date night with mama

I'm about to leave for a trip to California, solo. It's hard to go just about anywhere without my little girl, but when I do, I try to make sure she and I do something really fun together--sans distractions-- the night before I leave. It just so happens Andras had to work late, which used to bum me out (I love when we're all home for dinner), but I've changed my tune. It's the perfect excuse for breaking tradition and hitting the town, just Greta and me, for a dinner date.

It's amazing that all kids really want from us is our undivided attention. Ironically, for a mommy who cooks, our own kitchen and dinner table, as healthful, important and harmonious as it is, isn't the best place for that. I'm always jumping up to finish cooking, ladle another bowlful of soup or grab a cloth to wipe Greta's chin. And I can only imagine how those demands double and triple as a family grows. On the flip side, out at a restaurant, I can't see dirty dishes, and they aren't my responsibility even if I could. I'm not responsible for setting the plates or pouring the milk or creating all the other magic that goes into a meal. It's just Greta and me and this experience. I can look in her eyes. Listen to her sweet voice and all of these amazing, brand new words forming into sentences that never sounded sweeter.

I know, you're skeptical. Eating out with kids is supposed to be a nightmare. But it's amazing what happens to a child when you ask them, "Do you want to go somewhere special tonight with mommy?" Their eyes light up. Put them in an outfit you find adorable, if only for your own indulgence, and just like when you yourself dress up to go out with your husband, your little one will start to get in the mood.

Our special place is, mercifully, right down stairs at Bear Restaurant, an advantage of urban living. I admit, it helps to know that if things go terribly wrong, we can scoot out and home quickly. But I'd happily walk another ten blocks or more to sit in a booth next to my girl, watching her scan the room, learning, observing and adopting restaurant behavior and manners from the big people around her.

People have all kinds of opinions about taking babes and toddlers out to dinner. We've been doing it on since day one, so yes, in a sense she's learned a bit about the etiquette of eating, but we don't do it often, and it's never too late to try. Caveat, I haven't yet parented a boy. But despite the fact Greta's just like any toddler and can go from happy to hungry in an instant, is capable of enormous messes, and can get an incurable case of the fidgets anywhere we might want her to sit still, you'd be amazed at how well behaved a child at this age can be when you sit them up in a booth by candlelight and make them feel that you're taking this time-out from the normal scheduled routine just to be with them. Let them give your world a try. Use the grown-up spoon they find before them. Butter their bread themselves, just like you. Most restaurants worth their salt will be accommodating; and it's sort of a thrill to un-tuck the cloth napkin from your little one's chin after the meal and know that's one bib you won't have to wash yourself. I'll pay good money for that.

I suppose I adopted this mentality from my two older sisters, who, not wanting to miss the best new restaurants on their annual trips to see me in New York, brought their toddlers in tow. I remember one occasion at Craft, when they first opened, telling my tiny toddler niece Grace to walk like a lady as she scooted the narrow passage between tables about a dozen times, going back and forth from her mama to me. And you know what? She did! It was fun for her to have the chance to behave, and just as much, for us. And, when she got a case of the fumble fidgets, the open kitchen, more common now in many restaurants than not, provided thrilling entertainment. 

It's not for everyone, but if you remove the concept of luxuriating over your own meal (order a one-course home run), skip the precarious glass of wine and just have a real date--face to face, eye to eye, with the little one you adore, you might find a dinner date with your toddler surprisingly sweet. And satisfying. 

I'll be back with Greta and Andras in a few days. In the meantime, I'm cooking in San Diego with my sis, my brother-in-law and my now-oh-so-grown-up nephew, who's overdue for some undivided Aunt Sarah time, hard to come by once your aunt becomes a mama herself. Today, I'm looking forward to nothing more than a date night with him.

I'd love to hear from you--what's your experience eating out with your kids? Any what traditions do you have for making one-on-one time that's a pleasure for you and your babes, both? 

