Category: <span>Cookery</span>

Published May 2, 2016 by

We watched For Grace yesterday. I’ve, over the  last few months, preferred documentaries over fiction/drama.We’ve liked Cooked and Dior and I. People’s personal stories can be so powerful and their creativity inspirational.

The movie capped off a fairly busy weekend which started with a Friday evening tour of Sophia’s art at her school’s Lower School Art Show. She had two works on display—a watercolor of a wave and a clay butterfly. We capped the visit with a stop at the playground and retired home.

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IMG_5586We made it an early night on Friday to try and recuperate from the week. Busy and exhausting doesn’t even begin to describe it. The rest of the weekend was spent out biking with the kids, a brief dinner date, at dance class, and in a marathon blintz making session. My mom and I farmer’s cheeset wrapped ~90 blintzes. Mmm… That was punctuated by a home-made sprinkled donut snack and a glass of Jefferson Vineyards’ Meritage we brought from our babymoon in 2014.

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FullSizeRender (10)That babymoon was atypical because we took Sophia with us, toured Monticello, Madison’s house, visited wineries and explored University of Virginia’s glorious campus.

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Cookery Flavors Hubby Cooks Life Moments Sophia Cooks

art donuts kids' art Weekending

Published April 25, 2016 by

Family Times

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The brisket at my parents was stunning this year as was the apple cake at Evan’s Bubbie’s Passover celebration. I refuse to believe the apple cake was kosher for passover because it was that good. Traveling to see family is arduous when your kids don’t nap and your commute is traffic laden. This year’s Passover celebrations were back-to-back which, despite not having to cook ourselves, was a serious undertaking on our part.

In addition to celebrating with family, Sophia had a birthday party to attend and we decided to sneak a quick trip to a coffee shop, too. I love the energy that coffee shops have on weekend mornings. They’re bursting with people who are optimistic and hopeful about their days off. The adults are looking forward to that ever-important first cup of coffee while the kids (both human and canine) explore their surroundings and indulge in baked goods. Our neighborhood has no fewer than 6 coffee shops in a three block radius. Coffee is a big deal in Olde City.

I wish I could regale you with stories of grand culinary undertakings but truthfully, we were too busy spending time with the kids, attending their social events, and visiting our extended families to really have the time. One thing we did make was ice cream. And not just one batch but three. It was a snowball effect, really. I made french vanilla and then Sophia asked for chocolate, so we made a batch of that. Vanilla and chocolate seemed too luxurious and fairly unhealthy so I made a batch of strawberry to balance it all out. That’s my story and I am sticking to it.

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Cookery Dessert Flavors Life Sophia Cooks

chocolate ice cream homemade ice cream strawberry ice cream vanilla ice cream

Published April 18, 2016 by

Three is Best

When it comes to celebrations anyway. This Saturday marked my third and final birthday celebration. Fitting it was, too, since this year I turned the double three or 33. Evan, the girls, and I hosted my parents, my in-laws and my sister and her family for brunch. We didn’t try to do anything fancy. Just bagels and lox, a vanilla-bean & rum bread pudding, my mom’s zucchini babka, and assemble-your-own granola parfaits. We presented everything on the island and decorated the spread with some very open tulips.

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You could say the whole thing was casual and effortless which is exactly how we prefer it. There wasn’t, however, anything effortless about the three birthday cakes everyone enjoyed afterwards. My mother-in-law brought her famous chocolate cake and my sister brought two home-made cakes. The first one was a farmer’s cheesecake laced with apples and topped with just barely toasted meringue and the second one was a multi-layered chocolate cake with mousseline topped with handmade truffles.

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FullSizeRender (9)So good were these that there are no leftovers anymore. It was the best, low-key celebration and I enjoyed seeing everyone catch up and spend time together. The weather outside had also turned glorious after weeks of cold and rainy days.

FullSizeRender (11)The only thing that topped the celebration was an invitation from Baba and Deda to have Eliza and Sophia help plant their vegetable and flower gardens. The girls spent their Sunday in Wilmington, most of it outdoors, picnic-style. The weekend was perfect, and for once, we are all ready and excited for the work/school week.

