Holiday Coffee Cocktails with Nespresso

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Tis the season, as they say. With all the up coming parties and family get togethers, I thought it would be fun to do a classic twist on the simple pleasure and ease of  Nespresso coffee as either a sweet delectable treat or seasonal cocktail to keep the party going. Whether it’s through holiday entertaining in good taste among family and friends or savoring a moment alone on the couch, these are great ways to be a stylish host without too much effort but maintaining the best quality. 

The new VertuoLine Evoluo Machine creates both a splendid cup of coffee or shot of espresso with Nespresso’s signature layer of naturally-formed crema. My friend Molly who is a food writer and stylist developed two holiday coffee cocktails based on these functions of our machine. Of course, it would be a great idea to gift an Evoluo for the holidays and break in the machine with a fun treat like these! 

Hot Mocha

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1 cup whole milk

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

2 teaspoons sugar

1 shot Nespresso espresso

handful marshmallows, to serve

dusting of white sparkling sugar & edible silver stars

to spike (optional)- add a shot of whiskey or bourbon

Heat the milk, cocoa and sugar in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat until steaming. Whisk to combine. Make a shot of Nespresso espresso in a large mug. Pour hot chocolate mixture over the espresso and top with marshmallows. Serve immediately. *Makes 1 Holiday_Coffee_Cocktail_Nespresso_03 Continue reading “Holiday Coffee Cocktails with Nespresso”

SUMMER DINNER PARTY

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It’s the simple things in life that are the best. That statement has never been more true to me than now after traveling for a month solid. Though I saw unbelievable sights and experiences one could only dream of, I was so happy to just be home last weekend with my friends at a house we share out in Amagansett. I just wanted to get together, share a meal, catch up, and be in one place with faces I know and care about.

Summer entertaining is the best. Light that dances through the afternoon and illuminates the moments through a late, lazy evening that always ends with laying in the grass finishing the last sips of wine as another day closes and the possibilities of tomorrow have yet to begin. Beyond the golden glow, there is no market like a summer market. Fresh and ripe, bright and juicy dishes write themselves because the ingredients are so good, they don’t need much more than a little salt and pepper.

We’ve been working with Ecco Domani the past year, shooting their packaging, displays and marketing materials. They knew how much we had been traveling and sent us a case of red and white wine to welcome us back home. One of my favorite sayings of Ecco is “upgrading the everyday” so I based our little backyard summer dinner party around that idea. What could I do with this table that doesn’t require buying anything, just being creative with what we have already? I asked Diana, my friend and prop stylist for one of my favorite magazines, Kinfolk, if she had some easy entertaining ideas. She suggested taking sprigs from our gathered, seasonal flower arrangements as focal points, and simply placing them on a napkin that is draped long ways off the table cascading like a waterfall, dressing the place settings in a softer, organic way.

Once the table was set my friend Molly & I got to cooking. To pair with Ecco Domani’s Pinot Grigio, roasted cherry tomato and shrimp fettucine; for the Ecco Domani Merlot, grilled lamb chops with a light and gorgeous spring salad – all super simple, elegant, seasonal dishes because, like I said before… it’s the simplest things in life that are the best.

Here is to summer, friends, staying in and making memories with the ones you love.

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Kevin’s Homemade Pasta

2 Eggs
1 cup of unbleached flour (to start)
salt

Mix the flour with the eggs in a bowl or wooden surface until the consistency is like a dough, adding flour as necessary. Add a big pinch of salt. Knead for a few minutes, adding a bit of flour if it gets too moist and sticky. From there, follow the instructions on your pasta machine.

When the pasta is finished I’ve learned to dust it with flour and toss, so the individual pieces don’t stick together while you make the rest!

EccoSummerDinner_004 EccoSummerDinner_005 Continue reading “SUMMER DINNER PARTY”

Ecco Domani’s Spring Fling

EccoDomani_Spring_02 Last fall we had the pleasure of shooting the new packaging and in-store displays for the contemporary Italian Wine Ecco Domani at our studio here in New York. Just because it was a photoshoot and not an actual event taking place – in this case, a book-club party with a group of girlfriends at home – doesn’t mean the food shouldn’t be a great pairing for the wine!

