who do you dress for?

On any given day you will most likely find me in denim and a t shirt, maybe a sweater or cardigan thrown in usually is shades of grey or some other neutral.  I don't wear fashion but I love it.  I love the expression you get to show the world, the individual statement that says this is me. My love of Fashion had dwindled recently but being in New York it is hard to ignore what people around you are wearing, no one is better at that then Bill Cunningham, he made his career on it and was doing it long before all the fashion blogs began. A for sure must see movie about him comes out on March 16th from the trailer it looks pretty great...

I see you...

So I have been in a major lost glasses panic, it took me 2 days to locate my missing spectacles.  They were found buried in Miles bed, maybe some late night reading after I was sleep, who knows with that dog.  Anyways this got me thinking about maybe getting an extra pair or two for those moments when panic sets in.  Here are some of my favorites.

These custom made frames are from Urban Spectacles it would be my dream to have hand carved wood glasses but they come with a serious price tag.

These three pretty ladies are from Warby Parker and have lovely names like Miles, Crosby, and Monroe, almost every frame comes in great colors and you can have 5 pairs sent to you to try on at home no guessing if they will make you look like a total dork or adorable.

I am really into the whole classic menswear glasses trend that seems to never end and these classic Ray Bans are by far my favorite.  

also two sites to check out here and here both are cheap as chips!

Hey there cupcake!

The past few weeks I have been a baking machine! I had some total successes and some total failures (healthy muffins never again).  It has been great to have not only the space but also time to bake whatever my heart desires lemon pies, pancakes, caramels you name it I've made it.  After a very stressful and busy few months is was really nice to focus my energy on baking.  

Part of why I like baking so much is because is makes other people happy and I really like to make other people happy and what could make a person happier then eating a classic chocolate cupcake with chocolate buttercream frosting?

 I don't make cupcakes often, I truly have something against cupcakes because of all the cupcake craze that has happened over recent years.  I have eaten many of the specialty cupcakes out there magnolia, sprinkles, butter lane, billy's etc and to be totally honest not one makes me completely happy.  If the frosting is good the cake is dry and overall everyone uses to much frosting.  I also am a pie person which I know I have mentioned before, I would just rather have flaky crust and fruit filling with whipped cream then frosting and cake.  Somehow though cupcakes make me think of being a child and I was a pretty darn cute kid so I like to think about my childhood alot. 

There were rainbow sprinkles in my childhood lots of them, every weekend all summer I would have a soft serve ice cream on a cake cone with rainbow sprinkles it was heaven absolute heaven so I added sprinkles to the top of these cupcakes.  Now as I said I think there really has to be the right amount of frosting to cake ratio and the cakes can't be dry or too dense.  The frosting can't be to sugary or to buttery its really is a fine line between amazing and sugary over load.  I feel like I have got a really good frosting going but the cake is still up for debate and could use a little more experimenting, its light and airy but a little dry and maybe needs some more chocolate.  My family devoured them though so they had to be pretty darn delicious.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate frosting

Cupcake: makes about 24-30 cupcakes

8 ounces sour cream

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/4 cups sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup strong brewed coffee

1 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease or line 2 muffin pans.

combine all ingredients together and mix until smooth and combined

Pour into muffin tins filling 2/3 full

bake for 16 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean

cool on wire racks before frosting

Buttercream
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter room temp (i have used salted it turns out fine just omit the additional salt)
1/4 salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder
1/4 milk possibly a bit more or less (i used 1% but whatever you have will work)


cream butter, cocoa powder, and salt until super creamy smooth then slowly add sugar this can get a bit messy you get sugar dust in the air.  The mixture will be way thick slowly add in milk 1 tablespoon at a time 1/4 cup should be enough but you may need a bit more depending how thick you want the frosting.
I like to pipe my frosting cause it looks nice but do whatever you feel like and make sure to leave some for yourself to eat right of the the bowl its heaven pure heaven. 

Happy New Year's!

Happy New Years Friends!

I have to say I am sad to see 2010 go, its been a great year filled with very exciting moments and big life changes but I am so excited to welcome in a new year cause I know it will be better then the last.  One of the best things that will happen in 2011 is I will have one of my very favorite people in New York with me!  I plan to make her pancakes for breakfast on a very regular basics. 

 

Pancakes just like these coconut pancakes from Mark Bittman. I really like Mark Bittman not only for his NY times contributions but I believe in his food philosophy and want to follow it in the new year.  Less meat and dairy more leafy green things.  I am NOT giving up meat or dairy just cutting back.  Mark's Food Matters cookbook is filled with reasonable and delicious recipes like these pancakes which are vegan but I served them with fresh whipped cream which defeated the purpose of vegan oops!

Since I have been living alone and really only cooking for myself these days, I was so so excited to make breakfast for a friend it was a lovely way to to start the very last day of 2010.  I was actually so excited to be cooking breakfast for someone that I forgot to take any photos after we sat down to eat, he he I was too busy talking loudly (huge surprise I know). 

COCONUT PANCAKES adapted from here

1 cup wheat flour

1 1/2 cup flour

1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut 

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon allspice

1/4 baking soda

1 13.5 ounce can coconut milk

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 250°F. 

Whisk together in a large bowl first 6 ingredients and 3/4 teaspoon salt. 

In a medium bowl whisk coconut milk, 11/4 cups warm water, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, and vanilla. 

Whisk coconut milk mixture into dry ingredients until batter is pourable.

Heat griddle or skillet over medium-high heat; brush with vegetable oil. Working in batches, add batter by 1/4 cupfuls. Working quickly and using back of spoon, spread each pancake to about 4-inch round. Cook until small bubbles appear on surface and bottoms of pancakes are golden, reducing heat if browning too quickly, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn over; cook until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. 

Transfer to baking sheet. Keep warm in oven.

BERRY MINT SALAD

1 cup blueberries

1 cup blackberries

1 cup diced strawberries

few springs of fresh mint coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon maple syrup

mix all ingredients in a medium bowl 

I served the pancakes self serve style on a platter with the berries by the side and a big bowl of vanilla whipped cream. You can always plate this 3 pancakes on a plate topped with berries and a dollop of whipped cream.

Miles being towel dried after pancakes and playing in the snow

photo courtesy of priya