Friday, August 6, 2010

Easy homemade guacamole

Guacamole is so easy & summery. I've made my own for ages, but fell a little in love with Rosa Mexicano's tableside version...and judging from the reactions I saw, so did other diners! (Bonus: the Lincoln Center locale is handy for opera/dance/theater-going. :)

EASY HOMEMADE GUACAMOLE (2-3 servings)
Seen at Rosa Mexicano
Time: 5-10 min, or 60 seconds if you're Rosa Mexicano waitstaff

2-3 tablespoons (30-45g) diced onion
2-3 teaspoons cilantro (10-15g coriander), chopped fine
1 teaspoon (1/6 ounce or 5g) salt
2 small ripe avocados, pitted, peeled & cubed
Optional: 1 teaspoon (1/6 ounce or 5g) jalapeño, seeded & minced
Optional: 2-3 tablespoons (30-45g) ripe diced tomatoes

Using a bowl and spoon -- or molcajete if you feel fancy! -- mash 1 tablespoon (15g) onion with 1/2 teaspoon (1/12 ounce or 2.5g) each of cilantro, salt, and optional jalapeño. 

When onion and cilantro get more pulpy, add the avocados.  Stir gently to coat avocados with onion-cilantro paste. Then add remaining onion and cilantro, plus optional tomatoes.

Mash all ingredients slightly, avocados should stay chunky. Add more salt or jalapeño to taste, folding-in gently. Serve right away with tortilla chips or fresh, warm corn or flour tortillas and chow!

Little notes
The Rosa Mexicano version does not use lime juice, which is how I prefer it, but you can add a bit if you like. Also, instead of lime juice (to prevent guacamole going brown), you can apparently return the avocado pits to the guac, cover & refrigerate 3-4 hours...it should stay green-y...But who can wait that long? :-)

{Apologies in advance for my *rough* metric conversions!}


(Image via Julie and Ed.)

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Photo du jour: Pacific Ocean sunset

Final moments of the day at Ala Moana, Hawaii.

{An August Break post. Photographed on the island of Oahu.}

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

San Francisco dreamin'

(via)
San Francisco is so beautiful, I've always wanted to live there for a bit. Instead, I landed in East Coast cities (NY, DC etc). For the past 4 years, I've also been going between the East Coast and London.

The famed seals of San Francisco (via)
The famed garbage barges of New York City (via)
The famed football hooligans of London (via)
Mind you, there's nothing wrong with the great East Coast cities or London. They just sometimes call for more...je ne sais quois, no?

Golden Gate Bridge (and CRAZY wave, via)
Pacific Heights (via)
San Francisco dusk (via)
But a person can dream! And I'm good at daydreaming, if nothing else. For now, there'll always be lovely San Fran images to ogle...

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Ladurée and Penhaligon's

I couldn't stop thinking of these two luxe shops after the last post, so here are some exquisite macarons, a Ladurée specialty, almost too pretty to eat. (I love the above photo by Aya Brackett).

The Ladurée in London's Burlington Arcade is like walking into a gold-foil-wrapped confection, which I guess is the idea. :)

British perfumer Penhaligon's has a cult following (and supply the royals). I don't even use perfume that much, but I can be sold!

Penhaligon's sweeet "scent library" (first spotted at the Burlington Arcade locale) has scents named Artemisia & Endymion. Sigh.

Little notes
Ladurée and Penhaligon's have been spreading their wings across Europe, stirring up fun local buzz--e.g., just check out the posts below!...

Peeks & thoughts into the Milan Ladurée from Rubber Slippers in Italy...(Do have a look around this lovely blog - not only is it wonderful food inspiration, it's filled with delightful posts on all things Italian and beyond)...

And a bit of perfume desire at Penhaligon's Paris...

(Images via Aya Brackett, Ladurée, Notcot and Penhaligon's.)

Monday, August 2, 2010

Photos du jour: Hawaii redux

I've thrown these up before, but haphazardly. So in the "August Break" spirit, here they are together - my way to appreciate them more mindfully & properly!

{An August break post: All photos taken on Oahu, Hawaii.}

The Beadles

Burlington Arcade then (via)
I just had to share about the Beadles (with a d, not a t) of Burlington Arcade - a posh London shopping passage since 1819. These fellas have been on the patrol for 200 years because, get this, you can't whistle, hurry, or open big umbrellas in the Arcade!

Burlington Arcade now (via)
Hancocks gold, diamond, opal pendant, circa 1905 (via)
The Arcade shops include Hancocks -- royal jewelers forever...

Ladurée at Burlington Arcade (via) and Penhaligon's (via)
...as well as fantasy-inducing dessertier Ladurée and perfumer Penhaligon's (just watch for the Beadles and try not to hurry between shops :).

Sunday, August 1, 2010

The August Break

For the month of August, photographer Susannah Conway has invited fellow bloggers to join her in a fun experiment! To let your "photos do the talking" all month, as a way to be more mindful of the world through one's camera lens...
    Anything goes! Folks can post photos everyday or not, still have regular posts or not...

    I've been nomadic, so may start with photos of home or and home-away-from-home. :)

    (Image via Susannah Conway. Read more about Conway's "August break" idea here and here.)
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