while i like to think of myself as cautiously optimistic, i most definitely have a sunny disposition when it comes to life. so i'm sure it won't come to a shock to you that i LOVE valentine's day.

yeah yeah, it's hallmark manufactured holiday designed to sell candy and flowers, blah blah. you could look at it that way. or, you could look at it as a special day to be a little extra grateful for the love in your life. your parents, your kids, your besties, your pets. they all love you. celebrate it!

this morning i celebrated with my sixteen students, zee, the front desk girl who works with me in the mornings on tuesdays and thursdays, and this amazing sponge cake. 

vanilla + citrus sponge cake
serves: 8
prep time: 25 minutes
bake time: 40 minutes
cool time: 10 minutes
total time: 1 hour 15 minutes.
ingredients: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted. .5 cup all purpose flour. .25 cup cake flour. .75 tsp baking powder. .5 tsp fine salt. 1 tbs honey. 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped (or you can sub .5 tsp vanilla extract). 3 large egg yolks. 7 egg whites. 1 cup granulated sugar. 1 blood orange zested and sliced thin. 1 small grapefruit zested and sliced thin. 1 9x4 loaf pan. rubber spatula. mixer or hand blender. bakings pray. 

start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees f. sift together the flours, baking powder and salt and set it aside. if you like, you can take the extra time to cut hearts or other fun shapes with your grapefruit and blood orange slices. it's your loaf. go wild. 

in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or with a hand blender, combine the egg yolks and half the sugar. 

blend on high until pale yellow and thick. about 5 minutes.

pour the egg and sugar mixture into medium bowl land set it aside. clean the bowl and whisk. 

add in the egg whites and whip on high until soft peaks form. about 2-4 minutes.

with the mixer on high, pour in the remaining sugar and continue whipping until stiff peaks form. about 3-5 minutes more. you will know they are ready when you can flip your bowl upside down and nothing moves. 

while your eggs are whipping, combine your butter, honey, zest and vanilla beans in a small bowl. mix well. 

then, using your rubber spatula, fold a large scoop of the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture so it becomes light. 

then add the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites and fold it all together. just till it is no longer streaky.

fold in your flour mixture. 

fold in your butter, honey mixture. spray your loaf pan with baking spray.

pour your batter into the loaf pan and bake for 15 minutes, until the to begins to set. 

pull the loaf out, place your grapefruit and blood oranges slices as you like and pop it back in the oven for 20-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

the top should be golden brown. 

remove the loaf pan onto a raised cooling rack (you don't want the bottom to steam) and allow it to cool for 10 minutes. remove the sponge from the pan, slice and serve. you can store it in an airtight container for a few days. 

xo, a

vanilla + citrus sponge cake serves: 8 prep time: 25 minutes bake time: 40 minutes
cool time: 10 minutes
total time: 1 hour 15 minutes.
ingredients: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted. .5 cup all purpose flour. .25 cup cake flour. .75 tsp baking powder. .5 tsp fine salt. 1 tbs honey. 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped (or you can sub .5 tsp vanilla extract). 3 large egg yolks. 7 egg whites. 1 cup granulated sugar. 1 blood orange zested and sliced thin. 1 small grapefruit zested and sliced thin. 1 9x4 loaf pan. rubber spatula. mixer or hand blender. baking spray.
start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees f. sift together the flours, baking powder and salt and set it aside. if you like, you can take the extra time to cut hearts or other fun shapes with your grapefruit and blood orange slices. it's your loaf. go wild.
in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or with a hand blender, combine the egg yolks and half the sugar.
blend on high until pale yellow and thick. about 5 minutes. pour the egg and sugar mixture into medium bowl land set it aside.
clean the bowl and whisk.
add in the egg whites and whip on high until soft peaks form. about 2-4 minutes.
with the mixer on high, pour in the remaining sugar and continue whipping until stiff peaks form. about 3-5 minutes more. you will know they are ready when you can flip your bowl upside down and nothing moves.
while your eggs are whipping, combine your butter, honey, zest and vanilla beans in a small bowl. mix well.
then, using your rubber spatula, fold a large scoop of the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture so it becomes light.
then add the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites and fold it all together. just till it is no longer streaky. fold in your flour mixture. fold in your butter, honey mixture. spray your loaf pan with baking spray.
pour your batter into the loaf pan and bake for 15 minutes, until the to begins to set. pull the loaf out, place your grapefruit and blood oranges slices as you like and pop it back in the oven for 20-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. the top should be golden brown.
remove the loaf pan onto a raised cooling rack (you don't want the bottom to steam) and allow it to cool for 10 minutes. remove the sponge from the pan, slice and serve. you can store it in an airtight container for a few days. 

another wild one in the books folks. exciting things are developing in the minichiello household. i can't go spilling all the beans just yet, but good things are in the works. all will reveal itself in due time. 

in addition to normal food deliveries and fitness classes, we had another styled shoot this week with some awesome new vendors. part of the color scheme this week was blush colors so i was digging deep into the grapefruit ideas to get a pop of color. i experimented with some great things, but the clear winner was this refreshing cocktail. 

paloma
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 3 minutes
active time: 1 minute
total time: 4 minutes
ingredients: 2 oz tequila or mescal. 2 oz grapefruit juice. 1 oz lime juice. 1 tsp sugar. 3 oz club soda. 1 tsp grapefruit zest. 1 grapefruit slice. 1 tsp kosher salt. 4-5 ice cubes. 

start by combining your salt and grapefruit zest onto a shallow plate. mix till well combined.

rub the edge of your glass with a little bit of lime juice. 

then gently dip the rim of the glass into the salt and grapefruit zest mixture till you have lightly coated the rim of the glass. 

in the bottom of the glass, combine the grapefruit juice, lime juice and sugar. 

mix well till the sugar is dissolved. 

pour in the tequila and mix. 

add in the grapefruit slice and ice. 

top with the club soda. 

stir till combined and serve. 

xo, a

paloma
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 3 minutes
active time: 1 minute
total time: 4 minutes
ingredients: 2 oz tequila or mescal. 2 oz grapefruit juice. 1 oz lime juice. 1 tsp sugar. 3 oz club soda. 1 tsp grapefruit zest. 1 grapefruit slice. 1 tsp kosher salt. 4-5 ice cubes. 
start by combining your salt and grapefruit zest onto a shallow plate. mix till well combined. 
rub the edge of your glass with a little bit of lime juice. then gently dip the rim of the glass into the salt and grapefruit zest mixture till you have lightly coated the rim of the glass. 
in the bottom of the glass, combine the grapefruit juice, lime juice and sugar. 
mix well till the sugar is dissolved. 
pour in the tequila and mix. 
add in the grapefruit slice and ice. 
top with the club soda. 
stir till combined and serve.