Reading Material: Pre-Thanksgiving Edition

Maddie pup in Central Park, New York, NY | Image: Laura Messersmith

Thanksgiving is everything that’s best about the holidays – there’s a great dinner, no shopping stress, and plenty of time to nap in front of the fire in between movies and board games. One of my all time favorite memories is of Thanksgiving a few years ago when everyone was home at the same time – a rare occurrence now that my siblings and I are married and/or scattered across the country. There was a giant snowstorm prompting a cabin fever initiated sledding party on the giant hill behind the house, which naturally lead to hot chocolate spiked with ancient booze of unknown provenance from the liquor cabinet. Sabra crème de cacao, even if it’s from a dusty bottle, tastes amazing in homemade cocoa.

The one drawback is city traffic insanity – nothing like sitting at a standstill on the West Side Highway to put a damper on the spirit. So, Mike, Maddie, and I will make the great migration “over the river and through the woods” Tuesday night. Cross your fingers that we make good time! I’m on point to help with dinner and after the wonderful Friendsgiving we attended last weekend I’m thinking very seriously of re-creating the menu. The only thing I’m leaving out from the traditional spread is green bean casserole. It might draw some flak from Mike’s direction but I’m hoping with the Winter Greens Gratin on the table he won’t notice….

Whether you’re a host or a guest, I’ve collected some Thanksgiving-appropriate reading material to help you prepare for your own festivities. Happy Thanksgiving!

Reading Material:
I can only imagine the sorrow of the people who lost loved ones or were touched by the terrorist events in Paris last weekend, so it’s heartening to see Parisians fighting back by holding tight to their cultural touchstones. #tousaubistro (via Eater)

If Thanksgiving had a fairy godmother it would clearly be Ina Garten arriving in a swirl of kosher salt and fresh herbs. Hamptons Magazine has the inside scoop on how she prepares. Or you could watch her Food Network special with Bobby Flay…not that I’ve had it on repeat or anything.

Most of us will be grocery shopping this weekend for the great cooking marathon that is Thanksgiving. Food52 has some advice for surviving what is sure to be a hectic day at the store without forgetting a key ingredient.

We’ve all been there: Thanksgiving morning dawns and the bird is still solid as a rock. What to do!? The Kitchn has some wisdom on how to handle frozen turkeys.

Are you spending time with family over the holidays? Probably a good moment to brush up on back issues of Dad Magazine so you’re prepared for the dinner table conversation. Applicable to uncles and fathers-in-law. (via The Toast)

A brief pause during this most American of holidays for another piece from Eater on the Great British Bake Off. I am seriously Jonesing for more GBBO and it is killing me that PBS only has 1.5 seasons. Cruel!

Reading Material: Milestones Edition

Today I turn 35. This seems impossible and my brain refused to compute that information mainly because I don’t feel that old or like I could really be in my mid-thirties, no way. I woke up just the same as yesterday! I think I’m supposed to be worrying about eye cream now (why are there so many?), but instead I’ve decided to reflect on my blessings.

I’m grateful that I started my birthday on a long walk with Maddie pup. The air is crisp, the leaves are finally starting to turn, and the rising sun illuminated the plane trees in the park making them look like sculptures. I’m grateful that we came inside to a cozy apartment and that breakfast was a giant cup of coffee and a bowl of oatmeal.

I’m thankful to be loved and supported by my husband, family and friends. The calls, cards, and well-wishes began to roll in from across the globe starting early this morning and that later this afternoon Mike and I are going on a little adventure to the North Fork this weekend to celebrate.

In the end I’m grateful for the years behind me and the experiences they contain. I hope the years to come will be as kind. For now, I hope the future holds more time with my family and friends – preferably gathered around a table with something delicious cooking in the kitchen.

Reading Material:

This cocktail called the “522 North Pinckney” from the Joseph Leonard menu sounds perfect for a birthday celebration. (via Bon Appétit)

SO, so delighted to hear that Aran Goyoaga of the gorgeous blog Cannelle et Vanille is teaching a workshop at Sunday Suppers in Brooklyn this May!

Personally, I don’t think the black & white cookie needs any updating, but if you’re in the market for some new ideas Grubstreet has some thoughts…

The Kitchn applied Marie Kondo’s The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up to, well, the kitchen. Particularly helpful for those of us living and cooking in small spaces!

Not food related, but I thought this one question style quiz on Apartment Therapy was fascinating and accurate! I’m a Simple Chic with a New Traditional rising, in case you were curious.

Reading Material - San Francisco

Pacific Heights, San Francisco, California | Image: Laura Messersmith

It’s been a busy two weeks of travel first out to San Francisco where we hiked up this super steep hill to Pacific Heights and spotted this incredible house on the way – I could move right in! Then it was on to South Carolina with a great crew of friends (and kiddos!) for lots of football, cooking, and beach time. This is what I made in case you were curious:

All those flights have left this space a little radio-silent, but it’s fall again and I’m feeling reinvigorated to dive into new recipes featuring some of my favorite ingredients – prepare yourself for #smallkitchenfriendly recipes with lots of apples, squash, and warming spices. This weekend marks the first hurricane of the season shifting toward New York and it’s the perfect time to hunker down with some excellent reading material read by candlelight if necessary.

Reading Material:

Rainy weekends call for a stack of movies and The Kitchn has a perfectly curated list of their favorite movie kitchens. I’d willingly cook in every single one!

While we’re on the subject of silver screen perfection, this round table discussion of Nancy Meyers from The Toast is a spot-on summation of her seamless style.

If you haven’t read The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins yet (soon to star the wonderful Emily Blunt) please do! It made a 6 hour flight back from SF fly by, pun 100% intended.

This list of media brands as cocktails from Food52 is a little inside baseball, but it still made me smile. I think I’m either a Cherry Bombe girl or on a good day Food + Wine….

More humor, this time burgers as chefs from The New Yorker. Of course, our girl Ina got a shout out.

Denver + Reading Material

The Rocky Mountains | Image: Laura Messersmith

We’re in Colorado this weekend, coincidentally at the same time that the Food & Wine Classic is happening in Aspen. While it sounds like such a cool event (and I did have a Gail Simmons sighting on our flight out), I’m psyched to have my entire immediate family together and to see a new part of the country. 

Hope you have fun plans for the weekend too – and in case you need a little reading material, here’s what caught my eye on the internet this week…

Reading Material:

Ina Garten continues to be a guiding light – both in the kitchen and in Life. Forbes has a great re-cap of her talk at the Third Annual Women’s Summit.

Yes, 2015 is the Year of Pie for me and just in time for all the glorious summer fruit to ripen, the Bon Appétit test kitchen has a step by step guide for how to make a perfectly imperfect pie.

You know I’m all about #smallkitchenfriendly cooking, but even some of these tips from The Kitchn for making it work in a tiny space were new to me.

Town and Country pretty much nailed this list of preppy movies and now I’m dying to watch Lewis and Billy Ray rock those orange juice futures.

Laurie Colwin writes like a character Nora Ephron might have invented, and therefore seems to be universally beloved by food writers & bloggers - so Food52 organized a themed picnic based on her recipes!