Don’t be fooled by the name Healthy Pumpkin Muffins. These are so delicious and packed with flavor I was hesitant to include the word healthy. But they are just that and so much more. They are refined sugar-free and sweetened with only honey and a little bit of applesauce. Read more
So it seems Autumn is here to stay in Istanbul. The crisp, rainy weather has been the norm here these days. We’ve had a few teases of sunshine but it’s clear that summer has made it’s grand exit with that beautiful, warm weekend we had a couple weeks ago, which was literally the last official weekend of the season. It was kind of magical the way the weather changed on cue.
Though, not a big fan of rain, I’m very happy that fall is officially here. It’s my absolute favorite season after all. Growing up in LA and then living there again the last five and a half years, I’ve missed it. That’s not to say they don’t have a change in seasons. It’s just not the fall I came to truly love while living in NYC. I can just hear my mom saying, “we do too have Autumn in LA.” It does cool off a bit there, though usually not till maybe November, but 80 plus degree days exist year round. Not complaining about that either. It can have it’s benefits. Though, when you want to dress the part with boots, and sweaters, and scarves, it gets a little hot.
To celebrate the beginning of this colorful time of year, I wanted to make something highlighting one of my favorite fruits of the season. Plump, juicy, jewel toned figs are at all the markets and bazaars right now. This particular fruit is the reason I especially enjoyed visiting Istanbul in September or October over the years. You just can’t get figs like this in the states. And if you manage to find some good ones, they usually cost a pretty penny. Here, they are amazingly delicious and affordable. In fact, it’s funny, I was watching Chef’s Table the other night, and learned that unripe figs ‘bleed’ milk when they’re not ready. This was most often the case for many a fig I used to get in the professional kitchen. Read more
It’s been a while since I posted and with only ten days left of summer, I’m going to try and share as many of our favorite recipes from these last couple months as I can.
Ok, I know what you might be thinking. Pickles, really? Or, why make pickles? There are so many good ones out there to buy…Have you tried making your own pickles? If you haven’t, I recommend giving it a go. They’re super easy to make and taste pretty darn delicious and you can totally tailor the spices to your hearts desire. Now, I’ll admit, my interest in making them came about from a need, more than an initial desire. In my quest for organic pickles here in Istanbul, I only found one option over at Eataly (I love that place.) I was so excited to bring them home and open them up. Unfortunately, we weren’t fans. The flavor was quite different than we were used to. And during the warmer days of summer, a crisp cold pickle sometimes just hits the spot whether it’s for snacking straight out of the jar or complimenting a sandwich or juicy burger. So, I turned to making my own. Man, was I so glad I did. Read more
Ever bring home a gorgeous basket of fresh strawberries, pop them in the fridge and then have them go bad before you’ve had a chance to finish them? It’s definitely something we’ve been guilty of over here. And not just with strawberries, unfortunately other fruits and vegetables too.
When Spring came in full bloom and deliciously sweet strawberries started showing up at the organic bazaar, I happily brought home two large baskets with each weekly visit. And since organic fruit here, perhaps everywhere, is quite a bit more expensive than the conventional variety, I try to get the most out of all the produce we buy. Strawberries are no exception. So after a bit of research and trial and error, I found the method that really works wonders at keeping them lasting a week, maybe even a few days longer than that and even longer in the freezer. Read more
