Wishful Thinking

When I was a kid, whenever I wished on a shooting star, I wished for one thing and one thing only: a barrel of strawberries. A wooden, curved, at least 5 foot tall BARREL of sweet, red-juice-dripping-down-your-chin-perfection strawberries. Looking back now, it seems crazy and also maybe the coolest wish ever, and I’m proud of my seven-year-old self for choosing berries over something as silly as a boyfriend or a pony (although I did ask Santa for a pony once, but at least my berry-wishes far outweighed my pony-wishes.)


To put it mildly, you could say I have a thing for berries. As an adult, that love has reached out and grabbed the entire berry family to include blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, blackberries… le sigh. Seriously. You can’t get more perfect than a warm, sun-ripened blackberry. You just can’t.

Unfortunately we’re not quite into full-frontal berry season assault yet, but for those weeks when you have something to celebrate (like the recent Desmond-centric LOST episode, when I made the pie) or something to be sad over, or something to miss or something to love, pie fits all of those needs. Pie accompanies those happy moments and pie also fills up those holes in the sad moments. Especially pies that remind you of summer, like this Double-Berry Pie. Strawberries and blackberries… crunchy topping…oh baby, oh baby.

From The Vagabond Table

Unfortunately, I forgot my camera while this pie baked at a friend’s house, and he was kind enough to take a few pics pre-baking of said pie for me on his iphone. I have no post-pie pictures, mostly because there wasn’t much post-pie to speak of. We were a bit too eager to let the pie cool down and set, so what I served resembled more of a berry-crumble with crunchy-topping rather than a pie, but that’s neither here nor there. The taste was yummy and so berry-y that it made me forget it wasn’t quite summer yet.

From The Vagabond Table

Finally...you know, baking pies is not only therapeutic, it also makes for a most excellent song by one most radical songstress… I now present to you Miss Patty Griffin for your listening pleasure. (Be sure to take a listen, I can’t believe I went this far into my adult life without having listened to her until only the last few months or so.) Hello musical soulmate!

You Never Know

Growing up, to put it nicely, I wasn’t much of a lentil person. My G-ma would make homemade daals, and I’d turn my nose up at them, or, more likely, it was the only thing to eat and I had to gulp it down as quickly as possible.

Lentils were just kind of boring. I couldn’t tell if they were a bean or not, (Truth? I still don’t really know what they are) but it was hard to register them in my head as anything good or worth liking. Then, it so happens, I grew up on some level and within the last year have actually started liking (!) and making (!!) lentil soup.

From The Vagabond Table

Yesterday, on a whim, I looked up the always-delicious blog Fresh 365, and saw a recipe for Warm Lentil Salad. I mean…it looked good. I just wasn’t craving to make it. At all. Nevertheless, I knew my roomie would like it, sent her the link, and off we went on a lentil-salad-crash-course. And friends, it was an easy ride, SO easy to make, in fact, that I almost didn’t believe it. Healthy, too. More importantly, it packed a certain “wow” factor that I wasn’t expecting at all, neither was Roni, and when we were munching away while watching The Time Traveler’s Wife (btw, movie was ok, book SO much better!), we had that “this is totally going into the permanent recipe” collection kind of lightning bolt. Yay us!

From The Vagabond Table

Lentils during Lent! My punny-ness is epic.

I love things that surprise you, that unbalance you, that force you to look at things in a new way. It could be a person you meet, a new activity, a book or, in this case, it could be as humble as a lentil salad….you just never know.

Springly Morning

Sometimes I’m just a hot mess. Or, a hot tamasha as my G-ma likes to say.

I really don’t have much of an excuse as to why I haven’t been posting here, except for the fact that I just haven’t been cooking as much, winter blues and blahs kind of snuck up on me, I lost my camera for a few weeks, and I had a whole post ready to go last week, when I realized I’d accidentally deleted the photos of said post at some point or other…. Yes. Like I said… sometimes I’m a hot tamasha.

No more! Spring is here!

I had a lovely day away from DC yesterday with Roni and some new gal pals, Catherine and Nikki, and we ventured to Harrisonburg, VA, home of James Madison University, great views of the Shenandoah Valley, and a few dudes from Old Crow Medicine Show (le sigh).

