We're hunkered down, waiting for Hurricane Irene to arrive. Our cupboards are fully stocked in the event we lose power (which we probably will). It's a no-cooking event -- canned tuna, a big jug of tea, lots of water, chips, salsa, peanut butter, cheeses, mustards, olive oil, sweet basil, Balsamic vinegar, and freshly-baked breads.
Post-hurricane treat: Fresh veggies -- zucchini, broccoli, onions, tomatoes and artichokes -- to grill outdoors after the storm has passed.
For our East Coast friends: what are you planning to eat and serve while the storm swirls around you?
Always a hit!
Paella a la Valenciana
The Tree at the Met, NYC
Beautiful ornaments and music
The splendor of autumn
A local lake in autumn colors
Autumn in New York!
Leaves in Central Park
Cauliflower a top trend
Reports Specialty Food.com: "Omnipresent kale may have some usurpers on the horizon.Cauliflower is gaining acceptance in upscale restaurants, being used in everything from pizza crusts to bold sauces, and in retail products like cauliflower vegetable mousse from Transatlantic Foods, introduced earlier this year."
Mother's Day
Sweet bouquet
The Empty Nester Gourmet recommends ...
Fleur de Sel, available at Williams Sonoma
Christmas Eve 2012
Warmed at the hearth
Christmas Eve Tulips
Stunning Sugar Maple
October 2012
Early Autumn
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Summer 2012
The Empty Nester Gourmet Recommends
Risotto alla Milanese with Saffron
Thanksgiving Dinner for 12 -- The Centerpiece
Here's our 21 lb. turkey, that we prepared last Thanksgiving for a big family feast. It's stuffed with sausage, bread, raisins and spices -- a modern spin on my grandmother Cecelia's recipe. This photo was taken just as it was ready to go into the oven and roast for several hours.
The Empty Nester Gourmet
The members of our quasi-empty nest -- Tommy, Karen and Ron
- About Karen
- My husband and I became quasi-"empty nesters" recently. Our son technically still lives with us, but he is gone more than he is here, spending his time in NYC working, rehearsing and meeting up with friends (he is an actor). Our eating habits have adapted accordingly. Many of the dishes I prepare are "just for two" but often I make enough to be reheated at midnight (for our son) or the day after without losing flavor. Most dishes hail from our combined Italian-French heritage and are rooted in family tradition. Others are my own, often the result of tweaking cooking class recipes (I've attended classes at the CIA and other cooking schools) and are on the "most requested" list from family and friends. They incorporate wholesome, fresh (often organic and/or local) ingredients, and have lots of flavor and aroma. For recipes, please email your request and we will gladly provide! In the meantime, a votre santé ... and ... saluté!
Greenwich Village
Charles Burel, Ron's maternal grandfather, pictured at center with his partners, in front of his downtown Cabaret, c. 1929. His pastry store, Patisserie Parisienne, was located a few blocks away.
Patisserie Parisienne
Charles Burel began his trade in France at the age of 14 when he apprenticed to a baker. He worked from 5 AM to midnight seven days a week for no pay. Later, in New York City, he became well-known for baking masterpieces, as well as for his work for Free French. Charles and his wife, Jeanne, recieved a personal commendation from Charles deGaulle for their untiring work to free France during WW II.
Table Settings
Food just seems to taste better when it is accompanied by flowers, and a few favorite accents.
"Jacques the Knife"
Have you ever seen Jacques Pepin take a knife to an onion or clove of garlic? If you have, then you'll understand the joy of seeing the chop-chop and the clickity-click up front and in person. Although I had seen him wield his knives countless times on TV, I was able to witness it in real life during this class with the master of them all. He was introducing his newest book, "Fast Food My Way," and mesmerized us with his dizzying speed and precision. The results were always perfect, and he brought down the house with applause over and over again.
St. Petersburg Russia 2006
Restaurant Palkin, on the Nevsky Prospekt. This restaurant was a favorite of Tchaikovsky, Chekhov, and Dostoyevsky who enjoyed sumptuous dinners and lively discourse here. We dined on strogonoff, potato vodka, and caviar in their shadow.
Chuck Williams
What a thrill it was so meet Chuck Williams at the Opening Party of the New York City Time-Warner store. He told me his life story that morning -- how he became interested in cooking (in his grandmother's kitchen), the genesis of Williams-Sonoma (a trip to France), his love for authentic, well-designed kitchen tools, and how his idea grew over the years to be one of the biggest and most important retailers for food enthusiasts. I told him how years before, on a trip to Sonoma Valley, I had made a special trip to the original Williams-Sonoma store, the epicenter of where it all began, and about the effect stores like this can have on those of us who love to cook. He understood.