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Broccoli is in season right now and my child loves it. But if you purchase it by the pound, you'll suddenly realize that what you are paying for—is a lot of stem. So this past week, I started collecting the stems and putting them neatly in the fridge, (covered loosely in plastic). By the end of the week I had at least 4 cups.

If you don't have time to make this, chop the stems roughly and freeze them until you do have a moment to use them. Don't waste them, though, the stems can be part of a whole new meal and honestly, they're just, or even more delicious than the florets.

LEMONY BROCCOLI STEM PUREE: Put 4 cups of roughly chopped broccoli stems into a pot of salted water and bring to the boil. Cook until tender. (Roughly 10-15 minutes). Drain. Put the cooked stalks into a food processor with 1 cup of cooked white rice. Blend. Add 3/8 of a cup of Sour Cream, 2 teaspoons of freshly squeezed Lemon, a grating of fresh Nutmeg and a grind or two of freshly Ground Pepper. Blend again. Check for seasoning. You may need to add a tiny bit of Salt, but if you boiled your stems in fairly salted water, it probably won't be necessary.

NOTE: This puree serve 4 as a side dish with Fish, Roasted Chicken or any Grilled Meats. Roasted Pumpkin, or something sweet like Roast Yams would go well as another side dish with this. (The sweetness offsetting the lemony broccoli puree). You could also toss the Broccoli Stem Puree through cooked buttered noodles, with a little grating of cheese on top. Or, fold it into a cheese sauce, mix through cooked noodles, top with garlic breadcrumbs and bake, for a cheesy broccoli gratin.  

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So pleased to welcome Illustrator ALLI ARNOLD to my blog! To see her work, check here.

Eggs en Cocotte (Hot Baked Eggs in Cream)

Cream in the fridge? Check. Eggs? Check. All you need to bring soft decadent eggs to a brisk weekend morning.

SIMPLE SUNDAY BREAKFAST: EGGS en COCOTTE: These are best when the yolk is just cooked, and melts gently into the cream. Salt and pepper are crucial. Serve immediately with hot buttered 'soldiers,' or warmed crusty baguette smeared with unsalted butter. Happy Sunday!

Place a small heat-proof dish or ramekin, (that's big enough to hold 2 eggs) inside a larger baking dish (preferably one that has a lid) and put them both on your stovetop. Fill the larger dish half way up with water. Bring the water to boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Meanwhile dab a piece of unsalted butter into the small dish, and when it's melted, crack in 2 eggs. Add a pinch of Salt and some freshly ground Pepper. Cover your baking dish tightly with a lid, or foil, if you don't have a lid, and cook for 3 minutes. Remove cover and add 2 tablespoons of Heavy Cream. (1 tablespoon per egg). Cover tightly again, and cook for another 2 minutes or until the eggs are just cooked through, or to your liking. Each stove top differs, so keep an eye on them. you may need to cook them longer.

NOTE: You can grate a little Parmesan over the top, or even rip up fresh Tarragon leaves, if you have them on hand. You could serve these eggs with a side of stewed tomatoes, or field mushrooms—sautéed lightly in some thyme leaves and butter.

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(Pic: Dimity Jones)

A Englishman seeks out the Best Indian Food in New York

Matthew Axe, Design Director at Whole Living magazine; who hails from Stowmarket, Suffolk grew up eating good—but fairly traditional English fare. While cutting his teeth as an Art Director in London, he started hovering around the photo studios near Brick Lane, where he developed a hankering for the best most flavorful curries, dips, dishes and sauces.

Unless you're in Queens, authentic Indian food is hard to find in New York. While walking his dog Rusty, one day in Hell's Kitchen, Matthew noticed a bunch of NY cabbies queued up outside of Punjabi Tadka. (Most NY cabbies hail from Bangladesh, followed by India, then Pakistan, and they're the ones to watch in terms of knowing where the best authentic cuisine lies). Since then, this place has become a staple, and he eats from here at least twice a week. (Even once teetering giant aluminium trays of it to a party in a New York cab. A feat in itself).