Postcards from Hungary

After Hungary and Helsinki, Chicago and San Francisco -- all the places I've been in the last 30 days, I'm here at my desk, in New York. But my mind is still far, far away, in our quiet kitchen in a small village in the Bakony, eating Guylas with my tiny girl, the summer sun streaming in on her back...

{you're invited} The Newlywed Cookbook Valentine's Tour, and a Bittersweet Chocolate Tart

{photos by sara remington}

It's Thursday, which means there's still plenty of time to go out and buy loads and loads of bittersweet chocolate before the weekend. That's a very good thing, first, because it's February, the month of Valentine's! And second, it's the start of the official Valentine's launch party for my new book, The Newlywed Cookbook. And where there is a Valentine's party, there will be chocolate. 

Sometimes, when I close my eyes, I dream myself in an airy Soho loft, where I'd invite you all to come for slender slivers of my Bittersweet Chocolate Tart with Smoked Sea Salt and a glass of pink champagne. We'd celebrate in high style, we would. But as I write from our snug new york city studio {we are newlyweds, after all}, it's hard to imagine more than two or three of you here at once. Still, our hearts are big and full of the love and joy that always precedes a feast among friends, so, feast we will!

For the next thirteen days, many talented writers, some old friends and many new ones, will be cooking from The Newlywed Cookbook,  sharing their story of food and love along with one of my recipes for you on their blogs! We, whether married two years or twelve years or not-yet-married-at-all, are toasting to the spirit of newlyweds ~ to the the joy and curiosity and abundant love that is at the heart of this book.

The menu, if I do say so myself, is quite delightful, and includes all the major valentines food groups. On it you'll find....

Rise and Shine Muffins ~ Oatmeal Yogurt Pancakes with Blackberry Crush ~ Ricotta Silver Dollar Pancakes ~ Multigrain Pancakes with Chocolate Shavings ~ Roasted Beets with Ricotta and Pistachios ~ Two-For-Two Cheese Souffle ~ Halibut with Coriander and Carrots ~  Grilled Lamb Chops with Melted Polenta ~ Cast Iron Skillet Steak ~ Dowry Dinner Rolls Chocolate Bread & Butter Pudding ~ 1000-Layer Chocolate Cookies~ Olive Oil Cake with Tangerine Marmalade

We invite you to come taste these recipes and hear the stories of these talented writers and friends here...

Dorie Greenspan ~ Diary of a Locavore ~  Aida Mollenkamp ~   Just A Little Organic ~ E.A.T. ~ Mom's Kitchen Handbook ~ Spoonful of Cake ~ Nancie McDermott ~ Farmhouse ~ Lucid Food  ~ Crumbs On My Keyboard ~ Dessert-o-Licious ~ Dallas Food Nerd ~ The June Cleaver Blog ~ Cherryspoon ~ Healthy And Happy Hour

To show our love for our readers and hopefully inspire some loving feasts in your home, each of us will be giving away a copy of The Newlywed Cookbook to one lucky reader. Kindly leave me (and them) a comment and tell us your story of food and love for your chance to win.


Meanwhile, while I regret that I can't cook you my Bittersweet Chocolate Tart myself, I'm so happy to share the recipe with you. I promise that your skill-set in the pastry department is of no matter; this is one simple, sensational valentine's treat you and your love won't regret embarking upon. 

Come, bring your beloveds, bring your friends as we toast to love. May your hearts and tables be filled!

xo, 
Sarah

Bittersweet Chocolate Tart with Smoked Sea Salt

~

Despite its handsome finish, this tart couldn’t be easier. The crust gets its tenderness from sugar and melted butter, pressed in instead of rolled for ease. It is completely simple, and sinfully elegant. The flavor comes from the chocolate and the cream, so splurge on the highest quality of both you can find.  Your loved ones are worth it.

