Ferragamo Resort 2012

I wrapped up the day yesterday with a quick trip uptown to the magnificent James B. Duke mansion on 78th and 5th to see the new Ferragamo Resort collection. What a perfect way to end a busy work day. The mansion itself is full of history and absolutely breathtaking (it's hard to believe a single family lived there at one point). And then, of course, there were the clothes. Ferragamo hasn't exactly been known for womenswear, but this collection will surely change that straight away. Set to a soundtrack of old Hollywood songs, the models (including the two KK's, Karlie Kloss and Karolina Kurkova), went slinking down the runway in beautiful ensembles perfectly suited to a summer spent on the French Riviera. On a very big yacht. In other words, they were flawlessly dressed in nautical stripes, breezy evening gowns, and more sequins than you could shake a stick at. It was all very transporting, in the best way possible. A few of my favorite pics above. Backstage pictures by Jen Livingston. xo

Bavette Cacio e Pepe

When it comes to pasta (one of my favorite things in the world), it is oftentimes best to buy the absolute best pasta you can get your hands on, and then let it's wonderful qualities shine through, as opposed to smothering it in a heavy, complicated sauce. That is exactly what this bavette does. The long, thin noodles are simply coated in two different types of cheeses, good butter, freshly cracked pepper, and a fantastic olive oil. It's creamy and peppery and earthy all at the same time. It's a beautiful dish.

If you're in New York and happen to find yourself strolling through SoHo hungry, make it a point to seek out Lupa, a Roman trattoria owned by Mario Batali, and the inspiration behind this recipe. They have a bavette on their menu that is pretty much my idea of perfection. Complete with a glass of your favorite wine, and life just doesn't get much better than that. The below recipe serves two. xo

Bavette Cacio e Pepe
From Cooking for Mr. Latte, by Amanda Hesser
Ingredients:
Sea salt
1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup finely grated pecorino Romano cheese
1/2 pound DeCecco linguini
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon very coarse, freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Sprinkle in enough sea salt so that it tastes seasoned. Meanwhile, mix the cheeses together in a small bowl. When the water boils, add the linguini and cook it for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Near the end of cooking, scoop out about 1/2 cup of cooking water and reserve.

Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Drop in the butter, oil and 1/2 tablespoon pepper and stir with tongs or a large fork, lifting and folding the pasta together. Add about 1/4 cup of the pasta water to the pot and place it over medium-high heat. Cook for a minute, stirring to emulsify the sauce. Test a noodle to see if it's done. It should still be a bit firm in the center, though not as stiff as licorice.

Remove from the heat and sprinkle half the cheese over the pasta. Blend once more, then divide the pasta among four warm bowls. Pass the rest of the cheese and pepper at the table.

Broiled Baby Zucchini with Parmesan

One of the greatest things about summer is all the zucchini I get to make. It's just one of those foods that feels better with a little sunshine to accompany it. I have some fond memories of eating little rounds of lightly seared zucchini sprinkled with a bit of good sea salt (one of the best ways to prepare it, in my humble opinion). I also love to eat it fried over perfectly al dente spaghetti, lemon and Parmesan cheese a la Gwyneth Paltrow--yum.

This particular preparation is super simple and incredibly tasty, like all zucchini recipes should be. All that's required is a little salt and pepper, some good olive oil, a generous sprinkling of cheese, and minimal oven time to make it all bubble and brown beautifully.

All pictures by Mark Iantosca. Recipe down below. xo

Broiled Baby Zucchini with Parmesan

From Cooking in the Moment, by Andrea Reusing

Ingredients:

1 pound (about 6) very small zucchini, roughly 1 inch in diameter

1 tablespoon olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Wash and dry the zucchini, trimming the blossom and stem ends slightly if necessary. Quarter each zucchini lengthwise; if they are less than 3/4 inch in diameter, cut them in half instead. In a medium bowl, toss the zucchini with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Lay them out on a baking sheet, end to end, cut sides up, in a tight row. Roast for about 8 minutes or until they are just starting to color but are still al dente, or half tender. Remove from oven.

