Apple cake is cooling, spaghetti squash is in the oven, and the rack of lamb is next. Essential fall meal is 45% complete!
Fall To-Do List
I’m still battling the post-race depression, so rather than frequent bars, I’m going to go though a handful of the TONY: Fall Things To Do in NY.
I’m starting on this list Saturday. You know how to reach me if you want in (read: reblog or email me)!
Saturday:
I wish I could say I’m up for the Nike Human Race, but I think with just getting over being sick and rain in the forecast, I’m going to camp out inside and cook. (I might also still be scarred from my triathlon rain fest). Fall treats, anyone?
79. Crank out the baked goods
Nothing like the smell of apple pie in the oven to put you in the autumn spirit. Check out the recipes for Cake Man Raven bakery’s red-velvet cakeand Baked’s mini coffee and chocolate sandwich cookies for inspiration. Guidance can be found in the form of the International Culinary Centers classes. We accept thank you’s for these tips in the form of baked goods.Apple pie? Please. Excuse me, but I think you mean you’re going to bake the apple cake featured on this week’s WORKING CLASS FOODIES. Apple pie is so last fall.
Do you feel dirty now? I hope you feel dirty now.
(As an aside, I loved the episode.)
Nope, not in the least. The work I put into each episode justifies, in my opinion, that I do whatever I feel necessary to promote the episodes. Or I’m just an ass, take your pick. (And thanks!)
NO NEED TO FIGHT: I HAVE ACQUIRED APPLES FOR CAKE MAKING PURPOSES!
Apple cake + bread crumb-crusted roasted rack of lamb with white beans + spaghetti squash. Tomorrow is going to be delicious!!!!
Source: mdfsmash
Fall To-Do List
I’m still battling the post-race depression, so rather than frequent bars, I’m going to go though a handful of the TONY: Fall Things To Do in NY.
I’m starting on this list Saturday. You know how to reach me if you want in (read: reblog or email me)!
Saturday:
I wish I could say I’m up for the Nike Human Race, but I think with just getting over being sick and rain in the forecast, I’m going to camp out inside and cook. (I might also still be scarred from my triathlon rain fest). Fall treats, anyone?
79. Crank out the baked goods
Nothing like the smell of apple pie in the oven to put you in the autumn spirit. Check out the recipes for Cake Man Raven bakery’s red-velvet cakeand Baked’s mini coffee and chocolate sandwich cookies for inspiration. Guidance can be found in the form of the International Culinary Centers classes. We accept thank you’s for these tips in the form of baked goods.
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This Sunday:
92. Go to the Tompkins Square ParkHalloween Dog Parade
Think Tompkins Square Park is crazy enough as it is? Wait until it’s packed with pups dressed up in Halloween finery. Prizes are given for the best costumes: Past entrants include a yellow lab dressed as a beret-wearing French poet, a few Frankenweenies and a three-headed Cerberus impersonator. Date/Time TBA. Tompkins Square Dog Run, Ave A at 9th St (dogster.org).
Then:
13. See the Pumpkin Sail in Central Park
In addition to freaky tales, crafts and a costume parade, this annual park fete features a flotilla of bright orange jack o’ lanterns bobbing about in the Harlem Meer at sundown. BYOP if you want to launch your own creation into the fray. Sun Oct 25 3-6pm. Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, Central Park, enter park from Fifth Ave at 110th St (212-860-1370,centralpark.org)
THEN:
26. Go to the Guggenheim for free
The Guggenheim is as famous for its landmark building—designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and restored for its 50th birthday in 2009—as it is for its impressive collection and daring temporary shows. The museum owns Peggy Guggenheim’s trove of Cubist, Surrealist and Abstract Expressionist works, along with the Panza di Biumo Collection of American Minimalist and Conceptual art from the 1960s and ’70s. Perhaps just as notable: Admission is free from 5:45pm-7:45pm on Saturdays. 1071 Fifth Ave at 89th St (212-423-3500,guggenheim.org)
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5. Watch the New York City Marathon
Winding through all five boroughs and finishing with a flourish in Central Park, the New York City Marathon is one of the most famous in the world—more than 100,000 participants will pound the pavement, led by world-class runners like Marilson Gomes dos Santos (last year’s champion) and Paul Tergat. Check the course map to see if it goes through your ‘hood, or head to Central Park in the morning for a great vantage point. We recommend posting up on Park Drive between 86th and 90th Streets, a bit north of where the bigger crowds tend to congregate. Of course, actually running the 26.2-mile race might be a more memorable experience, but if this is the first time the thought has crossed your mind, you’re probably better off waiting until next year. (If you’re in shape, though, late registration is possible through select charities.) Nov 1. (212-860-2280,nycmarathon.org)
Anyone throwing a party this year? 2011 will be my year to run (I hope)!
