eat make readArchives: 2008 June

easy-bake spareribs

I wanted to make dinner on our actual anniversary, so I looked through my new cookbook and found the perfect choice. Ribs. A little special, a little casual with lots of delicious flavor.

The recipe allowed me to make the marinade the night before so I didn’t have to rush like crazy the night of. I let the ribs soak in goodness for almost a full day, then when I got home I just popped them in the oven. Every 20 minutes or so I gave them a good slather and boy oh boy where they a good choice. The sauce was extra flavorful with nice hits of ginger and garlic adding depth to it. I can’t wait to try some other meaty recipes!

Easy-Bake Spareribs
from Meat Club Cookbook

serves 4-6

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cip soy sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cups medium-dry sherry
1 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, smashed
1 1-inch cube, peeled fresh ginger, crushed
3 lbs baby back pork ribs (3 racks, do not cut apart)

1
Stir together sugarm soy sauce, ketchup, sherry and salt in a medium bowluntil sugar is dissolved. Pour marinade into a roasting pan, add garlic, ginger and ribs, turning ribs to coat.
2
Marinate, covered and refrigerated, turning occasionally, at least 3 hours.
3
Preheat the oven to 325
4
Line the bottom of a broiler pan with foil and arrange the ribs rounded sides up on the broiler rack, reserving marinade for basting. Bake in the middle of the oven, basting with the marinade every 20 min (do not baste during last 10 min of cooking), until the ribs are tender and the glaze is well browned, about 1 3/4 hours. Discard and unused marinade.
5
Let the racks stand 5 minutes, then cut into individual ribs and serve immediately.

Filed under dinner and eat and make by kelly. June 19th, 2008 . 0 Comments

handmade nation

As I mentioned in my earlier post about the renegade craft fair, there was one more purchase that made me super happy. You can see it above, a poster of the craftifesto to support the indie documentary, Handmade Nation. The documentary is about the rise of DIY art, craft and design filmed and written by Faythe Levine. She traveled across the country and interviewed over 50 artists, designers and crafters. You can see the trailer right here. There will also be an accompanying book..woohoo! I can’t wait to see both.

Filed under make by kelly. June 18th, 2008 . 0 Comments

yum! garlic scapes

I just dived into the Dining Section in the Times, but this article on garlic scapes has me hungry for garlic at 7am. I’m especially eager to try out the Chai Spiced Chicken Wings with Green Garlic Aioli.

Filed under eat and read by kelly. June 18th, 2008 . 0 Comments

renegade craft fair

Oh boy. We made our annual trip to the renegade craft fair last weekend. It was the first time I’ve been to it when it’s held in the McCarren Park Pool, rather than the park, and I think I like it better. It’s hard to explain the kind of joy I get when I go to an event like this. It makes me so incredibly happy to see people doing and making things they love, which in turn make so many other people happy. Everything is unique and beautiful and special.

Some of my favorite booths were Twee, where I picked up a pair of earrings and a brooch. I have a major soft spot for wooden jewelry. I also picked up some super fun wooden acorns from something’s hiding in here. I’m not sure what to do with them yet, I just love the way they look. Another favorite was Sian Keegan with her stuffed dog portraits… I have to wait until Maude is a little bigger to get one, but I can’t wait.

I also picked up a poster that I’ll do a separate post about.. but let’s just say it’s pretty dang inspiring.

Filed under events by kelly. June 17th, 2008 . 2 Comments

mas (farmhouse)

We wanted to celebrate our anniversary at a place we’d never been, but also somewhere that would be extra special. I did a little research and came up with Mas (farmhouse). I have to say, we were blown away by the goodness.

We decided to go with a four course tasting menu, which allowed us to choose 3 savory dishes each and 1 dessert. I’m a big fan of eating like this because it allows me to try new things without making a major commitment to something. Each time a new course arrived at our table, it was super exciting. Once we tasted it, things like “mmm” or “oh my god” would escape out of our mouth. Then we would taste each other’s and agree that it was the best thing ever. We tried things like goat cheese, lemon and parsley ravioli in a pea mint sauce that was unlike any ravioli we’d ever had. It had a freshness and flavor that melted in your mouth and made you slow down and savor each bite. My big accomplishment of the night was trying Aaron’s Yellowfin Tuna. Tuna’s one of those things that kind of freaks me out. Probably because I envision of can of smelly mushy fish every time I think about it, but this couldn’t have been farther from that.

