Coming home.
August 5, 2012
Coming home.
Strawberry Chipotle Jam
This low-in-sugar jam has a slightly smoky, slightly tangy taste in the background (don’t worry – it’s not enough to overpower the berry taste) and makes a great add-in for freezer pops, ice creams, etc.
Strawberry Chipotle Jam
1 lb. strawberries, washed and de-stemmed
2 Tbsp. sugar
In a large skillet over medium heat, mash the strawberries and sugar with a potato masher until the berries are broken up and well on their way to being somewhat smooth. The sugar should disappear.
Add
1 Tbsp. adobo sauce from a can of chipotles
2 Tbsp. Jack Daniel’s Honey
Bring up to a low boil, drop the heat and simmer (slow tiny bubbles every once in awhile) about 20 minutes or until thickened and sludgy. When you drag a wooden spoon through the mixture, you should have clear tracks left.
Pour into sterilized glass canning jars (making sure to leave some head room) and screw on the lid.
Boil the jars a good 5 minutes to seal.
Makes 2 8 ounce jars.
August 4, 2012
Golden hour at the 2 Taste Wine Bar in Hyde Park. Omfg, fantastical food. Granted, most everything we’ve eaten at up here (all highly rated and/or heartily suggested) has been total crap. This however, was not. The blue crab / duck confit with whipped potatoes, port reduction, pickled caramelized onion and green beans special was amazing; and the filet was worth half again what they were charging based on taste alone.
I highly recommend if anywhere near town.
The B&B we stayed in, the Journey Inn, was also lovely.
August 3, 2012
And what a nice backyard to have. The Vanderbilt Mansion, Hyde Park NY.
August 2, 2012
The side bar at Webster Hall. We saw Helmet – good; a band we didn’t know, Ume – also good; and the Toadies – rocked it. Totally didn’t expect them to kick that much ass. So much so, I had to dig up my old CD for a re-listen.
The venue was great, too. Bits of leftover old cool architecture, a second huge bar with lots of stools, a combined really open bathroom that doesn’t promote lolly gagging, a bathroom attendant selling candy & sundries, old school bouncy main floor, killer lighting & sound, and huge fans.
A great intro to concerts in our new home.
August 1, 2012
Why am I an Apple fan girl? In part, because they make such damn pretty products. Also, I’ve heard this battery charger is the bomb-diggety from multiple sources.
July 31, 2012
Castor canadensis (aka the North American Beaver)
Over the weekend we found a superawesome store in SoHo specializing in skulls, exploded (Beauchene) models, and bits of natural elements.
Needless to say, I want everything in there, including the $2800 Allosaurus skull cast.
Random NYC Scenes
Random shots taken walking around over the past few weeks in NYC. I’ve been struggling with photographic inspiration lately – some days carrying the camera around helps, some days it doesn’t. These days it did… a little.
These next shots were taken while showing my sister and mother-by-choice around the city. Both were interested in NYC-things (as opposed to tourist spots), which was just fine by me. We wandered Park Slope, got lost-ish in Prospect Park, slogged through Central Park in the bazillion-degree heat to see the somewhat disappointing Belvedere Castle, shopped in SoHo, wandered through Greenwich, strolled the boardwalk in Coney, experienced the madness of Midtown, immersed ourselves in Chinatown and had an overall lovely (albeit sweaty) time. Lots of good food, lots of poking around in shops, and of course, lots of chatting.
— Love the dusk with lights on feel of this one
July 30, 2012
The Natural History section of our living room.
July 29, 2012
Put a bird on it … SoHo.
Gastography 