My friend Molly who is an amazing food stylist (remember this series we did together?) created a few spring-time inspired grilled flat bread recipes for our shoot that were DELICIOUS with the crisp Pinot Grigio wine (after we wrapped, we enjoyed some ourselves!). I love Molly’s recipes, they are so fresh and seasonal. This past December she created two special wine cocktail drink recipes for our Ann Street Studio Holiday Party with Ecco Domani’s Pinot Grigio and Merlot. It’s very important to the global wine brand “to produce wines that are fruit forward and food friendly” so the pairings had to work in real life just as in our book club photoshoot.

I’ve really been enjoying the relationship with Ecco Domani this past year, a brand that also thinks about tomorrow not only in their wine but in the world around us. They do a lot in the fashion industry with the Ecco Domani Fashion Fund to help young emerging designers create their collections and present them to the world.  So many of the past EDFF winners have gone on to shape the fashion industry and be a driving force in our culture such as Alexander Wang, Prabal Gurung, and Rodarte to name a few!

It’s been an amazing experience finding a balance between being creative and getting the shot the client needs for their messaging and display / box dimensions. And of course, it is always a joy and pleasure to get to work with your friends, the people you have a creative conversation with so seamlessly that it makes work feel like play. For this shoot we collaborated with food stylist Molly Shuster, stylist Erin Framel, and hair and makeup artist Ana Sicat. So perhaps you’ll be inspired to have some friends over on a Saturday afternoon, talk about what you’re reading, have some wine and try out Molly’s recipe, sounds like a perfect way to spend an afternoon to me….

PS-This light, floral, citrus-y and crisp top selling wine is also very easy to find in your local wine shop or Italian restaurant, and now when you see the advertising and packaging you know who shot it! Xx

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Continue reading “Ecco Domani’s Spring Fling”

Ann Street Studio Holiday Party

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When a photo studio become the perfect event space…

A few weeks ago I was a bit under the weather so I relaxed by watching the moving “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” (FYI, the Mercer-Williams house is my DREAM home). As the story goes, Mr. Jim Williams throws the most epic Christmas parties; so, inspired by the movie, I tweeted my dear friend @jessicakausen who organizes the events for Squarespace and asked if we could get a piano and space heaters for the balcony. She replied with “you can get anything in NYC” and the Ann Street Studio Holiday Party planning was underway…

What ended up happening was a wonderful night celebrating an exceptional year with our dearest friends, our creative collaborators, people who inspire us and people who keep us happy and healthy. I learned a lot of things about hosting a party – so it took 4 guys and an overseeing landlord to get the piano up the stairs to be played by Chris Pattishall but it was totally worth it! So the three tier red velvet cake we ordered was actually one level, but don’t panic, we had our friends at Elan Flowers give it a special topper of roses and hydrangeas! So the white lights we ordered for the garlands were actually twinkling lights… throw ’em up on the skylight instead! It looks like shooting stars! And of course there were surprises…our friend Bess sent a delivery of red bouquets and endless strands of garland that made the room wonderfully beautiful, people brought hosting gifts (our liquor cabinet is stocked now!) and one dear friend even made a painting for us which is one of the most touching things I have ever received.

It was so nice to stop, raise a glass, say thanks and give a kiss to the people in your life.

 While I worked on the guest list Kevin sketched the invitation while on a shoot down in Charleston, little pieces of our neighborhood, the cityscape we know so well, and our little studio tucked away on a street in Tribeca…

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Continue reading “Ann Street Studio Holiday Party”

Chicken Tortilla Soup!

~Molly & Jamie At the Green Market~

From Food Stylist Molly:

This spring I took a trip to Texas with my mom. Having never been to Texas before, I enlisted the help of the little Miss Texan herself, Jamie Beck, to help plan our travels. We went to Fredericksburg in Texas Hill Country, visited the old dance hall in Gruene and ended our trip with a few days in Austin. Before my mom and I had even left Jamie and I decided we had to do a Texas themed post and share some favorite part of Texas culture with y’all

Needless to say, much of the food in Texas is heavily influenced by Mexican cooking. We had a BBQ pulled pork sandwich in Luckenbach, TX that may have been the highlight of the trip. But really, we were eating tacos and tortillas all the day long.

