Consider having your last brunch of 2006 at Shopsins General Store. This kitschy West Village institution made headlines early this year when rumors circulated that quirky owner Kenny was going to relocate to Brooklyn due to inflated rents.
Simultaneously, the release of a documentary about the oddities of the restaurant, I Like Killing Flies, was released to cult audiences.
Publicity stunts or not, Shopsin’s remains a one of a kind delight. It has the longest menu in town, offering Matzo Brei to Orange Julius’s. At the last brunch of the year, everyone should get what they want, and this may be the only place where that is possible. Patrons are even supplied with Connect Four and can grab free candy at the door. Happy New Year!
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Luxury Pear Overload
At the end of the holidays, we may find ourselves contemplating the New Year and the one that is to pass; more so, many of us just wonder what we should do with the mass of Harry and David Baskets we’ve acquired from every relative, co-worker, boss, and board. The H&D offerings are lovely and do make lovely presents, but there are only so many pear pies we can make, dried apricots we can eat, and Moose mix we can munch.
Instead of letting the fruit go to waste or regifting the Moose Munch, consider sharing your specialty stone fruits with the less fortunate. Kick of the New Year with a good deed. There are a number of easy ways to give to local food banks and food drives.
The Food Bank for New York City works to collect food and distribute it throughout the five boroughs of New York City. You can help by donating your pears, or anything else in its original container or a sealed jar, directly to the organization.
You can also host a mini-food drive by rallying your friends together to collect a larger donation to give to the organization.
If you didn’t get any Harry and David goodies this year but still want to donate something, participation in their "virtual food drive" is an option. Select various foods from the Food Bank’s website and choose where you’d like it donated. Pay using your credit card, and voilá: a good deed!
For more information about donating food, you can contact Amarilis Gonzalez at 212-566-7855 ext. 2221. For all information regarding the Food Bank for New York City, visit www.foodbanknyc.org.
The New York City Coalition Against Hunger has an extensive website that tracks and locates soup kitchens and food pantries where your perfect pears—and your other sundries as well as your helping hands—will be much appreciated.
If you don’t want to give away your “fruit of the month,” you can always get involved with Street Project New York, an organization that helps serve up meals every Saturday to underprivileged New Yorkers. Check out www.streetproject.org for more information and you’ll be on your way to the first good deed of 2007!
Instead of letting the fruit go to waste or regifting the Moose Munch, consider sharing your specialty stone fruits with the less fortunate. Kick of the New Year with a good deed. There are a number of easy ways to give to local food banks and food drives.
The Food Bank for New York City works to collect food and distribute it throughout the five boroughs of New York City. You can help by donating your pears, or anything else in its original container or a sealed jar, directly to the organization.
You can also host a mini-food drive by rallying your friends together to collect a larger donation to give to the organization.
If you didn’t get any Harry and David goodies this year but still want to donate something, participation in their "virtual food drive" is an option. Select various foods from the Food Bank’s website and choose where you’d like it donated. Pay using your credit card, and voilá: a good deed!
For more information about donating food, you can contact Amarilis Gonzalez at 212-566-7855 ext. 2221. For all information regarding the Food Bank for New York City, visit www.foodbanknyc.org.
The New York City Coalition Against Hunger has an extensive website that tracks and locates soup kitchens and food pantries where your perfect pears—and your other sundries as well as your helping hands—will be much appreciated.
If you don’t want to give away your “fruit of the month,” you can always get involved with Street Project New York, an organization that helps serve up meals every Saturday to underprivileged New Yorkers. Check out www.streetproject.org for more information and you’ll be on your way to the first good deed of 2007!
My Favorite Prosecco
The first time that I tasted Col Vetoraz Valdobbiadene Brut, I was at the bar at Falai, on the Lower East Side. The bubbles hit my lips and moments later all I could think of was candy buttons. The prosecco tasted exactly like the little colored sugar dots that come off rolls of paper from our childhoods.
I don’t know why it tasted like that, but I loved it and thought it to be the perfect sparkler for any occasion. Soon after, I discovered its modest price of $14.99 and I’ve been stocked with the stuff ever since. Available at Union Square Wines, Col Vetoraz is the perfect item to bring to a smashing New Years party. If opened at the party, your host will surely appreciate the sublime taste. And, if the bottle isn’t popped on the night of the festivities, it can surely be enjoyed as a lovely brunch accompaniment.
