Small Bites

Good morning and happy Monday! I think we’re in for a white Christmas, huh? How did you weather the storm? I hunkered down, baked cookies and roasted a chicken, plus made a couple of good warming winter cocktails.

If you follow me on Twitter, you know I was at A Little Night Music on Thursday night (and that I spotted Anna Wintour, Michael Kors and Dr. Ruth, too). Well, before the show, I met my friend for supper at the bar at Angus McIndoe. A great, comfortable, pre-theater place with a better-than-average chance of a star sighting. She has the seafood risotto. I had the burger. And it was a mighty fine burger. I highly recommend:

On Friday, I waited out the horrible Tappan Zee Bridge traffic with a sip and a snack at Sweet Grass Grill in Tarrytown. Unfortunately, it was too dark for my photos.

Saturday was baking day. I went to my friend Kelli’s house and made Chocolate Crinkles and Cardamom Shortbreads with her children. (Yes: from our Small Bites Cookie Swap! Thank you to Grace and Sri for the recipes!)

Sarah helps stir:

Here’s how to crack an egg into a bowl and then add one at a time to the mixer:

Licking the beaters is the best part!

The shortbread is a little too much for the kids:

Um. I thought I was doubling the recipe. Turns out I quadrupled it!

They came out terrific:

After all that baking, I headed home for a (well-deserved) cocktail. Two friends came over (one within walking distance; the other spent the night!) for supper. First up, we had a Captain Handsome:

I found the recipe in this month’s Food Network magazine; it’s a riff on an Aviation and comes from Vessel in Seattle. Click here for the recipe.

For the garnish, I used these incredibly delicious pickled cherries from Blue Hill. That Alex Grunert... he really knows his stuff. These are just the loveliest balance of sweet and sour:

Yes. We had two cocktails. This is a Manhattan made with Tutilltown Spirit’s Rye.

Delishy.

For supper, roast chicken. I mean, what else would you have in a snowstorm? We also did latkes and a “spinach garnish.” Who needs vegetables when it’s snowing horizontally?

For dessert? Cookies, but with a twist. I took some Edy’s Peppermint ice cream —

— and made mini ice cream sandwiches with the chocolate crinkles:

What a holiday treat!

And with that, here’s what people have been talking about this weekend:

Adam has a great post on the taco trucks of New Haven. (AC)
Dara tells us the secret to better latkes. (CITK)
Kosher deli in Westchester? (CH)
CostCo is selling $50 gift cards to X20 for $40. (CH)
Doug goes to Portobello Cafe and Los Andes Bakery. (HT) (Welcome back, Doug!)
Doug goes to Limoncello for WE. (WE)
Over on Sunday Sauce, Mom is showing us her Feast of the Seven Fishes menu. So cool! (SS)
Miki goes on a date to Lusardi’s in Larchmont. (SSS)
The Times does their own rendition of holiday cocktails. (NYT)
MH goes to Cravings in Briarcliff. (NYT)

Photo Caption: lj122109local02