my mother gets credit for finding this one: the graham & co hotel in phoenicia, ny.
seriously, i’d pack my bags this second for a weekend of hikes, bikes, fire pits and hammocks in the Catskills. wouldn’t you?
their branding is great, too. i love how they describe themselves: an update on the traditional weekend away. like this place, the vibe seems to be like summer camp for adults in the best possible way….probably with a lot less attitude, though.
(images courtesy of the graham & co website)
here’s a special treat that i’m really excited to share! i’m teaming up with my friend and amazing artist erin mcgill to bring you an illustrated version of the occasional “make it” post. first up is a tasty ramp petso… eat it on this, eat it on that, eat it on everything – while you can, of course. these babies are almost at the end of their springtime run.
i love erin’s artwork – from animals to food to streetscapes, she manages to capture something truly delightful. i hope you will look forward to seeing her work here as much as i am! recipe for ramp pesto below…
(recipe and images provided by erin mcgill. see more of her work here, or follwer her on twitter: @wallcojr)
i’m not normally much of a chocolate person but i do have a taste for it once in a while. i’ve been trying to cut back on sweets, too, but i don’t think this really counts as anything to feel bad about. unlike the pudding that comes in a little disposable cup and has absolutely zero nutritional value, this version actually brings something to the party – lots of protein, natural sweeteners, and, it’s dairy free. i like it better than the real thing.
chia seed chocolate “pudding”
add 1/2 cup filtered water to 2T chia seeds. let it sit and thicken for about 10 minutes, transfer to the vitamix, and add:
1 cup raw unsalted cashews, 5 or 6 dates, (remove the pits!), 1T unsweetened cocoa powder, 1T maple syrup or agave nectar, 1t vanilla. start with 1/2 cup of coconut milk (or almond milk) and pulse, adding more milk to achieve desired consistency. i usually add about 1 cup of the milk total. also, if you like a stronger chocolate flavor, you can add another tablespoon of the cocoa powder.
it’s good to eat right away, but i think it’s even better once it sits in the fridge for a few hours. it seems like the chia seeds keep thickening even once they’re ground up, and the texture is just great.
(photos by laura kinsey for bklynprairie.com)
virgin gorda, to be specific. the villa aquamare looks pretty spectacular. it has to be, since it rents out for 7k a night during the holidays. (with a 10 night minimum stay!) but as long as we’re just imagining things, i say… why not!
i bookmarked Ryo Takemasa’s website a while back, but for the life of me can’t remember how i came to find it. i love the food illustrations, but he does great insects and city scapes as well. most of the site is in Japanese, but prints are available through his etsy shop! these are some of my favorites…
amazing work…
sesame noodles…. ever since realizing that i can totally make these at home, they’ve become a bit of a problem. a little bit healthy and a little bit not, i want them at almost every meal. this dish has everything – great texture, great flavor….they’re irresistible to me.
now, for you by-the-book types, i know my version is kind of japanese and maybe kind of thai, and kind of not really authentic at all. but this is how i do it, and it’s good!
for the sauce:
2T tahini
2T creamy peanut butter
1T each of mirin, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and siracha. either regular sesame or toasted sesame oil is fine, and you can add some hot chili oil as well, if you have it!
1t grated ginger
juice from 1/2 a lime
for garnish:
handful of rough-chopped cilantro, thinly sliced scallions, and sesame seeds.
for the noodles:
the options are many. in the picture above, i used regular old pasta noodles (actually my last choice – just what i happened to have on hand) but you can use ramen, udon, rice noodles, or buckwheat soba noodles. my new favorite noodle is the black bean “spaghetti” from the brand Explore Asian. they have two ingredients (black beans & water!) and about 25 grams of protein per serving and almost half your daily requirement of fiber. they’re a perfect backdrop for the sauce.
the sauce! oh yes. easist thing ever – mix everything in a bowl, and toss with the cooked/rinsed/drained noodles. scatter the sesame seeds, scallions, and cilantro over the top. if the sauce seems a little thick, add a tablespoon or so of the pasta cooking water or regular hot water to thin it out.
(photo by laura kinsey)
added to my travel wishlist: the aenaon villas in santorini, greece. have a dreamy weekend…
via yatzer.
