This morning I listened to a podcast that spoke about the Sicilian influence in NOLA. Two places I have never been that have major food history, and that are large centers of all things delicious. And both which carry a culture so vast from the parts in which they are attached. It reminded me of the current citrus season and how Sicily is a sumptuous port of citrus and of course, oh yes, of course, we think of lemons and Cedro! The first Sicilians stepped foot in NOLA / U.S. with citrus! Sicily’s immigrants created major food ways with New Orleans.
This makes me think of those awesome memories of lemon vines near the poolside of the Masseria in which I lived in Puglia. I think of picking them when I wasn’t supposed to and burying one in my luggage to bring back home with me to the U.S. I now have a dried, hollowed out lemon in my sock drawer, a memory I will ALWAYS keep.
I'm Rethinking you NYC
Living in NYC doesn’t always make me feel “at home”. It isn’t always the coziest and it’s sometimes too boisterous for my granny like nature. But what I did realize coming back after the holiday was that it allows me to really focus and hone in on me. I get to pick from dozens of cafes, hip and torn or sophisticated and new that host me for an afternoon thinking session. And maybe while I work I have the comfort of treating myself to a cappuccino or latte. I always forget to ask for decaf though- oh well! But, what I don’t forget is the opportunity to enjoy the work I am a part of and the fact that I can treat myself to some delicious goods...ALL THE TIME.
Get out of that holiday funk
So here we are at the holiday’s end. The fun has blown over. How? That fast really? It always happens that way and when all is said and done we go back to work and school feeling kind of funky. But, there is no need for that because our blessings are more exciting everyday than what Christmas could bring us once a year. And the Harney and Sons tea giveaway has closed and one lucky person will be receiving something a little extra this year.
Thank you to those who participated! The garnished selection has taken place and the winner will be contacted shortly. Gifts are fabulous baby!
Is it Possible to have a cookie hangover?
When I was in Italy I discovered so many foods and treats that I would NEVER see in America. The country is so diverse in its food culture and thousands of people visit every year just for food alone, but not always do certain items make their rounds back to the states. And, I kinda like it that way.
But, there is an exception to some. There are recipes that leak out everywhere and we can’t fight it! Like these Cenci/ Ciacchiere that my grandmother makes most holidays and my mother claims to have made growing up on her side of the family. Cenci starts out exactly like pasta dough except sweeter and drunk. There is the addition of sugar, and then white wine for acidity and bubbles. It seems most things fried are incredibly addicting so of course you won’t be able to stop yourself. Like my Dad, who devoured a whole bowl full.
These oblong twists and bows are drizzled with honey, crumbled walnuts, and dusted with powdered sugar!
Everlasting Food Memories
Over the last few weeks, I have been talking about food memories and reaching out to you to share them with me. Now I would like to reflect one of mine.
I think there really is something “magical” about Christmas time. Whether you celebrate it or not there’s always a special feeling that evokes the week leading up to the big day. Maybe because across the world, it’s one of the most celebrated holidays along with Easter. That everyone is with their favorite people. That businesses are closed and roads are quiet. We all shut down to celebrate commensality.
I come from a HUGE background filled with food memories from family tradition, heritage, education, and work. But each year at this time we create the memories that will keep us going on to the next. We have evolved as a family in our little brick abode. Instead of seating relatives in five locations around the living room and kitchen, we move furniture so everyone comes together at one long table. We feast on crab stuffed sole and shrimp thermidor over jasmine rice, dishes my mom makes every year. Never will we dip our torn bread solely in olive oil unless it’s aromatized by hot Italian peppers. Or miss out on pizelles, brownie torte, and lemon cookies mamma and her sisters make each year like clockwork.
How can I finesse the tablescape without contributing something savory and sweet!? Let them eat sour cream fudge cake while simultaneously melting in bruleed fontina cavatelli!
xoxo
Harney Sons Gift Giveaway Continues with Chai Tea Moments
Nothing more do I love than a perfectly creamy and indulgently sweet chai tea. I am in love. I always get Chai tea wherever I go even if it’s the cafe at the edge of town. Except Italy! I don’t remember how I got through without my chai? Nonetheless, it’s my favorite, so at home in the absence of a milk frother I lightly whip heavy cream instead. This “foamy” version of frothed milk made me say “hell yes!” The heavy cream sticks around a little longer and doesn’t melt into the tea like foamed milk would. Sweet, dense, warm, yum. The spices are equally balanced throughout, yum!