Preheat the broiler for several minutes until it is very hot. Sprinkle the zucchini with the cheese and broil until the cheese is golden brown and the zucchini are tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve hot.

Brownies

Let's start the week off with something sweet, shall we? A couple of Sundays ago, after a particularly long run along the West Side Highway, followed by a rather strenuous episode of housecleaning, during which I somehow came up with several heaping bags full of clothes to donate, I was famished and decided that I deserved a good, hearty meal followed by something chocolatey and decadent. 

The makings of the meal have escaped me by now, but who could forget these brownies? Taken straight from the New York Times Essential Cookbook, these are a true classic, coming to us from the year 1943 when they were first published in the newspaper. When it comes to brownies, I'm a staunch believer that simple is best--a straightforward amalgamation of good chocolate, butter, sugar, eggs, flour, vanilla, and salt just can't be beat. Also, the hallmark of a good brownie is that paper-thin, crispy, crackly, shiny layer on the top. Without that, can you really call it a brownie? I think not. And as you can see in the picture above, this version delivers a perfect crust. Bake up a batch and give out your leftover squares to friends and co-workers. It's a great way to start the week. xo

Brownies

From The New York Times Essential Cookbook, by Amanda Hesser

Ingredients:

¼ pound semisweet or bittersweet chocolate

8 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 large eggs

1 cup sugar

½ cup sifted all-purpose flour

½ cups chopped nuts

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ teaspoon salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan and line base with parchment.

Melt chocolate and butter in a saucepan over low heat. Once melted, remove from heat.

Beat eggs with sugar until sugar mostly dissolves. Add chocolate mixture. Add other ingredients, and mix well. Pour batter into pan, and smooth the top.

Bake 25 to 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out almost, but not quite, clean. Let brownies cool for a few minutes, then remove them from pan and allow to cool on wire rack. When cool, cut into 16 squares.

Coming Up Forever

Ever have one of those weeks when you stop and realize that everything is just sort of....awesome? It doesn't happen often--one of the maddening traits we human beings have is the endless ability to take good things for granted, always feeling like whatever we have isn't quite enough. But not this week. This week, I'm looking around and realizing that all in all, I wouldn't really change a thing. It's summertime, I'm in New York City, great friends are all around me, CA Creative is celebrating it's one-year anniversary (a big milestone for us), I get to work on fun, challenging projects all the time, my book proposal intro is thisclose to being done, and I'm happy. And grateful. Period. Your turn. What are you thankful for?

I'm wearing an Isabel Marant net tank, Isabel Marant shorts, Alexander Wang bucket bag, Guiseppe Zanotti shoes, and tons of moveslightly friendship bracelets. All pics by Mark Iantosca. xo

Piquillo Pepper Toasts

I put together these tasty little piquillo pepper toasts for an impromptu gathering and they disappeared in about five minutes flat. I always feel gratified when that happens, especially when the dish is a snap to make like these happen to be. It's really just about assembly in this case, plus a good blast in a hot oven to make the baguette slices crisp up and get nicely browned and hot. And of course, the melting cheese doesn't hurt a bit. Try these out for your next gathering--they're completely stress-free, bite-sized, and delicious. The perfect party food, if you ask me. xo

Piquillo Pepper Toasts

From Martha Stewart Living, June 2011

Ingredients: 

1 medium baguette, thinly sliced into 16 rounds

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

16 piquillo peppers (from one 12-ounce jar), drained and patted dry

4 ounces sliced aged provolone cheese, cut into 16 one-inch squares

Garnish: 1 scallion, pale-green part only, thinly sliced on the bias

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush both sides of baguette slices with 2 tablespoons oil. Toast on a rimmed baking sheet until crisp, 7 to 8 minutes.

