How I learned to bake, and the best brown sugar cookies you’ll ever have

May14

When I was a kid, my mom baked all the time. There were layered cakes, crispy cookies, sweet breads to accompany our tea, and so much more. But when I watched her bake, I never once saw her measure a single ingredient – we didn’t even own measuring cups or a scale. She would just scoop ingredients into a bowl with a little ceramic teacup, stir them while balancing the bowl between her hip and forearm, put whatever it was into the oven and soon, the smell emanating from the oven alone would leave us speechless and drooling. I don’t remember her ever messing up a dessert so I assumed she was some sort of magician with a sixth sense.

So, when I started baking, I didn’t take measuring seriously, especially since I’ve been cooking for a while already and had gotten used to eyeballing ingredients. I understood recipes and directions like, “butter at room temperature” and “gradually add flour” to be guidelines. I guess I thought I could outsmart the recipe and if my intentions were good, the dessert would somehow just work out. But unsurprisingly, it didn’t. I couldn’t make a single edible cookie. I remember how my mom would stand next to me, scraping the burnt bottoms of cookies with a butter knife after yet another failed attempt, comforting me and saying that next time, I would certainly do better.

It wasn’t until I started reading and re-reading the recipe before baking and following measurements and directions exactly that anything worked out. I learned that if a lemon bars were advised to be cooled before being cut, I should do just that, and that if a recipe calls for brown sugar, substituting with white just won’t do. It is now that I realize that despite how amazing my mother is, she is no magician. She’s just made so many cakes and cookies by the time she had me, that baking became second nature to her – she, as they say, just felt it.

Whereas cooking is about intuition, instinct and pleasure, it is careful attention, precision and patience that matter in baking. I’ve still a long way to go til I can flawlessly frost a cake, but these cookies (and these!) are proof that I have finally mastered at least one type of dessert.

This recipe from Epicurious (click HERE for the recipe) is incredible. The cookies are quick to prepare and bake, and they don’t dry out, even days after baking. They’re soft, chewy, fragrant and ideal for minimalist dessert lovers like me. I strongly advise you to make them!

What is your experience with baking like?

The Liebster Blog Award!

May2

I am honored to announce that Chez Sasha has been nominated by three fellow food bloggers for the Liebster Award. Thank you Eyechow, Kitchen Notes and Other Sundries and Food:Digested!

“Liebster” is German for favorite and the award is given by bloggers to other bloggers who have 200 or less followers. Now, the rules of the award are a bit fuzzy as some of ya’ll include questions for your nominees to answer and some don’t. Also, some bloggers nominate five and some nominate eleven blogs. To be fair, I will follow the rules posted by Eyechow because Valerie was the first to nominate me. Thanks again and here we go!

The Rules of the Award:

1. Post eleven facts about yourself. (I’m gonna go ahead and skip this one. I talk about myself all the time so I’m sure you already know plenty!)
2. Answer the questions the tagger has set for you and create eleven questions for people you’ve nominated.
3. Choose eleven people (with fewer than 200 followers) to give this award to and link them in your post.
4. Go to their page and tell them.
5. Remember, no tag backs.

Valerie’s Questions:

1. What’s the last place you’ve traveled to? Traveled with an actual suitcase and passport via plane was Paris. More recently though, I visited Boston with my friend Michelle and Bear Mountain in upstate NY with Rene.

2. And the next trip you have planned or place you wish to visit? No plans yet but I am dying to go to Rome, Buenos Aires and San Francisco.

3. What’s your favorite TV show? Breaking Bad, Mad Men, Homeland, Dexter, Sex and the City – can’t choose one :/

4. What music are you listening to now? Pink Martini Pandora station

5. Favorite restaurant where you live? Los Mariachis

6. What dish or item was your biggest cooking or baking fail? The first batch of chocolate chip cookies I ever made came out to be burnt crackers.

7. Where were you born? Odessa, Ukraine

8. Coffee or tea? Coffee, coffee, coffee! Can I have some more coffee, please?! Ah, coffee!!!

9. Book or magazine? There’s a time and place for each.

10. What do you do during plane rides? Reminisce.

11. What book do you think we should all read now? Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

11 Questions For My Nominees:

1. Name one food you find irresistible.

2. Name one movie you never get sick of watching.

3. Describe your favorite childhood memory.

4. If your personality were an animal, which would it be?

5. Name six people (dead or alive, famous or not) you’d invite to your fantasy dinner party.

6. What kind of clothes do you enjoy wearing most?

7. Of the five Breakfast Club characters (the brain, the jock, the princess, the basket case or the criminal), which one were you most like in high school?

