downton audrey

hey y'all! i had a rather exhausting, somewhat wine-soaked weekend, so i'm taking it easy with a bit of hulu with a side of blogging. i've become obsessed with downton abbey - about a year too late, i know - watching the first two seasons in a matter of about four days, because that's how i do. the show is essentially a soap opera set in the early 1900's, which is captivating enough, but the costuming is absolutely to die for - for me, it rivals even that of mad men - gorgeous, long art deco frocks, elbow length gloves, fabulous jewelry. it inspired me to snag this skirt, and do my best modern-downton - sort of last year's anthropologie catalog meets downton abbey meets dark-rooted-bedhead.




top: anthropologie
skirt: madewell
necklace: gift from sam
necklace: old anthropologie
shoes: (hard to see) rachel comey

anyhow, last weekend, after the resounding success that was braised lamb neck, i grabbed some lamb lollipops from work and planned a meal around them - a fishcake salad to start, mussels for an appetizer and then lamb lollipops with a fennel and green apple slaw and beet pureé. the preparation was actually quite simple, but so, so good.






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apple and fennel slaw

one small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
one green apple, thinly sliced
2 T honey
2 T apple cider vinegar
a few fronds of fennel, chopped
sea salt

combine all ingredients and let them sit for at least thirty minutes.

beet and greek yogurt pureé

about 2 large beets, cooked til soft and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup greek yogurt
sea salt

place in blender. buzzzzzz.

lamb lollipops

spice rub: i used rubbed sage, fennel pollen, sea salt, fresh thyme leaves
4 lamb lollipops
a splash of olive oil

start the oil in a pan, on medium high; let the pan get nice and hot, then place the lollipops in. cook for about 2-3 minutes (depending on thickness) each side; let them rest for a few minutes, then serve atop the slaw and puree. ta-da!

and one final note! i've had some exciting press lately - an interview with the host of all things considered on npr (which i have to admit is very much a dream come true for me, the biggest of all NPR nerds) and then today my macarons are featured on nymag.com! (and just in time for valentine's day. . . i have a feeling the next week will be an exceedingly busy one.)


macaron flavors (clockwise) coconut cream, nutella, mint chocolate chip, lavender black pepper and lemon rosemary. (photo by nymag)

thank you, truly and deeply, for all your kind words - i'll do a post soon to address some questions i've been getting in the comments.

much love to you all,

xo audrey

brunch

sunday afternoon, four old friends from culinary school came over for brunch. in other words, five pastry chefs gathered at my apartment sunday and they all brought food. for my part, despite two late nights in a row - friday night was my going away party at work, and saturday night was a close friend's birthday - i roused myself at a reasonable hour (10 am is reasonable, right?) and started cookin'.













the apple cake i made can be found here; it was great, nice and light, not like a lot of apple cakes which end up really dense (also delicious, but when you're got a zucchini, asparagus & goat cheese strata, 2 kinds of eclairs, chocolates, a spice bundt with caramel icing to get through, you've got to keep it light any way you can.)

my other contribution (aside from some fresh-squeezed juice to house the champagne) was a smoked duck, beet and goat cheese hash, a variation on one of my favorite breakfasts of all time. it takes a bit of time (mostly for the beets to roast) but it so well worth it.


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smoked duck, beet and goat cheese hash

1 smoked duck breast, cubed
2 large beets, roasted until soft when pricked with a fork and cubed
3 medium sized potatoes, peeled, boiled and cubed
1 4 oz goat cheese log
4 thyme sprigs
salt & pepper

start a large saucepan on medium high heat; add duck. sear it on all sides, then add thyme, beets and potatoes; cook until crispy on the sides, remove from heat, and stir in goat cheese. salt and pepper to taste; serve with fried eggs atop if desired.

easy as pie! and so, so savory or delicious. you can really sub in any meat you like, but the duck did work great with the beets and goat cheese.

i started the new job yesterday, and i have to say, it's pretty incredible. now that i've emptied my camera of brunch photos, i'll be sure to document my goings-on in there. and i'm off work around 2 every day, so i should have some daylight time for an outfit post or two. . . as long as i don't fall asleep watching netflix at 3 like i may or may not have done upon arriving home today.

hope all is well, and more from me soon -

xo audrey

health food

hi everyone!

i promised a normal post today, but i'm not quite there - my cold seems to have moved down to my chest (oh joy!) so i kept myself awake coughing most of the night, and thus didn't wake up in time for any cute outfitting. i DID muster up the strength to make sam and i some supper last night, and decided to make it as healthy as i could (well, as healthy as i can FOR ME, which means still pan-frying it and slathering it with cheese.) it was lovely and delicious, so i snapped some photos.








the sandwich was a bunch of leftovers on two pieces of sourdough: steamed broccoli, grilled portobello caps, and various pitted olives with a schmear of artichoke garlic cream on one side and goat cheese on the other, pan fried in a bit of olive oil.

the salad was really bright and refreshing, and quite healthy - i love beets, but i never eat them raw, so this was new for me.

