Una Bella Cucina

This time of year nothing is more satisfying for me than a classic Italian meal.




images via  1, 2, photography by house of brinson, image 3, 4, photography by house of brinson, 5 kitchen design and photography by house of brinson

A warm bowl of steaming pasta sticks to my ribs and soothes my soul (I love carbs, remember?!).

It's especially spectacular when it looks as yummy as the dishes made by the crazy talented husband and wife duo behind the House of Brinson.

Double the fun if you get to make said Italian dinner in a rustic kitchen. Do exposed beams, stone counter tops and pendant lights actually make the food taste better. I'd like to think so. I hope to serve as chef's assistant in House of Brinson's gorgeous NYC loft kitchen. It's foodie heaven up in there!

Susan, I'm inviting myself over for dinner the next time I'm in New York. I hope you don't mind! In the meantime, I'll try to make my pumpkin gnocchi turn out as beautifully as yours!

Bon Apetito luvies,
*Mrs. E

Pumpkin Gnocchi with Brown Butter Sage Sauce

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds Idaho potatoes, about 3 large, scrubbed and boiled in skins until tender
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch allspice
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 to 2 cups flour
Salted water, for cooking gnocchi
1/2 pound unsalted butter
2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, minced
1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese

Directions here.

A Sweet Thought

A bluebird day in Seattle has me day-dreaming of sun drenched spaces, lazy afternoons and having a cocktail with lunch. Just a few of life's sweet pleasures!

As it is the first of February (eek!) I also wanted to say cheers to Juanuary's Apartment 34 sponsors and thank them for their support.

If you still haven't taken a moment to check out Keri L. Design, Promesse, Comfort & Samuel, Gorjana, Ralph's Grocery, Dressing on the Side, Wendy Mink, Dace and Stella & Dot, here's your chance!

And cheers to you too luvies,
*Mrs. E

bramble photographed by tony cenicola via here and kitchen via here

Melt in Your Mouth

I love chocolate. It's an unabashed affair. One taste of the {high quality} stuff is like a good kiss - all seems right with the world when you have even just a little - and yet it's a fleeting feeling that leaves you wanting more.


images via aubrey road and that kind of woman

This kitchen, on the other hand gives you everything you need all at once. Creamy chocolate brown floors, dark chocolaty smooth counter tops and a peak into the treasures it hides behind it's milky white chocloate doors. My mouth is watering just looking at it.

You may not be able to have this kitchen. But you can have chocolate - you can even make your own little bite of heaven. I feel a Saturday morning cooking project coming on!

Fig & Ginger Chocolate Truffles {via the Food Network}
2 cups dried black mission figs, or other dried figs (about 8 ounces)
1/4 cup crystallized ginger (about 2 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon honey
2 1/2 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 70 percent cocoa solids), chopped

Directions
Remove the stems from the figs and discard. Put the figs, ginger, cinnamon and honey in a food processor and process for about 45 seconds, until the ingredients are finely chopped and begin to stick together.


Roll the fig mixture with your hands into heaping teaspoon-sized balls and set them on a baking sheet or plate lined with waxed paper.

Place a small bowl over a saucepan, containing barely simmering water, over low heat Make sure the water is at least 2 inches from the bottom of the bowl. Place half the chocolate in the bowl and stir until it is melted. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the remaining chocolate. Stir until all the chocolate is melted. Remove the bowl containing the chocolate from the pan.

Roll the fig balls into the melted chocolate 1 or 2 at a time, until they are all covered. Place them back on the waxed paper and chill in the refrigerator until set, about 15 minutes. Serve at room temperature.

It Ain't Too Hard for Me to Jam

Now I realize that when a new year starts you're supposed to flip the switch from indulge to cleanse, but I've been a little reluctant to let go of the month o' carbs. I figured there must be a way to ease off the good stuff without total deprivation.

Enter the Jam Dot.



Part cookie, part health-food, I find it to be the deliciously perfect compromise! You can even make them with whole wheat or spelt flour and cut back on the sugar for an added health boost.


images via souvlaki for the soul

Or throw a chocolate chip or two in the center because good chocolate makes everything better (and did you hear, it's a health food too)! I'll let you know how my version turns out.

Happy eating in 2011!

JAM DROPS RECIPE by Souvlaki for the Soul
125g butter, softened
100g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
200g self-raising flour
115g (1/3 cup) strawberry or raspberry jam


Pre heat your oven to 180 deg C and line two baking trays with baking paper.
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla extract until very light and creamy.

