Day in the Kitchen

I did, as I suggested to myself, try my hand at baking some more bread and an apple pie. I needed to make something!
So I found a recipe for Italian bread. I had no dry milk (or regular milk for that matter) sooo I just omitted it. I had to get it set in the morning, since I had made a starter for it and it had already fermented moore than long enough. Anyway, I forgot to omit part of the liquid since there was now less dry material so it was really really sticky, wet dough. Soo I didn't really know if it would work-out....but it seemed to! Although I haven't cut the one to the left to see how it is yet...they both have a fairly thin crust, so that is good! My earlier breads all had a really think crust. Soo I think this is more on the right track. I will see if I can make it a teeensie bit drier, since the extra liquid made it spread out and stuck aaaall to my hands, but also in a way made it easier to handle/shape. at least not over-handle. Nevermind that it rose beautifully (also thanks to a little sugar to feed the yeast). Anyway, here are the loaves. The one spread out and got reeeally fat. I think it's hilarious looking!


and here is the Apple Pie! I called my mom and she quickly gave me her recipe. Followed it exactly, and it came out pretty damn good! I am most happy with the crust, which seems to be a little frail but good. That could also be because I made a mistake with the baking temp, and brought it down to 315 instead of 350! I figured it out and turned it back up, gave it another 15 minutes ha ha. But I am quite happy that it turned out so well, and wish the friends Mana invited over would get here to help devour it.

My whole day was dough to supermarket to dough to pie crust and apples to cooking dinner!
And picking up a 6 pack of Magic Hat's summer seasonal, Wacko. Mmmm.....

Good Saturday.

Chasing the blues away...

I almost inexplicably had an awful day emotionally. I can't even pin point what really set me off. But I do know what finally cheered me up: some encouraging texts with an older and wiser friend...and then going to the movies with my sister to see "The Hangover".

HILARIOUS! Feeling much more stable now, thanks to a friend who is a very good shoulder, and inversely to a lot of sophomoric humor.

Eek, I've been absent here for a month! I will try to update with something more amusing tomorrow.....clearly this must mean I need to finally try baking a pie.

Soda Bread with Raisins. Mmm!

I've had a bit of a boring weekend. Which is fine, since I have my share of crazy ones too, and I am a person who likes to sort-through her life semi regularly. Last night, ending up with no plans, I went to the market and got items to make a soup (out of failed french bread from Wednesday. Tried to make it for a movie night. Having to work and putting the dough in the fridge=no extra rising, really dense loaves. But good for tomato and bread soup!) and a soda bread, along with extras for the week. No big grocery trips for me this week! I also splurged on two bottles of wine, so I had a nice late dinner of tomato and bread soup, Merlot, and a couple slices of this soda bread with raisins:


I'm really enjoying my ability to bake! This made a fabulous breakfast with a couple egg whites and coffee this morning!

Disaster, Design, and the Hopeless Foodie.

Oh WHAT an end to the week we had! On Thursday, I walk into work to see Christa mopping the floor, and Mirko and Jose frantically trying to remove light fixtures filled with water. All this thanks to a broken toilet tank on the 4th floor. What a mess! This is what the office looks like now that we have plastic over everything.


We got out early, but waited around since we were attending the premiere of Wendy Keys' film "Milton Glaser: To Inform and Delight". and it was worth hanging around Manhattan for! The film is fabulous; it is a definite watch if you are a graphic designer, illustrator...well, an artist of any kind since Milton does so much and shuns definition. After the film Steven Heller moderated a Q and A with Wendy and Milton. Very inspirational!




With the office situation providing me with a free Friday, I was almost lured to Connecticut Thursday night. Milton's film was the first glitch in that plan, followed by.....having fresh basil to use in my fridge. Yeep...I think I am officially a foodie. In any case, I made pizza dough Friday afternoon and posted this fact on facebook. My friend Zach became interested, so he brought over some bell peppers and broccoli, I provided basil which I mostly made into pesto (with pine nuts I had bought! Authentic! except no parmesian, as Zach is a vegan), tomatos, mozz and romano (strictly for me) and garlic. I sacrificed cheese to make this ith Zach, but the decorating skills trump all.


