Fall Harvest : Part One

Our vintage Americana inspired table and matching whites and bluish grays in floral, were reminders that autumn is more than pumpkins and dahlias. The bouquets (by the uber talented Jessie@ Rountree Flowers) were made of of Calla Lilies, gray Lukadenron (the mini-pine cones), Lamb’s Ear and Dusty Miller Foliage: a token of a softer autumn foliage. Kale, feathers, Berried Ivy, and Anemones added deeper hues and pops of color and the vessels were our collection of vintage + tarnished teapots and pitchers.




We used a large wooden plank as a runner down the center of the table and scattered chestnuts and crochet covered votives for a touch of softness. Our menu was hand written by Bryn from Paperfinger and enclosed in a vintage frame. Place cards were zinc tags with rewritable surfaces (inscribed by Bryn as well) and tied with a strand of vintage fabric. The pale palette felt like the first frost and gray-white skies but our bundles of twigs, knits, chestnuts, and bursts of dark and color reminded us we weren’t quite in the thick of it yet. A perfect backdrop to a hearty Fall menu. We were very lucky to have Jillian from 100 Layer cake collaborate with us on the design and a wonderful group of talented artists listed below.










All Photos + Styling: Karen Mordechai
Collaborators Included:
Event design & styling: Jillian, 100 Layer Cake + Sunday Suppers
Flowers: Jesse, Rountree Flowers
Calligraphy: Bryn, Paperfinger
Guest Chef: Casey Solomon

Fall Harvest :: Part Two, Favors + Recipe Cards

As our parting gift, we worked closely with Jillian Clark from 100 Layer cake to design the perfect tokens. Jillian boxed bags of chestnuts with instructions on how to roast them. Guests were also given a small recipe book covered in the vintage fabric used throughout the table design. They had hand stitched spines, and fraying edges. The books contain all the recipes taught at the Sunday Supper for guests to make at home. We set these on a table with playful garlands hanging from the ceiling, and a banner that read "Fall Harvest" hung below. Jillian created these incredible garlands (made of cupcake wrappers and fabric rounds). For a step-by-step instruction of how to make these garlands click here . And for instructions on how to roast chestnuts scroll down below, and tune in all week we'll be posting lots of recipes from our fall menu.






All Photos + Styling: Karen Mordechai

How to Roast Chestnuts:

Cut an X into one side of each cleaned chestnut
Place Chestnuts X side up on a baking sheet
Roast for 15-25 minutes at 425 degrees.

Let cool, peel + enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving

We are signing off for the holiday weekend and will be back monday with a full week of posts from our Fall Harvest Dinner. In the spirit of this holiday season, we have much to be thankful for. It's been a great year at SS and we'd like to thank our wonderful and creative vendors and contributors, our SS guests, our friends (new & old) and of course our readers for all the support and love. Wishing you a happy and wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday. Warmly - km (& the whole SS gang)

Photo of an Autumn Mix of Lentils (moong dal, massor dal, french, crimson and black beluga lentils) so pretty all together don''t you think? picked them up at Kalustyan's. Photo by Karen Mordechai

Thanksgiving Desserts :: Honeyed Fig + Lavender Crostata

Photo by Karen Mordechai

We love these gorgeous Crostatas, light and fruity. Use beautiful end of the season figs and a sprinkle of lavender, a sweet departure from the traditional cakes & pies. Recipe adapted from food & wine

1 ½ cups all purpose flour
1/8 cup sugar
Kosher salt
¾ stick cold unsalted butter cut into ½ cubes
1/8 cup water (+ extra if needed)

6-8 figs cut into 6 wedges each
1.5 tbsp honey
2 tsp lemon juice
Zest of ½ lemon
¼ tsp chopped lavender + more for garnish

1 egg beaten + 1 tbsp water

In a food processor pulse together flour sugar and salt. Slowly add butter cubes and pulse until small peas form. Slowly add water and pulse until dough gathers. Form disc , wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Roll disc out on lightly floured surface until 1/8 inch thick. Cut out 3 5.5 inch rounds (use any jar top or bowl!), rewrap in plastic, and refrigerate for another 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine ¾ of your figs, 1 tbsp honey, ½ tsp lavender, lemon juice, and a half of your zest in a bowl. Distribute figs amongst the center of your rounds leaving ¾ to an inch of border. Fold over sides, and brush with egg wash. Bake for 35 minutes, rotating pan half way through.

Let crostatas rest for 10 minutes. Combine left over honey and figs and distribute on top of cooled crostatas. Zest last quarter of lemon on top, and garnish with lavender. Serve!



All Food Styling + Photos by Karen Mordechai

Thanksgiving Sides :: Roasted Truffled Fingerling Potatoes

If you're looking for an alternative to the traditional mash, these truffled potatoes might be just the thing. Simple & good but still so very indulgent.

