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
Brunch & Trunk
May 24, 2012
A couple weeks back, my friend Leslie hosted a little “Brunch and Trunk” gathering for Mother’s Day. It was a great setup of gifts that are not only perfect for Mother’s Day, but any time of year– from soaps to jewelry and bags. My fantastic flower friend, Jess also had some of her lovely potted plants for sale. And the food was just as great as the gifts. Leslie’s delicious menu consisted of a peach, tomato and mozzarella salad, a broccoli pasta dish and chicken pesto sandwiches. As for dessert, she put out chocolate covered saltines and strawberries. A perfect springtime meal and quick and easy enough to make when you’re expecting a large crowd!
Peaches
Jess’s Potted Plants
Peach, Mozzarella and Tomato salad
Jewelry
Chicken Pesto sandwiches
Chicken sandwiches and tomatoes
A Rustic Post-Thanksgiving Picnic
November 27, 2011
It’s that time of year for my second seasonal themed dinner party. For autumn, I decided to go with a rustic outdoor picnic, inspired by my family’s leftover Thanksgiving food and style inspiration from my great grandfather’s fishing gear. For the ingredients I couldn’t find in the fridge, I spent the morning in the quaint village of Cazenovia getting fresh, local food from Troyer’s, a general store opened by the Amish (I have a whole other post on this I’ll share soon).
The Menu…
Drinks: Pellegrino Sparkling Orange Drink and Saranac Craft Beers
Appetizers: Maple Popcorn, Roasted Edamame, Vegetable chips and Homemade Trail Mix from Troyer’s Country Store
Main Course: Roasted Turkey Sandwich with homemade toasted bread, lettuce, tomato, basil infused mayonnaise, provolone and caramelized onions
Side: Saratoga country fried potato crisps seasoned with oregano
Dessert: My mother’s chocolate Italian roll cookies and homemade banana bread
Styling Tips…
• Pack each meal individually in a small cardboard to-go box for an easy transport to your great outdoor picnic location. Cut gift wrap from Anthropologie in thin strips and adhere to the sides of the box and label the menu on a strip of tape on the top of the box
• Birch bark as name cards and propped up at each place setting with one of my grandfather’s fishing lures
• Brown paper bags folded over, tied with ribbon and a burlap bow make for great serving bowls for snacks
• Sprinkle the center of the table with leaves and pine needles
• My great grandfather’s blanket from World War I as a table cloth
• Centerpiece floral arrangement, dried hygendra with a plume from ornamental grasses
Roasted turkey sandwich
Table setting and packed lunches ready to go
Homemade Trail Mix from Troyer's
Floral arrangement
Roasted Edamame
Country fried potato crisps with oregano
Boxed meals and Saranac Craft beer
Maple popcorn and birch bark place cards
Dried vegetable chips
Roasted Turkey sandwich
Drinks and cookies
Chocolate Italian cookies and banana bread
Breakfast at Belle’s
August 1, 2011
Visiting a friend in Newport for the weekend, I couldn’t think of a better way to spend a mid-summer Sunday morning than breakfast at Belle’s in the shipyard. Waking up with coffee, breakfast sandwiches and watermelon, we sat back in lounge chairs enjoying the beautiful views.
Bacon, Egg & Cheese breakfast sandwich
A side of sliced watermelon
a camera in the kitchen 