Sardineys!

Yuck, right? Smelly, fishy, boney... a fish to avoid. Those were my exact thoughts, right up until I ate one. My first time was at the Harrison bar, where I was enjoying a drink and chatting it up with the bartender and naturally the conversation turned to food. He suggested the sardines and I'm sure I twisted my face in disgust. He persisted and I gave in. Simply prepared, they were coated in breadcrumbs, some spices and herbs and then broiled until crisp and brown. The flesh of the fish just flaking off until there was nothing but a perfect skeleton left. He then suggested I try the head and that's where I drew the line, but ever since it's been love.

They were on the menu at The Majestic, where a year ago ago I celebrated my re-entrance into the working world and where just a few days ago we returned to celebrate my anniversary, and both times I ordered the sardines. I prefer the way chef Shannon Overmiller does them better than Amanda Freitag's (see, now I'm a sardine snob!). Again simply roasted but also with some capers and cherry tomato's, topped with breadcrumbs, olive oil and lemon drizzled over. And it put an idea in my head. To make you'd simply need an oven, some breadcrumbs, some herbs, optional accompaniments and of course sardines, right?

I have a crush on you...

Coming home tonight the only thing I could think about was bread. Crispy, crunchy, soft, chewy bread. I'm not sure why. But the thought of carbs after a long day just seemed so comforting, homey. And the smell of freshly baked bread wafting through my apartment was not an idea I could pass up after the chill today.

I was specifically craving flatbread, liberally sprinkled with some flaky sea salt and rosemary. Cut in strips and dipped in olive oil with some fresh cracked pepper. And even though I ended up making a normal meat and veggie supper with a tasty cranberry horseradish sauce (and yes, that's sooo good... recipe soon)... it ended up becoming tomorrows lunch. Because, happily, the bread was my dinner.

Nicely browned on top, a little puffy. Crispy on the outside and so deliciously chewy on the inside.

Grilled Salads and Pretty Things

I saw this 2 years ago and thought it was one of the most beautiful things that I could ever own. Bursting with so much meaning, reaching me in such a way that only a handful of things can reach and hold me to them. Yes, I'm talking about concert posters, a specific one actually but I love them in general. I adore the bands from the prints that I own, and love recognizing and supporting the artists out there supporting good music themselves. And by concert prints I'm not talking about some poster grabbed from Spencer's Gifts next to the lava lamp section. These are limited edition, hand signed and numbered, and I won't buy anything above a certain amount. Sophisticated bitch? Maybe, but it's art the way I like it.

As I said, there's been this one I've had my eye on. An up and coming artist who does these whimsically haunting prints. And since college, I wasn't crazy about the band the print is based on, but the song it references has a way of bringing me to tears in seconds. Nostalgia mixed with pure and simple beauty. So with a slightly above average pay check from here on out (that's right!) I bought it today.

Just lovely. Beautiful.  Haunting.

Winter Grilling

Monday. It was definitely one of those days. Exhaustion from this fun-filled weekend piled onto a non-stop work day on top of just not knowing how to stand still anymore. I'm so looking forward to February vacation #1 this weekend, where it'll just be me, my laptop and some cable TV; a forced nothingness for a whole day or 2 with nothing to do except make a King Cake, prep some ceviche, and make sure my Whiskey Cake is well lubricated with... well whiskey (Bourbon to be technical... and yes I made it! Pictures to come once it's frosted and pretty).

Anyways, after leaving work way too late I stopped at the fancy market and grabbed the first 5 things I saw. Not really, but 5 easy, simple go-to ingredients to ensure that I'd have dinner on a plate in less than 30 minutes. Unpeeled shrimp, white trumpet mushrooms, brussel sprouts, basmati rice and a beautiful brand new olive oil... as I've been using my other one way too much as my winter skin secret weapon. And then broke out my stove top grill, which, yes I know it's not the same as a real grill... but a) it's NYC... who has a real grill?!? and b) it's early February! If you are outside grilling in this weather then I commend you.

In Keeping with the Travel Theme

Presumably everyone's heard of the new Starbuck's Trenta size. Demonstrated below is just how large this very large coffee cup is. And can it even be classified as a "cup"? Jug or carafe may be more appropriate. Regardless, the video also demonstrates a very nifty tip for the traveling alcoholic, complete with a straw!

And lucky for everyone that Starbucks are located in almost every airport or train terminal. And it's not too much harder to get your hands on a bottle of wine. What is not mentioned is why in the world anyone would want or need to drink an entire bottle of wine's worth of coffee?

Travel Food

A fun little tidbit about me you may or may not know is that I love to travel. There's something very exciting about being somewhere that's not the same old and visiting people you can't see on a daily basis. Something about planes and trains that can lull me into a much needed sleep, or at the very least, much needed relaxation. And yes, something about getting out of claustrophobic NYC just immediately brightens my perspective on life.

And this month I'll be traveling quite a bit. Houston to catch up with one of my closest friends and to get some much needed Tex-Mex. Washington D.C. for a visit with my sister in her new digs and to celebrate some job related ventures for me (and be the 3rd wheel for her Valentines) at one of my favorite Old Town restaurants. And this weekend a quick little trip to Philadelphia. Yes, again. Draw your own conclusions on that one. But hopefully this trip won't involve the 2am Pat's cheesesteak that somehow ended up mostly all over my coat.

For fellow readers who also travel, I'm sure we can all agree one of the most frustrating things about it can be the food. Yes, security lines and delays and unnecessarily long layovers are worse, but on an empty stomach that only serves to exacerbate the problem. Especially coming back from a trip, the post vacation depression setting in, possibly a little hungover. It doesn't help the mood. And I've definitely been there, sitting at the airport gate munching disenchantedly on some greasy pizza or half melted quesadilla. No thanks.

Not interested in that stale pastry or bagel?

In lieu of cooking...

I actually did cook tonight, I'm just exhausted. I have the pictures and the recipe all ready to go, but would rather just veg on my couch and watch a very frightening TV show (The Walking Dead on AMC). Which is ok, right? But here's a funny little diagram about learning to cook to hold you over.

Ok, ok. I made lamb tonight. I marinaded it in a bastardization of my mom's famous Easter lamb marinade and roasted it. And thank goodness for thinking ahead, yesterday me. If not I'd definitely be eating some form of take out tonight. Anyways, I served it with some gently sauteed veggies like onion, chard and zucchini and served over minted whole wheat couscous (that'd be regular whole wheat couscous with some fresh chopped mint mixed in). And topped with this really truly delicious mint mascarpone sauce that I tweaked from a Giada de Laurentiis recipe.