April Showers, Bring May Flowers

After an incredibly beautiful month of April here in NYC this year, I am giddy with excitement at the arrival of the merry month of May. As lovely as April was, with three of my home girls’ birthdays (Violette on 4/12 and Migui on 4/25, Jennifer on 4/30), the birthdays of two of my children (Angela on the 3rd and Marc on the 6th), the Spoons Across America Dinner Party Project , and the rapturously beautiful weather, this May is special because I am approaching a monumental milestone.See for yourself:It’s official! I have passed my Papi in age (he’s been 39 for quite some time, now)! I can’t believe it! Jerry is finally throwing me a party, Mami, Papi, Tia Nery, and tons of friends and family are going to join me to celebrate my semi centennial… and I’m gonna party, like it’s my birthday!My birthday is actually on the 6th of May, but we’re celebrating on the 9th, because I thought it would be a good ruse to get Mami out of Florida for Mother’s Day on the 11th. My fabulous friend Loni’s mom, the ever-fabulous Edith is celebrating her 80th birthday on May 10, so we’ll be celebrating all weekend long! Don’t forget lovely Esmeralda Santiago’s birthday on May 17, rounding out the month’s festivities. I can’t wait!A special thanks to my sweeties Sammy Velez and Brian Connor for designing my fabulous invitation and poor long suffering Miguelina for all her hard work executing the preliminaries and the RSVPs.

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Lion or Lamb…What’ll It Be?

The suspense is killing me! March has to be one of the most difficult months for me, because I am all pent up with the anticipation of Spring and all of the wonderfulness that comes with it! We are weeks away from Spring lamb, and soft shell crabs, and morels… .fiddlehead ferns, briny shad roe, and fresh fava beans from the Fairway!! Come to mama!
This is going to be a great Spring for celebrations in our family, too. Marc graduates Arcadia University this May (wait! Did I just say that Skeets is graduating??!), Erik hears from his med school applications (send us a prayer!), David discovers where he’ll be doing his Junior Year Abroad (Dublin? Barcelona? Buenos Aires?), and Angela? Well, Let’s just say that Angela is giving us a good glimpse at the amazing young woman she’s growing into. God is good, for sure, and Spring is as good a time as any to give thanks for all we have and the reawakening of all things green.
Spring is synonymous with lamb in my home, but lets face it… there is still a chill in the March air, so this month’s recipes include Estofado de Cordero, or Lamb Stew, and Torta de Santiago or Almond Cake washed down with a delicious Café con Leche. Tastes like Spring to me!
I will be cooking at The NY Times Travel Show this Sunday March 2nd at the Jacob Javits Convention Center at noon, making some season sensitive Bacalao Guisado con Berenjena served with Tostones, so make sure you drop by and say hello. The New York Times is so cool that they will be serving a taste of what I make for everyone, so besides my fabulous company, you get fed as well!

Here is a picture of the show we did in Boston last Friday, February 22 at the Boston Seaport:

Here’s the view from my vantage point:

Much fun was had by all, thanks to the NY Times staff and emcee, Doug Duda, and I’m really looking forward to the sister event here in The Big Apple, so be there or be square!
I’ll also be working on the Spoons Across America Dinner Party Project with Marc Twain Intermediate School again this Spring. Every Monday I will assist the group of 7th graders and their Home Economics teacher, Karen Silverman, to plan and execute a dinner party to which the children will invite their families. We will work together every week, and hold our dinner party on April 14th. I will be sure to keep you posted on our progress.
Well, I have some Easter baskets that I have to get to, so I’ll wish you all a lovely Holiday, and look forward to seeing you over on Boriqua Blog.

Lamb or lion, it’s all good! Buen Provecho!

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Despite the Chill…

Love is definitely in the air! Aside from being the penultimate greeting card holiday, Valentine’s Day has always been a favorite celebration of mine (not to mention Abuela’s saint’s day!). When the boys were little, I would set a festive breakfast table the night before, complete with candy hearts and cupid confetti. I would always make a special breakfast, and leave their Valentines gifts at their place settings, so they could open them before they went to school. This would free me of any guilt that evening, when Jerry and I would escape to share a romantic dinner.

As the boys grew up, left for college, and I returned to the workplace, the tradition lessened a bit. I would make a lovely dinner for Jerry, Angela, and myself, and after the baby went to bed, Jerry and I would share a glass of wine together. I think it’s kind of sweet how the lines between comfort and romance begin to blur after many years.

