StellaBites

Psst...

I'm over here now:
http://stellaland.typepad.com

Kindly adjust your links so we can stay in touch!
If you'd like a button for your blog, here you go:

(just don't hotlink, kthx!)

Resolution!

One of my resolutions for 2008 is a carryover from 2007 and that's to SIMPLIFY.

If you know me, you know that I have three blogs:
Stellaland (travels and such!)
She Who Knits (my knitting/craft blog)
StellaBites (this one)

This year I bought a domain name where I hope to house all 3 blogs so I can keep everything in one place.
I need a little help doing this (I need to merge all 3 blogs to 1 platform and then make sure they are still in chronological order when I go live!).

In the meantime my blogs will be pretty quiet. I figure the less posts I have to merge, the faster I can get it done.

Stay tuned for the big reveal... hopefully this won't be a 2009 resolution!

One of my resolutions for 2008 is a carryover from 2007 and that's to SIMPLIFY.

If you know me, you know that I have three blogs:
Stellaland (travels and such!)
She Who Knits (my knitting/craft blog)
StellaBites (this one)

This year I bought a domain name where I hope to house all 3 blogs so I can keep everything in one place.
I need a little help doing this (I need to merge all 3 blogs to 1 platform and then make sure they are still in chronological order when I go live!).

In the meantime my blogs will be pretty quiet. I figure the less posts I have to merge, the faster I can get it done.

Stay tuned for the big reveal... hopefully this won't be a 2009 resolution!

Covet

I received my Sur la Table catalog last week and it is completely dog-eared now that I have marked it all up with the things I want. But what caught my eye the most are these Italian Ottimista/Pessimista wine glasses. I think these would make a great gift with a good bottle of wine. They are perfect for me because I hate stemware.

 

Pass the hug please...

How cute is this? Salt and Pepper shakers that love each other.  Great stocking stuffer for the foodie!
$22.95 via VAT19.com

Apparently, Meryl Streep's place is in the kitchen

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Meryl Streep will whip up some culinary delights as Julia Child in a movie about a woman inspired by the cooking icon.

"Julie & Julia" is an adaptation of the 2005 book by Julie Powell, "Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen." Amy Adams ("Junebug") is in negotiations to co-star as Powell.

The Columbia Pictures film follows Powell, a government worker who decides to cook her way through Child's classic "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" in one year out of her small Brooklyn kitchen. Powell blogs her daily experiences, gaining a loyal following along the way.

Nora Ephron will direct from her own script. Streep has starred in two films written by Ephron, 1983's "Silkwood" and 1986's "Heartburn." Streep, currently in theaters with "Rendition," stars in Robert Redford's November 9 release "Lions for Lambs." Adams stars in "Enchanted," which opens November 21.

Heirloom Tomatoes

I was stopped by a woman at the grocery when I was buying these and asked if they were really good, because, let's face it... sometimes they look a little gruesome! I assured her they were delicious and that I try to buy them when I can find them. She bought some and I do hope she enjoyed them as much as I do!
Here's a bit more information on the history of Heirloom Tomatoes.

Shepherd's Pie

So can you tell I am going back to all my photo archives and posting all the yummy recipes I've made and restaurants that I have been to all year?

This is a Shepherd's Pie that I made in February. It was AMAZING! I know this because I had 2 of my British friends come over for dinner they raved about it.

The recipe is from the March o6 Cook's Country magazine, the sister publication to Cook's Illustrated. Have I professed my love for this magazine yet? It's one of my favorite magazines! The photos are great, no advertisements, full color, easy recipes that are tasty, what more can I ask for?  You can also join the website for $3.95 per month and download all the recipes. They don't have any advertising in their magazines, so that's why they charge for access to the website.

Click through for the recipe.

Carnegie Deli | NYC

Carnegie Hall

Pickles!

Corned Beef on Rye with Cheese and Russian Dressing
(I can't remember what the official name of the sandwich is)

There is a $13 plate sharing fee, which cracks me up because YOU KNOW everyone shares their sandwich there! Especially tourists who can't bring their leftovers home. They do serve extra slices of bread with the sandwhich, so you can create mini sandwiches off of the platter. We stuffed ourselves silly and had no room for cheesecake.

Carnegie Deli
854 7th Ave @ 55th St
New York, NY 10019

Grand Central Oyster Bar | NYC

H and I spent some time in NYC in January. These photos are from our lunch at the Oyster Bar in Grand Central Station. H wanted to try it out for ages. Me? I'm not so much of a seafood gal. But I knew he was excited and it was a great way for us to end our guided tour of Grand Central Station (It's free! and actually way more fun than I expected!) I went all fried with the calamari and he enjoyed some fried oysters and a bowl of seafood soup that was very rich and full of prawns, lobster and other seafood delights. H described it as "a gallon of cream with seafood in it."

The people watching was brilliant! There were a lot of people there who you just knew had been coming for years. Each section had their own waitstaff and we were seated right next to the kitchen so we got to watch some of the madness. The place is packed during a weekday lunch hour! If you like seafood, this is a great place. The menu changes daily based on the freshes catches at the market. There is also a limited take out window if you are on the go.

Fried Oysters

Seafood Soup

Fried Calamari

Key Lime Pie

Berry Tart

Grand Central Oyster Bar
Grand Central Station
New York, NY 10017
212.490.6650

Earl Grey Tea Ice Cream with Shortbread Cookies

Forgive the blurry picture. I was in a hurry because the ice cream just came out of the maker and it was still a little soft. I wanted to get a photo because I brought it with me to dinner with friends tonight and needed to freeze it a bit more before I left. I knew once it was served after dinner there would be no chance of photos!

Anyway, this ice cream is FANTASTIC! Granted it is full fat and includes eggs, but if you are looking for an amazing, creamy ice cream with just a hint of earl grey flavor, this is your ice cream. My friends said it tasted like vanilla with a pleasant earl grey aftertaste.

In one batch I crumbled the Walker's shortbread cookies and churned them right into the ice cream and in the second batch I opted to serve them on the side (like in the photo).  I will definitely be making this ice cream again, so better pictures to come.

Earl Grey Tea Ice Cream with Shortbread Cookies
1 1/2 to 2 c milk (see Note)
2 T of Earl Grey Tea or 6 teabags
1 1/2 c heavy cream
5 egg yolks
3/4 c sugar
3 T honey
6 Shortbread Cookies

In a heavy 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, warm the milk until bubbles form around the edges of the pan, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the loose tea or submerge the tea bags in the hot milk. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.

Strain the milk through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl or remove the tea bags from the milk, gently squeezing them to extract their liquid. In a heavy 2-quart saucepan, combine the tea-infused milk and 1 cup of the cream. Cook over medium heat until bubbles form around the edges of the pan, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the egg yolks, sugar and the remaining 1⁄2 cup cream. Whisk until the sugar dissolves. Gradually whisk about 1⁄2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture until smooth. Pour the egg mixture into the saucepan and add the honey. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and keeping the custard at a low simmer, until it is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon and leaves a clear trail when a finger is drawn through it, 4 to 6 minutes. Do not allow the custard to boil.

Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Place the bowl in a larger bowl partially filled with ice water, stirring occasionally until cool. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming.
Refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.

Transfer the custard to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  Add the shortbread in the last five minutes.  Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours or up to 2 days, before serving.

Makes about 1 quart.

Note: If using loose tea, you will need to use 2 cups milk; if using tea bags, use 1 ½ cups milk.

{Thanks to Lisa for helping me find the recipe!}