Tribeca Yummy Mummy

Number Six in my countdown from Seven continues.  Next up, and in no particular order by the way, is my friend Laura Novak of Laura Novak Photography.  As you can see from the images above, Laura has a genius of capturing each phase of a family’s life from newborn-hood/ new parenthood and all through the years.  She took the family picture of us just a few weeks ago, and I love the way there is absolutely nothing formal or stiff about it and how there is so much movement.  It captures the way our family interacts perfectly.  Her images, I think, speak for themselves.

If you happen to be in New York on Columbus Day, October 11th, you are in luck.  Laura and I are partnering to do a Fall Mini-Session Fundraiser for The Children’s Aid Society.  We love the Children’s Aid for so many reasons, but dearest to our heart is their GoHealthy! program, which helps educate kids on making healthful food choices and teaches them in how to cook fresh, delicious, and inexpensive meals.

Here are the details for the mini-session in Laura’s own words:

Mini Session Fundraiser Oct 11th 2-5

Here’s the scoop: Mini Sessions are $250, for 1-3 children only and last about 15-20 minutes. We will work on location, using beautiful, natural light. Each session includes one 8×12 portrait, an online slideshow gallery with at least 10 great images. All studio products are available for purchase a la carte, including holiday cards and card ornaments, prints, gallery wrap canvases, albums, and more.

Session fees will be donated to The Children’s Aid Society.  The slots are being snapped up, so please contact me soon if you are interested!  Email me: tribecayummymummy@gmail.com to schedule a session or if you are interested but have any questions.  In the meanwhile, go check out some of Laura’s drool-worthy sessions over on her blog and imagine sending something that beautiful out on your holiday card this year.

Oh my.  Well, this is a most belated Corner View.  It has been one of those weeks, where my time has been spent hitting the streets to shuttle my children around, stay at preschool in case Liev threw a fit (He most decidedly did not.  He was perfectly happy to be there.), and back-to-school shop (cue sighing) since both of my children grew like wild weeds over the summer and have nothing to wear in the chilly weather.

Oh, and next week, Tribeca Yummy Mummy cooking classes will begin again.  We are so excited, and I know that you are, too, to see those classes in this space again.  Even if you do not live in Tribeca, you can follow along with the correspondence course at home via the blog.  We would love to see and hear about the things that you make with your own Yummies, so send emails!  Send pictures!  It is so fun for the kids to see what they have inspired elsewhere around the country and the world.

For my Corner View, for my 7, I would love to spread a little love to some friends who totally deserve it and post one per day for the next week.  So, let’s start with #1…

Judy Stevens, of playgroup fame since 1984, has started a parenting blog called Little By Little.  Her approach has such a wealth of knowledge and compassion, and I love the way she always keeps a twinkle in her eye when thinking and talking about children.  I wrote about her here last year when Liev had his first day of preschool.  Parents, especially parents of young children dealing with tantrums, stormy hellos/goodbyes, navigating a divorce with small children, and nearly anything you can think of or experience, Judy can help.  She is like the Zen Master of early childhood.

She has helped our own family so much over the years, and I feel so lucky to count her as both a mentor and a friend.  When Liev was pitching gigantic fits in the mornings so that it was almost unbearable for everyone else in the family and would take us an hour to get out the apartment, she gave us practical, simple things to do so that the situation, like magic, changed.

When you mention her name, even to kids who attended her playgroup, say, 13 years ago, there is an understanding.  Parents get a look of worship.  I realize that it sounds hyperbolic, but she completely deserves hyperbole after over 25 years of doing what she does so very well.  She is simply the best.

The sketch of the turtle on Little By Little is one Judy did of the class pet and beloved turtle and mascot of her blog , Fast Food.  Isn’t that the best name ever for a turtle?   Ok, go!

For more takes on the magic number 7, head over to Theresa’s blog for all the links, and stay tuned for the next 2-7 posts over the next week or so.  They are all gems that I have been saving for just such an occasion. Happy Weekend!