Stuff each pepper with a cheese square. Place 1 stuffed pepper on each toast. Bake until cheese melts, 8 to 10 minutes. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Garnish with scallion.

Grocery List: White Cat Corn

One of my absolute favorite foods is popcorn. I love the way it smells while it's popping, I love the crunch, and the buttery/salty taste, and I love all the memories associated with it (i.e. going to the movies with my parents when I was little, back when I still thought that the movie theater was the most exciting place in the world). In fact, it's near impossible for me to sit through a movie without a big bowl of popcorn on my lap--all of my friends and prior movie dates know that, without fail, I'll always come back from the concession stand balancing the biggest tub of popcorn they have.

Because of this little popcorn habit of mine, I happen to know a lot about the stuff. For example, the best movie theater popcorn in New York is at the Film Forum (no butter, loads of sea salt). A good runner up is the Angelika. And then, of course, Regal movie theaters are way better than Loews. Wow. I probably shouldn't admit to knowing this kind of thing on a public forum. But there you go. And when it comes to making my own at home, which I always, always do on stovetop (no way am I going near one of those chemical-laden microwave bags), my corn of choice is White Cat. The company was founded in 1977 by a popcorn lover and named after a family cat who loved playing in their cornfields. It's light and fresh and pops better than any other brand I've come across. Seems silly, but you can really taste the difference from a mass-market brand like Orville Redenbacher. Plus it comes in the pretty glass jar above. And if you're looking for the best way to pop popcorn, click here for a post I did on the very subject some time ago. Order yourself a jar of White Cat HERE and let me know what you think. Picture by Mark Iantosca. xo

Chicken and Chorizo Paella

Happy Monday! Hope everyone's weekends were fantastic. I did a lot of relaxing after my rather insane week: had a fun dinner at Pearl Oyster Bar, some cocktail-imbibing, lots of reading (my latest is A Visit from the Goon Squad, by Jennifer Egan--highly recommended), some quality time with Suz Monster, and tons of cooking.

I had a crew of guys in my apartment working on my floors all day Saturday so I took the opportunity to whip up a quick and easy paella--one of my favorite things in the world to make. This one is a practically clean-up-free, one-pot meal and will feed a crowd in a hurry. It doesn't skimp on flavor, either--one of the guys told me that it was better than his mom's (she happens to be from Colombia). I'm a little skeptical about that, but I was pretty psyched, nonetheless.

In honor of my super fun visit to the Martha Stewart studios in Chelsea on Friday, where I filmed an episode of Emeril Lagasse's new show (launching in September), I chose a recipe from Martha Stewart Living for this. It's a good one--try it and let me know how it goes. xo

Chicken and Chorizo Paella
From Martha Stewart Living, June 2011
Ingredients:
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon ground saffron
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 1/2 pounds)
1 teaspoon pimenton (smoked Spanish paprika)
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 ounces dried chorizo, sliced 1/8 inch thick on the bias
1 white onion, coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 medium vine-ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup fresh shelled English peas

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Warm stock, saffron, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Season chicken with 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and the pimenton. Heat oil in a 14-inch paella pan or a high-sided ovenproof skillet over high heat. Brown chicken for 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to a plate.

Pour out all but 1 teaspoon oil. Cook chorizo over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add onion and garlic. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes. Cook, stirring, until thick, about 5 minutes. Stir in rice, then add broth mixture. Bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add peas, then chicken. Bake for 20 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Beauty Shop: Rodin Olio Lusso Body Oil

Behold my latest beauty obsession: Rodin Olio Lusso Body Oil. I first heard of this genius product through Alice + Olivia's fun 4 AM Finds feature, which Gwyneth Paltrow guest-edited a few weeks ago. It was listed as one of her fave products, and you know how it goes with Gwynnie and I--she's kind of a hero of mine. And so I made my way over to John Derian, conveniently located just a few blocks from the CA Creative offices, to pick up a bottle and see what all the fuss was about. And well, it definitely didn't let me down. This stuff is my personal dream come true when it comes to beauty.

