Four for Friday

Enjoy the rest of you Friday, my sweet readers.  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.  A FfF post and then... Off to weekend fun!

- A huge congratulations to Linda of Call Me Cupcake, she's celebrating two years of blogging with a book deal!!!  Hooray!  Can't wait to add that one to my dessert bake book library : )

- Check it out, Coach has 10 very stylish guest bloggers featured on their site.  Each of the 10 sounds off on the new season's accessories.  There are outfitting tips and photos galore!  Two of my faves are there: Katie Rodgers and Blaire Eadie.

- When I look at Irene Suchocki's photos I feel like a little girl.  Like 6 or 7 years old.  Who loves princess, unicorns and fairy tails.  (Yeah, okay... I still totally love those things.)  Her moody photos of Paris are especially gorgeous!  I hope it looks exactly like this when I'm there in a few months!!!

- Rue Magazine is out in it's 6th issue!  So much good stuff, read it from cover to cover... virtually.  (Virtually as in it's a virtual magazine.  Not the 'almost all but not quite' type of virtually.  Cuz really, really, for reals, I did read it cover to cover!)

Peaches Please

I walked through the Union Square green market on my way into work this morning.  The stalls have exploded with peaches!!!  We've been buried in berries and last week newly arrived plums were plentiful.  Now peaches!!!  Ugh... I love summer.  And it's fruit.  The UFO peaches seemed to be the most popular variety for now.  (Maybe the other varieties aren't quite ripe yet?)

This recipe at Always With Butter convinced me that the little UFO's are okay for baking. I've been planning to make a peach tart all week.  I assumed UFO's would be too swat looking, sliced up.  I'm thinking they may be okay now!  Hopefully this weekend I'll get to my peach tart making.  (Then I can share it with you next week!)

Are there any summery desserts that you're wanting to bake?

Heavenly Hemp

Do you cook with hemp?  Hemp seeds?  Butter?  Milk?  Protein powder?  I come from a hemp-loving family.  My brother is a big hemp-head.  He loves that it's a high-protien plant food and that it's an ultra sustainable, earth friendly crop.  There's also my mom who is all about non-gluten baking ingredients now that she has celiac disease.  The BF and I are hemp fans, mostly when it comes to dessert...  Our favorite spot in NYC has hemp-milk ice cream.  And it is D-licious, people!  The taste and consistency are incredible.

After reading Sara's posting about hemp baking on My New Roots (and doing a little research of my own) I'm going to stock up on some hemp ingredients.  Incorporating this super-food into my recipes is good for my body and the environment (and therefore, my piece of mind).  To recap: hemp is a vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free, trans fat-free, cholesterol free, and packed with protien (all 20 amino acids!).  Its very easy for your body to break down and absorb, it's high in fiber, contains the perfect ratio of essential fatty acids, and delivers vitamins A, B1, B3, B5, D, E, iron and magnesium.  Super!

Mmmm, looking forward to making a batch of these Hemp Protein Granola Bars.  Thanks Sarah, for the recipe and all the info!!!

Color Crush: Navy & Burgundy

Midnight blues and deep wine?  Not the shades I'd immediately gravitate to for summer but they sure do look good!  Each worn alone, back to neutrals is classic.  But out together?  It's outfitting magic!

Top photo: The Glamourai

Below, left to right: The Sartorialist, The Locals and Hanneli Mustaparta

You Are What You Eat

Yesterday, a friend had shared the link for You Are What You Eat on his Facebook wall.  Because this friend generally shares insightful links I clicked.  I was quite surprised, and happily so, with the content.  As a diet and health conscious person, I find nutrition stuff pretty interesting.  You Are What You Eat wasn't just a wordy article though, it was a photo essay.  (Yay, pictures!!!)

Mark Menjivar's documents the refrigerator contents from 34 households.  All kinds of people, all kinds of food! Menjivar explains, "These are portraits of the rich and the poor.  Vegetarians, Republicans, members of the NRA, those left out, the under appreciated, former soldiers in Hitler’s SS, dreamers, and so much more.  We never know the full story of one’s life."

If you can bear a little light reading, check out his introduction.  He addresses some aspects of the project that you might otherwise take for granted, "An intense curiosity and questions about stewardship led me to begin to make these unconventional portraits. A refrigerator is both a private and a shared space.  One person likened the question, “May I photograph the interior of your fridge?” to asking someone to pose nude for the camera."

