Brunch at Rickenbacker
October 30, 2011
One of the reasons why I love a good Sunday brunch buffet is that you can spend a lazy afternoon dining on a little bit of everything– pancakes, seafood, pasta and the list goes on. What makes it even better is a location like Rickenbacker Fish Company with a beautiful view of Biscayne Bay and Miami. Sipping on mimosas with friends, we enjoyed the sunshine before heading back to the Big Apple.
Pancakes, French Toast, Strawberries and Maple Syrup
Grilled Vegetables and Seafood Paella
Grouper with parmesan
Chocolate cake for dessert
Lunch in Miami
October 26, 2011
I escaped the cool weather this weekend and spent my time soaking up the rays at Miami’s beaches and rooftop pools. My friend, Victor, and wonderful host, was kind enough to prepare lunch on Saturday. My new favorite snack, fried plantains, are delicious topped with anything from goat cheese and mint, to pico de gallo and queso blanco. We also had tasty hard boiled eggs with paprika, cayenne pepper and curry powder, and he whipped up some seasoned ground turkey wraps. Certainly enough to keep us filled until dinner and give us a taste of that local Miami flair.
Fried plantains with goat cheese and mint
Plantains
Fried plantains with Pico de Gallo and Queso Blanco
Hard boiled eggs with paprika, cayenne pepper and curry powder
Onions
Cilantro
Seasoned ground turkey, goat cheese and pico de gallo wrap
Seasoned ground turkey and Queso Blanco
Fall Harvest Pasta
October 21, 2011
How cute is this pasta? Knowing my love for this time of year, and anything autumn, my mom sent it to me the other day, and I’m so excited to make a festive pasta dish in the coming days. Now I just have to brainstorm a recipe.. Happy Friday! x
Pumpkin and Leaf pasta
Garlic & Pears
Pasta
A Rainy Day Treat
October 19, 2011
It’s a gloomy day in the city, but having some of my mother’s homemade banana bread with a sesame multigrain bagel was certainly a way to brighten up the morning. It’s one of those comfort baked goods that has been around the family forever, yet never gets old.
Sesame Multigrain Bagel
Banana Bread
Indian Summer
October 14, 2011
The afternoons of rooftop brunches may be coming to an end for the season, but we snuck one last day in with the July-like heat. My father was kind enough to prepare a brunch for my roommates and friends in the building. After a morning at Zabar’s and Fairway to get all the goods, he prepared all sorts of delicious plates. We had three styles of crepes– apple cinnamon, fresh berries and ham and cheese, scrambled eggs on rosemary toasted bread, home fries, bacon and two varieties of organic sausage– Italian herb and spinach feta. For a special dessert treat, my friend Leslie’s mother was kind enough to give us a loaf of amazing chocolate challah bread for Yom Kippur, so we took that out to enjoy.
Ham & Cheese crepes
Chocolate Challah Bread
Cinnamon Apple crepe filling and Home fries
Spinach Feta Sausage and Cinnamon Apples
Uptown’s Nostylgia
October 13, 2011
My friend and I couldn’t resist a bike ride along the river on Sunday, and decided to quench our thirst at Nostylgia, just north of the Cloisters. This Uptown neighborhood, Inwood, was my weekend hotspot, and there’s still so much to explore, so I’ll likely be going back for another visit soon. Nostylgia, known as the “New American Classic” is part tea lounge, part men’s apparel, and has some of the best tea selections I’ve seen. I thought for a good 5 minutes before I could decide what to try. Going with an Iced Elderberry, I was more than satisfied with my choice, and with a less sweet option, my friend got the Iced Black African Kenyan. Lucky for us, they had a yard sale going on with all sorts of amazing vintage finds. For $1, I purchased two art deco tea plates I can’t wait to use for my next food shoot.
Gourmet tea menu
Elderberry Iced Tea
Preparing our drinks
Café at the Cloisters
October 8, 2011
I couldn’t think of a better way to spend this gorgeous October afternoon than at the Trie Café overlooking the gardens and fascinating Medieval artifacts the Cloisters has to offer. Quite possibly my favorite museum in New York, this Uptown branch of the Met in Fort Tyron Park was a perfect place to bring my parents who are visiting for the weekend. Soaking up the sun, we snacked on Mozzarella/pesto, tuna and turkey sandwiches.
Pesto, Mozzarella and Pepper sandwich
Turkey and tomato sandwich with chips
The gardens
Tuna and onion sandwich
Pesto sandwich
Peacefood Cafe: Eat Differently
October 6, 2011
This adorable cafe planted itself conveniently just on the corner of my apartment a little over a year ago, yet it wasn’t until my vegan roommate introduced me to their delicious food that I became a regular. One of my favorite snacks happen to be their chickpea fries with home cream dressing, and I hate to admit, but their homemade vegan brownie bites are usually consumed at least 3 times a week for dessert.
Chickpea fries
Vegan brownie bites
Chickpea fries
A Taste of Jerky
October 4, 2011
A couple friends of mine recently launched FIELD, an all natural beef jerky product I’d definitely recommend checking out. I had fun doing a little shoot of their 3 current flavors– Original, Honey Spice and Teriyaki. They’re not only tasty, but certainly healthier than your typical jerky with a traditional cut of top round beef and no preservatives or artificial ingredients. You can find it at locations around New York like FreshDirect, Murray’s Cheese and Westside Market or online at Gourmet Library.
Field Original Beef Jerky
Field Original Beef Jerky
A Druze Brunch
September 29, 2011
Now that I’m back for some good old NYC cuisine, I decided go to Gazala’s, a small family-owned restaurant that I’ve been meaning to check out since they opened their new Upper West Side location. I admit, I had never heard of Druze cuisine, but it happens to be a religious community found in Lebanon, Syria, Israel and Jordan, that is comparable to the standard Middle Eastern fare. Known to be the most authentic tastes of this kind around town, their brunch was delicious and conveniently located across from my favorite Sunday market.
Tomatoes, cheese and scrambled eggs with seasoning and an Israeli salad
Semolina dough stuffed with chopped dates and walnuts
Poached eggs in tomato sauce
a camera in the kitchen 
