Lindsaycdavison

Here at Apartment Therapy we're big fans of considered lighting, and the way doing it right can completely change the look and feel of a space. It's particularly important in the living room, where we often spend quite a bit of time. However it's a tricky space to strike the right lighting balance, thanks to the many different functions the living room serves. Read on for some tips:

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Ingredients:

2/3 cup breadcrumbs, toasted
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 tablespoons nonpareil capers
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 4-oz cans boneless, smoked sardines in lemon olive oil
3/4 cup roughly chopped Italian parsley
8-9 oz tagliatelle, cooked to package instructions


Directions:
Heat the oil in a small pan. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Add the capers, pepper flakes, and the whole cans of sardines*. Lightly break up the sardines with the back of the spoon and cook until heated though. Toss with hot pasta, then bread crumbs. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

*My sardines came with a tiny, super-thin slice of lemon, toss that in too.

My thoughts:

Portugal is sardine crazy! It is on nearly every menu most often fresh grilled sardines and if not, there is often a dish where tinned sardines has been turned into something delicious. They take their canned seafood seriously; a store in Lisbon that sells nothing but canned sardines of every variety imaginable along with tinned octopus, tuna, mackeral and squid. We even went to two different canned fish themed restaurants; the very charming Can the Can and Sol e Pesca both in Lisbon. Needless to say, we stocked up on canned seafood before heading back to Baltimore. Luckily for you, most of what I found and what I used in this dish can be found at most supermarkets with a good canned fish section. Even not-so-big supermarkets had non-Portuguese versions of the sardines I'm using today but if you can't find them, try looking at a store that carries a lot of international or speciality goods like a Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Fresh Market, Wegmans, etc. You'd be surprised by what they have!

This dish is one of my new favorites because you can make it for just a few dollars and almost entirely out of pantry ingredients. I always have the above on hand and I bet you do too! The flavor is surprisingly light an not "fishy"; the parsley adds a welcome herbal note. I used bright yellow eggy imported Italian noodles, I highly recommend using those for this dish, they have a wonderful texture. Tagliatelle was the noodle I saw on nearly every menu in Europe and I can see why. Try this dish with vino verde!

Okay, I know I’ve been trying to focus on healthy snacks and all, but who am I kidding? Don’t get me wrong—I love fruits and vegetables and hummus, and I’m more likely to reach for the water instead of some sugary drink. But the recipes that excite me the most are usually the naughty ones. The ones that make me want to rub my hands together, inwardly snickering and hatching plans to unleash cruel temptation on my more disciplined friends.

Yeah. I’m a real pal like that.

So today, I figured we should throw caution to the wind. Let’s hold nothing back. I’m not even going to ask you for your favorite indulgences. No, that won’t do. I want the ultimate entry on your list! Tell us:

What’s the most shamelessly sinful dish you’ve ever made—or eaten?

When I tried to come up with my answer to this question, it dawned on me that my top answers are all recipes I discovered right here in TK. And here’s a secret: I like leaving those same food photos on my huge monitor when visitors are around and there’s a chance they might walk past my desk. I get a kick out of watching them do a double take, barely disguising a gasp as they mutter, “What is that?”

Allow me to demonstrate.

 
 
 

Bacon and Brie Quiche. Ha. This once made a 200-pound grown man weak in the knees. Which was kinda dangerous, since he was trying to haul a huge compressor unit for our air conditioning system.

 
 
 

Chocolate Hazelnut Cake. Of course. It’s Nutella in cake form, frosted with even more Nutella. With mascarpone.

 
 
 

French Onion Soup Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. You know you want one. (These aren’t really all that sinful. Unless you’re like me and use a ridiculous amount of additional butter and cheese.)

 
 
 

Scalloped Hasselback Potatoes. Yeah. I’m so not going to apologize.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that I have Tasty Kitchen to thank for some of the most evil dishes to come out of my kitchen. And that I have Tasty Kitchen to blame for some of the most evil dishes to come out of my kitchen.

Now it’s your turn! Time to ‘fess up. We all need an overboard moment now and then, right? (Please say yes.) So jump in, the water’s nice and chocolaty and sprinkled with bacon and cheese!

 

From The Kitchn → 4 Beautiful Pie Crusts That Are Way Easier Than Lattice

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Ever wonder what a Dutch masterpiece would look like with a Chanel pearl earring? Check out Instagram feed @copylab, an account that creates fine art/high fashion mashups. The 2014 Graffiti bag is perfect for a day at the beach, circa 1896.

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Demand for the silica crystals that energy companies use to frack oil and gas wells is intensifying, setting off a miniboom that has some eager to cash in with initial public offering of stock.

