Cooklyn's Profile

When my partner is away, I usually avoid this by taking the chance to indulge in meals that he would hate (fish, mostly). But when I lived alone, I riffed on this by eating things I wouldn't usually eat with friends-- a decadent ploughman's dinner or pasta with anchovies. If you think of it as a treat to eat alone and indulge, I think it's much easier to get past the whole "Ugh, cooking alone" thing.

As a life-long New Yorker who has lived in Paris, I find this post pretty amusing. Yes, this shopping style exists in Paris, but it's certainly not the only way people shop. Supermarkets are smaller there, but they still have everything, and when I lived in (central) Paris it was easier and closer to shop at a larger market than run to the butcher, the fishmonger and the bakery (although I would have loved to do that!).

In New York, I probably do more of the "European" shopping you speak of. I think it isn't a question of Europe versus the US; it's a question of living in places where you have to drive everywhere. In other cities across the US (and the world, really), if the urban space is designed for walking, so are businesses like small fruit and vegetable markets. I'm not meaning to beat down the suburbs, but I think it is a reality of a lot of places that are designed for automobiles.

I think the point is that she is still eating meat, so she doesn't want dishes like Seitan "Burgers," in which the "substitute" actually is a stand-in for meat. But more importantly, I would actually encourage you to look at vegetable side dish recipes. They can often be enlarged and served as mains-- in fact, the kitchn has a lot of recipes that I've adapted. I agree about PPK (their potato-kale enchiladas are a favorite), and I would suggest 101 cookbooks for their option to find recipes by ingredient. The New York Times also has a lot of good vegan recipes (surprising, I know).

A lot of people are mentioning the rush of the mornings, which I totally understand. But as someone who recently got rid of his drip coffeemaker, I will give this defense for taking MORE time:

Now (with either my espresso machine or the french press), coffee feels more like a ritual. I take five minutes to sit down and look out the window and I've discovered that I will gladly get up a few minutes earlier for the pleasure. I am also one of those people who is a zombie before my first cup-- but I think the anticipation makes it that much better.

Not sure about how much restoration they do, but San Art framing on 7th Avenue in Brooklyn does a great job... and is significantly cheaper than other framing stores. After being quoted prices of $200-$300 dollars for a job, they did it for $110.

I agree with what many people have said-- can't fit a full baking sheet, using all four burners is difficult (especially if you have a large dutch oven!). The oven constraint is most frustrating. But, with that said, I found that the 24" in my rental heated up much faster for oven and broiler use, which is nice.

Also, I'd rethink the issue of counter space-- how much would you actually use 6 extra inches? It's annoying to have none, but I've found that most people i know end up chopping or using blender in the same 12" by 12" space on the counter out of habit!

Go to Economy Foam and buy the right size, then go around the corner to Stanton Tailor Shop. Pablo will make you cushions for a mind-bogglingly low price.

@facciata

the kitchn had a great recipe for slow-cooker enchiladas a while ago. You can mix and match ingredients according to what you have on hand / what you want. I love it with mushrooms and zucchini!

http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/main-dish/easy-dinner-recipe-slowcooker-black-bean-enchiladas-127016

A medium sized trunk or storage box on the right side of the door would be great. That would send the visual clue to visitors that shoes should come off. We have this in our apt. Lots of gritty everyday shoes get stored in the trunk, with a few choice pairs on top. Add a very small table with a bowl for keys a space for mail, and you'll have everything you need right when you walk in.

At a certain point, adding a trend ingredient like bacon shows, if anything, a lack of creativity. I recently tried bacon donoughts at a popular restaurant and was underwhelmed. I LOVE bacon-- i can control myself around it-- but sometimes we disrespect the idea of pairing too much. I mean, I love Sriracha, but I don't need a Sriracha cupcake...