My friend Kaitlin and I had some insanely yummy cocktails the other night before dinner–I loved them so much that I had to learn how to make them at home. Gimlets are always good–give me a decent gin with some lime and I am happy–but the addition of cucumber takes it to a new level of deliciousness. I really, really recommend Hendrick’s gin with this cocktail, as it has hints of cucumber. If you can’t get your hands on it, use the best gin you can find. I did a lot of online research, and mostly sourced the recipe from Crumpets & Cakes.

Ingredient List (2 cocktails)

• 4 oz Hendrick’s gin
• 1 cucumber (2/3 removed of seeds and roughly chopped, 1/3 cut into chunks or slices)
• 3 limes
• 3 oz simple syrup

To make simple syrup, measure one part water to two parts sugar. bring water to a boil and add sugar, stirring constantly until dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool. If you’d like, add a dash of vodka–it will help the syrup preserve. Syrup can be stored in the fridge for up to 6 months.

Squeeze juice from limes and reserve.

Puree 2/3 chopped cucumber in a blender, food processor or using a hand mixer. Place fine sieve (I typically use a very fine strainer) over a bowl and press cucumber to squeeze out juices. Discard remaining cucumber and reserve juice.

The cocktail can be served over ice or, if you wish, shaken and served in a chilled martini glass. If you opt for the former option, fill a tumbler with ice and pour 2 oz gin, 1.5 oz simple syrup, about 3 oz of cucumber juice and 3/4 oz lime juice. You can manipulate the cucumber and lime juices depending on your taste and how strong you’d like the drink.

Throw in a few chunks or slices of cucumber.

And, a mini soundtrack to listen to while you sip :-)

Have a fantastic NYE weekend, we’re off to Monterey after Tate’s 15th month in the morning.

xo

Todd, Tate and myself are leaving for PDX early tomorrow morning–we’re returning early Monday but we have a meeting in the afternoon with a financial planner (oh….joy). Since next week is guaranteed to be insane as I prepare for Thanksgiving and a work creative, I thought I might send you my wishes for a lovely Thanksgiving a bit early.

This year I’ve been tasked with cooking, which I love but becomes more difficult when you are juggling work and a baby. I was determined to keep it simple this year….of course it didn’t quite work out that way :-)

My uncle is Mr. Meat and always makes a delicious ham for Thanksgiving and Christmas. He also sometimes deep fries a turkey, and will this year–I feign horror but can tell you that there is nothing like a fried piece of turkey skin….yummy. I will also roast a traditional turkey, so there will be no shortage of meat leftovers :-)

I will try my best to take some photos, although it’s hard when you are also cooking. I fall firmly into the early prep camp–I blanch and chop and even make my mashed potatoes the day before. I am going to stay over at my folks’ house Wednesday night and am looking forward to puttering around the kitchen and maybe watching a movie with my dad.

If you’re interested in trying any of the recipes in the menu above, you can find them here, along with some additional dishes.

Following are some links from PL blog that you might find useful as you prepare for the holiday:

• If you’ll be a guest this year, make sure you arrive with a bottle (or two) in hand–check out some wine recommendations ranging from $4 to $20 here.
• If you’re planning on bringing an appetizer, the mushroom with grilled polenta cakes and arugula and fava bean crostini are two light and yummy options.
• For an alternative to pumpkin-themed desserts, try making an almond financier (just sub out the strawberries for a more seasonal stone fruit). You can make it ahead and it’s just as good left over.
• And, for all of you non-meat eaters, I highly recommend my favorite lasagna loaded with roasted vegetables! You can even throw in some chard or kale to make it more robust and seasonal.

I also have some additional wine recommendations for this year:

• Dry Creek 2010 Chenin Blanc – I am usually not a fan of this variety but it’s got a heft that I love. It’s more of a summertime wine but also perfect for sipping before dinner.
• Marques de Riscal 2006 Tempranillo – I haven’t had this particular wine, but I have had others from the winery. Tempranillos are perfect for white drinkers like myself….very smooth and light.
• Zardetto Prosecco – I had a glass of this at my birthday dinner a few months back and it was soooooo delish. I have gotten more into prosecco of late; it’s just slightly dry, not like the super dry bruts you usually get with sparkling wine/champagne.
• Bogle 2010 Chardonnay – I am not unfamiliar with this wine, I buy it all the time. It’s local and it’s quite possibly the best value chardonnay available. I can get it for $9 but it may be more pricey out of the area.