You can find just about anything in New York if you look for it. Some things are a little tricky to find. The Mexican influence on this side of the country however, is not. A quick trip on the 7 train to Queens and Jamie and I found a strong dose of local Mexican culture just a few subway stops away. Ok, it was quite a few stops! But between the Mexican bakeries, hair salons and shops overflowing with piñatas and Mexican candles, it was, quite literally, one of the most colorful neighborhoods I have ever visited in New York. 

Jamie and I had quite the adventure. We had a little lunch at Tortilleria Nixtamal and bought some of their incredible homemade corn tortillas to fry up for our soup; we chatted with some locals in the bakery and had some delicious flan for dessert; and met some lovely local ladies who sold Mexican candles. These women told us about the mystical power of the candles and graciously gave me some rose petals and a pink candle to cure me of my single-girl-in-new-york-city-curse. We’ll see if it works… 

For our post, we decided on a little Tex meets Mex. Chicken tortilla soup is one of my favorite things. Not exactly sure how authentic it is, but it is delicious and certainly a staple at Mexican restaurants in the US. Forgoing our farmer’s market for a Mexican market, we were able to get a local chicken (heads and feet intact!) and all the fixings for our soup. Much like eggs, this is the best time of year to buy chicken. Most people don’t think of meat as a seasonal ingredient, but it absolutely is! Spring chickens are especially tasty and local chickens are everywhere this time of year. Definitely seek them out next time you’re at the greenmarket or your local butcher!

I’m not going to lie, this soup is a lot of work. It has a bunch of steps and is a bit time consuming. But as with all cooking, I believe it is a labor of love. This is a really delicious, light and spicy soup and the toppings are the best part. A little ode to Texas, Mexico, and our beloved New York. 

Stock:

  • 1 whole chicken (head and feet not required), about 4 pounds
  • 1 white onions
  • 2 carrots
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • cilantro, few springs
  • peppercorns, small palmful
  • 1 bay leaf

Place all of the ingredients in a large stock pot. Add enough cold water to cover the chicken by 1”. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Skim any foam that may rise to the surface. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through and starting to fall from the bone, about 1 hour. 

Soup:

  • 6 plum tomatoes
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 dried chile de arbol
  • 2 dried chipotle chilies (or more, if you can take the heat!)
  • 1 small white onion, finely chopped

Toppings:

  • 8 Corn tortillas, cut into strips, fried and salted (or store bought corn tortilla chips)
  • Avocado, diced
  • Queso Freso
  • Cilantro, chopped

Meanwhile, bring a medium size pot of water to boil then reduce to a light simmer. Remove the stems from the chilies and make a cut lengthwise down the side of the chile. Using the end of a small knife, gently scrape out the seeds and veins. Be careful! The chilies (seeds, in particular) are extremely hot and will burn burn burn your eyes and skin if you’re not careful. Use gloves or be sure to wash your hands with soap and water after you’ve seeded the chilies. In a small saute pan over medium heat, carefully toast the chilies. Constantly move them around in the pan just until they become fragrant, about 30 seconds. Place the chilies in a bowl and cover with the boiling water. Cover with cling wrap and leave to fully rehydrate, about 15 minutes. 

Make sure there is enough water left in the pot to cover the tomatoes. If not, add water as necessary and keep at a low simmer. Mark the bottom of each tomato with a small x and place in the simmering water very briefly, about 15 seconds. Remove the tomatoes with a slotted spoon. When cool enough to handle, peel the skins from the tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes in half, remove the seeds with a spoon and discard, then roughly chop the tomatoes. Place the chopped tomatoes, garlic and rehydrated chilies in a food processor and puree until completely smooth. Set aside.

Back to the stock. When ready, place a colander over a large bowl. Strain the stock into the bowl. Give the soup pot a quick rinse and scrub, then pour the stock back in to the pot. When cool enough to handle, discard the solids and pick through the chicken discarding any skin or bones. Tear the meat into bite size pieces and return to the stock pot. Taste for seasoning, adding salt as necessary. Bring back to a light simmer. Add the chile and tomato puree and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Add the chopped white onion and simmer for another 2 minutes. 

Finally! Ladle the soup in to bowls. Top with chunks of avocado, crumbled queso fresco, chopped cilantro and crispy corn tortilla strips. Eat immediately!

