My First Latkes

A couple weeks ago, before the first night of Hanukkah, I gathered with my future Sister-In-Law, Lisa, and her roommates and friends for a festive night of cookie baking (see below post), holidays movie watching (Love, Actually), and wine drinking (of course). But no Christmas celebration could be complete without...Latkes? Luckily, one of our crew was a Hanukkah celebrator (aka, Jewish) and delighted us with the best Latkes I have ever had. Actually, I think they were the only Latkes I have ever had, but I don't ever expect to have better Latkes. Latkes with a capital L, because they deserve proper-noun status.  Apparently the chef (the one and only Emily Josephs) got the recipe from Gwyneth Paltrow's blog, goop, but the Latkes she (Emily) turned out were way better (looking) than Gwyneth's (no offense, Gwyn). Let me paint you a picuture...hearty potatoes and crisp apples molded together into a perfect patty, then deep fried in oil until crisp and golden brown. It's like hash browns on steroids. But wait, there's more. Top the latkes (whoops, Latkes) with creme fraiche, smoked salmon, and dill. Put them alongside a salad of peppery arugula, lemon and Parmesan, and you have yourself Latke nirvana. Hyperbole? I think not. Try for yourself. How do you like them Latkes?

For those who celebrate it, happy (belated) Hanukkah! And thank you for your Latkes! 

Tis' the Season

I love the holidays. That stretch between Thanksgiving and Christmas is truly magical to me. I love the twinkling lights. I love the music. I'm one of those who listens exclusively to Christmas music from the day after Thanksgiving until Christmas Eve. I love the hustle and bustle of shoppers in the city. Finding that perfect gift. Wrapping presents. I love holiday movies. Christmas Vacation. Love Actually. Miracle on 34th Street. I love the anticipation of no work. No school. Being with your closest family and friends. I love holiday food. Egg nog. Gingerbread. The Ritz crackers that come in the shape of snowflakes and the Oreo cookies dipped in white chocolate. Snow-reos...


Most of all I love baking holiday cookies! Rolling out the sugar cookie dough (we used this recipe), getting covered in flour. Cookie-cuttering. Making snowmen and bells, stockings and stars. Eating the dough. Frosting them with red and green and sprinkles. No matter how ridiculous they turn out, they always look festive and taste delicious! And at the end of the night everyone has their favorite cookie that no one can eat...Mr. Snowman is mine.

                 

Thankful for Pinterest

Do you have Pinterest? You should get it if you don't. Then be prepared to have it consume any idle time you have. Actually, be prepared to have it also consume the time when you should be doing productive things...like homework, or cooking dinner, or paying attention to a story your fiancé is telling you. It's okay, fiancé, I wasn't listening to you because I was Pinteresting our wedding. (yes, Pinteresting is a word...just like Tweeting and Facebooking and Instagraming). 

If you have been living under a rock, Pinterest is a social photo sharing website where the user collects ("pins") photos and compiles them into themed files ("boards"). You can peruse others' boards and re-pin what you like, or you can pin photos straight from the web. Imbedded in each photo is the website from which it came from, so you can always get to the original source of the photo to buy it, cook it, do it, or see more like it....

Did I lose you yet? Let me paint you a little picture. You're enjoying a hot cup of coffee on a lovely Sunday morning in November wondering what you could bake today. You log onto Pinterest, scroll through the "Food & Drink" collection and stumble upon an enticing looking Pumpkin Coffee Cake that someone pinned. You click on the photo in order to see the recipe and realize that you have all the ingredients! After repinning the Pumpkin Coffee Cake photo so that you never, ever lose it, you get to work baking. An hour later, you are face to face with a cake that looks pretty close to the picture you just pinned. You cut a piece, you take a picture of it (because you know you'll blog about it later) and sink your teeth into it. You're speechless. It's incredible. A thousand words come to mind to describe this cake. But you don't need to use them. Because a picture is worth a thousand words. And it all started with a picture...

Melodramatic? I think not. Pinterest is that epic. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I am proud to say I am thankful for Pinterest this year. Pinterest has helped me start planning my wedding. It's fed many hungry tummys. It has brightened my day with adorable pictures of baby animals. And you should be thankful for it, too. Because without Pinterest you may have never know about the best Pumpkin Coffee Cake you will ever, ever eat!

