Earlier this year, New York officials dissolved the old, silly anti-rooftop beekeeping ban on the city. We're super psyched about this decision and can't wait to see more home harvested honey around town. This video featuring members of the always-resouceful Roberta's and Frankie's team takes us back to a time before when the ban was lifted, and provides a glimpse into how it's all done.
To learn more about beekeeping in the Big Apple, visit the New York City Beekeepers Association.
images via MattBites
Matt Armendariz is well-known and widely admired (by none other than Miss Martha Stewart herself) for his incredible photography and artistic direction, and everything on his site is just so damn appetitey. Thank you, Matt, for your consistently inspiring work.
Speaking of inspiration, we're making these TONIGHT.
(This recipe reproduced from MattBites)
Cindie’s Blood
Could you use regular oranges? Perhaps. I wouldn’t. Blood oranges are very special and I’m quite fond of them. And they are in season right now. Cindie says if you prefer a tart candy you can cut the brown sugar in half. I happen to think they were just perfect as written.
3 cups blood orange juice, strained
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup toasted almonds
2 teaspoons sea salt flakes
Line the bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper. Butter parchment paper and set aside.
Place blood orange juice in a 4-quart heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Let boil until liquid is reduced to 1/3 cup.
Remove from heat and stir in sugars, butter, and cream. Return to high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Turn heat to medium and let boil until a candy or deep fat thermometer reads 248 degrees F (or when a half teaspoon placed in a glass of icy cold water turns into a firm, chewy ball), about 17 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
Scatter almonds on bottom of parchment paper. Pour caramel over almonds. Let sit until cool and firm, about 2 hours. Remove from baking dish and sprinkle salt flakes over top. Cut into 1-inch pieces.
Image via Wright20Activated by a spring-loaded trigger and plunger, this bad boy instantly crushes any ice cube in its chamber, shooting shards through the bottom chamber.
Edna's drink of choice: THE BINGO WING, 1 shot vodka, 1 shot ginger juice, 2 shots lime juice & a splash of soda. To serve, double the recipe (obvs!), pour into a goblet sized glass, stir, and garnish with a cocktail umbrella. Cheers, dahling!
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We are loving this new collection of hand-died letterpress coasters (available as examples of thier custom coasters in a wide range of shapes and sizes for your wide variety of beverage-resting needs) by Cranky Pressman. The design team at Parliament of Owls created a cast of characters we'd gladly take on a drinking buddies.
Meet Mr. Snogglebaum, this "oldie original has been refining his look about as long as he's been growing his stache." He likes Jeopardy, antiquing, plum tartes (us too!), liesure cruises and The Theater. Dislikes: televised sports, speed bumps, hat hair, crumbs and queues.
His aperetif, THE SHUTTLECOCK, is 1 part cream, 2 parts OJ, 1 part Cointreau and 1 part Galiano, mixed and shaken with ice, strained into a chilled glass, and garnished with a lime wedge.
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And then there's Cranky, "straight up and hard working," a fan of THE HAIRY BACK, a working-man's combo deal of a shot of Jameson and pickle juice.
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Each coaster comes with a character bio on back. Here's the run-down on lady Edna, the woman who stole our hearts. 