I’ve called Greenpoint, Brooklyn home for the better part of a decade. This is the neighborhood that welcomed me into Brooklyn 11 years ago and continues to be the only place I feel truly at home in this big, bustling city. For all the wonderful parts of Greenpoint (trees, parks, amazing Polish food and great people), there are some less desirable aspects like major pollution, overpriced rents and a lack of fresh seafood. Seafood? I know, it’s not the biggest issue in the world, but when you’re married to a cookbook writer who loves healthy (and sustainable) food, you notice these things. So when Julia and I found out we were getting new neighbors – and that they were a sustainable seafood shop – we were thrilled. We were fortunate to connect with the shop’s owners, Vinny Milburn and Adam Geringer-Dunn, before the shop opened and we’ve been beyond excited to see the design elements come together to create a beautiful new store.

This week, after months of hard work, Vinny and Adam opened Greenpoint Fish & Lobster Co. on Nassau Avenue. The shop is a clean, bright and beautiful space that uses nautical and seafood-themed decor cleverly, alongside details like vintage barstools and tin oyster trays and maps of the shop’s fishing spots as wallpaper. We’re so happy to have a new place to shop for (or stay and eat) dinner in the neighborhood and are delighted that Vinny and Adam took the look of the shop into consideration, too. We would have been happy to just have the option to buy sustainable seafood locally, but to have it available in such a stunning space is a real bonus. Thanks so much to Vinny and Adam for welcoming us into their space and telling us all about the design elements. And, from all of our North Brooklyn-based team – welcome to the neighborhood!

All photos by Maxwell Tielman

[Images above: a hand-painted logo on the store's back wall, the main bar with a gorgeous marble top and table inset with shells painted gold]

Click through for the full tour of Greenpoint Fish & Lobster Co. after the jump!

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Today in ridiculous: The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey claims it has the rights to the New York City skyline. The government agency sent a cease & desist to home goods store Fishs Eddy over their 212 line of dishware. According to PA's lawyer, it could “evoke thoughts of the Port Authority, the twin towers, W.T.C. and the September 11th terrorist attacks.”

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After such a wet and cloudy spring, what Parisian *wouldn’t* want an app telling you exactly where to find the sunny terraces around town? I actually saw a sticker for the Sunny Chairs Paris app on a traffic light pole this morning while walking the dogs and downloaded it immediately. You can search by arrondissement, by name, or what’s within 500m of your location by categories like “Bon Burgers”, “Bar du Quartier” “Rooftop” and “Bar à Vin”. The info includes address, hours, number of chairs in the sun, and what time it gets sunshine. The selections seem rather random, it’s only in French, and the info isn’t perfect (“Starbuck” (sic) is listed alongside the correctly spelled “Starbucks” and some locations are listed twice), but it’s free and seems like a useful tool when you get an immediately craving for a sunny sidewalk café. Also available for iPhone.

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The post A Place in the Sun appeared first on The Paris Blog: Paris, France Expat Tips & Resources.

Prius drivers are the worst. 

(story)

From The Kitchn → The Best Way to Organize Your Freezer

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And, what the adults in their lives should do about it.

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gifthorsedentistry:

Perfect mashups don’t exi—

(via my brain has too many tabs open)

After a flurry of summer travel, I came home to an herb garden that more closely resembled a jungle. Thyme cascaded over the edge of the bed, my oregano looked like a small shrub, and basil was everywhere. I am always surprised when this happens.

In the spring, right after planting, every snip taken seems on the verge of ending the young plant’s life. I’m so eager to harvest that I find it hard to sit back and let them grow. Yet without fail, halfway through the summer and despite my efforts to the contrary, I find myself with more herbs than I know what to do with it and a flurry of activity ensues.

Last night, I made a big batch of basil pesto. Some was tossed with warm noodles and promptly enjoyed, while the remainder was divided up into smaller portions and frozen. This winter, when the weather is bleak and dreary, I have a feeling I’ll be glad to have a bit of summer in my freezer.

The remaining herbs, clippings from my effort of getting my garden back under control, went into this dip. I first got the idea for this recipe from Dorie Greenspan. She is the talented chef and author of many cookbooks, including Around My French Table, that includes the recipe for “Lyonnaise Garlic and Herb Cheese (aka Boursin’s Mama).”

I’ve always been a fan of boursin and her variation did not disappoint. It’s much lighter and fresher than what you get in the foil wrappers and since trying it for the first time I’ve made several variations, including the one below, when I have a surplus of herbs in my house.

While simple to make, I do recommend draining the ricotta overnight. Sometimes this yields quite a bit of liquid, while other times depending on the brand, it’s just a few drops. Taking the time to do this however makes this dip not only suitable for vegetables, but also as a spread for toast or sandwiches. I personally plan on enjoying it for breakfast spread on a bagel and topped with sun-kissed tomato slices.

Ricotta-Herb Dip – Printer Friendly Recipe
Makes about 2 cups

Adapted from “Lyonnaise Garlic and Herb Cheese (aka Boursin’s Mama)” in Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table

This dip practically begs for variations and I encourage you to try it with whatever herbs you have on hand. Wherever your tastes lead you, be sure to use plenty of herbs for maximum flavor. And please, if you stumble upon a particularly delicious combination, share it with me.

