Blueberry Maple Coffee Cake

It's hot outside. And we don't have an AC in our new living room yet. However, the idea of this cake was enough to propel me out a nap, bare the heat, turn on the oven, and bake away. I'm also feeling a little compulsive about baking lately so I think that helped. What also helped was how amazing this cake turned out to be. Please make this! We ate half in five minutes. And don't forget the thyme, because it adds a nice dimension.

McSweeney's does it too

Food journals are really peaking my interest these days, this new publication from McSweeney's features Ruth Reichl, David Chang and Anthony Bourdain among others. Yes please!

Love this

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Photo of French sailor Florence Arthaud, winner of the 1990 Route du Rhum (transatlantic single-handed yacht race), by Jean Guichard, 1982.

Daniel Egeneus

Apparently it's art Sunday..

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Guy Sargent

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Diner Journal

Really want this subscription, it's a three hole punched, ad free journal of stories, recipes and food from the owner's of Marlow & Sons, Diner and Roman's in Brooklyn.

Color

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Jon Klassen

Really lovely, we're thinking of buying some prints here

A cake, a move and a camera app

I moved! To a new living location, in Harlem, with my honey. Our place is so great and spacious, with new floors, new paint, and new kitchen appliances. Um hell yeah, hallelujah.

In honor of my new seemingly giant oven, I made this cake last night - cranberry, walnut, upside down. I over-cooked it per usual so it came out slightly dry, but the buttermilk adds a bit of sour which is a nice contrast to the sweet/sour crans. Sort of tastes like a biscuit with jam topping. Unfortunately I have no idea where I grabbed this recipe to credit the lovely blogger, but I'm pasting it below.

Lastly, I downloaded a "retro camera" app from Amazon's free app of the day (also recommend) and it's super fun, emulates the toy cameras we've been looking at in specialty shops.

Cranberry Walnut Upside Down Cake

makes 8 servings

topping

2 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 3/4 cup fresh or frozen cranberries(7oz. do not thaw if frozen)

3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted

cake

1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup well shaken buttermilk

For the topping, melt butter in cast iron skillet over moderate heat, then swirl to coat bottom and side of skillet and stir in brown sugar. Simmer, stirring, until sugar is dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes, then sprinkle cranberries and walnuts evenly over butter mixture and remove from heat.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 6 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture alternately in batches with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.

Heat topping in skillet over moderately high heat until it starts to bubble, then gently spoon batter over topping and spread evenly. Quickly transfer to oven; bake until cake is golden brown and a wooden skewer comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.

Cool cake in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes. Run a thin knife around inside edge of pan, then invert a serving plate over pan and invert cake onto plate. Cool completely on plate on rack, 1 hour. Serve cake warm or at room temperature.

Pumpkin Seed Butter

Made this for my mama last weekend and was surprised by how easy it was. Nut and seed butters are generally pricey in the store, and all it takes to make them at home is a big bag and a food processor. I didn't use this recipe but it sounds good, I took a simpler approach and just processed a bunch for around 5mins with a little added oil. I did make the mistake of buying salted pumpkin seeds which lead to salty butter - I'll buy only roasted next time.

A Smarter Sammie

What a great solution to lunchtime soggy sammies, adding to my wants list of kitchen gadgets. Oh how it grows.

Perfect Sandwich demonstration from Simon Darby on Vimeo.

Really funny to me

Unimpressed with the MoMa

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Weekend Cooking

We had an impromptu potluck dinner with friends on Saturday night, which gave me a chance to try a pistachio crusted salmon recipe. So easy, so good. Really recommend this one, it literally takes 5 minutes to put together and 15 minutes to bake.









I also made hummus and want to post the recipe here because again, so easy, so good. From Terry Walter's Clean Food:

1 garlic clove
2 cups cooked chickpeas
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons tahini (which you can also make)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
water as needed

With food processor on, drop in garlic clove and process until minced. Turn off processor, scape down sides and add chickpeas, olive oil, tahini, cumin, lemon juice, and salt. Restart processor and slowly add water to achieve desired consistency. Make hummus slightly thinner than desired as it will thicken when refrigerated. Chill to combine flavors and serve. Makes 1 1/2 cups.

Fisher Price!

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This image brings back so many memories I can't even tell you. I would slam that little door open and shut all day long. Doubtful that I ever used this for educational purposes though..

Page One - NYTimes

Seems like an interesting look at how the institution continues to be affected by digital media.

JerrySeinfeld.com

Seinfeld is launching his own repository for televised appearances throughout his career, going live on Friday. For publicity this spot of appearance numero uno was posted, cheese city!

Easy Chocolate Mousse

Mousse with two ingredients, can't wait to try this! Definitely thinking I'll make mine with Early Grey and lavender.

Harissa & Eggs

Do you know about this?? Apparently it's originally an African sauce, typically made from garlic, spices and hot peppers. After several recipes calling it out as a nice addition, I bought some this weekend and let me tell you, impressive. I've been sauteing spinach, white beans, and slivered almonds, throwing in a hard boiled egg and topping with harissa for lunch this week. Pretty pretty nice. I cannot take credit for this concoction (Super Natural Everyday). Looks like you can also make your own.

Also a note about hard boiling eggs. I never realized that most end up rubbery and not great until I read over this post from thekitchn. Since then I've been following their approach and have lite fluffy eggs and yokes every time. I definitely recommend this! It makes a difference, I promise.

Bossypants, as promised

Before I was born, my mother took my brother to Greece for the whole summer to visit family. When they were finally coming back, my dad washed and waxed his Chevy convertible, put on his best sharkskin suit, and drove all the way from Philadelphia to New York International Airport to pick them up.

Their flight was due to arrive early in the morning, so Don Fey, who is never late for anything, got to the airport just before dawn. As he popped on his sweet lid and walked across the deserted parking lot toward the terminal, he saw two black gentlemen approaching from far away. He played it cool to hide his apprehension. He was in New York, after all, one of the world’s most dangerous cities if you’re from any other city, and from far away in the dark he couldn’t tell if the guys were airport employees or loiterers.

As they got closer, he noticed they were staring him down, he continued to play it cool. Don Fey had grown up in West Philly, where he lived comfortably as a Caucasian minority. Of course these guys didn’t know that. His heart was beating a little faster as they came within ten feet of each other.

The guys looked at him intently, then one turned to the other and said, “That is one boss, bold, bladed motherfucker.”

Dads are the Original Hipsters

Hilarious tumblr, found via

"Your dad drank cheap beer before you did."

"Your dad was shooting shit before you were."

"Your dad wore flannel before you did."

"Your dad didn't give a fuck before you did."

Weekend Highlights

On our way to a standard diner for brunch this morning, we happened to pass Indus Valley, which I think you'll agree, looks pretty unassuming. Then however, we noticed in the window an Indian buffet of "breakfast" foods including daal, paneer, chicken masala, samosas, etc etc and dessert. Oh and for $14. After some serious debating (because not good Indian is never a fun time), we decided to gamble our brunch on Indus. And, we won, as I'm sure you've now guessed. So random! But we really liked it, and it was nice to do something other than omelets. Maybe you'll bet on Indus and win too, if you're on the UWS.

I also found popsicle molds!! I know this excitement seems a little extreme, but I have not been able to find these babies anywhere. And Martha's recipes have been taunting me for three hot summers now. No more! Also including alcohol for a good time. 

Lastly I bought Bossypants - hilarious as expected, favorite excerpts to come.