My mom returned from a picnic earlier this summer with a recipe in hand. “Poke Cake,” she called it. Until my sister’s boyfriend read it and remembered it as “Better Than Sex Cake.” Which explains why the guests at the picnic couldn’t get enough of it. Whether you choose to use the G-rated title or not, there’s no denying this... Read more
The previous 5 days have been busy ones. Take a look. Hours spent in the car: 15 Phone calls received during live TV pledge: 14 Tastes received in the kitchen of Le Jeune Chef: 5 Bowls of chocolate soup eaten: 1 Pumpkin spice lattes consumed: 3 Lattes spilled onto pants: 1 Homebrews bottled: 60 (thanks to Nick, Anna, and Ryan!)... Read more
Last weekend we celebrated the official end of summer with: Badminton and horseshoes in my parents’ backyard Family from near and far Pimm’s Lemonade with cucumber slices, apple wedges, and mint leaves A cake that some claim is “better than sex” And a bonfire complete with roasted marshmallows and “snipe” stories (which I will describe in detail at a later... Read more
Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte is the traditional dessert of southern Germany. Literally, it means “black forest cherry torte,” and it consists of whipped cream and cherries between layers of dark chocolate cake. Kirschwasser (a clear liquor distilled from tart cherries) is often added, and the cake is typically decorated with chocolate shavings and maraschino cherries. Obviously we had to serve this following wienerschnitzel... Read more
In just 16 days, we will be consuming copious amounts of Bavaria’s best schnitzel, spätzle, and bier. Oktoberfest officially kicks off on September 18th, and this year the festival is celebrating its 200th anniversary. I am beyond excited to cinch up my dirndl, eat a pretzel as big as my head, and throw back a liter or two of lager... Read more
Who does the laundry in your household? I do it in ours, and I don’t mind. I wash and fold the clothes, and Nick scrubs and sanitizes the toilets. I load the dishwasher, and Nick takes out the trash. It works for us. Friday is typically laundry day. I round up the clothes that inevitably end up on the floor... Read more
This simple side dish makes use of two late summer ingredients: sweet corn and tomatoes — both of which I’m going to miss deeply when they disappear from farm stands. (Though, admittedly, I am looking forward to pumpkins and sweet potatoes.) Add a can of black beans, a few spicy jalapeños, and a handful of fragrant cilantro and serve alongside... Read more
My brother moved from New York City to London in January. We moved from State College to Duncansville in February. His new digs (and old, for that matter) are more travel-worthy than ours, but he was still anxious to visit our humble home on Sunday during his two-week return to the U.S. While Andrew sipped tequila (the good stuff from... Read more
On the morning of our first anniversary we paid tribute to our Mexican honeymoon with traditional chilaquiles of garden tomatoes and poached eggs. Later in the evening we drove 30 miles south to a trattoria that transported us to yet another country known for its simple, seasonal cuisine. LIFeSTYLE is an Italian gem in Bedford County. It’s located just off... Read more
How do you suspect we celebrated our first anniversary? With food, of course! (And paper, which I’ll get to in a later post.) Yesterday morning we were determined to recreate our favorite honeymoon breakfast. Chilaquiles are a traditional Mexican dish consisting of corn tortillas, green or red salsa or mole, eggs, and sometimes pulled chicken. I scoured the web for... Read more