Here is the link to the original blogger who posted this recipe: 

http://www.prettygoodfood.com/2012/02/pumpkin-coffee-cake-with-brown-sugar.html

Now, go create a Pinterest account!

Viva Peru!

I took a little trip to Peru. Peru is beautiful. The people. The Andes. Machu Picchu. Everything about Peru is stunning. Indigenous people dressed up in colorful dress with their llamas by their side. Flute music blowing in the wind high up in the mountains. Snow capped peaks and rushing rivers. Sacred ruins. Dancing. Lima sunsets and crashing waves. Did you know Peru has 28 of the world's 32 microclimates? I didn't either. And I only went to two of them. If you want to be blown away, go to Peru. It is beautiful...

When I was in Peru, I also got engaged. That was the most beautiful thing of all. I got engaged atop Huayna Picchu- 8,920 feet above the sea. When you see a picture of Machu Picchu, look for the mountain in the background. That is Huayna Picchu. Then, look at the very top of the mountain. That's me! Getting engaged. So Epic and so beautiful. I am so lucky. And oh so happy!

The best things happen when you least expect them to. That is so, so true. 

Stop expecting and just embrace and amazing things will happen to you. I promise. 

OK so onto the food. I love going to new places and trying new food. If you like seafood, go to Lima. And order ceviche. They make it with lots of lime, cilantro, and red onion. It's so fresh. If you like things hot, ask for salsa picante. I didn't not get ceviche in Lima, so I don't have any more suggestions. 

When you're in the mountains, your eat mountainous things- like Alpaca and Guinea Pig. Alpaca is good. Guinea Pig is not. I technically didn't try the Guinea Pig, but that's because it's Guinea Pig. I did however carve the Guinea Pig because that's how they roll in Peru. Men serve the soup, women chop up the Guinea Pig. Then they lose their appetite and don't eat the Guinea Pig. They also eat lots of potatoes and fava beans and quinoa. I fell in love with quinoa. More about that in a bit...

I also fell in love with Pisco Sours, which is a more dangerous infatuation. What is a Pisco Sour, you may ask? Well it's Pisco, lime, simple syrup, and egg white. What is Pisco you may ask? It's a type of brandy made from grapes invented in Peru. Chileans might get made if they heard me say that. They think they invented Pisco. I don't really know. I'm just thankful someone invented it. Here is the recipe so that you can make one too!

3 parts Pisco (you could substitute vodka/ whisky/ amaretto, but then it wouldn't be a PISCO sour!)

1 part sugar syrup (which is one part sugar dissolved in one part water)

1 part lime juice (fresh squeezed, please!)

1 part egg white (i.e: one egg white = one part)

Blend all ingredients, shake with ice, strain and serve. To be a true Peruvian, you can garnish with a couple drops of bitters (but who really keeps bitters on hand?)

If you give someone a Pisco Sour, they're going to want a delicious Peruvian bowl of Quinoa Soup to go with it! 

You can add Quinoa to your favorite soup, or you can use my recipe! The nice thing about soup is that there are no rules. Put in what you have. Leave out what you don't. 

Prepare:

1 White Potato (peeled and cut into chunks) 

1 Sweet Potato (peeled and cut into chunks)

Yellow and/or Green Zucchini (cut into half rounds)

1 Red Pepper, 2 Celery Stalks, 1 Onion, 2 Carrots, 2 Cloves Garlic (diced)

2 Large Chicken Breasts (cut into large pieces)

Chorizo Sausage (cut into rounds- I only added this because I had it- it's yummy with or without)

Measure out: 

10 Cups Chicken Broth / Water Combo (whatever ratio works)

1 Cup Quinoa (read the box- you may need to rinse first)

In a large dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Add the red pepper/celery/onion/carrot/garlic mixture and cook a couple minutes until soft and translucent. Spice up with cumin, saffron, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken and chorizo (if using), quinoa, potatoes, and liquid. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through and starting to fall apart, about 20 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook about 10 minutes longer, or until the zucchini is just cooked (al dente). I topped the soup with cheese. You can top with cilantro. Whatever floats your boat. And don't forget your Pisco Sour!

Viva Peru!   

Hurricane Day...and a Little Trip to the Market

Growing up in Colorado, we frequently had "snow days". It was one of the best feelings- waking up to go to school only to be told to go back to bed because school got cancelled. It was so exciting to peer out the window at a canvas of newly fallen snow and know you had the whole day to go play in it. Snow days were magical...