Matthew, loves to have a few Brit's over to join him in his feast. The Butter chicken is silky and to die for. The Chicken Tikka Marsala a must-order. Lamb Bhana is aromatic from marinating in herbs and the time I joined him, we ordered the Fish Curry. This is a go-to stop for any ex-pat craving a Ruby Murray. (That's cockney rhyming slang for 'Curry'). Wash it down with sturdy mugs of East India Pale Ale from Brooklyn Brewery and Bob's your Unc.

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PUNJABI TADKA 688 10th Ave, (between 48 and 49th Streets) New York, NY 10019-7104 (212) 956-0185

(Pics: Dimity Jones, with assistance from John Kernick's bike lamp)

"In Their Place"— The South of France; Macon York; Homemade Cocoa Cinnamon Muesli.

Welcome to "In their place," it's a new column that I'll be posting regularly on my blog. Look out for posts from people who are cooking, creating, and eating, in their own space. Wherever that might be!

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This post is from my friend Macon York, who's currently in the South of France in a forrest region called Haut Languedoc at a sustainable farm/workshop. There is a sense of conciousness there, of what one consumes and what one throws away. All their meals, for instance, are dictated by what needs to be eaten, before it goes to waste. They have no big projects at this time of year for the farm so her daily work involves weeding, feeding and maintaining the chickens, and general land preparation for the upcoming winter months. Since they have no water source, they use what rainwater provides, and even their used up water is filtered into an algae pond and repurposed to water the vegetable garden. Macon says that washing dishes requires a tub up filled up with water and then soaking everything in it. Then rinsing everything in another tub of clean water. The dirty tub is used ultimately to water plants, and the rinse water becomes the soak tub, for the next night.

MACON'S HOMEMADE COCOA CINNAMON MUESLI: Make this Muesli raw so you get to taste the individual flavors. Or if you prefer, heat it in a skillet (before adding the yogurt or milk) where it will become toasty and stick together. 

In an individual bowl mix together Rolled Oats, a small sprinkle of Wheat Germ, a pinch of Ground Cloves, Raisins (or any dried fruit), Walnuts, Ground Cinnamon, Cocoa Powder, Honey and chopped fresh Fruit. (Whatever you have on hand; Melon, Apple, or Banana). Add Yogurt or milk.

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The photographs (above) were taken on Macon's first Sunday breakfast at the sustainable Farm. This muesli is her daily morning sustenance before attending to her farming duties. 

To check out Macon's work, click here. To get info on the farm, click here.

Halloween Drinks, for Adults.

So I confess, I've struggled with Halloween the moment I stepped into the US. I didn't grow up with Holiday and I'm extremely bad at dressing up. (I'm even a bit clueless as to what we're even celebrating... Ghosts 'n' Cobwebs?)

My son— though, loves Halloween, so I've rallied to the cause every year. When he was one of the three little pigs, I was the brick house. When he was a Policeman, I was his car. (Complete with rotating red siren, that was duct taped to my head). This year—he wants to be a conductor, and guess who's going to be the train? For some reason, I'm always the inanimate object.

Once the kids are tucked away in bed though, (albeit— jacked up on candy), it's good to bring out the adult sweets. Put down the candy corn and back away from the costume parents, it's time to enjoy some hard-hitting drinks, Halloween style!

NOTE: The drinks (above) were originally shot for Jen Smith, who did a story on my blog for eBay's 'Inside Source'. (eBay's Digital Shopping Magazine).

Check out Inside Source story here.

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THE RECIPES:

GREEN EYED BLOODY MARY with OLD BAY SEA SALT: Place into a food processor; 1.5 stalks of Celery, 2 tablespoons of Bottled Horseradish, 3 tablespoons of juice from a jar of Green Olives, 1 lemon, (juiced), 1 tablespoon of freshly ground pepper, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon of celery salt, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and 2 tablespoons of Tabasco. Add about a quarter of a tin of 36 oz Tomato Juice. Then mix everything in the food processor until finely pulped. Pour the contents of the food processor into a pitcher or jug, then and add the rest of the tin of Tomato juice, and Vodka to taste. Stir, and chill. Smear the leftover squeezed Lemon around the rim of desired glasses and roll the empty glass in a dish of Old Bay Seasoning. Fill the glasses with the mixed tomato mixture and throw in a few green olives for fun. I like my Bloody Mary served chilled, with no ice. (The ice, as it melts, waters down the flavor).

