Apartment Therapy The Kitchn - Archive for the week of 2009-06-07

Show of Hands: Would You Wear a Ring Pop Popsicle?

We just saw these popsicles over at Country Living. Just like the hard candy, only this one melts all over your fingers if you don't eat it fast enough. Sounds fun to us... ...

Good Question: An Impressive Dish with Fresh Eggs?

Here's one last good question for the week from Julia; we had to sneak this one in before the weekend! The farmers markets here in the Boston area are finally picking up, and I just bought some delici...

Recipe Recommendation: Victoria Sponge Cake

When we think of summer desserts, visions of Victoria sponge cake tempt us into the kitchen. The Victoria sponge isn't strictly a warm weather cake, but our favorite addition of fresh strawberries mak...

Weekend Cooking: Stay Motivated!

One of the only problems, if you can call it that, with the weather turning so beautiful is that we'd rather just spend our free time outside, so our motivation to spend it cooking indoors literally f...

Tip: Use Curly Kale for Colorful Retro Garnish

Here's a tip straight from your corner deli refrigerator case: Garnish plates of summer vegetables and grilled meat with dark curly kale. ...

Favorite New Podcast: Dinner Party Download

This podcast has become our secret weapon at parties and events where we know there will be a lot of mingling. In fact, we weren't sure we wanted to share it with you because then you'd know where we'...

Banana Cream Pie Smoothie & Pinkberry Founder's Kitchen
Delicious links for 6.12.09

Today in the Delicious Links we've got a couple good Etsy finds, the Malibu kitchen of yogurt chain Pinkberry's co-founder, and banana cream pie smoothies! ...

Following My Nose in Florence

We've been here in Florence for a few days, wandering the bumpity-bump streets jet-lagged with a two-year-old who has finally had her first slurps of gelato and refers to fresh porcini as "meat&q...

Sherwin-Williams: Make a Small Kitchen Look Bigger!

It's a common question: what can I do about my small kitchen? Thankfully, one of the best things to do is also one of the easiest and least expensive... paint! A fresh coat of paint, in the right ...

The Farm City: The Education of An Urban Farmer
An Interview With Author Novella Carpenter

Farm City is the account of Novella Carpenter's efforts to turn a vacant lot next to her apartment in Oakland into an urban farm. Determined to eat sustainable meat and produce, Novella recognize...

Good Question: Candy Recipes for County Fair Time?

Here's a really fun question from Merry123, who writes: We're in search of really good candy recipes that will hold up in shape, appearance, and taste in warm weather for my older kids (preteen/teens)...

Picnic Recipe: Chocolate Bouchons from Thomas Keller

Are you looking for a good picnic dessert? How about little chocolate cakes just right for packing and eating al fresco? These are from Thomas Keller, who seems to like a good picnic. First we had a f...

My Great Outdoors: Weeknight Dinner on the Porch

In Ohio and other northern parts of the country (and the world) you should never take nice weather for granted. We are purely indoor creatures for most of the winter and early spring, so the gorg...

A Snow Cone-Like Cocktail from the 1950s
Gourmet

Gourmet has been running favorite cocktails from the 1940s to today, and this one (from November 1959) caught our eye immediately. Big surprise, huh? It looks like a rainbow slushy. But don't be foole...

Loving: Green Picnic and Market Basket

We are totally crushing on this green basket from Crate & Barrel. They tout it as a picnic basket, a fresh and cute way to carry your lunch out to the park. But it could be good for so many other ...

Help! Tips for Good Boston Cream Pie?

Kitchn Reader Carolyn wants to make her boyfriend this classic dessert for his birthday. Think we can help her out? Help! The Boyfriend's birthday is this Sunday (eeeeeeek!). Being the Boston native ...

Flickr Find: Topsy Turvy Hanging Tomato Planter

We're usually pretty skeptical of all this "As Seen on TV" stuff — you know, the Sham-Wow and whatnot. However, Mom was given one of these Topsy-Turvy Tomato Planters last year at Christmas. She sta...

