Sunday, December 21, 2008

Salmon Salad

Tuna is filled with Mercury and let's face it... tuna salad sandwiches are not the best way to wins friends at the lunch table. Salmon is high in Omega-3s and is considered one of the best foods you can eat. Wild Sockeye is of the highest quality and is very expensive. But the good news is that the majority of it is canned during the running season and retails at about $3.99/can versus $25/lb. This is a really simple salad recipe that keeps it light on the mayo, adds a bit of crunch, but ultimately lets the salmon shine through.

Classic Salmon Salad

2x 3.5 ounce cans Wild Caught Sockeye Salmon
2 stalks celery, chopped small
3 tbs Mayo
2 tbs Dijon mustard

Mix above ingredients, adjusting mayo and mustard to suit taste.

Holiday Scotch Shortbreads

Both my father's Scotch-South African mother and my mum's Irish-Canadian mother used to make shortbread cookies every Christmas. There is no hand-me-down recipe that we can find among the worn and grease-stained note cards my grannies assembled. Instead, here is the recipe my mother has been using since the 1960s which produces the loveliest, butteryest shortbread cookies this side of the Atlantic.

Holiday Scotch Shortbread Cookies

1 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 cups sifted flour

chopped candied cherries

Cream butter and sugar together and work in flour. Chill. Roll out about 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured board. Cut into circles using a cutter or a sherry glass and place piece of cherry in center. Bake in slow oven, 325degrees F, until golden.

Makes approx 60 cookies.

Winter Salad with Beets and Goats Cheese

1 head romaine lettuce, dark outer leaves removed and hearts chopped
1 head radicchio lettuce, chopped
boiled beets, one per person
goats cheese
dried cranberries
toasted pine nuts

for vinaigrette:
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh cranberries
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tbs water
salt and pepper to taste
1 small shallot, minced

In a blender or food processor, combine the vinegar, oil, cranberries, mustard, garlic, salt, pepper, and water. Process until smooth.

In a large bowl, toss lettuces and with dressing. Thinly slice beets and arrange on the bottom of the plate. Pile lettuces on top of beets and sprinkle dried cranberries, toasted pine nuts and crumbled goats cheese.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Spanish Style Potato Omlette

Eggs done with a little creativity make a filling and cheap meal. The base for this recipe is the traditional Spanish Tortilla de patatas but with a few additions to make ramp up the flavour volume.

Spanish Style Potato Omlette

8 eggs
2 large potatoes, thinly sliced
1 large onion, chopped
handful of fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp chili powder
salt & pepper, to taste
extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chicken broth

Heat oil in non-stick pan. Add onions and cook until they start to brown. Remove half of onions and reserve for later. add a bit more oil and the potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes and add the chili powder, salt, pepper and chicken broth. Allow broth to evaporate and cook until potatoes are tender. Remove potatoes and place in large bowl with parsley and remaining onions.

Beat eggs, add a dash of salt and pepper and a tablespoon of water. Pour over potato mixture, stirring to coat.

Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in the non-stick pan, add the egg and potato mixture. Move the frying pan so that the tortilla does not stick and shape the edges with a slotted spoon to round them off. Lower the heat and let the tortilla cook slowly. When it is still slightly runny inside, tip it over onto a plate and slide it back into the frying pan so that the other side cooks for a few seconds and goes brown.

Serves 4

Friday, November 21, 2008

Pipe Rigate with Tomatoes and Fresh Herbs



A simple tomato sauce flavored with fresh herbs, red wine and yellow-squash. Muir Glenn Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes add a nice flavor to the dish while the shape of the Pipe Rigate, which looks like a more tubular shell pasta, grips the savory sauce. Tip on the Wine: make sure it's a wine you don't mind drinking -- just because you're cooking with it, doesn't mean you shouldn't go for quality.

Pipe Rigate with Tomatoes and Fresh Herbs

1 lb pipe rigate
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 medium sweet onion, diced
1 can diced tomatoes (28-oz. or 2 14.5 oz)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1 cup red wine
1 yellow squash, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
fresh grated parmigiano reggiano cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large skillet. Add the garlic and onions and heat for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, herbs, wine and squash and cook for another 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper and 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Drain pasta and add to skillet. Stir well to coat pasta and cook for a few minutes (2-4) to let sauce thicken. Serve with parmigiano reggiano.