So, what the heck is Chai tea anyways and why can we purchase jugs of Chai tea concentrate at Harney and Sons? Chai is a black tea base with cinnamon, clove, cardamom, nutmeg, and vanilla. Black tea is full of caffeine, so I must take caution, but I rather enjoy my 20 minutes of bliss no matter the consequence. I feel as if though Chai tea, like matcha, has been morphed into its own category. You have white teas, black teas, oolongs, and greens, but within those categories are the all mighty sub category of bold, concentrated, and noteworthy teas. Teas that don’t necessarily act as cold remedies and teas that you don’t make in the morning like a cup of Jo. These teas like Chai are what memories are made around. Charismatic and full, Chai tea is best to drink in moments where only good things happen.
Living By Design Holiday Special Premiere
Setting up the Set
When I started with PowerHouse Productions in September of this year I had not a clue what I would be exposed to, who I would meet, and what it would be like leading culinary on projects that my bosses and Executive Producers Rochelle Brown and Sonia Armstead produced. I was granted the opportunity to travel to California a few times already to work with them and their team of producers and crew members to create unique content for TVOne. To create memories that cannot be transformed into a better time. To laugh way too much and sleep way too little.
I would love for you to tune in this evening for the premiere of Living by Design Holiday Special with Jake and Jazz Smollett. Every family has a way of recreating the holidays for their families or friends so Jake and Jazz will show you how they create theirs. Their pink speckled wooden tabletop will be covered with champagne and smothered chicken and surrounded by friends (inclusive of some unique guests).
When staging the set and setting up each food segment everything had to be perfect. Herbs were hit with a little extra spritz, veggies were squeaky clean, and the overall organization of ingredients landed on the island in a way that Jake or Jazz could easily determine which one needed to be used next while simultaneously cooking and entertaining the camera. Smothered Chicken and Collards, Pot Roast and a crabby Potato Gratin, and the luscious finale of Peach Cobbler created their perfect holiday meal.
Jake and Jazz Smollett with Singer Ledesi
Harney and Sons Gift Giveaway!
This year along with Harney and Sons Tea I will be giving away a special gift inclusive of Harney and Sons Tea products! Here is what you need to tell me….
I want to know what it is that makes your favorite food memories so special. Food in some form is always a part of our culture. Food memories are nostalgic and they evoke feelings from past experiences, memories with people, and memories of feelings. When I learned about this simple concept in culinary school it always stuck with me. Part of why I tell stories in my posts has to do with my love for sharing memories in relation to food. Even though we may share the same food with the same people in the same space, we all take something different away from those moments.
I’m not sure that every one of us has memories with tea, but if we do then I want to know what it was! What did you drink, who were you with, what did you talk about, and why was it special?! Or was is it that time you ordered Bucatini Amatriciana from Pasta Beach in Rhode Island that kept you going back again and again… (if you want to know more then you tell me your stories too)!
Tea or no tea, what foods or drink evoke your best memories?
Subscribing to The Garnished Palate will double your chances of being chosen! Regardless, everyone who shares will be placed in my bag of tricks to be considered for a Harney and Sons gift!
Hauraki Frost Vibes
Thanksgiving is brisk this year, which means more reason to indulge in food that makes you feel cozy. More reason to drink a stronger, astringent @Harney teas Hauraki Frost from Southern India. A tea that mellows out the buttery Cherry Diane, Pumpkin, and Apple Crisp pies! There’s something comforting about taking the initial bite of pie and sipping hot tea to chase. It’s a feeling I wish could last forever but theres no way around avoiding the feeling of being full!
There are never enough ways to be thankful for all the good there is. But I am blessed to have a dual life living and working in a world where I surrounded by food in all ways imaginable.
Lady Bird Soars
Weekends almost feel like a blank canvas. What’s to do?
I need to keep work incorporated into most of my days even if I’m not on set or sitting at a desk, or else I feel kind of lost. It keeps me on track with what’s to come. It keeps me feeling like I am making some sort of progress. And I also really really like to check things off my lists. I always make lists!