2 lbs ½ inch thick fingerling potato (we used purple peruvian, red, and yukon gold) rounds
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt + pepper
Coarse sea salt
Truffle oil

Preheat oven to 450. Toss potato rounds in olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 20 minutes, until potatoes pierce easily. Lightly drizzle with truffle oil and top with coarse sea salt

Our Weekend (food) Guide :: To Market

Sunday Suppers is gearing up for our last days of mild temperatures in NYC. We just know the first frost and snows are soon to come. So in the spirit of the pilgrims and enjoying one last bit of unfrozen outdoors, we’ve rounded up a few weekend destinations.

Grab your canvas grocery bags and your Thanksgiving ingredient list.

The New Amsterdam Market will appear in the South Street Seaport Sunday November 22nd, and its vendors will cover every stuffing, sauce, and pie item your little heart desires. Literally, a cook’s wish list come true—the vendor list includes every seafood, cheese, vinegar, meat, produce, and pickle this side of the Mississippi (or at least a bunch). Great for your Thanksgiving table, hostess gifts, holiday presents, and pre-Christmas planning.
South Street, between Beekman Street and Peck Slip
On the East River waterfront in Lower Manhattan
11:00am to 4:00pm

In the market for produce 5 days before the big one? On the hunt for the ingredients to our Thanksgiving sides? This Sunday Rooftop Farms is hosting another open market for their rooftop produce. Stop by from 10am to 4pm and your weeks vegetables can be checked off the list. Located on Eagle Street between Franklin & West Street (look for their sign!).

Good holiday news for Manhattanites. The excellent taste bestowed on Brooklyn at the Brooklyn Flea Market is borough hopping to Manhattan for another Holiday addition of “Gifted.” You’ll find it on East 4th and Lafayette, with about 50 vendors. Price points high and low, quality and taste always high. Oh, and Lucky Mag will be there too. Happy Holiday shopping—and try not to forget—tis the season to buy for others, not just yourself… Friday 11/27 through Sunday 11/29.

Thanksgiving Sides :: Kale, Cauliflower + Parmesan Salad

Thanksgiving Sides :: Kale, Cauliflower + Parmesan Salad

Refreshing and clean—a welcomed crunch to your Thanksgiving plate.

½ head of cauliflower
large bunch of kale
Fresh parmigiano reggiano to grate
Juice of one lemon
2 Tbsp Olive oil
Salt + pepper

Wash and tear Kale, removing spine. Slice quartered Cauliflower with a mandolin. Pour good extra virgin olive oil in the bottom of your serving dish. Toss kale and Cauliflower in oil and lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste. Grate fresh parmesan generously (to taste) over greens. Serves 4-6 as a side.

Thanksgiving Sides :: Maple and Sage Roasted Turnips + Carrots

Photography + Food Styling by Karen Mordechai

It’s a busy pre-holiday week here at Sunday Suppers. We’re editing this week’s beautiful supper for all to enjoy, while preparing a charming and simple Thanksgiving meal. Nothing says I love you to family and friends like a thoughtful and delicious spread on the last Thursday in November. Sunday Suppers is here to help you through with some savory sides we’ve tested in our very own kitchen. We’re starting with the best elements of fall: roasted root veggies, slightly sweet and piping hot.


Maple and Sage Roasted Turnips + Carrots

2 tbsp butter
6 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp chopped sage
2 sml bunches turnips
2 sml bunches sweet fall nantes (a small French carrot variety with the greens still on top!)
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel carrots. Half both carrots and turnips down the center and toss with olive oil and s + p. Roast at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Over low/medium heat melt butter and combine melted butter, syrup, olive oil, and sage. Remove veggies and pour syrup mixture over veggies. Return to oven for 15-20 minutes or until syrup is bubbly and vegetables are tender. Serves 4-6 as a side dish.

Fall Harvest :: Sneak Peek

Photography by Karen Mordechai

Our Fall Harvest Supper last night was a great success! We had a unexpectedly beautiful sunny day (in the middle of november :). Jillian from 100layercake collaborated on decor items (just wait till you see her goodies), flowers by Jessie from Rountree, and the food, well it was absolutely fall on a plate - created by the wonderful Casey Solomon. Here's a sneak peak at the menu. More photos and recipes will be coming soon.

Menu:

roasted garlic and cauliflower soup
parmesan crisp, chive oil

crispy chicken
porcini mushrooms, chestnuts, sweet onions,
carrot puree, buttered brussel leaves

cardamom pear crisp, creme fraiche

Our Weekend (Food) Guide:

It’s time to press pause It’s the WEEKEND! And if you're like us, you know that means one thing—it’s time to enjoy good food.

So if this Sunday’s Sunday Suppers was sold out by the time you tried to sign up, here are a few tips to ensure you have a yummy culinary weekend too:

This weekend is the Brooklyn Chocolate Experiment – a contest welcoming and judging all things chocolate. Watch the video from the last experiment here for inspiration. And don’t miss out on the big event, Saturday November 14th at the Bell House in Gowanus. 149 7th Street, Brooklyn (718)643.6510.