Serves 8

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Traditional Cranberry Relish



It's holiday cooking season which means there are a few staple dishes we all need recipes for. Cranberry relish for that turkey is one of them. This recipe includes orange juice and a dash of ginger for a little spice. It's a great compliment for that turkey meat.


TRADITIONAL CRANBERRY RELISH

16 ounces fresh cranberries, picked over removing squished and overripe berries
1 ½ cup granulated sugar, or to taste
¼ cup water or cranberry juice
½ cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons orange zest
½ teaspoon ginger (optional)


First, combine sugar and liquid in a saucepan, stirring over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Add the cranberries, zest and (optional) ginger and continue to cook over medium heat until the berries pop open (about 10 minutes). Be careful not to overcook. Skim the foam off the surface with a metal spoon and discard. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate, covered. The relish tastes best when served the next day. Serves approximately 10.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Spiced Sugar Cookies a la Jackson Pollack

These are a little more interesting than your traditional sugar cookies -- not only aesthetically but flavour-wise. The dash of cinnamon in the dough and the lemon extract in the glaze make these cookies stand apart at parties. Add some food coloring to the icing to make them holiday appropriate or to pay greater homage to America's favourite Abstract Expressionist.


Spiced Sugar Cookies a la Jackson Pollack
For Glaze:
1/4 tsp Lemon Extract
1/3 cup confectioner's sugar
1-2 tbsp milk

For Cookies:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 - 1/2 tsp cinnamon (depending on taste)

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.

2.In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.

3.Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

4. Mix glaze ingredient together, adding more or less sugar/milk until you have a thick liquid, runny enough to drizzle over cookies. Once cookies have cooled, go Jackson Pollack on the cookies and add your artistic spin. Allow icing to set before serving.

Saffron-Vegetable Soup

Every time I go home, my parents ask me to make "that soup with the tortellini and all the vegetables." Yellow squash is one of my favourite soup vegetables and I love the flavour of saffron. I like to saute the spinach rather than add it raw to the soup in order to prevent the spinach's water from diluting the broth. This recipe makes enough to serve about 6-8 people and tastes even better the next day.

Saffron-Vegetable Soup

1 yellow squash, cut into small pieces
1 bunch carrots, diced
3 stalks celery diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 bunch spinach, chopped and quickly sauteed
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/2 cup water
handful fresh cilantro, chopped
saffron, crushed (about a 1/4 tsp)
1/4 cup white wine (optional)
fresh, small multi-cheese tortellini (approx. 5 per person)

In a 2 quart sauce pan, saute garlic, onion, carrot, and celery in 1 tbsp olive oil until onions are translucent. Add yellow squash and cilantro, cook until cilantro is wilted.

Add broth and water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer, add saffron, dash of salt and pepper. Allow to cook until all vegetables are tender. Adjust seasonings (more saffron, salt and pepper) to suit tastes as it cooks.

Bring water to boil in separate pot for tortellini. Cook until just about done. Remove from boiling water and add to soup to finish cooking. Add sauteed spinach.

The soup is ready to serve when the tortellini is done cooking.

Riding the Gravy Train... How to Make the Perfect Gravy

(I ran this short How-To/Recipe in Columbia University's Spectator a few years back. I still trust it wholeheartedly.)

Nothing saves a Thanksgiving turkey disaster like a robust gravy. A bland bird is instantly made succulent, and over-mashed potatoes are quickly revived. But visions of Aunt Barbara's gravy, dotted with flour dumplings from a roux gone wrong, make Campbell's look mighty tempting. Put the can back on the shelf. Gravy preparation doesn't have to cause nightmares or small kitchen fires. The following "how-to" eliminates potential calamity and produces a flavorful gravy with relative ease.

It's all about the "Bits"

An outstanding gravy depends on a well-prepared and closely-monitored turkey. The rich flavor comes from the drippings and the brown bits that gather in the bottom of the roasting pan. Keep the turkey low in the pan and line the bottom with chopped carrots and celery. While cooking, if you notice that the pan is dry and the drippings few, pour white wine and chicken broth over the turkey.

