Grilled Peach Bruschetta

Things are still humming along at full speed over here at Le Petit Chef headquarters, and since I'm buzzing around like a good little worker bee...or am I the queen bee of this operation? Yes, I think I quite like the sound of that.

Anyway, my point is that this blossoming little business of mine is still keeping me crazy busy, but I reaallly don't want my blog to suffer and withdraw into oblivion (kinda like it has been recently, dang). So naturally, when faced with such a dilemma I did what any good food blogger slash personal chef with overachieving tendencies would do: I lugged my camera along to one of the dinner parties I catered last week in order to share one of my most favorite summer appetizers with you. 

I don't know where on earth I got the crazy idea that I could somehow sneak in a fully styled photo shoot while preparing a six course dinner for twelve. #ChronicMultiTaskerProblems.

In reality all I had time to do was set the platter down, wipe my hands on my apron, snap a few quick shots and sprint back to the kitchen, so what you see is pretty much what you get today, folks. But what you get is sweet, juicy, smoky, summery goodness in the form of Grilled Peach Bruschetta!

I die. I mean, it is that perfect in all it's simple glory. Crunchy, charred ciabatta spread with a thin layer of rich, creamy burrata (so good with ricotta or goat cheese too, btw) and topped the most wonderfully ripe grilled peaches combined with flecks of tarragon, freshly cracked black pepper, flaky sea salt and a finishing drizzle of honey: it's everything that dreams are made of in one heavenly bite.

*Bonus: if you wind up with leftover grilled peach yumminess, use it up as a topping for your favorite grilled meat- thick, juicy pork chops would be my top choice, but chicken or fish would be just as delicious too!

serves 10-12
Ingredients
1 loaf ciabatta bread, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
8 ounces burrata cheese, torn
3 medium ripe peaches, halved and cored
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon
Flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Honey, for drizzling

Instructions
1. Preheat and oil a cast iron or gas grill. Brush 2 tablespoons olive oil evenly over ciabatta slices and grill over medium heat until crisp and lightly charred on both sides, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2. Brush peach halves with vegetable oil or spray with non-stick spray. Grill, flesh side down, until lightly charred, about 3-4 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly, then chop and place in a medium sized bowl.
3. Chop tarragon and add to bowl along with salt, pepper and remaining tablespoon of olive oil and mix to combine.
4. Spread a layer of burrata over each slice of ciabatta and top with a dollop of grilled peach mixture. Season with additional salt and pepper and drizzle with honey.

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Mini Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes

Holy cow. Has it really been almost a month since my last post??? Time flies when you're ridiculously, sometimes overwhelmingly, wish I could clone myself a few times so that everything could get done on time busy, I guess.

Summer is non-stop as a personal chef. Besides the holidays, it's the time of year when people are relaxing, gathering, vacationing and celebrating the most. So in between the regular clients I serve during the week I tend to see a huge bump in the number of parties I cater compared to the rest of the year. From May-September it's not uncommon for you to find me in the kitchen seven days a week.

Do what you love and you'll never have to work a day in your life, right?

Um, yeah, no. While I do love what I do, what I do is hard work and a lot of hustle. Naturally, I feel so fortunate and grateful that the risk I took in starting a business is paying off and that this career I have created is actually thriving, but wow am I tired at the end of the day. I mean, just dead. As John is all too aware, nightly foot rubs are freely accepted and greatly appreciated over here.

And when all that cooking and working and hustling starts to monopolize my time, that leads to other life things piling up- chores, errands, play time, me time, blog posts!

Sometimes I can be really hard on myself for struggling to keep up with this busy life I have consciously designed; for not always being able to do it all. I'm sure we all know how that goes. But sometimes the part of me that is nicer to myself will chime in and say, "Hey. You're doing the best you can, and you're pretty much kicking ass. Chill out. You deserve a cupcake."

That's what these Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes are all about. If you find yourself in the middle of a constant, daily grind with little end in sight, I advise you to stop and bake yourself some cupcakes. Bright, citrusy, sunny, creme-filled cupcakes that will remind you of a simpler time when you would spend your summers running through the sprinklers and chasing after the ice cream truck for a cool, creamy popsicle. I promise they'll do wonders for your soul.