Proceed to sift the flour into the creamed butter mixture and fold everything together until you have a soft but useable dough. If you find it’s sticky add some flour a little at a time until you reach the correct consistency.


Using floured hands shape a teaspoonful of dough into a ball and place on a baking tray a few cms apart. Using your floured index finger pierce the center of each ball to make a well. Spoon half a teaspoon of jam into each biscuit.

Bake in the oven for 15 mins or until the jam drops are nice and golden (shouldn’t be more than 15 mins).


Serve with milk, tea, coffee or eggnog.

How Do You Hibernate {stephmodo}

Well, today it is officially back to reality and I am completely in denial. Luckily, on this first Tasty Tuesday of 2011, I have a few taste treats to share with you.

First off, below you will find the darling and talented of Stephanie of stepmodo's mouth watering answer to the question How Do You Hibernate?

And then, if you're still hungry for more, you can head over to the Rue Blog, where I feel incredibly privileged to join the dazzling group making up the Rue blogging team. You can check out my debut post here!

Finally, if you haven't entered our Happy New Year giveaway, there's still time (but the clock is ticking!).


How Do You Hibernate? {stephmodo}

Right now hibernating sounds like a lot of fun...and with the holiday season now behind us, I'll be participating more actively in this alluring activity :)

I think most people like to curl up to a great book and I admit, I love that too. Or a great magazine...like the latest Donna Hay or Sunset. However, I find that I'm more prone to baking and cooking when it's cold, windy and gray outside. Making great food and yummy treats puts a smile on everyone's face, despite the gloomy weather, and this encourages me to put forth the effort and stay active in the kitchen. Below is a recipe for one of my winter favorites - Cranberry Orange Bread.





all images by stephanie

I also enjoy decorating and finishing up home projects during the winter.



The dismal weather presents an excellent opportunity to stay inside and analyze what you love surrounding yourself with. I'm a proponent of surrounding yourself with pieces you love, while considering budgetary limitations. Cozying up to Craigslist on a winter day is my idea of a good time too :) You can check out a recent tour of our home here.

Stephmodo's Cranberry Orange Bread
makes 1 large loaf or 4 mini-loaves

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon good salt
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice (about 3 oranges)
zest of 3 large oranges (about 1 Tablespoon, packed)
1 egg
1 cup chopped fresh cranberries
1/3 cup chopped walnuts


Preheat oven to 350°. Sift all dry ingredients together. Cut in butter until the mixtures resembles coarse meal. Over a plate or parchment paper, zest the oranges using a microplane zester. Set aside. Cut the oranges in half and juice. In another small bowl, combine the fresh orange juice, zest, and egg with a whisk. Add the orange juice mixture to the dry ingredients all at once. Mix until just combined. Fold in the chopped cranberries and nuts. Spoon the mixture into one greased loaf pan or into four greased mini-loaf pans. If you make one large loaf, cook the bread for 1 hour. If you are making the mini-loaves, set your timer to about 30 minutes (you’ll want to start watching it at 25 minutes as ovens are all different). Once out of the oven, cook the loaf pans on a wire rack for ten minutes. When the bread is slightly cooled you can tap the loaf/loaves out of the pans carefully and place them on the wire rack for additional cooling. Enjoy!

A huge thank you to Stephanie for joining the How Do You Hibernate series! My stomach is now growling.

Ok, maybe getting back on this horse isn't so bad :)

Cheers luvies!
*Mrs. E

Tasty Tuesdays {The Best of 2010}

Since launching Tasty Tuesdays last summer, I've been thrilled by the response from fellow foodies and I've so enjoyed sharing recipes, gorgeous food photos and the random taste treats I find with you.

Good food plays such a significant role in my daily life and I hoped that talking about food on Apartment 34 might inspire others as well.

So when I looked back to pick my favorite tasty post for 2010, I just had to go to where the inspiration all began ~ the experience of eating decadently through our entire European honeymoon. There are so many meals that I still remember vividly - food memories that I hope will last a lifetime.

I hope you've found some good recipes, kitchen ideas and maybe even a bit of style inspiration from this series. I plan to find and share even more deliciousness in 2011!

Best of Tasty Tuesday 2010

I talk about a lot of different things I love here - fashion, style, design, decor, travel...but one passion I've yet to delve into is...food! I am an out and proud foodie and take this love very very seriously.