8. Three favorite musical artists:

9. Describe your most memorable travel experience.

10. Where are you dying to travel to?

11. What would you say the strangest thing about you is?

And the blogs I nominate are (not sure how many followers these have, though):

1. A Palate Transcribed

6. Curious Cuisiniere

7. Cooking in College

8. Liberty on Less

9. The Porto Bellas

10. Savory Simple

11. Quiche-a-Week

My phone, the gastronome: 7

Mar9

Cover your keyboard ’cause you’re about to drool.

Scallion pancake at Nom Wah. If you’ve never had a scallion pancake, you are missing out. This treat is crispy, chewy and has a surprisingly complex flavor considering the few ingredients of which it’s comprised. It is safe to say that this is my newest edible obsession.

Without fail, every Asian restaurant I find myself at, the first thing I do is scan the menu for steamed pork buns. Sometimes they’re the small, dumpling-like type, but sometimes, they are the gorgeous, gluttonous type like this.

The pocket of sticky steamed dough holds a treasure of sauteed pork and onions in a sweet thick sauce. These pork buns at Nom Wah are what pork addicts like me lay awake and dream of at night.

Roast duck and wonton soup at Sammy’s Noodle Bar and Grill in the West Village. This diner-esque, depressingly-lit Chinese restaurant is famous for its giant bowls of authentic soup. Of the 20 or so soups on the menu, this one seems to be a great choice, especially if you’ve had a particularly rough day or froze your ass off while looking for a place to have dinner. The wontons are chewy, the duck is rich and salty, the broth is simple and there are stray pieces of baby bok choy. This bowl (which came in at less than $10) could easily feed a small country in Africa. Not surprisingly, I recommend the steamed pork buns here as well.

The dish below is called ‘Bahn Mi Bo Kho’ and it’s from a Vietnamese place in my ‘hood called Pho Hoai. I ordered this dish (which was classified as an appetizer at a generous $6.25!) because having eaten a few bahn mi’s in my life, I came to understand them as sandwiches, but what arrived was a giant bowl of spicy tomato soup with succulent pieces of beef and a warm baguette on the side. At first I assumed that I was to make a sandwich with the beef and bread, but settled for a fork-the-beef, sip-the-broth, dip-the-bread scenario. At the end I was glad this wasn’t a sandwich. This place is known for their noodle soups (pho); I also recommend the summer rolls and beef cubes over rice.

And here is what Rene and I had on Valentine’s Day. I was dying to go to Cuba, one of my very the favorite restaurants in the whole of NYC, but they were all booked, so we settled on another Cuban place a few blocks down – Havana Alma de Cuba. We started with a red snapper ceviche, with shrimp, octopus, tomatoes, onions and peppers, all marinated in zesty lime juice. It was perfect.

Next arrived another appetizer, something called Fufu de Camarones – plantains and garlic shrimp mashed together into a cake-like formation and served with some sort of gravy. This dish was so simple yet perfect. I can’t wait to recreate it at home.

Lastly there was the Lechon Asado – shredded suckling pig served with boiled yucca and garlic mojo. This dish is a sophisticated Cuban version of pulled pork – again, highly recommended for the pork-obsessed! The succulent savory pork is lightly dressed in a garlic marinade, and the starchy yucca is plays the role of the silent but necessary partner.

And here’s more Cuban goodness – Vaca Frita with an egg and fried yucca from Agozar. As you may recall, I first went here with the NYC food bloggers for tapas. This time, I went here with my friends for a celebratory birthday brunch. In spite of this unsightly presentation, the charred steak hash was incredible. I highly recommend brunching at Agozar. Not only do they have a great atmosphere and an amazing menu, but $25 gets you a brunch entree and unlimited sangria! Yes, you read right. Unlimited. Sangria. Just imagine all the daytime drunk fun you can have!

Living with my cousin in Paris who is a dedicated juicer and smoothie-drinker really rubbed off on me. Since getting back, I have really bonded with my blender (I don’t have a juicer). I literally throw everything in there – fruits, vegetables, herbs, nuts and even flax oil on particularly adventurous days. Tip: freeze smoothie ingredients before blending to eliminate need for ice, and always serve smoothies in a chilled glass.

