Call your mother…
May 13, 2012
or take her something lovely. A big bunch of fragrant peonies would be nice. And, some candy.
sicilian potato gratin
May 11, 2012
I’ve adjusted this BonAppetite recipe using new potatoes with the skins on instead of the Russets. This simplifies the prep and gives it a slightly different texture which I love. Plan on serving this with grilled lamb chops and asparagus for the perfect Mother’s Day dinner.
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2008/03/sicilian_style_potato_gratin
That’s Italian
April 6, 2012
I’m not Italian,but this seems like the perfect Easter dessert…Ricotta Cheesecake. Simple, light…with a touch of sweetness from golden raisins and a burst of freshness from lemon zest. This would be the perfect addition to an Easter brunch or ending to a dinner of lamb chops and roasted asparagus. My Hungarian grandmother used to make a cake that the flavors and textures of this recipe bring to mind. Oh yeah, she wasn’t Italian either.
http://www.pbs.org/everydayfood/recipes/ricotta_cheesecake.html
Yellow or Pink?
April 1, 2012
I can’t decide. Maybe both. This year just seems like a pink and yellow Easter…maybe it was the early spring and the blasts of pink and yellow blossoms around every corner…maybe I just like the way pink and yellow make a modern statement when placed in a neutral setting. These artful ovoids were easy enough. A literal drop of old school food coloring in a cup of HOT water with a splash of vinegar. Partially submerge your hard-boiled eggs…remove carefully. Done. 
Rocky start, breezy finish
March 19, 2012
Once I got used to the idea of knitting an eyelash with dental floss my GRAPHITE scarf was like “knitting yoga”…an almost Zen experience. Using HABU silk wrapped stainless steel knit together with their root sizing silk ( http://habutextiles.com/N-6B) and a triangular scarf pattern for inspiration ( http://www.pickles.no/simple-luxury-scarf/ ) I was deep into it…and more than once. The result was as interesting as I had imagined…light, airy and sophisticated. Over a turtleneck, with a white shirt or to fill in the neckline of a blazer or jacket…Graphite is an accessory scarf to transition to the warmer months ahead. And, as always…the best in simple, quiet and modern.
Naturally green
March 15, 2012
If you look a little closer you may find tucked behind the buckets of hideously dyed green carnations, that seem to be everywhere for St. Patrick’s Day, a small yet natural surprise…miniature carnations in natural green. A simpler, softer green…a fresh green. For a couple of dollars you can take home a bunch to salute your Irish kin and still have them around to usher you into April while enjoying their spicy fragrance. Simply cut them short and mass them in a glass of fresh water. 
You say potato…
March 10, 2012
I say I can’t wait for summer. I need a fix now! Gather up a few redskins, some spring onions, a couple of hard boiled eggs, celery and radishes. You are all set my friend…while the potaoes are boiling you can prep your vegetables and mix up that dressing. Toss it all together and you’ve got potato salad…winter for me is now officially over, no matter what the calendar says. SIMPLE. I love this alone for lunch…but hey, did someone say ribs???
Hey Bud…where’ve you been?
March 9, 2012
Daffodils…even after a mild winter, there is nothing quite like the arrival of daffoldils with their promise of rebirth and new beginnings. Can there be a more perfect yellow? The birth flower for March, they dot the near black and white late winter landscape with their electricity. Share a bunch with a friend to ensure happiness and good fortune. A hot cross bun or two couldn’t hurt either…it is Lent after all.
V Day Dinner…
February 9, 2012
…as easy as 1 2 3. Never again will you be able to pull off with such little effort such an impressive result. For starts, something Brut and sparkling…everyone has their favorite and it’s probably already chilled. Next, a simple appetizer: assorted olives marinated with herbs, garlic and lemon peel. Now dinner. Who doesn’t L O V E a bowl of pasta? So simple and you probably have all of these ingredients in the pantry as well. This classic dish ( I always use Perciatelli) with butter, pepper and cheese is my new go-to ,http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2011/05/cacio-e-pepe. I top this with a palmfull of dry toasted breadcrumbs … an amazing textural contrast… really,don’t skip this addition. Finish things off with more sparkling wine, a little lemon sorbet splashed with Limoncello and candied lemon peel with dark chocolate. What else is there to say? Done and done. Happy Valentines Day.
OMG…
February 3, 2012
will surely be the reaction upon opening this amazing Valentine gift. An air plant, almost no maintenance is required…a mist of water every now and again will keep it’s sculptural beauty thriving. Beautifully presented in it’s white box this specimen Tillandsia from Flora Grubb Garden makes quite the modern statement. Me?…I’d love to recieve this. Wall mounted and multiples? I’d love it even more. http://shop.floragrubb.com/spectacular-xerographica-gift-box/
simplequietmodern 