good food week

the past 7 days have been filled with many, many delicious meals, so (being the food-lover that i am) i thought i would share some of my magnificent meals with you all.

tuesday, october 4th, 2011 - dinner at sprig & vine

sprig & vine is this totally awesome little vegetarian/vegan bistro not far from our house.  i went with my friend, laura (a fellow yogi), and my sister, hannah, for an inspired meal.  without the protein staples we so often rely upon to provide the foundation for our entrees, sprig & vine opens up a totally new world of mealtime possibilities.  i totally loved the encrusted tempeh with honey mustard sauce, the bbq eggplant and the zucchini & black eyed pea cakes.  it was a totally awesome meal!

laura & hannah

 friday, october 7th, 2011 - date night at home

october 5th marked the one-month countdown to the wedding.  in true celebratory fashion, craig and i popped open a bottle of bubbly friday evening to revel in the less-than-one-month-til-we're-married.  we ordered pizza and sipped champagne, as pizza & wine has always been our go-to date night.  hard to believe the wedding the just over 3 weeks away!!!

saturday, october 8th, 2011 - girls' lunch & sisters' dinner

saturday morning found me (accompanied by my mom and sis) at the bridal salon for my dress fitting. it was amazing to see what i thought was a well-fitting dress turn into a custom gown, tailored oh-so-precisely just for me. 

my turkey heaven...i mean reuben

after the fitting, my mom, hannah and i enjoyed a casual lunch at a quaint old tavern.  my turkey reuben on butter-saturated toasted rye was heaven in my mouth, and the side of super-crispy seasoned sweet potato fries with vermont maple syrup for dipping didn't hurt either : )

mom's crab cake

han's chicken quesadilla

my reuben...again...

for dinner, han and i decided to enjoy a sisters' night out while we still share the same last name.  we went to honey, a small plates restaurant with artisan cocktails and innovative cuisine.  they recommend 2-3 small plates per person, so we opted for 4 shared plates and were not at all disappointed with our choices...or the portion sizes...

1. porcini-parmesan risotto cakes with a lemon-vanilla emulsion, black garlic puree, crushed hazelnuts & arugula sprouts

2. spice-rubbed scottish salmon, soft corn tortillas, sweet corn & charred poblano relish with black truffle cream

3. duck samosas - sweet & salty braised duck wrapped in flaky pastry and fried, finished with spicy aji amarillo creme fraiche and apricot chutney

4. lobster in a tomato and miso broth, served gratin-style with bubbly mozzarella over korean rice dumplings, topped with bonito flakes

credit {here}

is your mouth watering yet?

and then for dessert we ventured over to bobby's for pumpkin mousse sponge cake with a side of pumpkin ice cream filled with chunks of gingerbread cookie dough.

as you can see, i was blessed with a week of amazing cuisine, and i thoroughly enjoyed every single mouthful.

so, mavens, have any super good food lately?  you know i'm all about a good meal...

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sinfully sweet tooth

reeses!  yum!

what is it about this time of year?  generally, i'm a very healthy person.  i work out 5 days a week (and enjoy it most of the time).  i eat healthy food because i like it and it makes me feel good (inside and out).  but then fall weather arrives and with it comes pumpkin muffins, halloween candy and spicy chai lattes.  and my healthy aspirations seem harder (and harder) to stick to...

i <3 halloween munchkins too!

all i want to do is bake oatmeal raisin cookies, drink hot chocolate, purchase (and consume) reeses and go apple-picking (and make apple pies, crumbles and coffee cakes...and then eat them...)  i feel like i could literally subsist on sugar, spice & everything nice this time of year.

baking apple pie : )

there must be something in the air that arrives with falling leaves, early dusk and crisp breezes.  something that makes my sweet tooth come alive with ravenous force.  luckily, i can (usually) control my voraciousness just long enough to get me through to the next celebration or holiday (or weekend).


pumpkin muffins

oh, pumpkin muffins, how i love thee (and thanks to han, i have a dozen of you in the fridge : )  ok, i can't resist.  i'm going to get a pumpkin muffin now and some tea too...

what's your favorite fall indulgence?

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The Best of Neighborhood Dining

If you're looking for a casual place to enjoy a wonderful dinner, look no further than Bell's Tavern in Lambertville, NJ. Tucked away in the residential section of this adorable town on North Union Street, Bell's is a great place for casual, Italian fare any night of the week. Reasonable prices and delicious food keep locals coming back again and again. I can't even begin to count the number of times I've dined in their intimate dining room filled with local art and white-clothed tables. The staff is friendly and attentive and often chats with the regulars at the bar in the front room. Entrees on their regular menu run about $12 with half-orders available for less, and specials tend to be a bit more, reaching as high as $25. My "go-to" order is the Southern Citrus Salad with mandarin oranges, bleu cheese and spicy pecans drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette followed by their traditional Ziti Al Forno with marinara…it's the best! Be forewarned that Bell's does not take reservations (or credit cards for that matter). So if you're planning on going for a weekend dinner, be prepared for a bit of a wait. Take the time to enjoy the company of the locals at the bar. Bell's Tavern, 183 North Union St, Lambertville, NJ 08630, http://www.bellstavern.com/, For Take-Out 609-397-2226

For more information about Cailen Ascher Design or my upcoming book, Well-Designed Living, visit http://www.cailenascher.bravehost.com/ or email CailenAscher@gmail.com.

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