Jun 10
It’s technically still spring, so I spent most of yesterday cleaning out my closet. Storage is always a problem in my apartment, so I’m pretty good at throwing things away a little at a time – or so I thought. I was putting something away, looked up at a stack of t-shirts, and realized I could easily give half of them away – then one stack led to another. A few months ago, my friend sent me an article from organizational consultant, Marie Kondo. Read more
Dec 8
How did it get so late so soon? It’s night before it’s afternoon. December is here before it’s June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?
~ Dr Seuss
At first I thought this quote perfectly captured the short day anxiety I’ve been feeling this winter, but really, it sums up my whole year. Case in point – this should have been my catching-up post for November. Not that I’ve been wasting time. This month, I was thrilled to be part of SAVEUR’s 2012 Cookie Advent Calendar. It’s full of amazing recipes, and I loved flipping through the cabinets and looking under the lampshades for more suggestions. If you prefer musical advent experience, the New York Magazine Les Miserable Advent Calendar is a second (albeit close) favorite. Here’s a quick list of links that may tell you where the rest of my time has gone. Read more
Most people referred to last weekend as the “official” end of summer. I did too though I talked myself into believing it was just the beginning of the inevitable fade-out, and there would still be a few more weeks of bursting markets and warm days. That’s why it was a shock when I woke up on Monday to a complete costume change – outside it was still hot and humid but skies were grey and the leaves were orange. Read more
Aug 5
Every time I sit down to write my catch-up posts, the more practical how-to/technique links get pushed down the list or drop off altogether. I thought the last one of the summer was as good a time to finally get them in. With the markets bursting, it’s easy to over-buy, so this post from the Kitchn on small batch canning will help you keep it in a jar. I also love their quick guide to ingredient substitutions for near kitchen emergencies. This low-tech ice cream post from Saveur will get you through the worst of the heat, with out without the gadgets. For basics, Food Republic offers a 5 Crucial Kitchen Techniques, and How To Use Them and a general Word of the Day Guide. If you want to put it all together for the perfect dinner party, the Cooking from Every Angle section on Food 52 gets it down. Finally, for awhile I’ve been flagging Tar-Tyrin’ post with plans to make polka dot utensil jars, copper dipped flatware, cake stands, and even stenciled area rugs. Full disclosure, it hasn’t happened yet but there are still a few weeks left of summer to get to it.
This May, I took this picture at the Festival of Ideas for the New City along the Bowery. The season was just getting started and its been forward motion since then. With both spring and the summer solstice behind us, it seems like a good midway point to get a clear 360° view, looking backwards and forward at the same time. Belongings, an amazing New York times piece by Sam Dolnick did just that when they asked a group of immigrants to describe a single object they brought with them into their new life and what it means to them now, appropriate as we head into 4th of July weekend. For a much more tongue in cheek but no less interesting take on the immigrant experience, there’s Chingo Bling’s talking tamales. Read more
Apr 1
March has been such a whirl that I made it all the way to April before I could stop and catch my breath. It started well with my first contribution to the Cooking Channel’s Devour the Blog and it was great to see so many of you making the jump. A new post on stocking my Latin pantry went up yesterday with more to follow. I laid my cupboard bare (well I straightened it up first) so I hope you’ll visit the site again and let us know what’s in yours. I also wrote a piece about Latin American staples – Running with the Grains – for Marcus Samuelsson‘s Food Republic that combines two favorite obsessions – seeking out new ingredients and running till I just can’t anymore. A new site covering everyone from Junot Diaz to Michelle Bernstein (who also helps spices up school lunches here), I was thrilled to be a part of their launch this week. Read more
Finalist for the 2015 James Beard Foundation Award in the International Cookbook Category for The Cuban Table
hungry sofia 