It's gotten to the point where I just had to share some of my favorite eats with you. So I give you a new Apartment 34 feature ~ Tasty Tuesdays! Since talking about food could easily overtake everything here, I knew I had to limit it to just one day a week (at least to start!). 

To kick it all off, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite honeymoon meals.

I judge most things by the number of good meals I had, so I made a point to make sure we ate very well throughout our honeymoon travels. Whether it was old Amsterdam cheese, apfelkuchen and beers by the city's canals, or lovely lunches of polenta with squid ink sauce paired with an excellent Valpolicella in Venice we made sure to savor each and every morsel.

1) tortellini in Borghetto 2) traditional Dutch seafood in a modern way at Spelt 3) Venetian cicheri 4) beet risotto at Spelt 5) polenta with black ink sauce 6) Dutch breakfast  at Gartine 7) dessert on the Amsterdam canal 8) black ink spaghetti 9) pumpkin tortellini with amaretti

We tried to sample the local speciality of each city we visited. It ranged from fantastic handmade tortellini outside of Verona, to a beautiful beet risotto (in Amsterdam no less and it was divine!). Feel lucky I didn't take pictures of every gelateria we sampled because those posts would dominate Tasty Tuesdays for weeks.

Now back at home, I'm still hankering for those amazing dinners. I highly recommend my italian speaking readers check out La Cucina, a stunning italian cooking magazine. Every recipe makes me drool all over my keyboard.

Sunday-Supers, the Brooklyn-based cooking school on which I have the biggest foodie crush, also recently held an all italian dinner with delicious recipes. You can check it out here.

Bon appetito luvies!

*Mrs. E 

Tasty Tuesday {Carb Edition #2}

Luvies, I'll admit, I had entirely different Tasty Tuesday in the works for you today, and while I'm totally commited to my month o' carbs, I stumbled what I think is my absolute dream dessert and now I don't think I can do anything else for the rest of the season!

I give you the ultimate holiday crumble, courtsey of La Tartine Gourmonde! And p.s. (it's gluten free and healthy!!!)



La Tartine Gourmonde pear, apple and chocolate crumble with pecans and pistachios

(For 6 people, served in individual one-cup bowls)

You need:

For the crumble:
•3/4 cup quinoa flour (or millet flour)*
•1/4 cup teff flour*
•1/4 cup quick cooking oats
•3 oz (85 g) dark chocolate. 70 % cocoa (I used Valrhona)
•1/4 cup (40 g) pecans, chopped coarsely
•1/4 cup (40 g) unsalted shelled green pistachios
•Pinch of coarse sea salt
•1/4 cup (50 g) blond cane sugar
•1/4 cup (50 g) light Muscovado sugar
•7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and diced
*Alternatively, use all-purpose flour

For the fruit:
•4 Bosc pears, peeled, cored and sliced finely (choose ripe)
•3 apples, peeled, cored and sliced finely (I used Honeycrisp)
•2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
•2 tablespoons blond cane sugar

Steps:
•Butter the bowls and set aside. Preheat the oven to 375 F.
•In a large bowl, toss the fruit with the sugar and vanilla. Divide between the bowls; set aside.
•In another bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flours, oats, sugar, chocolate, salt and nuts). Add the butter and work until crumbles form.
•Arrange the crumble topping on top of the fruit and bake the crumbles for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top is golden and the fruit is bubbling. Eat lukewarm (with cream or yogurt on the side. Or even vanilla ice cream, if you like that combination).

Tasty Tuesday {Carb-On-It!}

So, with the holidays officially upon us, I'm declaring the whole month of December carbohydrate month. Carbs will be the official food group and for this month and this month only they magically will have no calories nor adverse affects on your health nor the fit of your favorite dress {I can't really control that second declaration, but hey, it's cold out so a little extra padding can't be that  bad!}

While I consider myself a reasonably-abled baker who can turn out a pretty cookie or two, I've yet to try my hand at homemade bread. This year, that's all gonna change.




bread images by john blais,, kitchen via french by design

Last year, the husband thoughtfully gifted me (a signed!) copy of Leslie Mackie's Macrina Bakery Cafe Cookbook - the amazing printed sneak-peak into the inner sanctum of my absolute favorite bakery in Seattle.

This year I'm going to step up to the plate and try to produce their classic, and my favorite, bread. Feel free to join me - or simply wish me luck! I'll be sure to share the results, as long as they're not embarrassingly terrible!