And make them mini, so that you can eat eight of them in one sitting without batting an eyelash. Because that's really only like, two regular cupcakes, right?

makes about 18 mini cupcakes
Ingredients 
for the cupcake batter: 
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 Tbsp orange zest
1 egg
6 Tbsp heavy cream
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
3/4 tsp orange extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

 for the cream filling: 
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp confectioners' sugar

 for the orange buttercream frosting:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp orange extract
1 Tbsp orange zest
3 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice, strained

Instructions 
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line mini muffin tins with paper cups. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium sized bowl.
2. In a separate mixing bowl use an electric mixer on medium speed to cream the butter, sugar and orange zest until light and fluffy. Add egg and continue to mix until just incorporated.
3. Combine cream, orange juice, orange extract and vanilla extract in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup. Set mixer to low speed and blend in 1/3 of flour mixture followed by 1/3 of cream mixture. Continue to add wet and dry ingredients in alternating batches, mixing at each stage until just combined.
4. Divide batter evenly among paper lined muffin cups, filling each cup about 3/4 full.
5. Bake for about 15-18 minutes rotating muffin tins once halfway through. Cupcakes are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. To make the cream filling, whip 1/2 cup of heavy cream with 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip.
7. When cupcakes have cooled completely insert a small round pastry tip into each cupcake and push about halfway down, using a twist and scoop motion to remove that portion of cake. Fill the remaining empty well with the whipped cream filling. Repeat for all cupcakes.
8. Prepare the frosting. In a mixing bowl with electric mixer, combine the butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and orange extract until blended. Add the orange zest juice and beat until smooth and creamy. Add more confectioners' sugar or orange juice if necessary until desired consistency is reached. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a pastry tip and pipe a dollop of frosting onto each cupcake.

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Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Brûléed Nectarines

I basically made this recipe as an excuse to show off my new Weck jars. Aren't they lovely? I use them mostly to store pantry goods like nuts, dried fruit and shredded coconut- the rubber ring and stainless steel clamps for the lid keep everything fresh as a daisy! Plus, they make my cupboards look like an OCD dream. Naturally, I want them in all shapes and sizes.

No, this isn't an infomercial for Weck, I just have a little crush on them is all, and I especially love the clear glass design because they make such a pretty serving vessel for things like this Buttermilk Panna Cotta!

The buttermilk in this panna cotta is everything- it imparts a lighter, tangier twist that just makes it more intriguing- like if yogurt and creme brûlée had a yummy little baby.

Just about any kind of fruit would be marvelous paired with this dessert, but I couldn't resist these delectable nectarines at the market. Brûlée-ing (is that a word?) the tops was a no brainer. The crunchy texture and slightly burnt flavor is the ultimate compliment to the smooth, creamy panna cotta. Plus, as you start eating it you get these little pools of caramel and nectarine juice that will make your tummy do little somersaults (in a good way).

serves 4
Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons cold water
3/4 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
1 cup heavy cream, divided
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
1 nectarine, thinly sliced
1-2 tablespoons brown sugar

*Special Equipment: kitchen torch

Instructions
1. Place cold water in a small bowl and sprinkle gelatin on top. Set aside until gelatin has softened, about 10 minutes.
2. Combine 1/2 cup of heavy cream and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisking until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat. Add gelatin mixture and stir until gelatin has dissolved completely.
3. In a separate bowl, combine remaining 1/2 cup of heavy cream, buttermilk, vanilla extract and vanilla seeds. Stir in hot cream mixture. Divide mixture between 4 ramekins and refrigerate overnight or until set.
4. Just before serving, place nectarine slices on a foil lined baking sheet and sprinkle with brown sugar. Heat the top of the fruit evenly with the kitchen torch until the sugar has begun to caramelize. Allow sugar to harden and cool, then garnish the top of each panna cotta with brûléed nectarine slices.

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Heirloom Tomato Caprese with Nicoise Olives

Welp, it's officially summer, which means that I can officially start keeping track of how many orders I get from clients for my Caprese Salad. I swear, I make so many of these you wouldn't believe it. I offer loads of other bright, colorful, delicious, wonderful salads, but for some reason come summertime the simple, traditional caprese ends up being the front runner every year.

It's not surprising to see why- tomatoes, basil and fresh mozzarella are a perfect match. Classic, like The Three Stooges even. Since I have prepared this customary combo over and over again, I've had plenty of opportunities to tinker with the standard recipe, altering this and that along the way to come up with my favorite rendition, which I am tickled to share with you today.

For starters, we are in prime tomato season right now, so why not use the cream of the crop? I love to showcase the different shapes, sizes and colors of heirloom tomatoes in my rustic version. While we're at it, let's toss in some of the gooiest, richest cheese around, shall we? Ah, burrata...you make everything taste better, you creamy devil. 

