Well, hello there...welcome to Hunger Thirst Play! I'm Lauren, maker of tasty eats, shaker of cocktails and lover of all things New England. I believe a well-balanced life involves apple picking, summers at the beach, and iced coffee in the dead of winter.
My love for food has always been there ever since that time I got my hair stuck in the standing mixer as a kid that eventually led to a career in the restaurant industry. We now own two of our own small local restaurants, but most days I'm swapping my cocktail shaker and manager keys for my mom hat.
Over here you'll find an array of recipes, some of them are healthy and quick, some more indulgent and a labor of love and some of them are cocktails. Here and there you'll get a little pinch and a dash of New England living.
About Lauren
I'm a born and bred New Englander, I pronounce the letter 'r' on most occasions, say wicked a wicked lot and I'm a bit swear-y and love all the stereotypes that come with New England living.
We're talking apple picking in the fall, pumpkin spice lattes, sipping rosé in the summer, spin class, and my wardrobe is 90% black yoga pants.
for me the best thing about New England are the seasons
My passion for food and cocktails are constantly influenced by the seasons, the weather, and what's fresh.
We live in Somerville just outside of Boston. It's amazing. Our neighbors are great, our apartment could use a little more space, but instead, I have beautiful kitchen windows for food photography so it's a fair trade. Everything the city has to offer is right at our reach as long as you plan accordingly with the traffic.
My husband and I met working in the restaurant industry. When I saw this guy who is supposed to be wearing suits totally killing it in kitchenware rocking the sauté station on a busy holiday lunch, I knew that there was something about him. Fast forward to two babies, a bulldog and our own two restaurants later...he's still my favorite person even if he is allergic to mushrooms. That's not to say it's always rainbows and calorie-free slices of cake, but we're a really great team.
My kids are so incredibly great. Hunger Thirst Play first started as a way to stay creative when I felt like I was losing myself as a first time Stay at Home Mom. Since then it's grown into so so much more.
A little info about Frank...
Occasionally you'll hear me reference Frank in blog posts or on Instagram. He's my brain tumor. You can read more about that whole mess and how he got his name here. Here's the short(ish) version:
Shortly after Shea was born I found a lump behind my left ear - like literally in the post-Partum unit learning about being a new mom. After a few tests and a doctors visit later they said I had a mass growing from the lining of my brain that would eventually be diagnosed as a benign brain tumor called a 'meningioma.' They believe the tumor had started way back in high school, but because my body just found ways to adapt along the way it was never properly diagnosed. For some reason there is a link between pregnancy and meningioma growth. Whether from the hormones or the extra blood in the body it's like sprinkling it with Miracle Gro for 9 months.
Once all was said and done Frank had grown down my jugular, wrapping around my carotid artery, and crushing several nerves in my brain that control my left vocal cords, muscles in my left shoulder, the left side of my tongue and a little bit of the muscles on the left side of my face.
It's why I can't yell or sing anymore, why my warrior two arms are all wonky and why I wanted to leave Shea (and now Ella) with a substantial piece of who I am - making good food and cocktails, occasionally being witty, definitely being long-winded, and adventuring through it all with them - and you!
Meet the official HTP tasters
You've already met Henry, unfortunately, his taste testing is usually a reheat or just jealously seeing a post because the snacks got brought somewhere else. Thanks for being a good sport, honey.
This is Charley Brown. He likes belly rubs, butt scratches, chicken, and walks in the crisp fall air. He's currently single and looking for love, but can't be bothered to figure out any of those dating apps.
My sweet and spicy Shea. Incredibly funny, she's got her mom's love for baking and sweets, her daddy's gemini personality, and both of our stubbornness. For a while I didn't think we would survive the terrible twos, but we did and I'm just going to savor this sweet spot we're in for as long as I can.
My littlest love, Ella Bella. While she's just starting to wear her taste-testing hat, so far so good. She has certainly been my little unicorn baby. So happy, mellow and smiley. Just as long as she's not hungry or tired...just like her mama.
And if you're still here...first, thank you and second, hopefully, you've decided that I am your kind of person. Maybe you see us cooking together, laughing over a nice strong cocktail, or bonding over the ups and downs of life in general.
The recipes on Hunger Thirst Play are meant to cover all the bases - appetizers, salads, sides, desserts, and main dishes. Cocktails rotate to feature different spirits based on the vibes the weather is sending. I'm just learning to like cilantro and I positively hate olives. So don't expect too much of that.
In the meantime, let me get to know you! Let's connect!
You can join our exclusive Facebook Group for recipe lovers, like the Page to stay up to date on new recipes, pop over to Instagram, or see what I'm loving on Pinterest. I'm on Twitter too, but I'm really bad at it and I'm not even going to pretend to understand it. Instagram is mah faaaavorite. Be sure to tag #HungerThirstPlay in what you're making so I can see the deliciousness you're whipping up.
Cheers until next time!
Lauren