i am swimming in bread!

january recap

eating (& drinking) out

• Technically speaking my two visits to Char & Stave in Chestnut Hill (Philadelphia, that is, not Massachusetts) happened in December, but it deserves a mention since I’m already a repeat customer. The first time around I got a whiskey sour and loved it. I also had a sip of my friend Gabby’s Caffè Negroni. It’s exactly what it sounds like—a Negroni finished with a splash of cold brew. On my second visit, I tried their Bee’s Knees and a Gimlet. What can I say? I’m a purist!

• Brassica Kitchen in Forest Hills was delish—particularly their pork belly , which comes dripping in pork fat and buttered marshmallow. It sounds like it wouldn’t work, but that’s why I insisted we order it. They also make their own vermouth and amaro; I got one with notes of sumac and “wormwood.”

• I spent two Saturday afternoons at Casa Verde in Jamaica Plain with new and old friends. It’s a pretty solid Mexican place that really piles on the tortilla chips (which is always a win in my book). Maddie and I split the chips & queso, and both times I went I got the carnitas tacos.

• Matt and I drove to Providence on MLK Day. I showed him JWU’s campus, and then we grabbed BECs on biscuits at Seven Stars Bakery in Federal Hill. It was too cold to explore anything else, so we’re planning to head back in the spring.

staying in

• Loaded Greek salads were my hyper-fixation meal throughout the month. Simply nothing can go wrong in a big bowl of briny, crunchy goodness, plus a vinaigrette of minced garlic, honey, red wine vinegar, and olive oil does the freaking trick!!! Wish I had a recipe for you, but I just kept adding to the jar when it got low.

• I devoured Molly Baz’s Cook This Book in January. The crispy Brussels sprouts with soy butter were off! the! chart! and get a stamp of approval from my cousin Caroline, who I think is very cool and has great taste, so take a word of advice from her. Also her Caesar salad convinced me that Caesar dressing is just a dressed up mayo and is such an easy crowd pleaser. Jenny Rosenstrach’s The Weekday Vegetarians is another book I worked through this past month. Standouts include the Migas Tacos, Caramelized Onion & Egg Pizza, and Spinach & Cheddar Quiche.

• No one did dry January in this apartment, so—White Russians and Whiskey Sours. That is all.

• So I’ve been juicing. What began as an attempt to eat more veggies throughout the week turned into something sippable. The cucumbers and carrots in the crisper were looking quite sad, so instead of chucking them I turned them into juice. I was on a green kick for a few weeks (kale, apple, celery, ginger, but I ended the month with a vitamin C packed punch (carrot, ginger, lemon, orange).

  

school

• I’m only cooking baking in one class this quarter, yet I am just SWIMMING in carbs. My baking & pastry professor makes us some type of sweet treat for breakfast each day—cinnamon buns, eclairs, pecan rolls—and it is so, well, sweet. I got into cooking by way of baking, so I feel a little tiny bit at home in this class, although some things don’t rise or brown quite as well as they should. We make lots and lots of bread (I currently have four loaves at home), and our chef expects us to eat and eat and eat. It’s a lovely class.

• Also am feeling at home in my restaurant management class. I love the tradition and style of it all and have loads of fun playing restaurant with my friends.

& time for some other things

• Maura influenced me to buy glass straws from the Target dollar section, and they’re worth every penny. I will take any chance I get to elevate even the simplest daily tasks, like staying hydrated.

• Lattes! We spent an entire day learning about coffee & tea in my restaurant class, and now I’m trying to master latte art at home. I’m getting there.

• Santa (read Mom & Dad) got me a Kindle for Christmas (thanks, Santa!), and I am BACK on my reading game. Haven’t finished anything noteworthy yet, but I’m currently loving Joan Didion’s The Year of Magical Thinking.