BUTTERNUT SQUASH + APPLE SOUP

The other week I went apple picking with some friends in upstate New York. As you may know, apple picking is an outdoor activity, which threw me for a loop. What man purse goes with outdoor activities? Then it dawned on me that an orchard would be a very appropriate place to debut my vintage WWII nurse's bag I picked up from 10 ft. Single. So compact, yet still rugged. Apple picking season is over now, but fret not, dear reader - I've thought up some other low-impact outdoor activities for which this style of man purse is appropriate:

1. Ice skating
2. Drinking a latte/hot chocolate on a park bench
3. Watching guys play basketball. Is there basketball in winter? Is there ice basketball? That sounds dangerous...

Now, I would love to tell you that I ran home from the orchard and whipped up a soup using my freshly picked apples, but #truthbomb: I brought home too many apples and didn't know how to use them all. They got gross and...I chucked 'em. My b! So, a week or two later I Pinterested this recipe for butternut squash and apple soup and grabbed the apples from the local market. It was delicious! It turned out muuuch better than the lentil and apple-brown butter soup I blogged about making here. That one could be kindly described as "mealy;" or I could be up front and say it looked like baby vomit. Happy adventures in cooking, y'all!

Portrait Kelly Kollar; ingredients image by Joseph De Leo, styled by Mariya Yufest

DEAR INTERNET No. 26

My favorite finds from around the interwebs...design, style and foodie goodness galore!

View it all, after the jump!

[EATING] ARUGULA + APPLE SALAD

I've made this salad twice now for guests and it's an absolute sensation. Local apples (available here) and local arugula and mixed greens (available here) with walnuts and a homemade Moscatel vinaigrette. Grate some Parmigiano Reggiano overtop, et voilà! To make your own vinaigrette, pick your preferred vinegar (Moscatel is particularly sweet and pairs well with the apples) and mix it 1:3 with olive oil. Add a dash of salt and pepper and a spoonful of honey, then shake.

Like this post? Check out the recipe for one of my favorite soups here, then satisfy your sweet tooth with decadent chocolate pots!