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Marinated Feta with Pink Peppercorn and Fennel Seed
One of my favorite cocktails combines champagne with pink peppercorn and a few delicious herbal ingredients. With these bright, fresh flavors in mind, I created a marinated feta that is perfect for snacking, topping salads, or accompanying a charcuterie board. The reddish pink berries and sprigs of bright green oregano – reminiscent of holly and winterberry – also make this a great appetizer for Christmas parties and winter celebrations.
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Raspberry Goat Cheese Tart
At a bakery I rarely can resist the raspberry filling and nutty crust of a linzer torte or the cookies inspired by this classic Austrian dessert. I use the term “dessert” loosely, of course, since linzer tortes are perfect for breakfast. Consider them an elevated jam on toast. With my predilection for dessert as breakfast, I used classic linzer torte flavors to create a cheesecake style tart that is perfect for any time of day. The vanilla bean flecked filling and almond crust are topped with lightly sweetened, macerated raspberries. Serve this tart after lunch or dinner, with afternoon coffee or tea, or join me in having a slice in…
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Raisin Bread Panzanella
Raisins are tiny yet divisive. During my childhood, the love them or hate them discussion generally arose when discussing meatballs. For my Neapolitan grandfather, the ideal version included raisins (and pine nuts), but he rarely convinced my grandmother to prepare them this way. In honor of his preference, I created a raisin bread panzanella, an update to the classic Italian dish.
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Churro Ice Cream Sandwiches
“She is a lover of art, words, sweets, and all things Mexican. She thinks from within a sugar skull.” At least that’s what it says in my bio for a poem published in Red Fez a few years ago, which you can read here. This weekend while indulging a serious Mexican craving, we headed to Playa Betty’s, a relatively new spot on the Upper West Side with a southern California vibe. We have some favorite spots that are closer to home, but we really wanted to relax, and the beachy feel and chance to try another kitchen’s take on Mexican won us over.
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In Praise of Oregano
Fireflies, grill smoke, and my grandfather wearing a laurel made of mint stems. These are a few of the memories that light up my senses when I think about the summers of my childhood. At every picnic my parents hosted, he would take a trip to the mint bed, pluck a few stems to ward off mosquitoes, and craft a laurel fit for Caesar. It seems after all these years that my grandfather’s trick still holds weight. Year after year, the mint bed on the side of my house deters mosquitoes from that area. Perhaps I started planting it in remembrance of my grandfather and his funny little quirk, but…
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