternoon.   :)

an everyday cake

It came, it snowed, it went.  After the weekend retreat the pantry is dismally bare.  What to make, what to make.  Olive oil ricotta cake!  It sounds so odd, but it tastes so good.  I hope Smitten Kitchen will forgive me just this once for copying this recipe out for you.  I might be able to call it an adaption since I baked it in a cast-iron skillet and omitted the concord grape coulis to drape over it. 
 
1 cup full-fat or fresh ricotta
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
confectioners' sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl whisk together the ricotta, olive oil, sugar and lemon zest.  Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each one.  Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together, right over the wet ingredients.  Mix with a spoon until just combined. 

Pour batter into a lightly greased 10" cast-iron skillet and bake for 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let stand for 10 minutes and then invert onto plate. 

something to mark the days: blizzard and beef

It's snowing!!!  I didn't sleep well last night.  I kept waking up with fear that the storm was going to come early and I had yet to stock up at Whole Foods.  It did not come early and we made there and back safely.  So now I'm just tired.  But!  I have lots to be thankful for, including another adorable bag of flageolet beans, a fennel bulb AND some too-good-to-be-true stewing beef!!!  I'm so grateful that there is meat inside our home and snow outside it.  Be gone you Big Mac commercial and let's give a warm welcome to some beef stew.  Beans tonight, beef tomorrow.  And, of course, more raspberry crumb bars.  

side note -a little bet has been waged on what the Boston Globe will headline this storm.  My husband thinks it is only a matter of time before we start reading "Blinding Nemo".  I'm not so sure.  Actually, I am sure.  I'm sure that he will be the only one to have coined this terrible pun.  I'll let you know who wins.    

more on February

I always seem to be minutes or months late on finding out about anything worth going to, she whines.  Seriously though.  My post-bedtime trips to the local bookstore usually get me there just in time for the conclusion of some intriguing Author Event.  Frustrating on its own, and doubly frustrating because all the fixtures are moved around, making my leisurely browse very difficult.  And then just moments ago I read that Deb Perelman, author of the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, was at Fish's Eddy in NYC on December 11th for her book tour.  No big deal.  That is only my favorite store in the whole city.  (It used to be Anthroplogie in SoHo before it became a huge corporate chain that stole my creative license for two years.  Shop there, don't work there.  Trust me on this one.)  These are the precious moments that you don't get back, she continues to whine.  One of these days I'm going to be on the correct mailing list, check the correct website or show up at some book store moments before some magical event is about to begin.

Oh well.  Back to plotting my survival of February.  Homemade granola bars are helping.  I ate half the pan of the last batch so I'm off to make another, this time without the quarter cup of brown sugar.  They were a little on the sweet side.  It's another Barefoot recipe.  from Back to Basics.  I think they are worth making.  Especially if you made your husband give up the store-bought ones by Nature Valley as soon as you came around. 

February detox

It's a typical Monday over here.  In the morning we go to this perfectly wonderful little play school.  This wears us all out completely.  We come back, I make lunch with one eye open, get Naomi and Verity set up for their naps and hit the couch moments later.  I then pry myself up to savor every last moment of the solitude in the upright position.  There are beans soaking on the stove to make my favorite Monday detox meal.  Black beans and brown rice with avocado, lime and salsa.  It was no January Juice but we did alright to separate ourselves from the holiday feasting in the new year.  As the month wore on we got a little slack.  Now its February and in our cupboards you can find conversation hearts, girl scout cookies and a half eaten bag of super bowl chips.  It is time to get back on the wagon.  Starting tonight.