Sour Cherry Picking with Cecilia and Laetitia

Last Saturday, Cecilia, Laetitia and I headed out to pick sour cherries at Butler's Orchards. The weather was pretty much perfect, the sour cherries were plentiful and easy to pick, and we had a great time hanging out, lunching out and shopping at Ikea and Costco afterwards. What a perfect day with fun girls!

Below are photos from our adventures. I ended up picking 10 pounds of sour cherries: I

Last Saturday, Cecilia, Laetitia and I headed out to pick sour cherries at Butler's Orchards. The weather was pretty much perfect, the sour cherries were plentiful and easy to pick, and we had a great time hanging out, lunching out and shopping at Ikea and Costco afterwards. What a perfect day with fun girls!

Below are photos from our adventures. I ended up picking 10 pounds of sour cherries: I

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Grilled Vegetable & Havarti Pita-nini

Sunday was a busy day. I was baking mango, pistachio & crystallized ginger muffins, pitting nearly 10 pounds of sour cherries (I promise to post photos from the cherry picking and one of the things I did with them so far soon), making a berry/fruit/yogurt trifle, taking photos and avoiding doing the laundry.

Yes, avoiding doing the laundry counts as an activity.

Amongst all of my cooking

Sunday was a busy day. I was baking mango, pistachio & crystallized ginger muffins, pitting nearly 10 pounds of sour cherries (I promise to post photos from the cherry picking and one of the things I did with them so far soon), making a berry/fruit/yogurt trifle, taking photos and avoiding doing the laundry.

Yes, avoiding doing the laundry counts as an activity.

Amongst all of my cooking

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Mango, pistachio & crystallized ginger muffins

When I read Monica Bhide's tweet about baking mango bread, I knew I'd have to do it. Monica adapted her recipe from from Sweet Hands by Ramin Ganeshram. But you know me: I had to make a few changes myself!

Instead of making a mango bread, I decided to make mango muffins: cuter and easier to control the portions. Plus, they make a great portable breakfast or snack.

I thought that just using a

When I read Monica Bhide's tweet about baking mango bread, I knew I'd have to do it. Monica adapted her recipe from from Sweet Hands by Ramin Ganeshram. But you know me: I had to make a few changes myself!

Instead of making a mango bread, I decided to make mango muffins: cuter and easier to control the portions. Plus, they make a great portable breakfast or snack.

I thought that just using a

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What will I find at a farmers' market?

It's Friday and I'm feeling tired and a little lazy. So I'll simply share with you a few things I picked up at a local farmers' market last week.

When I go to a farmers' market, I rarely have an idea of what I want to buy. Instead, I stroll around, try a few samples, and see what sparks my interest.

Last week, instead of strolling from one stand to another, I was walking really quickly,

It's Friday and I'm feeling tired and a little lazy. So I'll simply share with you a few things I picked up at a local farmers' market last week.

When I go to a farmers' market, I rarely have an idea of what I want to buy. Instead, I stroll around, try a few samples, and see what sparks my interest.

Last week, instead of strolling from one stand to another, I was walking really quickly,

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Savory Oatmeal for Breakfast

If Penny De Los Santos and Mark Bittman had a baby, this would be it. Confused!? Of course you are. I'm talking about breakfast ;)

A while ago, there was a recipe by Bittman going around the blogosphere that used leftover rice, combined with ginger, leeks and topped off with a fried egg. I made it. I loved it.

Then, last week, my friend Cecilia tweeted a recipe by Penny De Los Santos for Sexed

If Penny De Los Santos and Mark Bittman had a baby, this would be it. Confused!? Of course you are. I'm talking about breakfast ;)

A while ago, there was a recipe by Bittman going around the blogosphere that used leftover rice, combined with ginger, leeks and topped off with a fried egg. I made it. I loved it.

Then, last week, my friend Cecilia tweeted a recipe by Penny De Los Santos for Sexed

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DYI dessert: Mango, White Peach & Crystallized Ginger Frozen Yogurt

One of the coolest things about having a twin sister is that you get to share friends. What does this have to do with a recipe for Mango, White Peach & Crystallized Ginger Frozen Yogurt?

Well, Anna introduced me to her friend Erica about 3 years ago. We took a trip to Montreal together and had a great time. All of us love food, fashion exhibits at museums, botanical gardens, etc. When Erica

One of the coolest things about having a twin sister is that you get to share friends. What does this have to do with a recipe for Mango, White Peach & Crystallized Ginger Frozen Yogurt?

Well, Anna introduced me to her friend Erica about 3 years ago. We took a trip to Montreal together and had a great time. All of us love food, fashion exhibits at museums, botanical gardens, etc. When Erica

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Recipe for beet lovers: beet dip and spiced bread

Last Saturday I surrendered control. Now, if you know me, you know this is not something that I do easily. I'm a control freak when it comes to many situations: I freely admit it. However, when my friend Wendy joined me in the kitchen last weekend (we made pistachio cookies and borscht together), I actually let her create two snack dishes all on her own. After all, she did go to the CIA and has

Last Saturday I surrendered control. Now, if you know me, you know this is not something that I do easily. I'm a control freak when it comes to many situations: I freely admit it. However, when my friend Wendy joined me in the kitchen last weekend (we made pistachio cookies and borscht together), I actually let her create two snack dishes all on her own. After all, she did go to the CIA and has

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Recipe for Russian Borscht (or at least my version)

When I'll fly to Seattle in September to visit my family, I'm nearly a 100% sure there will be a large pot of borscht in the refrigerator.

