Mariel here. Sure, I do my best to lighten things up in my day-to-day cooking, but I do love sweets – especially cupcakes – and I’d never turn down dessert. I mean, I’m not a psycho. In honor of National Cupcake Day, Manhattan cupcakery Crumbs is offering a delicious discount: 15% off all online orders,[…]
Flu-Fighting Foods
Mariel here. I admit it, I may be one of the only people on the planet that doesn’t get the flu shot. I mean, I work from home and part of the beauty of being a writer is marginal contact with alien germs, other than what my dogs drag in. However, I’m not so blase[…]
Hometown Hero
Mariel here. It’s not everyday that we get to make a real, tangible difference in the life of another person – to affect someone so profoundly that their whole world shifts, slightly, for the better. My mom however is the exception to that rule. In addition to being a home-chef extraordinaire, she’s also, as many[…]
Food for Life: Products Supporting Breast Cancer Awareness
Mariel here. As most of you probably know – and have witnessed firsthand while wading through a sea of pink at your local department store – October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. While I don’t need to explain the gravity of this disease and the devastating toll it can take on a family – we[…]
Gourmet to Go: A Tribute in Recipes
The news of Gourmet Magazine‘s untimely demise has left me feeling unexpectedly downtrodden – bereft almost – as though I have lost a beloved friend. The reality is that I, along with all of Gourmet‘s readers, will now trudge on without an invaluable resource in the great wide world of culinary education, edification and enjoyment.[…]
Radio Silence
Mary Anne here. In the wake of last weekend’s wedding festivities, things have been pretty chaotic here…so Mariel and I apologize for the radio silence. She’s off honeymooning until next week and I’ve been in NY tying up loose ends, so between the two of us, not much has been happening on the home food[…]
Food for a Fresh Air Family Affair
Perfect for an afternoon outdoors, a lazy poolside BBQ or a Sunday night with friends and family, this menu is as versatile as it is easy. Just don’t be afraid to get your hands messy, that’s the best part about summer fare. My siblings and extended family chimed in to help me put this one[…]
Bloomingdale’s Cooking Demo Recap, Part 2
Mariel here. Initially, when my mom and I started this blog together, I demurred from being a vocal participant. I’ve gotten somewhat camera-shy in my old age and the thought of putting myself “out there” didn’t sit well. However, after our first Bloomingdale’s cooking demo, when my mom had a senior moment in front of[…]
Bloomingdale’s NYC Cooking Demo
As mentioned a few weeks back, Bloomingdale’s asked my mom and I to do a follow up cooking demo and tasting in their 59th Street flagship store in Manhattan. We were thrilled, to say the least – AND, our demo coincides with the last day of Bloomie’s BIGGEST private sale of the summer. We wanted[…]
Today in Food News
The FDA is about to get a whole lot richer – but will our food be any safer for it? That’s a definite maybe. Via The Consumerist Texans may like to fancy themselves a little different? better? more special? than the rest of the continental US. Especially when it comes to what they eat. Bizarre[…]
Stalking the Perfect Asparagus Spear
Here on the east coast, asparagus is in season from April until June, but the peak for slender, pencil-thin spears may have an even smaller window. When I was preparing for the Bloomies cooking demo, asparagus was on the menu, but those gorgeous, slim stalks were difficult to find, while its fatter, less-sweet sister was[…]
Meals, Steals and Discounts
Get more for your money with these shopping, dining and traveling discounts NY’s New Baking Examiner has posted a round up of Manhattan bakery-treats for under $1. Just like the olden days! Over at Daily Candy, America’s on Sale, all of it. Go “glamping” in Montana at Paw’s Up; wine taste in Mendocino; or learn[…]
Nice to Meet You
Oh hi, it’s me, Mariel. I suppose this is my first official, out-from-behind-the-scenes post, so here goes. As the daughter of a truly talented chef, I’ve learned a few things along the way. While my friends were eating hot dogs, burgers and Big Macs growing up, my mom was using us kids as taste-testers for[…]
Images and a Recap: Live from Bloomingdale’s
The Bloomingdale’s demo on Saturday is over and done with and I have to say, it was a blast. As I had mentioned last week, my daughter, Mariel, is the silent co-creator of this blog suggesting posts, writing posts and keeping me apprised of national and NYC-specific food news. On Saturday, she went from silent[…]
Top 12 Time & Money-Saving Kitchen Tips
Mary Anne here. The Bloomingdale’s demo yesterday was fantastic – exhilarating, exciting and a little nerve-wracking, but more to come on that tomorrow. Yesterday, at the demo, I shared my Top 10 Kitchen Tips for saving time, saving money and saving food. There are hundreds of tips and I’ll keep sharing, but these are a[…]
Bloomingdale's Demo, One Last Reminder
Just a gentle reminder to any interested readers/foodies/Mother’s Day shoppers in the New York area. Tomorrow, Saturday May 9th, I’ll be at Bloomingdale’s in White Plains dishing up my favorite menus for at-home entertaining on a budget. I’ll also be doling out tips on how to swap out expensive ingredients and generally lower cooking costs.[…]
Family Bonding, Just in Time for Mother’s Day
This story from the Star News in Wilmington, NC. Reminds me a lot of the bond that cooking has forged within my own family. One of the things I did for my mom’s 80th birthday was to take her mother’s handwritten leather-bound journal of “receipts” – as they call recipes in the south – and[…]
Bloomingdale's In-Store Cooking Demo
I’ve always been a fan of the Little Brown Bag (and the Medium and Big Brown Bags), so when Bloomingdale’s contacted me about coordinating in-store cooking demonstrations and tastings in their White Plains, NY and Manhattan outposts, I shot straight over the moon. Next Saturday May 9th will be the first of my appearances –[…]
Meals, Deals and Steals
Over the past few days, I’ve collected the best discounts when it comes to dining in and dining out, as well as a few too-good-to-resist travel deals. Enjoy! For those of you with enough leftover dough to indulge in a meal made by someone else, checkout Restaurant.com. This handy website offers discounted gift certificates to[…]
Today in Food News
Ever find how walking thru the kitchen inevitably makes you 15% more likely to reach for a snack? Or how Fido leans in for a sniff when the afternoon munchies are taking hold? Yeah, me neither. But apparently the folks at MSN have compiled a list of Weird But True Body & Health factoids. Via[…]