DARK and SCARY: Take a few bottles of the best Ginger Beer you can find. Fill a glass with ice cubes, pour over Ginger Beer till 3/4's full. Add a squeeze of a quarter Lime. Pour over the top some Dark Jamaican Rum slowly, and watch it seep down. Stir and drink.

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Thanks to Andrew Purcell (Photo) and Carrie Purcell (Food styling) (Art Direction; Dimity Jones)

Jen Smith's amazing work can be seen here.

What Charlie Ate; A Simple Soft Boiled Egg

Bed-head, a simple egg. A beautiful sunny dawn. Good morning everyone!

To get a recipe for a simple soft boiled egg, check here.

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Collaborating with Ari Michelson again, is such a pleasure, to check out his work, click here.

Roasted Tomato Soup

My local Farmer's Market still has plenty of Tomatoes, so I'm taking advantage of the fact, and stewing, roasting and freezing as many as I can, for those dark mid-winter days ahead where the burst of tomatoes can simply brighten any day.

ROASTED TOMATO SOUP: Core 6 Medium Tomatoes but leave whole. Put in a bowl add plenty of Olive Oil and Salt. Toss to coat. Fire up a grill or cast iron pan to High, coat it with a little Olive Oil and when it starts smoking add the whole tomatoes. (You can also roast the tomatoes) Turn occasionally until all are charred black and shriveled. Set pan aside, cover loosely with plastic wrap, so the tomatoes steam a little. When cool, remove skin and chop roughly. Meanwhile in a soup pot, add 3 tablespoons of Olive Oil and sauté 4 finely chopped Garlic cloves on low heat. When golden, add the chopped tomatoes, with a teaspoon of fresh Thyme, a good grind of fresh Pepper, a teaspoon of Salt, a teaspoon of Raw Sugar and 3 cups of regular water. Bring to a boil, then reduce, and simmer for 35 of 40 minutes. Pulverize with an emersion hand blender. (Optional, depending on the consistency you like). Makes about 2 cups.

NOTE: You can serve this with grated Parmesan on top. Or with a Grilled Cheese sandwich. At the simmer stage, you can even make this more hearty by adding Orzo, diced Sausages, a can of Chickpeas or even some prepared Pesto. On the day we shot this it was warm for October, so I added some finely diced Kirby Cucumbers, (in the photograph) which gave it a fresh crunch. 

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Photograph: Squire Fox. Props: Tara Marino (Food concept/styling & Art Direction: Dimity Jones)

Once Bitten

It's Fall, which means it's time for Apples. Peaking, blooming and making an appearance in every grocery store and market near you.

Above, the beautiful photographic work of Andrea Gentl's.

Read Andrea's post devoted to apples on her blog 'Hungry Ghost Food + Travel',

How to... Make your own Worcestershire Sauce

While preparing Bloody Mary's at Andrew and Carrie Purcell's house, I discovered their homemade Worcestershire sauce. Carrie—a food stylist, got inspired to make this from a recipe from Saveur magazine, and says, "When we moved from California to New York, we didn't want to just race out and buy a stack of bottled condiments. Instead—we thought, what a great opportunity to try and make everything from scratch, so that when we opened the fridge, there would be all these jars full of amazing goodies."

This recipe is really simple. You just plonk everything together. And here's the thing, once you're tried homemade Worcestershire, you'll never eat it out of a bottle again. This will keep in your fridge for at least 8 months.