Recipe Inspiration: Pearl (Israeli) Couscous Salads

We've been semi-obsessed with pearl couscous; it's so attractive in early summer. It feels lighter than pasta, yet more substantial than traditional couscous, and it's the perfect base for one-dish me...

A Visit to the Food Network Good Food Garden
New York

Last week we spent part of the afternoon exploring a new, improved community garden in Harlem. It was a rundown plot of land, but now, thanks to a Herculean renovation by the Food Network, Share ...

Summer Project: Make Vegetable Maki Sushi With Kids!

Here's a really fun and easy DIY project to do with kids this summer - hand-rolled vegetable maki sushi rolls! The ingredients you'll need are cheap and easy to find. Making your own maki sushi roll...

What's the Difference? Clotted Cream, Devonshire Cream, Double Cream ... Plus DIY Recipes

From breakfast ideas to vacation tips to seasonal strawberry treats, we've had scones on the brain in recent weeks. As any cream tea enthusiast will tell you, scones are best served with a spoonful of...

Quick Tip: How to Build a Make-Shift Cooling Rack

Remember how we were gathering essential cookware for a month away from our kitchen? Well, we completely forgot about potentially needing a cooling rack and a thorough search of the cupboards in our t...

10 Summer Drink Dispensers (and Drinks to Put In Them)

The thought of a big cooler on the back porch, filled up with lemonade and dispensing sweet coolness from a frosty spigot, is captivating right now. Here are a few good drink dispensers that migh...

Recipe: Sour Cream-Raisin Bars

After getting a craving for these bars a few weeks ago, we couldn't rest until we'd found a recipe and made ourselves a big batch! If sour cream and raisins sound like a strange combination to you, ju...

Lemon Lime Ice Slush and Stripey Straws
Delicious links for 6.11.09

Striped paper straws, courtesy of the inimitable Jordan Ferney, plus a slushy summer drink and kitchen art using the summer sun. ...

Do This! Anchor Your Skewers

The phrase "anchor your skewers" sounds like some dirty code sailors might use, but it's one of the greatest tips we've picked up in our years of grilling (other than using a charcoal chimney). It s...

My Great Outdoors: Katie's Fresh Back Door Garden

Name: Katie of goodLife {eats} Location: Rio Rancho, New Mexico Type of space: Backyard Garden Tell us about your outdoor project and how you enjoy it: I do so much cooking and love fresh veggies...

National Food Roundup: Milkshake Mix-Up
From Nationwide Newspaper Food Sections 6.10.09

This week's roundup is a mixed bag of tasty recipes: milkshakes with a twist, smoked potato salad, Turkish pizza on the grill, and more....

Good Question: More Uses for the OXO Herb Mincer?

Here's a question from Helen, who writes: I recently started my first gardening experiment with a couple of one-pot herb gardens (inspired by The Kitchn, of course). To recognize my project, the dear ...

Wine: Bouchaine Vineyards in Cool and Beautiful Carneros

I spent last week in Napa, in California. Hence I thought it apt to devote this week's post to a recent tasting I enjoyed of Bouchaine Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines from Carneros, in Napa Valley. Th...

Good Eats: The Swissarmius Cutlery Holder

Every week we bring you our favorite cooking (and eating) from our friends at Serious Eats. This week we particularly noticed this cutlery holder, a Swiss Army knife look-alike for your own arsenal of...

What to Do With... Whole Foods Hot Pak Bags?

Whole Foods is a pioneer (at least in the U.S.) in reducing waste. They give you a discount for bringing your own bag and eliminated plastic bags. But lately we've noticed the employees stuffing anyth...

What Have You Harvested From Your Garden So Far?

It's already the middle of June, and for those of you who started your vegetable gardens earlier this year, have you been harvesting anything yet? I am at my mother's house in the North Georgia Mount...

Store Review: Penzeys Spices

If you've only ever ordered from Penzeys Spices online and have never been to a brick-and-mortar store, we highly recommend seeing if there's one in your area. For home cooks like us, visiting the sto...

