Breakfast Frittata
January 23, 2013
There’s nothing better on a cold morning than staying in and warming up in your kitchen. We recently cooked up this delicious frittata– pretty much using every breakfast essential, including eggs, sausage, bacon, tomatoes, zucchini and sharp grated cheese. Home fries and toasted cheddar bread from Wegman’s made for the perfect side dish.
Frittata and cheddar toast
Frittata
Homefries
Donna D. Photography Brings Us… For the love of uni
December 18, 2012
I have an obsession with those spiny little globular animal’s gonads. I can’t get enough of their creamy custard-like texture that dissolves on your tongue and tastes like a delightful ocean mist with a sweet after tone. Anytime, I hear about a restaurant serving up the best oceanic foie gras, especially one whose menu reads like a Jacque Cousteau book, a visit is a must. It took me two years to get there but Marea, and its warm sea urchin wrapped under a cashmere blanket of melted lardo, was well worth the wait.
FUNGHI acquarello risotto, wild mushrooms, parmigiano
RICCI sea urchin, lardo, sea salt
ASTICE nova scotia lobster, burrata, eggplant al funghetto, basil
SAN PIETRO new zealand john dory, sunchokes, pomegranate, brussel sprouts, hazelnuts
SPIGOLA NERA local black bass, beluga lentils, cipollini onion, trumpet royal muchrooms, red wine jus
TAGLIOLINI manila clams, calamari, white wine, hot chilies
FUSILLI durum wheat pasta, red wine braised octopus, bone marrow & SPARNOCCHI sweet main shrimp, lava salt, lemon
BOMBOLONI deep fried doughnuts, zabaglione crema, espresso crumble chocolate sauce, white espresso gelato & NOCCIOLA PRALINATO hazelnut, dark chocolate lemon, mint
New England at Christmas
December 13, 2012
It was one of those weeks that I was in need for a spontaneous adventure. I called up my best friend in Boston, told her I was venturing there, and we were going to drive up the New England coast to Maine. I’d never been this time of year, and it was rather pleasant, not having the summer tourist crowds, but instead the cozy Christmas atmosphere. Our first stop was the historical town of Newburyport, where we grabbed some cinnamon buns, ham and cheese croissants and a breakfast turnover from the Chococoa Baking Company before strolling around the cobblestone streets to do a little shopping. To warm up, we stopped at Plum Island Coffee Roasters and for very seasonal, delicious drinks– The North-Pole Mocha and the Snowflake Latte. Before long we hit the road again, driving up to Maine to hit as many antique shops as possible along Route 1 before the end of the day. At this point, I decided to retire the camera, but we finished up our daytrip in one of my favorite places– Perkins Cove– for some butternut squash soup with a smoked pork sandwich and clam chowder with bacon and chervil drop bisquits from MC Perkins Cove. The northern sun had since set, families had gone home, and we drove home along the dark windy coastal roads, being lit only by house’s Christmas lights and blaring Bruce Springsteen’s Santa Claus is Coming to Town.
Nubble Lighthouse & Cinnamon Buns
Holiday Inspired Drink Menu
Ham & Cheese croissant
Newburyport
Breakfast turnover
A Morning Walk
November 29, 2012
Last weekend I woke up to a beautiful snowfall and decided it was the perfect morning to grab what breakfast food I could find in the kitchen and take a relaxing walk at nearby Beaver Lake in Baldwinsville, NY. Within about 5 minutes I threw together a bag of croissants, heated up some hot cocoa, and grabbed some berries, granola and yogurt. It was a great winter preview to get ready for the fun-filled skiing adventures, cozy fires and chunky knit scarves to come.