Since everything had been so stellar in the savory dishes, I could hardly contain myself thinking about what dessert would bring. All I had to read was fresh mint ice cream and I was sold. A dish with milk chocolate mousee, fresh mint ice cream and cocoa geleé arrived and I was in heaven. I even found it a little hard to give up a bite to aaron, but I figured since we were celebrating our anniversary I should probably be nice. I must say, there’s no one else in the world that I’d rather share my most favorite dessert with.

Filed under eat and restaurants/shops by kelly. June 16th, 2008 . 3 Comments

k&a

Today’s marks one year of marriage for Aaron and I. Without getting totally sappy, I just want to say how happy and proud and appreciative I am to have him as my husband. He is the person who encouraged me to start this blog and puts up with my photography and crazy experiments in the kitchen (although he usually benefits).

This weekend we went to brunch at Alma (so good!) where he had this lovely bouquet, created by Saipua, delivered. It was not only full of beautiful flowers, but paper flowers as well, which if I had done research like he had, I would have immediately known that paper is the traditional gift on the first anniversary. I’ll be posting later about the awesomely amazing dinner we had later that evening.

Hey aaron, I love you! Happy Anniversary!

Filed under make by kelly. June 16th, 2008 . 1 Comments

vanleeuwen ice cream truck

Oh boy! How exciting is this? As if the waffle, treats or coffee trucks weren’t good enough, VanLeeuwen Ice Cream comes along with a gourmet ice cream truck. According to Gothamist, the truck will be hitting the city by the end of this month. Peppermint and Chip, here I come!

image by Ashley Fischer

Filed under eat and read by kelly. June 13th, 2008 . 1 Comments

happy hour: saft sparkler with pama

This week’s happy hour beverage was inspired by Martha. In fact, it graced the cover of her latest issue. The picture looked so lovely and refreshing and when I looked up the recipe, it was a no brainer. Saft is basically a simple syrup, with a little more going on. I used a combination of fresh strawberries and rhubarb, combined with ginger, sugar, water and fresh mint leaves.

Martha’s recipe doesn’t call for booze, but I’m always looking for a way to slip a little in, so I added a little pomegranate liqueur along with the club soda. The addition of mint leaves adds a perfect touch to the sweet, summery beverage. Good stuff!

I hope you have a fabulous weekend!

Saft Sparkler with Pama
modified (cut in half with a few other tweaks) from this martha recipe
makes 10-12 drinks

4 cups fresh berries, I used strawberries and rhubarb
1 piece fresh ginger (3 inches), thinly sliced
2 cups water
1 cups sugar, plus more as needed
4 sprigs fresh mint

club soda
pomegranate liqueur, or other booze of choice

1
Bring fruit, ginger, and water to a simmer in a large pot. Cook until fruit is soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool slightly, then strain through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a large saucepan, pressing on fruit. (Press gently to prevent syrup from becoming cloudy.) Discard fruit. Add sugar and taste, adding more as needed to reach desired sweetness.
2
Bring juice mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring often until sugar dissolves. Add mint, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until liquid reduces to a light syrup, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely. Discard mint. Transfer syrup to sterilized bottles or airtight containers. Cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 months.
3
Pour 1 part saft, 1 part lique, 2 parts club soda over ice. Add a sprig of mint and you’ve got yourself a tasty beverage.

Cheers!

Filed under happy hour by kelly. June 13th, 2008 . 0 Comments

spooning magazine

I just got word of a new food magazine based in Brooklyn called Spooning. Started by Califia Suntree after she got a little restless with her blog, also called Spooning. The magazine is an extension of the blog in which others contribute articles and recipes in addition to those she writes. The website already has some interesting stories and recipes… I’m looking forward to seeing it grow.

Filed under eat and read by kelly. June 12th, 2008 . 0 Comments

meat club cookbook

Last week while browsing Design Sponge, I came across this sneak peak. As I was reading the text, I noticed that the homeowner was also a cookbook author. With a name like “Meat Club Cookbook, For Gals Who Love Their Meat“, well, I couldn’t not click on the link. Then when I saw it…it’s just so dang cute! I love love love the embroidery! It’s such a nice fusion of two of my favorite things, crafts and cooking.

I haven’t tried any of the recipes yet, but it’s filled not only with beautiful illustrations and tasty sounding recipes, but also helpful information about cuts of meat, cooking methods and essential equipment. I’m looking forward to cooler days when I can put my meat skills to the test.

Filed under read by kelly. June 12th, 2008 . 0 Comments

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