Flickr Find: Anna's Small Space Kitchen Garden

When I first saw this photo uploaded to the LA Flickr Pool, I wondered if Anna was living in my old apartment. The kitchen window and view are are so reminiscent of this place that I did a double take...

My Great Outdoors: A Raised-Bed Garden in Early Summer

With all of the gardening, outdoor eating, and grilling this month, I figured I should show you my own garden. (You can see Sara Kate's country garden here, too.) This is a big year for me and my...

Basic Technique: How to Prepare Chard (Or Any Other Leafy Green!)

Facing a big pile of leafy green chard and knowing you have to somehow get it sliced it into bite-sized ribbons can feel a bit daunting. But it's really a lot easier than you might think! Here's how w...

More iPhone Apps for the Home Cook

Awhile back, we posted about iPhone apps for the home cook. Well, it's almost a year later, and the app market has grown by leaps and bounds, so we thought we'd round up some more fun and useful cooki...

Hot or Not? KitchenAid Citrus Juicer Attachment

This is the time of year when juicing just about anything sounds really good. Oranges, lemons, limes — how about a fresh orange juice spritzer or a bucket of limeade? Yes please. We have some sm...

Look! Individual S'Mores Bags

With apologies for such a blurry photo (it was late and dark), we wanted to pass on this cute idea we saw firsthand at a wedding last weekend. It would be fun for a fancy outdoor dinner or birthday pa...

What's the Deal with P.E.I. Mussels?

Mark Bittman brought up the issue of P.E.I. mussels on his blog a few weeks ago and it got us thinking about this particular shellfish. We often see P.E.I. mussels proudly displayed at seafood counter...

Rock Candy Chandelier and Plum Cupcakes
Delicious links for 6.10.09

A few pretty things in today's Delicious Links, including a chandelier made from rock candy! Also, a tour of an enormous new supermarket. ...

Stretching A Hot Dog Into A Gourmet Buffet

Hot dogs. You say their name and your mind is instantly flooded with thoughts of baseball games and cookouts. Although cooking a more expensive or beautiful pieces of meat on the grill can be fun, ...

My Great Outdoors: Maria's Rooftop Kitchen Garden

Name: Maria-Mercedes Location: Brooklyn, New York Type of space: Roof garden Tell us about your outdoor project and how you enjoy it: I am lucky enough to have a nice private roof area in New Yor...

Word of Mouth: Bannock

Bannock, noun: A flat bread, popular in Canada and the northern United States, often made of oatmeal, barley flour or corn meal. We're all about cooking and eating outdoors this month, so we perked ...

Good Question: Vegetarian Recipes for the Dutch Oven?

Here's a great question from Sofia. This question is actually one we've received from several people lately. Can anyone give some good vegetarian (and vegan) recommendations?I'm thinking about getting...

Eating Outdoors: What Do You Do About the Bugs?

I love alfresco dining as much as any romantic but even as I dream about cold roast chicken and seven-layer salad under a big tree, I also have to wonder: but what about the bugs? Mosquitos, flies, m...

Food Blog Spotlight: Food In Jars

You all know that we are semi-crazy about jars in the kitchen. We love to use 'em for storing stuff, serving lemonade, and canning our own jam. They are quiet and practical Good Things. Well, we are d...

Cookies On the Dashboard, DIY Vinaigrettes, Summer Popsicle Molds, and How Many Cups Are In a Gallon
This Time Last Year

Ice cubes, popsicle molds, berry pies, and Father's Day recipes. Yes, summer was in full swing a year ago this week, here at The Kitchn. Here's a look back at some of what we were talking about then. ...

Chicken Bog from a Sustainable Farm in Georgia
The New York Times

Never heard of chicken bog? It's a traditional South Carolina dish made from chicken, sausage, onion, and rice—the whole thing a bit soggy and stewy (hence the "bog"). This version is a souped up on...

Fresh Produce on the Go: Farmers Market on the Mass Pike

We were traveling west on the Mass Pike (that's I-90 for non-Massachusetts folks) the other week, and among the usual lot of roadside signs, we were surprised to see one for a farmers market at the ne...