HOMEMADE WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE: In a medium saucepan combine 2 cups distilled white vinegar, 1⁄2 cup molasses, 1⁄2 cup soy sauce, 1⁄4 cup tamarind concentrate, 3 tbsp. yellow mustard seeds, 3 tbsp. kosher salt, 1 tsp. whole black peppercorns, 1 tsp. whole cloves, 1⁄2 tsp. curry powder, 5 cardamom pods, smashed, 4 chiles de árbol, chopped, 2 cloves garlic, smashed, 1 x 1" stick cinnamon, 1 anchovy, chopped, 1 yellow onion, chopped, 1  1⁄2" piece ginger, peeled and crushed. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and let simmer for at least 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cook 1⁄2 cup sugar in a pan over medium-high heat until it becomes dark amber and syrupy, (about 5 minutes). Add the sugar mixture to the main mixture and whisk, to combine. Cook the sauce for another 5 minutes then transfer to a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Refrigerate, covered, for 3 weeks and then strain to remove solids; return it to the jar. You can refrigerate your sauce for up to 8 months. Makes about 2 cups.

To get the original recipe, click here for the Saveur magazine link.

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PHOTOGRAPH: ANDREW PURCELL. FOOD STYLIST: CARRIE PURCELL (Art direction: Dimity jones)

Hot Crunchy Fried Chicken, from Red Rooster

The waitress was right. I needed to pick up the fried chicken in my fingers.

The Red Rooster Harlem is an eclectic mix of churchgoing local women, outdoorsy Swedish seniors and lithe, beautiful, black models. (And a ruddy faced food writer holding court at a round table at the back). The Fried Yard bird is crunchy, juicy with bold original flavors. I had their version of fried chicken with a side of house-made Cornbread, whipped Honey Butter and African inspired Tomato Jam. The chicken is really well browned and served in Mace Gravy. (Mace is a spice that comes from Nutmeg, but it's more pungent— like a combination of Pepper and Cinnamon) It's served with earthy, rich Collard Greens, a paste-like Hot Sauce and a squeeze of fresh Lemon.

I love being up in Harlem, I love the people, I love the energy. It's like owner Marcus Samuelsson took the entire neighborhood and stuffed it into his restaurant space. A small nod to his Nordic upbringing (Marcus was born in Ethiopia but raised in Sweden) in the form of graphic 'wallpaper' that shows a print version of his grandmother's Swedish Kringle recipe and a few recipes from home, are a nice touch. (Use real butter!)

I'll be going back, please join me.

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Can't get to Harlem? Get Marcus Samuelsson's recipe for Fried Yardbird with Smoked Collards, here.

Marcus brines, then marinates the chicken, using a 'shake' (which is a blend of dry seasonings). His shake is unusual because it has the addition of Berbere. Which is a Spice Blend originating from Ethiopia.

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RED ROOSTER HARLEM 310 LENOX AVENUE, NEW YORK, NY 10027 BETWEEN 125TH AND 126TH • 212.792.9001

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(Pics: Dimity Jones)

What I'm obsessed with now (# 367) The Brooklyneer!

The Spicy Kimchee Hotdog and the Sunset Park Sliders, at The Brooklyneer.

SPICY KIMCHEE HOTDOG Is a All-Beef Hotdog from Mile End, the Montreal Jewish Deli in Brooklyn, with Kewpie mayo, and some Mamo O's Kimchee, Slow Train Arbol Chili Hot sauce and Cilantro ($6).

SUNSET PARK SLIDERS Is an Organic slow-roasted Pork Shoulder, with Steve's Smoked Ham, a wonderful slab of melted Gruyere, Pickle Guys Half-Sour Pickles, and Spicy Mayo. ($11).

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The Brooklyneer is a Manhattan-based Gastropub, that only serves food from Brooklyn. (Like a Denver restaurant, maybe, where the food comes from Boulder, or a Bondi haunt where the menu is strictly Hunter Valley, perhaps?) This might bear testament that the food coming out of Brooklyn today, deserves to be emulated, no matter which borough you are in and so while the food can't, thus, really be considered truely 'local', it's imported, yes—but from just over the bridge. The pork, ham, cheese, pickle, mayo combo on the slider is to die for.

Check out the menu here.

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The Brooklyneer PHOTOGRAPHS BY JEN CAUSEY 

Hmm. Now what would Prince Charles eat?

Why pasta in Smoked Salmon with a light Saffron Cream Sauce of course! This dish is pretty decadent, so I'd like to think it could possibly work for a Prince. Or maybe someone in your life that deserves to be treated like a King.

