Archive for the ‘Frontier Gastronomy’ Category
Game Changer: Cake
Posted by: freyabellin on: February 22, 2012
Frankly, I don’t love cake. And no, I don’t even love cupcakes (sacrilege for a female 20-something in NYC). I’d much sooner order ice cream or pie or a chocolate croissant before I’d opt for a piece of cake. I’ve even replaced cake with pancakes as my birthday tradition. (Hellooo, pancake month at Clinton Street [...]
Rooted in Winter
Posted by: freyabellin on: February 8, 2012
Well, folks, we’ve hit that point of winter. We all know this time of year–when the farmer’s market is just overflowing with glorious items like potatoes, onions, and other beige-ish produce. Sigh. (And if you live in southern California, please do not comment.) This is the time when the season has lost its holiday charm, [...]
The Ultimate Roasted Chicken
Posted by: freyabellin on: January 25, 2012
San Francisco has a bit of a hold on me. There’s something romantic about the steep sloping hills, the colorful rows of houses, and the mist rising off the bay. Who minds a bit of grey skies and rainy days when you have Napa and Sonoma waiting for you across the bridge? And the food! [...]
Coffee Roasting 101
Posted by: freyabellin on: January 11, 2012
I like to consider myself something of a coffee snob. But the good kind of snob, if that exists. Mine is a snobbery based on an earnest quest for excellence. Similar to my feelings about bagels (it’s not worth it if it’s from a Thomas’ bag), I won’t just settle for most deli/convenience store varietals. [...]
A Dinner Party for New Year’s Eve
Posted by: freyabellin on: December 28, 2011
Among my favorite things about New Year’s Eve: glitz and glitter, champagne, debaucherous friends. Among my least favorite: waiting for cabs, waiting for cabs in the cold, waiting for cabs in heels in the cold and snow. Now, I’m no Scrooge, but there’s nothing worse than waiting for the coveted New Year’s Eve cab that [...]
Top 10 Kitchen Gifts for a Foodie
Posted by: freyabellin on: December 21, 2011
For the foodie in your life, check out this roundup of some of my own favorite kitchen gadgets and accessories. 10. Mortar and Pestle Way more old school than an electronic spice grinder, a mortar and pestle adds a DIY feel to the kitchen. I use mine for grinding cloves, muddling mint for mojitos, and [...]
A Meal Fit for a Peasant
Posted by: freyabellin on: November 30, 2011
I do love me some fine dining. I dote over jamón, I fantasize about reuniting with lobster sashimi, and I just drooled a little bit on my keyboard thinking about perfect calamari. And yet, when I think about my true favorite foods, the foods I’d happily eat day after day, they’re not on that decadent, [...]
Thanksgiving, Hold the Turkey
Posted by: freyabellin on: November 9, 2011
I’m just going to say it: no one loves the turkey. Oh, don’t look at me like that. You do love turkey? I’m sorry. But why? Turkey is the most time-consuming, most cumbersome aspect of Thanksgiving, and yet it’s pretty unrewarding. It sits on the table like a centerpiece, while its colorful, sweet, spicy side [...]
My Purple and Pink Muses
Posted by: freyabellin on: October 26, 2011
For me, there are two different ways to go food shopping. There are days when I head out with a plan, and I diligently cross each item off a thoughtful, well-rounded list as I drop it into my basket. This is what I call responsible shopping. Far more fun are the days when I go [...]
Totally Worth the Garlic Breath
Posted by: freyabellin on: October 12, 2011
I’m currently keeping my mouth shut pretty tight. I just ate 10 cloves of garlic in the name of science, and while I have exciting results to share from this experiment, I believe those around me (especially the vampires) are not amused. The inspiration for my experiment sprouted from a gift of garlic, given to [...]