Serves 12
{Crust}

1/2 cup/115 g unsalted butter, melted

3 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Pinch of fine sea salt

1 cup/115 g all-purpose/plain flour

{Filling}

1/2 cup/120 ml heavy cream

1/2 cup/120 ml whole milk

2 tbsp sugar

Pinch of fine sea salt

7 oz/200 g high-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped {1 heaping cup}

1 large egg, beaten

Smoked sea salt {optional}

Preheat the oven to 350˚F/180°C/gas 4.

Make the crust: Whisk together the melted butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Add the flour and stir until it feels like damp sand. Press the dough evenly along the bottom and up the sides of an 8-in/20-cm square or 9-in/ 23-cm round tart pan/flan tin with a removable bottom {which makes it much easier to remove the tart in one piece. If you don’t have a tart pan/flan tin, you can make this tart in a springform pan; press the dough evenly across the bottom and only about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 in/3 to 4 cm up the side of the pan}. Use wax/greaseproof paper or buttered fingers to even out and press the dough tightly into the corners. Prick the crust all over with a fork and chill in the fridge until ready to bake, about 30 minutes.

Set the pan on a baking sheet/tray and bake until the crust is golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Make the filling: While the crust bakes, bring the cream, milk, sugar, and salt to a simmer in a medium saucepan over low heat. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Let it sit for about 2 minutes, without stirring. Starting in the middle of the pan, whisk together until the chocolate is evenly melted and the mixture a smooth and a shiny dark brown.

Whisk the beaten egg into the chocolate filling and pour the filling directly into the hot crust. Decrease the oven to 300˚ F/150˚C/gas 2 and return the tart to the oven. Bake until the filling is set, but still a little wiggly in the center, about 12 to 15 minutes (temperatures vary from oven to oven, so the visual clue is more important than time}. Set your timer for 12 minutes. If it looks mostly set at that point, test it by opening the oven door a crack and carefully jiggle the tart pan/flan tin with the edge of your oven mitt. Only the center third should wobble. If it wobbles all the way to the edge, close the door quickly and continue baking about 2 to 3 minutes more.

Remove and cool the tart completely on a rack at room temperature. Just before the tart cools and sets completely, sprinkle a few large flakes of smoked salt on the surface, or leave plain.

Remove the tart from the pan sides and carefully transfer to a platter before serving. Let it cool just until it slices easily. It melts in your mouth when served slightly warm, with a dollop of crème fraiche, if you wish, for extra decadence. Or cool completely, and serve by itself. 

P.S. The deep, smoky flavor of smoked sea salt is a fine complement to the rich chocolate, but this tart is just as elegant with big flakes of white sea salt, or if you’re a chocolate purist, no salt at all. 

Date Night In Berlin {with Luisa + Max}

It's Friday, date night and reunite night for today's sweet Newlyweds Cook couple, Luisa + Max. In case like me, you're dying to know where Luisa Weiss + her hubby are eating tonight in Berlin, here are three of their favorite sweet spots in and around their sparkling city. 

Our favorite Friday night haunt is a fantastic Japanese restaurant in Berlin’s Prenzlauer Berg called Sasaya. We invariably sit at the bar, always wedged into a corner, so we can watch the head sushi chef work while we eat our dinner. It’s like theater, only with better food. I usually order the wakame salad and the omakase sushi, while Max is incapable of walking into the place without getting an appetizer of fried chicken (crisp, greaseless and delicious), which comes with a wedge of lemon on a Kraft paper-lined straw plate.

Sasaya

Lychener Strasse 50

10437 Berlin

Tel: (030) 4471 7721

When Max’s train is delayed, we head to a Spanish restaurant in Kreuzberg called Bar Raval, where the kitchen still bustles after 10:00 pm and the wait staff is sweet and kind, if slightly harried. The crisp cava is served in coupe glasses, there are complimentary dishes of addictive green olives on the table and their pan con tomate (or pa amb tomaquet, technically, since it’s a Catalonian restaurant) is a smoky, salty, chewy, juicy delight.

