Roast 'em up!

Up in Seattle for the weekend, I wandered across a (rare?) display of Cornish Game Hens in the grocery. Sally Lauren and I were shopping for champagne, but we left with so much more...

...brushed in olive oil, basted in white wine, and surrounded by rosemary sprigs and garlic cloves, we constructed a simple, DELICIOUS Sunday meal -- out of the roasting pan, and onto our plates!

August Works

Because of these...


...and these.

It's very pleasing to pop marble shaped fruits into your mouth on a summer's day. One goes in, and then, another, and another, and another...

Summer Spoils

2 fresh tomatoes, bordering on over-ripe, 2 small, sweet yellow onions, a clove of garlic, a pinch of capers, and a warmed half of a rustic loaf later...

...mimi and i are sitting down to a lovely taste of summer (and cleaning out the pantry at the same time!)

Balsamic Roasted Portabello Sandwich

While roasting my Portabello mushroom in the oven at 425 degrees for about 30 minutes, I lightly toast two slices of Vital Vittles 9-grain bread so that my Boucheron goat cheese will melt just enough to spread like butter. Upon these cheesy slices, I pile on the goods: one juicy red tomato (sliced) and mixed greens (with edible flowers) from the Happy Boy Farm's stand at the Noe Valley Farmer's Market. I know my mushroom is ready too, because it sizzles and feels good and tender. The grapes are decorative and fruity. Saturday lunches are the best!

Pink is the new cocktail

Gender roles are pretty obnoxious and I do my best to subvert them whenever possible. My toothbrush and aviators are both in the pink family and there ain't no shame in that. And now I have a new favorite pink thing. The masterminds over at Alembic recently introduced a new cocktail called the Clover Club. A favorite of manly men during pre-prohibition Philadelphia, the drink is a mix of raspberry, gin, a splash of lemon juice, and some frothy egg-white to top it off. Pink drinks usually suck (just ask the ugly stepsister of cocktails, the Cosmo) so I celebrate the Clover Club as much as possible...and that doesn't necessarily make me gay (even though I totally am) nor does it make me an alcoholic (which I totally used to be).

Apple Cinnamon

I wanted to experience the pure essence of these Tomatero farm eggs I bought at the Noe Valley farmer's market. After a slow cook on low heat, I plated my scramble alongside apple slices and Semi-freddies cinnamon toast. I liked reading the Sunday times and having breakfast today.

Squash Blossom Quesadillas

A trip to the ferry building farmer's market with Liz is the coziest way to spend a Saturday morning. What else beats one farm stand after the other full of glorious, seasonal fruits and vegetables? After one or two strolls through, not only have we tasted every type of peach you can imagine, but we have answered the age-old question: what's for dinner?


We spread everything out on the kitchen table and assessed the situation. Squash blossoms will play the starring role for this meal:


We figured that Squash Blossom Quesadillas would be the most fun and exciting recipe. First, we sauteed zucchini, summer squash, and onions for a while until they were tender and browning. In another pan were Mi Abuelita Bonita flour tortillas warming up. We added the squash blossoms to the saute, but not until the last minute as to maintain their delicate form. After melting a few generous dollops of queso fresco on the crisp tortillas, we added the saute and folded it up. Basmati rice and beans cozied up as side dishes. Thank you, farmer's market, for such tasty ingredients for Sunday night dinner!

New Brighton Beach

Some Saturdays call for nothing more than a beach-side lunch with friends. I got lucky today because Katie's in town from Massachusetts and we went to her family's beach house in Santa Cruz. Out on the porch, we devoured fresh fruit salad, tortilla chips and turkey sandwiches. Between chatting and chewing, we watched dolphins jump and dance around in the ocean. What a show!

Rainbow Hill

Not much can rock my world after a hike to and from a black sand beach on Hawaii's big island. Or so I thought...

Sushi Rock did indeed rock! Nestled in downtown Hawi, this restaurant offered a locally brewed beer called Mehana and served the best Miso soup of my life. The hightlights, however, were the rolls...

Above is Rainbow Hill, but there were many more. Some wrapped in sesame roasted fish, others rolled in macadamia nuts, and the lucky ones were drizzled with a sweet ponzu sauce. Colorful, fresh and light, this meal was a scrumptious treat during our adventure through the island.

Egg on Greens and a Berry Compass

One sunny-side up egg from the Ferry Building Farmer's Market, fresh spinach from the Green Gulch Farm and a few leftover raspberries from a 1/2 pint = Sunday morning breakfast.

I couldn't bare another fried egg and toast to jump-start my day, so I got a little fancy with this one. First, I placed 3 leaves of shiny green spinach on the plate and then I gently slid (from pan to plate) this adorable little egg on top. Topped off with a little berry garnish, this dish took a whole new direction into playfulness. It filled me up and made me smile from its cuteness.

There's Something About Caesar

Is it the full leaves of Romaine? Or the close shave of Parmesan? Maybe the dressing, ripe with mystery (anchovies: to be or not to be) that draws me near and beckons me to order this refreshing salad on a summer day. It's easy to make, no? I'm on a hunt for a recipe that will cater to my veggie-lovin' friends. In this case, to "not" be an anchovy is a good thing. Or maybe "to be" an anchovy is a good thing because you won't end up in our salad!

The dish above belongs to Tra Di Noi, one of the loveliest Italian restaurants outside of Italy and nestled in Malibu's Cross Creek. The restaurant's patio overlooks the playground I used to play in when I was little. I enjoy their Caesar for lunch while watching kids fly back and forth on the swings...

For Megan

While waiting for my iphone to sync I was reading a piece on slate about single topic blogs which led me to this blog which I thought Megan might enjoy:
http://fuckyeahcilantro.tumblr.com/

La Prima!

Tonight, Sarah, Jess and David came over to celebrate summer with homemade Pasta Primavera. I got the idea for this "sauceless" pasta at the Noe Valley farmer's market while strolling through the Happy Boy Farm stand. All the summer veggies looked so fresh and colorful, I wanted nothing more than to toss them in with some Farro pasta and bon appetit! The four of us enjoyed our Monday night dinner so much we thought how fun it would be to have an online space to create meals, schedule dinner parties and inspire one another. All culinary, seasonal and food-related experiences are welcome: from that over-the-top main dish at Greens to that one juicey pluot slice at the Ferry building. Just sign up, log in and share!