Tasty Tuesday {Comfort Food Time}

I don't know about where you are, but the weather outside has started to turn a bit frightful, which always leaves me craving comfort food and cozy kitchens.



kitchen via simply grove, chocolate treats via what katie ate

And by comfort food I mean chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate. It really does soothe the soul. This time of year a jar of Nutella in my house is a goner.

Interested in more sweet treats? Check out my list of 10 things I can't live without over at dear Paloma's blog, La Dolce Vita!

Tasty {Fig-alicious} Tuesday

Just because we're smack in the middle of fall now doesn't mean we must resign ourselves to an autumnal color palette. There are still a few fun ways to bring in pops of color.



images via  the househome, tartlette and stephmodo

Like that sweet and saucy kitchen that mixes deep wood tones with bright punches of pink and blue ~ figs can do the same thing for your fall table.

Sumptuously dark on the outside figs provide a shot of bright sweetness to your menu. I' have a slight fig obsession. I buy them by the bag-full until they disappear from my grocery, but I'd like to learn how to do more with them than simply popping them in my mouth like candy!

Goat Cheese Custards With Figs & Balsamic Syrup (custard recipe adapted from Sweet Seasons by Richard Leach).
Makes 8

These are best prepared a couple of hours in advance and can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.

For the custards:
3/4 cup mascarpone cheese
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
3/4 cup fresh goat cheese
1/3 cup honey
zest of one lemon
2 large eggs
1 large egg white
3/4 cup heavy cream
pate brisee or gluten free tart dough.
2 cups fresh figs (depending on the size you might have to quarter them)

Preheat the oven to 300F.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cheeses, honey and lemon zest until smooth. Add the eggs, egg white and heavy cream and whisk until smooth. This is best done by hand so you don't incorporate too much air in the batter which would make your custard rise, fall and crack.

Roll the pastry dough to about 1/8 - inch thick and cut eight 3.5-inch disks from it. Place the 8 disks on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Gently indedt a 3-inch metal ring into each disk but without cutting through.

This will form a seal between the baking sheet and the custard and provide a bit of a crunch when you eat the custards. If this step is too time consuming, simply bake the custards in ramekins. Bake the disks with the rings for about 20 minutes and allow to cool before filling.

Lower the oven temperature to 250F. Fill the rings to about 3/4 full with the cheese custard and bake for about 30 minutes or until the filling seems set (should not wiggle anymore). Let cool and run a knife inside the rings to release the custards. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the balsamic syrup:
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup honey
Put the vinegar and honey in a medium, heavy bottomed saucepan and bring to a strong simmer over high heat. Turn the heat down to medium and let the vinegar reduce by half or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Keep warm.

To serve, place cut figs (either halved or quartered depending on the size) and drizzle with balsamic syrup.

Tasty Tuesday {Dressed Up for Halloween}

With Halloween just around the corner, it's no wonder sweets remain on the brain, but I think this year I'd like to add a sophisticated twist to the traditionally kid-centric holiday.



kitchen via delight by design, place setting from kelley l. moore

Why not lift the golden tones from fall foliage and slip them into your kitchen, onto your table and into your Halloween party menu? You can go dressed as the hostess-with-the-mostest and the trick or treaters will love it!

Poires Belle Helene - Spiced Poached Pears with Chocolate Sauce and Vanilla Ice Cream by Tartelette

For the poached pears:
6 Forelle pears (or other small-ish pears)
2 tablespoon mulling cider spice mix
juice of one lemon

For the chocolate sauce:
4 oz semisweet best quality chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon honey

For the ice cream:
2 cups (500ml) heavy cream
1 cup (250ml) whole milk
1 cup (200gr) granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean

Prepare the pears:
Place the pears, spice mix, lemon juice and water in tall saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Lower the heat and let them simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the pears are just soft (poke with a toothpick to check).
Remove from the water using a slotted spoon and allow to cool on paper towel or baking rack.

Prepare the sauce:
Place the chocolate in a non reactive bowl and set aside.
In a heavy saucepan set over medium high heat, bring the cream and honey to a strong simmer. Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate. Let sit for 5 minutes then slowly stir until the mixture comes together.

Prepare the ice cream:
In a large saucepan, stir together the cream, milk, and sugar. Cut the vanilla bean in half and scrape the inside with the tip of a knife. Add that pulp (the seeds) to the pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium low heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and let steep as it cools to room temperature. Refrigerate, preferably overnight. Strain if desired.

Process the mixture into your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's intructions.