Some additional reading, ideas and resources:

• What can I prepare ahead of Thanksgiving? { via NYT }
• Festive cocktails for large groups { via NYT }
• American wines for Thanksgiving { via Serious Eats }
• Bargain Thanksgiving Wine Picks { via SF Chronicle }
• Thanksgiving Wine Choosing 101 { via The Kitchn }
• Carving the Thanksgiving Turkey { via NYT } — PS, my dad has used this method for the past few years and it’s fab!
• SF Chronicle’s Thanksgiving Guide { via }

What are your plans for the holiday? Are you cooking? A guest? Any family traditions? Any adopted families? Are you a Black Friday shopper?

PS, I am working on a project at work focusing on friendship cards and I would love if you would participate in a short survey. We’ve received some great insight so far and are eager to see more.

xo

Cherry tomatoes fresh from my aunt Sherrie’s garden. Bright, beautiful and pure summer.

I mentioned in a previous post that I love eating nectarines and tomatoes this time of year, so I’d like to share two of my favorite recipes showcasing the fruits, both salads. The first comes from my most thumbed through, post-it-tagged and splattered cookbook, Sunday Suppers at Lucques. I am certain I’ve mentioned it before, but you should buy this cookbook, Suzanne Goin is one of my culinary heroes.

Her tomato salad highlights the heirloom tomatoes that are abundant this time of year, allowing them to shine alongside crusty toasted bread and cool, creamy burrata. It falls somewhere between panzanella and caprese. Burrata is fresh mozzarella with a creamy center. It can sometimes be hard to find, so feel free to substitute with the freshest mozzarella you can find (or, if you’re feeling ambitious, you can attempt to make burrata at home). If you are unable to get your hands on heirloom tomatoes, use cherry tomatoes or other smaller varieties. Skip the hothouse and large tomatoes, as they have a greater chance of having a mealy texture. I do make two modifications to the recipe–I omit the opal basil (I can never find it) and add thick slices of hothouse or Persian cucumbers. Because, everything is better with cucumbers.

This salad has its roots in the local, seasonal food movement that emerged out of Northern California with chefs like Alice Waters (who Goin worked under in her early days) and Judy Rodgers. It’s a perfect way to showcase heirlooms in the height of their season.

The second salad comes from another California chef, Tom Keller. Keller’s three most popular cookbooks pay homage to his Yountville restaurants–French Laundry, Bouchon and Ad Hoc. I’ve only been to Bouchon (and, hello, Bouchon Bakery–nom nom). I almost went to Ad Hoc once but I wasn’t feeling the menu that night (it’s fixed). French Laundry is just waaaaaay out of our price range. I do, however, own the Ad Hoc cookbook. I also owned the Bouchon and French Laundry books as well, but the former features too much (for my taste) heavy French-infused food and the latter is simply too ambitious for this home cook.

Ad Hoc has been a real pleasure, both the recipes and the layout design of the book are great. In it, you will find recipes for his famous fried chicken and lots of “extras” like various vinaigrette, jellies, mustards and infused oils. One of my favorite salads from the book features another summer favorite, nectarines; both in the vinaigrette and salad itself. It’s balanced with some peppery, slightly bitter greens and sweet almonds. I really encourage you, if it’s not in your pantry, to buy some sherry vinegar. It’s more subtle than red and balsamic vinegars. The recipe calls for Marcona almonds, but if you can’t get your hands on those, just use slivered almonds.

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Burrata, Torn Croutons and Basil

Adapted from Sunday Suppers at Lucques

• 1/2 large loaf bread (look for a crusty french bread)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp fresh oregano leaves (or 2 tsp dried)
• 1/2 large garlic clove
• 1 1/2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
• 3 lbs heirloom tomatoes in assorted shapes, sizes and colors
• 1 cup thickly sliced and quartered hothouse or Persian cucumbers (optional)
• 1 tsp fleur de sel (or fleur de sal)
• 4 Tbsp sliced basil
• 1 lb burrata cheese (or other fresh mozzarella cheese)
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
• kosher salt & black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Tear 1-2″ pieces of bread from the loaf (if you’d like, you can first remove crust, I like to keep it on). Toss into a large bowl and add 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Mix with your hands, allowing the oil to really soak into the bread. Spread onto a baking sheet and bake until golden brown.