They are in fact a very personal type of portrait.  It's pretty cool.  Would you let someone photograph you 'fridge as it sits right now?  I'm not so sure I would...

Photos from the Kitchenist

Neapolitan Style

From your daily duds to the baker's dish, Neapolitan is looking high-summer chic.  The classic, creamy, trio of shades can be an apparel challenge.  Best to go with muted, dusty pastels like this color blocked dress from Marc by Marc Jacobs (as seen on Atlantic-Pacific).  Are you a Neo flavor fan? Check out this recipe for Neapolitan cake on Babble Food.  Mmmm!

Pretty Picture/ Painted Lady Typography

Painted Lady isn't really the name of this lettering but when I saw it I thought of the colorful and ornate San Fran row houses.  This unnamed font by Jonny Wan is a prime example of his style; drawing inspiration from ancient cultures, shapes and symmetry.  Much of his graphic design work reminds me of native North and Central American art.  Many motifs also call to mind ancient Near East and Asian influence.  Browse his work here, at Agency Rush.

Found via Design Work Life

Colorful Light

I love this contemporary interpretation of stained glass!  What a gorgeous door; filled with a rainbow of slides.  This quirky home, located on the rolling hills of South Tyrol in Northern Italy, is the residence of architect Armin Blasbichler and his family.  The building is overrun with playful details, head over to Design Sponge for additional peeks inside!

Photos by Ingrid Heiss

Pop Invites

These are such a cute idea for summer party invitations!  Make them coordinate with your party's color theme or just go with your favorite shades.  I think any combination would look pretty.  (Like maybe something along these lines?!!!)

Head here for the how-to.  It seems pretty easy; all you need are velum, colored glassine, popsicle sticks and some spray adhesive.  Besides a tutorial, the link also has printable clip art for your invite info!

From Martha Stewart via Poppytalk

Travel Inspiration

Peggy of Blue Pool Road has been sharing travelogue posts; recounting three weeks of adventure in 5 countries.  The photos are incredible.  They will completely transport you.  Then leave you with serious wanderlust.  Check it out, and fall in love with Barcelona, Saint-Malo, Valencia, Bordeaux, Mijas and Cassablanca.  The photos above were from Morocco.  Swoon!

On a similar, travel-related note, last night the BF and I booked a week long trip to France!  I cannot wait to wander Paris in serene autumn!!!  If you have travel tips please do share : )         

Etsy Love/ Industrial Vintage

Industrial Vintage has the coolest collection of antique kitchen wares!  I love the silver rimmed cocktail glasses here.  I've been seeing these everywhere (like here, here and here).  These Tom Collins glasses also come with matching silver rimmed coasters and a caddy!  Wondering what that jar thingy is in the center?  It's a butter churn!  Industrial Vintage has amazingly affordable prices too, so go check them out!

Four for Friday

Hey dolls, happy Friday and I'll see you back here on Monday!  Enjoy these four 'net jewels...

- Lucy Laucht is my new fave fashion blogger. This gal began her fashion carrear as an assistant in London. Travel led to Australia, where she, "discovered a country teetering on the brink of creative explosion". Now Lucy resides in New York, working in digital and online fashion.  I love her classic style and penchant for quirky prints!

- Alexandra's Kitchen was my edibles blog find of this week.  Her tarts (sweet and savory), non-traditional pizzas and salads look incredible!  She uses tons of fresh fruits and veggies; I love the colors that come through in her photos.  Beautiful and healthy!!!

- Earlier this week Design Sponge featured an amazing post of the Best Of Decorative Paint. Ohhhhmygosh, I love them all. Such great inspiration if you're thinking of a painting a wall!  Now I want to paint a wall...

- Sarah's last two posts on Saipua's blog had me cracking up (and feeling better about my own hot-weather induced bad mood).  No matter how gross it is outside, Saipua is my solace;  pretty flowers and something to chuckle at.

Summah time

I've been living for the weekends lately. (Although really, who isn't?!)  Summer does that; it takes weekends up a notch.  Sunshine = fun-ness!!!

Do you have summah time activities a-happening this weekend?  Or are you gonna be staked out in front of an AC with an iced beverage for the next two days?  (Let's be honest, I'll probably spend a fair amount of time doing that too!)





