The Feathered Nest

Soft things, homey things, happy things

Celebrate Independence Day With Breakfast

Let the vexillographers cringe, flag desecration never tasted so good. Sure, it’s barbecue season, but that’s no reason not to enjoy breakfast. And what better way to break fast on the Fourth of July than to dress waffles as sugary, fruity flags? Do that with your hamburgers. Do that with your potato salad. Do that […]

Dark Chocolate Martini

The holidays are past, but we still have a sweet tooth here. chocolate shavings for rimming 1 part crème de cacao 2 parts vodka dark chocolate garnish Warm a martini glass over a small flame, then roll the rim in chocolate shavings. Put a square of dark chocolate in the glass, then prepare the liquor. […]

Natural Choice Market

New Hampshire is a state without a Whole Foods Market, Traders Joe’s, or Dean and DeLuca. While I have been known to allow an occasional lament to pass my lips, the truth is I believe we are fortunate. Without the “big boys” in the way, many independent, locally owned stores and co-ops have emerged to […]

Walpole Creamery Ice Cream

While at Natural Choice Market yesterday, Casey and I picked up a couple of pints of Walpole Creamery ice cream to share with my parents after lunch at their house. We selected chocolate chip and grapenut. The chocolate chip was devine. The base was creamy and wonderfully vanilla-y. The chips were generously sized and provided […]

Fish Tacos With Avocados, Mandarin Oranges, and Red Cabbage

Oh decadence! Veterans Day provided not only a chance for reflection but also a rare day free from the classroom. So what to do with this open period of time? The answer was easy, dinner party. I have wanted to have my colleagues Roxanna and John over, but time is always an issue. I phoned […]

Cocktail Manifesto

We’re huge fans of The New Joy of Cooking by Marion Rombauer Becker, Irma S. Rombauer, and Ethan Becker. Hardly a meal goes through our kitchen that isn’t shaped in some part by the recipes and general information in its pages. A recent discovery was Joy’s description and defense of cocktail parties. So, when a […]

Restaurant Review: Cotton

First Impressions How much is too much for an entree at a place that plays the kind of anonymous Muzak that Kenny G calls jazz and is decorated like Applebee’s? Trust me, I like renovated mill buildings, but why confuse it with faux grecian columns and too many pictures of dead celebrities? I mean, the […]

Playing With Food

Like all well bred women, my mother always told me not to play with my food. However, as we get older we realize that sometimes ignoring the rules is just as important as, generally, following them. Food is fun. It has wonderful tastes, smells, colors, and textures. Something with so many wonderful attributes is just […]

Vicar’s Delight

Hot weather demands cool drinks. Lemonade is fine for the kids, but adults need a pitcher of something more entertaining. 2 parts Vodka 1 part Orange Juice 2 parts Lemonade dash Lime Juice Prepare in a pitcher with ice and share. Adjust quantities to taste. Enjoy safely.

Chocolate White Chocolate Chip Cookie and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Sandwiches

So once again, my husband called on my assistance with a Friday Food Fiesta challenge. This week’s theme was cookies and biscuits. I scoured my pantry, but alas, like Old Mother Hubbard, my cupboards were practically bare. The one interesting thing I did have was a bag of Hershey’s white chocolate chips. So, between my […]