Torta Di Riso (Risotto Tart)

Recently, a chef friend and colleague was cleaning out her collection of old cookbooks and she brought me a couple to see if I wanted them. There was a great tome on pasta making that will go into my "someday" pile and there was an old Martha Stewart entertaining book. I generally enjoy flipping through the Martha Stewart Living Magazine when it happens across my desk at work, whether I actually attempt any of her ideas or not. But the old entertaining book felt quite old indeed. The recipes and ideas seemed very dated and way too fussy for me. But then I happened on a large photo of a risotto tart. Huh? A risotto baked into a tart? The thought had never occurred to me...but I liked it.

Aperol Martini

Last month, Brian and I were invited to a Sunday afternoon party at a brasserie downtown. It was a very warm day and we weren't exactly sure what we wanted to drink so we gave the bartender free reign to mix up something cool and refreshing for us.

Grilled Corn Salad

The first time that Brian and I ate at Sojourn Restaurant, now one of our favorite tapas places, we ordered an amazing roasted corn salad. The ingredients came together in such a perfect blend of flavors and textures that I knew I'd have to try to recreate this dish at home. Happily, it was fairly easy to do and now I serve this salad frequently. Enjoy!

Do You Brunch? A Review of Orsay

1057 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10021, 212-517-6400 www.orsayrestaurant.com

We usually choose not to review a restaurant based only on brunch, particularly if their regular fare is quite different. Around here there are plenty of Italian, Greek and other ethnic cuisine restaurants offering Sunday brunch menus filled with omelets, pancakes and other expected American favorites. And that brings us to the question of how popular brunch is in other parts of the country? Here in New York City it's practically required and all restaurants seem compelled to offer it.

The X-Rated Martini

My first taste of X-Rated Fusion Liqueur was a year ago on summer vacation in Maine. The interesting cocktail menu at One Dock in Kennebunkport offered an X-Rated Martini and it sounded to fetching to pass up. The drink itself was a delightful pink hue and had a summery sweet and sour kick. I loved it and determined to buy a bottle of that liqueur. But somehow a year passed and it always fell down the list as we experimented with other delectable concoctions.

Pappardelle Pasta Bolognese

Last summer, while on vacation in Maine, I had pasta bolognese that was so under-whelming and bland that it never occurred to me to want to make it for myself. But a more recent experience was far more pleasant. Over the Independence Day weekend, we dined at a lovely waterfront restaurant on the south shore of Long Island and I ordered the bolognese. I wasn't sure what to expect but I wanted a pasta dinner since the rest of the holiday weekend was shaping up to be a meat-intensive grill-fest.

Frozen Blood Orange Martini

Frozen blender drinks are terrific in summer but a great alternative to plain ice is to use a bit of sorbet. And what better summery flavor than the sweet and tart blood orange. Our easy formula for cocktails is a little tart, a little sweet, a flavorful mixer and the liquor of your choice. In this case, our liquor is vodka, the flavorful mixer is Cointreau (an orange liqueur), some lemon juice for the sour and the sweetness of blood orange sorbet. Blend up a big batch, pour into cocktail glasses and stash them in the freezer. It's slushy and sweet...and powerful! Cheers!

Creamless Creamed Corn

I love creamed veggies as much as anyone but the "cream" part usually keeps me away. But while flipping through the pages of a food magazine, my eye was drawn to a recipe for "creamless" creamed corn from chef Daniel Boulud. Although he left out the cream, he did substitute gratuitous amounts of butter! Nevertheless, the idea seemed adaptable and my leaner version came out quite delicious. Enjoy!

The View

3 Consuelo Place, Oakdale, NY 11769, 631-589-2694 www.viewoakdale.com

Dinner at The View was a confusing experience, filled with conundrums. Reservations at a waterfront restaurant on Long Island on a summer holiday weekend should be hard to come by but we had no trouble despite a late decision to dine here.

Lychee Martini (aka The Rapture-tini)

It occurred to me, as we were mixing up this weekend's cocktails, that if the world had ended on schedule back in May, we would not have been subjected to photos of Anthony Weiner's various... um... parts. Or forced to endure any of the other subsequent political scandals, for that matter. But, the upside of the doomsday delay is that we can continue to enjoy the cocktails we experimented with that night.