Making the Gravy
Remove the cooked turkey, vegetables, and roasting rack from the pan. Pour the drippings into a separate container, allowing the fat to separate and leaving the crusty brown bits in the pan. Add either chicken broth or turkey stock to the roasting pan, and stir to loosen the bits from the bottom. Strain the deglazed stock into a pot. After you've discarded the fat, add the drippings and cook over medium heat.

Adding the Finishing Touches
In a separate cup, mix a few tablespoons of flour with enough water to make a runny paste. While whisking the drippings and stock, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the flour-water mixture. If you don't whisk, expect Aunt Barbara's dumplings. Allow to simmer to eliminate the raw flour taste. The gravy will thicken, but feel free to add more of the flour-water mixture if the gravy is too thin. If you overdo the flour, a little broth or white wine should work. Gravy making is all about making adjustments on the run. Don't be afraid to play with seasonings. If you survived stuffing and roasting a turkey, making gravy should be a cakewalk.

Super Peanutty Peanut Butter Cookies



My Father is not a fan of peanut butter, but even he can't stop eating these chock-full-of-peanut-butter cookies. It's best to use an all-natural peanut butter that hasn't been refrigerated yet. If the dough is too crumbly (which can happen depending on the oil content of your peanut butter)you can add an extra egg white to moisten.

Super Peanuty Peanut Butter Cookies
1 Cup All Natural Peanut Butter, chunky
1/4 cup butter, softened
½ cup sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
½ tsp vanilla
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt (depending on salt content of your peanut butter, you may not need this)
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup whole wheat flour

Place PB and butter in mixed bowl, with flat beater beat until mixture is smooth. Add sugar, brown sugar, egg and vanilla. Mix. Gradually add remaining ingredients. Mix until blended.

Roll dough into 1-in balls. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Press flat with fork in a criss-cross pattern to ¼-in thickness.

Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.
Yields 3 dozen cookies.

83cals, 4g fat per cookie

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Canadian Date Squares, Eh!


Another Canadian recipe inspired by my mum. The Date Square is the Canadian equivalent of the blondie -- a popular treat, not as mainstream as the brownie but equally prevalent and equally delicious. Even Canadian Starbucks carry them as a baked good. Date squares are one of my all-time favorite food items. They're relatively easy to prepare (if you can make an apple crisp or a fruit cobbler, you can make them) and they keep for several days.

AlleyKat’s Canadian Date Squares, Eh
40 min | 15 min prep
SERVES 16

2 c. chopped dates
1.5 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 c. water
1 c. flour split whole wheat and all-purpose
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 c. + 1tbs butter or margarine
1 c. packed brown sugar
2 c. oats (not instant)

1. Combine dates, 1 TBSP brown sugar, and water in small saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook, stirring often, until dates are soft enough to be mashed with a fork.
3. Set aside.
4. In mixer bowl, blend flour, baking soda, and salt.
5. Cut in butter until mixture resembles course crumbs.
6. Stir in brown sugar and oats.
7. Do not over mix.Mixture should stay crumbly.
8. Press half of crumb mixture over bottom of lightly buttered 8x8-inch pan to form bottom crust.
9. Gently spread date filling over bottom crust.
10. Sprinkle remaining oat mixture over date filling.
11. Lightly pat with palm of hand to even out.
12. Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.
13.Cool completely and cut into squares.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Autumny Mezzi Rigatoni with Butternut Squash




I came up with this recipe after a leisurely lunch at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The rigatoni is tossed with a light but buttery wine sauce and roasted butternut squash. A hearty pasta dish for the fall that is best served with some shaved parmesano reggiano and a glass of chardonnay. Followed by a serving of AlleyKat's Apple Crisp and you have a perfect meal at home on a cool autumn night.