Over the weekend, I catered a Top Chef-themed birthday party for one of the neighborhood mini-chefs.  To help me prep for the big party, a few friends crowded into the TYM kitchen to help.

While brainstorming dishes for the party, there were a few obstacles (a la Top Chef???) on my radar.  First and foremost, we could not use pork or shellfish on the menu since some of the little guests and their families keep kosher.  This might not seem too difficult, but if you are a fan of the show, you might know that bacon, pork butt and the like are applied liberally.  And, well, there is a lot of shellfish ceviche in the winner’s circle.

The other obstacle was that the party was on a rooftop three elevator rides away from the kitchen where we would be cooking.  I timed it.  At best, it took 5 minutes.  That is a long ride from oven to mouth.

To integrate the seasonal element of Fall and for that long ride up to the party, we cooked things that would eat and travel well, like this Apple Cherry Chutney.  It was served atop crostini, little toasts layered with a small bite of duck prosciutto, a dollop of the chutney, and a wee sprig of thyme.  I imagine that the chutney would be delicious served with or slathered upon almost anything.  For me, a baguette with smoked gouda cheese, some arugula, and a smear of this chutney would be the perfect thing for a mini-foodie to discover in her lunchbox.  Or a Big Person for that matter.

My friends and co-cooks Danielle and Avery helped bring my chutney idea into reality, tasting and giving their opinions, helping add enough of everything so that the sweetness and tanginess were perfectly balanced. Avery and I even got to reminisce as we used the jar of Sour Cherry Jam we made two July’s ago together at the Tribeca Greenmarket.  Thank you, ladies.  It was a hit, and you are invited over for leftovers!

Apple Cherry Chutney

• 5 medium apples, peeled and chopped
• 2 large sweet white onions (Vidalia, etc.), finely chopped
• either an 8 oz. jar of sour cherry jam + two handfuls of dried cherries OR 2 cups dried cherries
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1 c. apple cider
• 2 T. apple cider vinegar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 star anise
• salt, to taste
• optional: 2 T. brown sugar

1. With your mini-chef, measure out all of the ingredients, peel the apples, peel the onions, and get everything ready for the stovetop.  Older Yummies might be able to help at the stovetop, but younger Yummies will now leave the cooking to you.
2. In a large, heavy bottomed pan, warm the oil over low heat.
3. Add the onions and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the apples and cook for another 5-10 minutes, until the apples begin to soften.
5. Add all the other ingredients: apple cider, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon stick and star anise.  Reserve the brown sugar till the end when you taste the chutney and balance the flavor.
6. Turn the heat up to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil.  Let it simmer, uncovered until the liquid reduces to almost nothing and turns to a thick syrup.
7. Taste.  Add a big pinch of salt.  Too sweet?  Add more vinegar.  Not sweet enough?  Stir in the brown sugar.
8. Cool and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Today, Yummies, the pictures will have to speak for themselves.  My heart is bursting at the seams.

And, yes, grateful to be back to Corner Views!  Go check out Spain Daily for links to (probably more put together) “School” posts.

Next week is the Big Day, Mira’s first day of Kindergarten!

In preparation, and to keep this sentimental mama’s mind off the bittersweetness of what’s about to go down, I have been working on a few special big girl outfits.  These outfits will mix and match and carry her through the fall into winter with a change of accessories (e.g. the fabulous sunny yellow sandals will be swapped for a pair of ribbed tights and some sparkly boots.)

This outfit, The Hopscotch Knit Shirt and Skirt, is sewn from Oliver + S’s Fall collection.  Since this was part of pattern testing, Liesl, the company’s lovely owner, sent along the yellow polka-dotted interlock from her new fabric line, City Weekend, for the knit shirt.  Both the fabric and the pattern should be available this week!  Skirt fabric is Heather Ross’s Far Far Away II.  Also, of note, check out the cutest pockets ever to hit a skirt.  They were inspired by Chinese takeout containers.  Love.  Have already sewed two of these babies… will show the other skirt later.  Promise.

“Back To” seems to be the philosophy of Fall.  What are you getting Back To?