Almond Croissant, meet Pinot Noir. Does life get better? Mouth-watering Bouley Bakery is gearing up to open By The Ounce on November 17th (okay, so maybe we jumped the gun on the this weekend bit, but you can at least plan your first visit). What is a dining room during daylight hours will become a wine bar at 6pm—where customers are charged by the ounce - carefully selected wines, and can continue to munch on Bouley’s delicious dishes. Oh, we've heard rumors of a white truffle menu on opening night. yummmmm.
Bouley Bakery: 120 West Broadyway (@ Duane Street) (212) 964-2525.


Maialino might mean Suckling Pig in Italian, but don’t despair—no swine flu shot needed to check out Danny Meyer’s latest edition in the Gramercy Park Hotel. Simply a boyhood nickname, Maialino overlooks the beautiful Gramercy Park and is outfitted as a welcoming local trattoria. Be among the first to check out the red checkered tablecloths and salami and cheese displays. Mailino: 2 Lexington Ave (@21st St) 212.777.2410.

happy friday.

Photography by Karen Mordechai

Five Leaves, Greenpoint

Photography by Karen Mordechai

Work has been pretty hectic around here, so we've decided to treat ourselves to more midweek lunches. We'll be posting our faves with a review and some photos once or twice a week, so let us know what you think. This week we tried Five Leaves, one of our neighborhood spots. Five Leaves sits on Bedford and Lorimer, caddy corner to McCarren Park in Greenpoint. The corner location allows for lots of sidewalk seats and lots of natural light. Vintage light fixtures hang out of a wood plank ceiling, and the bar feels Art Deco and Parisian. The bartender poured Campari and soda, and we poured over our menus.

We had a tough time choosing between, well, everything. After much deliberation we decide to split a radicchio and watercress salad with roasted acorn squash, feta and onion and a warm roast chicken sandwich—on toasted baguette with roasted tomato, chipotle mayonnaise, shaved parmesan and anchovies. And wait; let’s not forget one of the most important parts here—truffled french fries. French fries in all their glory, carefully rolled in truffle oil, so infused you’d think the potatoes were grown in it. The salt of the feta was the perfect complement to the honeyed squash—sweetened. Pungent raw onions gave a crisp kick, and the tangy greens dressed in vinaigrette married the whole bowl together. Our roast chicken was indulgent in its toppings and strong in flavor. Chipotle mayo oozed out the side, and anchovies broke the simplicity.

Our waitress, in her shrunken Fair Isle cardigan was sweet as can be, and the experience was so pleasant we’ll definitely be back. Clearly a neighborhood staple, they even had a takeout coffee window for those too busy to linger—no one should have to miss out.

Five Leaves:
18 Bedford Ave
Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NY 11222
(646) 510-6467






All Photos by Karen Mordechai

Midday Meal :: Radish, Butter + Sea Salt

Ok, well maybe it's more of a snack than a meal, but we think it's the perfect trio. Healthy and fresh with just the right sprinkle of indulgence. Suitable for a lazy afternoon or a mad rush moment- you race through the door from work and want to decompress for just that one hour—shoes off, before an event or a late dinner reservation—you need a quick, satisfying, standing-at-the-kitchen-counter snack. Well we think it’s time to switch it up a bit. For today’s midday meal we combined the crisp tartness of a cool sliced radish, creamy (french, always french) butter, and a nice coarse sea salt. We promise this will warm your soul and quiet your mind. Savor these ingredients in all of their simplicity, and get back to your lazy Sunday or busy week night. Happy munching.


Photography by Karen Mordechai

We Heart :: Saltie

Sunday Suppers popped into the new sandwich shop Saltie recently to check out Caroline Fidanza’s latest undertaking (and first proprietorship), having worked for the Andrew Tarlow and Mark Firth local Williamsburg empire (needs no introduction, but just in case – Diner, Marlow & Sons, Marlow & Daughters). I have to say, we were impressed! Or better yet, hungry. One look at the pastries and sandwiches and the 4pm busy-bee stomach let me know it was empty. I read in an interview with seriouseats.com that one of Caroline’s “over-the-kitchen-sink” go-to meals was Salvatore ricotta with sea salt and olive oil either on Finn Crisp or fresh Italian bread. Clearly her style shows on this menu. These interesting combos, so carefully curated for the taste buds are heaven. I opted for the Spanish Armada – a potato tortilla with Russian-ish aioli, and a leek, chicken, prune stew (the name has slipped my mind). I climbed my starving little self into the car with the beauty you see here and every last bite, every last slurp, was a party in my mouth. Divine. And the décor speaks for itself. I loved walking in off Metropolitan Ave to these blue boards and block letters. I felt like I had walked into a little New England seafood shack with picnic tables and red-and-white checked cardboard containers. I will be back there for lunch sooner than later. I think next on my list is the “clean slate”: Wheatberries, chickpeas, miso, and pickled vegetables. Mmmmm….. You can visit Caroline in all her quaintness too – at 378 Metropolitan Ave, here in Brooklyn for lunch or dinner.





Photography by Karen Mordechai