This past year has been a really great one for me, offering me the opportunity to travel quite a bit and learn about some really delicious food. One of the biggest eye openers for me was how similar the experience in much of Latin America has been to what we are familiar with here in the United States. In particular, I am talking about different, non-Latino immigration into Latin America, and the reflection of that experience in the cuisine. For example, the large Middle Eastern influence on the food of the Dominican Republic (think quipes!), as well as Italian and Chinese, and the very strong Italian inspiration in the food of Argentines.

Drawing from this realization (and from a particularly delicious dish I enjoyed in the Dominican Republic) my exclusive recipe this month which is a Yuca Gnocchi with a Manchego Bechamel Sauce. Gnocchi, romantic? Trust me! The mouth feel and flavor of this dish is ridiculously sexy. I served mine with a first course of a crabmeat and avocado parfait, and a dessert of my favorite Flourless Chocolate Chili Cake served with raspberries, and Jerry is in charge of picking up the champagne. Wooooo! Have mercy!

Happy Valentine’s Day, Dia de la Amistad y Los Enamorados!

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Feliz 2008!

Marc, Daisy, Angela and Dave in front   of Social Paraiso in Palermo, BA

Happy New Year everyone! I am very much looking forward to this year as one of growth and opportunity. I certainly started it out with a bang. As I mentioned before, I spent the holidays thru New Years Day in Buenos Aires, Argentina with the major part of my family (Jerry and Erik couldn’t get away). Paula Scharff’s family all live in BA, and along with her husband and friends, treated us to a super fantabulous time. When I tell you that we literally ate our way from one end of Buenos Aires to the other, it is no exaggeration!

The food in Buenos Aires is protein heavy with emphasis on meat (you all know me to be an avid carnivore), but I was very pleasantly surprised to note the very Italian influence on the food, and how very sophisticated and European it is. In addition, I found the neighborhoods of Buenos Aires to be equally charming, cultural, and diverse, and I will be blogging my trip to BA on Bblog so keep your eyes peeled.

Rosca de Reyes Daisy Style

Thank you all for your kind remarks and emails left regarding the NPR radio play that Esmeralda and I performed on Christmas Day. Both Esme and I have gotten some really warm and moving emails concerning the piece, and if you haven’t had a chance to hear it, they have it on the All Things Considered segment of the site on www.npr.org, and make sure that you let NPR know how you received the piece. We’re all about the feedback!

  Aside from the Fiesta de Los Reyes Magos, putting the Christmas decorations away, and going back to school, January has always been synonymous with “comfort food” for me. So in addition to the Rosca de Reyes for the festivities, this month’s recipes are going to include Chicken Soup with Noodles, Sancocho (in honor of Abuela), and Equadorian Fish Stew (Biche de Pescado). A nice, hot bowl of any of these satisfying soups and stews will happily feed your soul as well as your stomach, not to mention the enticing aromas that will fill your home.

No boricua’s blog would be worth its salt, if it did not share it’s Reyes Magos celebration, and so here it is. I got together with new friend and comrade in crime Chef Carmen Gonzalez and my brother Chef Pete, and between the three of us we rocked the heck out of the kitchen to share a Reyes with our friends that they would not soon forget.

Here are a few highlights:

Feliz Dia de Reyes Magos and a Happy New Year to one and all!

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Can you believe we’re looking at another Christmas already? Where did this year ever go? It seems just like yesterday, Angela was pulling Roxie out of her Christmas stocking! Well, this year certainly had been very exciting and rewarding. I’ve had the opportunity to travel and meet so many of you face to face, I’ve held columns in Siempre Mujer magazine in Spanish and Everyday With Rachael Ray in English, and I’ve even written a radio play with celebrated author Esmeralda Santiago called La Parranda, which will be recorded and played on Christmas Day on NPR!

Well, ’tis the season, and with that comes greetings, decorating and hopefully, a bit of entertaining. There’s no time of the year that showcases family recipes and parties more than Christmas in my opinion.

So break out the pernils, people, and if you have any juice in Puerto Rico, maybe they can hook you up with some fresh gandules! The traditional Noche Buena meal is of course the featured recipes, and if you are so inclined, make sure that you stop by Boriqua Blog for the Pasteles tutorial I did (or type Pasteles in the Search box at Blog), and don’t forget the Coquito!

