My weekend in food

After having procrastinated on making the trip across town to the Westside Market all week, the bf and I finally boarded the M116 on Friday and went shopping. This is the one thing I feel deprived of in my neighborhood. We have a million little produce stands which provide a steady stream of avacados, onions and tomatoes and our big grocery store is good for buying all the necessities: milk, bread, cat food. But if we ever want any type of specialty food or some really good produce we have to trek from the East River to the Hudson to go to one of the good markets near Columbia University.

Ahh, the Westside market, how I love thee. Upon exiting the bus I begin to salivate in an ever-so Pavlovian manner knowing what awaits. The produce that sits in pyramids in front of the entrance beckons to me, begging me to sample. And the strawberries and peaches are so fragrant in the sunshine that I can't resist a little taste. I weave my way through the isles, testing ripeness and munching on free samples along the way (and free samples are abundant so I never worry about coming hungry). I always leave, paying probably a bit too much, completely satisfied with my bounty of delicious goodies. This weekend's menu: Tomato and goat cheese tart (my mom's recipe), falafel, lasagna (which actually ended up being eggplant lasagna, the result of buying all the fixin's for lasagna and realizing you have no noodles) and Sunday morning pancakes.

For a moment this weekend, the humidity and heat subsided just long enough for me, the bf and the dog to emerge from our apartment, blink into the bright sunlight, and head down to Central Park for some much needed Vitamin D. I soaked up some sun and watched a pitiful game of softball between two ragtag teams of news anchors and staff while the dog and bf wore themselves out playing fetch and tag.

Sunday was filled with glorious storms that soaked the earth and left lovely wisps of clouds in their wake. When the skies finally cleared and the cool of the evening began to set in, we strolled down the river and over the foot-bridge to Ward's Island and picked some fresh lavender and thyme. Deciding something fresh and sweet was in order we made our way home. Here's what I came up with:

Fresh cherries and ricotta tart
1 1/2 cup halved and pitted fresh cherries
3/4 cup ricotta
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp honey
6 sheets phyllo dough (although you can also use puff pastry)
3 tbsp melted butter

Preheat oven to 350. Mix together thoroughly the ricotta, honey and vanilla. Layer the sheets of phyllo dough one on top of another, brushing each sheet first with butter. Fold the layered sheets in half and roll a small lip around the four edges and brush the lip with butter. Place the dough on an ungreased cookie sheet. Spread the ricotta mixture in an even layer over the dough, leaving the lip uncovered. Sprinkle the cherry halves evenly over the ricotta. Bake for about 25 minutes until the dough is puffy and golden.

It was delicious! And fairly healthy as far as desserts go. Now my aunt has just emailed me about icing filled cupcakes and I find myself dreaming up tonights dessert before I've even finished digesting breakfast (which happened to be leftover cherry ricotta tart, mmmm)!

Cupcakes to heal the soul

Sometimes a girl just needs a baked good. I think pastries and cakes are my one big vice...I don't consider coffee a vice though, its a necessity. So hungover from a night of tomfoolery in Williamsburg (50 cent PBRs are going to be the death of me!) it became apparent that the only thing to pull me out of my despair would be the sugary-sweet goodness of a vanilla cupcake. The bf, who used to make fun of me for my love of desserts of all forms, has become a firm supporter of my sweet tooth and is quick to encourage it.

Simplicity is sometimes best. These cupcakes remind me of a lighter and fluffier version of my mom's Christmas cookies. I honestly can't remember the recipe I started with to make these, but my usual baked-goods cookbook of choice is my moms 1975 Betty Crocker cookbook so I can assume they came from there. This recipe makes 12.

The Perfect Vanilla Cupcake
1 1/2 cup flour (I am southern and therefore swear by White Lilly Flour)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon + a pinch salt
6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
5/8 cup milk (1/2 cup + a little extra, sorry for the weird fraction)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In medium mixing bowl sift flour, baking powder, cream of tartar and salt. In large mixing bowl cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating the mixture until combined. Add in vanilla and beat till mixed through. Alternately, add the flour mixture 1/2 cup at a time (eyeball it) and beat till incorporated, followed by the milk. Once thoroughly mixed, divide batter into 12 cupcake tins lined with cupcake liners. Bake about 25 minutes until the cupcake springs back up after gently pressed.
Allow to cool and frost with favorite icing. I used a simple buttercream icing. MMM!

Vodkamelon

With the heat wave in full swing, every New Yorker is trying to find any relief. The kids downstairs have popped open a fire hydrant and I am finding it hard to restrain myself from joining their frivolous dance in its spray. It seems that the heat was never this hot in Georgia, or maybe I just expected Georgia to be hot so it never seemed quite as oppressive. So in my attempt to stay cool this is how I intend to spend the rest of my afternoon and tomorrow.

When I was in college and lived in Florida, my friends and I would go to the market and get huge ripe watermelons. Always trying to find new ways to consume alcohol without being noticed, we used a recipe passed on to us from my dear friend Roxanne's mother. Coined "vodkamelon," its awfully simple and you can really tweek it to any taste, but here is my favorite:

1 large watermelon, cut in half lengthwise
1 bottle of fruit or vanilla flavored vodka, I always liked lemon vodka

-With a small paring knife cut slits in the meat of the watermelon.
-1 cup at a time, pour the vodka over the the watermelon until soaked in
-As the watermelon becomes full, the vodka will not soak in as quickly, when this happens put the watermelon in the refrigerator to let sit for at least an hour.
-Once it has sat pull it out of the refrigerator, add the remaining vodka (or as much as you like, I am something of a lush so I usually use a whole 20oz bottle).
-Wrap in plastic and put into the freeze until frozen through (about 4 hours)
-Slice and enjoy!

You don't have to freeze the watermelon, but I suggest doing so because it makes it easier to consume and also, on a day like today when it is 95 degrees out, it is lovely to have something ice cold.