BUCATINI with SMOKED SALMON and ANCHOVIES in SAFFRON CREAM:

What you need:  3/4 of a pound of Perciatelli or Bucatini Pasta. (That's the thick Spaghetti with a hole right through the middle). 4 oz of Smoked Salmon, roughly chopped. 4 whole Anchovies and 2 tablespoons of Anchovy Oil (from the same jar) 1 Red Onion, finely diced. 2 pinches or 12-14 Saffron threads. 4 oz of Créme Fraiche. Half a cup of Fish Stock (or Chicken Stock will also work in a pinch)

How to make it:  Bring a large pot of Salted water to the boil and cook Bucatini according to packet instructions. Sauté the Red Onion, in the Anchovy Oil, on low heat, till softened. Add the Stock and the threads of Saffron. Stir, letting the Saffron infuse in the Stock. Add the whole Anchovies, Créme Fraiche, Smoked Salmon. Taste for seasoning. Add Salt and Pepper to taste, remember it has to go over the Pasta so it's Ok to be a little salty. Pour over cooked Pasta and serve immediately. Serves 4.

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Photograph by Bryan Gardner. (Food, concept, Art Direction; Dimity Jones)

White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Ground Lemon Myrtle Leaf and Poached Apricots

In Sydney, Australia, in 1979, my Godfather was my best friend. For a girl at Boarding School at age 11, away from her parents, my Sydney-based Godfather was the closest family I had. He used to treat me dinner at fancy Steak houses (The Black Stump; which had meltingly buttery steaks with whole jacket potatoes seeped in sour cream and chives) and revolving glass restaurants (The Summit). Where he would sloppily dip his fingers in the small jugs of milk supplied for our supposed after-dinner coffee, and draw upon the unsuspecting glass windows, maps, freely and loosely, maps of the entire world. "Here is Turkey", he would say. Dipping his fingers in the milk and drawing a giant circle around the middle of the pane of glass. "You need to go there. And then, while you are there, you need to go to Greece, which is here". By the time we finished dinner, the windows were graffitied with artistic milky trails. The restaurant hated us, the waiters despised us. We never had so much fun.

When my godfather passed, I lost the accent that I was born with. I wandered around the city and never sounded the same. People didn't recognize me. I no longer belonged to my homeland, and when I spoke a ridiculous voice came out which wasn't the voice I was born with. People didn't notice any difference though. How could they notice? Nothing could ever be the same now that my Godfather was no longer around.

He was found splayed, dramatically, by his house. His feet coming out from under an ordinary Lemon tree that grazed the garden path by his girlfriend, who lay with him for 3 hours until the coroner came. Rubbing his arms and hugging him tightly. While my father, who was his best friend, methodically took charge of his feet and gently, one by one, scraped the mud off his brand new shoes. (Shoes that were one size too small for him, we were later to find out).

So, I moved house. Recently.

The problem with moving is that you get to go through all those drawers of stuff, that you don't necessarily want to see again. Stuff that you can't bear, for one reason or another to throw out, but just keep, tucked away in the back of a drawer hoping you'll never have to really look at, or deal with it again. It was in one of these drawers that I found something that had belonged to my Godfather.

It might sound a bit odd, but when my Godfather died, while the aunts and ex-girl-friends were fighting hard over who would get his material possessions; the bookshelves, the cheap paintings and the dishwasher (good lord), I wanted to slip away with something that really reminded me of him.

He had had a sweet tooth, but never milk or dark chocolate, only white. He would buy bars of white chocolate, never finishing it, and then methodically and practically cut the chocolate up, and put the remains in an ordinary screw-top jar.

In the death of a loved one, you don't remember the funeral, because you don't remember being there, well, not in any living form, really. You're a ghost. So, before I knew it, standing in his pantry. The place that I loved to be. With his rows and rows of BBQ sauce, (he loved to grill all kinds of meats, outdoors) I had popped the jar of cut up white chocolate in my suitcase and gently, carefully, bought it back in to the United States.