I’ll be celebrating Christmas in Buenos Aires this year with my family and my friend Paul Scharff and his lovely wife, Paula, and her family. They are hosting us for Noche Buena dinner, and we have plans to visit Estaciones where we are treated to wonderful parrillada in the country!

Chopping down the   Christmas tree

Chopping down the Christmas tree

I am very excited to be visiting Argentina, and plan to take a lot of pictures and eat a lot of meat! Hopefully, I’ll be able to find recipes for sides and salads to go with all that wonderful grilled meat. This might actually be the last “family” Christmas trip we take because the boys are getting old enough to have their own plans, so I’m hoping to make it a great one! I’m all about all the hokiness of the holidays; I’ve always believed in creating memories for my children, so we always ride up to a tree farm in Connecticut and chop down our tree (complete with tail gate party!). This has been an event that we have always looked forward to, and then we invite family and friends to come over and help us decorate it. It has become a time treasured tradition.

Another of my favorite traditions, is sending out Christmas cards, and I love to receive greetings, too, so I’m going to set up this little Widget, so you can leave holiday greetings here, or head over to blog and leave me a post there! Either way, I will love to hear from you.

In closing, let me wish you all a happy, healthy, and safe holiday season spent with family and friends, creating warm memories that will last a lifetime. The flip side of “an ending” is a “beginning” and I’m very excited at the projects that are shaping up for 2008. Along with my resolutions, I am very thrilled about the direction that the Daisy “train” is headed, and hope to make a few really awesome announcements soon! So, thank you 2007, for all the lessons, new friends, and great food that you brought with it, and welcome 2008! I greet you with anticipation, optimism, and excitement with open arms!

Happy Holidays and Happy 2008!

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Finally!!

It seems that autumn refused to show up this year, but this week has finally brought cool temperatures and pretty foliage at long   last! Once Halloween is over El Dia de Los Muertos is celebrated on November 2 in Latin America (but with special festivities in Mexico). My friend Francisca tells me that she would always get   very excited about this holiday when she was a little girl, because her parents would buy her and her sisters new outfits, and they  would go out for churros and chocolate in the zocalo. If you are in Portland, Oregon, make sure you stop in to Sahagun Chocolates,  and visit my friend Liz Montes and pick up a few of her special Dia de los Muertos chocolates!
  So, for me, the holiday season has officially started. Thanksgiving is a few weeks away, and right after that begins the Christmas festivities (not that I’m rushing things!). This past month has been chock full of events that were way too much fun. I was honored at Brooklyn Borough Hall by

Click for  a larger view

Click for  a larger view

BP Marty Markowitz during Hispanic Heritage month, and had the opportunity to meet some lovely people. It’s always nice to get recognition, but I love any chance I can get to meet and mix with fans. Marty was the perfect host and featured Latino restaurants from Brooklyn who put out a nice spread and mariachis for our entertainment.

I also have some great news! Esmeralda  Santiago has invited me to co-author a short story with her that will be read over the air on Christmas Day on NPR!! This is  so exciting for me; not only am I a great fan of Esmeralda, but I am fortunate enough to be able to count her as a good friend.
  So tune your radios to NPR on Christmas Day (as if you don’t already have enough to do!).

  The FDNY invited me to a Firefighter Chef Taste Off in the FDNY Museum down town, and that was a lot of fun. I ran into some old friends while I was there (shout outs to the Blum Family, and Chef Tom Hurley and Rescue 1), and made some new ones as well. God, I love those guys! They can invite me over to the firehouse to cook, anytime!

Miggy and I also went up to Rochester, NY to visit our friends, the Latinas Unidas, but I will be blogging about those events over  at Boriqua Blog, so you can all check it out there! In closing, let me leave you all with heartfelt wishes for a happy, healthy  Thanksgiving, in the company of all of those that you love… that’s where you’ll find me!

Happy Thanksgiving from our home to yours!