Autumny Mezzi Rigatoni with Butternut Squash
serves about 4
1 butternut squash
1 bunch fresh parsley
1 onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch arugula (or 2 boxes baby arugula) stems removed
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups white wine -- Sauvignon Blanc is a nice choice
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup + 4 tbsp olive oil
pepper to taste
thyme
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 lb mezzi rigatoni

Cut butternut squash into pieces 2 inch thick. Toss with 4 tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper, dried thyme, and balsamic vinegar. Spread on cookie sheet coated with aluminum foil and roast in oven at 350degrees for 30-40 minutes or until tender. You want the squash to remain firm. Allow to cool slightly and cut into smaller, bit-size pieces.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and add mezzi rigatoni. Cook until desired "doneness" -- 13-15 minutes.

In a large skillet, sautee onions and garlic in 1 tbsp butter + 1 tbs olive oil. Once the onions are translucent, add the remaining oil and butter, the chopped parsley, chicken broth and white wine. Allow to simmer for several minutes.

Drain Rigatoni. Add arugula to sauce. Just as it starts to wilt, add the rigatoni to pan and toss to coat with sauce. Serve immediately with some of the sauce and a healthy sprinkle of shaved parmesano reggiano.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Not Popeye's Spinach: Spinach with Currents and Pinenuts

Spinach is a great vegetable. But it's easy to run out of interesting ways to prepare it. This is a recipe I adapted from one found in a Spanish cookbook. Like a lot of my green cooked veggie sides, this one is seasoned with nutmeg. Of course, you can leave the spice out and just stick to regular old ground black pepper, but nutmeg really enhances the earthiness of the spinach. The sweetness of the currents and the buttery taste of the pine nuts balance the bitterness of the spinach. The amount of currents and pinenuts can be increased/decreased to your taste.

Served on top of grilled polenta or a potato pancake, this dish makes a great appetizer or tapas. I'll be posting my favorite polenta recipe in the near future, so keep an eye out.

Not Popeye's Spinach: Sauteed Spinach with Currents and Pinenuts

2 bunches spinach, rinsed twice with stems removed (baby spinach can be used to cut down on prep time -- you probably want to use two boxes or one large box)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup currents (raisins are an acceptable substitute)
1/3 cup pinenuts
nutmeg, salt, pepper -- to taste
1 tbsp salted butter
2 tbsp olive oil
flour

Soak the currents for several hours (1-4) in warm water. Drain and dry slightly. Toss the currents in a few tablespoons of flour, coating well and shaking off excess.

In a hot sautee pan, add butter, oil and pinenuts. Allow to cook for about a minute before adding garlic. Cook for another minute, being careful not to burn garlic. Add currents and spinach, tossing to coat with oil and garlic. Cook until the water from the spinach has evaporated.

Winter-in-France Yellow Split-Pea Soup

Split-pea soup is the ultimate fall/winter comfort food. On cold, snowy nights growing up, my mum would always open a can of split-pea and toast up a nice ham and cheese sandwich. Yum. The Winter-in-France Yellow Split-Pea Soup recipe is a tribute to her -- she always told me yellow peas were very Canadian, and I'm fairly convinced pea-soup is a very French thing. The nutmeg and white wine really add a nice flavour (Nutmeg is my go-to vegetable spice... stay tuned for an awesome brusselsprout recipe featuring it).

For a vegetarian version, sub vegetable stock for the chicken stock and leave out the ham.

Cheers & enjoy
AlleyKat

Winter-in-France Yellow Split-Pea Soup

1 lb Yellow Split-Peas – rinsed and sorted to remove any pebbles
1 onion chopped
5-6 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped (small)
1/2lb thick-cut ham, cubed
Olive oil
4 cups chicken broth/stock
2 cups water
¼ - 1/3 cup white wine (a Sancerre works well)
Grated nutmeg (to taste, but around 1/4 tsp)
Salt & pepper, to taste

Sauté onions, carrots, and celery in tablespoon of olive oil until onions are translucent. Add peas, stock and water, Bring to boil. Add white wine, nutmeg and pepper and reduce to simmer. Allow to cook until peas begin to disintegrate and soup starts to thicken (about 45 minutes). Add ham and cook for 15-20 minutes. Add salt/pepper to taste. Serve with dollop of crème freche and crusty French-style bread.

