Visiting hours.

It's that time again - time for me to share a recipe with the readers of the fabulous You + ME* Equals! Head on over to read about my latest obsession: chickpea, tomato and escarole stew, which is saved from complete and total healthfulness by a dollop of garlic mayonnaise.

I know, right?

Kicking back the Old Fashioned way.

A classic cocktail is one of life's simple joys. The ritual of making it, the pleasure of drinking it, the fun in sharing it - all of these things add up to create a perfect little gem of an experience.

My current go-to cocktail is an Old Fashioned.  Nothing could be simpler, really: you muddle some citrus with a bit of sugar and some bitters and top the whole thing off with ice and booze (either rye or bourbon).  It's not for those who prefer their spirits masked by cloying fruit juice or syrupy soda.  This is a cocktail for boozehounds.

Since the booze is front and center in this drink, it's important that you use a high-quality whiskey.  My favorites for an Old Fashioned are Tuthilltown's Manhattan Rye (a worthy splurge) and Blanton's Single Barrel Bourbon. My favorite oranges to use are actually Honeybells, a kind of tangelo.  If you can't find those, I recommend a clementine in lieu of the orange slice; its juice is a wee bit more delicate than the slightly more sour Navel orange.

Queenie's Old Fashioned

2 dashes bitters (I like Regan's Orange here, but Angostura work, too)
1 tsp. turbinado sugar
1 lemon wedge
1 generous slice of Honeybell, or one clementine cut into four wedges
2 1/2 ounces bourbon or rye whiskey

Add the bitters, sugar, lemon and orange to an old fashioned glass. Muddle together until the juice has come out of the fruit and formed a paste with the bitters and sugar. Add three or four ice cubes, then top with the whiskey. Stir once or twice. Serve cold.

Serves one.

Sundays are for bacon.

 

Nothing says "Sunday morning" quite like the smell of bacon crisping in the pan.  This past Sunday, I decided I would forgo my usual breakfast (coffee and, well, coffee) for something real and hearty; something that could get me through my chores and carry me on well past lunchtime.

That something was an egg, avocado and bacon sandwich. It started innocently enough - people have been more atwitter than usual recently over the idea of avocado toast, and so that was my plan. Avocado mashed about a bit, spread on fresh baguette, topped with a smidge of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

But then I remembered the eggs in my fridge - after all, they were just sitting there, hanging out, waiting to become the protein in some fabulous creation.  And the bacon! The bacon I bought last week in a fit of craving, and of which I've used on bits and pieces.  Both pair so well with one another and with the avocado - how could I leave them out of the party?

And so the sandwich evolved. From a mashed avocado on toast to a far taller, far naughtier creation.  Fresh baked baguette (courtesy of FreshDirect's parbaked goods section), still warm from the oven and spread with a bit of mayonnaise.  Next, a layer of sliced avocado, seasoned liberally with salt and freshly ground pepper.  Next, a slice or two of slab bacon, fried to just this side of crispy and topped with fluffy scrambled eggs.

Creamy, salty, fluffy, crispy deliciousness, all in one little sandwich.  Oh, happy Sunday.

Queenie's Treasury: All Etsy, all the time.

You guys! It's the weekend! Aren't you psyched? Me, too!

As you know, I've been a bit under the weather of late, so I plan to spend the weekend banking lots of sleep, reading a good book and watching a couple of Oscar contenders. I'll also be cooking for my lunches this week (braised chicken with mushrooms, beet salad and pasta with cauliflower are all on the menu) and doing a little laundry. Bo-ring, I know.

In the meantime, let's check out this week's Treasury! I've decided it's time for an all-Etsy edition, and I do hope you enjoy it.

This cushion cut aquamarine ring by Garnet Girl makes my knees weak. It is absolutely stunning, right? I love the pale blue stone set against the warm rose gold. I love the old-fashioned cut, and I love the way the setting sort of hugs the stone to the ring. Love, love, love.

These coral and turquoise earrings from Beadycats are a burst of sunny happiness, amirite? I can't get enough of their cheerfulness, and I can totally picture them with a cute little sundress and sandals. Ah, summer.

Nick Heywood is one of my favorite bloggers, and I'm also completely enamored of his Etsy shop, where he peddles all kinds of vintage goodness.  This mirror-framed needlepoint has been calling to me for a couple of weeks now; I feel like it would be right at home in my home - or maybe in yours?

Recuperating.

Happy Friday, everyone!

It's been something of a rough week in these parts.  I've had a nasty cold and a very busy week, both of which resulted in a lost voice and a desperate need for sleep.  The latter will be dealt with during tomorrow's forecasted wintry mix; the former I'm tackling tonight with a hot toddy.

I put out the word on Twitter that I was in the market for a good recipe, and my lovely Tweeps (one of whom is my dear friend Anica) responded with some fabulous ideas!

 

 

I went for English Breakfast tea, a little lemon juice, loads of honey and a shot of bourbon.  Garnished with a lemon slice and boom! Recuperation in a mug.

To health!

To the point.

 I went to the Decemberists concert last week.

It was awesome.

Better together.

Salty and sweet, that is. There's little I like more than a dish that combines salt with sugar, and Shack Shack's salted peanut butter hot chocolate is no exception. It's deeply chocolatey, and instead of just adding extra richness, the peanut butter actually cuts through the sweetness with its salty edge.

There's not much more to say, other than that the beverage, which comes in one perfect size, is available at all Shake Shack locations around the city. You're bound to be near one sooner rather than later, right?

Right.