January -- Festive Fare
In 2008, I'm turning thirty and getting married, and it's the biggest election year in a lifetime--and those are just the things we know for sure. NYE08 needed to be rung in with appropriate fanfare and I pulled out all the stops. It required days of preparation, hundreds of dollars, and many courses--caviar, shrimp, pate, lobster, cheese, washed down with copious quantities of martinis and some fantastic estate-grown rosé.
Yes, caviar two ways, or eggs two ways, depending on how you want to look at it: on tiny buckwheat blinis, with creme fraiche, and on top of stuffed quail eggs.
Next up: shrimp cocktail with a fabulous, horseradish-spiked cocktail sauce:
It felt too gruesome to take pictures of the lobsters in their steamy final moments, so you'll have to take my word for it. And the word, my friends, is good.
February: Cold Comfort
I had the excellent good fortune of getting a Presto Salad Shooter for Christmas. Do not judge it by its exceedingly silly name: it is a totally versatile kitchen appliance, much easier to use than a food processor when your recipe calls for a quick sprinkling of shredded cheese, sliced cucumber or grated nuts. I love it, and while as often as not I use it to make quick-and-dirty "nachos" (extra sharp cheddar grated and melted over a plate full of Spicy Nacho Doritos -- you can take the girl out of Downriver, but you can't take the Downriver out of the girl), it is capable of churning out serious cuisine -- like this silkily seductive mac-and-cheese made of double-creme brie, l'Etivaz, and Grafton Village cheddar. Comment on dit "Awww. Yeah."?
In keeping with this bistro classics theme and inspired by a really superb dinner --long, leisurely and in good company--at L'Absinthe in NYC, I've become obsessed with a perfectly roasted chicken. This little poulet roti made me really happy. I'm still working on my pan sauce, though.
And of course, there were desserts. Aided substantially by the versatile Salad Shooter (not just for salads!): Apple Brown Betty.
And, to show some V-Day love to co-workers and friends, Red Velvet Cupcakes:
This is a fantasticrecipe, from Magnolia Bakery by way of Epicurious. Be warned, though: making it will make your kitchen look like a nefarious back-alley abortionist's.
March: Rite of Spring
OK, it still goes down into the thirties at night, but the days are longer and warmer, right? What better way to welcome spring than by eating a baby animal? Slowly braised in good olive oil and finely chopped aromatic vegetables, of course, and accompanied by a steaming heap of fragrant risotto.
Hellooooo, osso bucco.
There you have it: how I spent my time while I was off being the worst blogger in the world. Don't worry; the writer's strike ended; it's only 13 days until Opening Day and 90 days until Wedding Day; that should give me something else to talk about:-)
Hellooooo, osso bucco.
There you have it: how I spent my time while I was off being the worst blogger in the world. Don't worry; the writer's strike ended; it's only 13 days until Opening Day and 90 days until Wedding Day; that should give me something else to talk about:-)
