If our kids had to choose one thing to eat for dinner every day, it would be pasta. Specifically plain pasta with just butter and parmesan cheese. I’m sure that there are many children in the world with the same preference and even I wouldn’t touch tomato sauce when I was young, so I’ll usually make pasta once or twice every week. The trick is to keep it interesting for the grownups and find something that the kids end up liking as well. I thought this dish would be a sure-fire winner - it’s just a classic white clam sauce, but I figured it had the appearance of a plain pasta so the kids might go for it. I even splurged for some fresh cockles from New Zealand to top it off (I used chopped clams in the sauce as a cheap way to add some substance). Mia liked the pasta itself, but strangely did not like the cockles - she usually has no trouble with clams. And Claudine was intrigued at first and may have even taken the tiniest of tastes, but in the end had to have her plain pasta. I always save a little bit without any sauce.

Linguine with White Clam Sauce (serves 4)

1 pound dried linguine
2 pounds cockles or littleneck clams, scrubbed and cleaned
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1-2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 small can of chopped clams, drained
1/4 cup roughly chopped Italian parsley
salt and black pepper to taste
freshly grated parmesan

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Prepare the sauce at the same time. Heat the olive oil in a large pan until hot. Add the sliced garlic and cook just until it starts to turn golden. Add the cockles or clams, along with a small amount of the broth. Cover immediately, and cook until all the clams have opened, 3-4 minutes. Add the chopped clams, and a little bit more broth. Reduce the heat and simmer until the pasta has finished cooking. When the pasta is done, drain it and add it to the pan with the clams. Add the parsley, salt and pepper, and additional broth if you like your pasta a little less dry. Put it into serving bowls, arrange the cockles or clams on the top, and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Mark and I revealed to each other yesterday that we were both thinking, independently, the same thought: that despite all the tough questions we face, in many ways, we feel like we are in the best possible situation in our respective fields in the current economy. Though there are many challenges and annoying expenses incurred in working for yourself (hello, self-funded health insurance), we do not live in fear of our jobs (I have been morbidly obsessed with this site lately and for newer blog readers who may think this is sounding a bit smug, we did survive a layoff last year which started this whole journey). We’ll probably see a slowdown somewhere down the road this year, but this is also the normal rhythm of freelance and owning a business. While it doesn’t necessarily get easier dealing with the emotional rollercoaster of an unstable income, you do learn to brace for it. Food sales and design work is impacted by the recession just like everything else, but it’s weirdly comforting to know that we own some amount of control in our jobs which we wouldn’t have otherwise if we were on staff.

The food industry is a fickle affair, which is why I don’t think I’d ever leave design work. We need our income and we need something to fall back on should the business fail to maintain a profit, so I can’t foresee ever jumping into the business full time unless we can expand the brand to include some design (more recipe cards? A book? kitchen accessories? I would LOVE). Over the past 6 months, I have met many talented artists, writers and crafts people online who have inspired me to want to pick up that drawing pencil and X-acto blade again (spare time, on the other hand, has not cooperated). Much like us, these small businesses are surviving and flourishing by carving a road that is the opposite path from corporate work life. Many of us have the same goals - to be able to make a living doing what we know and love, often while precariously juggling the demands and schedules of the family we are trying to support. It’s been both inspiring and comforting to “talk” to these people everyday via twitter or facebook or blogs, to watch the businesses grow, to share good news and celebrate achievements, and to commiserate and support when needed. Starting a business may not be for everybody. In so many ways it is much easier to go to a job, but I’ve come to respect these creative people so much for being brave enough to strike out on their own and resourceful enough to truly make things happen. It’s been the one bright spot in an otherwise gloomy environment filled with often depressing and heartbreaking news. So yes, as many of you have commented, our dilemma is a good one to have. I think we just need to stay positive and focus on the amazing things that are still happening around us.

