some love letters

Dear Snow,

I know you've been getting a bad rap lately from disgruntled city folk who just don't appreciate you. They find your soft white blankets irritating and and your plush hills cumbersome. I am here to tell you that they're wrong. Snow, you are beautiful and lovely! I feel like a little girl on Christmas morning every time I wake up and you are there. I marvel at your expansiveness, and get a thrill when my cheeks blush at the cool air that accompanies you. I have always been a winter baby, and I always will be -

Forever yours,
Jacqueline


AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, but sort of in the same vein

We all know Valentine's Day is upon us. Hallmark sees a bump in their sales along with any chocolate purveyor, and if you're beau is so inclined he might give you some frosting, too.

I've never really been a fan of the whole "this is the day that I buy my guy a gift because I'm supposed to" but I am a sucker for any occasion to send my friends little notes of sweet nothings. I actually planned ahead this year and found this great book of vintage pop-out valentines, and Taco helped me write them :-)

I had to show everyone because they're so adorable, and I wish that I had thought to order extra books because there are just not enough. All the valentines in the world wouldn't really be enough to tell my friends and family how much I love them, but I'm going to try anyway. And come one - who doesn't like getting mail (when it's not bills)?

 

 

Apple of my Eye

Another family recipe for you. 

I made an apple pie last week just for fun (also to celebrate Boss Appreciation Day, and also because I had a plethora of apples from my weekly fruit share). 

This is one of those recipes that I've got memorized thanks to making it with my mom a zillion times growing up, which she originally learned from her mom (and Pillsbury ). The crust recipe is all Carla though.

It's a hand-me-down that I'm very grateful for!

First, the crust - if you follow the directions it's seriously fool proof. 

• 2 cups sifted All Purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 8 oz. butter, chilled and cubed into 1/2 inch pieces (two sticks) 
• 1 TBSP sugar (sometimes I use honey or agave) 
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup water

Dice the butter then wrap it back up and put it in the freezer for a few minutes along with the paddle for your standing mixer. In a small bowl, stir the salt and sugar with the water until fully dissolved, then add to freezer to chill. Once the butter is chilled and firm add it to your standing mixer and cut with the flour for about 45 seconds on a medium-low speed. Add the water solution all at once and run the mixer on medium until the dough forms. This should not take more than a minute to come together. With floured hands form dough into two round discs, wrap in wax paper and set aside to chill in the fridge. 

Now for the filling:

• 6 cups (or more) peeled sliced apples*
• 1/2-2/3 cup sugar (to your taste)
• 2 TBSP lemon juice
• 1 & 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• dash salt
• 2 TBSP flour, divided
• 2 TBSP butter
• 1/4 cup milk 

*I like to use mostly granny smith because I looooove the tartness, but go ahead and blend whatever apples you like!

Preheat the oven to 425*F

In a large bowl, toss apples with sugar and lemon juice and let stand 5 minutes for sugar to dissolve. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and 1 TBSP flour, toss to combine. Taste and feel free to mess with my measurements if you want a little more or less of something. But don't skip the flour or your pie will be soup. 

Once the filling is prepared, roll out one crust disc on a lightly floured surface to approximately 14" diameter, no less than 1/4" thickness. Place in 9 inch glass pie dish, trim edges and return to freezer.  Roll out second disc and set aside. Remove pie dish from freezer and fill with prepared apples. Spread the remaining 1 TBSP flour evenly over apple filling and dot with little chunks of the 2 TBSP butter. With a pastry brush, spread a thin layer of milk around the edge of the crust. Set your second crust in place on top of the apple filling and crimp the edges to seal. Slice a few slits for steam to escape and brush the whole crust with the remaining milk. 

Bake the pie in the middle rack for 40-45 minutes, or until juice begins to bubble through your slits!

Have fun with it! Everyone loves pie :-) 

The Friendliest Flower

I had a "You've Got Mail" moment this afternoon at Starbucks ordering my coffee. You know there's something wrong when you're embarrassed by how ridiculous your order sounds out loud -

"tall and dirty chocolate chai latte for Jacqueline!" 

What I thought I ordered was a small chai with an espresso shot. Of course I was asked to clarify if I wanted it with milk or if I wanted real tea - umm.... somehow I wound up saying yes to the brand new chocolate chai they were featuring and the rest is really not that important. I will have to order red eyes all next week to make up for that ridiculousness.

Anywayyyyy - here is the reason I've got Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan on the brain:



My lovely boyfriend, bless his heart, has endured "You've Got Mail" far too many times than he probably cares to admit. It is my favorite movie. And as such, I watch it every time I'm sick enough to stay in bed, or if  I get bored of whatever's on TV that week, or whenever I feel like I'm falling out of love with New York.

In this movie, Meg Ryan proclaims that Daisies are the friendliest flower - and I agree! They do a damn good job of brightening up a room :-) Jeffrey remembered this, and surprised me with a bunch for our anniversary last night! He gets an A++++ for that!

It has officially been three years since we dove into this thing head first, so to celebrate we splurged on a super tasty, super french dinner last night in the West Village. We ate snails and lots of delicious meat and we shared a crème brûlée that was absolutely perfect. 

I hate to be that girl that turns to mush but seriously - I feel very lucky.
I feel like I'm slowly becoming the best version of myself, and it's got a lot to do with this wonderful guy I get to spend my days with <3

In other words...
Jeff you complete me

A Lovely Meal

This is what i came home to yesterday :-)

Boyfriend left work early to surprise me with beautiful flowers, a clean apartment, and one of my current favorites - tea chocolate!! If you've been keeping up with my posts lately you might remember my Mate Dark Chocolate bar. I spotted these bars at the Sweet Life - a candy store on Hester street in New York's LES. They are infused with tea (awesome) and they are delicious!!

(photo from sweet life website)

Our plans last night were very simple. Valentines Day has always revolved around food for us. Our first year together, boyfriend cooked. Last year, I cooked. This year I wanted to explore our neighborhood a little bit so I picked a tiny french restaurant just a brisk walk from our apartment. It was cozy and casual and perfect. I tasted beef tartare for the first time and had pork tenderloin with brussels sprouts that were loaded with flavor. At the end of the meal we were given lollipops - also tasty - and we couldn't help but feel nostalgic and childish as we walked home.

lucky in love

Valentines Day is shrouded in myth and legend from martyrs to Roman lore. It's all intriguing and definitely fun to read about, but for me the day is about family - in all forms. Everybody's got someone to love if they really think about it.

Have a lovely evening and please - Love the one you're with!!