Friday, November 7, 2014

friday favorites: glass objects



I've mentioned before that I'm a huge fan of glass, so much so that 7 years ago I enrolled in a glassblowing class at Urban Glass in Brooklyn. Unfortunately I never really got the hang of it - trust me, it's harder than it looks- and all I was left with, after months of practice and hard work, was a few sad looking vessels that have almost no practical functionality. 

Thankfully, there are some really talented glassblowers and glass makers out there. Here's a round up of my favorites, some old and some new. 

Happy weekend!
xo, 
Batya

1. Matterhorn Glasses by Tale Design via Cool Material
2. Table by Glas Italia via Trendland
3. GlassMount for Bomma by Arik Levy  
4. Tapio Wirkkala for Venini 
5. Iittala Ruutu Vase by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec via Designythings
6. Vaso-Sake Set by Sempli 
7. Sini Rame Nesting Bowls by Sempli 
8. Lighting by Niche Modern (PS: Factory Sale this Saturday in Beacon, NY
9. Luxe Carafe Set by Niche Modern
10. Hazy Days by Marset 
11.  Laguna Glassware by Attico 
12. Water Pitcher Block by Antonio Arico via Design Milk  
Thank you to Carly of DLD PR for assisting with this collage. Please note that Sempli, Niche Modern and Marset are clients of my firm, but this is not a sponsored post and the recommendations are my own.
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cook the mag: bon appetit's feta with sumac and black sesame seeds




If you would have said to me, say three years ago, "Batya, how are the Broncos doing this season?" I would have shrugged and stared back at you blankly. The confused look might have been followed by something like, "You mean the football team, right? The one from Denver?" But that would have been the extent of it. I come from a long line of Yankee stock, and other than baseball, we didn't follow other sports. Football hardly registered at all.

Things changed exactly one year ago when my husband's cousin Melissa gave us tickets to see the Denver Broncos, a gift for our 5th anniversary. It was my first trip to the stadium, and even though I was hopped up on meds (following a diagnosis of acute tonsillitis with an extreme form of strep), I fell in love with the sport. Football is a religion around here, and I've become a pretty faithful practitioner. I'll admit that I don't know every rule or intricate detail of the game, but my heart is definitely in it. 

In addition to cheering for the home team, Sunday football has become a catalyst for our weekend gatherings too. Sometimes we head over to our neighbors' house, other times we host at our home. And since there's never really enough time to clean the house and cook a meal, I opt for dishes that are big on flavor and easy to make.

Last week's menu included olives (the good kind), a cheese plate, hummus (2 ways), shakshuka (sauce made the night before), and this feta sumac spread from Bon Appetit. Though our team didn't win the game (don't worry, they're still in 1st place), we all had a great time. And isn't that what football gatherings are really about? (Sort of.)

xo, 
Batya

Feta with Sumac and Black Sesame Seeds (Courtesy of Alison Roman for Bon Appetit Magazine, October 2014)

Ingredients
1½ pound feta, sliced ¼” thick
1 tablespoon fresh oregano or marjoram leaves (optional, I made it with and without) 
1½ teaspoon black sesame seeds
1½ teaspoon ground sumac
Olive oil (for drizzling)
Crackers (for serving)

Preparation
Divide feta among small serving dishes. Top with oregano, sesame, and sumac. Drizzle with oil; serve with crackers.

Notes: 
If you're looking for really good cheese, olives, crackers- that sort of thing- and you live in Denver, head over to the Truffle Cheese Shop on 6th Avenue. It's one of the best in the city. 

Sumac, a tart, citrusy spice, is available at Middle Eastern markets or specialty foods stores. I have a friend who brings back sumac from the Middle East (Lebanon), but when I run out I head over to Arash Market in Aurora. 
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