The Roux

Sunny Day in Brooklyn

Here's my first post done directly from my iPhone. After several "makings" I feel my homemade ginger lemon iced tea deserves a mention. It's very much inspired by my mother-in-law's recipe AND the fact that she left behind a whole box of organic ginger tea last time she visited. Thank you, Alicia! With just the right amount of sweetening, it's perfect over ice on a warm day. And I love any reason to use one of my vintage pitchers from Etsy.

Update: Not sure about trusting the iPhone Typepad app for decent photos and posting to the blog. I had to edit this post because I wanted the photo before the text to be consistent. I also changed the photo. This is also an iPhone photo, but it hasn't been "Instagram-ed." Hmmm.

Tart

Whew! It's been a long time. I'm finally getting it together over here. Something big has been in the works - we're having a baby! And soon... the due date is May 11th, although I hope he comes a little early.

We recently had a baby shower catered by Nourish Brooklyn. Look at this gorgeous chocolate raspberry tart! The food was absolutely delicious and beautifully designed. The vintage milk glass dessert stand is one of my recent Etsy purchases. I love how the lace edge mimics the tart shell.

The Sweet Life

Looks like chocolate, tastes like rich dark chocolate. It's not chocolate! We've been practicing a low glycemic diet over here, or at least trying to. You can probably see Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss in the background. One of our indulgences, but sweetened with agave instead of refined sugar, cane juice or fructose. Some still categorize agave in the "junk food" category. Gotta live a little. 

So, we have a blend of unsweetened organic coconut milk (the thick and creamy kind from a can), organic tahini, blackstrap molasses and a healthy splash of vanilla extract. This makes our faux chocolate sauce and it is soooo good! Dip strawberries into it or pour over dairy-free ice cream. And when it's not so hot out, bake up some mochi pockets and fill with this decadent sauce that won't make you whirl around on a sugar high. 

If you want to make it a little sweeter, add a teaspoon of palm sugar. This is what we're using these days to sweeten everything from iced tea to muffins. La dolce vita, no?

Fennel

I picked up fennel and carrots from our neighborhood farmer's market last week. I braised them in safflower oil for high heat cooking (I've officially stopped sauteing with olive oil -- gotta avoid those free radicals!), salt, pepper and a little lemon juice. I did the same with the tilapia. On a bed of peppery arugula, it's the perfect summer dinner when your sixth floor apartment is 90 degrees with the oven off. 

Local Yokel

Mast Brothers dropped off a jar of their fine cocoa nibs a few weeks ago as a gift of congratulations for our new little shop. I brought the jar home and thought, gee, I'll never use these. Since then, they've graced vanilla bean ice cream, pancakes dressed with pomegranate molasses and these gorgeous oat muffins. AND our store now carries them. If you're in Brooklyn, stop by! I'd love to hear how other people are using these.  

Don't know much, but I know I love cheese

Nothing like the hard job of field research. Took a trip to Stinky Brooklyn today to get some hot tips for Market. What a great shop. Highly recommend getting off at Carroll Street if you're on the F line and pick up a six pack of Pale Ale.

On second glass of Montepulciano and very content. I hope I don't eat all of the taleggio before the husband gets home. 

Veg Out

I've been enjoying putting together a few vegetarian dishes lately. And how easy it can be with those nice tubes of polenta. I recently found one with red and black heirloom quinoa -- a newer variety from Ancient Harvest Quinoa. I created a sauce with brown rice vinegar, tamari, ginger, garlic, sesame oil and honey, then sauteed red peppers and spinach in it. The polenta was baked with a little sesame oil drizzled in the pan. Sprinkled sesame seeds topped off the dish. Felt pretty darn healthy. Dessert was more than a few Newman-O's to even everything out. 

Fruit Stand

My husband and I went on a family trip to Costa Rica recently. After our plane landed, we embarked on a four hour journey to the coast. We stopped at this fruit stand where you can get a bag of sliced mango for only a dollar. 

And he can cook

I came home the other night to my husband whirling around the kitchen and a decadent spread of olives, bread, cheese and champagne. And for dessert? Blueberries over my FAVORITE vanilla bean ice cream. Best Valentine's Day ever!

Pie Props

I've never really liked pumpkin pie, but no one else was making one this year, so I felt it was the festive, responsible thing to do. Good ol' Martha Stewart, and her brown sugar, extra eggs (for a more custard-like consistency) and fresh whipped cream. It was a good thing.