Tag: Design*Sponge

Weekend Finds 3:9:14

It has been an exhausting week. I’d like to nap until next week to recover please and thank you. I woke up this morning thinking maybe I’d finally caught up on my sleep since I’d slept until 10 (10! It’s like I’m in college again!), but alas, it was simply daylight savings playing a trick on me. My suggestion? Read these weekend finds with a mug of hot cocoa to keep you company, and then take a nap yourself.

1. Miso Coconut Chicken from I am a Food Blog

Miso Coconut Chicken from I am a Food Blog // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Miso and coconut, two of my favorite things, in one recipe on the beautiful I am a Food Blog.

I’ve been gazing at I am a Food Blog for a couple weeks now, admiring its beautiful pictures, scrumptious looking recipes, and gorgeous layout. But this recipe. This recipe for miso coconut chicken includes two of my favorite ingredients: miso and coconut milk. So I think I’ll have to make it. Soon.

2. A Curious Invitation

A Curious Invitation by Suzette Field // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
A book about the best parties? Adding to my reading list immediately.

This book about the best parties in fiction by Suzette Field sounds like a very fun read, and a great point of inspiration for any party host/ess.

3. The Cocktail Demystified

The Cocktail Demystified in Portland // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Learn about your favorite liquors and cocktails from the distillers themselves!

If I was going to be in Portland on March 29th and not in Vietnam (like I can even pretend to be upset about that), I would 100% buy a ticket to this event with Distillery Row. Learning how to make cocktails featuring your favorite liquors straight from the source? Yes please.

4. Yelp…?

To Yelp or not to Yelp? // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
The question remains, how good of a resource is Yelp?

I’ve been hearing some interesting thoughts on Yelp lately. Andrew Zimmern doesn’t like the platform, we all know that. And now we know a lot of chefs don’t read reviews themselves, but rather assign the task to their managers. Do you use Yelp? I do, but everything is definitely taken with a grain of salt. I have trouble trusting people whose taste and experience levels I don’t know. I would so much rather have the review or advice of a friend, or someone I admire, or who I know is an expert. Every place is bound to have at least one bad review, so do you let that deter you from going? All of this crowd-sourcing of reviews puts the consumer in a position of power, and I think it’s very interesting. What are your thoughts?

5. Blu Skillet Ironware

Blu Skillet Ironware from Seattle // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
I love the blue hue of these pans, though it will fade and change after use.

Hello? Yes. I would like ALL of the things from this shop in Seattle. I’m definitely making a point to visit the Blu Skillet Ironware workshop next time I’m in town. Specifically, I love the fry pans, and also think the salt bowl set is very sweet. But let’s be real, I would take any of it.

Weekend Finds 3:1:14: Kitchen Art

I’ve made a decision. Sometimes, when my weekend finds have a theme, I will title them as such. Isn’t that sensible? I thought, hm, maybe I could collect all the cool kitchen art and share it with readers all at once, so that if they’re looking for kitchen art, they can look at one post? Or perhaps if they’re looking for some fun wooden spoons, all of those are in one place? Or perhaps, if there are some kitchens I’m lusting to cook in, I can show them all to you at once? I’m not saying all of my weekend finds from here on out will have a theme. But when the time is right, they might. I hope that’s alright. This week, as I mentioned, I’m obsessed with kitchen art.

1. Radicchio Vegetable Print

Kitchen Art: Radicchio Print // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Radicchio print, found on Design*Sponge.

I really like a lot of prints from this shop on Etsy, but I love love love this radicchio print. I discovered it via Design*Sponge, and keep plotting a way I can have it, and where I can put it.

2. Sugarboo Postcards

Kitchen Art: Radish postcard from Sugarboo // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
“You’re so rad(ish)”

I really like postcards, and I have always thought it would be fun to get postcards separately framed and hang a grid of them on a large-ish wall. I think some of these food and friend related ones from Sugarboo are so sweet. My favorite has to be the radish postcard pictured above.

3. Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off

Kitchen Art: "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" print // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Tomato, tom-ah-to, potato, pot-ah-to…

Yes, that’s the name of this print from Society 6. Yes, I’ve been pining after this print for years. It combines old music (remember how much I’ve mentioned my Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong Pandora station?) and food, and I just think it’s so sweet. I would hang it anywhere, but feel it would be perfect in a kitchen.

4. Illustrated Recipes from Felicita Sala

Kitchen Art: Illustrated Recipe for Banana Bread // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
These illustrated recipes are so sweet.

I think these illustrated recipes are so sweet. I’d love to have one on my wall – I love the mixture of text and drawings. The best part: it’s functional too!

5. Cutting Boards

Kitchen Art: Cutting boards! // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
There are almost too many options when it comes to beautiful cutting boards.

Not all your kitchen art has to bed 2D. Speaking of functional decorations, there are some beautiful cutting boards out there – some vintage like this one, some modern like these. Maybe these state shaped cutting boards are more your style. Or these chevron ones. Just make sure, if you’re going to try something heavy, that you secure it safely to the wall with a nice sturdy hook or nail. Most of these have holes or straps, or I’m sure they could be easily added.