Famous Autumnal Apple Crisp

This is the baked dish that made me "Mini-Martha." I haven't actually followed a recipe for a fruit crisp in years, but this is a pretty accurate plan for making my renowned Apple Crisp. A lot of people recommend Granny Smith apples. I prefer the sweetness and texture of Fuji or Braeburn. Once you have the crisp topping down, you can substitute the apples with any fruit (I really love blueberries & peaches come summer time). Rhubarb with the apple is also lovely -- but make sure to add more sugar as rhubarb tends to be tart.

AlleyKat's Famous Autumnal Apple Crisp

6 Apples, peeled and cut into chunks
2 tbsp sugar (more or less depending on the sweetness of the apples you use)
½ Tsp Ground Cinnamon
¼ tsp ground ginger
½ Cup Dried Cranberries (or diced dried apricots)
1 tbsp flour

Crisp Topping:
½ Cup Brown Sugar
½ Cup Flour
½ tsp baking soda
1 Cup Rolled Oats
¼ tsp cinnamon
½ Cup (1 stick) Unsalted Butter


Toss the apples together with the cinnamon, ginger, sugar, tbs flour and cranberries. Fill two loaf pans or Pyrex dishes with the mixture.

In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, butter, oats, cinnamon, baking soda and flour together with fingertips or pastry blender until crumbly. Sprinkle over the apples. Bake at 350° until apples are tender and top is browned, about 35 to 45 minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream.

Serves 8.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

AlleyKat's Vanishing Orange Cranberry Loaf


One of my favorite fall foods is undeniably the cranberry. This flavourful and seasonal quickbread is wonderful as a tea-time snack, as dessert, or as a breakfast treat served next to savory eggs. But the finished product is so delicious, it's rare a loaf survives into a second meal...

1 Orange
Boiling Water
2 Tbs. butter (unsalted)
1 Egg
1/3 C. Dark Brown Sugar
2/3 C. Granulated Sugar
1 ½ C. Cranberries, chopped
1/4 C. Dried Cranberries
1 C. Whole Wheat Flour
1 C. White All-Purpose Flour
1 ½ tsp. Baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp ginger

Glaze: (optional)
orange zest
1/4 tsp orange extract
powdered sugar
1 tbs milk


Preheat oven to 325. Butter a loaf pan. Grate the rind of the orange, and squeeze the juice into a measuring cup, adding enough boiling water to make ¾ cup of liquid. Add the orange rind and the butter, stir to melt. Beat the egg in another bowl and gradually add the sugar, beating well. Add remaining ingredients and orange mixture, blend well. Spoon into pan and bake for one hour. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

While bread is cooling, mix the ingredients for the glaze together, adding confectioner's sugar until you have a thick but liquidy glaze. Drizzle over top of loaf and allow to set before serving.

Rustic Spanish Broad (Fava) Beans

By fortunate accident, I ordered these beans in a small family-run restaurant in Madrid, Spain. I spent the next three days scouring bookstores and tourist shops in the city until I found the recipe for these "Catalan Broad Beans." I adapted the recipe slightly to suit products and cookware available to me and I think the slight variation on the traditional recipe remains true to the flavours and is equally delicious -- it's become a staple in my house.

Shelling and de-skinning the fava beans is a bit of a chore, but the end result of the labor is worth it. The inner bean is tender and tasty and they cook up quickly (cook time for the whole dish is around 15 minutes).

Makes an excellent side dish or can be served over rice as a main.

Rustic Spanish Broad (Fava) Beans

2 cups shelled broad (fava beans) – outer skin also removed
2 cloves garlic minced
Serrano or Iberico ham cut into strips
1 small onion chopped
1 small glass (3-4oz) of sweet sherry
Olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
2 white sausages cut into rounds
Fresh flat-leaf parsley or cilantro, chopped

Sauté onion and garlic in ample amount of olive oil, add the ham and cook until all items are transparent. Add the broad beans and parsley. Cover the mixture with water and add the glass of sherry. Cook until the beans are tender. Add the sausage.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Capetown Collins

I had this drink recently at No. 9 Park, Boston's favorite and most delicious dining spot. Meals here are more than pricey (think $75 a head for a 3-course prix-fixe, sans alcohol), but more than worth the steep tab. Their mixologist is a genius and this twist on the old gin-based favorite is really special. Perfect for a summer or fall afternoon.

