Mamaleh’s

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This morning I went out for brunch to catch up with Rachael and try out the new-ish Mamaleh’s Delicatessen in Kendall Square. It was delicious! I decided to try out two different things because 1) everything on the menu looked so good and 2) I am eating for two. Such a great excuse to use these days so I might as well take advantage of it. :) I got the chocolate Babka cake and a bagel with Lox. There’s plenty of seating inside and also a bar for making coffee drinks, milkshakes and egg creams. YUM. I love the vibe inside and everything was wonderfully tasty — so much that I’m considering going back again tomorrow. Deli food has always been such a favorite of mine.

You can view the menu here.

And you can have a visit yourself by going here:

Mamaleh’s // (reservations recommended)
One Kendall Square
15 Hampshire Street
Cambridge, MA 02139

(617) 958-DELI

SO GOOD! You’re going to love it.

toro for always.

Toro // BostonToro!

We absolutely love this place. Spanish tapas! What’s not to love? And this spot in particular is hands down our favorite. We visit just about once a year and have been going for as long as I can remember. It’s usually my birthday pick, but we decided to head into the South End last night just because. The wait is always crazy {they do not take dinner reservations!}, but also ALWAYS worth it. Settle on up to the bar and enjoy a cocktail to pass the time. Enjoyable and delicious, forever!

We love and recommend everything, but these 3 favorites never fail us:

Asado de Huesos (this dish is AMAZING.)
// Roasted bone marrow with radish citrus salad and oxtail marmalade

Maíz Asado con Alioli y Queso Cotija (insane.)
// Grilled corn with alioli, lime, espelette pepper and aged cheese

Patatas Bravas (magic sauce, I swear!)
// Fried potatoes with alioli and spicy tomato sauce

See the entire menu here.
Visit Toro: 1704 WASHINGTON ST
BOSTON MA | 617.536.4300

making mayo.

making-mayo!

It has been a solid 2 weeks since I last posted here but watch out, world. I’m about to come back with gusto.

1) I made a recipe and photographed it.

2) I broke out the Wacom Tablet.

{It’s my spring vacation and things are getting CRAY-ZY over here.}

Now I know that this post is going to totally gross some people out but I don’t even care because I’m a mayonnaise lover and I hope the whole world knows it. For me, mayo is the sauce of life. Last year when I did my first full-on whole30 I tried making my own mayo and since then I have never looked back. It is so completely easy and UNPROCESSED! And to me, it tastes better than store-bought. Win, win, win. Every time I go to make it I find myself scrolling through the internets to find the one I like best and so I decided to share it here on my blog so that you kind people can try it too, but also, and mostly, so I don’t have to search the internet any longer. Hallelujah!

TO REMEMBER
Anna’s Favorite Homemade Mayo Recipe:

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Ingredients:

1-1/4 cup of light olive oil
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 1 lemon, juiced

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Also!

1 hand blender

//

You could use a food-processor, also.
I’ve used my Vitamix as well but the hand blender is the easiest clean-up.

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Step one:

Place the egg, 1/4 cup of olive oil, mustard poweder, and salt into a mixing bowl. {I just put it all into the Cuisinart blender container and it works great.} Mix the ingredients til blended together.

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Step two:

While the blender is running, slowly ever so slowly drizzle in the remaining cup of olive oil. I usually add it in 1/4 cup increments until my mayo is the way I want it. {hint: it may seem thick enough after even just 1/2 a cup or so, but keep adding the full cup! If you add slowly it will continue to thicken just fine.}

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Lastly, after you’ve added all the olive oil and the mixture is thick and emulsified, add the lemon juice to taste. Stir it in slowly with a spoon or spatula to mix it in just right. I like mine lemon-y so I add the juice from the entire lemon. YUM.

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Add your mayo to a jar for long-term keeping and voila! Easy easyyyy peasy.

{LEMON SQUEEZY.}

:)

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Tips and tricks:

Light olive oil is important! It truly helps with the taste.

Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature, specifically the egg and the lemon.

I pour the olive oil in SUPER SLOWLY for the right thickness.

Wait to add the lemon juice til the very end. The mixture will become less thick as you add more lemon, but for me the taste is well worth it.

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ENJOY with egg or chicken salad, homemade aioli sauce, or whatever your mayo-loving heart desires!

xo

my work with the eighty twenty.

The Eighty Twenty Magazine

This past December I worked on a special project with The Eighty Twenty, an online magazine written by and for women who ultimately want to live the best balanced life possible. I consider myself one of those woman and have enjoyed following the magazine since it’s debut last winter. I love the diversity of the site— from practical advice to personal essays, there is truly something for everyone. When Jenna came  to me last fall and asked if I would photograph the magazine’s first ever digital issue, I was thrilled. What an honor!

The magazine is finally here and it is amazing. 38 pages of essays, recipes, heath tips, and more. A true labor of love as I watched these fabulous women in action— they poured their hearts into this project and it shows.

Available for purchase here.

(You will LOVE it.)