6. Prints from your favorite blog/cookbook

Kitchen Art: Smitten Kitchen Photographs // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
I love this pomegranate photo from Smitten Kitchen.

You might be surprised to find that some of your favorite blogs might be selling their prints, or if they aren’t already, they might be willing to if you contact them and ask them reeeeaaaally nicely. For example, love Smitten Kitchen’s photos? You can find some for sale here.

Weekend Finds 12:8:13

Well, we’re officially over the Thanksgiving hump. In this weekend finds, we’re on to the world of Christmas, and starting to think about decorations and gifting.

1. Meyer Lemon and Sage Hot Toddy

Meyer Lemon and Sage Hot Toddy on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Meyer Lemon and Sage Hot Toddy

I’m having trouble thinking of much else other than hot, wintery, alcoholic beverages. The other day, I was cozied up on the couch with my big sweater, a blanket, some tea, and my knitting, and my roommate Sophie said to me, “You are made for winter.” I think it’s true, I am. I love being warm and cozy in big sweaters sipping warm drinks. I love this time of year because you get to drink things like this Meyer lemon and sage hot toddy.

2. DIY Limoncello

DIY Limoncello on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
DIY Limoncello

A while ago when Jonah and I went to Toro Bravo, we were gifted some limoncello after we had to wait a little bit. And I must say, I really enjoyed it. So, while we’re on the topic of lemony alcoholic beverages, I think this DIY Limoncello would make a great gift. Plus, it’ll be a nice light after-dinner drink for those heavy Christmas dinners.

3. Geometric Ornaments

Geometric Ornaments on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Geometric Ornaments featured on Design*Sponge

Yesterday Jonah and I went with our roommates to get our Christmas tree! And it is all now decorated with Carmelle’s ornaments. When I get to a point in my life where I’m collecting Christmas ornaments (maybe I should say if I get to that point), I like to think I would collect things like these beautiful geometric ornaments featured on Design*Sponge. I especially like the second ones, by FlaneursPockets on Etsy.

4. DIY Vanilla Extract

DIY Vanilla Extract on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
DIY Vanilla from HonestlyYUM

I’ve heard of lots of people gifting homemade vanilla extract for the holidays. And I think it’s a great idea. But before I read this post on HonestlyYUM, I never really thought about using a) different types of vanilla or b) different kinds of liquor. It might be cool to give people a “flight” of vanilla, as it were.

5. Winter Salad from 101 Cookbooks

Winter Salad on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Winter Salad from 101 Cookbooks

Sometimes in winter I have trouble making an interesting salad. I mostly just use mixed greens, dried cranberries, candied nuts, and some cheese. Same old, same old. BUT recently I’ve started using delicata squash in everything, including salads, after eating a delicious salad at Grain & Gristle. This salad from 101 Cookbooks not only looks unlike anything I’ve made before, but it also has delicata squash in it! Yum.

Weekend Finds 11:17:13

1. Pie Alternative

Pecan Pie Ice Cream // Weekend Finds, Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Pecan pie ice cream from A Beautiful Mess

Pies are great, don’t get me wrong, but sometimes it’s nice to have a little something else on your Thanksgiving dessert menu. This ice cream looks just lovely – I love the cream cheese in the base and the fact that, yes, there’s still pecan pie in it.

2. Fall soups

A Lighter Pumpkin Soup // Weekend Finds, Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Pumpkin soup with roasted garlic and leeks from Recipes a Volonte

I love a creamy fall soup, but sometimes they’re too heavy. This roasted garlic, pumpkin, and leek soup seems a little lighter (milk instead of cream, and only a half a cup), and would be perfect for a Thanksgiving appetizer or any other fall night. (Also, a lot of the recipes on Recipes a Volonte look lovely.)

3. DIY Leather Coasters

DIY Leather Coasters // Weekend Finds, Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
DIY Leather Coasters from Design*Sponge

Jonah and I have recently made a couple of trips to Scrap, a bits and pieces craft store a block from our house. And they have leather scraps. So maybe, you know, I could make these leather coasters. Talk about a neat present for the holidays.

4. Sweet Potato Gratin

Sweet Potato Gratin // Weekend Finds, Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Sweet Potato Gratin with chanterelles and cheese

I’ve been looking for a gratin recipe to make. Gratins are lovely for the winter – take root vegetables (or even something like cabbage), basically smother it in bechamel sauce, and bake it. Could there be something more rich and warm and comforting? Nope. This sweet potato one with cheese and chanterelles looks so rich and scrumptious, I might have to convince my mother to add it to our Thanksgiving menu.

5. Pie Trimmings

Pie Trimmings // Weekend Finds, Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Old pie trimming tips on Buzzfeed

These old pie trimming tips look so beautiful, and just like something I’d use for my pie crusts. I particularly like the cornucopias and the ruffle effect.