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Tortilla Espanola, Sopa de Pollo con Fideos, Seafood Pie with Cornbread Crust and Daisy’s Papas a la Crema

“Goblins, Alley Cats, Witches on Brooms…”

Leaves in the trees, singing scary tunes… these are the things that are heard and seen…In the dark of night, on Halloween!” That was a song I used to sing in elementary school for Halloween, my second favorite holiday in the world. Up until my family moved to Staten Island, N.Y., I have no memory of Halloween, but believe me, the idea caught on like wildfire!
Today, I am still the biggest kid in my house when it comes to Halloween, but aside from the anticipated hullaboo of October 31st, if I close my eyes and think “October”, I can smell cazuela made with sweet potatoes and spices, cooked apple perfumed with cinnamon, and pots of bubbling beans scented with smoky jamon, or salchichon. Morning chill has me reaching for the cornmeal to cook up a pot of hot cereal , enriched with eggs and milk, and made irresistible with cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove (think “breakfast polenta”, Erik used to call it “creamy maiz!), and cool afternoons serve as inspiration for Abuela’s Sopa de Pollo with Fideos, and Seafood Pie with Cornbread Crust, cozy comfort food.
This past September, I visited a Colombian restaurant, Nativa, in Astoria, NY, where I was served a side dish of boiled potatoes dressed in an aromatic béchamel sauce that had been enhanced with shallots, carrots, garlic, bay leaf, and scallions, called Papas a la Crema. After the first bite, I knew that this was a recipe that was going to find itself into the Daisy kitchen, and it really fits the “cozy, comfort food” bill. At Nativa, the Papas a la Crema were served with a grilled meat platter that was unbearably delicious, but enough to feed a family of four (for an in depth blog review of Nativa, see Boriqua Blog).

Papas a la Crema from Nativa Restaurant in Astoria

Daisy’s Papas a la Crema

Armed with determination, my wire whisk and some russet potatoes, I decided that today would be the perfect day to try out this month’s exclusive recipe. The weather was conducive to grilling a London broil, which I thought would compliment the creamy side dish nicely. While, my béchamel is colored slightly more than the sauce at Nativa, I concluded that it was because I cooked the carrots in the béchamel proper, instead of blanching them apart (which I thought would sacrifice the flavor imparted by the carrots), but other than that, I thought the sauce was delicious. I decided that I would present the potatoes in the same manner that I experienced then at the restaurant, but I think in the future, maybe I’ll parboil the potatoes, slice them in rounds, dress them with the sauce, and bake them, so that the potatoes and the sauces flavors meld. Only after this, will I slide them under the broiler to bubble and brown, but for now, I think this is a good first effort, don’t you?

That’s it for this month, folks! I’m getting the house ready for Halloween, hoarding my stashes of Halloween goodies, and working on my costume, not to mention I need to start working on my Christmas list! This certainly is one of my favorite times of year, with the anticipation of the cold weather holidays, and the friendly frost outside, that makes my kitchen the most popular room in my house. I encourage you to join your friends and family in the kitchen, and cook up some memories of your own!
Happy Halloween !

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Vegetable Pot Pie, Ensalada de Tomates Chileña, Lasagna, Estilo Mami and Bacalao con Berenjena

September has always had a bittersweet feel for me. I wax between nostalgia for the summer gone by, and anticipation for the approaching autumn, and all of the great things that come with it. In my family, September is always called “Little Christmas”, because there are about 7 birthdays in the space of two weeks! Papi and Jerry celebrate on the same day, September 21 (happy birthday, boys!), Erik on September 29, my friend Roe on September 17, and my friend Wendy on September 22 (can I get an AMEN?!!) to name a few. All that said and done, the start of the new school year is always exciting. This year Marc enters his senior year at Arcadia, David enters his sophomore year at Temple, Angela is entering the 7th grade (wow!), and Erik is busy with his AMCAS applications. Needless to say, things are pretty busy around here this time of year.

Daisy and Migui in Boca Chica, DR

Daisy meets with fans in Jacksonville, Florida

This past summer was pretty busy, as well. Of course, there was the trip to the Dominican Republic, and the retrospective that I’ve been sharing with you at www.boriquablog.com. I could argue that I had waaay too much fun on that trip, but let’s face it…it’s my job (and boy, do I love my job!).

In addition, I got to meet, chat, and shake hands with a lot of you who I met at the Simon Malls Super Chefs Live! Events in Miami, and Jacksonville, and that is always something that I love to do.

