retrolillies

January 27, 2016

Key Lime Pie

Now that there’s snow on the ground here (understatement of the year) I’m finally feeling like winter has truly arrived. Besides for wishing I was back in warm and sunny Costa Rica, I’ve been drinking hot cocoa, warming myself in front of the fire and procrastinating, because that’s what winter makes me want to do.…
January 15, 2016

Costa Rica

Costa Rica. We were there for just one week, but (can you tell?) I fell in love. Truthfully, it would be hard not to. There is something about it, something about those lush, wet rainforests, those bright, chirpy birds and the cloud-topped volcanoes, something in all of those things which is impossible to resist, which beckons…
January 10, 2016

Beef Bourguignon Pot Pie

Happy 2016, everyone! I know my new year sentiments are a bit late, but I was in Costa Rica this past week (more on that soon!) and only now do I have the chance to wish everyone an amazing, successful new year. Bring it 2016! Let’s do this! I think January is the sort of month that…
December 22, 2015

Brown Butter Pistachio Baklava

I discovered baklava in a chaotic, sun soaked market in Jerusalem. All around me, vendors shouted, loudly hawking their wares, and people selected their goods quickly, haggling briefly and hurriedly bagging their treasures. In contrast, I stood still, lost in fascination. In front of me, sticky, syrupy diamonds were laid out on trays, sprinkled with…
December 18, 2015

Six Impossible Things

The past couple of weeks have been crazy busy. It seemed like every day there was something new to check off my list and each week I had more and more things to get done. However, now that Chanukah is over I feel like things are finally starting to calm down. I have a trip…
December 11, 2015

Brûléed Lemon Curd Olive Oil Tart

I can’t believe Chanukah is almost over! Tonight’s night number six. Crazy, isn’t it? Only two more days left until my yearly eat-as-much-fried-food-as-you-want pass is up! I’m spending this weekend in Brooklyn with my extended family and bringing this tart along. So many people think that Chanukah is all about doughnuts and latkes (and don’t get…
December 8, 2015

Classic Jelly Doughnuts

Happy, happy Chanukah! I hope you’re all eating so many latkes. And doughnuts. I’ve already had 4, and it’s mostly thanks to these. I never want to lay eyes on another doughnut, but I think it was worth it. Only time will tell. These are my platonic ideal of a doughnut: light, fluffy, and endlessly…
December 4, 2015

Chocolate & Walnut Meringue Cookies

These cookies are my Bubby’s. They are her specialty, her legacy. No family gathering is complete without them, and special occasions are marked by the presence of these, tangible signs of her love. At family events, my cousins and I gather around a tray of these cookies and chat about life while snacking on them…
November 27, 2015

Grateful

Hi! Happy day-after-Thanksgiving! Pie for breakfast, anyone? I’m sipping on some tea right now, reflecting on last night’s festivities, which I spent with my close friends. I cooked up a wonderful feast (we did end up having a turkey, which means I now have leftovers for at least a week) and we gorged ourselves on pies, dinner…
November 23, 2015

Concord Grape Muffins

It’s Monday! We need muffins. We need them jumbo, crunchy with sugared tops and moist with butter. And most of all, we need them filled with luscious Concord grapes! Have you ever had Concord grapes? They’re dusky little miracles. Only in season from August to October, they’re starting to slip off grocery shelves. But they’re worth…