Although I may not be traveling this week or the one after that, I am gearing up for another loaded adventure at work which will take place in Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Harlem… who knows! After all is said and done, produced, and wrapped up, we WILL be back on soaring wings. Maybe some travel leading into the spring, which I am ok with! But, for now I get to embrace eating breakfast, slowly and quietly feeling kind of free while the weekend sort of plans itself out (who am I kidding I will definitely have an agenda to follow).
Doubled up french toast egg- in- a- hole, buttered tomatoes, and some greens to keep my heart pumping strong.
Cinnamomum
I wasn’t quite sure what story to lead on Cinnamon tea for the month of October. Not to mention I am a bit behind on this post now that we have landed in November. But I feel this is all for good reason. I think that the last two weeks of straight work on and off set has written the story for me.
Cinnamon is a universal flavor to almost everyone. It’s one of the all-American spices that highlights the foods we find in the average supermarket; cinnamon toast crunch, cinnamon buns, coffee cake, red hots, French toast- the list can simply multiply itself 5 more times. It’s universal in other cultures too; Vietnamese cinnamon spice, Chinese 5 Spice, Cinnamon in Arabic spice blends, heck my Italian Grandmother even cooks with cinnamon! Harney and Son’s cinnamon tea is the best example of the usage of cinnamon. It’s sweet when paired with sugar, it’s bitter when you’ve steeped it for too long, and it’s savory all on its own. It channels itself through food in many ways. But, I also believe that it can relate to the themes of life. And I finally realized why this tea was perfect for October. There was a moment of realization while away on the west coast last month, working for nearly 2 weeks straight. There were moments that I realized life was like cinnamon- savory, sweet, and bitter. Moments that taught me so much.
The all nighter I pulled alone while everyone went to bed responsibly. I carried glass carafes full of liquids and heavy props up and down the stairs quietly. I got maybe two hours of sleep in before the alarm rang for another 15-hour day. That was Bitter. Yet all those moments of laughter over compensated for the intense days we had. Those long delirious laughs kept me going, even when I didn’t know what I was laughing at anymore. I sound crazy right? And altogether I savored the experience to its fullest. The shows, the talent, the 15 plus hour days, my team, the beautiful home we stayed. Everything. And literally, after it’s all said and done this week, I WILL be drinking a cup of cinnamon tea, pretending that it feels like fall on the east coast although I still feel like I am on the west coast. Cinnamon too has a story to tell if you can find the relationship.
A Hankering for all Things Apple
Where ever you may be, it’s fall and it’s the best. The air smells cleaner although tinged with the amazing smell of burning wood in the distance. Pumpkins are plump and too heavy to pick and apples are in full bloom.
What more would you crave than a crispy, airy or cakey apple cider doughnut? What about hot cider to snuggle up with while watching Halloween movies. Or, if you like your cider straight up go for the good stuff! I found that hard cider with a cider doughnut is an undeniably delicious pair. So, Go for it, I’m telling you!
The Hudson valley does it best, and I urge you to take many weekend trips to local orchards and breweries to get your fix. Check out my article in the Poughkeepsie Journal to find the top 5 spots you can get cider doughnuts and it’s counterpart beverage.
Check out my article in the Poughkeepsie Journal! Here you will find all the best places to get your apple cider doughnuts and cider in the Hudson Valley!
LA & Birmingham Travel Nights
It’s unreal. All that I have seen and what I have gotten to do in the first seven days of my new job. As I sat on the last flight of the first week, tapping away at my keyboard and snacking on extra generic trail mix I recapped the week over again and again. Although I practically worked night and day for nearly ten days straight, I am in love. I love my team, I love my responsibilities, and I love the seemingly constant adventure. I have always imagined a career that was wrapped around so much possibility, amazing people, and travel. I think that those who know me, already understand my world is about food and media, but for me, there is so much more to it than those simple terms. I have been so ready to dive deep and learn all that those are willing to teach me, while still being mentored from the successful people that have guided me to the present.
L.A.
My time in Italy came before I ever traveled to the other side of this country. For a while, I have been imaging the west coast and how different it is from my New York habitat. Quite different if you know what I mean (you’re supposed to chuckle here). We stayed at the foot of Laurel Canyon in Hollywood, in this insane house that doubled as our promo shoot workspace; actually, pretty clever thanks to Rochelle and Sonia. As the Culinary Associate Producer, I didn’t have time to explore much, but instead did things like prep a pink cake, craft props for a set like my jar of lemons, and shop as the evening ritual aside from running around the house and taking calls each day. We worked and laughed and enjoyed everything even though we spent most of our time at Whole Foods and Target slowly becoming delirious from the time change and sleep deprivation. And yes, that day on the beach in Malibu shooting some B- roll was crazy cool too!