First of all, the main oil in it is jasmine, which happens to be my favorite scent in the world. After a shower, you let a few drops leak out of the bottle and smooth it over your shoulders, arms, chest, legs, and wherever else you need a bit of extra moisture, and before you know it, your skin is dewy, glowing, and smelling ever-so-subtly of jasmine. It's made of a seriously amazing blend of several essential oils, including argan oil (which I love on it's own as well), sweet almond, and apricot.

At $110, the bottle is definitely on the pricey side, but all you need are a few little drops every day, so at that rate, it should last you a good six months, at least (I'll confirm that at a later date). And with the way it makes your skin smell and feel, it's worth every penny. You'll never want to use another body moisturizer again. You can buy it HERE. Happy weekend, everyone! See you Monday. xo

Fried Pan Trout

This is basically a fried fish sandwich served in that classic, Southern, old-school way--doused in hot sauce, fried in bacon grease, and served piping hot on a slice of white sandwich bread. Despite what the name suggests, you don't have to use trout for this--just about any fish small enough to fit into a little skillet will do, so go with your personal favorite. Using bacon grease instead of plain old peanut or vegetable oil does something very good for the flavor of this, so I usually just fry up a few pieces of good bacon right before and use the same pan with all the hot grease still in there to cook the fish in. Healthy? Not exactly. But this is tried and true comfort food, and everyone needs to treat themselves once in while. Recipe below serves 4. xo

Fried Pan Trout
From A Southerly Course, by Martha Hall Foose
Ingredients:
8 whiting fillets
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce (I use Cholula)
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup plain dried bread crumbs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup lard or bacon grease

Directions:
Sprinkle the fish with the hot sauce. Set up three shallow dishes--one with flour, one with the beaten eggs, and one with the bread crumbs. Season the bread crumbs with salt and pepper. Dredge each fish fillet in flour, then egg, and finally pat in bread crumbs.

Heat the lard or bacon grease in a heavy-bottomed skillet set over medium heat until it begins to shimmer. Working in batches so the pan is not overcrowded, cook the fish for 3 minutes on each side or until the crust is deep brown. Set them to drain briefly on paper towels and serve piping hot on slices of white sandwich bread.

Land on the Heart With His Feet Up

I think I'm starting to see a pattern in my summer wardrobe--one that encompasses Isabel Marant and friendship bracelets almost exclusively. Sigh. This season hasn't been good for my wallet. My closet however, is bursting with warm-weather, surf-inspired chicness. I sincerely hope that Marant doesn't produce another collection that I'm quite as obsessed with ever again. (Okay, not really, but it makes me feel better to think that this particular collection was a rare, problematic exception.)

This week has been so busy with work and projects, I can barely think straight. Adidas asked me to style their fall 2011 online lookbook, which I'm so excited about--I get to hang out and shoot my gorgeous friends on the street today and tomorrow, and then on Friday, I'm filming with Emeril Lagasse's new show, Emeril's Table (launching on the Martha Stewart network in September), as a blogger guest. I'll be hanging out with him and a few other guests while he teaches us how to whip up a delicious, festive, party menu (the casting directors tell me lobster thermidor and some bubbly will be involved). Needless to say, I'm a little nervous. Wish me luck!

I'm wearing an Isabel Marant dress, Topshop shirt, Guiseppe Zanotti shoes, and moveslightly friendship bracelets, which you can buy HERE. All pictures by Mark Iantosca. xo

Crab and Garlic Fried Rice

One of my ultimate comfort foods is a good, hot bowl of fried rice. I love Jean-George's version, which is served up at Spice Market topped with a crisply charred egg, I love the stuff I pick up once in a great while from Great NY Noodletown (my fave divey Chinatown restaurant), and now, I'm head over heels for this Crab and Garlic Fried Rice from Andrea Reusing's genius new cookbook, Cooking in the Moment: A Year of Seasonal Recipes.