From Winter and Everything After

Basically we just ate and slept and talked and ate and read some books and ate some more, and, on the way home, Nikki’s lovely mother-in-law, Elsie, gave us some homemade strawberry jam to take with us. Oh, how the heavens sometimes open up and deliver a bit of summer in a jar!

Needless to say, I couldn’t wait to try it and nothing but fresh scones would do. I woke up this morning, turned to Alice Waters’ trusty tome, The Art of Simple Food, and found a perfectly scone-y scone recipe, simple, delicious, and perfect…perfect for the jam.

From The Vagabond Table

It’s a drizzly Sunday, with chilly early-spring rain that nudges you to stay indoors, listen to some Josh Ritter, and whip up some Apricot Scones. Scones that don’t actually take all that long to throw together, scones that bake in seventeen minutes, and scones that are rather chummy with hot coffee and, of course, strawberry jam.

From The Vagabond Table

Also, scones apparently originated in Scotland, so all morning I’ve been muttering things with a horrific Scottish accent, like “Oh-ho, there! I’ve got a wee-bit of jam to munch on these lovely Scones with!” and “Aye, it’s a bit o’drudgery out there, to be sure. But I’ve got this Scone, a spot of coffee, and I’m rarin’ to-go!”

From The Vagabond Table

…..like I said. I might be a hot tamasha, but at least I’m armed with a solid scone recipe, and that’s not bad. Not bad a’tall.

Cuba Libre- Parte 2

I’ve created a new life philosophy for 2010, and it has to do with adventure.



Instead of writing a list of all the resolutions and then being disappointed when I never complete it, I decided to have 1,005 adventures instead. The adventures can be anything… walking a new way to work. Being spontaneous and grabbing a drink with a friend you haven’t seen in ages. Exploring new corners of the city. It could be a million things…it’s all in the way you look at it, and how many adventure points you want to give to something. Here’s a sample of my scale:

Finally taking advantage of restaurant week: 1 point
Road trip to the coast: 2 points
Sky Diving: 10 points (at least!)

It’s a simple formula to look at the opportunity in every day for adventure, and I’m going to carry it through the whole year, my hope being that I’ll blow 1,005 points out of the water and have the best year yet. It’s gonna be good, kids.

The first adventure points I earned for 2010 technically happened in 2009 on New Years Eve, but that’s neither here nor there. Lets all hearken back to the…ahem… dinner of Cuba Libre Parte 1 over a year ago. And how only 1 out of 4 dishes worked, and to cope with our kitchen screw-ups, Terra and I got tipsy from multiple pitchers of Mojitos. Well now. It was high time to redeem ourselves (thanks to the recipes of Terra’s Mom), and boy did we ever. Success was ours! 3 adventure points in total!

From The Vagabond Table

Basmati Rice and Black Beans... a sublime meshing of cultures

Around 2pm, Terra and I started chopping, and I noticed again that nearly every dish was full of green peppers and onions and oregano, apparently the trifecta of Cuban food flavor perfection. We decided to prepare the black beans in a pressure cooker from which I ran away like a scared little girl at least 3 times. I’ve never used one, and man, that thing spits and whistles at you like a banshee. My mom’s words kept echoing in my head: DO NOT REMOVE THE WEIGHT AT THE TOP OF THE POT OR YOU WILL POKE AN EYE OUT but it looked like it was going crazy all by itself, and I was not about to have my eye rocketed out by a stupid pressure cooker on NYE of all nights.

Good news, though. My eye was NOT popped out, the beans were awesome, and ***newsflash*** I’m a huge wimp. But not any more because now I understand the pressure cooker and am not scared anymore and there you have it. Triumph! That alone counted for at least 1 adventure point.

From The Vagabond Table

Success! Post-taming of the pressure cooker beast.

We simmered the Ropa Vieja for hours until it was fork tender and shredded easily. The flavor was deep and layered, with a slight tang from the tomatoes and vinegar and a lovely richness from the splash of red wine we added at the end.

From The Vagabond Table

Doesn't look like much now, but hooo-eee, it's yummy.