Well, yesterday I experienced my first hurricane day. Not so magical. Horizontal rain,  60+ mph winds, and the potential of falling trees (among other things) isn't very inviting. Thank goodness Boston made it out of the storm virtually untouched. Others weren't so lucky. Picture of New York and New Jersey are horrific. Seeing the city that never sleeps in a complete blackout is very haunting. I see why they called this thing Frankenstorm.

Before the hurricane came to town, Mike and I raided one of the local markets for some tasty finds. Every Sunday, the Sowa Market bring local New England vendors to the South End of Boston to sell their craft goods (edible and otherwise). This past Sunday was the last outdoor market of the season (and my first), so we ran down there (literally) to make sure we weren't missing out on anything. Let me tell you what we bought:

Freshly Roasted Coffee Beans

Maple Cream (think Maple Syrup flavor but hot fudge consistency)

Gingersnaps (which we later spread the aforementioned Maple Cream on and ate with the aforementioned freshly roasted coffee...) 

Sundried Tomato, Basil, and Olive Oil Bread

Locally Grown Green Beans 

Cracked Black Pepper Pasta (Mike's first choice was Sriracha Spaghetti, but they were fresh out) 

Prosciutto & Smoked Almond Pesto (We settled upon this only after trying countless other...Fig and Gorgonzola, Pumpkin Chipotle, Strawberry- yes- Strawberry Pesto). 

We turned the last four finds into our Sunday night dinner. I can't take any credit for this one, but I am inspired to get crafty with pestos and pastas.

Beauty

I love fall. I love the colors. Oranges and yellows and reds. A canvas of leaves on the grass. Leaves that go crunch when you walk. Leaves falling from trees gently like snowflakes. I love running in the fall. And pumpkins. Small ones, big ones, Jack-O-Lantern ones. Pumpkins in beer. Pumpkins in cookies. Pumpkins in coffee. Football on cozy Sundays while a pot of chili bubbles on the stove. Squash. Hot apple cider. Cold apple cider. Rum apple cider. Cool breezes and bright sunshine. Puffy vests. Boots. Scarves and mittens without fingers. Fall is beautiful. Is it my favorite. 

This fall, there is an election looming. TV commercials and newscasts and peoples front yards are all about politics. I wonder who will win. I wonder what will happen when they do. Will things change? Will we notice if they do? 

I'm sorry I don't have any recipes today. I have been busy. Work and school and being engaged (oh yes, I got engaged...more about that in another post). Weddings are a lot to think about. There is a lot that goes into a wedding. I am so excited. I am so happy. 

I changed my blog a bit. Do you like it? I need to write more, so get ready for more random, thought jots like this. I will try to get cooking and post some yummy food. For now, I am going on a lovely run on this beautiful fall evening with my handsome new fiance!

CIAO!

  

    

Me and my new fiance on a lovely fall day. Love love love...

Easy As 1-2-3

A burger and fries. Nothing quite like it. There are about a 453 (totally arbitrary number) varieties of "the burger and fries" meal and everyone has their preferences- beef or turkey (or otherwise)? Season the meat or season the outside? To toast or not to toast the bun? Sweet potato or classic fries? Standard ketchup and mustard or something more exotic? No matter how you spin it, a patty of meat between a bun covered in sauce with some crispy potatoes on the side is inevitably good- but there is really nothing like the classic. Here are some great tips for the perfect burger and crispy french fries.

#1: Use quality meat with enough fat: No one like a dry, tasteless burger. Opt for good quality meat (think organic/ grass fed) and about an 80/20 fat to lean ratio and you'll be in good shape. The extra money for higher-quality meat and the the extra calories from more fat is well worth it when you sink your teeth into that first juicy, beefy bite.

#2: Patty is your friend- be gentle: First of all, do not over mix your meat. In fact, don't mix at all. Open the package of ground beef, score it with the side of your hand so you get equal size patties, and gently form a patty right from the package. No bowl needed! This mean nothing goes into the meat- no seasoning, no egg, nothing. Aim for patties about one inch thick and about three inches in diameter. Then, create a divot in the center of the patty because it will plump as you cook. Season each side of the patty with salt and pepper. Then cook flipping only once- about 4-5 minutes on each side, more or less for your desired doneness. And please, don't squish the patty down with the flat end of the spatula. This squeezes out all the yummy juices and it's just not nice.