Next, you could do a simple chiffonade of basil, nothing wrong with that. But I'm having kind of a moment with micro basil right now. It's so delicate and pretty, just scatter the leaves whole and you're halfway to summer salad nirvana. 

Ok, now I know what you're thinking, and you're absolutely right: olives are not traditionally part of a caprese salad. But like I said before, I have made caprese salad so. many. times. Like a thousand, probably. I was getting bored with the purists' interpretation, so can you blame me for going rouge and adding a few tasty little olives into the mix?

Go ahead, I dare you.

Any olives will do, but nicoise are my favorite here- they're flavorful but not overpowering. And I bet once you've tried it you won't want to go back. Now all that's left to do is add a drizzle of good olive oil and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and your caprese salad upgrade is complete!

serves 4
Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs. heirloom tomatoes, sliced
6 ounces burrata cheese
1/4 cup nicoise olives, drained
1/4  cup micro basil
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Flaky sea salt

Instructions
1. Divide tomato slices evenly among plates. Dollop burrata cheese over tomatoes and sprinkle olives and micro basil on top.
2. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt before serving.

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(Spiked) Iced Peach Green Tea

This is the story of a neighborhood party that took forever to pull off, but which resulted in the discovery of my new go-to adult summer beverage, thereby making it well worth the wait. 

John and I had been talking with our neighbors about throwing this special sort of block party for quite some time. Months, actually. But this was not to be just any old shindig. There were rules, you see (probably why it took us so long to get all of our acts together).

 It's what is known as a "Progressive" dinner party, and I hadn't heard anything about this business until our friend and neighbor Robert spelled it out: you get a few neighboring houses together, each one serving 1-2 tapas/family style dishes with a paired beverage, and you progress from one house to the next, eating and drinking all along the merry way.

Um, a roaming party? I'm in.

To keep it interesting and eclectic each house would choose an ethnic cuisine to plan their menu around. The neighborinos chose Cajun and Mexican, respectively; we landed on Japanese. Seeking to diverge from the typical Japanese fare (sushi rolls, tempura, meh), we wound up serving an ahi tartare/tostada creation with avocado puree and a killer mango-jicama salsa. Oh, and there were wasabi mashed potatoes. Nailed it.

But back to the drink, which was truly the star of the show. Something Japanese. Hmmm. We could have gone down the sake road...but that would have been too easy. No, something more whimsical was in order. All I knew was that it had to be served in mason jars with cutesy straws, and John wanted something that we could just whip up in advance and keep in a large pitcher. Practical, that one. We were stumped.

And then, tucked away in the ever growing DVR list of food shows I never have time to watch was the answer, this little gem of a drink concocted by one Mr. Bobby Flay. I don't know what makes this drink particularly Japanese other than the fact that we swapped regular iced tea for green tea, but it had everything we were looking for. Mason jars? Check. Cutesy Straws? Check. Pitcher friendly? Check!

Not to mention the fact that it's a total crowd pleaser.

Who doesn't love a boozy iced tea loaded with fresh summer peach flavor? And wait, what's that? A little champagne topper to boot?

Now you see why I will be sucking these babies down all summer long.

adapted from Bobby Flay
serves 12
Ingredients

8-10 bags peach green tea
6 medium ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and chopped plus 1-2 peaches, sliced, for garnish
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup plus 1/2 cup sugar
20 ounces gin (or more if you like a stiff drink)
Bitters, to taste
Champagne or sparkling wine, for serving
Ice, for serving

Instructions
1. Brew tea bags by steeping in 6 cups hot water for up to 5 minutes. Remove and discard tea bags and chill completely.
2. Puree peaches, lemon juice and 1/4 cup sugar in a food processor. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, discarding solids. Set aside.
3. Make a simple syrup by combining remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
4. Pour chilled tea, peach puree, simple syrup, gin and bitters into a pitcher, stirring to combine. Refrigerate until well chilled.
5. To serve, fill glasses with ice, top with iced tea mixture and top with a float of Champagne. Garnish with peach wedges.

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Sweet Corn Ice Cream with Blackberry Jam Swirl

 I'm anxious to transition to the Fall season with all of its deliciously comforting recipes, but I wanted to share one more fun recipe to celebrate the end of Summer...a last hurrah of sorts.

This ice cream highlights two of the season's peak ingredients- corn and blackberries- and although the pairing is a bit unexpected, the end result is simply fabulous. The essence of ripe, sweet corn in this silky ice cream is punctuated by bright berry accents from the jam. What grows together goes together, as I like to say!