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Cookery Dessert Flavors Life

brunch

Published April 11, 2016 by

Dinner à la Russe

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Too pretty to eat? Almost. Evan and I went out on a dinner date to celebrate my birthday this Saturday. I didn’t want anything for my birthday except for a leisurely dinner and maybe drinks. We went to a restaurant that is a BYOB (Bring Your Own Bottle) and Evan surprised me by bringing wines from our travels past. He brought a white from the Landmark Vineyards which we visited when we took a not-even-two-year-old Sophia to Napa and Sonoma. Evan also brought a wine we bought in Alentejo in 2003 when we drove all across Portugal and visited Evora. Spectacular as those wines were, my dinner companion, and reminiscing about our travels made this birthday celebration very special.

The girls, meanwhile, did not sulk at home—they had Grammie and Pop to entertain them. FullSizeRender (6) There is something unbelievably charming about grandfathers and granddaughters and especially this lovely pair right here. Beautiful as his artwork was, I found the fact that my father-in-law embraced face painting with Sophia so very endearing. I love seeing how much he loves and dotes on his granddaughters.

To round out the weekend, Evan, the girls, and I entertained at home for the first time in this house. These friends are very special for us and we were looking forward to showcasing some Azerbaijani and Russian dishes. Putting on a dinner party isn’t always easy, and even more difficult when you’ve got a clingy, hip-hugging, almost-two year old companion toddling around. We made stuffed cabbage, an Azerbaijani eggplant chicken stew, a fish baked in an agrodolce sauce, and chermoula eggplant with bulgur and yogurt. There were also homemade blintzes with a fresh fruit compote.

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The kids played so beautifully together, the adults were able to socialize, and enjoy wine (from proper wine glasses). I suppose committing to unpack a box or two a week really does have its benefits. It felt great to host, to entertain, and to share food with friends. Happy Monday!

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Cookery Culinary Adventures Delicious Dessert Flavors Food For Thought Hubby Cooks Life

blintzes Chicken stew Eggplant Russian dinner parties

Published February 29, 2016 by

A Home

A house is just a structure. A home is that structure filled with people, with aromas of home-cooked food, and for me, with flowers. 

FullSizeRender_2This move hasn’t been easy but we’re finally done. Not unpacked, but moved out and surrounded by endless boxes. Unpacking can, for me, be daunting and thankless especially when spring is on our doorstep and there is so much else one could do with their weekend. And so in an effort to make our house a home and cheer up a dreary task, I picked out a fresh arrangement at a local florist. The beautiful blooms instantly made the day so much brighter.

I had every intention of baking these cookies but ran out of cocoa powder. I didn’t miss a beat and instead made a beautiful sockerkaka med applen (Swedish apple cake). There are few things that are so aromatic as apples baking and vanilla-laced cake.

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Last, but not least, the girls enjoyed the day with their Baba and Deda as we worked to pack, unpack, and generally finish our move. On the occasion of their births, they each got little personalized backpacks and I can’t believe they are both finally big enough to use them.

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I am ready for a weekend, the relaxing kind.

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Dessert Life

apple cake cake life Moments

Published February 16, 2016 by

President’s Day Weekend

What long weekend? We spent ours cooking, cleaning, packing, packing, unpacking, packing, unpacking, and … packing. We saw family and stayed mostly indoors trying to cope with the frigid temperatures.

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This picture reinforces that there is no need for cupboards full of toys to keep children entertained. All or most of what they require is in their heads and their curiosity provides the best entertainment of all. We have downsized our toys by 75% and couldn’t be happier.

It snowed again on President’s Day and we decided to turn a dreary, snowy afternoon into an impromptu science lesson. While no longer frigid, it was still cold and so we brought the snow inside and observed its properties under a variety of conditions. We touched it, scrunched it, melted it, and even licked it.
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The girls spent Saturday at my parents’ house. Sophia also spent time crafting with my sister and Eliza got a special visit from Alex that afternoon. I truly believe that just like a PhD or Esquire, aunt, uncle, are titles and must similarly be earned and maintained to be relevant and applicable.