What I'm uber excited about, is getting some skateboarding lessons from the BF.  We've been planning this for a couple weeks.  I've got my sneakers and denim cut-offs ready to go!  Let's find a quiet corner of Brooklyn for me to shame myself with uncoordinated, balance-challenged skating attempts : ) 

Photo via Jak and Jil

The Figgy

The Figgy?  The Figgy!  Whadda cute name, eh?!  It's the brand spankin' new print shop by one of my very favorite-est food bloggers, Julie Marie of Always With Butter.  The Figgy currently houses about 20 prints with more promised to come.  Besides her gorgeous photos of edibles there are pics of people, places, things...  Floral things.  Fuzzy things.  Yeah, I like the fuzzies! 

Calder

Have you been to the Google homepage today?  It's Alexander Calder's 113th birthday and in celebration there's a swaying mobile!  I love mobiles, don't you? 

I was at a party once in Los Angeles and the host had a Calder.  Yeah.  For reals.  It was hanging under the portico beside their pool.  I was jealous.  I was blown away/ jealous of a whole lotta things that night.

Image via Ego Design

Trinkets/ Rockefeller Necklaces

These pretties are made by the gypset designer Rockefeller.  Pretty, yes?!!!  While traversing the globe, he collects, fashions and shares his trinkets along the way.  All items are fair trade and one of kind.  The lovely necklaces pictured here are vintage macramé beads from France.  They are rather large which I love!  (Such a bold, statement piece.)  The beads are hand glazed ceramic and come in vibrant 1960's shades.  Each is strung on a ribbon of vegan "deer hide".  I think I'd opt for the orangy-red one!  You?

Available for purchase at Beklina

Raw Key Lime Pie

It didn't tale long before the baking bug bit me again. (That springform pan and those Pyrex bowls are just too much fun!!!) And now it's even hotter in my little apartment! Yes. It's hard to believe. But we are over the 90 degree hump and into 24/7: sauna atmosphere.

So the story goes, I wanted to bake... without baking. This time I selected a raw dessert; a Key Lime Pie*. Summery! Refreshing! The recipe is a modification of Alyson's Pretty Darn Raw Vegan Cheese Cake that I found at Vegangela. I made a couple tweaks to it myself. And yikes, stripes, it's tasty!!!





Raw (Vegan) Key Lime Pie

2 cups almonds (I bought raw slivered, it made the job easier on my food processor)
7-9 Medjool dates
2 cups un-toasted flaked coconut (plus a couple tbs for topping)
4 cups raw cashews (soaked for three hours)
4 limes (juice and zest)
3/4 cup raw agave nectar
1 cup organic, unrefined coconut oil
1/2 cup water
1 vanilla bean or 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt

- Place the almonds in a food processor and finely chop, add in roughly chopped Medjool dates and 1 cup of flaked coconut, process until well incorporated
- Take a small amount of coconut oil and oil the bottom of your spring form pan (you can use a basting brush or paper towel to spread it around)
- Press the almond and date mix into the bottom of your pan.  Put the crust in the refrigerator while you finish the pie filling.
- After your cashews have soaked for a few hours, puree in a food processor.  Add the rest of the ingredients (the juice of all 4 limes, agave nectar, coconut oil, water, vanilla and salt) and continue to puree.  (For a stronger lime taste you can also add some of the lime zest.)
- Pour all but 1cup of the filling into the spring form pan.  Chill for at least 30 minutes, until somewhat set.
- Add 1 cup of flaked coconut to the remaining 1 cup of filling and process minimally in the food processor.  Mix in the zest of 2 limes.
- Spread the coconut pie mixture on top of the pie.  Place back into the refridgerator for at least 5 hours, preferably overnight.
- Just before serving, sprinkle some flaked coconut and fresh lime zest on top of the pie for a pretty presentation!

* I have to be honest... I've never had key lime pie.  So I really don't know how this compares, if at all.  I'm thinking it's probably nothing like any key lime pie you ever had.  It's still really, really, really delicious though!!!  And full of nutritious whole foods!

Pretty Palette: Day Glow

Neon hues are so in right now.  I love that it's not just highlighter pink, yellow and green though.  Neon is running the gamut; from grassy green to aqua and cobalt, the entire pink family, orange and red, then we jump into electric violet and darker purple.  It's a day glow party every day.  At the beach.  For the office.  In the rain. While you sleep.  Are you embracing neon proliferation?  I have a few pieces and could use some more!

Psst, the Man Repeller wrote a funny article over at Refinery 29 about neon fashion and well... it's man repelling effects.  Refinery also shares tips and tricks to achieve neon fashion success : )

Images, clockwise from top left: Flickr, Flickr, Cosmopolitan and Show and Tell Gallery    

So... How Old Are You?

