Nester of the Week: Rose Levy Beranbaum

After officially announcing pie season, here at The Brooklyn Nester, it would be inappropriate to ignore a very special lady who has influenced the world of pie and pastry exponentially. Rose Levy Beranbaum is the author of the famed and, not to mention, completely necessary: The Pie and Pastry Bible.



If you don't have her book(s), I bet you've made one of her recipes. Epicurious.com draws many of their pie and pastry recipes from her books...and, she hosts a wonderful blog, Real Baking With Rose, equipped with recipes and a ton of baking tips and tidbits.

So, this pie season, we celebrate you Rose. Here's to you, for making our quest for the perfect pie just a little bit easier...crust and all.

The Bitch is Back

Sincere apologies my faithful Nesters!

My computer was down, and, then I ended up taking an unexpected hiatus.

But, the Bitch is back, and she's feeling renewed and zesty.

While I may have taken a brief break from blogging, the Nesting continued...so there is much to share in the coming weeks!

In any event, I've been feeling kind of guilty for abandoning you all...so, here's a little nugget from 8 million years ago...AKA the Chris Kimball book signing. Some of you emailed me thirsty for details so...here y'are!

CHRISTOPHER KIMBALL'S BOOK SIGNING
@ THE SHOPS AT COLUMBUS CIRCLE


The event opened with Chris chatting about the new book and how America's Test Kitchen works diligently to perfect its recipes.
Then there was a Q&A where all the weird-ass New Yorkers reared their ugly heads and asked totally irrelevant and uninformed questions. The only pertinent piece of information we learned during the Q&A was that when Christopher eats out in New York, he prefers Le Bernardin .
Classy Chris, classy.


Chris and his Test Kitchen crew brought along snacks. Which, as is evident, I munched whilst admiring our new book!


Then Chris signed some books...which we were super-stoked for!!!


And, here is our glorious book, equipped with signature of course!
And, Chris even has a little bow-tie stamp! So cute! It scored him some major Nesting points!

Anyway, even if it was, like, 3 years ago, it was fun and I thought y'all would like to see zee photos!

Have a great Monday! And, stay tuned as I beg for your forgiveness through blogging!

Nester of the Week Update!: Christopher Kimball

Y'all know how much we love Christopher Kimball! So, it is a pleasure to announce that he will be appearing up in The Shops at Columbus Circle at Borders Books and Music for a book discussion and signing.

His new book:
America's Best Lost Recipes



We're pretty gosh darn excited.

And, yes, we'll be there in our nerdy glory, waitin' to meet the man himself.

Come out and support Chris! It's a one night only engagement!


CHRISTOPHER KIMBALL BOOK SIGNING
Borders Books and Music @ The Shops at Columbus Circle
10/16/2007 (TONIGHT!!!)
7:00PM - 9:00 PM
212-823-9775

Nester of the Week: Gordon Ramsay

Swoon.

Call me a BIG loser, but, I frikkin' love this guy.

His his overly-dramatic television persona, his foul-mouthed asshole act, his British joie de vivre! You name it, Gordon Ramsay has it.

Sure, his act is, well, an act.
But, I like his in-your-face attitude and his family values.
If everyone could get past the fact that he's dropping F-Bombs left and right, maybe they'd see that he's a celebrity chef with culinary talent and business know-how worth writing home about.

After I read about his home life, family, and sheep (truly baaaaaad-ass) in a Bon Appetit featurette, it's a lot easier to envision the man behind the effin' mask.

It turns out, he's actually quite the family-man, and making good food is actually a part of the Ramsay family's everyday living. He ain't no Rachel Ray peeps.

Awwww. So he's really a sap after all.

Hell's Kitchen is one of my favorite guilty pleasures. And, I am super-psyched for September 19th's 9PM premiere (Tomorrow people!) of his new show on FOX: Kitchen Nightmares.


Love him or hate him, but, either way join me in raising a glass:

A fucking toast, to you, Gordon Fucking Ramsay!
I Fucking Love You Muthafucka!

Anti-Nester of the Week: Rachel Ray

I'm sorry, really. But, I just HAVE to go there.

Everyone loves to hate her, but why? Hmmm...

My Top Five Reasons For Hating Rachel Ray

1. I'm not sure what she really does...but I'm pretty sure that I could've done it without her.

2. She's 100% Pure annoying.

3. She's a "chef" that endorses Dunkin' Donuts. Have you ever had a Dunkin' Donuts bagel? Would you endorse it? Exactly.

4. In the one full episode I've seen of her self-titled ABC show, she was cooking with Dr. Phil. Together they were making a one skillet lunch that consisted of:
One, bun-less, Beef Patty Topped with Smoked Mozzarella
A side of canned, cut string-beans (canned string-beans...ewww).

What? This is a cooking show? I may not be a great cook, but, I'm pretty sure the concept of hamburgers and canned vegetables falls under the category of: Lazy & Boring.

5. "Yummers!", "Delish!", and "EVOO" are all a form of brainwashing. There is a very distinct possibility, if I hear her utter them again, that I may shove my own septum into my brain. It's become so bad, even I find myself saying her little catch phrases, in my own fucking kitchen. Sacrilege. She must be stopped!

I leave you with these sentiments:


If we must toast to Rachel, let's do it old school, pick up a 40 oz-er of COLT 45^©. You'll be so wasted by dinner...it won't matter what slop she throws down.

Nester of the Week: Christopher Kimball

We love Christopher because he's the founder of several of our favorite multi-media cooking education and entertainment sources!

Yes, he's the Mastermind behind gems like America's Test Kitchen on PBS, and the outstanding print publications: Cook's Illustrated Magazine and Cook's Country Magazine. Not to mention the author and co-author of several cookbooks put out in association with those magazines.

The first time we set eyes on him in America's Test Kitchen, his zany manner and love for food became instantly infectious. He's so much fun, and his obsession with a recipe's perfection is both admirable and inspiring.

While his accolades may be many, he certainly isn't a snob, though he's a foodie for sure. His unpretentious approach to cooking and prep make it all seem so easy and light hearted. And, isn't that the sign of a true pro?

Here's to you Christopher...you tested all the bunk recipes so we didn't have to...and you frikkin' rock.

Nester of the Week: Martha Stewart

OK. So, she's the ultimate nester, forever and ever. Amen.

But, just because she's on the cover of WIRED Magazine this month, we have to give her Nester of the Week.

She's classy, bitchy, business savvy, and fucking clever. And, while she may have sold out, just a little, she's still awesome.

And, for WIRED, she made a kick-ass Wii cake! Awesomeness.

Toast to Martha with something classy, like a Bordeaux or Chablis.

You're too good for this world Martha, you're too good. That's why they tried to lock you up...

But, we know here at The Brooklyn Nester, you're the nesting Wizard, and Martha, no one's gonna hold you back.

Not nobody, not no how!

Nester of the Week: Marge Simpson

When it comes to nesting, Marge Simpson is my hero.

Obviously, she's the best animated Mom ever, and she's got time for everything and everyone.

We've only seen her screw up a couple times, and I don't know anyone who doesn't love this blue-haired lady. She can bake a cake, sew a costume, halt her hubby, and barricade Bart, all with Maggie on her hip.

The Simpson Movie comes out this weekend, and you can bet you're bottom dollar, this Nester is gonna be there.

Homage must be paid to the Nesters that have come before...and who continue to put us all to shame.

If I could get a DUFF brew in these parts, I would. But for now, this Mike's Hard Lemonade^© will have to do.

Marge, here's to you.