Childhood memories are often the most fun taste memories, and this effervescent gem will keep you feeling like a kid!
I don’t know why it tasted like that, but I loved it and thought it to be the perfect sparkler for any occasion. Soon after, I discovered its modest price of $14.99 and I’ve been stocked with the stuff ever since. Available at Union Square Wines, Col Vetoraz is the perfect item to bring to a smashing New Years party. If opened at the party, your host will surely appreciate the sublime taste. And, if the bottle isn’t popped on the night of the festivities, it can surely be enjoyed as a lovely brunch accompaniment.
Childhood memories are often the most fun taste memories, and this effervescent gem will keep you feeling like a kid!
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Sated in SoHo
If you happen to make it to SoHo before the crowds, then swing by Olive’s on Prince Street. It’s a lovely little café that’s been around since ’92. With a perpetually packed, red storefront bench, it’s hard to pass Olive’s without wondering what the neighborhood set is queuing up for.
In the morning, Olive’s offers two kinds of muffins that vary daily. I happen to be a huge fan of the cranberry bran. It’s crispy on the top and packed with cranberries. I was told that the cookies were divine but after going through most of them, I think that the muffins are far superior.
Olive’s is a pleasant spot to take a quick breather between Prada and Apple. Join the crew on the bench, have a coffee, and ponder your next purchase.
In the morning, Olive’s offers two kinds of muffins that vary daily. I happen to be a huge fan of the cranberry bran. It’s crispy on the top and packed with cranberries. I was told that the cookies were divine but after going through most of them, I think that the muffins are far superior.
Olive’s is a pleasant spot to take a quick breather between Prada and Apple. Join the crew on the bench, have a coffee, and ponder your next purchase.
Difficult Name; Easy Preparation
I had never heard of avgolemono until one of my Culinistas™ mentioned making it for a new client. The name was impossible—pronounced ave-go-lem-on-oh. So I reasoned that, even if the prep was complicated, it must be easier than the name: enough basis to test the recipe for me!!
To my delight, I was right. The recipe is simple to prepare and provides the soothing subtle character of a classic chicken soup while simultaneously impressing the savvy sipper with a burst of citrus and egg.
Martha Stewart’s Avgolemono Soup
8 cups chicken stock
2 cups uncooked orzo
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons cornstarch
4 large eggs
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (4 lemons)
1. In a large saucepan, bring 6 cups stock to a boil. Add orzo; cook until al dente, 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper.
2. Dissolve cornstarch in 1/2 cup water. Heat remaining 2 cups stock until hot; do not boil.
3. In an electric mixer, beat eggs with whisk until fluffy; add cornstarch mixture and lemon juice. With mixer on medium-low speed, slowly add 1 to 2 cups hot stock until incorporated and mixture thickens slightly. Add any remaining stock to orzo.
4. Over low heat, slowly add egg mixture to orzo, stirring constantly until thickened and creamy. Do not let it come to a boil; eggs will curdle. Serve immediately—serves 8.
My Larousse Gastronomique described the uncomplicated Greek soup dually as a sauce. The more I thought about it, the more I liked this idea. I left out the orzo, made some spaghetti, and adorned it with the eggy broth. Evgefstos!
And, as it turns out, the name isn’t so difficult once it’s broken down. Avgo means egg and lemono takes care of the lemon in this delicious and adaptable concoction!
To my delight, I was right. The recipe is simple to prepare and provides the soothing subtle character of a classic chicken soup while simultaneously impressing the savvy sipper with a burst of citrus and egg.
Martha Stewart’s Avgolemono Soup
8 cups chicken stock
2 cups uncooked orzo
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons cornstarch
4 large eggs
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (4 lemons)
1. In a large saucepan, bring 6 cups stock to a boil. Add orzo; cook until al dente, 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper.
2. Dissolve cornstarch in 1/2 cup water. Heat remaining 2 cups stock until hot; do not boil.
3. In an electric mixer, beat eggs with whisk until fluffy; add cornstarch mixture and lemon juice. With mixer on medium-low speed, slowly add 1 to 2 cups hot stock until incorporated and mixture thickens slightly. Add any remaining stock to orzo.