For the blackberry jam swirl I reached out to Arian and Chris Blanco, proprietors of Sweet Lady Cook. They produce small, artisanal batches of seasonal jams and share a passion for good food made from quality ingredients. The produce that goes into their products is all locally sourced from farms in Santa Barbara County, allowing them to create preservative-free jams from premium organic fruits. Current seasonal flavors include Lane Late Navel Marmalade, Orange Lavender Jelly and Strawberry Habanero Jam- I'm dying to try them all! Arian was kind enough to make me a custom batch of this blackberry jam especially for this recipe, and I was so impressed by the intense fruit flavor that I have yet to taste in any other jam. Most other jams and jellies are overpowered by a cloying sweetness, but these have an unmistakably fresh quality that is just wonderful.

Sweet Lady Cook jams are available for sale on their website (as well as locally at Isabella Gourmet Foods, Rori's Artisanal Creamery and Crazy Good Bread Co.) and they are just as delicious spread on a slice of buttered toast as they are swirled into your last homemade ice cream of the season!

makes 1 quart
Ingredients
3 ears yellow corn, kernels removed from cobs and cobs reserved
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 cup sugar, divided
6 egg yolks
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 jar blackberry jam

Instructions
1. Place corn kernels, corn cobs, cream, milk and 1/2 cup sugar in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, cover and let steep for 1 hour.
2. Remove cobs and puree mixture in a blender. Strain through a mesh strainer, pressing on solids with a wooden spoon, and return to saucepan. Bring to a boil, taking care not to scald mixture, and remove from heat.
3. Combine egg yolks, salt and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl and whisk until mixture is thick and pale yellow.
4. Slowly add 1 cup of hot cream mixture to egg mixture, whisking constantly, then add egg mixture to saucepan and simmer over low heat, stirring often, until mixture reaches 160-170 degrees. Add vanilla extract and stir to incorporate.
5. Chill custard in refrigerator or an ice bath, then freeze in an ice cream mixture. When frozen, transfer ice cream to a quart container, adding dollops of blackberry jam intermittently throughout and stirring gently to create swirls.

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Kitchen Roundup: July

Here it is, my monthly photo food diary! What I made, what I ate...and everything in between. Enjoy!

 Wild blackberries growing in my mother's front yard, a sure sign that Summer is in full swing.

 Another Summer treat: Heirloom Tomatoes with Burrata, Basil and Fleur de Sel!

 Loads of fresh, ripe peaches nestled into a pie and ready to bake in the oven.

 Some simple, seasonal hors d'oeuvres: Figs with Goat Cheese Mousse & Lavender Honey and Prosciutto, Melon & Fresh Mozzarella brochettes with Basil-Mint Oil.

 Potato Pancakes with Lemon Caper Creme Fraiche and Smoked Salmon, YUM!

 How gorgeous are these local abalones I found at Whole Foods???

 Whoops.

 A little twist on Bruschetta: Strawberry-Basil with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Reduction.

 Arancini with Lemon Saffron Aioli...if you don't know about these little fried balls of risotto goodness, you're missing out!

 One of my favorite Peruvian dishes called papas a la huancaina. The sauce, which is TO DIE FOR, is made from spicy aji amarillo and fresh white cheese. 

Macaron Mecca: Chantal Guillon in San Francisco.

 Swoon...

Happy Birthday Dad! What better way to celebrate than with friends, family and FOOD!

 Street food in my hometown courtesy of Chairman Bao: Pork Belly with Pickled Daikon and Miso Cured Tofu with Choy Sum.

 My first time trying Ethiopian food in Oakland, and it definitely won't be my last!

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Cucumber Melon Gazpacho with (or without) Shrimp

With shrimp (photo by Patrick Lyons)

I have absolutely loved making this chilled soup every Summer since I came across the recipe on epicurious a few years ago. Right around the same time that I start to crave freshly squeezed margaritas, lazy beach days and gelato, this recipe invariably finds its way back into my repertoire. Gazpachos are always a great Summer option- light, healthy and refreshing, but the cucumber and melon in this version make such a delightful pair...Bath & Body Works really hit the nail on the head with their ubiquitous scent combo, and for good reason: cucumber and melon are cousins, after all, so of course they get along famously! 

The best part is that it comes together in no time, so it's perfect to serve at summertime get-togethers. It works as both a starter or main course...I've even prepared it as a soup shooter for a larger event paired with a zippy Sauvignon Blanc, and people went crazy! I had numerous requests for the recipe that day, so ta-da, here it is. The balance of cooling flavors with just the right amount of heat make this soup a showstopper any way you decide to serve it up. 