Birmingham (The Ham)
Not even 24 hours after arriving in NYC I had to fly back out again. Waiting for that call telling me about a 6 a.m. flight was truly thrilling. I was on a roll! Two flights to Birmingham later and I began to prep for the Twilight Supper fundraiser event that Jones Valley Teaching Farm hosted with Chef JJ Johnson- whom I was assisting. My very first day of work I began to help coordinate this event with Rochelle and Sonia, so seeing it all come together two weeks later on site in Alabama was incredible. I learned to make the infamous Afropot, by Chef JJ and watched the making of Black China Coconut Lime Rice and Okra Fries. What's more, I sang a tune from one of my favorite artists “ I Feel For You” by Chaka Khan with Dolester Miles, who was awarded Best Pastry Chef by the James Beard Foundation this year. Dolester brought her fluffy, perfectly piped lemon meringue tarts to the event for the dessert course and I could not hold back any longer. I had one for dinner. Following the event, I knew I had one last trip to make and that was to visit an old friend, Dave, over smothered chicken and biscuits with a side of sweet tea. I would not dare leave the south without a proper southern meal.
I wish for the best adventures to come yet! And very grateful for this time.
Blooming Art Tea Part 3: A Series Of Fashionable Teas
And it’s Autumn! I waited to post this later in the month although I was eager to do it sooner, but I had to wait for fall to show itself even (just a little). According to the calendar it’s fall, but it barely feels like it. There were days during the summer that felt more like Autumn than it does now so I do know that it’s gonna take a minute to readjust itself. For now, we just go with it and imagine the beautiful crips air, produce, and fashion trends that comes with it. This month- the final month of fashionable teas- Jessica and I decided to represent Harney and Sons Jasmine Fairy Maiden. A less bountiful tea than the previous ones in our series, but the best one to put in a glass. It’s orange blossom is a bit small which makes it perfect for a singular cup of tea.
Because the tea is a bit subtle in color we wanted to tie in some bright colors and textured patterns to bring it to life. The orange cloth automatically makes you think of fall, evoking the feelings of warmth, delicious pumpkin soup, decked out Jack o’lanterns, and thick knit sweaters. The milk carafe is essential to this photo because I bought it at an antique fair in Alberobello, Puglia while the weather was wisping cold air off the sea. That little copper vessel was the perfect buy during that cold winter season and I knew it would come to fit an occasion like this. The copper color fits the warm tone of the scene.
The Jasmine Fairy Maiden is a green tea with jasmine tea leaves flowering around and upward the blossom. The small lemon colored thread of flowers bloom out from the center of the tea leaves leaving a whimsical trail of beauty. These blooming art teas are subtle in flavor but they carry so much sophistication, that they are perfect when decorating a table scape for an elegant party. Think festive halloween party or a chilly fall morning tea meet- up with friends when sipping this tea!
A Much Needed Dose of Dobos Torte
And finally we can say that it feels like fall! Although it’s not, I feel it coming in slow. Yesterday the AC was off, windows open to feel out that crisp breeze I didn’t think NYC could pull off, and a long sleeve shirt with Hungarian Dobos cake in hand. While working with Sarah Copeland she started to expose me to some pieces of Hungarian culture. And, right up the street here, is a Hungarian Cafe that keeps calling “Frankiiiii” so I had to find out what they offered. This multi layered sponge cake with chocolate buttercream fits the cool vibe of the weekend, especially with its brûléed caramel top. And hopefully you can cut through a piece without it falling flat.
It all Started with the Ravioli
Traveling to Italy was like going to a different planet. It was like living in another lifetime. Maybe if I had traveled abroad more regularly it would not feel so strange to me; the memories I have from being alone in another place, the life- long friends and distant relatives I bonded with over carb filled meals may not be like what others do in different cultures, but this is what we do. We go back for second bowls of everything while tearing bread right onto the table. We drink red wine before and Fernet Branca after. We also have ravioli multiple times a day in different ways.
