When you get invited to a dinner party at Britt Maren and Derek Orrell’s Brooklyn apartment, there’s no need to even check your calendar: the answer is an immediate “yes.” Britt’s a successful model and passionate foodie/baker, and Derek was most recently the renowned executive chef at The Heyward, and is now in the early stages […]
Thanksgiving week is upon us, which means it’s time to wrap up our menu planning and make some decisions already — grocery shopping awaits! Whether you’re hosting the meal or bringing a dish to the potluck, every Thanksgiving cook is faced with a major decision: stick to tradition or add your own little twist? Sweet Potato […]
Planning the Thanksgiving menu is one of my favorite activities of the holiday season, and I fully embrace the challenge of satisfying the traditionalists in my family (yes Dad, cranberry jelly will be happening) while following my own impulse to put a modern spin on a few of the dishes. Today’s menu is what I’d be […]
Have you ever tasted a new ingredient and thought, “Now this is a game-changer”? I can remember a few times in my life: Maldon sea salt, really good dark chocolate, European butter, and most of all, six years ago when we were on our honeymoon in Italy and I tasted buffalo mozzarella for the first time. Previously, I’d had […]
Whether you’re a newlywed or you just signed the lease on a new home, nothing beats the excitement of inviting your nearest and dearest to break bread at your table. But if you’ve never hosted a seated dinner before, the sheer thought of cooking for a group can be overwhelming. The key? Keep it simple! Set […]
You couldn’t script a friendship story sweeter than that of Emily Owen and Rachelle Schwartz. The duo first met at a private design studio and immediately hit it off. Fast forward 11 years: they’re still besties, plus the head honchos behind a successful paper studio, and currently, both expecting. Fairytale friendship, right? Our whole team was in […]
You guys — I’ve been anxiously counting down to today for the past several weeks. As you read this, I’m on a flight to Maui for our first family vacay since Henry was born! I have been seriously craving some time to unplug and inhale the fragrance of tropical flowers, eat tons of sushi, go for […]
When I took a poll last month about which seasonal menus you’d love to get a little help with, “Adult Halloween Party” was one of the most frequent requests. I’m right there with you: it can be really tough to find the balance between spooky and sophisticated, and while you want to infuse the menu with […]
Pretty is as pretty does. And in the case of Candice Kumai, a clean-eating chef, health journalist and author (with enviable hair, skin and figure) pretty is as pretty eats. Kumai was born and raised by a Japanese mother and a Polish-American father in San Diego, CA. At age 22, she attended Le Cordon Bleu […]
Autumn feels like a fitting time of year to reconnect with faraway friends, as well as the people who live right in our own neighborhoods. When I was growing up, my parents were always friends with our neighbors — we’d have dinner parties, leave baked goods on each other’s doorsteps, and when I was old enough […]
I find it bizarrely fun to hear about what foods people dislike. It’s fascinating to learn that friends I may have a lot in common with in other areas don’t share my passion for sushi or sweet potatoes. The other day, my mom and I got an endless text thread where we listed all the foods we didn’t […]
Call me a fair-weather fan, but I equate football season with one thing: parties! Whether you’re inviting friends to gather around the tv in your living room, or meeting people at a genuine pre-game tailgate, the common denominator is good drinks and really great food. A lot of you guys have been asking for menu ideas […]