This post by Garance is so sweet and funny, you have to go read it!  She is incredibly endearing; it's such a charming and amusing short story.  But no further words from me, check it out!

Jetting Off (for the day)

Work takes me to Ohio for a dozen or so hours.  What a Wednesday, right?  It's gonna be long.  And likely quite tiring.  I'm hoping for smooth flying and a safe return to NYC.  The last time I flew back from our corporate office I seriously though I was going to die.  Seriously.  No fun.  90 minutes of perpetual panic attack.  That lovely flight continues to revisit me in dreams.  They're not nice dreams. 

On that note, happy Wednesday!  I've got some posts saved up and scheduled for later today.  Enjoy!  Fingers crossed that I'm back here tomorrow, alive and blogging!!!  (Forgive me for the flight-scare story.  I thought getting it off my chest might make me feel better.  It didn't really.  But oh well.  Statistics are on my side, right?)

Print available on Etsy, by Jessica Durrant

A Shower Boil

Check out the gorgeous photos from this wedding shower, alla backyard seafood boil.  The pre-union celebration was for photographer Nancy Neil and her fisherman husband.  Pretty pics and tasty fishies, go figure!  Visit Once Wed for more visual loveliness.

Pretty Picture/ Sanna Mander

There is something about this book cover, illustrated by Sanna Mander that I just love.  Not to judge the novel by it's the cover...but yes, the cuteness definitely makes me biased.  The colors are dreamy and soothing.  The stylized images are adorable; how sweet are those pencils and that little grand piano?!

In case you want to add this book to your summer reading, it's available here on Amazon.  For more about the novel check this out.

Discovered via Ffffound

Ballet & Tuesday

Tuesdays are fun because I take class.  I can't wait to try out my new slippers.  I broke them in a little over the weekend.

I've been thinking a lot lately about what I want my life to be filled with.  Like if it were a pie chart.  Mostly it would be filled with "work".  Then "miscellaneous fun stuff with the BF" would probably be the other big chunk.  And to be sure, tons of things fall within that; restaurant-ing, museum going, concert attending, traveling, etc.  What are my hobbies though...?  Ballet.  Reading.  Cooking and baking.  They're a pretty small percentage of the pie.  Especially when I think of the time I waste during the week watching Netfilx.  This is something for me to work on...

What about you, readers?  Do you have quality "you" time?  Hobbies?  Interests?  Classes you take?  Places you volunteer?

Print available for purchase on Etsy

Etsy Love/ Ink Whimsy

Cuteness overload: Ink Whimsy.  This shop has the sweetest stationary and party accessories.  Ya'll know I go a little nutzo for maps (as in: this, this, this or this) so of course I was gaga over her mapped-out cards, tags, seals, stickers, ornaments, magnets, garlands, gift sets and notebooks!  For those of you less map-psycho, there are oodles of other adorable items too!!!  Besides what's pictured above, I'm loving these citrus print cards and this wood grain heart sticker!

Found through Creature Comforts

LA Nostalgia

Design Love Fest is just about the only thing that makes me nostalgic about LA.  Of course, my friends and family make me miss it too (like super!).  But it's Bri's blog that makes me wistful; forget the heinous traffic, recall the great indie music scene in Eco Park and Silver Lake, the shopping in Venice, the art and theater downtown, the tree lawns, the cheap 70's (and the ugly 80's) architecture.  It all seems lovely again on Design Love Fest.

Do any of you find yourself with mixed feelings about old neighborhoods?  Cities?  Countries?

Soft Serve Fruit Co.

Happy Monday!  Did everyone enjoy their mid-July weekend?  It's seriously warm in NYC.  It means that midday is kinda unbearable but evening and night are amazing.  Seriously, perfect.  But, I have found a cold treat to help soothe away sun stroke and sweaty brows: Soft Serve Fruit Co.  It's sorbet, but soft serve.  With fruit and other natural, healthy toppings (24 total!).

Their new location is just around the corner from my office, at 16th St and University Place.  (The original location is at 3rd Ave and 78th St.)  They have quite a few rotating flavors, including banana, strawberry, blueberry and seasonal flavors like pear, apple, cranberry, and pumpkin.  All are gluten free, dairy free, fat free, cholesterol free, and free of additives, preservatives and coloring.  Everything under their roof is 100% natural and nearly 100% organic.