is it possible? We’ve been having thoughts about how to grow sensibly without taking the big risk of moving into our own kitchen and storefront space. It’s not that we are opposed to this, but the current economic gloom isn’t giving us the confidence that it’s the best time to consider it. It’s always a gamble when you start a new business, but as we approach our first full year as a company in the next few months, we no longer need to question whether this is a viable business (it’s proven that it is), but rather, what is the next step that will allow us to grow, but not too big? People are always advising us to “just hire help”, but it isn’t that easy. Mark can’t really bring another person into the restaurant kitchen where he bakes because of space limitations and consideration for the kitchen staff. He is also so fast and efficient (I mean, do you know anybody that can single-handedly bake 2000 cookies in 7 hours?) that he feels having another person doesn’t really help without time for proper training, which at this point, he has had no time for. We don’t want to turn orders away on any more major holidays, so we’re starting to look into other options where space would allow another helper, even if it means renting a commercial kitchen again (which in NYC is surprisingly scarce) when production is crazy.

I never had aspirations of owning a restaurant or even a storefront (I am not that financially adventurous), but if we ever do decide on getting our own kitchen space we would most certainly have to do either or both just to help cover the monthly rent. It’s a daunting thought, especially when you consider that you’d have to hire employees, and one that I am not ready for. But I’m not sure how much longer Mark can do it all himself. He hasn’t had a day off or barely a minute of downtime since our Christmas break and I can see that he is growing weary. Our loose plan was to keep plugging away as we are and ride out the economy like everyone else until both girls are in school full time which would make current childcare issues much easier. But as word about the company continues to spread and we get more inquiries about press and wholesale orders, we seem to be facing these questions again and again. How much can we handle? It’s funny. Most people would be thrilled at the extraordinary luck we’ve had with publicity this past year. Whether or not it gets realized or manifests into something that actually happens, people are finding us. But whenever I inform him that “so and so” sent us an email, Mark just breathes a heavy sigh, pulls his hat down, and quietly continues to work.

And it’s starting to get oppressive. I think we’re all craving some warm sunshine or at the very least, weather that is tolerable to be outside in. The kids haven’t gone to the playgrounds in weeks. So what to do when you’re bound indoors with kids? Well, if you were Mia, you’d alternate between the Nutcracker or Hawaiian music and put on ballet and hula recitals for anyone willing to watch (I need to get that girl into dance classes). Her new thing, however, is opera, ever since we went to a little performance over the weekend that introduced arias from famous operas for kids. So now Mia wants to be a hula/ballerina/opera singer - or hullarina. Claudine joins in on the performances sometimes, but she’s discovered puzzles and so has been partaking in more quieter activities. But you can see both of them here, in a hilarious, yet strangely arty video my cousin edited together.

Yeah, ok. I can see why eating out all the time is so appealing. No dishes, no mess. We’re not about to change our eating/spending habits, but it was really fun to celebrate Mark’s birthday with a full day of socializing and eating out. We started off early at brunch with our friends Shii Ann, Dave and Bea (and Claudine actually ate something off the menu that wasn’t bread or french fries, hooray!), then a lovely visit from our friend Christie who brought over presents for the girls which sort of boggled Mia’s mind (”what? I get presents on Daddy’s birthday???”). And we did have a French dinner down the street at Mark’s request, but ordered way too much food - a plate of charcuterie, escargot, onion soup, salmon tartare, and then entrees of casoulet and lamb shank (Claudine ate…bread and french fries). So how did Miss Mia like the snails? Well, we would ask her if she wanted one and she would keep saying that she would get to them later. Kudos to her for finally trying them though, and feigning interest and nodding that they were good when I could tell that she wasn’t sure about it. Mark and I were a bit too stuffed to eat the desserts that I bought around the corner, but the girls somehow found room in their stomachs to polish them all off.

It’s my birthday today and since we were tagged again, this time by Brenda, I thought it’d be an appropriate day to write 7 random things about myself since Jenna’s had a few turns. I also can’t remember a colder day on my birthday (really, what is with this weather?) so we dug up this photo from summer to remind us that there will, indeed, be an end in sight.

1. There are two things that I am unable to eat under any circumstances: canned tuna and runny eggs. I have no idea why, but I’ve never been able to get them down and I can’t even stand the smell of canned tuna.