I was thinking about the family and friends I met just about five months ago in my adventures of Northern Italy. I actually think about them often and what they are doing each day six hours ahead of my time. I remember on Easter when we shared endless ravioli made with meat sauce, olive oil and garlic, and then mini versions in brodo. I remember the Rice and Spinach Torta and the La Bomba just like my Grandmother makes here. Those will always be amongst my most precious memories of Italy.
This week I felt I needed to revisit those memories a little more so I went to Grandma and Grandpas. And oh boy did I eat! It wasn't the spinach and ricotta ravioli that I ate a ton of in Italy, just like Gma makes it here, but it was a plethora of other things stuffed like Spinach Torta and gigantic squash blossoms from her extra pruned garden (this woman has the greenest of thumbs). As soon as I walked in I smelled what turned out to be a cake with squash blossoms, a piece she then cut for me before another meal of pasta. Grandma was inspired by her Italian culinary hero Lidia Bastianich to make this cake and it turned out to be quite delish! The blossoms are so delicate they almost melted into the cake.
Of course, I could not leave without having pasta. Grandma and Grandpa make their sauces very different from one another and although they are both from the north of Italy where tomato sauce is a lot lighter than how it's prepared down south, my Grandpa actually makes his rich with tomatoes. He learned to make the sauce, not in Italy but while working in this country - so that makes more sense to me. I think his sauce is actually one of the absolute best sauces I have ever had. I crave it (I will not tell Gma). My Grandmother does, however, make her sauce with a small amount of tomato sauce. What we had for lunch was her saucy treasure that she canned a year ago; tomato sauce loaded with her bell-shaped- striped zucchini and lots of dried herbs. Once I finished my spaghetti that she wouldn't let me eat without a spoon to swirl, I took a nap and woke up to another appetite.
I took the time to enjoy their company while they enjoyed me, and these are the memories I felt I needed to revisit.
Blooming Art Part 2: A Series Of Fashionable Teas
The edge of summer is near, which means there will be many less days of vibrant sun. It also means the cool colors become warm and everything in trend turns to fall. The last few days of summer are being held tightly before they are lost in a long year of work. Before all the bright and bubbly colors of summer turn to darker versions of themselves. And, not that I don't love fall because it actually is my favorite season, I really enjoy the beauty of summer and how lively everything becomes in both worlds of fashion and food. Like days I get to prance around in my yellow mini skirt or bright purple polka dot romper. Even the moments I crave a large glass of iced tea while baking for hours in a very warm kitchen. All these summery vibes will soon change over for all things warmer and more snuggly.
The name of Harney and Sons Tea, Dancing Snowflake is a bit ironic when thinking about summer. But it actually perfectly mimics the beauty of both fashion and food with its bloomed essence. A fluffy yellow flower opens up to hot water and garnishes any glass teapot with sunny sophistication. I love this tea for August because it symbolizes a time when fashion and drink are at their peak in season. Right now the trends of clothes, shoes, accessories, and colors of summer are almost full-filled. We will soon see the life of fall come to fruition. We will see lines of people waiting inside cramped coffee shops defending the cold and awaiting their order of hot tea. We will see food and beverage brands marketing their best and new fall items with clove, cinnamon, or pumpkin spice. But for now, we will savor the last moments of summer with the Dancing Snowflake tea (don't mind the name too much).
British Tea Time is like America's Happy Hour
I envy the British for their afternoon tea time with mini cakes and finger sandwiches. I think it's such a great way to break up the day and take a few minutes to self reflect or loathe or listen to other peoples drama. Is that too much?
Queen Catherine of Braganza, a Portuguese women who went from a European way of life to the British way is the historical figure noted for starting the tea trend in England. She is the one who grew fond of tea through her own culture and quickly made it come to life in England. Harney and Sons Queen Catherine Tea is a combination of three Chinese black teas: Keemun, Yunnan, and Panyang; Keemun being light, smokey, and fruity, Yunnan as sweet and Panyang as toasty. It's a great sipping (iced) tea for a hot day. The flavor is slightly bold and tannic so it may not be the chugging ice tea of your thirst quenching dreams, but something to cool you off as you float in the pool or eat lunch on the patio. Or perhaps a perfect Afternoon Tea picnic drink with a slice of peach pie?