The BF and I stopped in there last Friday.  We had spent a little too much time at Madison Square park and walking the streets of Flatiron (and I was getting weak and grumpy).  I tried the mango and ended up ordering a small blueberry, sans topping.  It was deeeelicious!!!  Honestly, I'll probably be showing my face there at least a couple times a week.  So good.  So good.  The next time you are in Union Square go try it!

Original art available on Etsy, by Ed Marion

Four for Friday

Hi sweetie birds!  I'm taking a half-day off of work.  Summer Fridays rock my socks!  Not that I wear socks in the summertime (strappy sandals + socks = ew-yuck).  Anyway.  Enjoy these four!  Have a great weekend and see you Monday!

- Swiss Miss launched a new site: Tattly. Fun stuff, people. It's a shop of "designery temporary tattoos" that creator Tina Roth Eisenburg, "started out of my frustration that temporary children tattoos are often hideous looking."  Tattly's sure got some cute tatties, go look!

- I don't remember where exactly I found this BL(solw roasted)T but YUMzers.  I'm totally going to make this with some tempeh bacon.  Not Without Salt by Ashley Rodriguez is full of so much tastiness.  Delish recipes galore.  Totes glad I found it!

- Sasha Maks Vintage.  It's a pretty cool blog.  Check it out.  Then go browse through all of Sasha's vintage jewelry on Ebay.  Oooh, there are some goodies!!!  I want this, and this and these.

- Every summer, come July or August, I lament over my bike-less-ness.  I'm feeling the pangs of regret yet again, wishing I had some wheels to zip around Brooklyn on.  Humph.  Republic Bikes is definitely not helping ease the bitterness.  Their bikes are so cool!  Customization, like whoa.  Love!

Weekend-ing

Happy Friday everyone!  Whew, this was a long one.  I'm itching to get out and enjoy this weekend!!! There are more than a few things I've got planned; birthday drinks for a friend at Spritzenhaus tomorrow night (with all my college buddies!),  the Brooklyn Flea on the Williamsburg Waterfront and the New Amsterdam Market.  I've got to do a little shopping; I'm in desperate need of new ballet slippers and some really basic t-shirts.  There's a new vegan soft serve ice cream shop in Union Square that I've gotta try out!  And, I bought some new summer reading, Wives and Daughters.  Already hooked on it.  I've also got a 1000 piece puzzle of Venice... When the weekend heat gets to me I'll stake out a spot in front of an air conditioner and enlist the help of my BF.  We can puzzle away the mid day heat.

Photo by Jose Maria Cuellar on Flicker

Type Happy/ Smash

I'm such a sucker for feminine, decorative fonts.  Show me a delicate serif, or coiling ears, tails and terminals, and I'm smitten.  This font, Smash by Jones Helgeneset, is such a pretty mix of tradtional and whimsical typographic styles.  It makes me want to twirl.  And buy a bouquet.  And read classic literature on the quiet banks of a little river... somewhere in France.  Yeah.  This font is pretty darn awesome.  It has teleportation powers.     

Found on Typography Served

More Cuba

Remember my pining for Cuba in this FfF post?  Yeah... I'm still pining.  It's on my travel list.  The BF and I talked about putting it on the nearer-future vacay adgenda.  Of course, then we discussed Paris and Prague.  And then, my bestie and I planned out a UK adventure.  Of course there is also conversations whirling around domestic travel too; Chicago, New Orleans, Atlanta, Austin, Denver, Seattle.  So... I'm not sure how real Cuba really is.  These photos by Jose Villa have me hyper-hoping that Cuba becomes real, real soon.

(Take some time to look through all of Villa's photos.  They have a luminescent quality, awash with light and are all incredibly beautiful.)

West Elm Wishlist

West Elm's new arrivals sucked me in. Lots of pretty things.  That I don't need.  Hmph.  Hence the virtual window shopping and wishlist.  There are so many more goodies, go scroll around the Elm's newbies.  Besides the pictured accessories above, I'm also really loving this woven hamper.  ( It's made out of cattails.  I loved playing with cattails as a kid!) 

Goodies above, clockwise from far left:
- Glass Jar Pendant Lights (a miss-matched trio of these would look so lovely hanging together... in my apt!)
- Glass Greenhouse Terrariums (OMG, I want these)
- Scott Lifshutz appetizer dishes (doggie watercolors, love!)
- Katobuki Tea Tins (this tea is so good and the rice paper wraping is gorgeous)
- Horn Handle Magnifying Glass (need this least of any item ever but it's so pretty!)