The yellow (beer!) rice was came together well too, and was at least 20 times better than the rice last time we tried making it. Plus, I heart beans and rice and you can eat them for days. Days. In these lovely economic times, this meal is a winner, folks.

From The Vagabond Table

All four burners were being used...cause we don't mess around.

And finally, the Platanos. They were perfection: We bought ripe plantains a few days before the Cuban Food Showdown, lightly fried them in coconut oil, sprinkled them with salt, and they were heavenly. Crispy on the outside, sweet and soft on the inside with a hint of salt, the plantains were a solid winner as well. And, when the beans, yellow rice, ropa vieja and platanos came together on a single plate, it was Cuban Food Perfection.

From The Vagabond Table

Hi. My name is Samantha, I’m a plantain addict, and I’m not afraid to admit it.

Oh, and I still know how to make a good Mojito which everyone appreciated.

From The Vagabond Table

It put 2010 off to a good start, and really set the stage for more festive…festivities...later that night. Like my team winning Flip Cup six times in a row or playing multiple rounds of SPOONS (where thankfully no one was injured by my sister’s tackles). In short, our little culinary triumph started NYE off perfectly, earned me 3 adventure points, and really, you couldn’t ask for a better start to a New Year.

From The Vagabond Table

The NYE blue plate special.


* * * *

*As a very important note, the recovery efforts in Haiti need all the help they can get. Learn more about Partners In Health, and the work they’re doing to heal Haitians all over the country from the massive earthquakes and aftershocks these past few weeks.

Welcome Home

Over Christmas and New Year’s I flew home with my ever-trusty sidekick in tow, Roni, and we sailed from snow drifts to sunshine. My parents citrus trees had gigantor grapefruits hanging from them, and besides a brief adventure to go see the Nutcracker, the fam pretty much stuck around the house for the entire break and ate some of the 12 different kinds of cookies my Mom made, partook in Christmas Ales, sampled my Dad’s new Butternut Squash Soup with Gruyere Croutons, my G-ma’s stuffed brinjol (eggplant) and rice, prime rib and twice-baked potatoes, my Mom’s lamb risotto, and a whole host of other things that I was lucky enough to try. Sniff. I miss you family! And all of the good meals you gave me!

Every day was a challenge to see exactly how much coffee, beer, and wine I could drink, while balancing out all the holiday libations with some serious food. Home Food. And that kind of food ain’t light and fluffy, kids. It’s soul food, the kind of food that comforts you all the livelong day and rocks you to sleep at night.

From The Vagabond Table

It was the most relaxed I’ve felt in ages, and I’m excited to present the kind of dish that captures that feeling and also goes well with big dinners or small, the kind you can throw together after a long day at work (which I did on Monday. Which was no small feat considering the first day of work after a long vacation is, indeed, the longest day ever.) I even had it for lunch the next day and re-heated it for my friend Teresa that night alongside some Poached-Egg Salads for the two of us to munch on and catch up over.

From The Vagabond Table

This Sweet Potato Gratin is heavenly. I’m a big fan of sweet potatoes, and these ones are thinly sliced and layered with sautéed spinach, onion, and garlic. All this is cozily tucked between Parmesan cheese and creamy Bechamel sauce. Oh friends—2010 is here, and this is just the dish to ease you out of 2009 and keep you warm in these ARCTIC FRIGID WINDS that we are so lucky to be experiencing here on the east side. Sweet Potato Gratin is warm, cozy, and it makes you invite friends over to share the wealth.

From The Vagabond Table

I’m convinced 2010 is going to be the year of Adventure. I’ll let you into my 2010 Life Philosophy on the next post (nothing like keeping you on your toes!) And while Sweet Potato Gratin might not be the most exotic or exciting dish you’ll ever try, it’s a solid and sinfully good choice for these chilly days, and really…when is cooking ever not an adventure?

From The Vagabond Table

Another Year Over

From new year, new food

So I have no idea where the last 365 days went, but I'm eager to find them (they're probably hiding in a box in my closet somewhere) and thank them for being quite the time of learning, laughter, and food. Sometimes 2009 kind of sucked, and sometimes it was great, but overall, it was quite a ride.