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WHITE CHOCOLATE PANNA COTTA with GROUND LEMON MYRTLE LEAF and POACHED APRICOTS. A dish fit for anyone who's memory you might be holding dear! The main ingredient? You guessed it; White, milk chocolate, with a good teaspoon of ground Lemon Myrtle Leaf. A native herb indigenous to Australia. My godfather would have loved this dish. RIP my dear friend.

Poached Chicken for Sunday Dinner. Then the rest of the week

She ain't pretty, but boy is she my staple; the best thing you'll ever eat. Thankfully—looks aren't everything, especially when it comes to the best, most succulent chicken with the recipe that keeps on giving—sandwiches, pasta, and the most flavorful stock for all kinds of risotto. Because the chicken actually cooks in the chicken stock, for a long 3 hours, the flavors are unimaginable, and the chicken stock? Made even better for sitting with the chicken. This dish has literally changed my life.

Creative director and good friend James Dunlinson was the one who first mentioned this dish to me, it's a rift of a Kylie Kwongrecipe. I use a whole cup, (or 4 oz) of fresh Ginger, like she does, and as it boils down, it gives your house a most fragrant, spicy—almost exotic scent. Don't worry, the chicken doesn't taste gingery. You'll need 3 and a half hours in total to make this, but only 10 minutes, of that is actual prep time, the rest is just sitting on the stovetop, with the heat turned off. Do it on a Sunday, and have it for dinner, and then honestly, you're really set for the week.

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COOK ONCE,  AND GET TWO DISHES: A JUICY CHICKEN, AS WELL AS A FLAVORFUL STOCK:

WHOLE POACHED CHICKEN: Fill a giant pot with 14 cups of water. Add 1 chopped Carrot, 2 handfuls of roughly chopped Celery,1 whole Lemon, cut in half and the juice squeezed into the water, half a head of Garlic, with skin, roughly chopped, half a medium Onion, also chopped roughly, 1 teaspoon of Black Peppercorns, 4 oz, or one cup of whole fresh Ginger, chopped roughly and 2 tablespoons of Salt. Put the lid on and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes to infuse flavors. Drop a whole raw Chicken (4.5 lbs, approx) into the pot, and bring heat back up to a boil. Let the chicken boil in the pot for only 15 minutes. Shut off the heat. Replace the lid and leave the chicken to sit in the pot, on your stove top for 3 hours. This allows the chicken to gently poach in the warm water to give it a moist, velvet texture. You can put the entire thing in the fridge at this point to cool. (I even leave it overnight in there). When cool, shred the chicken and put in a separate bowl. You can reduce the chicken stock further by putting it back on the heat for an hour or so. Then strain.

MUSHROOM CHICKEN RISOTTO: Put a big knob of Butter in a fry pan on low heat and add a half onion, finely diced, and 2 cloves of Garlic, finely crushed. Fry until softened. Add 2 handfuls of sliced Shitake Mushrooms. Add a bit of salt, three quarters of a cup of White Wine,  and stir for a few minutes. Add about a three quarters of a cup of Arborio Rice and a big cup of the strained Chicken stock. Add a handful of grated Parmesan and more stock and cook, stirring for 20 minutes of more, adding more stock often, several cups, over several minutes, until the rice is tender. Add the shredded Chicken from the poaching (above), last minute. To just heat through. Stir. Check for seasoning. Taste. Add Salt and Pepper as necessary, and another knob of Butter. Stir, taste, serve. The layering of flavors are unimaginable.

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USE THE POACHED CHICKEN ALL WEEK. SOME IDEAS: —Throw it in leftover heated Broth with cooked Rice, Carrot and Celery for a quick kind of Chicken soup. —Toss it in a wok with Broccoli (or other greens), Red Peppers, Red curry paste, diced Yam, a can of Coconut Cream, and fresh Cilantro for a quick curry, with Jasmine rice. —Make a chicken salad with Celery, Capers, Dijon, Mayo and fresh Dill. Throw it between thick slices of Italian Bread. —Create an old- school Waldorf Salad, with Apples, Celery, Walnuts and dressed in Mayo. (Take it for lunch). — Make up a basic creamy Mac 'n' Cheese, (white bechamel with grated cheddar) and then toss the shredded chicken through it to add protein. (Great for kids). —Shred the chicken and serve it in Taco's with Avocado and shredded Cheese. With Beans and Rice on the side. (Great for kids). —Mix up the shredded Chicken with Corn, Cilantro, minced Jalapeno, sliced matchsticks of Jicama, with a Lime and Sour Cream Dressing. (Take it for lunch). —Throw it between a layers of Button Mushroom Lasagne. With plenty of Fontina cheese. —Mix the chicken with grated Cheddar, Mayo and a touch of Dijon Mustard, and place it inside 2 slices of bread, smear the outside with butter and fry, like a grilled Cheese. —Toss the chicken in Buttered Noodles and sprinkle with freshly sliced Scallions (or Green Onions).

