Shortcuts and Shortcake

Epicurious, Victoria Pearson

I've had Royal Rose's Lavender-Lemon syrup on my bar cart for months, without a floral-infused cocktail in mind. But it came in handy last weekend when I accidentally made a very, very dry vanilla cake and lost all motivation to frost it.

I took a half cup of Royal Rose, mixed in two more tablespoons of lemon juice, and a handful of blueberries. This was spooned over each slice of cake, with a few more berries as garnish.

You can make a better version of what I just very vaguely described using this Epicurious recipe. Skip the second part of the instructions, which calls for a homemade syrup, and follow the steps from above. Here's to mess ups!

xo,
Sriya

Trying Not To Be a Halloween Grinch

This would help.

The Blackbeard Cocktail

• 1 oz spiced rum
• 1/2 oz Fernet Branca
• 1 1/2 oz crème de cacao
• 1/8 teaspoon squid ink
• 1/2 oz chocolate stout

Yes please.

From Honestly Yum.

Holy popsicles!!

GASP! Banana, nutella and salted pistachio popsicles??!! Are you serious?! I die.

On Smitten Kitten, via Cup of Jo.

Dream Date: Pineapple Cucumber Gazpacho

As you may have heard, it was a bit toasty on the East Coast this weekend. Inspired by a recipe I made years ago from a Pure Food and Wine cookbook, I made a very lazy, very delicious gazpacho. My 9 year niece was my sous chef. You see? Lazy!

Here's what you do, lazybones. Chop (or, get your gastronomically inclined young relation to do so) equal parts pineapple and peeled and seeded cucumber. Pulse most of the pineapple and cucumber in a blender with a handful of cilantro, a seeded jalapeño, a pinch of sea salt, and the juice of half a lime until smooth. Add the rest of the pineapple and cucumber and pulse a bit. Top with chopped macadamia nuts. Game over.

-Leigh

Pina Colada from Sarah Illenberger via Pinterest 

Dream Date: Rodarte

I could wax long and poetic about Kate and Laura Mulleavy, the sisters behind Rodarte, but I've just had a large piece of Julia's birthday ice cream cake, and the sugar is making me a bit bonkers. So, in brief: 1. I love that Rodarte is run by siblings. 2. I love that Rodarte is run by siblings who fuel their rockets with childhood secrets and obsessions, memories as thick and gnarled as their cobweb knit stockings. 3. I ate too much Carvel ice cream cake, a madeleine of childhood, and unlike the Mulleavy sisters who turn their madeleines into gold, I have turned mine into a rambling blog post.

-Leigh

photo of Laura and Kate Mulleavy by Autumn de Wilde from Vanity Fair

Lunch Lady: Girl Crush

<3 <3 <3

So by this point it's pretty obvious that our obsession with Dina's taco truck (La Troca Del Sabor on N4th btwn Bedford and Berry) has gotten a liiiiiittle out of hand. At first it was maybe just a few of us waiting in line once or twice a week and now it's come to the point where if you even mention the word taco you will have a lunch list as long as Melissa's arm within seconds. Veggie Burrito- no rice, Pork Burrito- no cheese & extra sour cream, 2 Veggie Tacos- no peppers, Chicken Taco- extra onion & no cilantro, a million Coca Cola Classics, extra hot sauce, extra cream, etcetera etcetera. I have to say the orders get pretty wild sometimes and she never messes up.

Soooo Lizzie came up with the awesome idea of giving her a Christmas gift! Actually she's been talking about giving Dina a gift since like July or something, that's how far the obsession goes. So all of us Catbirdettes decided a cute pair of our SS Heart Studs were the perfect way to go. And as you can see she was beyond thrilled!!

So here's to Catbird's Woman Of The Year- Dina <3

We love you. Unconditionally. Forever and Ever. Until the end of time.

XoXo

<3 Ash, Rony, Leigh, Lizzie, Steph N, Steph G, Melissa, Lauren, Jules, Ilana, Elana, Courtnay, Anna, Emmy, Allison, Correy, Candice, Claire, RayRay, Rachel, Rosie, Meaghan, Maddy, Laila, Carolyn,  Maureen, Kristina, Joey, Julia, Liz & Genne!

