wedding weekend in Madison.

This past weekend I was in Madison, WI to celebrate my good friend, Kate's, wedding. It was a wonderful weekend of merriment amongst my dearest friends, as well as the happy couple's families. Kate's family is always so welcoming, and every meal at their home looks like it came straight from a magazine. Some highlights from this stay were a panzanella salad, portabella burgers with caramelized onions and Wisconsin cheddar, and flat-as-can-be crunchy chocolate chip cookies. So simple, so unbelievably delicious.

When in Madison my friends and I head straight for the Dane County Farmer's Market. It is an entity all in itself. Marketgoers peacefully and patiently make their way around the capital's square in a steady stream, as if on a conveyor belt. Customers can hop in and out of the stream, but the crowd is always moving. This visit I picked up some tayberry jam (tayberries are a cross between a raspberry and a blackberry), a vegan mountain cookie chock-full of oats, nuts, and chocolate, and a big bunch of scapes--the flowering portion of the head of garlic. The market was abounding with scapes, as were many of the flower arrangements garnishing the tables at the wedding. I was fascinated by the curly greenery so I picked up a bunch to bring home with me.

Today I pulled out the scapes and looked around for recipes that would highlight this new plant. In the end I decided to saute them up and add them to a fresh summer pasta dish. Cut up in the pasta, the scapes resembles skinny asparagus stalks, but tasted vastly different. From the garlic plant, the scapes had a faint garlic flavor with a gentle bite to them. I was not sure about cooking time so mine were still a bit tough. Make sure to cook them long enough to release the stalky-stringiness. I'll definitely be trying them again before the season ends!



tastes of summer.

With the 95+ degree heat and humidity hanging in the air, it seems that summer is here to stay! Every change in the season brings a change in the menu. At the cafe, we try keep our dessert menu as seasonal as possible, using what fruits and flavors are fresh at the moment. This summer we have what I think is a pretty stellar variety of desserts.

Summer Cafe Menu:
Stone Fruit & Frangipane Tart
Sweet Corn & Blueberry Trifle
Whoopie Pie Ice Cream Sandwiches
Chocolate Cheesecake Pops
Peaches & Cream Panna Cotta
Cherry Brown Butter Bars
Gooey Butter Cake Bars
Blueberry & Peach,
or Strawberry & Cherry Buckles

snow day!

So, like much of the east coast, the midwest has been hit with quite a bit of snow this winter--more than any winter of memory. Already this year the bakery has been closed for 2 snow days. So I'm dedicating this post all you curled up in comforters and slippers, to being warm and cozy.

Because I'm stuck inside on this blustery day, I sidled up to the fireplace this morning and went through my cookbooks to find something comforting to make. After entertaining the thought of many different breads and soups, I decided on some yummy buttery croissants. To start with I'm sticking with the standard plain, twisty croissant. But secretly, the reason I'm making croissants at all is because they're best the second day. I know, I know--fresh pastries are always best. Except when they're day old croissants. Filled with a dab of almond cream and some batons of chocolate, day old croissants are re-baked for one of my favorite snacks of all time. Every time I have one, it reaches new heights of scrumtiousness.I haven't made croissants since pastry school, so I'm a wee bit nervous as to how they turn out.

I'll post some pictures when they're done. Until then, stay warm and bundled out there, and enjoy making your own snowflake!

What do you love, or hate, about snow days?

nyc here i come.

At last the time has come. Fall is upon us--the smell of crisp, dry mornings is beckoning us to frolick among the apple orchards whilst sipping pumpkin beer and cozying up in one of our many soft scarves....or at least I so want it to be. And with Fall comes Fall Break, that heavenly time during college when, after cramming their brains so full of data to complete mid-terms that their brains explode, students flee campus for freer climes. Though I'm far from my college days, I've decided that this year I need a Fall Break. So I'm packing my bags and returning with open arms to my true love: New York City.

It was only 8 shorts months ago that I moved away from Brooklyn, but what a lifetime it seems. Even after all this time I can still hear the obnoxious honks of the car service parked across the street from Target every evening; I can still taste the smell of stinking fish at the entrance to the Grand St. D train; I can taste the scraps of nut bars from One Girl Cookies. I love it all. Which is why at the end of September I'm embarking on a long weeked return voyage to what I sometimes feel is my real native home.

Here's what I'm dying for (things NOT to be missed in my fast and furious trip):

1) Bouchon Bakery--I'll probably be there twice a day buying out all of their twice-baked chocolate croissants and oatmeal cookies.
2) Uniqlo
3) Prune--Best Brunch Experience In The City. I heart you Prune in all of your pink and mimosa glory.
4) Brooklyn Bridge--Love when you start on the path in Brooklyn at the first step "so far so good" is etched in the ground!
5) Natural History Museum--Ever wander through the Gems and Precious Stones room? I love getting lost here.
6) Babycakes & Vanessa's Dumplings.
7) Flatbush Farm & Bar(n)--Fave neighborhood spot with the best back patio surrounded by ivy under the stars.
8) McSorley's--2 for $4 Beers? Sawdust? Communal tables? Yes please!
9) One Girl Cookies--My old stomping ground. Whoopie pie mania.
10) Blue Marble Ice Cream--Coffee & Blackberry.
11) Sahadi's--I love when the old men stuff chocolate-covered cherries in my hands while I wait.

Got any ideas about places I should check out while I'm in NYC? Send 'em my way!

tuesday tunes 9.14.10

So occasionally I like to take a moment to send shout-outs to some of my favorite things NOT food-related. Today I want to send out some love for an artist I've been loving on all summer: Drake. In case you've missed any of the 5 songs he has making the rounds on the radio these days, it's worth your time to check out his album Thank Me Later. A cross between Robyn Thicke and Kanye, this album is all about making a lady feel like a queen. So here's a little taste for your Tuesday Tunes. Enjoy!

Drake--Fancy

pretty cakes.

Though I'm not currently in the market for one, I've known for years what my dream wedding cake would look like. Years ago, it was love at first sight when I happened across a version of this cake in Martha Stewart's magazine. Its petals were shaded from pale to dark pink and was the most delicate and elegant thing I had ever seen. So when my dear friend Francina at OneGirlCookies created her own version for a customer last summer, I was very excited that this design was still around.

(photo courtesy onegirlcookies)

But today a new contender jumped in the ring. I was checking out Francina's website for a jolt of inspiration when I caught my breath upon opening this little beauty:

(photo courtesy francinastewart.com)
How gorgeous is this vintage-y, almost fabric-inspired cake?! The yellow is so happy and refreshing that I can't help but smile thinking about a giant slice.

And in other yellow cake news, check out this cake from LovinSullivanCakes!

saturday marketing, chicago-style.

This past weekend I was in Chicago visiting my sister for a short weekend away. Though it started out with horrendous traffic and what felt like the longest drive of my life, the rest of the weekend was low-key and casual: just the way I like my work-free weekends! While there, Emma took me to the Green City Market where I came face-to-face with the fact that summer is nearly over! Once the most hated time of year,