~ Recipe and words by Food Stylist, Molly Shuster. Photography FromMeToYou.

An ongoing collaboration, please do see more recipes from our series!

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So Tasty!

Molly, Kevin & I have been working long and hard at the studio to create food cinemagraphs for Gilt Taste! We are so thrilled with the outcome I had to share it with y’all!!

Which is your favorite? I personally drool over the STEAK… slluurrppp!

Food styling by Molly Shuster / Cinemagraph co-creator Kevin Burg for Gilt Taste May 2011

Eggs and Potatoes

~Molly & Jamie At the Green Market~

From Food Stylist Molly:

Springtime at the farmer’s market is always an exciting thing. The reemergence of things that are green! And flowers! And sunshine! Somehow, year after year, the novelty never wears off.


Eggs, which are at their peak this time of year, are everywhere! It’s very easy to find all different kinds of eggs at the market: chicken, duck and quail are generally around. You can also find pullet eggs which are the smaller chicken eggs only available this time of year. I get so taken away with all of the different shapes and sizes and colors that I generally buy a sampling of them all!


Eggs are particularly awesome because they are a cheap source of protein and quick to make. They’re a good thing to have in your back pocket. If you know how to cook an egg, you’re golden.

Here we’ve made some old-school eggs and potatoes, dressing them up just a bit. We had some duck fat in the kitchen so we fried our potatoes in the fat to make some especially delicious breakfast potatoes. You can sometimes buy duck or chicken fat at poultry purveyors at farmer’s markets or in specialty stores. If you don’t have or want to use duck fat then olive oil will work just as well.

We’ve cooked our eggs sunny-side-up, but feel free to make them however you (or whoever’s lucky enough to be getting breakfast in bed) like them. 

Breakfast Potatoes:

  • 2 potatoes (we used Russet), cut into rough 1” cubes
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • few springs thyme, leaves removed
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • duck fat (or olive oil)
  • salt and pepper
  • eggs- however you like ‘em


Place the cut potatoes in cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and simmer until just tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes and set aside.


Heat a skillet or saute over medium-high heat. Add a spoonful of duck fat or a glug of olive oil. Add the onions and saute, stirring only occasionally, until they have softened and have some nice dark charring. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add another hefty spoonful of fat to the skillet and add your boiled potatoes. Cook until golden and crispy on all sides, about 15 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Return the onions to the pan and add the thyme leaves, cayenne and paprika. Stir to incorporate and cook until just heated through, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.


Meanwhile, cook your eggs to your liking.

Place on top of the hot, toasty potatoes and dig in!

~ Recipe and words by Food Stylist, Molly Shuster. Photography FromMeToYou.

An ongoing collaboration, please do see more recipes from our series!

Local Catch: Sea Bass

~Molly & Jamie At the Green Market~

From Food Stylist Molly:

Flipping through the channels recently, I stopped on the Discovery Channel and watched an incredibly depressing show about the harmful effects of industrialized commercial fishing. After 60 minutes of this program, I vowed never to eat canned tuna again! But all in all, it left you feeling slightly optimistic and made some great suggestions about how to purchase seafood while keeping in mind sustainability. For all you tuna lovers, look for tins with the Certified Sustainable Seafood label (www.msc.org) for tuna that is pole caught. For the rest of your seafood needs, buying things that are caught locally makes a world of difference.

In this spirit, Jamie and I wandered down to the Greenmarket to see what our local fishmonger had on hand. Some beautiful local Sea Bass caught our eye, so we bought them whole and brought them home to fillet. We also picked up some baby carrots and a head of cauliflower to cook along with our fish. It might look like a lot of work, but this is actually an incredibly simple, fast dinner. Once you get everything ready to cook, it comes together in no time!

Feel free to use whatever fresh, local fish you’re able to find. You should be able to cook it just the same, but keep in mind that the cooking time may vary.


To fillet:

1. Make a deep cut just behind gills until you hit bone behind the head of the fish.

2. Run the tip of your knife along the spine, cutting about 1/4 inch deep all the way down to the tail. 

3. Starting back at the top of the fillet where the first incision was made, slide your knife under the fillet and work your way across the belly and down to the tail. Make long smooth strokes, using the bones as a guide. You want your knife to graze the bones so you’ll come out with a beautiful, smooth fillet.

