I can’t remember who introduced my to the Dutch Baby. It may have been my mom, may have been an ex, either way whenever I make them I get some weird kind of misplaced nostalgia, but in a good way. They are so freakin’ simple to make but I find that I don’t make them often enough. I will say that when I DO make them, they are a hit and manage to impress. Not bad for some flour, eggs, butter and milk right? I love em with some maple syrup and berries.
Try this: Smitten Kitchen’s German Pancackes
Well, it’s official, it’s FALL!! One of my favorite seasons. It took awhile for the weather to actually change here, but it finally has and fall is in full swing. I love the cool air and sunny days and how the light is just different. Here are some pictures from my small corner of the world.
There’s something about this season that makes me want to hole up in my apartment and bake. Here’s what is making my tummbly-grumbly:
Apple Cheddar Scones from Smitten Kitchen
Rustic Plum Tart from Orangette
No-Knead Pumpkin Rolls over at the Kitchn
Well, labor day weekend has passed, it’s cloudy and windy today and it looks like summer is coming to a close. Due to ”life” I feel like I’ve missed all my favorite stuff about summer in the city. Movies at Bryant Park, outdoor concerts, eating at sidewalk cafes…sigh, I’ve had none of it!
Without telling my whole sob story I relocated to Brooklyn at the beginning of August and have tried to pack in as many summer activities into this last sunny month. Things like the McCarren Park farmers market, Blue Bottle Coffee, Fire Island and time with friends new and old. Here are some views from the last month:
Well, to start the weekend off I checked out the relatively new farmers market that is happening in Morningside park. (I learned of its exsitense from the fabulous Harlem Bespoke) It’s really small right now, but the quality is amazing. Migorelli Farms is there, which has always been one of my favorites at the Union Square market. There’s also a fishmonger and a few other quality stands. I started with $10 and walked away with a bunch of rocket arugala, garlic scapes, cherry tomatos and a small bin of strawberries. Tonight I took a cue from the latest issue of Everyday Food (thanks Rachel), and made a steak salad with hardboiled eggs! I baked up some sweet potato spears and ended up with a tasty, healty dinner. Yea me!!
Those are some of the cherry tomatos that I scored.
Last night I tried my hand at making gnocchi. (I tried my hand at it about 5 years ago and it ended badly, remember I don’t handle rejection well)
I decided to try Mark Bittmans’ recipe because it was literally only potatoes and flour, I added a little lemon zest for some zing! I figure that couldn’t be too hard, right? Well, they turned out pretty lovely! They were light and fluffy, only a little mushy. Not sure if the mushy-ness was due to over cooking, or if they needed the egg that was present in every other recipe I looked at. Either way they ended up being easy, and tasty and I will definitely be experimenting with them again and soon!
It's like a choo-choo train of starchy goodness!
This used to be The Point knitting cafe where Jane and I would hang, drink coffee, knit and chat with some great knitters. *sigh*
A tart, that’s what.
Don’t ask me why, but I’ve decided to conquer “the tart shell”. In the past I’ve just bought your average frozen pie shell. Always a success, but not too exciting. I’ve tried making my own shell a couple times, but they have always fallen short. Then I saw a recipe in the Times for a delicious sounding tomato tart that needed a savory tart shell. I got all kinds of excited and immediately headed down to the Union Square farmers market to get some tomatoes (in my head I said that as too-mott-toessss)
Fast forward two days later to me giving a lound grunt of defeat followed by me throwing my tart dough to the ground. Lets just say I don’t take rejection well. My fabulous, loving, and above all, patient boyfriend went down to the bodega and got me another stick of butter and I tried again. This time went mildly better (think Frankenstein with tart dough) and we finally ate dinner around 10pm.
So dear readers you and I may ask, what happened? Where did things go horribly, horribly wrong!!?? I wish I knew. Everything is fine until I chill the dough and then attempt to roll it out, the dough starts to crack like the San Andres fault.
I plan on doing some research with Mr. Bittman, Mrs. Child and the internet to get it right (DAMN IT). It will be my new obsession (that and the list of 60 berry desserts that Martha has on her site)
(ok, the time on this post is after midnight, but I started it around 11pm so I say it counts =P )
