recipes
Just about everyone we know is beside themselves with anxiety about this election (we find ourselves checking Nate Silver’s 538 polling blog compulsively for comfort). On the eve of the election, we offer our ‘improvised life’ survival guide: cocktails and easy-to-whip-up treats to help assauge anxiety no matter which candidate you favor.
The first order of business are alcoholic beverages. Wine-Spirits-Food writer Josh Eisen suggested a cocktail based based on the most American of spirits: bourbon and/or rye whiskies (Rye is especially fitting because, eons ago, early Ohio’ns — that BIG swing state — unable to grow wheat, grew rye instead…and of course, made whisky from it.) Josh found a simple formula for a Manhattan in Jim Meehan’s The PDT Cocktail Book: The Complete Bartender’s Guide from the Celebrated Speakeasy
: read more…
11.06.12 |
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in entertaining, family + friends, recipes, resources, strategies |
photo: sally schneider
Lush, fragrant summer strawberries are in their last week or two at farm stands. We bought some home and were inspired to serve them in the giant horn spoon Maria Robledo had given us, for an unexpected presentation. We ate them right off the stems, no powdered sugar necessary. It reminded us that there are all kinds of charming and unexpected vessels you could use for serving summer berries. We imagined an our collection of big odd serving spoons filled with berries and arrayed on the table.
If you decide to remove the hulls before serving the berries or cooking with them, don’t throw them away: they can make a great instant flavoring for balsamic vinegar. read more…
08.29.12 |
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in copy this!, eating, food, garden, housewares, how-to, recipes, strategies, why not? |
photos: sally schneider
Over the past few month’s public radio’s The Splendid Table hosted by Lynne Rossetto Kasper has featured an illuminating series called Key 3: a series of discussions with great cooks (not just professional chefs) about the three recipes or techniques they think everyone should know. In a break from traditional radio, Kasper and her team made videos in the cook’s kitchens so you can get an in-depth lesson – and the thinking behind – their Key 3′s. So far the stellar line-up includes Daniel Boulud, Lydia Bastianich, Andrea Reusing, Isaac Mizrahi, Andy Ricker and…
…Sally Schneider. Just before Sally moved out of her old apartment, Lynne and her team stopped by to film her talking about her Key 3 which will air launches Friday evening. They include Perfect Roast Chicken, Essential Chocolate Cake, and Fragrant Herb Salt. We’ll post the video once it airs, along with the recipes.
But meanwhile, we recommend starting with Daniel Boulud making his fabulous Aioli, a rich Provencal garlic sauce. (Lynne filmed him right before coming to Sally’s and brought some of it with her, so we know for sure it’s swell.) His easy-to-make aioli is a perfect summer sauce for many reasons:
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07.27.12 |
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in entertaining, food, how-to, people, recipes, resources blogs + sites, video |
photo: ellen silverman
We got SO many good ideas from reader’s entering our giveaway of Salads: Beyond the Bowl: Extraordinary Recipes for Everyday Eating
that we could put together our own potent little pamphlet of salad ideas. The randomly chosen winner’s idea proved to be an especially charming one:
There is not much I won’t put in a salad, I love to add nasturtiums if I’m having company or the need to eat flowers.
And here are a few more favorites, including an idea we never thought of:
recently discovered the incredible delicousness of grilling heads of Romaine, including melting a little grated parmesan on one side. I would never have thought of grilling salad, but it’s now my favorite!!!!
and a saladic sort of poem: read more…
07.19.12 |
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in community, entertaining, food, gifts, recipes, resources books + zines, strategies |
photo: maria robledo
In summer, we sometimes find ourselves spending time in the badly-equipped kitchens of rented or borrowed summer houses that can be a great challenge to cook in. So we apply the concept of makeshift: When you find you don’t have a particular piece of equipment you need, improvise a substitute or “shift” the dish you are making to accommodate it.
When it comes to equipment, makeshift is an antidote to the inhibiting, very modern reliance on matching sets of pots and stylishly outfitted kitchens. It cuts to the heart of the matter: rather than letting a piece of equipment stand in the way, you come up with a makeshift solution, as resourceful people have for eons, so you can still make the delicious dish you were planning. Use a label-less wine bottle to roll out pastry dough, a coffee cup for a ladle and get by just fine with one good sharp knife (we often travel with a folding Opinel picnic knife). We heard of a woman who pulled out her ironing board when she needed more counter space.
We’ve come up with an array of makeshift solutions over the years. The example below (with a couple of recipe) will give you a sense of possibility for devising your own makeshift equipment when you need it. There’s only one rule: whatever works. read more…
07.13.12 |
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in cheap + great, copy this!, d-i-y, family + friends, housewares, how-to, kitchen, recipes, resources, strategies |
photo: ellen silverman
There’s one week left to enter our giveaway, Mindy Fox’s Salads: Beyond the Bowl. Summer is the perfect season for this book, though there’s a ton of ideas for all year (think Shaved Brussel Sprouts, Olive Oil, Lemon and Peppered Sheep’s Milk Cheese, or Shredded Celery Root, Manchego and Pistachios…).