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I feel like a million people did this last weekend, but I didn’t:
17. Go apple picking
Get lost in a giant corn maze, or pick raspberries, tomatoes, sunflowers, string beans and a dozen varieties of apple on Seven Ponds Orchard’s 20 acres. Its farmers’ market sells local produce, homemade jams and pumpkin bread. Wash it all down at a wine tasting at nearby Duckwalk Vineyards. Seven Ponds Orchard; 65 Seven Ponds Rd, Water Mill, NY (631-726-8015). Travel: Take the LIRR to Southampton, then take a cab two miles to the farm. Daily 9am–6pm.
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Bronx field trip:
2. Visit City Island
A small-town vibe pervades City Island, whose population is less than 5,000 and which has provided the backdrop for films such as Margot at the Wedding and A Bronx Tale. You won’t have to sacrifice big-city tastes for an evening in the quasiburbs, though, and and the trolley takes you everywhere you need to go. City Island is known for its delicious seafood— We recommend retro cafeteria Johnny’s (2 City Island Ave, 718-885-2086 and for dessert, stop for some ice cream at Lickety Split(295 City Island Ave between Hawkins and Fordham Sts, 718-885-9654). Visit the galleries and import shops (see City Island business directory), and don’t miss the eerie nighttime views of nearby Hart Island, the former site of an insane asylum and missile base. 6 to Pelham Bay Park, then take the BX29 to City Island.
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Brooklyn Field Trip:
23. Stroll through Green-Wood Cemetery
A century ago, this Brooklyn cemetery vied with Niagara Falls for the title of New York State’s greatest tourist attraction. Filled with Victorian mausoleums, cherubs and gargoyles, Green-Wood is the resting place of some half-million New Yorkers, among them Jean-Michel Basquiat, Leonard Bernstein and Mae West. The spectacular, soaring arches of the main gate are carved from New Jersey brownstone, and Warren & Wetmore, the firm behind Grand Central Terminal, designed the 1911 chapel. It’s also a great spot to admire fall foliage while contemplating the coming of winter and ruminating on the cycle of life (or something equally philosophical).500 25th St at Fifth Ave, Sunset Park, Brooklyn (718-768-7300, green-wood.com)
Then:
49. Go to the New York Transit Museum
A seafoam-green 1960s bus complete with matching vinyl seats? Yes, please! The museum is located in a now-defunct 1936 Downtown Brooklyn subway station and has a sweet collection of vintage vehicles, plus cool exhibits like “Show Me the Money.” There’s an annex and storein Grand Central, too. Boerum Pl at Schermerhorn St, Downtown Brooklyn (718-694-1600,mta.info/mta/museum)
Then:
69. Go to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Once again—although the climate-controlled Steinhardt Conservatory is a great treat in the dead of winter—the gardens are more pleasant to stroll about now than when it’s below freezing. Take in the beautiful foliage and treat yourself to some ice cream at the café. (900 Washington Ave, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn; 718-623-7200, bbg.org)
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Weekend Trip # 1
52. Go camping, and live to tell the tale
First, you’ll need to pick a spot to camp. We recommend staying within a couple hours of home: if your city-slicker inclinations kick in and you suddenly develop a paralyzing fear of outhouses, mosquitoes and silence, you want to be able to get the heck out. Next is the stuff you should bring. Although one spot on our list provides gear, the Boy Scout motto (that’s “Be prepared!”) rings true. Those looking to go really hardcore—laughing off horror storiesas they do it—can take a page fromSurvivorman’s Les Shroud. The rest of us—laughing at the crazy thought of sleeping outdoors—will be at awilderness-themed bar.
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Weekend Trip # 2
61. Gather your friends and rent a weekend cabin
Just an hour’s train ride north of the city, Croton Point Park (914-862-5290; westchestergov.com) offers cabin and tent camping on the Hudson, along with hiking, and picnicking facilities. Tour the historic wineries, and the Croton Point Nature Center. Six-person cabins range from $55 to $90 a night with a park pass, $75 to $120 without. Put together a picnic at Grand Central and take Metro-North’s Hudson Line to the Croton-Harmon station, which is about a half-mile walk to the park entrance. For a big group, head three hours upstate to Stone Tavern Farm(607-326-3600;stonetavernfarm.com) in Roxbury, New Horesback riding, hiking, paddleboating and ATV rides await. The bunkhouse ($150/night) sleeps 15, complete with a fire pit and large lounging and recreation area. Once you’re settled, take a scenic ride on the historic Delaware & Ulster Railroad, or drive half an hour to Kaaterskill Falls, the highest waterfall in New York State. Take Route 87 North to Route 28 West into the Catskill region.
