Clams with Garlic & Lemon

I love clams. But, it's all about timing. They get too chewy if overcooked, losing their "je ne sais quoi" and resulting in abject disappointment for the eater. One way to avoid such a scenario is to make them yourself! At home! Once your clams are clean, the cooking phase is very quick. BTW, there are many different takes on how to get your clams grit-free. Choose whichever one suits your schedule; I soaked mine in cold water in the fridge for about 20 minutes. Now, on to the cooking steps:

Saute some chopped garlic, throw the clams in and pour white wine on top of them (add a little salt if you want, but they probably don't need it). Add lemon juice now and/or later when serving. Place a lid on the pot, wait for everything to bubble and the clams to open. Take one out to see if it's cooked enough and then turn the heat off. The only thing left to do is eat and cherish the moment.

One ingredient that was missing from my preparation: butter, which will be included next time because the broth needed some depth and richness. Can't wait to eat clams again! (Parting note: most people insist on bread to mop up the broth and they are totally right. I didn't buy any this time, so chose to drink it straight from the bowl.)

Persimmons

I grew up eating persimmons, but thought it was an Asian thing. So, I am pretty pumped that they seem to be more mainstream now with recipes popping up everywhere; just look at Food 52's Your Best Persimmons contest! These little guys are Fuyu persimmons and I love them. Just so cute and cheery! Although, persimmons are a little more serious than other cute and cheery fruit (like Rainier cherries) because they herald the beginning of autumn, which I think of as the season of gravitas.

Winter is like a whole other thing because it has the emotions of the holidays and, depending on where you are, an enduring wait for spring/light at the end of the tunnel feel to it. I don't hear as much "when is it going to be over?!?!" exclamations about autumn. But, to give winter its due, it's the more "complicated" season (maybe that's a backhanded compliment).

Anyway, if you see persimmons and have never tried them, I encourage you to give them a whirl. It's difficult to explain what they taste like, it'll be easier if you just go for it. Unless you dislike most fruit, in which case, I don't know what to tell you.

And lastly, here's some delightful stuff I've seen online lately:

-Jolly Ranger Vodka from A Beautiful Mess! Sounds like a partayyy.

-3 Everyday Eyeliner Shapes from Cupcakes and Cashmere. I've been wanting to try a cat eye and these tips look very helpful.

-An articles club from A Cup of Jo. Love this idea, mostly because I am that person who is always telling you about this article or that op-ed someone wrote. I'd imagine it's more fun and a longer conversation (ha) if you discuss with friends who have also read it.

Happy Sunday!

Huevos a la Mexicana

Sometimes, I choose a recipe because it looks easy and the ingredients list is fairly short (okay, on most occasions, this approach is how I decide what to cook). When I was looking for something new to make for breakfast, this Huevos a la Mexicana recipe from Simply Recipes spoke to me (like, eggs? I know how to crack eggs. Tomatoes? We have great tomatoes here! And so on and so forth). I made a couple ingredient changes: instead of green onions and jalapeno, I used half a yellow onion and canned green chiles.

Well, I was floored by how good these turned out! I am so happy I made this dish!!! Don't think I've been this excited about eggs in a long time, not exaggerating. This thing was so good. I highly recommend it for a weekday breakfast when a packaged granola bar just won't cut it or a friend brunch gathering that needs some pizzazz; it will be a surefire hit. I'm definitely adding this one to my repertoire.