Happy Labor Day Weekend!
August 31, 2012
For those of you getting out for the last hurray of summer… safe travels and have fun! Here’s a little July flashback to a Saturday afternoon dining at Navy Beach in Montauk.
Edamame
Salmon tartare
Mojito
Corn on the cob
Navy burger
Bloody Mary
Calamari salad
Yunnan ribs
Pumpkin Hill Bistro
August 20, 2012
Pumpkin Hill Bistro, located in the heart of the Finger Lake’s wine region, is a fantastic place to grab lunch. Set in an 1800’s farmhouse, the porch overlooks the vineyards and Cayuga Lake. After a recent excursion to shop and explore the village of Aurora, we settled in for a turkey sandwich, salad, Maryland style crab cakes and smoked gouda/artichoke dip with toasted pita.
Turkey sandwich and salad
Salad
Crab cakes
The garden
Cheese dip and pita
The Weekend’s Here
August 17, 2012
It’s that time of the week when New Yorkers hop on their respective modes of transportation, be it car, train, plane or boat, to escape the city’s August heat and cool down by the water. Here’s a recent beach picnic we had out in Amagansett featuring some of the town’s favorite sandwiches from Mary’s Marvelous and Hampton Chutney. Where are you off to this weekend?
Pretzels on the beach
Egg & cheese and Pesto sandwiches
Egg & cheese
Pesto sandwich
Lunch with Lovers
August 13, 2012
Who doesn’t enjoy Sunday afternoons spent shopping, eating and hanging out with some of Milan’s coolest crowds? The Lovers— aka my fantastic friends– organize a bi-annual extravaganza that brings together talented up-and-coming Italian designers and artists. Think Italy’s version of Brooklyn’s Artists and Fleas. With temperatures in the triple digits, browsing the market quickly turned into having a delicious Italian lunch in the shaded seating area. Held at La balera dell’Ortica, a multi-purpose venue on the outskirts of the city, they not only offer great dining options, but bocce, bowling and even dancing for Milan’s residents. As the Lover’s Market continued well into the evening, it was a perfect final day before venturing back Stateside.
Prosciutto wrapped melon
Salad
Roast beef
Chicken
The market
Gnocchi
Watermelon
Prosciutto wrapped melon
Lovers
Espresso
A Taste of Cinque Terre
August 2, 2012
You can’t get much more Italian than starting off a morning with an espresso, taking a mid-day break for pizza, and cooling off with some gelato. After parting ways with France, it was Italy-bound to the little tourist destination known as Cinque Terre, most famously known for their five cliffside towns, breathtaking views and crystal clear water. Our first day we decided to hike from the town of Monterosso through the cliffs to Vernazza. Breaking a sweat and working up quite the appetite, here is all the deliciousness we were able to enjoy along the way.
Espresso at a sidewalk cafe
Espresso
Croissants
Lemons for some fresh squeezed lemonade
Honey filled croissant
Pizza
Gelato
Gelato
Chocolate Milkshake
Lunch at La Coquillade
July 18, 2012
While driving from Crillon Le Brave to Moustiers Ste Marie, I was told to stop for lunch at La Coquillade, another one of France’s Relais and Chateaux accommodations. While I was slightly unsure if I translated the French scribbles into my GPS accurately, I relied on my surroundings, and was positive that we were driving into the middle of nowhere. But sure enough, in the midst of wine country, signs sprouted up and we were in luck. The dining room was actually closed due to a birthday celebration for the owner, but they were kind enough to allow us lunch in the pool area. A perfect mid-day break, we lounged poolside, taking in the gorgeous views while trying some local rosé, a fresh salad and gazpacho.
Heirloom tomato gazpacho
Fresh caprese salad
Salad
Tomato spread on toast
Vente de Fruits
July 13, 2012
One of my favorite to-do’s while traveling is driving along unknown country roads, windows down, breathing in the fresh air while listening to good music. Cruising through 700 km of France’s finest winding roads, the restaurants were scarce, but the fruit stands, vineyards and lavender fields certainly weren’t. The strawberries and peaches were some of the freshest tasting we’ve experienced. Now if only she delivered to New York.
Lavender fields
Peaches and melon
Garlic
Strawberries
Sunflower fields
Apples
Crepes in St. Tropez
July 9, 2012
You can’t go to France without having crepes, so this was one of my first stops in St. Tropez. After a morning of walking the narrow cobblestone streets of Old Town, it didn’t take long to build up an appetite in that strong Riviera sun. I had a great time conversing with the cook who was very enthusiastic about being featured on Camera in the Kitchen, and befriended the regulars, as they too wanted their portraits taken. I couldn’t resist. So we opted for the traditional savory, ham/cheese and the nutella to satisfy our sweet tooth. Definitely a great choice before hitting the beaches.
Ham & Cheese crepe
Salad crepe
Ham & cheese
Nutella
The local regulars
Nutella
A June BBQ
June 6, 2012
Summer is practically here which means so are the weekends spent grilling, swimming and soaking up the sun. This past weekend my friend’s parents were kind enough to host a fun little Sunday BBQ gathering. After stocking up on everything we could possibly carry from Tarry Market, salads, grilled pineapple, corn, burgers and salmon were prepped for the feast. Such a refreshing feeling to know this is just the start of the season, so better get the calendars out to start planning all the beach parties and backyard dinners– Labor Day will be here before you know it!
Fresh salad
Grilled pineapple
Fava beans
Salads
Grilled corn
Caprese salad
Cheeseburgers
Salmon
Lakeside Lounging
June 1, 2012
This past weekend my girlfriends and I had a wonderful time lounging lakeside in Cazenovia. Dating back to the days of junior prom camping trips, we’ve always been known to prepare far more food than necessary, and 10 years later it’s no different. While we spent an afternoon at the wineries around the Finger Lakes, and a dinner out at Brewster Inn, we still had to ensure ourselves we would not go hungry at the house. Memorial Day essentials– watermelon, hotdogs and hamburgers were in abundance, fruit salads and bagels for the morning hours and snacks like spanakopitas, pinwheels and banana pudding to fill us up during those in between hours.
Morning fruit
Everything bagel and cream cheese
Bagel
Hotdog
Hotdogs, hamburgers and cheeseburgers
Spanakopitas
Watermelon
Banana pudding dessert
Pinwheels
a camera in the kitchen 