4. Continue these long cuts until you have fully made your way under the fillet. Run your knife through the bottom of the tail, fully severing the fillet from the fish. Turn the fish over and repeat on the other side.


Refrigerate until ready for use. Bones may be discarded or saved to make fish stock.

Cauliflower Puree:

Cut one head of cauliflower into florets. Over high heat, bring a pot of salted water to boil. Add the cauliflower and cook until fork tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the cauliflower and place in a food processor. Puree until smooth. Add 3 tablespoons of butter and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and keep in a warm place until ready for use.

Sauteed Carrots:

Wash and scrub two bunches of baby carrots (if you’re using regular carrots: peel, halve and slice the carrots into 2 inch pieces). Heat a saute pan over medium-high. Add a couple glugs of olive oil, enough to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Add the carrots and cook, only turning occasionally, until lightly charred and just tender, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm until ready for use.

Sea Bass:

Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add a couple glugs of olive oil, enough to lightly coat the bottom of the pan (you know the drill). Season the fillets on both sides with salt. Cooking in batches, place the fillets flesh side down and cook until golden and crispy, about 3 minutes per side (however, cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of your fillets).

Dollop some pureed cauliflower on a dinner plate. Place the sea bass over the cauliflower and add a generous serving of sauteed carrots. Eat immediately!

~ Recipe and words by Food Stylist, Molly Shuster. Photography FromMeToYou.

An ongoing collaboration, please do see more recipes from our series!

Coeur a la Creme

~Molly & Jamie At the Green Market~

From Food Stylist Molly:

It wasn’t until I moved to New York that I started drinking milk from local dairies. I was so excited when I found glass bottles of locally produced milk in the regular supermarket. The pretty, retro glass bottles were enough to entice me to buy it, and the milk was so much fresher, creamier and tastier. I couldn’t believe the difference! There are a bunch of small, local dairies that are supplying the city and its farmer’s markets with wonderful milk, cream, yoghurt and other dairy products.

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I decided to make a Coeur a la Creme. French in name and origin, Coeur a la Creme is an incredibly simple, yet lovely and refined dessert. You only need a handful of ingredients and can make both the cream hearts and raspberry sauce in advance. Fresh cream and cheese are the stars of this dessert, so the quality and freshness of your dairy ingredients are essential to your success. Happy Valentine’s Day, lovers. And for all you single girls (and guys), go for it! There is no reason why we can’t have our cake and eat it too.

Coeur a la Creme

Special Equipment: Four 4” Coeur a la Creme molds, cheesecloth

• 1/2 cup farmer’s cheese

• 1/2 cup creme fraiche

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

• 2/3 cup heavy cream, very cold

Line each heart mold with a piece of cheese cloth so that the cloth hangs over the sides of the mold by about 2 inches. Set aside.

In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the farmer’s cheese, creme fraiche, sugar and lemon juice until well blended. Remove the paddle and replace with a whisk attachment. Add the heavy cream and whip until you have the texture of whipped cream (this happens quite quickly- don’t over whip!)

Spoon the cream into the lined molds. Fold the cheesecloth over the top so that the entire surface area is covered with cloth. Place the finished molds on a plate and refrigerate overnight.

Raspberry Sauce

• 4 pints raspberries, rinsed and drained

• 1 cup sugar

• 1/2 lemon, juiced

Place half of the raspberries in a bowl and muddle with a fork. In a medium saucepan, combine the muddled raspberries, whole raspberries, sugar and lemon juice. Place over medium low heat and gently simmer until the raspberries have softened and begun to release their juices, about 5 minutes. Cool completely and set aside or refrigerate until ready for use.

To Assemble:

Place a large spoonful of the chilled raspberry sauce on a plate. Take a heart mold and peel the cheesecloth from the top of the cream. Carefully invert the heart onto the center of the plate and gently peel away the cheesecloth. Repeat with the remaining molds and serve immediately.

~ Recipe and words by Food Stylist, Molly Shuster. Photography by me.

An ongoing collaboration, please do see more recipes from our series!