Juicy August peaches are most definitely in our thoughts this month. Not that you have to hand make anything with peaches, but I recommend buying a treat featuring them at the farmers market! Sometimes a local farm stand will sell their produce in a thoughtfully baked way and you can find comfort in knowing it will be more likely of good quality than not. My family caught the end of day sale at the Rhinebeck market so we hit up the half priced peach pies and could not wait to cut a piece before dinner! I bridged the flavor of Harney and Sons Queen Catherine tea into the whipped cream ontop of the peach pie, which offered a very subtle hint of earthiness. I won't dare eat any pie without whipped cream! Just a teaspoon of crushed tea leaves turned powder will be enough for a cup of whipped cream. Plus the tiny black specks are beautiful against the white cream; the cream is a bit too bright in the picture above, but believe me they are there. You cannot go wrong with this type of tea, it's actually good for moderate, unadventurous tea drinkers who are looking for something simple in flavor. Plus the name takes you into a fantasy world of 17th Century princesses drinking afternoon tea!
What about Straws Again?
Plastic is freaking people out. After taking my sustainable food systems course in college I'm thinking this topic comes in handy for why and how our environment is at moments of failure. It is plastic that we are so dependent on to cut corners. Disney, American Airlines, Aramark, and soon to be Starbucks are putting the kebosh on plastic straws. The global ocean pollution has put this idea to test after a sea turtle was found with one logged in its nose.
My thought on banning plastic straws is bringing me hope that more plastic items will be eliminated all-together- utensils, plates/bowls, cups- and so forth. It seems that easy right? I'm slightly odd, because I never like drinking water unless I am super thirsty. But, often, the only time I will drink just to stay hydrated is when I have a straw to use. There is something much more fun and satisfying about drinking through a straw. Straws are convenient and allow for smooth easy drinking. But why couldn't we use paper or metal straws instead? Straws are good for something afterall, and they are one of the smallest delicacies in life. We can drink, while walking, and never have to flinch an eye because those small skinny things can reach the height of our lips without us having to bend our heads all the way back for a gulp. It’s sometimes the tiniest things that can make the most impact, something like this that can shift change. I'm excited to see how straws may change our industry. I look forward to what's next.
Blooming Art part 1: A Series Of Fashionable Teas
It's quite simple if you think about it, that tea is this gorgeous, perfume like, colorful substance that you add to water and miraculously it has a way to heal, entertain, warm, and form relationships. In my home growing up we always had pouches of tea and nothing more. It was then how I viewed tea as a white pouch that turned brown once saturated where I figured the in-complexity of it. It was when my dad and I bought my mom loose tea leaves in this 2 oz tin can for her birthday one year, that I first started liking the idea of tea even more. There are cultures that swear by it too, like England and their clocked in routine tea time. The stores I visited while spending time with a friend in London all made sure their teas were prominent above all other specialty food items sold around. Even India, China, and Japan find a greater importance for this dainty sipping drink, that does wonders for our bodies and mind.
Besides the healing properties and mental wellness it provides there is something more physical to tea. There are teas mixed with dried flower petals or citrus rind, grassy textures, and herbs and then there are those that sprout like flowers and create the idea of an underwater garden. Harney & Sons, Seven Sons Congratulating tea is this pinkish red flower, surrounded with jasmine petals. The tea grows in the Fujian Province, China nearest Taiwan which is one of the largest regions in China to produce tea . It's a beautiful combination of dainty meets feminine meets chic with touches of the color pink and jasmine. Jessica Haryanto and I spent some time thinking about how we could portray tea in a modest yet fashionable way. Jessica has spent some time in the fashion world and helped me collaborate on how to make this blooming art tea the perfect look for mid- summer. While we feel that pink is floral, feminine, fragrant, and loving, it allows us to create a tea scene that fits all these characteristics in any setting.
Tasting Notes
While this tea is especially delicate, the raw tea sphere- before it flourishes in water- smells of Fig Neutons. Steep the tea ball in hot water off heat and wait for its reveal in only a few minutes; the water should turn a pale yellow. With the addition of sugar or honey it's mild jasmine flavor is just as good either room temperature or hot. Some opinions my say it's not a hearty tea you drink with milk, especially because you don't want to hide its beautiful bloom. Seven Sons Congratulating Tea is refreshing and fashionable for any evening or morning sip in July.