Another habit I’ve picked up is being more adventurous with my toast. It’s easy to fall into a breakfast rut of coffee, oatmeal and eggs, but if you take extra time to plan your meals, you’ll have plenty of reasons to want to get out of bed in the morning! Use your imagination – try baby kale or arugula, tomatoes, avocados, eggs and/or lox as toppings, and always, always use a great base (none of that ‘Wonderbread’ crap).

Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram @chezsasha for more #nomnoms

So what food habits have you picked up lately?

Musings of a post-grad life; In defense of Williamsburg; A very Happy Hour at Rosarito Fish Shack…

Feb28

…has to be the longest blog post title ever, right?

Those of you who are loyal followers of mine know that I graduated college just about a month ago. And let me tell you something, post-grad life sucks. The time I used to spend sitting in class, reading copious amounts of mostly redundant articles and writing papers, is now spent on the not-so-glorious task of job searching. I must have sent out anywhere from fifty to a bijillion resumes in the past month and besides having spoken with a few recruiters, there have been no leads. It’s a sad, sad task applying to jobs – it feels like you’re trying so hard to reach out and impress at least one person, but just end up being ignored. I mean, it’s borderline depressing… Of course I’d rather just be a world famous blogger, but I’m no Deb or Leandra so I have to get a real nine-to-five like the rest of us mortals (for now, at least).

I tots feel like Hannah right now, but don't wanna work in a coffee shop, man...

I tots feel like Hannah right now, but don’t wanna settle for a coffee shop job yet…

Although I do have a part-time job to keep me semi-occupied, a great thing about no homework is getting to see more of my friends; like last week, when Michelle and I decided to take an afternoon stroll around Williamsburg – the hipster headquarters of the world. Now, Michelle is very artsy so she likes it a lot, but my feelings for this neighborhood are volatile. I’ve found it hard to come to terms with how “cool” everything and everyone tries to be there, how they look down upon your outfit if it’s more H&M/Zara and less grandma’s closet, and how condescending the whole of it can feel. However, I must admit that lately, I too have enjoyed browsing through the thrift shops, eating at the local restaurants, drinking at the bars, and, of course, Smorgasburg-ing. Maybe those folks are up to something after all. Sure, Bedford Avenue still makes my insides twist a little but now much less than ever! Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it appears that I’m a convert…

Anyway, strolling quickly proved to be painful since it was freezing out and we decided to duck into the adorable Rosarito Fish Shack, a Mexican tequila bar/restaurant. Our waitress made sure to tell us about their 2-for-1 happy hour deal and I decidedly went for margaritas. I mean, two drinks for $8 in New York is practically unheard of!

Also as per recommendation of our waitress, we ordered the huitlacoche mushroom quesadilla ($8) to split. The thin, crispy tortilla was filled with mushrooms, corn and cheese, drizzled with truffle oil, and served with Mexican sour cream and guacamole. The quesadilla was light yet super savory, and fun to share.

Next we had the short rib soft tacos ($9 for two) – bits of braised beef short ribs with chimichurri sauce, avocados and shaved iceberg lettuce. The luxuriously fatty meat was divinely offset by the grassy aroma of the sauce and the crispness of the lettuce. They were absolutely perfect and we inhaled them in just a few bites!

By dessert time, my first margarita had fully kicked in and I was one happy camper, having completely forgotten about my job search woes. I ordered the flan ($7), something I find irresistible at Mexican restaurants, and it did not disappoint.

Michelle had the pastel de chocolate (also $7) that was served warm alongside ice-cream. The cake was very rich and chocolatey without being too sweet, which is a rare and valuable find. However, it wasn’t as ‘molten’ as we would have preferred.

Rosarito definitely gets a thumbs-up from me. And no, the two margaritas that got me positively drunk by 6pm have anything to do with it.

My phone, the gastronome: 6

Jan4

Here are some things my phone saw me eat lately:

Grilled cheese sandwich: pumpernickel bread with sunflower seeds, muenster cheese, a few slices of fresh apple. This may seem strange at first, but if you make it, you’ll change your mind real fast.

Bbq chicken slice from Pronto’s Pizza, a place in my neighborhood: a thick crust topped with juicy chicken, sweet barbecue sauce and ranch dressing. Pronto’s doesn’t do classic Italian or Chicago-style pizza – I don’t think it can be considered “authentically” anything, really – but it is just so good. Their crust is always chewy and crispy, and the toppings are always fresh.

Akamaru Modern ramen from Ippudo (previously blogged about here). Their noodles are chewy and silky, and the pork-based broth is super flavorful. A steamy bowl of ramen is the best food to have on a cold winter night.