James Beard's Treasury of Outdoor Cooking, 1960

One of he best things about going to stay at other people's places is getting to frisk, unassisted, through their share of personal recipe and book collections. This 1960's James Beard cookbook was found at a relative's place, tucked up on a top shelf. I couldn't resist posting it.

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In a section called THE LARDER: (The picture above) came with the following quote:

"Our cellar in the month of OCTOBER was a picture behold: newly SMOKED HAM and sausages, GRAVENSTEIN APPLES, (an apple native to Gråsten in South Jutland, Denmark) filling the air with fragrant, root vegetables, WHEELS OF CHEESE—all these BESPOKE THE GLORIES that would be ours in the COMING WINTER" 

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In a section called 'PICNICS AND TRIPS' (The picture above) came with the following menu ideas:

'LUXURY PICNIC FOR TWO' Menu

CHAMPAGNE in COOLER BOX OF PATE in COOLER TIN of PROSCUTTO, COLD MELON CONTAINER of LOBSTER NEWBURGH PATTY SHELLS, CRISP ROLLS CAMEMBERT CHEESE, BASKET of FRUIT THERMOS of EXPRESSO COFFEE

It advises: "Use the Chemex cooler and take EXTRA CHAMPAGNE to drink through lunch. LOVELY CHINA and linen and BACCARAT CRYSTAL, your best silver, and good KITCHEN KNIVES (for carving and peeling Melon) are a must".

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In a section called 'A BOATING PARTY' (The picture above) came with the following menu ideas:

CORN-CHEESE CHILI QUICK CHOUCROUTE GARNIE SAILOR'S DELIGHT (A mixture of chicken cut into pieces, with rice, canned tomatoes, artichoke hearts and canned shrimp) BEANS and FRANKFURTERS HEL-SEN (Frankfurters are simmered in a mixture of browned bacon, onions, garlic, curry and chili powder and a jar of beans) 

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The book was published by Golden Press, Inc and Ridge Press, Inc. With beautiful images shot by John Stewart. To get this book click here.

What Charlie Ate; Swedish waffles, with fresh Cream, Jam and fresh Raspberries.

Charlie loves Einstein, and Einstein, is not your everyday cat. Charlie shares everything with him—they even like to snuggle when watching TV. Sometimes though, sharing can be hard.

SWEDISH WAFFLES: Swedish waffles tend to differ from Belgium waffles by not having any yeast, and being thinner, crispier. Swedish are usually served from a heart-shaped waffle iron. Louise (Charlie's mother, who is from Göteborg, Sweden) makes them (above), with whipped cream, red berry Jam (raspberry or strawberry) and fresh berries. 

I found this super cute blog called 'The last stitch" from a Journalist/designer called Joanna, who also comes from Göteborg. Here is her recipe for crispy Swedish waffles.

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Photo's by Ari Michelson. To check out his work, click here.

Key Lime Pie, by Night

STEVE'S AUTHENTIC KEY LIME PIE: By moonlight.

Steve's Mini Key Lime pie from Red Hook, Brooklyn. With Sweetened Condensed Milk, tangy, piquant, fresh Key Limes. The crust is Old-school Graham Cracker, unprocessed, made by hand with simple pure Butter. Sometimes it's worth getting up in the middle of the night.

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To learn more, read their history, and see a list of places to purchase, click here.

To make your own Steve's Authentic Key Lime pie, click here for the recipe.

