Before the last of the warm weather hitchhikes south allowing us all to indulge in the comfort foods of winter, I wanted to share this quick and easy salad recipe. It came about mostly because I had arugula which needed to be used up and while I do love arugula for its peppery bite, any kind of greens would work. I also had these and these partying in the back of the fridge just longing for an occasion to show off. I added mozzarella balls because that’s what I had, but I bet goat cheese would be pretty fabulous too. I tossed…
Author: <span>Amanda Clayton</span>
By Its Cover is a series of posts wherein I read a book based solely on my love of the cover. No reading the jacket, no checking reviews! Well, this book was a surprise and a half. It quite literally threw itself at my feet in the library. OK, not really, I knocked it off the shelf when reaching for another book. After dutifully putting it back I felt compelled to pluck it out again. The cover’s rainbow meets unicorn meets glitter explosion look completely defies the “How to Murder your Life” title, which, all combined had an oddly compelling allure…
~The unofficial end of summer is upon us. Of course if you live in the South summer doesn’t end until, oh, mid-Octoberish. No need to be jealous though, pretty soon we’ll all be experiencing long, hot summers. Some of us believe that. Some of us don’t. Some of us have known about it for a very long time. Crazy. ~Speaking of crazy, this is a great weekend to see Crazy Rich Asians if you haven’t already. It’s a gorgeous movie. Gorgeous people, gorgeous settings, gorgeous parties. And then there’s Awkwafina who slices right through all that gorgeousness with her slightly…
So, these fabulous concoctions may not physically transport you to the sun drenched cliffs of the Amalfi Coast, but…if you sit in a spot with the warmth of the sun on your face, perhaps next to some gurgling water, and screw up your eyes really tight and hold your breath, you might, just might, perhaps, get just a tiny little bit of the way there as you take a sip. These spritzes are the fresh, light drinks that a hot August evening calls for. Fruity and lightly fizzy with just a tinge of bitter for grounding in the case…
I think it’s safe to say that afternoon tea is generally regarded as one of the most English of afternoon past times. Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford gets credit for adding such a delightful addition to the day back in 1840 after she got rather peckish in the late afternoon before an eight o’ clock dinner. It was only a matter of time before she started inviting all of her peckish friends to join her and by the 1920’s, afternoon tea had turned into a full-blown affair, frequently with dancing in posh hotels. It makes one want to swoon…
The onions are at it again. And this time they don’t even require cooking. Complete and utter show offs I tell you. Slice them, throw them in a bowl with a bit of vinegar, a soupçon of salt and sugar and what you have is the heavenly pickled onion. I hate to be without these in my fridge these days. They taste amazing in so many things. Sprinkled on top of avocado toast? Uhhmm, yes please. Or how about in tacos? Or thrown into salads? Fabulous with pulled pork to cut the richness. Or how about this…eaten straight out of…
There’s something about summer that brings out the bartender in me. I suppose it must be the allure of sitting outside and enjoying the balmy evening air to the accompaniment of a little jazz, the twinkle of fairy lights and nibbles. Oh, and the fireflies. Never get tired of watching the fireflies in the summer. I consider them payment for the humdity. Anyway, here’s a round up of a few cocktail books I have on hand at home and given that it’s wedding season I also think they’d make a great gift with a bottle of premium liquor… and maybe…
~The Woman in the Window A.J.Finn Well, imagine…a thriller that actually thrills and doesn’t induce you to lob it in the bin. This book seemed to get so many great reviews that I found myself unable to pass it up. And it’s really good…but only if you like slow atmospheric reads and not ones that are heavy on action and drama. The book jacket refers to it as a “sophisticated novel of psychological suspense that recalls the best of Hitchcock” and that’s exactly what it is. Anna Fox lives alone in her NYC brownstone and is completely unable to venture outside and…
~Orphan Black This show is actually a Canadian production made in partnership with BBC America. It takes off at a Usain Bolt sprint and just doesn’t stop. Sarah, a British orphan now living in America, is at a train station. Intrigued by a woman who is taking off her shoes and coat she watches in horror as the woman steps off the platform into an oncoming train. But that’s not nearly as horrifying as realizing that the woman looks exactly like herself. Now, being someone of a rather dubious background, Sarah grabs the woman’s bag, thinking that maybe she can…
By Its Cover is a series of posts wherein I read a book based solely on my love of the cover. No reading the jacket, no checking reviews! I just could not stay away from this book with its crazy and colourful concoction on the cover (alliteration wholly unintentional). It smacks of a sci-fi futuristic setting, so there’s that. But I still couldn’t resist giving it a go. It looks a little like a bird of paradise that has bloomed but then decides to just keep on going… in whatever direction it fancies in the moment. I did have to read…