1 beet, peeled
2 carrots, scrubbed
a splash each of white wine vinegar, sesame oil, and honey
1 t cumin seeds
some kosher salt

grate the beet and carrots in your food processor, if you have one, or your box grater if need be. add the other ingredients, toss, and voila! healthy and delicious.


one wedding conundrum down, and another pops up. bridesmaids gifts. this has been so stupidly hard for me. obviously i adore each of the girls that will be standing by my side on the big day, but i'm at a loss as to what to get them - they are all so different, so maybe individual gifts are the way to go, but i'm worried that will get pricey. . . any ideas? what did you do for your bridesmaids?

and thank you SO MUCH for all of your kind words on my last (mushy) post. i don't usually get so personal and it was really touching that everyone had such nice things to say and is so happy for us. . . what can i say? i'm pretty darn happy for us, too.

have a lovely wednesday, everyone!

xo audrey

sparklemotion

good morning! i hope everyone is feeling chipper and well-rested as we face the day before the day before the weekend. obviously, i'm counting down the days.

last night my friend came over and we ate popcorn, sipped bellinis, and just chatted about life. somewhere along the way i threw together dinner for us, which was tasty, colorful, and just happened to match today's outfit.





beet & heirloom tomato orzo

i'm not sure when i started cooking orzo as if it's risotto, but it works really well and i think it's a lot easier to get the texture you want from it.

about 1 1/2 cups orzo
1 large beet, roasted in the oven until soft, peeled, and cubed
2 small heirloom tomatoes, cubed
a couple of pinches of tarragon
about 2 cups of chicken stock (add as needed)
1 T butter
salt to taste
about 2 oz goat cheese (half a small log)

melt the butter on medium heat in a large pan, and add the tomatoes. toss them around a bit, then add the orzo; let it brown a tiny bit in the pan, stirring it around, then add about a cup of chicken stock and turn the heat down to low. let it simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is almost gone; taste it and add more chicken stock if still al dente (which it should be.) add the tarragon and continue to cook on low, tasting and adding chicken stock occasionally, until the liquid is almost gone and you have the texture from the pasta you want. add the beets and cook for another minute or two; add salt and goat cheese, stir to coat the pasta, then take off the heat and serve. voila!





after dinner we played dress-up in my closet for a little while, and ashlee pulled out this dress that i haven't worn in ages; it's inspired me to do some diving back into my closet, because it is jam-packed with gems that i have completely forgotten exist.

dress: h&m
scalloped slip: thrifted
tights: c/o stylefind
shoes: thrifted

i feel like a modern-day flapper in this outfit! i love it, although it's the first sunny morning in ages and when i got on the bus this morning the light kept hitting my dress and sending blinding pink light into everyone's eyes. no one else loved it.

and, i need to take a vote. i think the epic placecards/favors battle comes down to three ideas: little potted plants (probably either a flower or strawberry plants,) little jars of homemade jam or curd, or little bottles of home-infused olive oil. i love the plants idea, and i think strawberry plants would be so pretty and fit in with everything else really well, but lots of people are traveling for the wedding and probably wouldn't be able to take the plant with them; of course, lots of people probably have no interest in infused olive oil or jam, either. help!

xo audrey

fashion flake

hello hello! yes, it has been awhile. after receiving a bit of good-natured hell from a friend of mine about being such a flake about posting i realized that there is one thing i miss about my old office job: all the time i had in front of my computer every morning. it's also one of the things i'm most relieved to get away from - spending 9 hours a day in front of a computer was, for me at least, a pretty depressing affair and one that i certainly grew weary of, but it did make writing a blog post a highlight and something easily squeezed into my day before my first cup of coffee and microwaveable lunch. (yeah, i guess there really isn't much else i miss about that job. except the people, of course.) so what has been keeping me so damn busy? well, lots of this.







i made smitten kitchen's best birthday cake.


and shrimp tacos,




and green things,



and red things,

and the most delicious shortcake i've ever had. i think.

so, maybe i'll be a girl here for a minute and go a bit further into explaining my blog hibernation; the winter is just ending, and i work in a bakery, and i spend most of my free time cooking, and i just don't feel like taking photos of myself every day. it's a thing i've always had a strange relationship with anyway; i'm not a big fan of having my picture taking, and like anyone, i'm my own worst critic, but i do love clothes and dressing up and i feel it's an artistic expression in a way that i am proud to show to the world. that said, not only does spending 12 hours a day in a kitchen not really lend itself to wearing one's most delicate vintage finery, but the results of all that cooking (and eating) don't really make me feel like getting super dressed up. the summer seems to be just around the corner, though, and i'm determined to "health up," so to speak, and get my style groove back. i hope you'll be satisfied with delicious recipes and food porn filling in the spaces when outfit posts are less frequent. additions to the store are still to come and i'll be doing my best to make my posts more frequent - but, you know. i'm human. obviously. thanks for sticking with me.

much love,

xo audrey

green and gold

i stared at the 'title' space on this page for a good five minutes. i give up.

found this beauty this past weekend, somewhere between connecticut and brooklyn. it is absolutely divine. 1960's, in absolutely perfect condition, beautifully lined, sparkling gold embroidery. unfortunately, i think it was made for a girl less busty than i, so i'll wear it tonight and then let it go, on my etsy shop - all systems are go and i'll be launching it on saturday.



top: vintage
skirt: american apparel
shoes: akira chicago
belt: thrifted

and now, my apologies for the delay on this, the recipe for the beet, leek, and goat cheese tart i posted last week. adopted from here.

