it is feeling pretty springing over here at la casita costa mesa (yes we named our home, don't you?). it's currently seventy-five and sunny in orange county and change is in the air. wes and i have spent the week digging deep into some spring cleaning. hunkering down and getting prepared for...

wesley's new job!!! that's right. my mr. is under new employment. for the last few years, he has been managing a popular lunch spot at a very busy outdoor shopping center. but now that our own business calendar is filling up, he needs something with more flexibility and more importantly, more moola. and he found the perfect place. not only is it a high end, global restaurant chain, his new employer is opening a brand new restaurant about a mile from our house. he will be a part of the opening team at the new nobu newport beach.

to say we are excited for the amazing learning opportunity would be an understatement. and i have to say, i couldn't be prouder of my man. to celebrate him, i'm whipping up one of his favorite cocktails that now bares his name. 

rosemary westini
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 1 minute
active time: 1 minute
total time: 2 minutes.
ingredients: 2.5 oz your favorite vodka. .5 oz club soda. 1 splash - .5 oz olive juice (depending on how dirty you like it). 1 rosemary sprig & 1 olive for garnish. a few ice cubes. martini glass for serving. start by tearing away most of the rosemary leaves from your sprig so that there is just a bit left at the tip and it is basically a long twig. use the rosemary to skewer your olive and set it aside. 

fill your martini glass with your ice. pour in the vodka. 

then the olive juice. 

finally, pour in the club soda.

use your rosemary olive skewer to stir your martini gently. garnish with the olive rosemary skewer and serve. 

xo, a

rosemary westini
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 1 minute
active time: 1 minute
total time: 2 minutes.
ingredients: 2.5 oz your favorite vodka. .5 oz club soda. 1 splash - .5 oz olive juice (depending on how dirty you like it). 1 rosemary sprig & 1 olive for garnish. a few ice cubes. martini glass for serving.
start by tearing away most of the rosemary leaves from your sprig so that there is just a bit left at the tip and it is basically a long twig. use the rosemary to skewer your olive and set it aside. fill your martini glass with your ice. pour in the vodka. then the olive juice. finally top it off with the club soda. use your rosemary olive skewer to stir your martini gently. garnish with the olive rosemary skewer and serve. 

it is no secret on this here blog or in my real life that my husband and i have every intention of opening a restaurant. it started out as a pipe dream, but six years into our relationship, the vision is really starting to take shape. don't get too exited, we still have some work to do. BUT with out a doubt it will be breakfast heavy. we love breakfast and brunch and pretty much anything with an egg on it. we've spent years in the kitchen working on (and sometimes fighting about) our eggs. but there is no argument about how to cook the perfect sunny side up egg. follow these tips and you will get a great egg every time. 

start by getting yourself a good nonstick pan. if you have one, make sure there aren't any scratches on the pan. if there are, it may be time to get a new one. THIS is the one that wes and i have and it is common in many professional kitchens.
the perfect sunny egg serves: 1 egg prep time: 5 minutes active time: 5-7 minutes total time: 10-12 minutes ingredients: 1 egg. 2 pinches of kosher salt. 1 pinch of fresh pepper. 1 tsp unsalted butter. 1 small bowl. 1 nonstick pan. 

start by setting your pan on a burner turning the heat onto a medium low setting. you want to warm your pan slowly so that it heats evenly. let it warm for 5 minutes. 

while the pan is warming, crack your egg into the bowl, careful to remove any shell pieces. 

season the egg with salt and pepper. 

when the pan is hot, add the butter. the butter should sizzle, but not brown. 

when the butter has melted, gently add in your egg. 

now step back. cook for 5-7 minutes until the white is fully set (no clear left anywhere) but the yolk is still soft. 

remove from the heat and serve. 

xo, a

the perfect sunny egg
serves: 1 egg
prep time: 5 minutes
active time: 5-7 minutes
total time: 10-12 minutes
ingredients: 1 egg. 2 pinches of kosher salt. 1 pinch of fresh pepper. 1 tsp unsalted butter. 1 small bowl. 1 nonstick pan.
start by setting your pan on a burner turning the heat onto a medium low setting. you want to warm your pan slowly so that it heats evenly. let it warm for 5 minutes. while the pan is warming, crack your egg into the bowl, careful to remove any shell pieces. season the egg with salt and pepper. when the pan is hot, add the butter. the butter should sizzle, but not brown. when the butter has melted, gently add in your egg. now step back. cook for 5-7 minutes until the white is fully set (no clear left anywhere) but the yolk is still soft. remove from the heat and serve.