2. From the time when I was 8-10 years old my family and I lived in Yemen. Back then it was actually North Yemen, as the country was in a civil war. We lived in the capital, Sanaa. I have many fond memories of that time and fittingly, many of them involve food: the roasted chicken at the restaurant up the road from our apartment, drinking falooda at the Indian restaurant at the Taj Sheba hotel, eating pita bread fried with butter and honey for breakfast in the mountain palace of one of my father’s co-workers, and the street vendors where we would get shwarma and something we called yemeni pizza, which was in fact some kind of crepe-like pancake studded with meat and vegetables. I would love to go back someday.

3. Sometimes when I’m in the car by myself I will turn on the metal/punk rock radio station, even though this is not normally the kind of music I listen to. It brings me back to my days growing up in Olympia, Washington during the height of grunge. I still own a small stack of 45’s from that time which probably will never be worth anything, but I’m keeping them anyway. These days I’m reminded of that time through Facebook, however, as my old friends have been posting photos of my long-haired, high school self. Damn you Facebook!

4. I never attended cooking school. My training was entirely on the job and I’m lucky to have worked for pastry chefs who took the time to teach me. This goes way back to my first job out of college in Portland, at a cafe called La Patisserie in Old Town which has since closed. At first the owner jokingly said “I’m not running a free cooking school here”, but when he realized that teaching me to do his work made his life easier he changed his tune.

5. I have a thing for Hawaiian music. If I ever see a Hawaiian record at a sidewalk sale I automatically buy it, even if it has songs that I already have on other records and even if it is cheesier than eating fondue with Celine Dion.

6. I played bass in a jazz band for several years in college. We called ourselves Bouillon Cube because one day we got booked for a show on campus and needed to make a flyer but didn’t have a name yet. So our guitarist opened his kitchen cabinet for inspiration and… I’m not sure if we were very good (I do have some old cassettes and could listen to them, but I won’t), but one day about a year after graduation I visited the campus and saw a handwritten flyer on a bulletin board that read “Where is Bouillon Cube? We miss you! Please come back and play!”. I think I actually took the flyer and might have it somewhere in my file of “stuff”.

7. I have never eaten a fast food hamburger in my life. Ever. And I never will, just so I can continue saying that. I always got the chicken sandwiches instead. I even went on a field trip once to a Burger King with my cub scout troop (weren’t cub scouts supposed to go camping?) and when everyone else got free hamburgers at the end I requested a chicken sandwich. When told that I couldn’t have it I got a hot dog instead. Does anyone else remember that BK used to sell hot dogs?

So to celebrate my birthday, I am going to try to NOT cook on this day. That means a rare day of eating out twice for us, once for brunch with some friends and later on for an early dinner. I’m thinking French, because I would really like to introduce snails to Mia, who I think would really dig it.

This is an experiment for sure, but I made these printable pdf recipe cards, available only in our etsy shop. When purchased, you receive the digital file in pdf format and all you need is a color printer, paper, ruler & knife (or scissors) and a touch of glue to make as many Valentine’s Day greeting cards as you want. I’ve been looking at the popularity of DIY printable downloads with interest and with the encouragement of my Etsy/Twitter friends, particularly LittleBrownPen, who have a fantastically successful etsy store, decided to try out recipe greeting cards. I can see these as sets of thematic recipes introduced every month or so (or as much as my time allows). As mentioned in an earlier post, I would love to experiment with our etsy shop now that we have 2 other online stores. This is a first little baby step.

We’ve put together a small gift box of cookies for Valentine’s Day, in addition to our rosy vanilla marshmallow hearts. The linzer cookies are subtly peppered with pink peppercorns and feature a tart, red currant jam center, but we’re most excited about our Chocolate Earl Grey Hearts! They are small, bite-sized chocolate cookies with an infusion of Earl Grey tea - so elegant and so delicious. We like them so much that we’re thinking of making them one of our year-round regulars, and may even try sandwiching them with our white chocolate filling that is currently in our pumpkin cookies.