4. Over low heat, slowly add egg mixture to orzo, stirring constantly until thickened and creamy. Do not let it come to a boil; eggs will curdle. Serve immediately—serves 8.
My Larousse Gastronomique described the uncomplicated Greek soup dually as a sauce. The more I thought about it, the more I liked this idea. I left out the orzo, made some spaghetti, and adorned it with the eggy broth. Evgefstos!
And, as it turns out, the name isn’t so difficult once it’s broken down. Avgo means egg and lemono takes care of the lemon in this delicious and adaptable concoction!
Choosing Your Chocolate Tree
At Jacques Torres’ chocolate factory on King Street and Hudson Street, there stands Christmas Trees, Santas, and Snowmen made of divine dark, milk, and white chocolate. These aren’t the usual chocolate objects; JT’s festive chocolate molds are more like artwork. On Christmas trees, hints of colored chocolate create lights and ornaments. Snowmen and santas are festooned with chocolate buttons, collars, and other features so that any merrymaker can identify the cocoa creature.
These jovial edibles come in three sizes. The smallest is perfect for a stocking stuffer; the middle is great to give as a treat to a grandson or niece to share with his/her siblings. The largest model—it’s about a foot tall—will make a whimsical centerpiece.
It’s not just the finished product—and the consumption of the creature—that’s so impressive. Go to the factory to pick yours up and watch as hundreds are molded and made daily through the glass display window—it’s the true miracle of Christmas!
These jovial edibles come in three sizes. The smallest is perfect for a stocking stuffer; the middle is great to give as a treat to a grandson or niece to share with his/her siblings. The largest model—it’s about a foot tall—will make a whimsical centerpiece.
It’s not just the finished product—and the consumption of the creature—that’s so impressive. Go to the factory to pick yours up and watch as hundreds are molded and made daily through the glass display window—it’s the true miracle of Christmas!
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Wine Gums
Why didn’t we think of this?
I recently tried the British gummy candy made by Maynard’s called Wine Gums. They look a little like JuJubes; however, imprinted on each gummy are wine messages: port, sherry, champagne, burgundy and claret.
The kidney, crown, circle, and diamond shaped candies don’t taste like wine but do have a subtle fruitiness similar to a sip of fine wine, according to Cadbury Trebor Bassett. Perhaps it’s a more sophisticated flavor than many American gummy counterparts, but most are typical candy flavors: lemon, apple, and orange. The gem of the bunch is the black one, which tastes like black currant.
The delicious, glucose-laden gummies are available at Myers of Keswick on Hudson Street.
I recently tried the British gummy candy made by Maynard’s called Wine Gums. They look a little like JuJubes; however, imprinted on each gummy are wine messages: port, sherry, champagne, burgundy and claret.
The kidney, crown, circle, and diamond shaped candies don’t taste like wine but do have a subtle fruitiness similar to a sip of fine wine, according to Cadbury Trebor Bassett. Perhaps it’s a more sophisticated flavor than many American gummy counterparts, but most are typical candy flavors: lemon, apple, and orange. The gem of the bunch is the black one, which tastes like black currant.
The delicious, glucose-laden gummies are available at Myers of Keswick on Hudson Street.
Fesenjan
I walked into my apartment a few weeks ago and was immediately seduced by the smell coming from the kitchen. My roommate happens to be a wonderful cook. When he made Fesenjan, a special Iranian dish, I had to have the recipe. Sweet and sour, crunchy and velvety, the combination of pomegranate, walnuts, and tender chicken makes for the perfect winter warming stew. It is traditionally served over slightly burnt rice.