Cranberry Cornmeal Upside-down Cake

~Molly & Jamie At the Green Market~

From Food Stylist Molly:

Happy New Year! We’ve had a snowy start, but I have good feelings about 2011. And despite what other people say, I love the snow! I love walking through the city and seeing the quiet transformation all things undergo when covered in freshly fallen snow.

*Heart of Lovikka hat, mittens & scarf!

This month, Jamie and I were playing around with cranberries. Cranberries have their peak season September-December and are a good source of nutrients and antioxidants. Massachusetts is known for its cranberry bogs (thank you, Cape Cod cranberry juice), and while I was home for the holidays I was able to pick up a bunch of the beautiful local cranberries that were in season. Cranberries freeze beautifully, so after making a few batches of cranberry sauce the rest went straight into my freezer.

Admittedly, after the latest snow storm, I had had about enough of the snow and wanted nothing more than to watch it fall from my window over a hot cup of tea. Needing to satisfy my sweet tooth, I made a Cranberry Cornmeal Upside-down Cake. It is the perfect accompaniment to an afternoon cup of tea or could even be served with a little whipped cream for dessert.

Cranberry Cornmeal Upside-down Cake

Adapted from Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse Fruit

Cranberry Topping:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
  • 2 1/2 cups cranberries, picked over and rinsed

Cornmeal Cake:

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup flint cornmeal (regular cornmeal may be substituted) Flint cornmeal may be found at: wwww.graysgristmill.com 
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs, separated
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease an 8” or 9” cake pan and set side.

Pour the sugar and water into a saucepan and place over medium heat. When the sugar starts to dissolve, swirl the pan to help the sugar cook evenly. Continue to occasionally swirl the pan until you see the sugar start to develop color. When the sugar becomes a lovely, light chestnut color add the butter and continue to swirl the pan gently. Be careful when adding the butter as this causes the caramel to bubble up vigorously. Once the butter has melted completely, quickly pour the caramel into the prepared cake pan.

 Let the caramel cool slightly. Pour the cranberries over the caramel and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Whisk together and set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Separate the egg yolks and whites into two small bowls. Add the egg yolks to the creamed butter one at a time until fully incorporated. Add the vanilla. Incorporate the milk and flour mixture by alternating the two. Add the flour in thirds, adding about half of the milk between each addition, and ending with the remaining flour. Mix until just combined and set aside.

Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in a mixing bowl fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk vigorously until the whites form stiff peaks. Fold the stiff egg whites into the cornmeal batter in two batches. 

Pour the batter over the cranberries and smooth over with a spatula to create an even, smooth layer.

Bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake sit for 15 minutes. Carefully run an offset spatula or knife around the edge of the pan to help loosen the cake. Place a cake plate over the pan, and wearing oven mitts, invert the cake onto the plate and remove the pan. Best served warm.

~ Recipe and words by Food Stylist, Molly Shuster. Photography by me.

An ongoing collaboration, please do see more recipes from our series!

Apple Beignets & Hot Apple Knocker

~Molly & Jamie At the Green Market~

From Food Stylist Molly:

I was thinking about doing an apple post for November. Apples are best in early fall at the height of their picking season, but they are such a fall staple and available at the farmer’s market through the winter. I always like to have them on hand to chop in to a salad or have as a snack.

I was debating about our soon-to-be apple post when I stumbled upon an East Village second-hand store selling vintage issues of Gourmet magazine. Of course I greedily rummaged through them and selected an assortment of copies spanning November 1951 to January 1969.

The magazines are so fun to look through. It’s interesting to see how our ideas about food, style and presentation have changed. I don’t think recipes for ham mousse or stuffed partridges would appeal to many readers these days, but it’s also amazing how much our preferences have stayed exactly the same. People always seem to gravitate towards comfort foods and dishes they find familiar and approachable.

Two readers’ requests in the “You Asked for It” section reminded me of what I consider to be the perfect fall comfort food: apple beignets and a hot apple knocker. There is nothing better than munching on a fresh cinnamon-y donut and sipping hot cider when the cold weather arrives. Now I am more accustomed to the traditional apple cider donuts and hot apple cider, but these recipes are a fun twist on a familiar classic. Here are the recipes taken directly from the January 1969 issue of Gourmet.

~ Recipe and words by Food Stylist, Molly Shuster. Photography by me.

An ongoing collaboration, please do see more recipes from our series!