To enter the giveaway, leave us a comment telling us what goes into your favorite salad. On Tuesday, July 17th, we’ll randomly pick a winner to receive this beautiful book.
This evening, we’re going to try Mindy’s Blueberries, Feta and Mint recipe, Mindy’s riff on the classic ever-surprising combo, watermelon and feta cheese: read more…
07.11.12 |
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in entertaining, food, inspiration books + zines, people, recipes |
photo: ellen silverman
This is what is so great about Mindy Fox’s Salads: Beyond the Bowl. Over 150 pages of recipes and ideas will open your eyes to the limitlessness of salad. But what we particularly love is Mindy’s use and awareness of improvisation. read more…
07.02.12 |
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in food, how-to, people, recipes, resources, resources books + zines |
Our giveaway contest is over and our winner has been selected at random–Marti will be receiving the signed, first edition of A New Way to Cook! Congrats Marti. We hope you it comes in useful for the farmer’s market treasures you mentioned in your comment:
“Bring it. Today’s Farmer’s Market basket full of ruby red rhubarb, juicy Michigan strawberries, and a rainbow of chard. Would love that cookbook to lead me to the newness. Abundance reigns.”
06.21.12 |
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in community, food, inspiration books + zines, recipes, resources books + zines |
Time’s almost up for our current book giveaway! Tonight at midnight, we’ll be picking a commenter at random to receive a signed, first edition copy of Sally’s A New Way to Cook
. Over the past couple of weeks we’ve been posting seasonal recipes from the book, like Strawberries in Beaujolais Sauce, Classic Coleslaw, and three simple summer fruit desserts. But there’s more to be found buried away on ‘the improvised life’, over at The Splendid Table, and at Sally’s personal website. Below you’ll find a round-up of recipes to be had for free (just a fraction in the books 750+ pages.) Remember, all you need to do to enter the giveaway is leave a comment! Good luck! Here now, our recipe extravaganza: read more…
06.19.12 |
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in community, d-i-y, eating, entertaining, family + friends, food, recipes, resources books + zines |
'crabcakes n' slaw' photo: maria robledo
Before picking the winner of our latest book giveaway on June 19 (a signed, first edition copy of Sally’s A New Way to Cook), we’ve been posting recipes from the book that fit the season. With summer fast approaching, slaws are the inevitable – and perfect – accompaniment to barbeques, picnics, and porch suppers. We serve this recipe for Classic Coleslaw all summer long. It rolls several Southern slaws into one, while fudging the overrich ingredients. read more…
06.13.12 |
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in community, eating, entertaining, family + friends, food, inspiration books + zines, recipes, resources books + zines |
photo: maria robledo
In honor of our giveaway of a signed, first-edition of Sally’s A New Way to Cook, we thought we’d publish 3 recipes for summer that are both crazy-simple (one has only 1 ingredient!) and dazzling. They make up just a fraction of the book’s chapter on fruit desserts. It includes a guide for improvising flavored syrups for making quick, memorable fruit salads, which is what’s happening in the photo above. Think Vanilla Bean; Cherry Eau-de-Vie; Rosewater; Basil and Cinnamon; Rosemary, Lavender and Honey; Whisky and White Peppercorn syrups to adorn peaches, aprictos, melons, cherries, berries, mangos…
To enter, just comment if you’d like a copy of A New Way to Cook and we will pick a winner at random on June 19th.
And now, here are Three Crazy-Simple Fresh Fruit Desserts: read more…
06.05.12 |
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in cheap + great, entertaining, family + friends, food, gifts, people, recipes, resources books + zines, strategies |
photo: maria robledo
May offers a brief window when the markets are flush with fragrant local strawberries. We’ve been given a couple of cartons by friends who actually had time to get to the greenmarket: sublime little sweet bites perfect as is. But we were reminded of a recipe for Strawberries in Beaujolais Sauce from Sally’s A New Way to Cook that would be the perfect way to use up what remains of the spring’s strawberry harvest.
It’s a versatile sauce/stew that can be served hot or cold, and alongside or over any number of plain cakes and desserts, as well pancakes, french toast, and especially a fine vanilla ice cream. (We like to eat it by the spoonful as a midnight snack). It’s simple to make, and the flavors of beaujolais (or other fruity young red wines) and strawberries marry beautifully; it’s an excellent way to use up an open bottle of wine. read more…
05.25.12 |
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in d-i-y, eating, entertaining, food, how-to, inspiration books + zines, recipes |
and did a lovely photo of the process. Since this year’s long cherry season is winding down, we thought we’d pass Sally’s original recipe along. You’ll find the ever-great 
