1. Piedmont Picnic Basket (world market, $130)

    functional and gorgeous (rattan, leather and canvas), this basket also
    comes with a cutting board, napkins, wine glasses and serving wear.

    available here

 

    2. Hand Sanz (buffalo valley outfitters, $3)

    a natural alternative to chemical sanitizers, hand sanz is perfect for a             trip to the beach where a sink & soap can be difficult to find.

    available here 

    3. Baroque Acrylic Flatwear (Nieman Marcus, $14 per four-piece set)


    this durable and sea-glass looking serving wear almost makes us feel the             salt in our hair.

    available here

    4. Whale Serving Platter (johnathan adler, $198)

   
    so cute you almost don't want to cover it with food!

    available here

    5. Raspberry & Beer Cocktail

    last but certainly not least. this drink is refreshing, pretty and easy to         make for a crowd. and remember, you don't have work monday so             enjoy!

    recipe available here

eat well. live fully.
jess & tarin

The doorbell rings, your guests are here, but... you forgot to chill the wine!!
Here's a clever cool-down trick that will have you sipping in no time.

"spring is here and the time is right for dancingggg (& BBQ'ing) in the street!"
we may have changed the lyrics a bit, but we're pretty sure the Rolling Stones won't mind after they see our awesome & inspiring BBQ finds this week!  

[1] ATTN! grilling maniacs - you will want this: 
The Big Green Egg 
a ceramic, kamado style grill that circulates heat perfectly and allows you to cook a 20lb turkey or sear ahi to perfection!

[2] in the spirit of outdoor BBQ season beginning -- 
fave recipe of the week:  BBQ grilled oysters

[3]  Nantucket Inspired Patio -- we can't think of many better way to enjoy warm nights than being outside
the Timber Cover Outdoor Dining Set at Cost Plus World Market 
is perfect base (& price) to start creating your own nantucket patio. 

[4] Tiburon Wine Festival is this weekend! 
a foodie & wino's dream come to life (aka: Jess' fave weekend in SF).
endless pours of delicious wine (& bites), all set outside in cozy Tiburon.

[5] Cuisine Paper Towel Holder from Pottery Barn 
not only aesthetically pleasing, but a must to have for your friends after eating BBQ oysters ;)

eat well. live fully. happy friday!
jess & tarin

what you'll need:

• 8 thin slices rye bread
• 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon low-fat cream cheese
• 4 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon
• 1/2 medium red onion, very thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon drained capers, rinsed and patted dry
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges 
• oregano to garnish

how to assemble:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Toast bread slices in oven on a baking sheet, turning once, until golden, about 10 minutes.
Spread 2 teaspoons cream cheese on each toast. Divide onions, and capers among toasts; season with pepper. Top each with a slice or two of smoked salmon and garnish of oregano. Squeeze lemon juice on top.


                          photo credits: heather hawkins

fresh is best.

eat well. live fully & have a great week!
jess & tarin

[1] Vegetable Literacy, by Deborah Madison  ($26)
a stellar cookbook that doubles as a veggie encyclopedia. it explores the relationships between vegetables, edible flowers, herbs, & familiar wild plants within the same botanical families

[2] Tarin's Fave Recipe:  German Apple Pancakes, in honor of Mothers Day
so they arent really seasonal... and they aren't really healthy.... but they are tarin's mom's favorite.  she would get them in bed that one day a year she was told she wasn't allowed to get up before everyone else. 
wishing you Mom's the happiest mother's day!

[3]  Bloodrootblades (prices vary) 
these guys take the art of knife making seriously and they are seriously good at it. they employ as many recycled, personal, handmade, and local materials as possible without sacrificing the durability and functionality of the tool. Plus, all come with a life-time warranty.  potential grooms-men gifts?

[4] Hand-drawn sandwich bags by Dad, David LaFerriere (not for sale, just amazing)
we know mothers day is approaching but had to give this dad some love. designer David LaFerriere has been putting a new surprise drawing to his kids' sandwich bags nearly every day for the last five years. he started snapping photos of the mini works of art and now has a Flickr set boasting over 1,100 photos!

[5] Ft. Worth Beastro (Friday June 7th, 2013. $99/person) 
a fantastic music, food and drink event at the Ft. Worth Zoo. such an amazing night and cause. did we mention they leave the animal exhibits open throughout the evening? 

eat well. live fully & enjoy your mom an extra amount this weekend!
jess & tarin