Capetown Collins
2 oz. Gin (Any straightforward London dry should do the trick)
½ oz. Fresh lemon juice
2 oz. Rooibos-rosemary syrup*

Place all ingredients in cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well, and strain into ice cube-filled Collins glass. Garnish with rosemary sprig.


*Rooibos-rosemary syrup
Simmer one cup water, sugar, and a rosemary sprig in a medium saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add 1½ teaspoons loose rooibos tea leaves and let steep for 1 hour. Strain through fine mesh strainer and bottle it.

Saturday, August 2, 2008

For Your Consideration: a Cafe Fresh Conversation

The wonderful Barista (WB): OH! It's you! Thank goodness you're back! Everyone has gotten so young in the neighborhoo. It's a little scary.
Me: (trying not to feel old) Agreed. Frankly, I blame all these childish faces on the girls dipping into their mothers' La Mer night cream.
WB: Yes! And I think this whole vegetarian/vegan movement has a lot to do with it.
Kat: Right, they're malnourished and over moisturized so they don't hit puberty till they're 25 and don't get a wrinkly till they're 80. But I think there's some good news...they'll have skin cancer at 21 from all the tanning.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Summer Blockbusters Considered 1: Sex and the City

"Welcome to the age of Uninnocence. No one has Breakfast at Tiffanys or Affairs to Remember anymore. Instead, we have breakfast at 7AM and affairs we'd like to forget as quickly as possible."

And with these tragically insightful sentences, HBO launched its series Sex and the City and introduced America to sex-columnist and certified Manolo Blahnikaholic Carrie Bradshaw and her friends Samantha Jones, Miranda Hobbes, and Charlotte York. For modern women, particularly New York women, Carrie and Co. were kindred spirits. Here where four women, each trying to make their way in a hard-edged, male-dominated city while hoping to find their storybook ending. While we fans all found something to relate to in the plot lines that developed over the 6 seasons, the ultimate success of the show lay in its ability to fearlessly and openly address the challenges of finding (and holding on to) love in an age where the divorce rate is 1 in 4 and where romance seems to exist only in Disney movies and Jane Austen novels.

When the show ended in 2004, fans were satisfied with Mr. Big's (played by the oh so sexy Chris Noth) "Carrie, you're the one" and Carrie's "Take me home!" We were satisfied with Miranda and Steve's devoted marriage. We were satisfied with Charlotte and her husband Harry, their apartment and the pending adoption of a little girl from China. And we were satisfied with Samantha, her beating cancer and her commitment to love Smith Jarrod. What more could I ask for? Sure, Carrie and Big weren't getting married, and sure, his real name was the oh so generic John, but I was happy to leave their future to the imagination. I didn't need or want a movie.

So, when it was announced that a Sex and the City movie was in production, I was nervous it would ruin what had been such a beautiful and hopeful ending to my ongoing relationship with a television series. But I admit, after watching every episode at least 4 times since 2004 I was ready for a new chapter, an update on how my girls were getting on.

I was relieved when I walked out of the theater last night. Not only had the movie remained loyal to the tv series' continuing themes that love is never like a storybook and that in New York, anything is possible, but it also remained true to the characters that had developed over several years. Each of the girls were at their best as they rallied around Carrie, her wedding, its collapse, her recovery, and her decision to embrace love.

The clothes were beautiful (true they were also extravagant, but it's Sex and the City on the big screen -- couture is necessary). The movie moved fast enough and the writers were smart to avoid dwelling on any one conflict too long. While the move was over two hours, it felt smartly edited and I was far from bored.

The only real problem I had with the film were a handful of scenes that borderlined on porn -- none of these did much to advance the plot and I found it ironic that Samantha couldn't say "fuck" but she (and the audience) could watch her neighbor fucking two girls at once.

Bottom line: **** If you're a true Sex and the City devotee, then you'll love what the writers did with the movie. It will be everything you could have wanted and more. It's no intellectual film, but it is an entertaining, feel good movie.

If you're not coming in with all the background on the relationships and the characters, you'll hate it -- really don't bother. Leave it for us fans who can finally believe that Love is possible.

