What weโre reading and eating this week:
Imagine living in this house?ย Cooking in that kitchen! (Yes, thatโsย Jens Risomย and yes this is an old link that says heโs 97, so he must be near 100 now.)
I agree with Dana Goodyear: I think the backlash against Mast Brothers is not really about being suckered into paying nine bucks for sub-par chocolate.
Looking for a little healthy breakfast inspiration? Loving these infographs forย Eggs,ย Oatmeal, andย Avocado.
How Stanley Tucciโs Big Night helped kick off an American dining revolution
A guided meditation for the anxious mind. Hilarious.
Under the Category of Simple Comfort Food I Want to Eat Now.
Well, Iโd say sheโs pretty impressive for ELEVEN YEARS OLD. (Her official fundraising page is here.)
10 books that should be required reading in school
35 Healthy-ish Super Bowl Snacks
Since Tidying Up is the New Black:ย A Decluttering Handbook for Creative Folks
This guide to dishwasher loadingย is extremely practical, but my favorite part about it is that someone actually woke up one day and said โIโm going to upload every dishwasher guide from every major maker onto flickr.โย (via The Kitchn)
How Rich Parents Exacerbate School Inequality
Iโve always liked Amanda Peet. ย (I especially like this moment: โI have daughters, so I try not to have that calorie-counting mentality. I try not to expose them to that because I think girls should just play sports and not think about food until as late as possible.โ)
Reminder of the Week: For those of you who like to print recipes, at the bottom of every post, down on the left side, there is a little green button that says โPrint Friendly.โ If you click that, it offers all sorts of options for file types and allows you to delete photos, paragraphs, or whatever before you print.
Question of the Week: Whatโs the most WOW-ish cocktail party food idea youโve seen/tried/experienced lately?
Iโve been making this app for decades and it never fails to delight. Mix sour cream or creme fraiche (about 1/2-3/4 cup) in a bowl with a little heavy cream to thin it down. Stir in some pressed garlic, fresh lemon juice, a sprinkle of salt, and some chopped chives. While this sits a bit to meld the flavors, pick through a chunk of smoked salmon (about a pound), carefully removing all the bones and skin. You should have a flaked heap when finished. Now spread your lemon/chive cream on the bottom of a platter. Sprinkle the salmon all over. Top with more chopped chives and thinly sliced chili peppers (you choose the heat). Serve with homemade crostini or crackers if you donโt want to make crostini. (I specifically left out the amounts b/c this recipe is so easy and you can taste the cream and adjust as desired.)
This was literally one of the best things that Iโve EVER eaten โ and I cook and bake A LOT. If I could upload a photo, I would, but my version actually looked just like Debโs photosโฆ It was extraordinary and NOT super time-consuming, but looked like a million bucks!
http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2015/12/feta-tapenade-tarte-soleil/
Yes!! I think this was by far the best appetizer Iโve ever made, since it ticked all the boxes: it was cheap, it was easy, it was quickโฆ and it looked damn good. Any appetizer where I can get ready for the evening while itโs in the oven, then serve at any temperature is just about perfect. Oh and I did I mention it was delicious?? That too.
I canโt claim this is โlately,โ this is pre-kids, but making your own ricotta and bringing it with caramelized onions and toasts is pretty impressive. I used smitten kitchenโs ricotta recipe.
My favorite thing about the Risom house is that even in that beautifully minimalist kitchen, they have two fondue pots.
That is hilarious โ I hadnโt noticed.
I love your Friday posts.
Well thatโs really nice, thanks M.
Two things:
1) A Shrub bar โ Iโd had great luck with a beet balsamic one (lovely with bourbon) and a cucumber one thatโs nice with gin, but the combinations are boundless and itโs a cool way to serve a number of different cocktails with 2 ingredients a piece but many more flavors. Plus they can be made well ahead of time and leftovers keep!
2) my all time favorite crostini recipe is these tomatoes (they are incredible regardless of when in the year you make them) โ http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Maple-Syrup-Roasted-Tomatoes on toasted slices of baguette ontop a slather of goat cheese.
I probably make them 20 times a year and they keep in the fridge for a few days and are a lovely addition to omelettes the next morning! Ps โ we like to add a dash of crushed red pepper or cayenne for just a bite of heat.
So simple and yet so great.
That Atlantic story poached pretty extensively from the very excellent Surprisingly Awesome podcast about broccoli:
https://gimletmedia.com/episode/6-broccoli/
Great post!
Xoxo,
Love from http://www.trangscorner.com {a lifestyle, fashion, beauty, and food blog}
Where do you audition to be Amanda Peetโs new best friend? She is always great. I am *usually* a very careful, or mindful, eater. Iโm almost relieved i donโt have a daughter (i have an 8 year old son) because I know iโd pass on my food issues (that i inherited from MY mother!). Little girls just donโt need that in their heads! My son doesnโt notice what Iโm not eating, except when i come around his ice cream cone begging for just a bite. ha!
Reading the Atlantic article, I wasnโt surprised to see our former Chicago public school named as an example. The parent fundraising group there does amazing thingsโฆbut only because they have the resources to do so. The financial inequality in a city as large and diverse as Chicago is vast. Our children benefited from our neighborhoodโs wealth and ability to give whereas the school two miles away barely escaped closure.
We now live in an equally prosperous community outside Austin, TX and are quietly watching the fundraising season begin. The local education foundation gala and school auction dates are right around the cornerโฆtime to open the pocketbook.
With the Super Bowl quickly approaching, Iโm craving more low-brow appetizers like 7 layer nacho dip. But, not too long ago I really enjoyed this at a friendโs party and so did my kids, after picking off all the nuts anywayโฆ
http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/18859_martina_mcbride_s_goat_cheese_and_honey_crostini/
I love the concept of a dishwasher guideโฆ.but not everyone owns a matching set of dishware! And what about all the irregularly shaped tupperware??
Ina Gartenโs Caramelized Bacon. It kinda stopped conversation!