Fesenjan
1/4 cup olive oil
2 small onions, sliced thin
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 1/2 cups walnuts, finely ground
2/3 cup pomegranate syrup
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons saffron (optional)
2 limes
2 1/2-3 lbs bone-in chicken
1. Heat oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven.
2. Add onions and sauté until wilted and translucent.
3. Add garlic, cinnamon and nutmeg and sauté, stirring, for another 1-2 minutes.
4. Stir in walnuts, pomegranate syrup, stock, sugar, salt, pepper and saffron.
5. Adjust sugar and salt to taste.
6. Bring to a low boil and simmer 1/2 hour.
7. Add chicken and simmer on low heat another 30-60 minutes.
8. Halfway through the cooking time, add the lime juice from both limes to taste.
9. Add water or stock if necessary to prevent the sauce from thickening too much and scorching.
10. Remove the bones from chicken; meat should fall right off.
11. Serve with plain white rice. Serves 6-8.
Fesenjan
1/4 cup olive oil
2 small onions, sliced thin
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 1/2 cups walnuts, finely ground
2/3 cup pomegranate syrup
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons saffron (optional)
2 limes
2 1/2-3 lbs bone-in chicken
1. Heat oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven.
2. Add onions and sauté until wilted and translucent.
3. Add garlic, cinnamon and nutmeg and sauté, stirring, for another 1-2 minutes.
4. Stir in walnuts, pomegranate syrup, stock, sugar, salt, pepper and saffron.
5. Adjust sugar and salt to taste.
6. Bring to a low boil and simmer 1/2 hour.
7. Add chicken and simmer on low heat another 30-60 minutes.
8. Halfway through the cooking time, add the lime juice from both limes to taste.
9. Add water or stock if necessary to prevent the sauce from thickening too much and scorching.
10. Remove the bones from chicken; meat should fall right off.
11. Serve with plain white rice. Serves 6-8.
Last Minute Gifts
In extreme crunch time like this, it’s always good to head to the Broadway Panhandler, newly relocated to 8th Street. The store is filled with so many culinary knick-knacks that it’s impossible to leave without finding something that is perfect for your gift recipient.
Check out the Shun’s Classic 3-piece Knife Set, which is on sale for $199 (from $239.95). It would surely put a smile on your dull-knife owner-friend’s face. Consider the wide variety of Le Creuset cookware on sale and going fast. Any Le Creuset piece—from grill pan to Dutch oven—is la life long investment that your friends or family will love. Finally, an adorable and kitschy item is the Pop Art Toaster for $34.95. Made by David and Goliath, these toasters are perfect for your witty friends and come with two different coil inserts that create unique grill marks after you toast your bread. Choose from “Bite Me” and “I’m Hot!” to create a clever slice of bread!
Check out the Shun’s Classic 3-piece Knife Set, which is on sale for $199 (from $239.95). It would surely put a smile on your dull-knife owner-friend’s face. Consider the wide variety of Le Creuset cookware on sale and going fast. Any Le Creuset piece—from grill pan to Dutch oven—is la life long investment that your friends or family will love. Finally, an adorable and kitschy item is the Pop Art Toaster for $34.95. Made by David and Goliath, these toasters are perfect for your witty friends and come with two different coil inserts that create unique grill marks after you toast your bread. Choose from “Bite Me” and “I’m Hot!” to create a clever slice of bread!
Tuesday, December 5, 2006
Sweet Secrets
Seasoned Ginger Bread House afficionada, Mallory Edens, cued me in on a few tricks as we head into the holidays. A fan of candy, Edens stresses the usage of large, sugar-covered gummy candies because they keep for the longest.
A subtle yet lovely effect is to sprinkle a few flecks of sugar sprills on the lawn around your GB House to create a light snowfall.
Chocolate does not keep very well between the houses construction and its edible destruction. However, chocoholics should not be put off—Edens exposed her best-kept secret. She stocks her house with wrapped Kisses, Kit Kats, and the likes. “Just because no one can see it doesn’t mean it’s not delicious—it’s like finding a treasure!” says the pro.
A subtle yet lovely effect is to sprinkle a few flecks of sugar sprills on the lawn around your GB House to create a light snowfall.
Chocolate does not keep very well between the houses construction and its edible destruction. However, chocoholics should not be put off—Edens exposed her best-kept secret. She stocks her house with wrapped Kisses, Kit Kats, and the likes. “Just because no one can see it doesn’t mean it’s not delicious—it’s like finding a treasure!” says the pro.