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Day Trip #1
77. Get in touch with nature at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
Craving a temporary city escape without actually leaving the city? Hop on the A train to Jamaica Bay see some wildlife that includes neither rats nor cockroaches. TONY staff writer Drew Toal—a mountain-man himself—recommends liberal use of bug spray, wearing light-colored clothing (lyme disease is so not in vogue), and utilizing the visitors center restroom. After your stroll—and when we say stroll, we mean a five-mile excursion— fill your rumbling stomach at Bayview Restaurant and Lounge. Crossbay Blvd at Broad Channel, Jamaica, Queens
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Half Day Trip:
4. Visit the Cloisters
The Met’s medieval art and architecture outpost—set in a lovely park overlooking the Hudson River—looks most leafy and romantic in harvest season. A path winds through the peaceful grounds to a castle that seems to have survived the Middle Ages. (It was built a mere 70 years ago, using pieces of five medieval French cloisters.) Check out the famous Unicorn Tapestries, the 12th-century Fuentidueña Chapel and the Annunciation Triptych by Robert Campin, all of which will have you singing Gregorians in no time. 99 Margaret Corbin Dr, Fort Tryon Park, Washington Heights (212-923-3700;metmuseum.org)
Then
33. See foliage without leaving town at Inwood Hill Park
Pedal, skate, scooter, run or stroll here along the Hudson or hop on the A train and get off at either Dyckman or 207th St, the last two stops. Enter and breathe deeply: This 196-acre park is the only remaining proof that this concrete jungle we call Manhattan was once a verdant forest. The hiking trails are so quiet you almost forget you’re in the city; they’re a favorite of urban trekkers. Enter at 207th St and Seaman Ave, Inwood (nycgovparks.org)
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And this isn’t from the list, but I blogged it last week and I’m determined to do it:
Two Metro-North trains stop at the phantom Breakneck Ridge “station,” only on weekend mornings. The backpack set silently bails out of the rear train car onto what are just a few wooden boards beside the tracks. The trailhead lies a half mile down the gravel skirt (back towards a train tunnel). From there, Breakneck Ridge shoots up 1,000 feet straight out of the Hudson. Time to climb. (via)
Oktoberfest at Brooklyn Botanic Garden
This is worth a field trip to Brooklyn.
Source: ofthegarden
![mascarah:
[Life: Make] Easy Breezy PUMPKIN PIE
I don’t know what says October to me more - insane halloween costumes or pumpkin pie? This month I’m opting for both, and multiple times on the latter. Here’s round 1.
Ingredients
1 cup cooked and pureed pumpkin, drained through a strainer
3/4 cup creme fraiche
1/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs, beat lightly
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons brandy (or a dark brown rum)
1 (10 or 12 inch) prebaked pie shell (I was lazy and bought one at Whole Foods)
Directions
Preheat oven to 300. In a large mixing bowl, combine the pureed pumpkin, creme fraiche, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves and whisk together until thoroughly blended. Stir in the eggs, vanilla, and brandy or rum. Whisk again until thoroughly blended.
Pour the pumpkin mixture into the pie shell and move it around until it is even. Bake for about 1 hour, until it sets in the center.
[Recipe from FoodNetwork.com] If you’re ambitious, here’s a homemade shell recipe.
I’m about THISCLOSE to throwing a fall party. Mostly as an excuse to eat Thanksgiving food more than a month early :)](http://www.tumblr.com/photo/1280/mdfsmash/211099826/1/tumblr_krdvhdaJe71qz7xu1)
[Life: Make] Easy Breezy PUMPKIN PIE
I don’t know what says October to me more - insane halloween costumes or pumpkin pie? This month I’m opting for both, and multiple times on the latter. Here’s round 1.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked and pureed pumpkin, drained through a strainer
- 3/4 cup creme fraiche
- 1/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 large eggs, beat lightly
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons brandy (or a dark brown rum)
- 1 (10 or 12 inch) prebaked pie shell (I was lazy and bought one at Whole Foods)
Directions
Preheat oven to 300. In a large mixing bowl, combine the pureed pumpkin, creme fraiche, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves and whisk together until thoroughly blended. Stir in the eggs, vanilla, and brandy or rum. Whisk again until thoroughly blended.
Pour the pumpkin mixture into the pie shell and move it around until it is even. Bake for about 1 hour, until it sets in the center.
[Recipe from FoodNetwork.com] If you’re ambitious, here’s a homemade shell recipe.
I’m about THISCLOSE to throwing a fall party. Mostly as an excuse to eat Thanksgiving food more than a month early :)
Source: mascarah
caro:
Two Metro-North trains stop at the phantom Breakneck Ridge “station,” only on weekend mornings. The backpack set silently bails out of the rear train car onto what are just a few wooden boards beside the tracks. The trailhead lies a half mile down the gravel skirt (back towards a train tunnel). From there, Breakneck Ridge shoots up 1,000 feet straight out of the Hudson. Time to climb.
Wish I were here for another weekend. Grr.
Whoa! Just what I’ve been looking for.
Source: caro