1 (16-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
1 small shallot, finely chopped
3 tablespoons minced red bell pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons minced flat leaf parsley
1 ½ tablespoons finely chopped chives
1 heaping tablespoon finely chopped thyme
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chiffonade (thinly sliced)*
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Spoon the ricotta into a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl. If you do not have a fine mesh strainer, line a colander with cheesecloth and set it over a bowl.   Cover the cheese with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to drain for at least 3 hours and preferably overnight.

Spoon the drained ricotta (discarding any liquid) into a medium bowl. Stir in the remaining ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 days.   If refrigerating, add the basil right before serving as it tends to brown. While the flavor won’t be affected, appearance might.

Call it a bifurcated market in melon: One people rarely buy for themselves but often serve to others, ideally at a hotel breakfast buffet.

Flash sale site Rue La La is reportedly putting itself up for sale, and online shopping competitor Gilt Groupe could be the buyer. According to Reuters' anonymous sources, Gilt has hired JP Morgan to advise on the potential deal. Boston-based Rue, partially owned by eBay, could sell for up to $400 million.

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The swimming portion of the New York City Triathlon is one of the few times a New Yorker would voluntarily plunge into the sometimes unsanitary Hudson River.

A long December and there’s reason to believe
Maybe this year will be better than the last
I can’t remember the last thing that you said as you were leavin’
Now the days go by so fast

An American reconnaissance plane crossed into Swedish air space last month as it sought to avoid being intercepted by Russian fighters, American military officials said.

(via Summer Playlist | ban.do blog)

In 2006 Guy Goma was in the BBC reception awaiting a job interview when he was mistaken for internet expert Guy Kewney. Karen Bowerman interviewed a bewildered Mr Goma live on air.

via Six of the Most Awkward TV interviews Ever Witnessed

My least favorite word in the French language was and may still be the word normalement. Normalement basically means “if all goes according to plan”. When you add normalement to a response, it means the thing should happen. For example:
Question: « Le magasin est ouvert demain ?» / “The store is open tomorrow?”
Response: « Normalement, oui. » / “It should be, yes.”
Why do I hate this word? Because it denies all responsibility. It turns a “Yes” into a “Yes, you obnoxious inquirer, but don’t come blaming me if something changes. I didn’t promise anything.” In effect, normalement is a just a CYA addition.
But my latest pet peeve or bête noire as the French would say, is « pas du tout », sometimes shortened to just « du tout ». Of course there are legitimate reasons to say “not at all”, but I think it is far overused in French. Two examples:
Example 1: A couple of weeks ago, I was walking with a friend down rue du Faubourg-Poissonnière, the border between the 9th and 10th arrondissements. I was looking for a place to get photocopies done. We came across a shop that said, among other things, “Printing”. My friend suggested that I try them. I said no, I’ve lived in Paris long enough to know that if they don’t specifically say “Copying”, they will not do copying, and not only will they tell me know, they will laugh at me for even asking! “Don’t be silly,” he told me. Might as well ask. So I did. And the response? « Pas du tout, Madamoiselle ! » Was this really necessary? Had they just said “Sorry, no” would that have left some doubt in my mind that maybe they still did some copying, if I just asked more politely? When I asked if the shopkeeper knew where I could make copies, he said “all over!” but it still look me another 20 minutes to find a place.

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We asked our crew of friendly beer experts—all Certified Cicerones—for their list of essential beers you really should try. Read More

I admire people who can wear wacky outfits and go crazy with color, but I am not those people. I wish I were more like those people.

How do you learn about great new books for children? Maybe from your librarian or from a blurb in a magazine? Perhaps you follow a book blog? Books are such a central part of our kids' daily lives and we want to make sure we share some of the great ones with you. Here are ten of our favorite picture books from the past year; the ones that captivated our imaginations and we think will do the same in your home:

• Little Bird by Germano Zullo, illustrated by Albertine
• The Onion's Great Escape by Sara Fanelli
• This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen
• Looking at Lincoln by Maira Kalman
• The Beetle Book by Steve Jenkins
• A Trip to the Bottom of the World with Mouse by Frank Viva
• Benny's Brigade by Arthur Bradford, illustrated by Lisa Hanawalt
• My Dad is Big and Strong, But... by Coralie Saudo, illustrated by Kris Di Giacomo
• Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin, illustrated by Daniel Salmieri
• The Frank Show by David Mackintosh
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ilovecharts:

-apollo-bars

I remember my mom and I packed like 4 crates worth of pop-tarts.

if you’re ever choosing a restaurant by how many stars it had on seamless or yelp, just remember that there are garbage humans like Heather G. who bring down a restaurant’s rating with a devastating one-star rating just because their entitled ass wasn’t able to use a bathroom for free.

The NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development approved a controversial request by Extell Development to create two separate entrances at its luxury condo building, 40 Riverside Boulevard – one for market rate tenants and another for affordable housing tenants. According to the New York Post, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer vowed to veto any future plans for developments with segregated entrances for market and affordable rate tenants.

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