Eating Not So Funions and Wonderbread
This week’s food article in the Wall Street Journal struck me as particularly bizarre. “Gourmet Canned Cuisine” read the headline. Captions showed gourmet dishes made at fancy New York and California restaurants with canned goods beside them, apparently headlining in the dish’s recipe. The article reviews David Bouley’s usage of Heinz ketchup and Jean Georges Vongerichten’s sweet shrimp that have Hellman’s mayonnaise to thank. More shocking is the Kraft singles used by a Seattle restaurateur and the Gravy Master that the head chef at Toqueville puts on his $75 Kobe beef. The list of restaurateurs and canned foods spanned an entire page.
The article doesn’t glorify these chefs usage of lowbrow ingredients; however, it doesn’t completely put it down either. This, I think, is absurd. The very reason one attends one of these haute restaurants is to enjoy fine cuisine. And, the expectation is that this food will be unprocessed, preservative-free gastronomy. Of course, there is a place for ketchup, mayonnaise, and sugar (sugar, see left) in our diets in small amounts, but in this day and age when we are becoming more and more aware of the dangers and repercussions of a diet saturated in chemical-laden food and unnatural substitutes found in many canned and bottled goods, do we want these shortcuts sneaking into our starred restaurants?
It is an atrocity that these chefs would cook in this fashion. Of course there is the pressure of creating buzz around one’s restaurant. And, certainly, fresh, seasonal food is no longer anything new. However, to revert to high fructose ingredients for this attention will certainly not fare well with our arteries, our hearts, or our belt buckles.
When Wonderbread is a main ingredient in crab cakes, it should make us think twice about throwing down $12 for the golf ball-sized delicacy, right? What happened to all that progress that Alice Waters made in the 1990’s? Was fresh food just a fad? Does anyone really care about health? About the ills of a sugary diet and the detrimental effects of preservative-infused food? In a time when trans fat at MacDonald’s is written about and fought against daily, what makes a $23 Funion-encrusted halibut filet any different?
The article doesn’t glorify these chefs usage of lowbrow ingredients; however, it doesn’t completely put it down either. This, I think, is absurd. The very reason one attends one of these haute restaurants is to enjoy fine cuisine. And, the expectation is that this food will be unprocessed, preservative-free gastronomy. Of course, there is a place for ketchup, mayonnaise, and sugar (sugar, see left) in our diets in small amounts, but in this day and age when we are becoming more and more aware of the dangers and repercussions of a diet saturated in chemical-laden food and unnatural substitutes found in many canned and bottled goods, do we want these shortcuts sneaking into our starred restaurants?
It is an atrocity that these chefs would cook in this fashion. Of course there is the pressure of creating buzz around one’s restaurant. And, certainly, fresh, seasonal food is no longer anything new. However, to revert to high fructose ingredients for this attention will certainly not fare well with our arteries, our hearts, or our belt buckles.
When Wonderbread is a main ingredient in crab cakes, it should make us think twice about throwing down $12 for the golf ball-sized delicacy, right? What happened to all that progress that Alice Waters made in the 1990’s? Was fresh food just a fad? Does anyone really care about health? About the ills of a sugary diet and the detrimental effects of preservative-infused food? In a time when trans fat at MacDonald’s is written about and fought against daily, what makes a $23 Funion-encrusted halibut filet any different?
Gobbling Green Goodies
Try adding a new flavor to your baked goods by including green tea! Trader Joe’s now sells a Matcha Green Tea Baking Mix that can be used to bake muffins, cakes, or breads with only the addition of eggs, butter, and water. The tea flavor in the mix is subtle, but surprisingly delightful, and kids will go wild for the vibrant green color! The baking mix is so versatile that the Culinista™ within us all will be inclined to add anything from slivered almonds to dried cranberries to chocolate chips to mix up your green tea delicacy. Impress your family and friends with mini green cakes with a lemon ginger icing. Spoon your green tea batter into muffin tins until they are half full and follow the box directions to bake. To make the icing, combine 1 cup of powdered sugar and 1 Tbsp of lemon juice into a bowl. Add 1 Tbsp of minced crystallized ginger and 1 Tbsp of water and mix. Pour the icing over the cake, garnish to taste with minced crystallized ginger, and serve!
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Beets
Love ‘em or hate ‘em, beets will make you look like a pro in the kitchen for your next dinner party. Many people have an aversion to beets, and most of the time, it is because they grew up with the slimy, canned version. To add to their dislike, people generally imagine that making beets is a difficult task to tackle.
