the arugula files

Pineapple Upside Down Cake from Simply Recipes

My husband, Marcus, insisted I add maraschino cherries to this recipe.  I didn't want to.  Too trashy, too sweet, too processed, I thought.  But he absolutely insisted and I could see that it had something to do with nostalgia and the pineapple upside down cakes of his boyhood, so I indulged him.  I like french onion dip made with Lipton soup mix.  No one is going to change my mind with fancy caramelized onion from scratch dip.  So I gave him his bright red cherries.

This recipe is from one of the most reliable and comprehensive food bloggers on the internets, Elise at Simply Recipes.  I didn't change a thing.  Well, except for adding the cherries. 

Food Blogger Happy Hour: March 2 @ American Ice Company

The next food blogger happy hour will be at American Ice Company, the newish BBQ bar on V Street.  Swill PBR from mason glasses and chat with fellow food lovers on March 2.  RSVP here.

Thanks to Russell and Stephanie from Endless Simmer for hosting the happy hour this month.

Estadio Favorites: Slushitos and Veggie Bocadillos

Photo: Stacy Zarin-Goldberg

One sip of my friend's slushito and I knew I was in for a treat at Estadio.  This modern day slushie, a combination of pumpkin, scotch, and sherry, tasted like a tangy version of red hot candies.  Wowsa.  My white sangria was almost as good.  And what an unusual combination: rosemary, tequila, apple, and white wine.  The mixologist behind these magical drinks should star in the remake of Cocktail.   Another round for these friends of mine.

Simple Beet Salad

I bought this plate  specifically for these golden beets.  I found it at a thrift store for 66 cents.  Just as Virginia Woolf deserved a room of her own, these golden beets deserve a plate of their own. 

This simple salad will make your apron twirl.  All you need to do is cut off the beet greens, wrap your beets in foil (no oil necessary), roast them at 425 for about 50-60 minutes.  Once they cool down a little, remove them from the foil, slip the brown skins off (it's as easy as peeling a banana).  Slice them and drizzle with your favorite homemade vinaigrette.  I used three parts red vinegar, one part olive oil, salt, pepper.  To finish, sprinkle with basil and serve.  Simple. 

Easier Living with Russel Wright

I have to take a minute to tell you about Russel Wright, one of my favorite modernists.  Wright, an industrial designer, is most well-known for his American Modern dinnerware collection, which he designed in 1939.  The set featured above is from that collection and I've been scooping up for a pittance at thrift stores around DC and Baltimore, and on ebay.  People say Russel Wright "revolutionized the American home and how people lived there." Gone were the days of formal, ten piece settings.  Instead Mr. Wright created inexpensive dinnerware that emphasized informal living.  I'm down with that.  Plus, isn't it pretty?  That's a photograph, but doesn't it look like a still-life painting?