We made a lion! He is blood thirsty, as illustrated by his blood covered mouth...we added broccoli and pesto last, hence the disguising foliage. So fun AND delicious!

I am now in Connecticut, and have done little more than let people feed me and give me wine. What a tough life I lead, right?!

I'm already planning meals for the week! I started following a blog called Not Eating Out in New York. See that top recipe for Asparagus tofu salad? I had all but asparagus that I have now picked up at a farmer's market here for $1.69/lb...and Chris ended up paying for it since was not evena pound. I got cheap spices too. Puumped! I need to do more thrift shopping....asian market eekend soon? We'll see. In any case....yea, complete foodie.

Birthday Cake

I baked a cake for my birthday. It is uber rich chocolate cake with peanut butter filling. Baked it Friday night...then I had to wait a whole day to eat it!


I had to try it by myself Saturday afternoon! Later on, after 11, I had friends over to help me eat it. But there is still a huge chunk I brought to work to be devoured by co workers!



I also got to go to The Little Mermaid on Saturday night. Let me tell you, I was 6 all over again. Fun show, not the greatest, but not bad. And they used heelies to simulate floating through water...kiiind of ingenious!

I'm 23 tomorrow? Really?

Tomorrow is my 23rd birthday. WOW where does time go?
One year out of college in the same weekend. Graduated the day after my birthday last year. nice gift, eh??
The end of this week has been a little birthday-centered for me. Yesterday we went out for my work birthday lunch. I picked Turkish, never having eaten it before. Babganush is delicious I found out, as is a dessert that starts with a k that I cannot pronounce...phila dough with some cheese in the middle and soaked in honey. MM! And the Turkish red wine was also very tasty.


I LOVE this little cup! The Turkish coffee was a LOT stronger than I expected....and a lot siltier at the bottom too. But I really wanted to steal the demi taz.

Being a birthday, my co-workers had to make me a card. Around here we pick a project that the person has worked on, and turn it into a card. I helped to lay-out the interior of this book, and therefore the jacket was turned into a card. Hmm book jackets are haunting me...should I return to publishing when this gig is up??


Sorry for the poor camera phone quality. I'm sure you can make out my face. It has been superimposed on an illustration of Ayn Rand. Pretty hilarious! All illustrations in this book are by Ed Sorel, best known as a political illustrator.



And here is the interior of the card, complete with bios on Ed Sorel and Christopher Walken. At an event held at The Waverly Inn in October, which was for the release of Ed's book on the mural he painted there, we spotted Mr.Walken in the crowd, and have been star-struck ever since.

And I have NO idea what else I will be doing for my birthday. Hopefully something comes up tonight, via my facebook status asking about it. I can never decide what to do! Nevermind that Mother's Day is Sunday, so many people will not be around. I will at least be baking a cake. and then prompting people to visit and eat it.

Shake Shack at Madison Square Park

Way back during the summer of '07, I was interning at St.Martin's Press in New York City. This publishing company is located in the fabulous and historic Flatiron building, located at 23rd street between Broadway and 5th Ave. From my desk I had a perfect view of Madison Square Park, right where a little place called Shake Shack exists. Burgers, fries, shakes, hot dogs, and ice cream is a basic list of the fare served here. Pretty much without fail there would be a long queue between 11:30 and 3pm. There is ALWAYS a line, because it is delicious even if a little overpriced.
Amanda was mourning having to work today, and somehow mentioned milkshakes. My eyes lit up and I went "We have enough time to go to Shake Shack!" which Mana had never been to, even though she didn't live far from it her freshman year. So we quickly got showered and out the door, and even though we waited in line the better part of an hour, it was SO worth it. She felt better and got food to eat before work. It helps that we got to breathe nice park air while watching adorable dogs and cute rambunctious babies.

Amanda enjoying her first trip to Shake Shack. Shack-ago dog, cheese fries, and a vanilla milkshake.

This is me sipping on my vanilla milkshake. I got a bird dog, which is a chicken sausage. Mmm!

I miss that little park. And that part of town. That was a great summer in my life! Mental note: must visit more often, and must try a concrete at Shake Shack because I am curious about that custard confection.