{Black & White} Tasty Tuesday

I've got my fantasy kitchen pretty well pegged in my head, but when I see such a stunning example of the always-chic black & white checkered floor, I start to backpedal a bit.



 kitchen via flor blog, recipe and food image via cannelle et vanille

It's a kitchen-look so delicious it makes me want to grab a spoon and dig right in. I think I'll stick with some mini chocolate cakes in equally stunning black and white and continue to mull over my kitchen design options for now.

And just remember, despite the absolutely stunning images above, when you're cooking, your food (nor you for that matter!) have to look beautiful to taste good (but a nice presentation can always help your cause a little!)

Recipe: Cherry, Almond and Chocolate Cake


175 grams almond paste
3 eggs
50 grams butter
90 grams bittersweet chocolate
30 grams flour
2 grams baking powder
cherries, pitted and cut into medium dice

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the almond paste with one egg with the paddle attachment. When this becomes a smooth mixture, add the rest of the eggs and switch to the whip attachment. Whip this for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy.

In the meantime, melt the butter and the chocolate over a double boiler. When the eggs have become thick and make a ribbon, turn the machine to low and add the melted chocolate and butter. Mix until combined.

Add the flour and baking powder and mix. Fold in the pieces of cherry.

Refrigerate the batter for a couple of hours. Pipe into molds (half way up) and bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes. When the cake has almost set completely, place a whole cherry with its stem on top, let the cake finish baking for another 3 minutes or so.

Tasty Tuesday {End of Summer Blues}

Before Summer makes it's final farewell, I'd love to sneak in one more classic summer sweet treat ~ blueberry pie!

Pie making has always intimidated me. I refuse to take the easy way out with store-bought crust, but when you're trying to live up to the memory of your grandma's confections...let's just say it's a lot to live up to.

But these pies are just too pretty not to attempt.



photography by Jamie via for me for you and via everything fabulous

So let's raise a glass and toast, to the end of season and to making grandma proud!

Check out For Me For You for more gorgeous imagery to wet your appetite.

Crust:

2 1/2 cups flour (plus more for dusting)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter, very cold, cut into small pieces
ice water (1/4-1/2 cup)

Filling:

3 pints blueberries, washed and picked over
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk


Preheat the oven to 425. Grease a 9” pie plate and put aside. Cut the chilled dough in half keeping the reserved piece in the refrigerator. Shape the dough into a ball and flatten into a disc. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry into a circle, rotating and lifting the dough off of the surface after every roll of the pin (this will help you roll an even circle and will help prevent the dough from sticking). Add a little dusting of flour as you go, if needed.



When the dough is about 1/8” thick, roll the dough onto your rolling pin and place over the prepared pie plate. Let the dough gently settle into the pan and then press it lightly into the dish. Place in the refrigerator and bring out the reserved half of the dough. Repeat the rolling procedure. Using a serrated pastry wheel (pizza rollers work very well) cut the dough into 1” strips.


Take the pie plate out of the refrigerator and fill with the blueberry mixture. Lay the strips vertically across the pie leaving about 1” between each strip. Weave the remaining strips horizontally across the pie to create a braided lattice.

Brush with egg wash and place in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 and bake for another 35-45 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the blueberries are bubbling.

Tasty {Summer Siesta} Tuesday

If I could press pause to fully enjoy this beautiful 80-degree late August day, I'd first send out a lovely invitation inviting my nearest and dearest to a sweet supper by the (imaginary) pool.



I'd start the evening off with some delicous cold salad of avocado, shrimp and endive.



I'd continue to keep things light and fresh to pair nicely with the warm night air. Corn and basil stuffed tomatoes and salade nicoise would fit the bill.



images via martha stewart living summer 2007, uploaded by me!

I'd end the satisfying night with fresh stone fruit, honey and ricotta coupled with huckleberry and sweet cream cupcakes.

Are you hungry yet? Shall I see you tonight? Ahhhh, if only I could press pause....

Did you take note of the Apartment 34's giveaway this week? If you're considering a new DIY home project this one is for you!

Tasty Tuesday {A Visual Feast}

I'm loving the work fo Claudia Pearson, both for their visual and gastronomic appeal. What better way to learn new summer recipes than to have them beautifully drawn out for you!
 





illustrations by claudia pearson via oh joy eats

I'd love to have my favorite recipes framed on my wall to see everyday. You can get the full instructions for Zuchini pasta with blue cheese pesto (yum!), salad with yogurt dressing and grilled peaches here.

If you try one, be sure to let me know how they turn out!