Coffee Mug Displays

We love a good coffee mug—the way it warms your hand, the weight of a well-made ceramic cup, the way they look stacked on a shelf. Whether they're a coordinated collection or a hodge-podge, mugs bri...

Kitchen Tour: David and Laura's Modern Organic Remodel
Miami, Florida

When David and Laura first moved into their Miami home, the kitchen was a small white box, cramped and extremely old-fashioned in design. They have taken their time in renovating, carefully choosing e...

What to Put on a Fresh Vegetable Sandwich

Our love for this sandwich started in high school, when we'd frequently eat a foot-long veggie from Subway after soccer practice several days a week. When we moved to New York, we discovered a version...

Recipe Review: Strawberry Tart with Rich Mascarpone Cream, Dark Chocolate Bits, and a Toasted Oatmeal Shortbread Crust (Plus Ganache)

It's an irony that this tart has such a mouthful of a name. The name ticks off each component one by one, getting longer and longer in the process: Strawberry tart. Mascarpone cream. Dark chocolate bi...

Grow Your Own: MinifarmBox
Los Angeles

We don't know many decor and gift shops with a patch of lettuce and tomatoes just out the door, but LA's ReForm School is committed to many aspects of sustainable design. Since last month, shop owners...

Chipped Enamel: Need to Replace This Cookware?

See that little black spot?! That is a dime-sized chip in the bottom of our enamel-coated dutch oven. We've definitely put this pot through its paces, so it's not a huge surprise that it finally chipp...

Food Science: Why Bagels are Boiled

We grew up on bagels, and taking a bite of that warm, ultra-chewy bread is still one of our favorite food experiences. Ask any good bagel baker and they'll tell you that the key to that chewy crust an...

Lavender Candy and a Roundup of Kitchen Islands
Delicious links for 6.9.09

Sweet, milky lavender candy, a bright blue kitchen island, and a delicately-painted sugar and creamer set... ...

Quick Grilling Tip: Use A Charcoal Chimney!

One of the great lessons we learned from our father was how to use a charcoal chimney. It's easy to use and eliminates the need for lighter fluid completely! See how easy it can be to have nice hot...

My Great Outdoors: The Simonses' Garden Necessities

Name: The Simonses Location: East Boston, MA Type of space: Garden Tell us about your outdoor project and how you enjoy it: We decided to rent our current space after falling in love with the spa...

Do You Have a Shared Outdoor Space?

We've been talking about personal porches, yards and gardens, and earlier today, we asked about your favorite public picnic spots. But what about that gray area in between: the shared outdoor space? A...

What's For Lunch Today? Tartine and Potato Salad

What's for lunch today, folks? Are you eating at your desk? Are you going out with colleagues? Are you having a picnic? Here's my lunch from yesterday, which will quite likely be recreated today... ...

Cheese Review: Consider Bardwell Manchester
The Cheesemonger

From Consider Bardwell Farm in West Pawlet, Vermont, comes one of the best cheeses around.... and right now it's at particular peak, perhaps because it's most definitely the season for a cheese of thi...

Good Question: Japanese Cookbook Recommendations?

Here's a great question from Erin. Can you help her? I'm about to move to an area where decent Japanese food is a long way away, and was wondering if the readers had any suggestions for a Japanese hom...

Sausage Pasta, Strawberry Salad, Peanut Butter Cookies, Asparagus with Cheese, Orange Juice Spritzer, and Berry Pie
Last Week's Recipes

Last week we published over a dozen recipes and recipe reviews tested in our own kitchens. There were sweets ranging from jam crostata to peanut butter cookies, appetizers that included little bowls o...

New Yorkers: What Are Your Favorite Public Picnic Spots?

For many of us who live in cities, eating outdoors doesn't just involve carrying a platter of potato salad to the back deck. It requires packing, hauling, and finding a spot not already occupied by on...

The Truth About Orange Juice
Good Food with Evan Kleiman

Evan Kleiman's interview with Alissa Hamilton this past week about commercially-produced orange juice really stopped us in our tracks. The good news is that the OJ you buy in the grocery store is tech...