Like most fried rices, this one is exceptionally simple and quick to make--I whipped it up in about 20 minutes flat, and devoured a big bowl of it in five. The leftovers were relegated to the fridge where I dubiously placed them when I couldn't eat another bite, thinking that there was no way it would be as good after a day or so. Well, folks, I was wrong. This is one of those dishes that somehow tastes even better the next day. A quick 45-second spin in the microwave, and it was good as new. Pretty perfect for a weeknight meal, wouldn't you say? Plus, it's summer--and that means you should eat crab any which way you can. Fact. Recipe below. All pics by Mark Iantosca. xo

Crab and Garlic Fried Rice

From Cooking in the Moment: A Year of Seasonal Recipes, by Andrea Reusing

Ingredients:

4 cups cooked long-grain white rice, refrigerated for at least 1 to 2 days

2 tablespoons clarified butter

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

1 teaspoon kosher salt

5 large egg yolks, beaten well

6 ounces lump crabmeat, picked over for cartilage and shells (about 1 cup)

Directions:

Take the rice out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Heat a small cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and as soon as that gets hot, add the garlic. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes, stirring often, until the garlic is fragrant and just starting to turn light golden. Do not let it brown. Add the rice and salt, stir, and reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds or so, until the rice is hot.

Remove the lid and add the egg yolks. Stir continuously for about 2 minutes. Don't let the egg form a crust on the bottom of the pan--the idea is to coat all the rice with the egg and to let the egg just set but not scramble. The rice should look moist. Add the crabmeat and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat, cover, and let rest for 1 minute before serving. 

In the Market: Pops of Color

Ever since summer finally got underway (especially today when the mercury rose to almost triple digits), I've been hankering after bold pops of color to match my mood. What dark, subdued tones are to winter, cheery brights are to summer, non? Here are a few of my favorite recent online finds. xo

1. Erdem printed cotton-voile dress, $1,490, at net-a-porter.com
2. Deborah Lippmann nail lacquer in Lara's Theme, $16, at deborahlippmann.com
3. Chantecaille lipgloss in Guava, $28, at barneys.com
4. Proenza Schouler wedges, $636, at zappos.com
5. Proenza Schouler large PS1, $1,995, at proenzaschouler.com
6. J. Brand cut-off rigid denim shorts, $165, at net-a-porter.com
7. Cathy Waterman heavier sapphire ring, $2,180, at barneys.com
8. Pantone: The Twentieth Century in Color, by Leatrice Eiseman, $40, available for pre-order at barnesandnoble.com

Fried Pork Chops

I generally try to stay away from pork and red meat--at this point, it's a pretty well-documented fact that the stuff isn't exactly healthy for you or for the environment, for that matter. I won't get into all the nitty gritty details here, because let's face it, we're looking at a picture of a juicy, perfectly seasoned pork chop above, that I made last night and ate enthusiastically with a side of Spanish rice. And man, it was really good.

I allow myself these indulgences about once a month or so, sticking to chicken, fish, and veggies the rest of the time, which makes the prospect of a rare steak or lamb shank that much more deliciously appealing. I decided on this dinner mostly due to lack of time and ingredients, but it surprised me when it came sizzling out of my trusty cast-iron skillet and proved itself to be one of the quickest, yet tastiest, meals I've made in recent memory. It's about as simple as cooking gets; you season the chop with sea salt and pepper, heat up a cast iron skillet with a bit of vegetable oil, and fry it up. That's it. It takes up approximately 10 minutes of your evening, and puts a seriously decadent, mouth-watering meal in front of you. Good deal, no? P.S. The recipe below serves 4-8, but you can easily just fry up one chop if it's just you. xo

Fried Pork Chops

Adapted from Saveur, Issue #73

Ingredients:

8 5 – 7 oz. pork chops
Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil 

Directions: 

Generously season eight 5-7 oz. pork chops with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat 2 tbsp. lard or vegetable oil in a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet over medium-high heat.