However, it couldn’t be further from the truth. To make beets, cut off their greens and wrap the beets individually in tin foil. Toss them in a 400° oven for an hour and a half. Let them cool, and then unwrap them and peel them—the skin slides of easily. Voilá—Beets!
And, if you make them for a crowd, you may even get a few converts—once people try the homemade version, they usually want to know how you made them!
However, it couldn’t be further from the truth. To make beets, cut off their greens and wrap the beets individually in tin foil. Toss them in a 400° oven for an hour and a half. Let them cool, and then unwrap them and peel them—the skin slides of easily. Voilá—Beets!
And, if you make them for a crowd, you may even get a few converts—once people try the homemade version, they usually want to know how you made them!
Miso Soup
At dinner with my grandfather recently, we both ordered miso soup. “You should put miso soup on the menu for your clients,” he said, adding that, “it’s delicious!”
It is also healthy and easy to make. Miso is known to prevent breast cancer and tumors, and also contains many antioxidants and fatty acids. It has a high content of vitamin E, protein, and B12 as well as immune boosting minerals. Wakame, the seaweed used in miso soup, lowers blood pressure and reduces cholesterol. Tofu is a great source of iron and protein.
All of the Japanese ingredients found in miso soup can be found at Sunrise Market. And, one can also find miso soup kits that come equipped with all the necessary ingredients to add to your soup pot.
If you are entirely uninterested in making your own miso soup, you can find it at any Japanese restaurant. However, there is an especially good bowl of it at Blue Ribbon Sushi (and, incidentally, their bakery branch, as well) and at Honmura An. An interesting version using red miso paste is at Haseki in the East Village, which offers a thicker, richer version of the soup. And, while I mention the East Village, Dumpling Man is my favorite place to grab a cheap miso soup to go. The portion is almost a pint, and it always has copious amounts of seaweed and tofu in the hearty miso broth.
Recipe for Miso Soup
1/2 cup wakame
1/2 cup katsuo bushi (dried bonito flakes)
2 tablespoons shiro miso paste
1/4 pound soft tofu, drained and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallion greens
1. Boil wakame and 3 cups water. Then, remove the wakame and set aside.
2. Sprinkle bushi over water and remove from heat. Then strain the liquid so as to separate the bushi from the liquid.
3. Mix the miso paste with 1/4 cup of the broth. Set aside.
4. Cut tofu into little cubes, reheat the rest of the broth, and add the tofu. Simmer, and then add the miso mixture and the scallions. Serves 4.
It is also healthy and easy to make. Miso is known to prevent breast cancer and tumors, and also contains many antioxidants and fatty acids. It has a high content of vitamin E, protein, and B12 as well as immune boosting minerals. Wakame, the seaweed used in miso soup, lowers blood pressure and reduces cholesterol. Tofu is a great source of iron and protein.
All of the Japanese ingredients found in miso soup can be found at Sunrise Market. And, one can also find miso soup kits that come equipped with all the necessary ingredients to add to your soup pot.
If you are entirely uninterested in making your own miso soup, you can find it at any Japanese restaurant. However, there is an especially good bowl of it at Blue Ribbon Sushi (and, incidentally, their bakery branch, as well) and at Honmura An. An interesting version using red miso paste is at Haseki in the East Village, which offers a thicker, richer version of the soup. And, while I mention the East Village, Dumpling Man is my favorite place to grab a cheap miso soup to go. The portion is almost a pint, and it always has copious amounts of seaweed and tofu in the hearty miso broth.
Recipe for Miso Soup
1/2 cup wakame
1/2 cup katsuo bushi (dried bonito flakes)
2 tablespoons shiro miso paste
1/4 pound soft tofu, drained and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallion greens
1. Boil wakame and 3 cups water. Then, remove the wakame and set aside.
2. Sprinkle bushi over water and remove from heat. Then strain the liquid so as to separate the bushi from the liquid.
3. Mix the miso paste with 1/4 cup of the broth. Set aside.
4. Cut tofu into little cubes, reheat the rest of the broth, and add the tofu. Simmer, and then add the miso mixture and the scallions. Serves 4.
A Micro Tool; Maximum Pleasure
The Microplane was one of the first kitchen tools that I was introduced to when I starting getting serious about cooking. It is one of the most useful products out there, and I am always surprised by how few people know about it.