What can I say? Growing up in Russia, we ate a lot of beets, and I've always loved them. In salads, soups, or simply roasted, not only do they have a vibrant deep purplish/pinkish color, but they have a natural sweetness to them that pairs so well with many

When I'll fly to Seattle in September to visit my family, I'm nearly a 100% sure there will be a large pot of borscht in the refrigerator.

What can I say? Growing up in Russia, we ate a lot of beets, and I've always loved them. In salads, soups, or simply roasted, not only do they have a vibrant deep purplish/pinkish color, but they have a natural sweetness to them that pairs so well with many

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Joe Yonan's recipe for Pistachio Butter Cookies

Earlier last week I came home and found a thick envelope sitting by my door. I impatiently opened the envelop and found a copy of Joe Yonan's Serve Yourself cookbook for my review from Ten Speed press.

I sat on my couch and turned the pages of the book, marveling at the gorgeous photographs by Ed Anderson and trying to figure out what I'd like to cook from it over the weekend with my friend

Earlier last week I came home and found a thick envelope sitting by my door. I impatiently opened the envelop and found a copy of Joe Yonan's Serve Yourself cookbook for my review from Ten Speed press.

I sat on my couch and turned the pages of the book, marveling at the gorgeous photographs by Ed Anderson and trying to figure out what I'd like to cook from it over the weekend with my friend

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The things I learned from Jose Andres

This past Friday I attended a talk with Jose Andres at the National Archives for the opening of the America Eats exhibit.

Here's the description of the program:
AMERICA EATS OPENING PROGRAM: Chef José Andrés
Friday, June 10, at 7 P.M., William G. McGowan Theater
Join us for the inaugural program of "America Eats," a series developed in conjunction with José Andrés, who is Chief Culinary

This past Friday I attended a talk with Jose Andres at the National Archives for the opening of the America Eats exhibit.

Here's the description of the program:
AMERICA EATS OPENING PROGRAM: Chef José Andrés
Friday, June 10, at 7 P.M., William G. McGowan Theater
Join us for the inaugural program of "America Eats," a series developed in conjunction with José Andrés, who is Chief Culinary

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Poached Salmon with Spinach, Strawberries & Olives Salad

Some meals I plan, others come together completely randomly. The later happened a few weeks ago. In the morning I decided to defrost a few pieces of salmon I had in the freezer. Once I got home, I stood in front of the refrigerator trying to figure out what to do with the salmon and what to serve alongside the fish.

I decided to poach the salmon and make a salad to go with it. Thus, Poached

Some meals I plan, others come together completely randomly. The later happened a few weeks ago. In the morning I decided to defrost a few pieces of salmon I had in the freezer. Once I got home, I stood in front of the refrigerator trying to figure out what to do with the salmon and what to serve alongside the fish.

I decided to poach the salmon and make a salad to go with it. Thus, Poached

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So you want to be a recipe tester!?

So you want to be a recipe tester? Do you? Do you know what's involved?

I'm sure everyone's experience is different, depending on whose recipes you are testing, whether it is for a magazine or a cookbook, etc, etc.

I'm currently testing recipes for Robyn's next cookbook with about 10 other people. We each test a total of 10 recipes, time how long each one takes, measure out portion sizes,

So you want to be a recipe tester? Do you? Do you know what's involved?

I'm sure everyone's experience is different, depending on whose recipes you are testing, whether it is for a magazine or a cookbook, etc, etc.

I'm currently testing recipes for Robyn's next cookbook with about 10 other people. We each test a total of 10 recipes, time how long each one takes, measure out portion sizes,

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#EWR11: the food

Sigh. Although I did quite a bit of cooking this weekend, including testing recipes for Robyn's next book, all of my photos turned out horrible. Seriously. I ended up deleting them. While I decide if I want to post any of the recaps sans photographs, I'll share with you two meals I had while photographing/attending Eat Write Retreat. {check out my behind the scenes post}
When I learned that we'll

Sigh. Although I did quite a bit of cooking this weekend, including testing recipes for Robyn's next book, all of my photos turned out horrible. Seriously. I ended up deleting them. While I decide if I want to post any of the recaps sans photographs, I'll share with you two meals I had while photographing/attending Eat Write Retreat. {check out my behind the scenes post}
When I learned that we'll

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Mango Honey Flan with Pomegranate Concentrate

People have varied reactions when they hear the name of my blog. Some ask if all the recipes are made with mangoes and tomatoes: no, that would be slightly crazy. Others instantly ignore tomato and refer to my blog as Mango Tango, which would be cool if I was obsessed with tango dancing and not salsa. Yet one person asked me if my blog's name was really naked tomato. Thank you, Russian accent,

People have varied reactions when they hear the name of my blog. Some ask if all the recipes are made with mangoes and tomatoes: no, that would be slightly crazy. Others instantly ignore tomato and refer to my blog as Mango Tango, which would be cool if I was obsessed with tango dancing and not salsa. Yet one person asked me if my blog's name was really naked tomato. Thank you, Russian accent,

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