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Lastly, but most deliciously, I am trying out weekend meal-prep for the workweek. We made raisin and turkish apricot kugel, cauliflower and walnut salad with a lemon and parsley dressing, seared lime shrimp tacos, pico de gallo, guacamole, shrimp cocktail, beef stew, and chocolate brownie cookies. It was quite a lot of work to accomplish but we’re reaping the rewards of that labor all week long.

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Cookery Crafts Culinary Adventures Dessert Flavors Hubby Cooks

crafts creativity kids and science weekend food prep

Published February 9, 2016 by

Breakfast of Champions

Cookery Flavors

Published February 8, 2016 by

The Long Days

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Never underestimate how incredible the human spirit is and how much resilience it can provide. I was especially reminded of this in the last few days as our household was caught in the perfect storm—we moved, had a sick child at home, and we maintained our regular working schedule. I suppose Evan and I do like to do this, to compound our lives at certain times and undergo periods of surreal stress. The last time we did this was when we moved from Maryland the very same weekend my sister-in-law got married. We were in the bridal party and so was Sophia. Oh, and let’s not forget that I had a three-month, nursing baby. It was incredibly difficult but we emerged stronger from that experience and perhaps that is what prepared us for this move.

In any event, the move isn’t complete and I really hope that I won’t need a change of linens in the middle of the night because my linen closet at the old place, for example, is still full. There are no complaints, no regrets, just sharing that life is hectic around our parts and this is why this blog has been a bit sparse as of late.

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The girls don’t understand, nor should they have to, that moving wreaks havoc on your everyday life. As such, we have tried to maintain a sense of normalcy for them choosing to organize and unpack their rooms and possessions first. We have continued to bake, cook, and entertain family.

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Parsley-studded meatballs

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Cookery Flavors Life

easy foods kid-friendly foods meatballs

Published February 2, 2016 by

Togetherness

It has been a while since I shared anything in this space; We’ve had a few busy weeks and aren’t sure when we will see a slowing down. I am surprised on how much our family’s dynamic is changing as Eliza gets bigger; This photo was taken on Sunday when I decided that only a roasted chicken dinner complete with wilted spinach and potatoes was in order to bring a bit of comfort to our table.

I decided to involve Sophia and Eliza in the cooking instead of occupying them with their toys and activities. The girls enjoyed being able to help and see how their chopped potatoes turned into roasted ones that were golden and delicious.
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I recall that, when Sophia was just an infant, I would never be able to make a home-cooked dinner from scratch on my own. But as the months went by, I adapted and learned how to keep her occupied while I cooked. Then when Eliza came along, I couldn’t imagine being home with the both of them and managing serving their meal, much less cooking one. It is retrospections like this that confirm that, as the wise elders in my family say, this too shall pass.

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Cookery Flavors Life Sophia Cooks

Published January 25, 2016 by

Monster Storm

It was only a matter of time before our hopes for a mild and mostly snow-free winter were dashed. And so they were this past weekend when a monster storm blew through our parts bringing with it upwards of 2-3 feet of snow.

I was actually excited for the snow because the storm was coming in over a weekend and we didn’t have to fret over school closings, childcare, and maintaining reasonable work hours. As such, Evan and I hunkered down with the girls focusing on family time and cooking.

Dutch Baby

I made a Dutch Baby for the first time ever and it was such so easy and yet, it tasted so luxurious. The fact that it warmed up our apartment and filled it with a rich and comforting vanilla aroma was an added bonus. It was so, so good in fact, that I made it again the next morning. I’ll have to be strong and hold myself off from making it again too soon.
IMG_3513Evan cooked his famous fried rice and a chicken/vegetable stir fry. I’ve no pictures of it, just happy bellies as evidence of his spectacular culinary prowess. Old City isn’t in a rush to dig out so we stayed close to home and finished the weekend off with homemade calzones. Ricotta, wilted spinach and tomato sauce calzones to be exact. They were better than I expected, took less time than it would to order take-in, and were much, much healther. Moreover, they’ll make excellent, not-sad-desk-lunches for a few days this week. It’s a win!


In between all the cooking, playing, play-doh, legos, and much, much else, there was plenty of time spent outdoors in the snow. Brr…

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Cookery Flavors Hubby Cooks Life Sophia Cooks

dutch baby easy breakfast pancakes