Fruit that falls from the tree

Avocados & Tomatoes 

Lunch Time

Cotto di Parma at Blue Ribbon Bakery

http://www.blueribbonrestaurants.com/index.htm

This is one of the best places to lunch.  Spending time at Blue Ribbon at any meal really.  Great food & service that is consistent and top notch.  I love the ham sandwich, it reminds me of Paris every time.  They used to put Brie on it but now they are using Swiss. (still delicious)  

Check out the cookbook! 

Here's to the Ladies who lunch, here is some music for the soul:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfSp21eMLN0&feature=related

Passionate Fruit

Inside of a nectarine pit.

Sun Burst

In an effort to eat healthy these were the only items in my fridge that I felt worked on a nice hot summer day.

I put some olive oil and red wine vinegar on it. (pinch of salt on top)  Quite tangy overall, but I have to say the flavor and texture combination of the nectarines and the avocados was refreshing.

Homework: Two Links/Food for Thought

The latest by the untouchable Mark Bittman:

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/16/new-farmers-find-their-footing/?hp

Nina Simone's Trouble In Mind:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6eg2ppX2tU

Leave the Judgement Back in the Kitchen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIMjYA8kE0A&feature=related

"Far be it for me to keep the flower of you from flourishing."

Elephant Ears

"Far be it for me to keep the flower of you from flourishing."  

-- It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (don't you just love the alliteration!)

I love summer for this reason... Elephant ears in my yard.

Don't Make A Scene

A Scene.

food for thought

food for thought:

Watch my 7 minute food doc "You Are What You Eat" @ ginalola.com

Pork on the 4th

Lots of Pork (on the grill)

 

Wood for the fire (smokin')

Shredded Pork tossed in Sweet Baby Rays

Sweet Baby Ray

http://www.sweetbabyrays.com/

The following 3 photographs are courtesy of Ray (pictured above-- Thanks man!)

Scenes from the 4th of July

Ithaca, New York 2011

Spritz Life

"the Cheese on the Far Left was Super Funky."

Chefs Selection Cheese Plate* at Peels

Garlic Broccoli Rabe
Cheese on the far left was super funky (All cheeses had a brie like quality to them)
Mustard (Grey Poupon)
Pickles
Fruit
Blantons Manhattan


* Saxelby Cheese supplied the cheese.  (so you know they are all winners!)

Spritz Life Continues...

Wraps

Glass Noodles

Asian Spring Rolls with Glass Noodles, Avocado, Shredded Radish, Carrot, Cucumber & Mint.

 

Torpedo Life

Ithaca, New York

City girl riding a lawn mower says "...  At least I am not in the trunk."

Blue Crab & Burrata

Blue crab with jalapeno and tomato crostini & Burrata with peperonata, dandelion and fried rosemary*

I did not know what Burrata was so let me lend a hand to you -- http://www.thewinenews.com/octnov06/cuisine.asp

and here is a recipe for peperonata:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Peperonata-1465

fried rosemary... try this at home!

*= Locanda Verde http://locandaverdenyc.com/

Bread & Tulips

A dear friend took me to the Italian restaurant "Bread & Tulips" the other evening and it was delightful. 

Ordered the baby beat salad for an appetizer (grapefruit, goat cheese, wild watercress, and beats  with some campari-pomegranate vinaigrette).  A great combination!

For dinner I ordered the pork.  I was a little skeptical at first because it's summertime but "pork is so in right now" (Seriously, it is.  Even in this heat).  The picture doesn't do it justice because it was absolutely delectable and the plating of it makes it look like it is from another planet!

 

Smoked Pork Shoulder with farm egg, dandelion greens, braising jus

Incorporating a poached egg is popping up in various cuisines.*   To further prove my point, I told my boss about the amazing pork dish the next day and she said that she in fact went out the night before and their was a poached egg on top of her fish!  Also, if you look back at the entry about making David Chang's Shrimp & Grits recipe please note that his was one of the only recipe that mentioned an egg at all.

The meal at Bread & Tulip was fantastic.

I had Limoncello for the first time...

Nice atmosphere.  Fancy cocktail list.  Great wine list.

*  The first time I experienced a poached egg in new places was one night in college after comedy club, the gang went to some diner and a Bo Burger was their specialty.  A hamburger with an egg on it.  It was actually pretty good.  I definitely should not have been eating such things at 10 o'clock at night, but it was good and I am always open to new experiences.