I just recently finished Ree’s novel, The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels.

I have to admit, although I love Ree’s blog (great photos, adorable family, and mouthwatering recipes!), her book just wasn’t my cup of tea. Perhaps I’m just too young, and too much of a cynic and a realist when it comes to romantics.

In any case, this beautiful post of hers on cold brewing is definitely my cup of tea coffee: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/06/perfect-iced-coffee/

Thanks for the great step-by-step, Ree!

(image from thepioneerwoman.com)

absolutely delightful little tea parlor in the West Village. food + pastry dainty & made with care.
Bonus points for cute waiter.

homemade falafel balls, tzatziki sauce, tahini, tomato…all squished in a slice of whole wheat bread

traditional? no way. delicious? you bet!

(Best sandwich I ever made? Better ask this one…)

gooey, marshmallow-y love

needs no description

Gooey S’mores Bars (Vegan option)

adapted from Lickin’ the Beaters 2: Vegan Chocolate and Candy

makes 9 pieces/1 8” pan

• 1/3 c margarine, softened
• ¾ c brown sugar
• 1 T ground flaxseed mixed w/ 6 T water
• 1 t vanilla
• 1 ½ c whole wheat pastry flour (or ¾ c AP and ¾ c whole wheat flour)
• 1 t baking soda
• ½ t salt
• ¾ c chocolate chips
• 1 ½ c marshmallow Fluff OR Ricemellow crème

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease an 8” square baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, cream the margarine and sugar. Mix in flax mixture and vanilla.
3. In a medium bowl, mix flour(s), baking soda, and salt. Add to margarine mixture and stir until combined.
4. Spread ½ of the dough into the bottom of the pan. Spread marshmallow Fluff over batter, and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Pat pieces of dough on top. (Don’t try to cover completely; it’s pretty with marshmallow peeking out!)
5. Bake for approx. 25 min. Cool completely before cutting and serving.

Self-serve froyo @ FroZen Yo

red velvet + cookies & cream froyo w/ kiwis, strawberries, & blueberries

the Green Velvet roll @ Current Sushi

brunch @ Bread & Chocolate

portobello + sundried tomato pesto omelette + mini hash brown (latke?)

pretty molded butter @ Sequoia

tuna tartare

thai painted grilled salmon w/ wasabi mashed potatoes + glazed carrots

vanilla gelato + macaron

the kennedy center

boats on the Potomac

On the flip side of last entry’s bargain find, here’s a tip for what not to do at the famed Nobu restaurant  chain if you’re a poor college student: order sushi.

Two rolls for $20 may not seem too steep, considering it is such a highly-appraised Japanese restaurant, but really, the portions were meager and the taste nothing special.

If you’re going aiming for $20 or under, there are several options on the cold and hot dishes menu (try the sashimi salad, if you’re craving raw fish, I sampled a friend’s, and it was delicious), although the portion sizes are really tailored for ordering more than one item.

Then again, if you’re aiming for $20 or under, why eat at Nobu?

Note: bad marks for the waiter who kept nagging us with a “Is that all you’re going to order?”…we’re college students, not investment bankers.

if you go (don’t order sushi!):

Nobu 57

40 West 57 Street

New York, NY 10019

phone 212.757.3000

Three coffee drinks, 4 hours of sleep, 6 hours of testing and one giant sigh of relief later, finals week is finally over! (And on a more bittersweet note, so is freshman year of college. It’s hard to believe how life has changed since last May…so much has happened, and it’s definitely been tough at times, but I wouldn’t trade my experiences (or new friends!) for anything.)

Sleep, the beach, books, an internship in Soho (!), a nice clean kitchen, free time, old friends, new friends, family… yep, there’s a lot to look forward to. Here’s to summer!

Anyway, back to blogging…

Thai food may well be one of my favorite cuisines. Savory, sweet, and spicy, fragrant with lemongrass, basil, and lime, it’s far from your boring meat-and-potatoes. Thankfully, New York City is full of Thai restaurants, and even better, many of them offer “lunch specials” for just $10 or less, great for college students on a budget.

Take, for example, Sura Thai Kitchen, a great little place with a modern flair between 100^th and 101^st street, just a few blocks down from Columbia. For just $8, you get to choose from one appetizer and one entrée from a generous list. Thai iced tea or Thai iced coffee will set you back only a dollar more (a great deal, considering it can cost around $3 a glass full price!).

For lunch today, I had the beautifully plated Virgin Summer Roll, filled with veggies and sprinkled with peanuts and a savory sauce, and the Thai Basil, Sunny Side up Egg entrée. It turned out to be a spicy stir-fry of peppers, onions, basil and tofu (you have a choice of meat or tofu, I went for the vegetarian) topped with a fried egg, and served with white rice. A great venture out from the usual Pad Thai (although C got that, and it was delicious too). The only complaint I had was that some pieces of tofu had a very slight soured taste, but only a true tofu-maniac would be able to detect it.

I may not be a Thai-food expert, just a fan, but the food was good and cheap, décor sleek, service prompt, and staff friendly. Worth a repeat in my book! (Plus, it got the approval from some friends from Bangkok.)

Sura Thai Urban Kitchen

www.surathaikitchen.com
2656 BROADWAY 100-101ST
NEW YORK, NY 10025
212.665.8888