Author My First Apartment

Sam

Sam is originally from Boston, MA. He studied ecology and Spanish language during his undergraduate degree at Hampshire College (Amherst, MA). He then went on to train as a chef at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America (Hyde Park, NY) and earn an introductory certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers in San Francisco in 2013. He currently lives in Barcelona, Spain and works as a culinary tour operator, wine educator, and food/travel writer for several outlets including My First Apartment. You can check out his blog at Zucker and Spice Travel.

Sam’s Grilling 101 – The Perfect Hamburger

July 3, 2017 | By Sam AuthorMy First Apartment

Get ready for the 4th of July BBQ. Here are a few simple tips and tactics that take your burgers, and whatever else you throw on the grill, to the next level! No more bland, burned or over-cooked foods when you follow these basic rules. Have the right tools. You don’t need very many tools to…

Sam’s Weekend Brunch 101 – Perfect Eggs and Home Fries

November 5, 2016 | By Sam AuthorMy First Apartment

This post, originally published in May 2012, is back by popular demand for great weekend brunch recipes. I love eggs in all their diverse, delicious glory. There is an old story about the origin of the pleated folds in our chef hats, or Toques, that claims the 100 pleats represent the 100 ways to cook an egg.…

Add Potato Pancakes and Kale to Your Thanksgiving Feast

November 25, 2013 | By Sam AuthorMy First Apartment

For lovers of food-centric holidays and holy days, this November is extra special. For the first time in nearly 100 years, and the last time for 70,000 years, the dates of the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah and Thanksgiving coincide. What does this mean? More food to eat, and more things to be thankful for! Along…

How to Be a Stellar Couch Guest

October 13, 2013 | By Sam AuthorMy First Apartment

One of the best things about being a young adult without major commitments (marriage, career, mortgage, school, etc.) is your ability to travel. Take advantage while you can! Travel is without a doubt much more expensive than it was in the time of the beat poets or the era of Parisian bohemians, but staying with…

Sam’s Fall Sausage and Lentil Stew

September 20, 2013 | By Sam AuthorMy First Apartment

To celebrate the first day of autumn, embrace the warm, earthy flavors of the fall and share with your friends this easy, comforting meal. Sausage and Lentil Stew with Acorn Squash and Kale Serves 6 2 pounds, green lentils, dry 1 1/2 pounds, sweet Italian sausage links, whole 1 each, large yellow onion, sliced 1/8”…

Sam’s 5 Pro Tips To Make You A Better Cook

August 11, 2013 | By Sam AuthorMy First Apartment

Ask yourself: Does cooking seem like too much of a hassle? Do you think of dinner as an event that requires hours of tedious preparation? Do you not cook because the food you make just isn’t very tasty? Do you wait until your chef friends come around to suggest a group dinner? Well, the latter…

Sam’s Tips About Moving Abroad

July 27, 2013 | By Sam AuthorMy First Apartment

For years I fantasized about picking up and shipping off across the sea to Europe; a one way ticket and an unforgettable experience. People would ask me, “Where do you want to go after (culinary) school?” “To Spain!” I would reply. This all started years ago before ever going to the Culinary Institute of America.…

Homemade Peach Pie 101

July 24, 2013 | By Sam AuthorMy First Apartment

Talk to anyone over 50, and they will likely tell you (depending on where they were raised) that “neighbors” aren’t what they used to be. Growing up in the 50s and 60s, my mother and father knew their neighbors because they were all part of a community. These days, you could live in a house…

Sam’s Simple Spanish Picnic

July 12, 2013 | By Sam AuthorMy First Apartment

As the summer weather and city-wide events have begun to take full effect in NYC (as well as in my current local of Barcelona, Spain!), the sun, music, outdoor film showings, and plush green grass are far too inviting to spend your evenings indoors. For that matter, summer is a time where it feels like…

Beat the Cold with Sam’s Five Onion Soup

January 10, 2013 | By Sam AuthorMy First Apartment

With the winter weather closing in, soup sales are up and salad sales are down at the on-campus restaurants here are the Culinary Institute of America. Nothing is better on a cold day than a hearty, heart-warming bowl of homemade soup! The best thing about making soup at home is that you can use leftover…