Soooo, what’s next? Well, this is shaping up to be a very exciting season. Starting this month I will be writing a monthly column for Everyday with Rachael Ray Magazine called Mucho Gusto, in addition to continuing my column in Spanish for Siempre Mujer Magazine. I am also shopping the demo for my new show to a gazillion and one networks, and it’s getting some terrific buzz, and I’m putting the final touches on my notes for the new cookbook. As if that weren’t enough, I am doing a series of mini webisodes and events for Food University, (you can find out more about this at www.myfoodu.com) and will be in Napa Valley to do my second stint as a judge for the Build a Better Burger Competition! Sounds like fun, right? Actually, it’s going to be a blast because the other judges are all my homeboys, James McNair, Chris Styler and Art Smith! I can’t wait!

At the Food University Charter Class in Chicago

Yeah, it is certainly shaping up to be a great season, and in anticipation and celebration of the harvest season, my exclusive recipe of the month is Ninotchska Estevez’s Pastelon de Vegetales, a delicious take on a vegetable pot pie! I cannot say enough about this dish; it’s a great dish to bring to a potluck, or to enjoy as a meal by itself. This is one of those recipes that you will want to keep tacked to the refrigerator, so it doesn’t get lost. In addition, I am including the Salt Cod and Eggplant recipe from the book, because eggplant is at its prime this time of year.

In closing, and because we will never forget, I am nominating September as national “Tell a Firefighter You Appreciate Him/Her” month. I, for one am reclaiming September 11 to celebrate and honor the individuals who risk their lives for us each and everyday (a huge shout out to my cousin Joe Mondello at Ladder 102 in Bushwick, Brooklyn!).

Ladder 102 in Bushwick, Brooklyn
(my cousin Joe is the one with the great legs, second from the right!)

…and last but not least,

Happy Birthday Boys!

Jerry, Erik, and Papi celebrate their birthdays

Edit* I’d very much like to thank all of you who sent sympathy and condolences to my family and myself on the loss of my Tia Maria this past August. It was greatly appreciated.

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Yucca Fries, Salt Cod Salad, Grilled Red Snapper, Ajilimojili and Strawberry Surprise (see below)

I’m baaaaaack! I’m back and ready to go! My epicurean excursion to the Dominican Republic was nothing short of amazing, albeit not nearly as extensive as I would have liked to be, so I foresee another trip back to Quisqueya somewhere in the future (I know, it’s a tough gig, but someone has to do it! ). Aside from all the great food that I had the pleasure of experiencing, I was lucky to take in beautiful sites, and make a ton of new friends!

The beautiful view from beachside restaurant El Neptuno in Boca Chica, D.R. is truly breathtaking.

My fear of becoming a candidate for gastric bypass, after my gastronomic jaunt was quickly assuaged when I discovered that restaurants offered the freshest of seafood, a surplus of the most beautiful tropical fruits, and an overabundance of delicious vegetables and salads. In addition, I discovered quipe (think alcapurria) a meat and bulgar wheat croquette which is absolutely delicious, and has middle eastern roots. I actually tasted the traditional Middle Eastern quipe and the more modern Dominicanized quipe, as well as a raw quipe which is served with flatbeads. All where incredibly delicious. I’ll be blogging all about the food on the trip on Boriqua Blog, so make sure you check it out with some regularity, as there are going to be lots of pictures.

A basket of delicious Middle Eastern quipe makes a perfect snack.

The glorious Framboyan tree is the national tree of the D.R.

Whether on the beaches of Boca Chica or Samana, on the mountains of San Cristobal, or the quaint town of San Jose de las Matas, my companions and I were dazzled on a daily basis by the natural beauty of the Dominican Republic, and the friendliness of it’s people. A drive into the country rewarded us with visions of rice paddies, trees hanging heavy with mangoes and all kinds of citrus, and genuine hospitality.

Excursions into the city had there own rewards as well. Restaurant after restaurant invites you to partake of their delectable culinary creations. I can say unequivocally that I had some seriously good food in the D.R., and not least among it was an incredible meal that I had in Miggy’s childhood friend’s family’s house (did I say that right?). The Estevez family invited us to a “Welcome to Santo Domingo” dinner at their beautiful and gracious home, where they prepared a meal that was nothing short of incredible (Boriqua Blog!). You guys may have heard me say time and time again, that I am savory, not sweet, right? Well, Ninotchska Estevez, who planned and with the help of her sister Walewska (yes, that Walewska, of Mamajuana fame!), and mom, Magda, prepared this feast, may have well challenged this trait. Ninotchska prepared the most delicious dessert that evening, and agreed (after much begging and pleading) to share her recipe for Sorpresa de Fresas (Strawberry Surprise), which I have chosen as my exclusive recipe for this month’s newsletter. Light and refreshing, it is a marvelous addition to your next barbeque, buffet, and dinner party, and it has the added attraction of being one of those make ahead recipes (my faves!).

