Ramp Me, Baby.

RAMPS RAMPS RAMPS.

All the live-long day.

Everyone who's anyone in the food community, and beyond, is talking about these wild leeks. Foodie friends, all the blogs, snooty and otherwise, it's insane. I had to know, what is soooo great about these little fuckers?

Why did I have to go to the Greenmarket in Union Square BEFORE work, just to make sure what seemed like Greenmarket contraband hadn't sold out? And, furthermore, WHY did I pay $6 for just two bushells? Eh? Eh?

Well, after much skepticism, I found out what the big frikkin' deal was with ramps.

They are delicious.

If I have to get up early to get the little buggers again, so help me God, I will.
It was a meal to remember, partly due to the mystery that was somehow solved, and partly due to addROC's superb execution. Which, will unfold below:

addROC Sautés Ramps and Prosciutto .



Then, adds pasta and a healthy amount of delicious Romano Cheese.



Plate and savor.



RAMPS. RAMPS. RAMPS.

I annoy addROC with my obnoxious ramp songs.

But, take my word for it, they're worth singing about.


Get up early, and shake your putootie over to the Greenmarket for New York's Culinary Contraband!!!

RAMPS!!!

A Work In Progress

If there's anything I've learned about pie, it's that only time will tell how good a pie maker you'll become.

My love affair with pie began hastily, a whole mess of pies, all with different fillings: Pecans, Peanut Butter, Chocolate, Raspberry Chiffon, Apple, Cherry, Gingered-Lemon Meringue.

And then I cooled off. Who cared about my pie anyway?
I'd learned to make dough and that was the goal.

Mission accomplished, or so I thought.

Then, on one of the first of the cooler days, it beckoned.

Pie.

And so, I heeded the call.


I filled my bottom crust with sliced pears, flour, sugar, allspice, and a bit of lemon zest.


Then, I rolled out my lovely top crust. (I won't tell a lie, I secretly think that double crusts are FAR superior to open face pies! Open face?! How common!)


And then, serve. With just a dollop of fresh whipped cream.

Simple. Crisp. Pretty and plain. Just like Fall.

Perhaps it was just a series of events after all:
The chill, the crisp air at the farmer's market, the Mexican dude who took each perfect Bosc pear and lay them beautifully in a fruity display.

It was pie makin' time.

Wondering what kinda pie I'll cook up next?
Me too.

But the most I can tell you at the moment is, well, I'm workin' on it.

As though a rose should shut, and be a bud again.

While busying one's self with Nester-like activities, it's easy to get caught up in the bigger projects.

There's cleaning the bathroom, doing the dishes, baking bread, baking pie, baking cookies, dusting (occasionally), and of course, when all is said and done, collapsing on the couch with a large, frosty, alcoholic beverage.

But, if we are truly to be great Nesters, we must remember to tend to the small things as well.

Like flowers.



While shopping in Union Square's Greenmarket I came across some beautiful and inexpensive roses. And, when I got them home and put them in some water, I realized that the most simple change, a touch of color, made the room look so much more inviting.

And, I got to utilize this Hefe Weissen glass that I "found" at some bar and never use. It doesn't fit into any of our cabinets and it's been sitting like a lone soldier on the counter for months:



So, voila! Wonderful. Simple. Cheap.

It is in the small stuff. Apparently.

Plum Outta Luck

Plum season. Juicy-ness.

This past weekend, I found myself at McCarren Park's lovely Saturday Farmer's Market, where there were plums a-plenty.

Set on making a Plum Tart, I found myself drooling over basket upon basket of beautiful and colorful plums at the fruit stand.

So, I stuffed 5 lbs of plums in my backpack, and rode my bicycle back to the homestead. All the while, Sugar Plum Fairies danced in my fuckin' head.

Well. I'm glad I got so many frikkin' plums, 'cause the tart was a no-go.
The dough was FUCKED before I even had a chance to fold in the sweet plum filling.

So, like a whiny bitch, I gave up and trashed that son-of-a-bitch.

And, instead, I made this turd.
A "Plum Cake."
We could also call it: "A flavorless, dry, quasi-attractive flour based substance in a pan, somewhat resembling cake."

I'm sticking with pies people. Tart dough is a beeeotch and this cake was garbage.

Oh yeah, Happy Monday.

addROC's Kitchen: 2 Nights, 2 Meals

Mmmm...veggies from Union Square's Greenmarket.
These were the colorful ingredients my boyfriend, addROC, chose to cook with this weekend.

Here at The Brooklyn Nester, Brooklyn Bitch does a lot of nesting, but, not a lot of cooking. I leave that task to persons with the know-how, and I'll do the dishes...I promise.

Join me as I highlight the delicious eats that we enjoyed this weekend here at The Brooklyn Nester in addROC's Kitchen.

Night #1: Just the Two of Us

Pork Chops with a Spicy Orange Glaze
Tomato, Fennel, Onion, and Ham Salad with a Parmesan Dressing
Fresh Sweet Corn


Absolute perfection. And, the colors were beautiful. Something pretty always tastes better!

Night 2: Grilling for Friends

Salsa Verde
Fried Fresh-Corn Fritters
Dirty Rice with Pork Sausage
Cucumber and Onion Salad with Thai Sweet-Chili Dressing
Grilled Garlic-Shallot Burgers Topped with Cheddar, Onion, and Tomato

Salsa Verde
Fried Fresh-Corn Fritters
Dirty Rice with Pork Sausage
Cucumber and Onion Salad with Thai Sweet-Chili Dressing

Grilled Garlic-Shallot Burger Topped with Cheddar, Onion, and Tomato


Huzzah for men who can cook, 'cause I sure can't!

Many thanks to addROC for another delicious weekend.

Enjoy the rest of yours!