#3: Go for a dense bun and DO NOT toast: Just like you don't want a dry burger, you don't want a dry bun. First, start with a soft, heavy roll. White, wheat, potato- it's all the same- just make sure there is enough bread to stand up to the burger and toppings. Drier, airy rolls tend to fall apart. And don't toast the bun. Toasting dries out the surface of the roll hinders it's ability to soak up the the burger juice and condiments.

#4: Stay simple with toppings: Ditch the bacon, guacamole, and fancy cheese. Those flavors tend to dominate the star of the show- the burger. Instead, stick with the classics- tomato, lettuce, onion, and American cheese. Pay homage to the classic American Hamburger and give it a cheese that reins from the same origin. Plus, American cheese melts oh-so-well!

#5: Stay classic with the condiments: Ketchup, mustard, mayo. That's it. Mix them all together beforehand for one super condiment. That way, you don't get a bite that is just ketchup or all mustard. With the pre-mixed special sauce, you have a harmony of flavors in every bite.

Now for the fries...

You can't have a burger without fries. I like sweet potato fries just as much as the next guy, but nothing beats the classic. Russet potatoes (baking potatoes) tend to work best. Do yourself a favor and buy a mandolin. You can get a good one for under $50. Here's the one I have (thanks, Mom!): OXO Softworks Mandoline. A mandoline is quick and easy way to slice just about anything- especially french fries. The mandoline helps cut them into the uniform size matchsticks. This way, they all fry evenly.

I was making fries for just me and Michael, so I used one large potato and about a cup of oil. There is no need to heat a huge vat of oil for just a few fries. Vegetable oil, peanut oil, even olive oil will work. I used a combo because I didn't have enough vegetable oil. Heat it in a deep dutch oven (you want good clearance above your oil so that your don't get splattered) over medium-high heat for a few minutes. I have no idea what temperature to fry at, so I just guess when it's ready, throw a test potato in, and see if it sizzles. It's not exact science you just don't want it to hot (too much sizzle) or too cold (not enough sizzle). Add in one layer of potatoes, fry until golden (about 5 minutes) and remove with a slotted spoon onto a plate covered with a paper towel. Continue to fry batches of potatoes until they are all done. Salt lightly and serve!

Summer days are fading fast, so while outdoor grilling season is still in swing, give a classic burger and fries a try. Enjoy!

Summer's Soup

The 4th of July. For some, the patriotic holiday signifies the kick-off to summer. For others, myself included, it is more like the half-way point. Growing up, I always got out of school at the end of May, so Independence Day was right in the middle. Instead of saying "summer is here," July 4th always reminded me that summer is halfway gone so you better make the best of the rest of it! I've done pretty good so far this summer. Indiana and Jamaica. Weekends in Maine and Cape Cod. I've got a weekend in the Pacific Northwest on the horizon and I'll end my summer in Peru. Like I said, I've done pretty good...

One thing, however, that I haven't made the most of this summer is cooking. Probably because I'm balancing a full-time job with being a part-time student. Not to mention I'm jetting out of town every other weekend. And our new apartment doesn't allow our grill (and summer cooking is almost not worth it without a grill!). But needless to say my blog has been bare since April. Summer cooking is all about fresh produce, seasonal ingredients, and lighter fare. The 4th of July reminded me of this while I was sitting on roof deck enjoying a refreshing bowl of Gazpacho and an ice cold beer...

Roofdeck Gazpacho

1/2 red onion

2 cloves garlic

1 cucumber 

1 red pepper [or any color you prefer]

1-2 carrots

1-2 stalks of celery

1 jalapeno [eliminate if you don't like it hot- never an option at my house!]

5-6 Roma tomatoes [I like Romas for their firmness, but you can use any type]

The above ingredients are a great combination of sweet, spicy, fresh, and refreshing. Chop all veggies up and add all of the garlic and half of the rest of the veggies into a food processor or blender. I also toss in a good handful of fresh herbs (basil, cilantro, and parsley)  

Also into the food processor add the juice of one lemon, 1-2 cups of organic tomato or vegetable juice, a couple splashes of red wine vinegar, a couple good glugs of EVOO (1/4 cup if you want to be precise), a couple dashes tabasco (again, omit if you can't handle the heat), and a tablespoon or two of sugar. 

