Posts categorized as Food

I pulled out the Easter decorations, and one of my favs is the two-foot-long twine carrots. I splurged a few years back – I have ten. I got them at Michaels Craft store. I display them in the kitchen on my open shelving. Thinking about the holidays reminded me that I’ve never used the KitchenAid immersion blender my mother got me for Christmas. A sin! So, it became clear—I’ll make creamy carrot soup. Carrots are packed with beta-carotene, which our body converts to vitamin A—an essential nutrient for our eyesight. […]

Potatoes trace their roots to the high Andes of South America. Spanish conquistadors discovered this tuber in the 16th century and brought it back to Europe, where it eventually found a special place in Ireland. The cool climate and rich soil of the Emerald Isle proved the perfect place for the potato. Quickly the potato became more than just a food crop—it became a symbol of resilience. Despite its somber chapters, like the Great Famine, the potato’s journey is one of survival and adaptability. As we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day […]

Yes, you read that right. Pretzel Salad. This dish breaks all the rules – it presents as a dessert but is in fact a side, served with the main course. It’s salad reimagined yet its vintage. It’s unconventional and irresistible. It’s what you need to make for your next dinner party, potluck, Easter, Passover, and for the summer BBQs in near sight. It has a story, a vibe, and a taste that will wobble heads. The ingredients – pretzels, strawberry, cream cheese, whip cream, butter, and… jello. My friend, Mike “The […]

Juicy roasted tomatoes, zesty green tapenade, and creamy ricotta. It’s been a while since I shared a solid recipe post. Last week, I whipped up this Italian treat to perfectly accompany the wonderful sourdough from Rockaway Bread I’ve been buying weekly. Plus, I realized I was not eating enough olives. Ingesting them promotes a sense of inner peace. (the olive branch effect). This Mediterranean dish is versatile, serving as an appetizer or a satisfying main course. I highly recommend using high-quality olive oil to elevate the flavors. And as always, I’ll push […]

  Non-organic: $0.70 to $1.00 per lb. Organic bananas: $1.00 and $1.30 per lb. About five bananas. We were in Puerto Rico and needed to eat something before a 3-hour session at Wilderness. We thought the roadside stand was a smoothie shack, but it turned out to be a fruit stand, and the only eat-on-the-go fruit there was bananas. Before surfing, you don’t want to eat a lot, but you need something—especially for a long session with drift and chest-high waves. Can we eat more than one banana? I love […]

We’re in the icy heart of Rockaway Winter. And it’s a good thing. Every year – 10 years now – I enjoy the winter more and more here. It’s a time to rest and recharge and be kind to our bodies. It’s time to plan our goals. It’s a time to connect with friends in a more intimate way. It’s a time to catch up on the things you set aside during the active summer that were postponed because the holidays popped up so fast. It’s a time to visit […]

I was looking for a bowl on the bottom shelf of my mother’s closet to make a salad, and I saw an old, faded blue box. Reaching, I pulled it out and brought it to my mother. “Whose is this?!” I asked. “It’s your grandmother’s,” mom said. My mother doesn’t bake, so I’m guessing that when Grandma Mary passed away in 2012, it went from her kitchen to my mother’s kitchen and hasn’t been touched since. I carefully opened the box with frayed corners. It revealed a mustard yellow mixer. It […]

Pumpkin bread will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to five days or refrigerator for up to seven days. Doing is the easiest way to get better at anything. Just keep trying and learn from your mistakes. Even Martha Stewart has made her share of  “mistakes.” But what really qualifies as a mistake, anyway? Martha Stewart was the first social media influencer. She taught us about lifestyle living by blending practical everyday tasks with elegance, showing us that cooking, decorating, and entertaining is an artful expression […]

Design by Paula DiGioia Warhol drank a lot of soup. He claimed to have had Campbell’s soup for lunch every day for over 20 years. To start, I’d like to follow up on the Beach 91st Street Community Garden’s Thanksgiving Food Drive and thank everyone who has donated so far! We are so impressed and overwhelmed by the response. The garden is accepting non-perishable donations up until Sunday, Nov. 24th. That leaves us enough time to purchase food with the monetary gifts, organize the goods, and bring everything to St. Rose of […]

As the off-season settles in, Others on Beach 97th and the boardwalk invites us back for a second year of community dining, whale-gazing, hot coffees in cold wetsuits, a place to walk to when you feel weird inside, a spot to fall in love, a place to cry, and a space for creative gatherings and music listening. Others is a collaboration between the culinary talents of Washed Up Cafe (@washedup.nyc) and Brothers (@brothersrockaway), bringing Rockaway folks bold coffees, breakfast burritos loaded with tater tots, creamy ricotta toast with sweet carrot toppings, warm pesto […]