Camera Bag

Newly launched site CameraBag TV looks to be a favorite haunt.  The site aims to, "Celebrate image-makers and highlight the beauty and style of the camera" and to, "raise the profile of emerging photographers, while also providing an intimate glimpse of the workspaces and trade tools of the masters".  Although still under construction, Trend Land gives a preview of the fabulous material to come.  Mmm, looks good.  Yes?

NY Additions

It's officially official, my little sister is moving to NY!  In less than a month, at that.  I'm so excited.  Like SO EXCITED.  She booked her flight and is bringing along a BF of her own.  (Yay, more artsy BFs added to the NY mix!!!)  I can't wait to play with them in this wonderful city!  I foresee fun-ness ahead : )

Print available at Nan Lawson's Etsy in 5x7 and 8x10

WeWood

Yeah, I was all about tortoise man watches.  I still am.  But check out these pretties from WeWood!  The really awesome thing?  They plant a tree for every watch purchased.  For reals.  Now, I would like these wrist tickers even if the company weren't re-forestation-ing.  The watches are foxy.  Italian-made accessories.  Nuff said.  But add to it Eco-luxury?  Now we can look hip, sans guilt.  Likey.  Shop them all here! 


Found via Honestly WTF

Printed Pants

I really want some printed PJ-esque pants for summer.  Something light and airy and in a print not too scary.  (Didn't really mean for that to rhyme.  Promise!)

The pair in this photo (shot by the Sartorialist) are so perfect!  I love multicolor (yet neutral) geo print.  Margarita outfitted it so well with her layers of boho beads and this mere whisp of a tank top.  I love that she's sporting the look with ballet flats and a chic bag instead of uber casual sandals and beach tote.  It takes the look from 'bumming around the house' to an 'urban casual' aesthetic.

What say you readers?  Would you wear some relaxed fit silk or viscose printed pants?  Do they remind you of the early 90s?  In a good way?  Bad way?  Any suggestions for a great pair I can snag?

Pretzle Fried Chick-Un

Don't those photos look good (and sooo bad)?!!! As soon as I found Tina Jeffer's recipe for Pretzel Fried Chicken, my little mind was working out was to veggie-ize it. Thank you, thank you Traci French of Bliss for sharing the original recipe and your photos (the world loves you!). Last night I gave a modified recipe a spin. And my, oh my... it may possibly be the most delicious tofu I've ever tasted (and quite probably the least healthy). This is what went down in my kitchen last night:

Buttermilk & Rosemary Pretzel Fried Tofu
(makes approximately 12 fillets)

1 lb extra firm non-water packed tofu*
1/2 lb silken tofu
1 cup flour
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbs rosemary
2 tbs cider vinegar
large bag of pretzels
oil for frying

- Puree silken tofu in a food processor or blender, add vinegar pulse to mix, add 1tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. This mixture is your 'buttermilk batter'. Transfer to medium bowl.
- Combine flour and rosemary with remaining salt and pepper in a small bowl.
- Crush pretzels until you have 2 to 3 cups of crumbs. Be careful not to pulverize, it shouldn't be pretzel powder!
- Slice your firm tofu in 1/4" fillets.
- One at a time, take fillets and place in flour mix, then the tofu puree mix, and lastly the pretzel crumb.
- Heat up oil in your pan, fry fillets without crowding the pan. Each should cook for just a few minutes on each side, until golden brown.

* If you buy water packed tofu, make sure it is very well drained. Preferably over night. You can also use a different meat substitute such as seitan or soy protien patties.

This recipe is so fab because you can modify it super easily. Don't like buttermilk and rosemary? Sub them out for a couple tbs of BBQ sauce in the tofu puree and some cayenne pepper in the flour. Or tomato paste and Italian herbs. Or stone ground mustard with garlic and onion powder. The possibilities are endless!!! If you try a variation out, let me know!

P.s. The lighting was majorly icky in my apartment last night and I left my camera at work.  But I did snap a shot of the end result with my iPhone.  (Just to show how well this tofu sizzles up!)

Jason LaFerrera

Jason LaFerrera's collaged birds meld two of my most favorite things, art picturing little chirp-ies and maps!  These lovely feathered friends, in the pretties soft shades would look great in my house.  I'm going to need a bigger apartment; wall space needed!  Which is your favorite?  I love the crane.  It's so graceful and the colors are gorgeous.  Check out all of LaFerrera's available prints on Etsy.

Found via Elephantine