Sunday Breakfast
Blueberries
Lakeview Trail
Yogurt, dried bananas, granola and berries
Hot Cocoa
Granola & Fruit
Hot Cocoa
The Regis in Red Lodge
November 10, 2012
Amongst the options for a Sunday breakfast in Red Lodge, Regis Cafe is quite the popular choice. Early morning starts out quietly, but the tables soon fill up with locals and visitors alike– from churchgoers to adventure enthusiasts stopping through town. With a high concentration of sustainable and organic food, the meals are unbelievably fresh. And if you’re in the mood for some grocery shopping, the shelves against the walls resemble what you’d find down the aisles of Whole Foods, so you can always grab that box of Annie’s Mac and Cheese to make for dinner on your way out.
Pineapple French Toast
Pineapple French Toast & Coffee
Bacon, eggs, toast and fruit
Bacon
Roberts Cafe
October 25, 2012
Roberts, Montana is a small town that you very easily could pass without even realizing it. But if you’re being attentive on the road, you just might notice the little side street that holds a post office, art gallery, farm supply shop and cafe. This no frills diner had a very homemade artistic feel to it. The food was what you’d expect at a diner– we ordered a standard eggs/toast and grilled cheese, but it’s certainly one of those places off the beaten path that was worth a visit.
Roberts Cafe
Grilled Cheese and Fries
Tator Tots
Eggs & Toast
Montana Kitchen
October 20, 2012
The first snow of the season was falling, and there was nothing quite like staying in, preparing some local Montana fare for dinner. Earlier in the day I ventured over to Babcock & Miles, one of my favorite specialty food shops I had previously photographed, to pick up organic chops of Icelandic lamb from Willow Spring Ranch, feta goat cheese from Amaltheia Organic Dairy and some fresh herbs from their garden. To go with the lamb, we made salad and potatoes. And for breakfast the following day, a berry smoothie and fritadas were the perfect start before a day hiking.
Cheese, crackers and raspberry jam
Goat cheese, crackers and raspberry jam
Garlic
Fresh ingredients
Preparing the lamb
Salad
Smoothies at sunrise
Fritadas for breakfast
Donna D brings us to LIC Market
September 10, 2012
Located in the heart of Long Island City’s business district, LIC Market is a charming farm house inspired restaurant that serves up local seasonal food. I stopped by here one Sunday morning to enjoy their brunch. We arrived at few minutes before 11:00am to avoid having to wait for a table, like most popular brunch places in the city this place can sometimes be a bit of wait. But the food and price are well worth it. The gazpacho, a favorite of mine was perfectly chilled and tasted like the tomatoes were just picked from the vine. It was a very refreshing start to our meal. We also enjoyed roasted baby turnips, juicy shredded brisket with a tangy red cabbage slaw, fluffy buttermilk pancakes, and slow roasted duck hash. I can’t wait to go back and try their dinner menu.
Roasted Baby Turnips with Parsley, Extra Virgin Olive Oil & Aged Balsamic
Complimentary Pastries with Housmade Berry Jam & Butter
Fried Eggs Over Easy
Gazpacho
Slow Roasted Duck Hash with Crisp Potatoes, Red Onion, Peppers, Dried Cherries & Pine Nuts under two Fried Eggs
Buttermilk Pancakes with Toasted Pumpkin Seed Butter & Maple Syrup
Shredded Brisket & Red Cabbage Slaw
Breakfast on the Beach
August 6, 2012
Now if only I could transport myself from the office back to Cinque Terre on this lovely summer Monday morning for some breakfast sandwiches on the beach… Have a wonderful week! x
Ham and cheese sandwich
Bar Eden Gelateria
Ham & Cheese
Dior des Lices Brunch
July 11, 2012
Crepes may be a taste of France, but when it comes to fashion, Dior’s top of the list. So it was only fitting to combine food and fashion at Dior’s resort flagship where their pop-up restaurant adds a tranquil, chic garden oasis in the center of town. Yannick Alléno, the 3-star Michelin chef behind it all, provides a top notch meal served on (of course) Dior’s gorgeous tableware. I couldn’t think of a better place to spend a Sunday brunch, relaxing after a night out in St. Tropez.
Espresso
Croissants
Ham and eggs
Vegetarian omelette and ham with eggs
The garden view
a camera in the kitchen 