Smash garlic clove and add oregano. Mix in vinegars. Slowly whisk in the remaining oil, add kosher salt and pepper to taste. Mix in basil. Reserve at room temperature.

Cut heirloom tomatoes into a mixture of thick slices and wedges. Slice shallots and cucumbers.

Compose tomatoes, cucumbers and shallots on a large platter or shallow bowl. Drizzle vinaigrette over the salad. Carefully layer in slices of burrata, croutons and parsley leaves. Sprinkle with fleur de sel.

Torn croutons and burrata cheese. If you cannot find burrata cheese, you can order it online, but I recommend just using the freshest mozzarella you can get your hands on.

Fleur de sel. A pricey, but wonderful addition to your pantry. See resources list below for online purchase options.

Making the croutons ahead of time allows you to compose the salad (with no cooking) just before serving. It’s the perfect summer meal. Make sure you bring all ingredients to cool room temperature before serving.

Resource List:

• Fleur de sel. You can buy the salt I currently use here for $10, although I do prefer the salt sold in small canvas bags.
• Why is fleur de sel so expensive?
• Visit Lucques for Sunday Supper.
• Buy the cookbook.

Endive and Arugula Salad with Peaches and Almonds

Adapted from the Ad Hoc cookbook

• 6 heads Belgian endive (white, red or both)
• 2 Tbsp nectarine puree (recipe below)
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
• 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 lbs ripe but firm nectarines
• kosher salt & black pepper
• 1 Tbsp minced chives
• 2 cups arugula
• 1/2 cup salted, roasted Marcona almonds (or roasted slivered almonds)

I take many liberties with Keller’s recipe for peach (in my case, nectarine) puree, choosing to skip the sieving step and allowing the puree to remain chunky. For a smoother puree, you can sieve the blended nectarines through a strainer.

Nectarine Puree

• 2 very ripe nectarines
• 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• Grating of fresh nutmeg

If you are able to peel the skins off the nectarines, proceed. If not, dump them into a pot of boiling water for a minute or two to soften the skins and remove. Slice off as much fruit as possible into a blender. Blend until smooth. Combine puree and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until thickened, then add cinnamon and nutmeg. The puree may be stored in the fridge for two months.

Nectarines blended into a smooth puree. Use a blender or hand-held mixer.

Combine 2 tablespoons of the puree with the chopped parsley and sherry vinegar. Slowly whisk in olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and reserve at room temperature.

Cut off the base of each endive and allow the outermost leaves to fall off. Continue slicing into the base until all the leaves are loose.

Cut nectarines into small wedges. If using nuts, roast until brown.

Toss arugula with enough vinaigrette to just coat the greens. Do the same with the endive in a separate bowl. Spread arugula onto a large platter or shallow bowl and top with endive. Layer in nectarine wedges and sprinkle with almonds and snipped chives. If desired, add a bit of salt and/or pepper.

The nectarine puree acts as a base for the vinaigrette.

If you like to make your own vinaigrettes, invest in some sherry vinegar.

If you cannot find sherry vinegar in your grocery store, see the resource list below to buy online.

 Resource List

• Buy sherry vinegar online.
• Buy Marcona almonds online.
• Visit Ad Hoc for dinner. Or buy the cookbook.

Bon appetit!

All photographs by Penny.

Ever find yourself standing in front of the rows of spice jars at the grocery store, cursing under your breath that you just had to choose a new recipe that requires an $8 herb or spice you don’t own? This happens to me all the time. I suppose it’s hard to avoid if you love to experiment in the kitchen. We have a great co-op in town and a ton of “international food” shops, where buying spices in bulk is essentially mandatory. However, these options are not the most convenient (especially now with a baby) and I often end up at Trader Joe’s or the supermarket nearest our house.