5 Green Reasons to Use an Ice Cream Maker

Anyone else craving a large bowl of something ice-cold? As summer approaches, we find it's happening more and more. We love our hand-me-down KitchenAid stand-up mixer for its myriad uses. Over the wee...

Recipe: Creamy Lime and Coconut Truffle Bites

We helped cook for a big graduation party a couple of weeks ago, and ever since then we've been waiting for the right time to give you this recipe. It's hard to describe how good these little morsels ...

Summer Table Inspiration from Chelsea Fuss

We don't have much reason to read wedding blogs these days, but we are still drawn back from time to time to gather fresh inspiration for entertaining and dinner parties. There are some wonderfully de...

Recipe Roundup: Fresh Limeade for Summer

We have a big bowl of limes sitting on our countertop right now (the result of not paying attention to what you have before buying more at the grocery store), and we're thinking of creating a scene li...

Cornish Flavor: Padstow Farm Shop
Padstow, England

The small fishing port of Padstow, Cornwall, has become known as one of the food capitals of England, with gourmet restaurants and specialty shops offering fresh fish, seasonal produce, Cornish pastie...

Entertaining Etiquette: Do You Set an Ending Time?

We never gave much thought to this issue until recently when the subject came up at, of course, a dinner party. And really, it's an interesting question to think about. After all, we always set a time...

Tell Us: What Neighborhood Farmers' Markets Have Opened in Your City?

Most of us know the biggies in our cities. In New York, we've got Union Square and Grand Army Plaza that are open year-round and have dozens of vendors. But there are lesser-known markets that pop up ...

Quick Tip: Add Fresh Fruit to Green Salads

Elizabeth's post the other week on having salad for dinner reminded us of another favorite addition to the simple salad: fresh fruit. We find that a handful of berries or a diced apple transforms an o...

Rocky Road Bars and Tomato Art
Delicious links for 6.08.09

Take a look at these Rocky Road Bars! Yum... ...

Stop! Don't Re-Roll Your Scraps!

Every food guru on the planet tell us that re-rerolling our scraps of dough, be it cookies, pie crusts or biscuits, won't make for the prettiest goods. Although we all know it's true, we usually try...

Summer Sweet: Strawberries, Sour Cream & Brown Sugar

Have you ever eaten a bowl of strawberries with sour cream and dark brown sugar on the side, for dipping? No? Well, you should try it, and soon. ...

My Great Outdoors: Art and Chel's Modern Balcony Kitchen

Name: Art and Chel Location: Chicago Type of space: Balcony Tell us about your outdoor project and how you enjoy it: My balcony is an extension of my kitchen and home. I have experimented with al...

Good Question: Gluten-Free, Egg-Free Dessert?

Here's a good question from Solvi: I have to bring a dessert or cake to a party. One of the guests is allergic to both eggs and flour (gluten), and I would love to bring something she can eat too. I f...

The Big Sur Bakery Cookbook by Michelle and Philip Wojtowicz and Michael Gilson, with Catherine Price
Book Review 2009

About five years ago, I lived at a hot springs resort tucked deep in the San Lucia Mountains of Central California. During the winter months, it was a full-on Zen practice temple and in the summer mo...

What's This Herb? Use Flickr for Garden Reference

Last week I found a tall, fragrant plant growing in a weedy corner of my little yard. It looked like lemon balm, an herb that has a sweet lemon aroma and makes a really wonderful herbal tea. But was i...

Cupcake Crazy at Martha Stewart

Martha has a new cookbook, and it's all about cupcakes. Regardless of your feelings about these handheld treats—super cute and delicious or a fad that needs to fade—they are a fun dessert for p...

Great Kitchen Gear from IKEA, Husband-Winning Peanut Butter Cookies, Ideas for Leftover Rice, and an Open Pantry
Top posts from June 1-7, 2009

The hottest posts from last week included a gorgeous open pantry where everything is in plain sight, as well as a recipe for husband-winning cookies, ideas for leftover rice, a concept for a new White...

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