Vegetarian option: sans shrimp, sub cantaloupe!

Though it is super simple to prepare (just chop and blend), the addition of zesty flavors like ginger, garlic, hot sauce and fresh herbs make this gazpacho anything but boring. Another bonus is that this recipe is easily adaptable- just omit the shrimp for an even faster vegetarian option, and you could also skip the yogurt to make it vegan-friendly (although I'm partial to the mint green hue and fuller texture that the yogurt imparts). 

adapted from epicurious
Ingredients
3 cups cucumber, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped, plus 1/4 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced (for garnish)
2 scallions, white and green parts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup assorted fresh herbs, such as basil, chives, and mint, coarsely chopped, plus ¼ cup finely chopped (for garnish)
1 1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
1/2 cup cantaloupe, diced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp sriracha (optional)
1/4 pound large shrimp, peeled, cooked, and roughly chopped (optional)

Instructions 
1. In a blender or food processor, combine coarsely chopped cucumber, scallions, 1/2 cup of herbs, ginger, garlic, olive oil, and yogurt and process until smooth. Stir in salt and pepper to taste along with sriracha, if using. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let the flavors mingle.
2. In a small bowl, stir together shrimp and/or cantaloupe and remaining diced cucumber and herbs. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Divide soup evenly among bowls and top each with dollop of shrimp/melon mixture.

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Pluot Crostata with Lemon & Thyme

Aren't crostatas the best? The lazy (wo)man's tart, as I like to call them. Just whip up a quick pie crust (or use a store bought one for even easier preparation), toss in some slices of your favorite seasonal fruit, bake, and poof! Dessert è finito. 

 For this occasion I chose some gorgeous crimson pluots I came across at the farmer's market earlier that day. Pluots, a hybrid of plums and apricots, are best eaten over the sink with the juices running down your chin, but they're not too shabby as the stars of a free-form tart either. And I think I just wanted an excuse to say the word "pluot" a few times...it makes me giggle. 

To accent the stone fruit flavors I added lemon juice to the filling and scattered fresh thyme sprigs from the garden over the top- a completely optional step, but I enjoy shaking things up a bit and adding some complexity to this rustic treat. Lemon zest would have been divine as well, but my microplane was dirty at the time, and remember what I said about this being a lazy man's dessert? I included it in the recipe anyway, in case you are feeling slightly more ambitious than I was that day...I hope you enjoy this recipe, let me know in the comments what fruit you would choose to put in a crostata!

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1/4 cup ice water
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 pound firm but ripe pluots, pitted and thinly sliced
4-6 sprigs of thyme
1 egg yolk

Instructions
1. In a food processor, combine flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar and the salt and pulse. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Slowly add the ice water and pulse until the dough just barely comes together. Gather the dough and pat it into a disk. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Working on a lightly floured surface, roll out the disk of dough to a 12-inch round and transfer to the baking sheet. Chill the dough until firm, 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of sugar with the cornstarch, lemon juice and lemon zest. Add the pluots and toss well. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is mostly dissolved, about 15 minutes.
4. Arrange the fruit in the center of the dough, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border all around. Fold the edge of the dough up and over the pluots. Beat the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of water, brush the rim of the crostata with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Sprinkle thyme over the fruit.
5. Bake crostata for about 45-50 minutes, until the crust is golden and the fruit is tender and bubbling. Let the crostata cool completely before cutting into wedges and serve.

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Kitchen Roundup: June

It has been a whirlwind Summer so far in the Le Petit Chef kitchen! I've had a blast cooking up all kinds of delicious meals for many different clients and playing around in my own kitchen at home, so I'm excited to share some of the foodie photos I snapped from the month of June...I hope you like them!

Fresh peaches over vanilla ice cream...the perfect end to our first BBQ of the Summer!

Happy Hour: Cucumber Lime Gimlet & Proscuitto, Melon & Fresh Mozzarella Brochettes.

 It's a good thing I made extra of these Chocolate Whiskey Creme Brûlées, 

because the clients asked for seconds!

Behind the scenes: researching recipes.

The chef always eats last. (leftover) Baguette French Toast with Strawberry Compote.

Gotta love finger condoms...cuts and burns can't stop me!

Ahh, Chicken Marsala. You will always be one of my all time favorite dinners.

Kiddos excited to dig in to the sliders bar!

A full cart, long list and teeny tiny coffee. My typical Trader Joe's situation.

I get to cook in some of the coolest kitchens!

The birthday boy, a beach BBQ and a homemade birthday cake. 

All in all, a perfect Summer day!

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