orangina as art

Who doesn't love Orangina? It's slightly sweet, bubbly, absolutely refreshing, and comes in an adorable little glass bottle. And if that weren't enough, these posters by Bernard Villemot are even more fabulous. I'd take any one of them and display it proudly aka in postcard size and plaster them all over my fridge. They'd make me happy every time I'd glance their way.

cheap date: mussels

SeriousEats "Dinner Tonight" column features a Mussels with Fennel and Orange recipe today which got me thinking: what a perfect, cheap date night meal. Mussels are one of the last great deals to be had in the market and we all know my affinity with fennel and orange. So really, done deal right there. That special someone will think you went to such great lengths by serving up a big bowl of these black beauties when in reality, you remained well under budget, and got it done in a cool 15 minutes. Sexy.

the sole meunière is ready for it's close up

Nora Ephron, Director and Screenplay writer of Julie & Julia, had a clear focus when diving into this project: the food. A well seasoned cook herself, Ephron took it upon herself to test every single recipe (minus one) seen in the film until each one was perfected. If this movie was going to serve any justice to Julia Child, the viewers had to be swooned, romanced by the food in the way that Julia was. Her Sole Meunière experience was one of the most defining moments in her life (MUST READ: My Life in France by Julia Child). It was what opened her eyes to the fulfilling and sensual world of food and the culinary arts. And while this may not seem like a terribly daunting task for Ephron at first glance, you try cooking each dish to camera-ready perfection, take after take after take, with limited resources. So this week, the New York Times went behind the scenes with Ephron to explore the food stylist challenges faced in the film. And don't worry. There was no application of sunless-tanner to any fish or foe to achieve "optimal brownness." Yes, that actually happens and no, I don't want to talk about it.

monday meal planning

Food genre specific or not, this week's winning category was vegetarian-friendly food. And that's just fine with me! The goal here will be to please both meat-eaters and vegetarians alike with options and variations for both teams.

At my local Morton Williams grocery store, Naan flatbread is on sale this week for $1.99. A steal, ladies and gents. So my first recommendation, besides running to the store and grabbing a few packs to freeze, is to make Naan Pizzas. Treat the Naan exactly like a pre-cooked pizza shell and top it with whatever your little (I mean, great, big!) heart desires. Need some direction? Try cranking the oven up to 400 degrees and while it comes to temperature, thinly slice up some zucchini, grate a clove or two of garlic, and slice some fresh (or buy pre-shredded) mozzarella. Then load up the Naan with the zucchini, garlic, and cheese and pop it in the oven just until it all melts. Keep an eye on it, shouldn't be more than 6 minutes or so. Then top it all off with some hand shredded basil and/or mint and relish in the goodness that will be this Indian Flatbread meets Pizza Fantasy.

The toppings are quite obviously endless. And for the meat-lovers that want the above pizza but are desperate for a protein fix, some proscuitto would be a fabulous, albeit luxurious addition. Another idea is a salad pizza. Toss up your favorite salad (arugula, red onion, goat cheese, vinaigrette) while gently heating the Naan in the oven. When the Naan is toasty to your satisfaction, top with the cool, crisp salad and enjoy immediately.

Since I'm looking at a fridge full of fresh herbs that will soon be on their way out, I'm going to whip up some tzatziki sauce to use throughout the week. Naan is very similar to pocketless pita which means you could also turn it into a makeshift gyro. For my veg-head friends, grill up your favorite assortment of veggies, spread 'em out over the Naan and top with a generous dollop of tzatziki. Meatheads: grill up some steak or lamb, slice, and add that to the mix. Absolutely perfect for lunch or dinner.

This is a no-brainer but for some reason, in this crazy hazy heat, I can't get enough of this avocado salad inspired from my favorite Cuban joint. Fresh iceberg lettuce, plenty of creamy avocado, and slivered red onion, lightly dressed with my white balsamic vinaigrette and I'm happier than I ever though a head of iceberg could ever make me. Grilled shrimp would make this even more special.