Dream Date: Carolina Castiglioni and her dining room.

Truth be told: I am shy, but if you offer me coffee, I will abandon all reserve for a sip of nectar (I like mine dark, with a drop of cream, NO sugar, in case you were wondering...or not). All of this is to say that I would very much like to drink coffee in Carolina Castiglioni's most beautiful and spectacularly un-fussy dining room. I really hope she invites me over.

-Leigh

Photo from NY Times Profile in Style: Carolina Castiglioni

What We Love Today: Deliciousness

These are SO delicious they inexplicably made us giggle the first time we tried them, Finally back in stock - just in time for tasty stocking stuffers and secret santa gifts.

-Rony

Fleur de Sel Caramels, $10

Dream Date: Christina Tossi

Christina Tossi, chef and owner of Momofuko Milk Bar is 1. adorable and looks like she radiates joy, 2. makes delicious treats that 3. she is kind enough to sell mere blocks from our store. Dream date, indeed!

photo via Refinery 29's Month of Working Girls

What We Love Today: Lavender-Lemon Simple Syrup

When I get home today I am going to pull out some Bison Grass Vodka from my freezer, fill a tumbler with ice and mix the cold vodka with some Lavender-Lemon Simple Syrup for a refreshing and herb-y adult bev. 

- Rony

Lavender-Lemon Simple Syrup by Royal Rose, $10.75

Everything old is new again.

Not even my steady diet of strawberry-rhubarb galettes from Saltie will keep my pale self away from the new old McCarren Pool this summer. I will take comfort in the assumption that my fellow dwellers of Williamsburg feast daily on the bevy of pastries our small town tempts with on every corner. If you're looking for me this summer, you'll find me sitting poolside, legs white as the moon, in a large amorphous sheer dress, nibbling on a donut from Peter Pan.

-Leigh

photo from The New York Times

Dream collective.

Vision for the weekend: Technivorm purring, Tarot Deck burning, Alice Coltrane turning.

Weekend guiding spirit: rosewater glitter cake.

Obstacle to realization of weekend vision: I don't bake.

Spoon Fork Bacon's rosewater glitter cake discovered via The Jewels of NY

Thanks Refinery29.

More delicious flaves right here. Also check out some of our favorite non-jewelry gifts under $100, right here.

Fine and mellow

On Sunday, I drizzled balsamic vinegar and Royal Rose's signature rose syrup over a bowl of strawberries. The sun was shining, we watched Living in the Material World, and it was glorious.

Royal Rose syrups, $10.75 online and in store

What We Love Today: Royal Rose rose syurp

Or, more specifically, what I loved last night, mixed with vodka, seltzer, lime, over ice.

Royal Rose rose syrup $10 online and in store

Niceties

Finally, linens fit for the laundry-hater. Or, for the party-thrower who lives in Brooklyn and doesn't want their food encrusted table linens sitting in the laundry basket until they haul it to the laundromat, hungover and wearing an evening gown (read: last stitch of clean clothing). Also makes a stellar gift.

pads of 50 disposable placemats, $22, multiple patterns available in store

Perfect Pair

Your nails really ought to be impeccable and sparkling like the sun as you lazily pick your way through a box of Catbird's favorite bon-bons.

Deborah Lippmann Boom Boom Pow nail polish, online and in store $20
Maison Bouche chocolates, online and in store $6-15

Chocolate with a capital CHOCOLATE

Kittens, we struck gold. This chocolate is as good- better!- than it looks. I'll be honest with you: I ordered it for the beautiful packaging. Kindly, proprietress Diane sent a bag of samples. I'm not really a sweets person, and I laughed out loud when I ate the Fleur de Sel caramel. It's really almost an indecent food experience. All I'm saying is that if pastrami sandwiches tasted like these chocolates, George Costanza would have started a revolution.

chocolates, online and in store $6-15

Absinthe

A much belated thank you to those who came to our absinthe cocktail party, and especially to the lovely Leslie who was so sweet and gracious and made the MOST delicious cocktail ever!

Grand Re-opening Cocktail Party!

Come to our grand re-opening party, have some Absinthe and enter to win a very special prize!
Tuesday April 12th, 2011 from 4-7pm.

Generously sponsored by Pernod Absinthe^®