Those of you without the bulk option can find many shopping options online, including Etsy. Not everything is sold in small quantities, but there’s a really solid selection. Another fantastic thing about this category of food, they make excellent gifts, especially for a hostess or host. So, I did some hunting and chose some of my favorites :-)

• Whole White Peppercorns from Twig & Leaf Botanicals. White pepper is fantastic when seasoning lighter-colored food, like mashed potatoes or a creamy cauliflower soup. Other peppers are ideal of finishing, but integrating into the dish muddies up the presentation a bit.
• Fleur de Sel from Country Girl Spices. I am obsessed with fleur de sel, a sea salt harvested in France (fleur de sal, from Portugal, is a great and cheaper alternative). It’s not like the sea salt you’re imagining, which is typically larger, more subtle and irregularly shaped. Fleur de sel is incredibly delicate, and almost has a consistency of shaved ice. It has a light texture that feels great on the tongue, so it’s excellent for finishing dishes.
• Curry Powder from Spice Shoppe. Curry powders are great to have around. Of course, I like them because they are so vibrant in color. I don’t make curries too often, but this shrimp curry is AMAZING.
• Black Popcorn w/Spice Salt Mix from Dell Cove Spice Company. Who doesn’t love popcorn? You can choose from lots of salt flavors, such as hot chili, sweet vanilla chai and….beer.
• Flavored Salts from Cook Outside the Box. Another great hostess gift option, this seller offers lots of different gift-able sets. Flavored salts are really fun to experiment with.
• Organic Mulling Spices from Organic Herbals. I know it’s not quite fall, but starting around Thanksgiving I love love love to make mulled wine and cider. We actually don’t drink it, I throw some mulling spices in cheesecloth and dump them into a pot filled with cheap apple cider or a bottle of Charles Shaw, just for the smell. It’s so comforting.
• Pretentious Peppercorn Set from Mass Infusion. Experimenting with pepper isn’t something I’ve done, but I’ve been looking for pink peppercorns everywhere!

Don’t forget a cute spice jar set with rack and print! Do you have any favorite spices or herbs?

Well, I should clarify, if you’ve ever had abalone and enjoyed it, you’ll be jealous. While in Fort Bragg last weekend, my grandma hooked me up with the ultimate of all food hook-ups, two bags of pounded, ready-to-be-cooked abalone.

For the uninitiated, abalone is a large sea snail (they actually look like a very large shellfish), and the meat is harder and harder to come by. Abalone diving has become super restricted in recent years, and it’s very hard (if not nearly impossible) to find the meat for sale. You are, however, probably familiar with the shells; the interior is a beautiful swirl of mother-of-pearl, greens and blues. It’s often used in jewelry…and for backyard ashtrays.

In any case, if you saw raw abalone out of the shell, you’d probably have a similar reaction to those who see oysters for the first time–mainly, that it looks like a very large booger. It is very tough and needs to be sliced and then pounded before cooking. In my opinion, the only way to cook abalone is to fry it. I usually dislike fried fish and sea creatures, but this particular meat lends itself to the method.

With a lot of abalone to cook up, I invited Todd’s parents over for dinner. I topped the platter of deliciousness with fresh pea shoots tossed with a bit of lemon. per Todd’s request, I made a sauce that turned out to be very very good and great for any fish (find the recipe here). I’m still rubbing my happy belly :-)

God, the Internet haters must be having a FIELD day with this one. Now, I have never jumped upon the haters train…in fact, I’ve always loved Paltrow. She seems like a gal I could hang with. But, as much as I adore her, I don’t know if I can get behind actors on the covers of food magazines.

That said, Bon Appetit hasn’t had the most appetizing covers or appealing content of late.

But, it’s kind of an awkward shot.

I feel conflicted.

What do you think?

Pasta and I have a tricky relationship. I like it, don’t get me wrong, I just never thought to prepare it with any regularity. For me, it was a relic of college–penne, canned tomato sauce and parm from the green can…yummm…

Anyhow, my darling boyfriend loves….loves…pasta. In the five years we’ve lived together I have evolved from munching on pizza while he devours pasta with butter and Swiss, to ambitiously making gnocchi and my favorite hearty lasagnas, to begrudgingly agreeing to a shared pasta, but only if ravioli, to…well, basically what I ate in college, just fancier.