Soups. Light but hearty. Martha Stewart Living

The Soup story we did for Martha Stewart Living magazine, October Issue is out now on Newsstand. Go out, buy an issue, take it home with you and cook everything in it! (The soups are light in calories, but surprisingly hearty). A perfect weekend feast.

PHOTOGRAPHS: By Jen Causey. FOOD CONCEPT AND STYLING: Kris Kurek, PROPS: Carla Gonzalez-Hart. (Who has a super cool new blog: Check it out here!)  (ART DIRECTION: Dimity Jones)

The Purple Yam; Daily Kimchi, Adobo dishes, Heirloom Tomato Ice-cream.

'Daily Kimchi' (Baby Cucumbers

Romy Doriton, the chef/owner of The Purple Yam tells me 'sourness', is at the heart of Filipino cuisine. Despite Spanish influences, there are 3 dishes that Filipino's lay claim to being authentically theirs. They are Kinilaw, a form a Filipino cheviche. (Fresh seafood cooked in vinegar), Adobo, (more on that later) and Sinigang, which is meat cooked in a sour broth, with tamarind.

Haegeen, a Korean chef makes the Daily Kimchi at The Purple Yam. It's seasonal, and can be anything from Baby Cucumber (above), Watermelon Radish, or Pineapple. Try Haegeen's Daily Kimchi with an Adobo dish. (A house signature dish) The Chicken Adobo is always on the menu, but occasionally Chef Romy adds other Adobo-style dishes. Like Beef Brisket, Baby Back Ribs, or Pork. Adobo is a combination of Vinegar, Soy, Garlic and Coconut Milk. Romy uses Rice Vinegar in his Chicken Adobo, but will often use Coconut Vinegar in his Pork or Beef Adobo. Coconut Vinegar is stronger than Rice Vinegar and not from the Coconut fruit. It's the sap from a Coconut tree, made into Coconut wine and then the distilled spirit fermented into Coconut vinegar.

The Purple Yam also has a dish called Sisig, on the menu which is pig cheeks, ears and snout in lime & chilies.

To balance out the 'sourness', finish up with a must-order dish of delectably sweet Heirloom Tomato Ice-cream.

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PURPLE YAM 1314 Cortelyou Road, Brooklyn NY 11226 (map) 718-940-8188

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To re-create authentic Filipino recipes at home, seek out Amy Besa and Romy Dorotan's cookbook, Memories of Phillipine Kitchens.

You can purchase Coconut Vinegar at Wholefoods.

Leche Merengada (Chilled Spanish Eggnog)

Eggnog, is normally associated with Christmas, and steeped heavily in Rum. This version is a frothy, chilled version, and it's not nearly as heavy as the Holiday version. It's also great with, or without Rum. This is different because it's infused lightly with lemon and cinnamon, giving it a heady aroma. Sneak in a few glasses with friends one afternoon, before temperatures really drop. Spike it for adults, or leave it without for kids. Make it a Spanish afternoon and serve it with spicy Spanish sausage wedges, like morcilla or chorizo, blistering Padron Peppers with Olive oil and Sea Salt, and a wedge of Spanish cheese, like Mahon. Enjoy.

LECHE MERENGADA (SPANISH EGGNOG): Place 2 and a half cups of Milk, 2 thirds of a cup of sugar, 2 long strips of lemon rind, and a cinnamon stick in a pot. Bring gently to the boil, then reduce and simmer very gently for 20 minutes. (This lets everything infuse). Take off the heat and strain. Beat 4 egg whites with an electronic beater or hand mixer till firm peaks form. Gently pour the strained milk mixture into the beaten egg whites, keeping the beater going, on low, until well combined. Pour into a jug and refrigerate until cold. Serve with a sprinkling of cinnamon on top. Serves 6-8.

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Photograph by Tara Donne. Check out her website here... and her blog here.

I had a wonderful morning shooting with Tara. The plate, that we ended up shooting this on, was sitting comfortably under her thriving rosemary herb plant. Sometimes the best props are found— almost unexpectantly.

 (Food concept/styling, & Art Direction: Dimity Jones)

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This recipe was adapted from the Cocina Nueva Cookbook, by Jane Lawson. Check out the book here.

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