Pork buns at Ippudo – unfortunately, these don’t even compare to Momofuku’s.

Speaking of which, here is something new I had at Momofuku Noodle Bar on a recent trip there with my girlfriends, smoked chicken wings. I’ve never had anything like it before. The meat was so tender that it literally fell off of the bone and it tasted like… well, smoke. It’s amazing how they were able to transform something as run-of-the-mill as chicken wings into something surprising and unique.

Those of you who follow me on Instagram may have seen a photo from this series a while ago – it’s pork belly over egg fried rice. Pork belly is something that I’ve been looking forward to cooking for longer than I care to admit, but have been intimidated by. For my first attempt, I braised the meat in soy sauce, garlic and a few other ingredients. Then I let it stand overnight in the fridge. Then I sliced it up, crisped it up in a skillet and tossed it in hoisin sauce. Although it was delicious and I ate it with great pride, it was not what I originally aimed for, so I will not share the recipe yet.

Lastly, birthday cupcakes that my friends got for me. Thank you, ladies!

Wow. Looking through these photos, I realize it is truly a miracle of God that I don’t weight 300 pounds…

Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram for more deliciousness!

Weekend recap and a recipe for Leftover Turkey Gumbo

Nov26

I hope you have all had a pleasant long weekend; or at least a pleasantly long one.
Since we don’t have many relatives who live nearby (let alone on this side of the Atlantic), my parents usually have Thanksgiving dinner with their friends and I have it with mine. Screw my birthday or New Year’s – friendsgiving in the best day of the year, because there’s nothing like spending a whole day preparing a feast to share with my favorite people in the world. But as it turned out this year, I had a small dinner with my parents instead. My mom and I got to cook together and it was nice. I did get to see my friends later at night though, since we decided to go shopping at midnight. None of us urgently needed to buy anything but I was just curious what Black Friday would be like, since I’ve never done it before. The funny thing is that most of the stores didn’t really have special deals – they were just open at a strange time – but people were still stuffing their shopping totes and pulling plastic out of their wallets as if in preparation for the apocalypse. It’s amazing how much humans love to hoard possessions and how willingly we succumb to tricky marketing strategies.

New sweater and necklace thanks to Black Friday

The following day I had to go downtown to the passport office and submit a renewal application, where I waited on line for an hour and a half. It wasn’t the best place to hang out on a Saturday afternoon but at least Rene was there to keep me company, God bless his heart. When we finally got out, we headed straight to the Shake Shack nearby. I got to indulge in one of my favorite treats – Shake Shack’s perfectly crispy crinkle fries dipped into their silky custard. Some of you will probably think this is gross but it will only be those that haven’t tried this yet. I ordered the custard special of the day, which was called “Pumpkin pie, oh my!” – vanilla custard blended with a whole slice of pumpkin pie. Eating this completely erased my memory of the previously annoying 1.5 hrs. “Oh my!” indeed.

Later I got around to making this soup, which is another Thanksgiving tradition I have. It’s a simple recipe and it is the best way to use up leftover turkey.

(Yield: 4-6 servings)

Ingredients:

3 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp flour

1 yellow onion, diced

1 large carrot, diced

1 celery stick, diced

1 green or red bell pepper, diced

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp poultry seasoning

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

4.5 c turkey or chicken stock

1 c shredded turkey meat (or chicken, if made year-round)

Salt/pepper

1 c prepared white rice

Chopped scallions

Procedure: Heat a large enamel soup pot over low heat. Add oil and flour and whisk together for 2 minutes, until the roux is a light caramel color and smells nutty. Add vegetables with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper, and other seasonings. Stir with a wooden spoon and cook for about 10 min, until vegetables have softened, stirring occasionally. Then add stock, stir, cover pot tightly with a lid, increase heat to high, and bring soup to a boil. Once boiling, remove lid, turn heat down to medium-low and simmer for 15 min. Then add meat and simmer for another 15 min. (Soup should thicken slightly). Serve soup hot, topped with white rice and scallions.

How was your weekend?

Do you have any experience with Black Friday?

What Thanksgiving traditions do you have?

Black Wednesday

Nov21

Yet again the time has come for me to make excuses as to why I haven’t prepared a proper post for today: I’ve been a bit preoccupied with school, trying to plan Thanksgiving dinner, as well as a potentially very exciting trip in January… bla, bla, bla… the dog ate my homework. But there are a few things I’d like to share with you today.