Sorpresa de Fresas a la Ninotchska

My trip to glorious Quisqueya has left me waxing poetic, eager to make a return visit, and happy to welcome a couple of new friends into the folds of the infamous Sofrito Girls! Life is good, my friends…I can’t imagine possibly being any luckier than I am! Have a great rest of the summer!!

Ninotchska, Daisy, Walewska, and Miggy

Strawberry Surprise

For the cake:

• ½ cup butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon white vanilla
• 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ cup milk

Preheat oven to 350. In a blender beat the butter and the sugar until smooth, add the eggs one by one, and lastly the vanilla.

In another bowl, sift the flour with the next 2 ingredients, then with a wooden spoon add this mixture to the butter mix, adding milk alternately (beginning and ending with the flour).

Place the mixture in a baking dish. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.
Let it chill and unmold.
Cut in squares.

For the cream:

• 3 cups cold heavy cream
• ½ cup confectionary sugar
• 1 tablespoon white vanilla
• 1 box of cream cheese
• 2 small boxes of fresh strawberries sliced, save 3 for decoration
• 1 cup strawberry jam

In your blender, beat the cream of milk until it reaches a slightly light consistency, add sugar and vanilla, keep beating, and finally add the cheese. Beat well and save. In a big deep bowl begin by placing the cream, followed by slices of cake, jam and some strawberries, and repeat. Finish with the cream and cover thoroughly.
Decorate with mire strawberries.

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Santo Domingo Bound!

Shrimp-Avocado Salad with cocktail sauce, Grilled Swordfish with Eggplant Relish and Coconut Ice Cream

Well, June was quite eventful, what with Father’s Day, and the pilot shoot, and a wedding, not to mention Miami Simon Super Chefs Live! (that was a lot of fun!), and of course, packing the kiddies up for camp! Go figure, but when the house empties out of the children, a little bit of panic sets in. I have never known how to cook for two (nor do I think I want to!). So what to do with a summer set out before me? Well, sounds like the perfect opportunity for a road trip! Destination? The Dominican Republic!
With Miguelina and company in tow, I have an itinerary that is busting at the seams with culinary adventures. We are visiting a number of historical “foodie” places, as well as numerous “best of/or for” places, and I will be sure to give a full report when I get back. One would think that 10 days in the DR would be enough to cover the whole of the Republic, but in fact, our project is so intense, we will only be able to cover 3 cities! I had no idea there was so much to cover in the DR.
In the meantime however, I am going to turn you on to some great summer entertaining recipes, because, after all, that’s what it’s all about this time of year. I have a great yard for entertaining, and this is the time of year when I like to get the most out of it. One of my favorite summer recipes is a Shrimp-Avocado Salad that is garnished with cocktail sauce (you have no idea how beautifully this translates to an appetizer or an hors d’oeurve). The sweetness of the shrimp compliments the buttery avocado (go Haas!), which is then contrasted beautifully by the bite of horseradish in the tangy cocktail sauce. The salad is served cold, is very refreshing, and accompanied with a piece of crusty bread, is wonderful as a lunch or light supper dish.
Summertime is definitely grill time, so why not crank up that grill? I love to grill a firm fleshed fish, like swordfish or halibut, but don’t forget you can throw soft shell crabs, clams, and even lobsters on there too. My Grilled Swordfish with Eggplant Relish is a great choice for summer entertaining, as you can make the relish ahead of time, and serve it room temperature (I love those make ahead dishes in the summer!). You know that if there’s anything that I cut corners on (can you say “Let’s take a run to the bakery!”) its dessert, and nothing quite cuts it like ice cream, in this case homemade Coconut Ice Cream.
So get out there and fire up those grills! After all, we don’t have summer year round up in Brooklyn, New York, so you have to strike while the iron’s hot. Put a couple of salads together, throw some protein on those hot coals, and invite some friends and family over. Everything else will fall right into place. How can it not? It’s summertime, and the livin’ is easy…

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