1 pie dough (you can use store bought or this simple recipe: 1 1/4 cups flour, 1 stick unsalted butter (cut into cubes), pinch of salt, a couple T ice water. you can either just cut the butter into the salt and flour with two knives [the method i used before i had a food processor] and then sprinkle in the water until you can scrunch it all together into a ball with your hands, or pulse the butter into the flour and add water little by little until it comes together.)

1 medium sized roasted beet
4 oz crumbled goat cheese
2 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted (if you want)
1 large leek, sliced and cleaned
1 T butter
6 eggs
1/4 cup half and half
salt and pepper
some herbs to top it off - i used fresh sage

if you bought the crust, you're set. if you're making it, wrap it in plastic and set it in the fridge for a half hour or so before rolling it out. butter a pie pan before doing so, then roll it out and place it inside. do with the edges what you will. you'll want to pre-bake it - use parchment paper to line the thing and weigh it down with what you have - dried beans, lentils, pie weights, if you have 'em. you really want to fill the whole thing or it will just blow up/collapse while it's pre-baking. pop it in the oven at 375 for 10-15 minutes, until it starts to set. take it out and wait for it.

roast the beet. this takes awhile, depending on the size. turn your oven to 375 and wrap the beet, cleaned but unpeeled, in foil and let it cook for about an hour. once it's easy to stick a fork into, it's done. let it cool, then the skin should slip right off if it's cooked through. once it's cool, you'll want it to be in thin slices. i used a mandolin to cut mine but a sharp knife would do just as well. set aside.

the leeks! they must be cleaned so carefully because these things are always super dirty for some reason. once they're well washed, thinly slice them into little circles. sautee them in the butter. i also added a couple dashes of white wine, some white pepper, and dried fennel to mine, just for the heck of it. it was tasty, so if you have that stuff lying around i'd recommend it, but it's still delicious without, i'm sure. meanwhile, stick the pinenuts (if you're using them) into a toaster oven or the oven you used for the beet. keep an eye on 'em - once they start to brown, take them out.

once the leeks are soft and transparent, take them off the heat and let them chill out. start to lay the beets inside the pie crust however you'd like -it's fun if they're pretty but it's tasty regardless. put the leeks on top of that. whisk the eggs with the half and half and some salt and pepper (use your judgement - i like things very salty so i add a lot, and i used white pepper and black pepper in this.) pour this over the leeks and beet. top with goat cheese (again, as much as you want - i used more than called for because i figure you can't really have too much.) add pinenuts and the herbs.

bake at 375 for about 45 minutes or so. the crust should be golden around the edges and it shouldn't wobble much when you shake it, and will probably be just so slightly domed in the middle. let it cool for ten minutes or so and then voila!

it's a lot of work, and i have to admit while i was making it i was doubtful it would be worth it. it is. especially if you are a leek/beet lover - it's killer.



i'm starting to look at wedding dresses and i have a few to post, so i'll get on that soon. does anyone have any places i should look? i want something vintage, i think - i'm having trouble finding one that's perfect. of course i have over a year to do so, so i'm not too worried about it.


hope everyone has a lovely evening!

xo audrey

beet week

hello from a very sleepy brooklynite! today was a 5 am morning at work, and it's now past midnight and for some reason i can't fall asleep, so i thought i'd muster a quick post.

this morning at work i was trying to think of what to make for dinner tonight - a friend came over and i was hoping to try to come up with something without having to make a grocery run. i remembered i had some frozen beet gnocchi and settled on it; i then thought about the beet tart i made monday and the phrase "beet week" popped into my head and i had the sudden association of that sex and the city episode when it's fleet week and the girls are walking down the street and start seeing sailors and samantha is all slutty-eyed about it. except in my scenario it would be beets that she was all hot and bothered by. the thought made me snort a little bit. i don't think anyone heard me over the mixer.

also used up some red beet i'd cubed in the fridge and the last of the leeks. i spun a fresh apple/kiwi sorbet last night, too, so that served as dessert. i love kiwi seeds. they have this tangy crunch.






i've been looking for an excuse to use these egg cups forever. this seemed as good an occasion as any.

finally picked up some dry cleaning yesterday and in it was this dress, one of my favorites. it also happens to be somewhat beet-colored. just sayin'.



dress (top): thrifted in portland
skirt (actually also a dress): h&m. i tuck the top inside and wear it as a skirt - i really prefer it that way.
shoes: thrifted in camden, NJ
belt: thrifted in chicago
purse: a vintage hat box sam gave me. thrifted.

all right. i'm going to attempt sleep before dragging myself out of bed in a few hours. sleep tight, everyone!

xo audrey