Friday, June 20, 2008

AlleyKat's "Blueberry Cobbler To-Go" Blueberry Oat Cookie


This recipe makes the best cookie I've ever eaten -- a blueberry oat cookie with a hint of lemon and the spice of ginger (the photo is my finished product). I modified this from a Blueberry Oat cookie recipe from allrecipes.com which used only vanilla extract and cinnamon instead of ginger (this seemed too oatmeal-cookie-like and thus too autumnal for such a lovely summer fruit). A fruit-filled cookie that vanishes before they've had time to cool.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
3/4 tsp Lemon Extract
¼ tsp Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup fresh blueberries

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar. Beat in egg and flavoring. Combine oats, flour, ginger, salt, baking soda and baking powder; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Stir in the blueberries.
  2. Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Summer Salad

A fresh salad with baby greens and the surprise of ravioli, an ingredient which, as a guest of mine said, "tricks you into thinking this isn't really a salad at all."

baby spinach
baby argula
1 bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 bunch of asparagus, steamed the french way and cut into 1 inch long pieces
pine nuts, toasted
fresh raviolis, cooked and cooled (approximately 2-3 per person at the table)

Dressing: I like a basalmic vinaigrette (ingredients below) but I think a citrus vinaigrette would also work well, especially for a hot summer bbq
1/4c good basalmic vinegar
1/2 - 1c olive oil, stream the olive oil into the vinegar will whisking.
1 tsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Food Websites, Magazines, Books, and Media I Can't Live Without

1. Food Talk with Michael Colameco on 710WOR, weekdays 11am-noon. Not only does Colameco know his food and NYC restaurants, but he also knows his Jimmie Hendrix and plays a Les Paul -- what more could you ask for in a food personality. http://www.wor710.com/pages/46340.php

2. Williams-Sonoma. If they were to write a book/movie about my life, it would be called "Breakfast at William-Sonoma." Who needs sterling silver earrings when you can have copper-bottom cookware.
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/

3. Isabella Mary Mayson, known to the world as Mrs. Beeton, was the 19th century's version of Martha Stewart. In October of 1861, Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management hit UK book stands and instantly became the official answer-guide for all questions pertaining to the efficient running of a Victorian household. Its author, a young, barely married girl of 24, Isabella Beeton became a model of domestic perfection -- an ideal hostess and doting wife who possessed the wherewithal to run a home with the prowess of a general. Her book includes countless recipes, all tried and tested by Mrs Beeton herself, and offers sound advice on any topic a homeowner and family man/woman could pose.
http://www.mrsbeeton.com/

4. All Recipes.com -- my favorite recipe website with user reviews that are very helpful.
http://allrecipes.com/

5. Taste of Italia. I love Mediterranean food and its focus on fresh, regional ingredients, simply prepared from the heart. Great recipes in this magazine

6. Whole Foods. Best produce and their website has good recipes.

7. Agatha & Valentina and Eli's -- my favourite fishmongers in NYC are at these two East side markets.

8. The American Woman's Cook Book. edited by Ruth Berolzeimer. My father gave this to my mother on their 20th Wedding anniversary in 1981. I've grown up with it as a resource -- it taught me how to cook.

9. Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations. This should really be up as 2 or 1. He's fantastic. I have a crush.

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

AlleyKat's Lemon Cake


My kick-off blog recipe is a wonderful summer party cake that I have been very successful with. It is a light but moist cake that has a lot of lemon flavor. If you don't have the time or patience to make a multi-layer cake, I suggest serving it with fruit and cream.

INGREDIENTS

10 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 cups white sugar

3 eggs

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup buttermilk

3/4 teaspoon lemon extract

1/2 cup fresh blueberries

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 2 cake pans (for layer cake, or a Bundt pan for single cake).

2. Cream 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time beating after each addition. Blend in the lemon peel.

3. In a separate bowl, mix flour, salt, soda and baking powder. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk to creamed butter mixture. Add lemon extract and raisins.

4. Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 50 minutes cool 5 minutes, then turn out onto serving plate.

To Make into Strawberry Shortcake

  1. 1.5 pints heavy cream, whipped with sugar & vanilla to taste
  2. 2 pints strawberries sliced
  3. 1 cake layer, whipped cream and strawberries, top with second cake, “ice” with remaining cream