Smitten

Deb Perelman is the ultimate culinista.  Perelman's blog Smitten Kitchen has me salivating each time i visit.  Her food is both accessible and aspirational, pairing bits of homey wisdom with artful touches.

The highlight of my week was the arrival of Perelman's The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook.  The inimitable extremely relatable voice she honed through years of blogging is captured so well in Deb's new book.

When I finish reveling in Deb's beautiful photos  I can't wait to get cooking!

Eating Single (aka Operation Don't Get Fat)

It's funny to have a friend open your fridge and burst into laughter,  dismissing its limited contents as "such a bachelorette fridge."  Bachelorette fridge?  Greek yogurt?  Mushrooms? Red Pepper?  Lots of greens? Organic orange carrot juice?  Don't scoff! This is good stuff.

I finally made a condiment run for my new place.  It's so nice to have mayo, maple syrup and horseradish mustard! I realize that my staples may not be what the world at large considers essential.  Sure I had a huge bowl of kale and half a turkey sandwich for dinner.  It is my determination to cook when the mood strikes me and not to eat crap.  So far we're good on both counts :-)

The first meal I prepared in my new digs was Pinterest inspired.  Drooling over mascarpone grits I decided to whip up a southern classic, shrimp and grits with maple bacon.

I have been consuming the same salad several times a week.  A concoction of spinach, goat cheese, crushed pecans, dried cranberries and red onion.  

An overnight guest in town from Boston motivated me to saute some green beans in olive oil and garlic with baby bella mushrooms sliced thin and red pepper.  Teriyaki salmon and brown rice made for a nice balanced dinner, just elegant enough for company.

Sweet & Salty Crave

What's sweet and salty and good all over?  These cookies! Warning:  There's something about the combination of pretzels, chocolate and peanut butter that is simply irresistible. I don't think I've ever eaten six cookies in one sitting.   I pulled these out of the oven and it was absolute carnage! Like big blue gone mad, "COOOKIE!"

I've been following the Twinkie crisis although I've never consumed one of the Hostess cakes.  I can't even recall ever eating Wonderbread (I probably have at some point).  Mom was pretty keen on minimally processed food (thank you mom!).  If union negotiations fail to rescue the brand I am going to have to try the legendary treat before it becomes extinct.


Sweet & Salty Cookies

1 stick of butter
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
6 oz chocolate chips
6 oz peanut butter chips
1/2 cup crushed pretzels (salted)

Combine butter and sugar.  Add egg to creamed mixture.  Fold in dry ingredients, stirring until mixture is an even consistency.  Add pretzels and chips.  Enjoy!

xo
soignée

Danielle's Disaster Dining

There's something about alliterative titles. A friend of mine suggested the one above for a collection of my recent experiments.

Like many in the tri-state area my family was left without power in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. We consider ourselves fortunate. Those who lost loved ones and livelihoods are in our thoughts and prayers.

A significant percentage of the food I consumed this week was cooked over an open flame. My greatest trivial triumph was successfully baking a peach cobbler over a sterno.

There's no knowing what the coming nor'easter will bring and the road to recovery for the region will be a long one.  Hoping you're all safe and well.  Keep smiling.

xo
soignée

Frankenstorm Food

Bracing for the “Frankenstrom” poised to hit the Northeast.  Now is a time for preparedness and caution.  On a lighter note storm prep is also a time for cooking.  I think I’m going to whip up some cookie dough cupcakes tonight!  I just realized they’re not included in the Daniluxe cookbook.  Major oversight...must add! 

 

Anticipating power outages I prepared some sterno reheatable and good at room temperature goodies for the days ahead.  Sauteed  some baby bok choy with red pepper and shitake mushrooms  in a teryaki sauce.  I also pan fried and then steamed a few batches of vegetable and chicken dumplings and made some pan fried tofu with scallions and ginger.

School's closed tommorow. I'm planning to curl up with a few good dvds.  The offbeat  hilarity of Wes Anderson’s “The Fantastic Mr. Fox”  and the moody Richard Burton noir "My Cousing Rachel" are on my viewing list.  How are you guys planning to weather the storm? 

 

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread

Serve this hearty rustic bread warm.

It's perfect for a blustery autumn day.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread


Cream Cheese Filling:

4 oz cream cheese

1/4 cup white sugar

1 egg yolk

Crumb Topping:

½ stick of butter

½ cup brown sugar

1 ½ cups flour

¼ cup chopped walnuts

Pumpkin Bread:

1 3/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 eggs

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup melted unsalted butter

8 oz canned pumpkin

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine cream cheese, egg yolk and sugar with a hand mixer. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add eggs, pumpkin, vanilla and melted butter. Blend thoroughly. Transfer about half your batter to a 9 x 5 loaf pan. Top with cream cheese mixture. Add remaining batter to pan. Sprinkle a generous helping of crumb topping over batter. Bake about one hour.