And lastly, if you can swing it, pick up a piece of salmon, poach it, and throw it in the fridge to cool. Then serve it alongside some of that tzatziki and a little salad and/or steamed asparagus and you'll forget about my little hiatus of missing posts.

Have at it, and as always, let me know how it goes.

THE LIST

1 English Cucumber
Dill
Mint (or Basil for pizza but might be smarter to just go mint here)
Garlic
Veggies to load up Naan Pizza, your choice
Veggies for Naan Gyro, your choice
Avocados
Iceberg
Red Onion

Naan Bread (2 or 3 packs - utilize freezer!)

Filet of Salmon

Mozzarella Cheese

i need you

As I jump back into the faithful blogger saddle (my apologies, again, for my slacking) I thought I'd throw a question out to you all in hopes of getting some fabulous feedback. What food genre should we explore this week as I start this week's menu planning? I'm open to all suggestions and do not discriminate against any cuisine. So let's hear it. The question is simple: What do you want?

summer means lobster rolls

For as long as I can remember, I have yet to go through a Summer without at least one steamed lobster or lobster roll experience. As a faithful New Englander, it just wouldn't feel right to go without. And certainly not a sacrifice I'm willing to take. Starving artist budget and all. So this past muggy Sunday, my Mom and I found ourselves at Rowayton Seafood's outdoor seafood shack where we ordered two lobster rolls (although they're calling them "Lobster Sliders") and two large lemonades. As we patiently waited at the red picnic table we enviously watched the lucky boat owners in the harbor lazily lounge. Finally, when our biodegradable "lunch boxes" were called up, I could hardly wait long enough to take a picture before I dove in.

Although the slider format didn't do much for the eating experience (I'm a purist and missed my top-split New England hot dog roll), the lobster meat was absolutely tender, light on the mayo, with just some chopped celery. My all-time favorite Summer treat. But since I longed for my typical top-split lobster roll, my Mom and I both agreed that the next time we treated ourselves to this special and luxurious lobster sandwich, we'd straight up order a tub of the lobster salad (sans slider buns) and dig right into the lusciously large chunks all while sipping our Country Time Lemonades.

Butter poached lobster with vanilla bean? No. And quite frankly, no thank you. But the classic, no frills kind of lobster we both grew up on? Yes, please.

101 salad ideas

The New York Times Dining section this week featured a spread on 101 Summer Salads to help you beat the heat in the kitchen. And since I can't even fathom putting a pot of water on the stove to boil at this point in the season, these recipe ideas are fabulously received on my end. So before you sweat over a hot pot and think pasta, let's rethink the salad.

Cool, refreshing, endless seasonal possibilities, and a heck of a lot better for you than any other naughty ideas (take out, mac 'n cheese, yada, yada, yada) running through your head. And the best part? No waiting around time here. Chop things up, throw 'em in a bowl, give it a gentle toss and you're ready to munch.

A couple of stand-outs?

12. Combine sliced fennel and prune plums; serve with vinaigrette spiked with minced ginger. Nice pairing.

13. A red salad: Combine tomato wedges with halved strawberries, basil leaves, shaved Parmesan and balsamic vinegar.

14. A classic Moroccan thing: Thinly slice carrots, or grate or shred them (the food processor makes quick work of this). Toss with toasted cumin seeds, olive oil, lemon juice and cilantro. Raisins are good in here, too. There is no better use of raw carrots.

16. Slice fennel and crisp apple about the same thickness (your choice). Combine, then dress with mustardy vinaigrette and chopped parsley. Come fall, this will be even better.

26. Combine mushroom caps and thinly sliced red onions with olive oil; broil gently until tender and browned. Toss with a lot of chopped fresh parsley or basil (or both) and a simple vinaigrette. Some chopped escarole, arugula or watercress is good, too.

31. Roast beets whole (or buy them precooked), then slice or cube and toss with a little chopped garlic (or a lot of roasted garlic), toasted walnuts, orange juice and olive oil.

