Toffee Bars

 

I think I fell in love with bars & squares when I made my first magic bars back in high school (or was it middle school?) And while I like to entertain the thought that I've grown more sophisticated in my baking abilities since then, I often fall back on these recipes whenever I'm in a time crunch because they're easy, reliable, and always delicious.

This category of baking seems especially suited for holiday desserts.  Not quite a cookie and not quite a candy bar - or brownie, or pie, depending on what kind we're talking about - these heavenly layered treats have great range and versatility. Many classic desserts can be augmented to the compact size of a bar or square, from cheesecake to pecan pie to lemon tart, which not only puts a new spin on old favorites, it also makes the process of baking, transporting, and storage much easier.  And simplicity is something anyone can appreciate during these busy, blustery days.

Rubirosa: New pizza joint in Nolita

Image from NYMag

I just signed up for a NYC newsletter by Refinery29 - a fashion/beauty/shopping website.  But today's edition focused on, what do you know, a newly opened Italian eatery in Nolita - right next to Lombardi's!

The place is called Rubirosa. Description from Refinery 29 follows: 

Brought to you by father-and-son team Angelo (an alum of Esca and Osteria del Circo) and Giuseppe (of much-loved Staten Island pizza joint Pat & Joe's) Pappalardo, along with none other than infamous Beatrice Inn doorman Angelo Bianchi, and former Olana chef Al Di Meglio, Rubirosa attracts an exhalation of the club-hopping, hipster crowd from just-round-the-corner Kenmare, plus a steady stream of Beatrice expats who long for the glory days.

Pizza Fridays #1: Lombardi's, where it all began

To kick off the Pizza Fridays series, I figured it would only be appropriate to go right to the beginning, where it all began.  To the first pizzeria, not only in New York City - or even the state- but the entire country: Lombardi's.

The story goes, in the late 1800s, an Italian immigrant named Gennaro Lombardi began selling tomato pies to the work lunch crowd out of his grocery store located at 53 1/2 Spring St.  In 1905 he obtained a mercantile license from the state of New York, officially branding Lombardi's as the first licensed pizzeria in America.

Image from kitchenproject.com