Raspberry Cream Scones

"Scones are dry," has to be my most despised food myth of all time.   Moist cream scones are anything but and serve as the perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea!

Try the following recipe:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 stick butter, cut into small pieces

1/2 cup cream

1 large egg 

1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.  Combine dry ingredients.  Whisk egg lightly into cream. 

Add cream and jam to flour mixture kneading gently into a soft dough.  Pat dough into a round Pyrex pie dish.  


Bake until golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes.  Slice and transfer scones to a wire rack for cooling. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Chalkboards add charm and personality to the kitchen.  They're great for jotting down notes, to-do's or menus.  I'm looking forward to using my chalkboards for many food shoots to come!

Hydrangeas and roses brightened the day. To quote Alphonse:

"Some people complain that roses have thorns.
 I am thankful that the thorns have roses."

                                     xo  ~ dani

                                                                                                                                   

Tagliarelle with Truffle Butter

This simple recipe is the favorite dish of one of my favorite chefs, the fabulous Ina Garten!  Tender egg pasta and savory truffle sauce make for hearty yet luxuriant fare.   I've included my variation on the classic dish below.

Ingredients

1/2 cup heavy cream
5 tbsp truffle butter
fresh Tagliarelle pasta
finely chopped fresh chives

Directions

Cook pasta 2 - 4 minutes in boiling water.  Heat cream in a small sauce pan.  Add truffle butter to simmering cream and whisk until smooth.  Drain pasta and toss with sauce and 1/8 cup pasta water.  Garnish with chives and shaved Caciocavallo cheese.

Eating Agenda

This Sunday my girls and I embarked on an adventure in fine dining.  Our agenda included brunch at Pastis,  a stop at Italian superstore Eataly and pastry perfection courtesy of Laduree.

Pastis, Keith Mcnally's French brasserie, is the restaurant that made Manhattan's meatpacking district the food mecca it is today. Named after an anise-flavored liqueur, Pastis has an unassuming charm.  

(Pastis' Eggs Florentine)

Laduree macarons have long been a favorite indulgence of mine.  With their broad selection of luscious fruit fillings cradled in pillowy meringue, it's no wonder the French confectioner sells 15,000 of their coveted treats per day! 

Laduree's Madison Avenue outpost was bustling on Sunday. The revered French brand's long awaited New York store opened in May.

I picked up some truffle butter, a nice Lambrusco and caciocavallo cheese at Eataly.  Looking forward to whipping up some Tagliarelle with Truffle Sauce!

xo

dani

A Taste of Autumn

maple leaf shortbread with brandied pears in a pool of chocolate ganache

For shortbread i don't really use a recipe.  Just knead approximately 2 cups of flour, 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup of sugar into the desired consistency.  Then it's just roll, cut and bake (8 mins).  

Poach pears in brandy (1/4 cup) , water (2 cups) and sugar (1/4 cup) for 30 minutes until tender.  

Brandy and pears:

a perfect pair

Lee's Turkey Farm

Thoroughly enjoyed my recent orchard excursion.  It was a gorgeous day and i picked up all sorts of goodies; petite pears, honeycomb and bushels of yummy macintosh apples.   

Fall to-dones:

þ visit a pumpkin patch  

þ make fall cookies    

þ apple picking

þ bake pies

Bucket List

I've always rebelled against the bucket list concept, having turned quite a few of my grandiose schemes into realities at a fairly young age.

Despite my lack of enthusiasm for the whole notion of a life checklist, I must say I really like this sweet seasonal variation from Loves of Life's Katie Balla: http://katieballa.blogspot.com/2012/08/fall-bucket-list-2012.html.

It's sweater weather already and I'm looking forward to watching the trees take on autumnal hues.

Enjoy,

dani

Epic Pie Making Marathon

semi successful...in such cases it's best to give away the fruits of your labor...if you want the scale to remain your friend.

Cuisine Soignée

Cuisine Soignée - A simple meal made with great care and the best possible ingredients.
~Jacques Pépin



I was thoroughly charmed when I stumbled across the above definition in a recent NY Times article authored by legendary chef Jacques Pépin. Perhaps it was hearing my nom de plume in the context of Pépin's writing.  After all this is a blog about casual elegance and food! In my opinion superb meals are born from a medley of deft artistry and happy accidents. It's safe to say Pépin and Child shared my view.  