38. Cube watermelon; combine with roughly chopped mint, crumbled feta, sliced red onion and chopped Kalamata olives. Dress lightly with olive oil and lemon juice. Despite saltiness of feta and olives, this may need salt.

43. Grate raw beets (use the food processor to avoid ruining everything within spattering distance) and toss with watercress or arugula. Top with sherry vinaigrette and a little goat cheese. Especially obvious, perhaps, but also especially popular.

44. Make a crisp grilled cheese sandwich, with good bread and not too much good cheese. Let it cool, then cut into croutons. Put them on anything, but especially tomato and basil salad. This you will do forever.

54. Slice roasted red peppers (if you must use canned, try to find piquillos) and fresh mozzarella. Toss with cooked white beans, olive oil, red wine vinegar, a chopped shallot and fresh rosemary or parsley.

55. Mix watercress with chopped smoked salmon, avocado, red onion and capers. Make a vinaigrette with olive oil, sherry vinegar and mustard powder.

69. Stir-fry small or chopped shrimp in olive or peanut oil with lots of ginger; while still warm, combine with tomato wedges, chopped romaine, cilantro, scallions and lots of lime juice. Good in pita.

81. Soak sliced prune plums or figs in balsamic vinegar for a few minutes, then add olive oil, chopped celery and red onion, shreds of roasted or grilled chicken, chopped fresh marjoram or oregano and chopped almonds. Serve on top of or toss with greens. So good.

playing food stylist

So this past weekend, a good photographer friend, Aimee Herring, came up for the day on Sunday to shoot some food in the new tricked out kitchen for her portfolio. And who was to do the food prep? Well, none other than yours truly, my friends. Throwing everyone for a curve ball (including myself) I decided to try my hand at some Asian-inspired foods and settled on the following menu: Vietnamese Summer Rolls (shrimp, mango, avocado, cilantro, lettuce) with Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce, Pan Fried Pork, Shrimp, and Leek Dumplings with a Cilantro-Serrano Dipping Sauce, Korean BBQ Beef Skewers served in Boston Lettuce Cups, and a Ginger-Mint-Lime Mojito to cool the heat and wash it all down. An Asian-style tapas spread, I suppose. Anyways, I really can't stop looking at the pictures in complete and utter awe. They're stunning and I can't believe how beautiful the food ended up looking. Hats off to Aimee for making my food look better than I could have ever imagined. (And for the record, it tasted pretty darn good too.)

don't leave me!

A sincere apology is in order. I have been pathetically M.I.A. but not in the least bit by choice. Work has been much crazier than usual and since work is what allows me to foot the bills for my epicurean escapades, well, work must thus come first. I hope to be back as soon as humanly possible with more and perhaps a little preview on a photo shoot done this weekend on an Asian-inspired food spread I whipped up...

bastille day

Better late than never I suppose, but today is Bastille Day and to that I say Viva la France! To get your French on, GrubStreet has supplied us with a couple of to-do's around the city tonight. But the real winner here? For $7 you can suck and sip away on a "French Flag Popsicle Flight" over at Counter in the East Village which is featuring, are you ready for it? A blueberry-lemon verbena and vodka, Provence rose and lavender, and raspberry sparkler. I mean, really? Are you kidding? How gorgeous tasting does that sound? Or you could go the non-alcoholic route and munch away on some merguez sausage sandwiches and a join in on a round of French lawn bowling over on West Broadway between Walker and White Streets which has been blocked off for the celebration.

Bonsoir mes cheries! Bisous!

livestream with gary vaynerchuk

Brought my Gary Vaynerchuk obesession to a whole new level today by participating in a ustream/livestream talk with him this afternoon where he answered almost any and all questions fired at him by the 300+ participants. He said my name a couple of times and I would by lying if I said I didn't get more than super giddy and sport a severely beet red face. Long story short? His favorite wine bar in the Soho area? Lure.

Guess where I'm headed next paycheck?

Lure.

