so long january.

That was fast.

I can't say that I'm not thrilled that winter is cruising on by at a good speed. Before we know it, it will be warm again!

But January was a nice month. January is inspiring. It makes my eyes widen with wonder at the opportunities ahead of me. January allows for planning, sleeping in on the weekends, chilly walks in the park and new earmuffs.

I consumed more zinc and vitamin C in January than I probably have in my entire life. I also drank lots of tea and hot chocolate and warmed up even more with some delicious meals. I took a trip and did a lot of staying in one place.

Looking forward to number 2 of 2013. Let's do this.

wish list: January

It’s quite cold in New York (why do they insist on announcing the temperature and then "feels like minus 5"?) - which not only has me day dreaming of warmer weather but admiring some great winter attire. I am in the market for a vest – which probably won’t get any use until spring, however anything quilted is a winner in my book. My black puffer parka is my only friend in that department and I am ready for a change (of warmth & weather)…

Jacket

Cape

Kelly Green Vest

Boots

Hat

Herringbone Vest

a rocky start.

The pressure doesn't exactly halt with the holidays, does it? It lingers after Christmas with returns to be made, leftovers to be eaten before they've gone bad, flights to catch and suitcases to pack and unpack. Which is why I understand the enthusiasm for celebrating an impending new year:

putting your mistakes/past behind you

promising resolutions

cleaning up, purging old items, making room for new

a fresh new month. the first month of the year

The holiday we've created on the eve of this new month has always been a hyped up excuse to wear sequins, where I tell myself each time it rolls around that I will stay inside and drink a bottle of champagne to myself, cook a delicious dinner, and watch Jenny McCarthy makeout with a sailor in front of the ball dropping into two thousand and...

But, it never really plays out like that. I get suckered into going out, hopeful it might actually prove to be a night for the twenty-something history books. 

This year was no different than years past. What's been irking me over the past 16 days of January, however, is not my lack of enthusiasm for New Years Eve. It's that 2013 feels like a masked version of 2012; colder and slightly more bitter. I feel like there are more people in the city, on the streets and invading my commute than there were during the holidays. I'm harshly reminded that getting to work requires almost an hour tunneling underground. There's a flu epidemic going on up here that I feared I caught, the subways and sidewalks offering no haven for staying germ-free. Congested, exhausted, vitamin D-deprived; this is what I've come to collect after checking out for a few weeks in Florida.

As you can tell, I'm doing really well with my resolution of not to complain.

Mid-month, I'm starting to see the light. Back into the swing of things at work. My room on the fifth floor doesn't feel so foreign. I never had the flu, probably scored one of the last flu shots available in New York, and kicked this cold I've been battling for a week. Got some pep in my step as I face the cold on the way to work. Some banana bread just came out of the oven and I plan on taking the loaf on a ski trip this weekend to a state that I have never been to. I even have some more trips lined up this year that I am excited to experience and share here. 

While I may not be an optimist, I've learned not to expect so much from the start a new year. Change is hard. Sometimes - plain movement is hard. But as my Grandfather likes to say, "You can't stop the clock," and thank goodness you can't. Otherwise I'd be stuck in 2012 without all this to look forward to.  

A delicious mess: mashed banana batter, walnuts, strawberries.

sass cake.

I never understand how some people find it hard to answer the traditional interview question: "What are some of your biggest flaws?" I guess I am my own biggest critic, but I immediately answer in my head, "Umm...Where should I start?"

By far - my biggest, ugly, misfortunate trait is impatience. I hate to wait. As much as I try to channel my yoga breath and summon positivity - sometimes, it just doesn't come. For instance:

Traffic: Damn you, Park Avenue.

The rainbow wheel of death on my Macbook.

When clients people don't email me back fast enough.

The U.S. Postal Service: Belated birthday cards are my nightmare.

Food delivery: I devour it before the delivery man has even reached the 4th floor on his way down.

Chipped nail polish: When one is chipped, they all have to go. Now. 

Crossing the street: I literally hurl myself before impending traffic and sprint across at yellow to avoid waiting. 

When people can't just say what they mean.

When people talk in circles, reiterating their point (that I heard the first time), wasting more time, and they're starting to make me think that they just like to hear themselves talk...

And there I go. My blood is boiling as I type this. What is wrong with me? Before you write me off as a complete psycho, I promise I am not this nuts in every patience-testing situation. For example: 

Waiting in line just to get inside Trader Joes: True story. And yes, worth the wait. Especially since I just traveled 50+ blocks to get there.

The insane crowd at Starbucks in the mornings: I get it. Coffee is a NECESSITY. Worth the wait. 

Waiting on the phone with (insert company) customer service: My cell phone, the cable company, name it. Your website makes absolutely no sense and I'd like to speak to a real person, please. Go ahead, take your time. I've got alllll night. 

I write this because it's apparent that my impatience has been fully interpreted by those around me as sass*. In treating my impatience as disease, my sass is how I cope with its debilitating effects. However, it doesn't help that I am the worst liar on the planet and I'm very bad at concealing any of my thoughts with a straight face.

With that insight into my life, I bring you sass cake. It's actually an apple spice cake, but I am making it for some folks who I've been serving up some sass to recently. They deserve a break from my banter and a serving of this cake instead, which is delicious. 

I used a fantastic recipe called Applesauce Spice Cake w/ Brown Butter-Cream Cheese Frosting which immediately caught my eye. Browning butter is easy and it makes everything better. I swear. I used a bigger pan than recommended which worked out perfectly (8x12) and doubled the frosting portion. Only road block I ran into was waiting on the cake to cool so I could finally frost it...

Browned Butter

Apple seed in the sauce.

 

holiday feast with Sunday Suppers.

Have you paged through the beautiful photography on Sunday Suppers? That's what got me hooked. The photographs and all the food. Oh man, the food. Colorful, fresh, lovely.

Last Sunday I went over to Williamsburg to learn how to make a Holiday Feast with Karen of Sunday Suppers and Top Chef alum Camille Becerra. Both women were so nice and welcoming. Great company for a Sunday afternoon.

Camille is an exceptional teacher and chef. It's been a while since I took any kind of cooking class, and I was surprised at how excited and refreshed I felt to learn a few new things, like:
-How to smoke things at home. In this case, almonds.
-When seasoning meat for cooking: Pepper first. Salt last.
-Marinated cheese is a brilliant thing.

I highly recommend subscribing to SS, and attending a class if you are in the area. The space, for starters, is gorgeous. White, clean, rustic. It is an ideal environment for cooking and photography. In a small class of about 20 people or less, it's a great way to hang out with and meet new people. Most importantly, you get to EAT.

Right as we walked in, we were greeted with hot, spiced apple cider and some fresh bread with ricotta in a dish with olive oil and pepper. My heart started to flutter after I downed my first glass of cider and saw all of the fresh, local produce. I love cooking with fresh ingredients, especially ones I am not familiar with (persimmon? sign me up). I was all over the place chopping, taking pictures, observing, and listening that I almost forgot the whole idea was to enjoy the meal at the end.

The Menu:

Kombucha Squash Soup with cumin crème and  smoked almonds

Fall Fruits Salad with persimmon, pear, radish, arugula, and marinated ricotta-salata
Stuffed Turkey Breast with chestnut, currant and sage

Bone Marrow-Swiss Chard Gratin

Cranberry Quince Chutney

Pumpkin Creme Brulee

Chef Camille Becerra smoking almonds