Trends/Pickled Carrots and Cauliflower

I almost gave up on writing this post about five minutes after starting because the words just didn't seem to be flowing. So instead of forging on as I usually do, I just closed the tab letting my browser erase any semblance of a thought I had assembled. Some days, giving up just seems a hell of a lot easier. Just as I closed the tab though, this popped up on my newsfeed, reminding me that more people should know about at-home pickling (even if it's only to but the author of the article at Slate just a little bit more).

By making this, I am by no means claiming to be trendy or an urban hipster. I did, however, come across this recipe for pickled carrots and thought that it would be nice to make use of the mason jar I've had lying around. This served more as a cute outfit for my carrots though, since I didn't need to sterilize the jar or go through the whole canning and sealing process. In the spirit of pickling, I also pickled some leftover cauliflower I had in the fridge. I figured there was no reason not to go all out and try out different variations. The truth is I love having crunchy, fresh and healthy snacks to munch on when I get home after school and these seemed like the perfect addition to my fridge.

These pickles are super crunchy with just the right balance of sugar, salt and vinegar. The original recipe called for dill seeds, but my supermarket didn't have them so I just used a pickling spice mix. Although I have no basis for comparison I am really glad I made them this way because I found that the spices added a really dynamic and expected blend of flavors.

Soul Food/Chickpea Parsnip Soup

As a budding food photographer with little knowledge of photography in general, I always find myself wondering how and why certain pictures come out better than others. I usually gauge this based on which pictures are accepted or rejected by Tastespotting and Foodgawker, those two food photography blogs that take the notion of food porn to a new level. Seriously, I have gotten multiple friends addicted to these sites and they love/hate me for it. So as I was questioning my photography the other day I turned to my best friend who, lucky for me, is also a photographer. Wifey, as I fondly refer to her, takes some of the most beautiful pictures I have seen and I am convinced that this is because of her beautiful soul. To see what I am talking about, go to http://saramkmoody.blogspot.com. This week when I asked her why soup always looks so beautiful in pictures her very simple and honest response was that soup just is beautiful, because it's comforting and it heals your soul.

Soul is a funny word, it get's thrown around all the time yet so few of us actually understand what it means. Soul food, soul music, soul mate; something about all of these makes them sound like the epitome of their kind. I confess, I too throw around the word soul a lot and although I may not fully understand its meaning or significance I know that it is something that I want to believe in. I want to believe that everything is made up of more than it's physicality, because to believe this is to have hope. Actually I think it shows faith, we may not always know what it is in someone or in music or in food that makes it better or healing, but that power is undeniably there. To accept this without fully knowing what it is renders the notion of soul both more foreign and more exciting to me.

Well I assure you, although I can't specifically identify it, this soup has soul. The color isn't striking and the ingredients aren't necessarily special, but as a whole it truly is beautiful.

Dinner Parties/Parmiggiano Popovers

Parmiggiano popovers, braised short ribs, homemade tagliatelle, sauteed broccolini, balsamic glazed cippolini onions and finally, chocolate-croissant bread pudding. If you're mouth isn't watering yet, you should know that this is a very real menu and one which I made this past Friday for a group of 10 friends. If I may humbly stroke my own ego, dinner was awesome. I could not have been happier and I am pretty sure that my guests left as well fed and satisfied as I could have hoped. The only problem with this dinner is that I have no pictures to show for it. Well no pictures except for the ones of these popovers, which I have deemed the best part of the meal (only because I get to showcase them here). Do not despair; I will be remaking a lot of the dishes so that I can post recipes and pictures, so consider the 'menu' a tease of what's to come on TBD. In the meantime, let's get back to the popovers.

These popovers do really deserve a whole post's worth of attention, actually I would say that they might even deserve two posts worth of attention, but I don't want to be boring. I planned, unplanned and replanned Friday's dinner about 25 million times before I finally settled on a menu and these popovers were a very last minute decision. Not usually an impulsive person, I sure am glad that I decided to make these fluffy little guys on a whim, because they are officially my obsession of the week. And I am not just saying that because I actually have pictures of them. To me, popovers have always been that special treat that restaurants serve in their breadbaskets instead of boring old bread, but I knew that a homemade version could only be better, fresher and more satisfying. I was right.

I have always had plain popovers, but I couldn't resist adding some cheese to these and I have absolutely no regrets about that (shocker!). These bulbous, muffin-looking things 'pop' because of all the steam created on the inside, hence the name.

NYC/Soft Pretzels

Although it has been a few years since I have lived here full time, New York City is my home and each time I set foot in this great place, I can't help but remember why I love it here. The buzz, the energy, rude people and nice people alike make New York different than any other city and all of these contribute to its character. More than the energy and people, it is the smells of New York that always remind me that I really am home; in this way even the smell of the subway is somehow pleasing to me. What I love the most, however, is the smoky smell of pretzel carts that wafts through the bustling streets catching me off guard and forcing me to pause, take a whiff and appreciate how fantastic this place truly is.

Although the times I have actually eaten those pretzels are few and far between, to me just there smell is enough to make them a New York City classic, a food with a history and soul that adds character to what sometimes feels like a cold and heartless place. For this reason, I believe that it is a classic to be recreated in the home kitchen. Although making these at home by no means imparts the same smell as the carts, the flavor and texture of the pretzels themselves is infinitesimally better.

You should know that making these is a bit of an undertaking, but the time spent making them is well worth it. So if you're looking for a cooking project, this is a great choice. Your results will be fantastically chewy and fluffy. If you're looking for less chew and more fluff, I suggest making full size ones, if you're looking for chewier ones then make minis; I made a mix of both and in my opinion the larger ones are far superior.