Thursday, August 5, 2010

friday finds :: 5 things we love




5 more of our favorite picks to kick off your weekend

1. blue marble ice cream :: Because we've hit the dog days of August heat and everyone can use a little scoop of ice cream...and Blue Marble's some of the best, farm-fresh, small-batch ice cream in the city.  Located in Prospect Heights and Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill and at the Brooklyn Flea, Blue Marble uses organic sugar and grass-fed, organic milk sourced from Natural by Nature in Lancaster County, PA.  They've also started Blue Marble Dreams, an initiative that helps educate and empower women in Rwanda that has lead to the creation of Rwanda's first ice cream shop. But getting down to goodness, their flavors are unbelievable...try the coffee, strawberry, butter pecan...I could go on.  They're all incredible.  

2. chimichurri sauce :: A fresh herb-olive oil mixture that's as common as ketchup in Argentina.  I've had chimichurri multiple times before, but my good friends Laura and Peter (on the left) brought chimichurri to a whole new level earlier this week when they invited me over for a wonderful dinner al fresco on their spacious NYC patio (slightly envious).  This simple sauce make any grilled steak pop with serious flavor...pair it with a salad and some grilled eggplant sprinkled with parmesan cheese, as masterful chef Peter did, and you've got a perfect, healthful summer meal. Peter's quick chimichurri recipe: extra virgin olive oil, lots of minced garlic, lemon juice, a good amount of fresh parsley, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste.  Muddle everything together and you're set.

3. fresh - eat, pray, love fragrance line :: Anticipating Julia Roberts's lead role in the Eat, Pray, Love in theaters next Friday, check out Fresh's new line of fragrances and candles inspired by the book-turned-movie.  What's your favorite scent? 

4. watermelon :: Nothing screams summer better than a great slice of watermelon.  Get it while it's still in season, watermelon is loaded with water, natural sweetness and antioxidants and is a great way to debloat and excise any extra water retention when you're hitting the beach.  Toss watermelon with feta and fresh mint for a vibrant summer salad; spike it with a little vodka for a boozy treat (or puree it and add it to tequlia, rum or vodka with some lime juice for a great summer cocktail); or eat simply by itself as a refreshing, hydrating snack.

5. Stone Barns summer farm weekend :: Get out of the city and spend this weekend on the farm!  Blue Hill at Stone Barns is hosting a weekend of events on the farm for adults and kids including a vegetable scavenger hunt, summer produce tastings and a canning class with Kelly Geary of Sweet Deliverance




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