Blend the ingredients until they are a desired consistency. You want to maintain the ingredients' integrity while also making a soup-like texture. 

Pour the processed ingredients into a large bowl and stir in the reserved chopped vegetables and another 1-2 cups of tomato juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Cover the bowl with saran wrap or transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. The longer Gazpacho sits, the better. Even a few days isn't too long- just make sure it stays cold!

You can garnish the Gazpacho with sour cream, fresh herbs, avocado, grilled shrimp, lump crab meat, or whatever your heart desires. You can also just enjoy is plain on a nice, hot summery day with a glass or white wine or, like me, and ice cold cerveza. 

Enjoy, and happy summer!

The Other Cake

Warning: I'm going to talk about Flour Bakery again (I really need to find a new lunch spot...) In my last post, I alluded to the Carrot Cake my mom and I made for my birthday- the recipe was from the Flour Bakery cookbook. What I failed to mention was that before Flour came into our lives, my mom was using a Carrot Cake recipe from a Sunset Magazine cookbook (circa 1989). We had a cake auction at work today to raise money for the Boston Marathon runners (and no, I'm not running the Marathon. I'm too busy eating cake). So instead of the tedious Flour recipe, I opted for Mom's simple, but trusty, Sunset recipe. In all fairness, I did use Flour's candied carrot strips for decoration, but I must admit (no offense, Flour) the Sunset recipe took the (carrot) cake (obvious pun intended).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9x13 rectangular cake pan.

In a medium bowl, mix together 2 cups of white sugar and 1 cup vegetable oil. Blent in 4 eggs, one at a time. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla.

In a separate bowl, stir together 2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, and 1.5 teaspoons baking soda. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

Mix in 2 cups shredded carrots (shred them yourself for the moisture- it will be about 4-5 carrots and make sure you peel them first!), 8oz crushed pineapple (well drained), and 1/2 cup walnuts (chopped).

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes (or until toothpick comes out clean)

Let cool. Now for the icing on the cake...

Blend together 6oz cream cheese and 6 tablespoons butter (let butter and cream cheese get to room temperature to avoid lumps) with 1 teaspoon grated orange peel (a must!) and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Slowly blend in 2 cups powdered sugar (or quickly, if you would like a powdered sugar blizzard in your kitchen).

And, of course, Flour's candied carrots strips:

Boil 3/4 cup water with 1 cup sugar. Peel a carrot or two. Using the vegetable peeler, peel long strips of carrot. Add strips in a single layer to the boiling sugar-water and let boil for 10 seconds. Remove from heat (keep the carrots in the syrup) and let cook completely. Remove strips onto a paper towel to "drain" then roll each strips into a carrot rose. Decorate as you wish.

By the way, the Sunset cookbook (Easy Basics for Good Cooking) is fabulous (and cheap!) A must-have for any classic (home) cook.

Enjoy- And Happy Easter! Speaking of Easter, I am off to Eastern Europe for 10 days- looking forward to sharing the cuisine with you when I return.
    

The Cake

A while back, I wrote about Flour Bakery and their delectable sandwiches. I also mentioned in the post that  the Flour cookbook would make a great birthday or Christmas present for yours truly. Well, my dear mom (or was it Santa Clause?) came through and delivered. 300+ pages of tantalizing treats. The second I unwrapped the book, my mom and I got to work baking Flour's version of my favorite- Carrot Cake. From the cream cheese frosting to the candied carrots on top, the cake was superb. And although it looked nothing like the picture in the cookbook, we ate every crumb. A few weeks later I found myself in line at Flour during my lunch break and there staring me in the face was a Carrot Cake Cupcake- Flour style. I couldn't resist. I had to see how close we came. Other than a slight consistency difference (which I blame on high altitude cooking in Colorado) our attempt was pretty darn cook. This got my confidence up to tackle what can only be described as "The Cake"

I was a couple of weeks before Michael's 29th birthday and I finally decided to get busy on party planning. No birthday is complete without a cake, and having a boyfriend whose dream dessert is chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate chips didn't make my job much easier. What could I make that was the cake equivalent of chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate chips...? I turned to my Flour cookbook and there on page 172 was Lemon-Raspberry Cake with Lemon Buttercream. Now I know what you're thinking- this has nothing to do with chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate chips. But the point is, I found a non chocolate baked good that sounded right up his alley.