Lure Fish Bar

142 Mercer St.

wine down and pizza night

A suprisingly short car ride right after work to our little angel, Megan's house in Long Island for some homemade pizza, arugula salad, vino, and much needed down time with the best of people is how we spent our Friday night. Quick run to the grocery store followed by pizza dough pick-up at the best joint in town and we were throwing toppings all over the place. To the left is a classic mozzarella, tomato, and basil with a mushroom, garlic, goat cheese and parsley pizza to the right. Love nights like these. Can't get enough of 'em, really. No other way I'd rather be spending my time.

coconut brown rice and black beans

Don't hate on me for stroking my own ego (hey, somebody's gotta do it) but last night's experimental dinner was divine. The coconut brown rice, while not entirely coconut-y enough (will try using a different brand next time), came out luxuriously creamy and almost risotto like. The flavorful and practically stupid easy black beans, thank you Goya and fresh veggies, were the perfect ying to the rice's yang and the pieces of fresh cilantro just sealed the deal. And right alongside this power couple was an avocado, red onion, and iceberg salad. Meatless, light, and crazy inexpensive, it tasted nothing less than an indulgent treat.

Coconut Brown Rice

3/4 cup lite coconut milk
1/4 cup water
1/2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup brown rice

Add the coconut milk, water, butter, and salt to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the rice, stir, cover and lower the heat drastically. Allow to cook for 15 minutes. Remove lid, stir, and taste. If it's still crunchy, stir in a little more coconut milk, cover and turn the heat off. Allow it to sit for a few minutes.

Stupid Easy Black Beans

1 can black beans
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 red onion, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, grated
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt

Fresh Cilantro for garnish

In a medium-sized saucepan, add a drizzle of olive oil over medium high heat. Add in the peppers, red onion, and garlic and allow to gently sweat for about 3 minutes. Open the can of beans and quickly rinse the beans. Add them to the pan along with the chili powder and salt, stir and reduce the heat to medium. Let the beans cook for 7 minutes or longer (just reduce the heat to low if you're going to go longer than 7 minutes). Serve with plenty of fresh cilantro on top.

BYOL: chicken and arugula pita pockets

If I wasn't on "Mission: Do NOT spend an unnecessary dime this week," I'd be all over this recipe for lunch this week. Giada's Chicken and Arugula Pita Pockets are totally easy (rotisserie chicken to the rescue) and sound absolutely filling. If you're not in the poorhouse like me, give this one a try. Also, I bet you could use lite mayonnaise in this application or do half mayo half dijon, reducing the amount of mayo even more. And with that, this will undoubtedly be on next week's menu planning.

monday meal planning

Is this Summer wrecking havoc on anyone else's wallet? Good God, I am feeling utterly depleted on the monetary front and it's causing stress. That said, this week's grocery store run will be extraordinarily minimal. Using up what I have on hand (this is when you'll be thanking me for the heads up on utilizing your freezer) and re-stocking the must have staples (fresh produce). If I can swing it, I'm going to try and recreate the coconut brown rice and black beans from the 4th of July Cuban spread as I have both brown rice and a can of black beans already on hand. With the addition of a red onion, red bell pepper, garlic, and chili powder the black beans will be set and then I'll experiment with a make-shift coconut rice by bringing a combination of coconut milk and water to a boil before the brown rice takes a plunge. I typically also have a hunk of ginger in my freezer so, fingers crossed, if that's in there, a generous piece will be added to boil away with the liquids, lending its lovely, pronounced aroma. With fresh cilantro on top, I'll forget all about my current financial woes and will (hopefully) feel like I'm on a vacation outside of my own head. Because for the time being, that's about as far away as I'm getting.

THE LIST (ya know, if you're following along)

1 red bell pepper
1 large red onion
1 bunch cilantro
box of baby greens (iceberg is crazy cheap, might even go with that since I can double it up as the lettuce on work week sandwiches and it's quite good shredded up with some of the rice and beans as well; cool, crispy, crunchy)

1 can black beans
1 can unsweetened, lite coconut milk

1 lb. thinly sliced (turkey, ham, roast beef, whatevs)

hearty, multigrain bread