No, I won't be hitting up any major parties, nor will I be trekking off for a night of debauchery in Times Square this New Years Eve. I'm actually off to make some Cuban food with my friend Terra (YES I'll be posting about it. Wahoo!) and to spend the evening with friends and family, enjoying a few drinks while playing a particularly vicious game of SPOONS. You heard me right. I don't mess around when it comes to playing SPOONS, and neither does my sister, as evidenced by her military-like tackles whenever we play.

Let me leave you with one of my favorite quotes that might do you well in 2010. These words always help focus and encourage me when that whole "What the heck do I want to do with my life?!" question looms a little too large, which, coincidentally, seems to come up every year around this time.

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to win the approbation of honest citizens and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give of one's self; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sing with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived---this is to have succeeded."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson


Be safe, Happy New Years and see you in 2010!

Snow Day Pancakes

Winter, my friends, is upon us.

From new year, new food

Oh hai, winter wonderland!

This year the snows, wind, and cold snuck in quickly and softly, and before we knew it, it had snowed for about 28 hours straight, the entire city shut down, and people burrowed themselves inside, mugs of chocolate in hand, a weekend of hibernation right before Christmas.

From new year, new food

Yes, that is snow built up on our sixth floor window... and no, we don't have a windowsill.

The weekend forecast actually predicted a THUNDERSNOW. What the heck is a THUNDERSNOW you ask? It’s a snowstorm that actually thunders…the gods apparently like bowling in the winter as well as the summer. I’m a bit disappointed I didn’t hear much of any thundering…I was looking forward to surviving a real life THUNDERSNOW and telling future grandchildren about the GREAT THUNDERSNOW OF 2009. And yes, I have to capitalize all of that, because how can you write THUNDERSNOW and not capitalize such an awesome term? Impossible, my dears.

One of the main reasons I love the idea of winter hibernation is the return of the Big Breakfast. Saturday mornings in my home consisted of pancakes, French toast, or waffles (with the occasional appearance of crepes and fresh strawberries thrown in if we were really lucky), bacon or sausage, eggs, toast, freshly ground and brewed coffee, and orange juice. My mom and dad just did not mess around when it came to Saturday morning breakfasts. It was the time we all got together before the weekend dragged us to different appointments, parties, errands and naps, the hour where we could reconnect in the quiet of the morning before the real world banged through the door and demanded our attention. We chatted over the newspaper, movies and books that were coming out, current events and the weather. We discussed our work weeks, our dreams from the night before, and told jokes. We had a lot of dinners together during the week as well, but the Saturday Morning Breakfasts were slow and delicious, luxurious and cozy.

From new year, new food

I’m pretty sure more than a few people busted out a Big Breakfast this weekend when there was nothing to do but stay inside or shovel sidewalks. I’m also fairly confident more than a few of those people indulged in pancakes, and while I KNOW everyone has a favorite family pancake recipe, I’ve stumbled upon a pretty solid recipe that has become my go-to for hotcakes.

I love Ruth Reichl. Former editor of Gourmet magazine, she’s incredibly passionate about food and people, and those two worlds culminate in her memoir, Tender At The Bone, which referenced, at least once, the making of pancakes and the tradition of Big Breakfasts. “Ruth’s Pancakes,” which I borrowed from The Gourmet Cookbook, are buttery, hearty, and slightly sinful, the perfect pancake in my mind. Not too sweet, they are delicious with maple syrup, chocolate chips, blueberries, or fresh strawberries, and are a snap to whip up.

From new year, new food

I recently made them when a good friend of mine came for the weekend, a friend whose birthday I’m always exactly 2 days late in wishing him for, and who I also haven’t seen in 3 years. I figured the least I could do was make Ruth’s Pancakes for him, and by jove, I think they redeemed my bad birthday memory AND established the fact that I can, indeed, cook a Big Breakfast. Joy!

From new year, new food

Safe travels to all of your holiday destinations! I hope you get a chance to make these pancakes and have a lazy morning with your loved ones in the midst of Christmas shenanigans. I myself am traveling back to Arizona with Erjona for a fabulous holiday time we’re nicknaming FERMAPALOOZA 2009. Again, another word you can’t write without all-capsing it…you know how I do.