Happy New Year! To wrap up the old before heading into the new, I wanted to post food highlights from my 2014. This is basically a random recap of all my favorite thing-from a nacho recipe that was featured on Dr. Oz (see up top), to my new habit of doubling the greens (like bok choy, broccoli rabe, kale, spinach, and swiss chard) when adding them to pasta (see below)…
and being a guest on my favorite radio show—WNYC’s Leonard Lopate!
Here is the rest of my end-of-the-year photo round-up in no particular order, and a warning: DON’T READ WHILE HUNGRY…
No visit to California is complete without getting a double cheeseburger, prepared “animal style” from In & Out Burger (and HERE’s A LINK to their “secret” menu).
I formed a full on love affair with radishes and put them on everything!
I finally had the opportunity to eat transcendent sushi at Sasubune in Los Angeles (cross that one off the bucket list).
Discovering dry-marinating salmon with herbs, spices, and lemon zest before cooking.
Keeping up a tradition of homemade birthday cakes for Conor…no matter how they turn out.
Falling in love again with pink grapefruit and using it in everything from cocktails to salad dressings…let’s keep the Florida citrus farms alive and well!
Going to Buvette in NYC and eating breakfast at the bar as often as possible (also nicking their pens…see them in the ceramic holder??).
Experimenting with frozen puff pastry for quick dinners and easy party food.
Composed salads!
New favorite cake recipe: Coconut Berry from the cookbook Homemade Summer by Yvette van Boven…people flip for it EVERY SINGLE TIME.
Eggs. Just eggs.
If you haven’t already gotten a benriner (Japanese mandoline slicer) after reading KEEPERS then do it ASAP! It’s the BEST/cheapest kitchen gadget that will help you make things like this shredded raw beets salad:
and this quick-cucumber pickle…
Mango lassis in frosty Mason jars.
My friend Maya Kaimal’s addictive chickpea chips, specifically the spicy sweet chili variety. Also gluten-free!
Food & Wine selecting KEEPERS for their annual Best of the Best Cookbooks Edition (can you find us on the cover??)!
This for lunch: Leftover broccoli rabe smashed on toast with ricotta salata and a slice of prosciutto.
Grilling more steaks in summer…
And eating more fresh peas with lots of dill, butter, and salt and also on toast with creme fraiche...
Watching Belgium versus the US in the World Cup!
Ice Cream, ice cream, and more ice cream…
A scoop of fresh basil ice cream on top of a scoop of marscapone from The Bent Spoon in Princeton.
The first crisp of summer with an almond crumble crust.
158 Pickett Street Cafe in South Portland, Maine— still makes the best bagel sandwich I’ve ever had: An everything bagel topped with chile cream cheese, smoked salmon, cucumbers, capers, and onion.
Raspberry stands on the side of the road in Maine…
Eating my cousin Veronique’s crepes in Maine.
Non-pasturized, whole, organic, jersey cow milk from Maine.
Summer vegetable gratins.
Making giant Nicoise salads for summer cottage lunches with friends and family.
More pie-eating contests!
Steamers.
Watching my cousin Veronique eat steamers for the first time.
Sunsets in Maine.
Eating tater tots at Fenway Stadium during Conor’s first Red Sox game.
These gorgeous tomatoes from my CSA Ralston Farm (on toast with mayo and lots of flaky salt).
Did I mention more ice cream? This time from the wondrous Arethusa Dairy in Connecticut.
Putting all of these things in a bowl over grains: Roasted beets, chopped parsley, toasted cashews, leftover roast chicken, pomegranate seeds, and feta.
Remembering to go back-to-basics sometimes because shells and tomato sauce is divinely simple and good (KEEPERS Basic Tomato Sauce!).
Drinking out of bottles
Just this.
You can NEVER eat too many BLTs.
Late summer peppers for roasting and also making Alice Waters’ ratatouille…
Starting off a day in NYC with a stop at Doughnut Plant…
and also ordering one of their pretty green tea matcha lattes.
Jersey peaches.
Realizing that I should really make chilaquiles for breakfast more often.
A new puppy!
Always making TWO banana-chocolate chip breads.
The wonder of bee pollen…sprinkled here on post-yoga morning yogurt with honeycrisp apples and toasted walnuts.
Discovering Sunrise Biscuit Drive-Thru in Chapel Hill (seen here with country ham and egg).
And also eating this gorgeous plate of shrimp & grits at Crook’s Corner in Chapel Hill.
Asian noodles (soba, somen, udon) with nuoc cham sauce and all my favorite things (radish, eggs, toasted nuts, arugula, etc.).
Roasting the carrots with their tops (when they look this good and fresh) and then eating them too.
The crunchy bits on salty pistachio soft serve ice cream at Momofuko Milkbar.
Drinking this delightful local fruit ale called Happy Accident while visiting Madison, WI.
And then on the way home having a layover at Chicago’s O’Hare and getting to eat this torta with a side of margarita at Rick Bayless’s restaurant.
Massaging kale to make this KEEPERS salad with pomegranate and toasted pumpkin seeds.
Making mervielleux pastry (coffee whipped cream, between layers of meringue, with shaved chocolate on top) for the first time at Christmas dinner and having it turn out like this:
YUM!
And last but not least: Watching Conor drink hot chocolate.
THE END! Can’t wait to share more with you in the New Year!!