Bar Raval

Lübbener Strasse 1

10997 Berlin

Tel: (030) 5316-7954

If it’s one of those Friday nights, you know, the kind that caps a no-good-very-bad-stinky-to-high-heaven kind of week, then we hop in the car and drive to a quiet part of the Ku’Damm (western Berlin’s shopping mile), where, at a stand that’s an institution for old West Berliners like us, we each order a currywurst, a Berlin specialty consisting of a deep-fried hot dog sliced into rounds, doused liberally with curry-flavored ketchup and served with a hot roll on a fluted paper plate with a small plastic trident. Yes, currywurst is an acquired taste. Yes, it can be delicious. And yes, sometimes it is just what you need for dinner. Take it from me.

Bier’s 195

Kurfürstendamm 195

10707 Berlin

Tel: (030) 881 8942

{The Highchair Chronicles} Let them Eat....Everything!

{Quentin eats, photo by Jennifer Martine}

Babe: Quentin

Mama: Jennifer
Q's Birthday: September 17

Isn't it strange that you can actually make a friend through Twitter? Jennifer Martine is my first and best twitter friend. {I guess that makes us BTFs}. I knew her name because she photographed the gorgeous photos in my friend Louisa's luminous book, Lucid Food. I started following Jennifer on Twitter to keep up with her pretty pictures, and when we figured out we had babes  about the same, age, we started talking purees. Before long, we were trading photos of our kiddos feasting on their first forkfuls of our yummy creations. Today's Jennifer's birthday, and I thought it would make her day to share a classic shot of her feeding her beautiful boy, Quentin, who just turned one, and along with it, what she's learned since he first hit the chair. I love her breezy, mother's-instinct-is-best approach to feeding, and I think you will too: 

"When I started feeding Quentin solids I couldn't believe how quickly he took to it. Maybe we got lucky -- he's just a product of two foodie parents -- I don't know.  But I do think there had to be something about the encouraging (nom, nom, nom) sounds I would make and the smile on my face that made him feel comfortable about it. I also did my best to time the feedings after a small bottle so that he wasn't totally starving and frantic but also got his taste buds going. I would mash up banana and avocado, add some whipped up peas and just experiment away. Sometimes, I would just think in general of the equation of something sweet + something savory+ something really healthy. Broccoli+Apples+Banana or Squash+Banana+Avocado. Then we started whizzing up some of whatever we were eating like pasta or chicken and potato. Only a couple of times Quentin not like the texture of something or if it was too bland he would get bored. I was amazed at how easily he took to different flavors,even spicy or garlicy stuff, he just loved it all! 

Then as he got more into it I started giving him things he could feed himself like big slices of oranges, teething biscuits and and those puffs you can buy that dissolve easily. As he got more experienced I tried different textures and chunkier mixtures. You could tell that he was learning how to chew things long enough to swallow and I trusted him to figure it out. It was hard at first not worrying that he was going to choke on something all the time and I had to give him the chance to learn how to chew big bites. Now he eats with abandon. Savory, spicy, sweet, sour. He eats what we eat, we feed him off of our plate, we let him try to feed us, etc. etc. We just make it fun, we don't stress and let him taste just about everything." 

There are many awesome ideas for feeding your babes that come from Jennifer and her hubby Tyler's experience feeding Quentin, and their attitudes around food, but here are my two faves: 


Rule #2: Let them taste everything {as long as it's safe}: 
Yes, there's a little list foods that are generally known to be unhealthful, too acidic or higher risk for allergies for babes under one {like citrus, peanut butter and cows milk}. Talk to your pediatrician for guidance. Beyond that, feed your babies FLAVOR!  Don't assume they won't like a food because it's too "grown up" or because you don't like it. Babies like sweet, sour, spicy and savory--even garlic-- just like we do! 


Rule #3: Create a formula that works: 
When you start combining foods, create a go-to formula that makes meal planning and preparation easier, like Jennifer's": something sweet + something savory+ something really healthy. Try Broccoli+Apples+Banana or Squash+Banana+Avocado or Pears, Peas and Avocado. 

What are your food formulas and favorite combos to keep your little ones engaged in their thrones?