Working in 3 batches, fry pork chops until golden brown on on side, about 5 minutes, then turn chops and fry for 2-3 minutes more. Add 1 more tbsp. lard or vegetable oil to skillet between batches.

Transfer chops to a warm platter as finished cooking. Serve with your choice of rice. (I used Spanish.)

Anywhere You Want, Anywhere You Want

It's been a full, happy couple of weeks. Our clients at CA Creative have been keeping us busy, busy, busy. My french lessons are going along swimmingly, although I think a petit jaunt to Paris for some practice might be in order. I signed up for piano lessons the other week and had my first last night--it was so much fun and a lot of it came right back to me (I took lessons for 10 years as a kid). On that note, I think I'm becoming a rather prolific hobbyist, wouldn't you say? I'm not complaining or anything; one of my resolutions this year was to become a more "well-rounded person" with a plethora of interests beyond work, food, and fashion, and I think I've done my part to stick to that so far.

Also, we're starting to plan for a long 4th of July weekend in Montauk, staying at Ruschmeyer's--I plan to eat Fat Radish food everyday and spend hours in their treehouse (yes, they have an actual treehouse) with a good book. The very thought is enough to make me feel all warm and content inside. What an amazing start to summer.

I'm wearing an old Stella McCartney silk tank, a vintage Chanel pleated skirt, Chanel bag, and a bunch of necklaces and charms I never, ever take off (including ones from my mother and various dear friends). All pictures by Mark Iantosca. xo

Blythe's Blueberry Muffins

Breakfast has always been my favorite meal for several reasons. For one, it's the only time during which something as ridiculously decadent as an oozing, frosting-covered cinnamon roll can pass as an acceptable meal. Sweets as meal? Yes, please. See also: pancakes, scones, muffins, doughnuts, et al. Not that I would advocate going that route often, or even more than, say, once a month. But still, just knowing the option exists is strangely comforting.

Beyond that, the very act of wandering into the kitchen in your pajamas, sleepy-eyed and hungry, fixing yourself something good to eat, and huddling over the morning papers with a steaming hot cup of coffee or tea in hand, taking in the quiet of morning, the anticipation of a day that is just beginning—there's something so bracing and nourishing about it. It's one of my very favorite rituals.

And lastly, when you bake muffins for someone, or make pancakes for them, or squeeze some oranges into a bright, pulpy juice until their glass is full, it seems, to me, like the ultimate act of care and love and friendship. You're sending this person—this person whom you most likely love—off into their day with a full stomach to sustain them through whatever may come their way. Is there any better start to a day—for both parties?

In fact, I don't know why I don't post breakfast recipes more often. I made these delicious blueberry muffins on Sunday morning for my friend Matt and a slew of my doormen before heading off to a long day at the Veuve Clicquot Polo on Governor's Island. I figured the carbs would help with all the champagne consumption. They're incredibly simple and the dry ingredients can be preassembled the night before for an even speedier morning. Try them out and let me know what you think. xo

Blythe's Blueberry Muffins
Adapted from My Father's Daughter, by Gwyneth Paltrow
Ingredients:
1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large organic eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt
2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and dried

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners.

In a large bowl whisk the cooled butter, eggs and milk until everything is incorporated. In a separate bowl whisk the flour, 3/4 cup of sugar, baking powder and salt. Pour the butter mixture into the dry ingredients and stir everything together until the batter is smooth and creamy. Fold in the blueberries.

Fill each muffin cup about 1/2 full, dividing the batter evenly amongst all 12 cups. Sprinkle the muffin tops with the remaining teaspoon of sugar. Bake them for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick or knife inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean. These muffins are best served warm.