Pépin and his dear friend Julia Child are amongst my father's favorite cooks.  I've often heard Dad reminisce about some technique he learned watching them.  The three share a passion for sauces. 

Of course the foodie blog world has long been enamored with the statuesque chef and her distinctive voice.  No offense to the brilliant Nora Ephron, but Hollywood missed an opportunity for true alliterative movie title magic by neglecting to employ the luminous Ms. Streep for "Jacques and Julia" (as opposed to that other vehicle which ultimately materialized).  Pépin's musings about his perfect sidekick and foil are especially poignant.  Read them here.

Bon Appétit!

dani

Pecan Pie for Breakfast?

Ooey, goey and oft derided as overly sweet; pecan pie can be an acquired taste.  I confess it's not one of my favorite confections.  Tyler Florence's inspired take on the southern classic threatens to change that.

It's not a conventional pairing for a classic italian dinner but this pie was a hit at a recent fete.   My mother has been schooling me in the art of the tester, miniature versions of dishes sampled prior to serving them to company. One such mini served as my breakfast this morning.  Yum.

xx
dani

Hello Luuuuuucy!

So I decided on Earl Grey Truffles and a Torte for the shower. Whisk tea infused cream into quality milk chocolate to make these delightful treats. Rolling them by hand is half the fun. The best part is you'll end up with chocolate everywhere, Lucy and Ethel style.

Blood Orange Bourbon Old Fashioneds

sexy…single…and sipping on Jim Beam.  You're not alone if you find the last component of this image somewhat incongruous and yet the objective of this post is to proclaim my affection for old man drinks.

I've never been a fan of the cliche Cosmo or Kool-Aid's tackier technicolor cousins, Hypnotiq and Alize.  I'll take it straight up…with a twist of wit and whimsy.

Substitute 9 year old Knob Creek (worth it for the typography alone) for ole Jim and you have a versatile mixer as delicious in brownies or a pecan torte as it is in the glass.

An absolutely brilliant rye cocktail from the mixologists at NY hotspot Apothetique inspired this marriage of blood orange and bourbon.  I must say it's a happy union.  Enjoy!


2 oz bourbon
2 dashes Stirrings blood orange bitters
1 sugar cube
a splash of dry blood orange soda
garnish with a lemon twist

Mix sugar, soda and bitters.  Add an orange wedge and muddle into a paste.  Add bourbon.  Fill glass with ice and stir.

Peonies

The peony, my favorite flower, is the dominant floral motif in Chinese pottery and poetry. I snagged some in the market today and they are certainly brightening up the place.  These few lines of verse, from Chinese poet Qian Qi, capture the blossom's intoxicating charm.  

~xo

dani

Visit to the Hermit Chui

Moss covered paths between scarlet peonies,

Pale jade mountains fill your rustic windows.

I envy you, drunk with flowers;

Butterflies swirling in your dreams.

Sweet & Savory

This cake is so yummy my friend @ Squeak My Clean created a soap inspired by it! Enjoy.

Lemon & Rosemary Olive Oil Cake

1 ½ cups of flour

l cup of sugar

1 sprig of rosemary

¾ cups olive oil

1 extra large egg

¾ cups whole milk

zest from ½ lemon

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

4 star anise seeds

¼ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Pulverize anise and rosemary in a food processor along with your sugar. Add liquid ingredients.  Add dry ingredients.  Blend thoroughly.  Bake approximately 40 minutes in a medium loaf pan. 

Well Clutch My Pearls...

What to wear to a jazz age lawn party on Governor's island? Pearls fit the bill, so did seersucker and a straw cloche hat.

Now for the perfect picnic fare.  Ina Garten's Curried Chicken Salad is oh so delicious with baby arugula and perfect for dining al fresco.  White wine and scallions just sent this over the top.

xoxo
dani

Ever find yourself in the supermarket without a plan, trying to throw together a special dinner at the last minute?  Roast something! A one pan meal will do. Chicken breasts, veggies and potatoes perhaps.  Then make these Lemon-Blackberry tarts.  They take 20 mins.  The filling is just egg yolks, condensed milk and lemon juice.

I delight in a gift well wrapped.

What to make for my friend's baby shower? She's having twins!!! I'm thinking cake pop topiaries? Or perhaps a caramel pecan torte inspired by this whiskey spiked delight from Austin's Bess Bistro.

Party Accomplished

Welcome to fête accompli, a chronicle of my recent triumphs (and disasters) in decorating, cooking, baking, gifting and entertaining.

I believe in making things...to make others feel special, to make your surroundings more beautiful and as a subtle form of rebellion against consumerism and over consumption.

xoxo
dani