Well, the cake may not have called for chocolate but let me tell you what it did call for. 14 eggs. 6 sticks of butter (in the frosting alone). 10 lemons. Cracked, whipped, squeezed, and zested into homemade lemon curd, homemade buttercream (which you then mix with some lemon curd for the lemon buttercream), Light, airy cakes that require folding whipped egg white into batter- a concept that was completely new to me, and essentially a lemonade drizzle that keeps everything moist. And we cannot forget the Raspberries (which I forgot at the store and made Michael run out to get at about 8pm on a cold, rainy night. It was his cake, after all). After 5 hours of labor, I turned out this beauty:

Needless to say, there is no way I am typing up the recipe in the blog, but if anyone is interested let me know. I'll give you the money to buy the cookbook! (Yes, the recipe is that long).

Happy Birthday, Mike Mazzanti! I hope you liked you cake ;)

One Pot Wonderful

I have recently developed a very close relationship with my Crock Pot. Technically, it's Michael's Crock Pot but I think it's fair to say I have adopted it. Now that I'm balancing Grad School in addition to my full time job and thrice weekly spinning classes, cooking has taken a back seat. This one pot wonder was  so easy and so tasty you would have never guessed it came from a Crock Pot. Here's how it's done:

Layer the following ingredients one by one in the CP:
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can black beans
1 can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
2 smalls can diced green chilies
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup chicken broth
1 package taco seasoning OR other seasonings of choice (chili powder, cumin, seasoned salt)

Cover the Crock Pot and let cook about 7 hours on low. When it's done, the flavors will be blended and the chicken will shred easily.

Serve topped with cheese, avocado, and sour cream.

This would also be good as a filling for burritos, enchiladas, etc. Just eliminate the chicken broth and the consistency will be more substantial.

This was enough for Michael and I for two dinners with a little leftover to put in a quesadilla for another night. It's a great dish to stretch a buck and a huge time saver. Enjoy!

buon Natale

I am finally getting around to my much overdue blog about Euno Ristorante- a gem of a place we went to for Christmas Eve dinner located in the heart of Boston's North End. Mike's sister, Lisa, and I had discovered this hole-in-the-wall a few months back and were hooked immediately with the Ice Wine Martini they offer. Its humble exterior is easy to miss in the midst of all the other flashy, brightly lit, Little Italy restaurants, but Euno is definitely not one to pass up.

After mass at Saint Cecilias, we cabbed it down to the North End for our dinner reservation. We were a little concerned while walking down Salem Street en route to Euno. The entire area was deserted. It was the night before Christmas, and no restaurants were packed, not a creature was stirring not even a rat...

But the second we opened the door, to all fears were put at east. We were instantly greeted by the boisterous Dino, our host slash waiter who welcomed us with a friendly smile and open arms. It was the most gracious and hospitable welcome I have ever been given at a restaurant. Even though the rest of Little Italy had already settled down for their long winter's nap, Euno was buzzing with a festive Christmas energy. It was perfectly cozy.

Now, back to the aforementioned Ice Wine Martini. Ice Wine is made from grapes that are harvested once frozen. The result- a perfectly sweet wine. Pairing the sweet wine with an astringent vodka makes for a delicious cocktail. Especially when you garnish it with frozen grapes. Ergo New Years Resolution #1: Master Euno's Ice Wine Martini.

Cocktails aside, Euno's food is also to die for. As I usually do when ordering as restaurants, I opted for one of the specials. It is my philosophy is that you can always order the menu items, so why not try the special? My dinner at Euno was case and point- butternut squash ravioli topped with veal scallopini and a brown butter sauce. The sweetness of the squash, the rich salty veal, the creamy brown butter. Words cannot describe this meal. Definitely one of the best things I have ever eaten. Which brings me to New Years Resolution #2: Master Euno's Butternut Squash Ravioli dish.

Everyone one else in our party had equally fantastic dinners- gnocchi with Gorgonzola cream sauce, pasta puttanesca, swordfish. Rich wine. Hearty appetizers. Fabulous service. The entire night was a joy and everything you want your Christmas eve celebration to be- warm, memorable, and filled with love (and good food).

I hope your Christmases were equally wonderful. Here's to a happy and healthy New Year filled with good food and lots of fun and all things fabulous!

Cheers!