{Wasabi peas are a great snack. Problem is: I despise the flavor of wasabi. Instead, I strain and rinse a can of chickpeas and let them dry for a few hours on layers of paper towels. Then, I spread them out onto a lined baking sheet, toss them in a tablespoon or 2 of olive oil, some cumin, nutmeg, cinnamon and a little kosher salt, and roast them in a 400-degree oven until they’re golden and super crispy, about 30 to 40 minutes. They’re great atop salads like this one, in your desk as a workday snack or even as a bar snack at your next cocktail party.}
{When temperatures climb past 90, finishing a 2- or 3-mile run can feel like returning from the surface of the sun. So I fill a Mason jar with water, drop in a few slices of cucumber and lemon, screw on the lid and pop it in the fridge. When I return from running all hot and sweaty, I have a cold and refreshing beverage that’s scented with the fresh flavors of the season. Don’t have Mason jars? Make your summer-ready water in a pitcher, carafe or even a plain old drinking glass. And feel free to swap out lemons for oranges, cucumber for fresh mint leaves, or any other infusions you’re craving.}
{I’m a whiskey-on-the-rocks kind of girl, so recipes have never been required for happy hour at my house. But lately I’ve been basking in Manhattans everywhere I go, and I’m finally ready to start stirring them up at home. An avid cookbook collector, I can’t wait to add Vintage Cocktails to my at-home bar. With all the classic gin and whiskey recipes I could ask for, it’s a great read for the novice at-home bartender. And thanks to the sleek cover, vibrant pictures and quirky handwritten typeface, it will look great on my newly minted butler’s tray.}
This article appears in May 2013.