rosemary-rhumarb-cucumber salad

Made this recipe (via Jello Mold Mistress of Brooklyn) and it was pretty amazing. And I'm not one who eats gelatin salads regularly. Perfect for a 1950s cocktail party, especially when you want to skip mayonnaisey gelatin salads.

sardines

This is a new favorite for a quick and very satisfying meal. I started with a french bâtard from the Hungry Ghost, drizzled it with olive oil and placed some Dodoni feta on top. This went under the broiler until the feta started to brown and I topped it with Alshark sardines "in spicy oil." I've done this closed in ciabbatine, with or without mustard, and it's always great. The asparagus were tossed in olive oil and salt and broiled until sizzling.

grapefruit bitters

Straining grapefruit bitters — this is my third bitters attempt and the least traditional (the other have been heavy on gentian and other herbs, a bit like Angostura, the most recent heavy on hibiscus, cardamon and pomegranate molasses as well). This was gin (New Amsterdam for its vanilla notes and affordability), grapefruit peels, sweet cinnamon, cloves and star anise. It's very bright and I goes great with gin (in the tradition of Pink Gin) or (!) with brandy on ice.