Here is a guest post that I wrote for Sarah of Curious Cuisiniere for a Thanksgiving recipe swap we did a few weeks ago. It’s a recipe for goat cheese and caramelized onion crostini, something I’ve made for turkey day for the past few years. Check it out by clicking on the photo below.

And here is a guest post that I wrote for Ruthie of the tasty tRuth. We decided to swap recipe posts using a currently seasonal ingredient – pears. Check out my recipe for roasted pork loin with a pear sauce by clicking on the photo below.

I’d also like to tell you about an upcoming event that I’m very excited about attending. The event is called “Cook Fight” and it’s going to be a discussion by co-authors (and NY Times food reporters!), Julia Moskin and Kim Severson, of their cookbook of the same name. This one-of-a-kind cookbook pits the authors “against each other as they debate strategies and recipes for today’s home cook–both in and out of the kitchen.” The evening also promises to feature “a tasty culinary surprise”! The event will take place one week from today at 7:30pm and costs $10-15. Click the photo below to learn more and purchase a ticket.

So you’re cooking Thanksgiving dinner? Here’s your guide to success.

Nov12

So you’re cooking Thanksgiving dinner this year. And it’s your first time. And the in-laws are coming?! Holy s***! …How did you agree to this again?

Your palms are sweating, your ears are ringing and you have no freaking idea what to do. Well, the first thing is to calm down – breathe in, breathe out, “Ohmm…”

So now that you’re back on earth, let’s take this step by step, shall we?

Read my rules for throwing a successful dinner party.
Thanksgiving is now ten days away: this is the perfect time to plan your menu. First, finalize the number of guests you’ll be feeding and pick the dishes you’ll be serving. The classic repertoire includes a starchy dish or two (mashed potatoes, mac & cheese, sweet potatoes, etc.), vegetables, a fresh salad (with lots of greens and a simple homemade dressing), and good fresh bread. Lastly, write out a comprehensive grocery list.
Remember: no matter how scrumptious your sides, if the turkey is not up to par, the meal will be…well, kind of a failure. A dry rub or brine, and the right flavoring agents, followed by constant basting will get the job done right. Do your research, pick the method that you feel most comfortable with, and buy your bird! All the good ones will be taken by the weekend so get yours now!
If there is any one rule of throwing a dinner party, it is to never serve a dish you’ve never cooked before. Because you just never know if the amounts/methods/cooking times, etc. will work out as well for you as they did for somebody else. But if you can’t help yourself, for Thanksgiving, make only one new dish, but no more. Since there will be so much goodness on the table, it’s unlikely that one little side dish will ruin your entire dinner.
Don’t do everything by yourself. If you are like me (a self-proclaimed kitchen Nazi), you will have a very difficult time with this, but if you want to be the graceful host that I know you can be, let your guests help you! The morning of the big day, your guests will inevitably call and ask, “So what should I bring?” Don’t be shy to give them assignments – people will want to contribute to this day. Ask one friend to get baguettes from your favorite bakery, another to make her famous cupcakes, and another to bring wine/beer/cocktail ingredients.
Consider the prep/cooking time of each dish and make them in order, starting with the one that will take the longest.

Here are a few of my recipes that would make great turkey day sides:

Caramelized onion and goat cheese crostini

Cornbread sausage stuffing

Crispy breaded cauliflower

Pan-fried Brussels sprouts

Spinach and farmer cheese roulade

And while you’re at it, check out last year’s comedic take on the pros and cons of Thanksgiving.

My phone, the gastronome 5: via Instagram

Oct29

I cannot wait to edit my second video, review the awesome cookbooks and kick-ass food memoir that I finally finished, and post more recipes, but my schoolwork and real-life responsibilities have been taking center stage as of late. You’re gonna have to settle for my Instagrams as today’s post, ye loyal readers.

ENORMOUS Parmesan baked meatballs and penne @ V & T Pizza on the Upper West Side: a well-deserved gluttonous treat after roaming around Riverside Park all day (a place that’s arguably more beautiful than Central Park, and definitely less crowded).

Banana muffins for the soul

My go-to après gym snack: peanut butter on banana, washed down with low-fat milk. Basically, a deconstructed smoothie.

Yellowtail roll w/ brown rice

Red velvet cupcakes w/ cream cheese frosting for my friend Irina’s birthday

Rene and I recently spent a weekend visiting friends in Williamsport, PA; Acme BBQ is always a highlight of our trips there. Their pulled pork is still the best I’ve ever had, and the brisket is incredible as well.