Pasta is one of those things that I will lovingly eat at a very, very good Italian restaurant (which are few and far between on the west coast) or while in Italy (which I’ve only been to once). Here in Sacramento we host the restaurant of one of the country’s most beloved Italian chefs, Biba, and I love going for the simplest pasta on the menu. It’s one the few times I will ever order pasta for dinner. When you can source the best quality ingredients and you know exactly what you’re doing, pasta is heaven in its comfortable simplicity.

Luckily, while everyone goes on and on about homemade pasta (which is delish), some pastas, most notably penne, are actually better from the box. The denser shapes with all the nooks and crannies are best when cooked al dente dried (in my opinion….and Marcella Hazan’s, so there’s that).

Which brings me to the subject of this post, FFC’s boxed pastas. The first time I picked one up, I didn’t even realize it was from his line of foods. It’s the best dried pasta I have ever had, hands down. And, it’s not even ridiculously expensive. I read on the back of the box that they make 60 (!!!) traditional shapes, but it seems that only three are available at my local store, and you can pick up 8 online. I highly recommend if you can find it.

Have y’all seen the Bon Appetit redesign? It’s awful!

Seeing as how cooking and design are two of my main gigs, I was excited to see the “new” BA. But, damn….it’s really, really bad. It’s like 5 different cooking magazines (there are clear influences from Fine Cooking, Saveur, Donna Hay and Gourmet) mashed together. There are too many fonts, many too trendy to last for the long haul, and the type treatments make the magazine incredibly hard to read.

I’m super bummed, I hope they pull back some and rethink some of their decisions.

I’ve tried CSA in the past and have been disappointed, but decided to give it another try (much to Todd’s chagrin) when a guy in a straw hat turned up at our door a few weeks ago. Thankfully I said yes, because the bounty we received is AMAZING. Trumpet mushrooms, tons of leafy greens (including cavolo nero, which I have never been able to find), beautiful avocados and beets, among other things. Everything arrived fresh and bright. This particular CSA allows you to log in online and opt out of items you don’t care for, which I think is really cool.

Last night I made pan-fried tilapia and wilted a ton of bok choy and spinach. I served the fish with Israeli couscous, which I had never cooked before and love love loved!

Tonight I am making a pasta with cauliflower and cavalo nero, from the Sunday Suppers cookbook. Can’t wait!

In any case, I have been adding my contributions here and there. I’d like to start hunting for unique platters and plates to stockpile props for food photography–I think I will start with Etsy!

Next to the stove I have a bunch of ramekins and small bowls. I like to have all of my ingredients sorted out before cooking (mis en place). Especially garlic. I can get it out of the way early and scrub my hands clean. I also keep a big bottle of olive oil and a cheap white wine for cooking adjacent to the stove. To the left of the ramekins/bowls are two wooden planters–this weekend I am going shopping for herbs to plant. I think they might survive, they’ll be right next to the window.

My good friend Kaitlin brought me that poster from Spain back in college, and I still love it. It has always lived in the kitchen. You can see that some of the trim is not completed, above the backsplash.

This is our little coffee area next to the fridge. I decided to buy some succulents as it’s in a darker corner of the kitchen. Hopefully they survive. I am not known for keeping plants healthy.

Yesterday I went to visit a daycare, which was located about halfway on my work commute. Since, obviously, I haven’t been commuting, I visited my favorite produce stand and went NUTS. I stocked up on grains, beans and nuts. And a huge bag of red peppers for roasting and broccoli crowns. And my favorite sour gummy bears! I will try to take some photos the next time I am there.

I have been leafing through cookbooks and magazines for recipes. I think I will need to become more organized, perhaps even planning for the week, because when I go back to work I am not going to be able to leisurely walk to the store every day!

The other night I made this amazing parsnip risotto with sage and pancetta, and paired it with garlic roasted mushrooms (Gourmet by way of Smitten Kitchen). I took some photos of the prep but got too busy to snap the finished product.

I look forward to sharing the entire kitchen…maybe next year ;-)