The tool consists of a stainless steel sheet with tiny blades shooting off of it—like a mini cheese grater. However, because of the size of the microplane’s many blades, it is much more functional than a cheese grater. Indeed, the tool will help someone grate Parmesan onto a steaming bowl of pasta, but also it can expertly zest citrus, grind garlic, and shave carrots and onions. It even makes beautiful chocolate shavings to give any dessert a professional touch.
Microplane’s are not difficult to find either. Williams Sonoma has a wide variety of them, as does Bed, Bath, and Beyond. And, not only does its ergonomic shape help to grate unusually shaped veggies, it also makes a great stocking stuffer.
The tool consists of a stainless steel sheet with tiny blades shooting off of it—like a mini cheese grater. However, because of the size of the microplane’s many blades, it is much more functional than a cheese grater. Indeed, the tool will help someone grate Parmesan onto a steaming bowl of pasta, but also it can expertly zest citrus, grind garlic, and shave carrots and onions. It even makes beautiful chocolate shavings to give any dessert a professional touch.
Microplane’s are not difficult to find either. Williams Sonoma has a wide variety of them, as does Bed, Bath, and Beyond. And, not only does its ergonomic shape help to grate unusually shaped veggies, it also makes a great stocking stuffer.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Paprika
Paprika is made from ground up sweet bell pepper pods and can vary from having an orangey-red to a deep red color. It is the spice most associated with Hungarian food and is widely used as a garnish or seasoning for dishes from around the world.
Using paprika intensifies the spice of a dish, and different kinds of paprika deliver different levels of heat. Paprika can be anywhere from mild to extremely hot; it can also be smoked or sweet. Because of its variety, it is the perfect ingredient to add to your rice, stews, or soups!
Paprika is made almost all around the world, but major cultivators include Spain, California, Hungary, and several areas in South America, but it’s widely available in many of its guises.
Using paprika intensifies the spice of a dish, and different kinds of paprika deliver different levels of heat. Paprika can be anywhere from mild to extremely hot; it can also be smoked or sweet. Because of its variety, it is the perfect ingredient to add to your rice, stews, or soups!
Paprika is made almost all around the world, but major cultivators include Spain, California, Hungary, and several areas in South America, but it’s widely available in many of its guises.
Murray’s Pasta
For self-proclaimed foodies, it’s food 101 to know about Murray’s delicious choices of domestic and international cheese. However, there are other gems at this specialty shop. We’ve indulged in the Date Brownie, but there is another treat here that won’t blow all your calories.
Head to the back of the store and notice the boxes of pasta. There’s orzo, trofie, orecchiette, and penne to name a few. At $5.99 a pound, they are a little more pricey than your average box of Barilla, but the Rustichella D’Abruzzo are worth the extra dough.
On a recent taste test, we sampled the al ceppo and the whole wheat penne rigate and found both to be ambrosial. Their textures after boiling them in salted water became a dichotomy between tenderness and sturdiness. The tubes were both supple and firm upon first bites—a hard quality to achieve, as most pasta is either soft and flimsy or dry and hard.
The trick is the process. This pasta is made using traditional Italian bronze dies and given two full days to dry on its own. This slow dry system enhances the pastas’ dense flavors.
Ask any of the cheesemongers and they will help you match a cheese to your desired pasta, explaining why certain shapes take to particular cheeses so nicely.
Kids will have fun trying to stick their fork prongs into the tightly rolled sheets of pasta al ceppo. Originally made from wrapping the dough around needles, the shape pairs lovely with green beans and shaved parmesan.
The whole wheat penne rigate was a skeptical choice—whole wheat can often kill the mellow, comforting vibe of a steaming bowl of pasta. Not to mention, the tubes of penne were an unappealing gray-ish color in their uncooked state. However, I added sautéed slivers of avocado and arrived at the ideal meal.
Rustichella sells a line of pre-packaged pastas; however, Murray’s is distinct for selling the varieties by the pound.
Head to the back of the store and notice the boxes of pasta. There’s orzo, trofie, orecchiette, and penne to name a few. At $5.99 a pound, they are a little more pricey than your average box of Barilla, but the Rustichella D’Abruzzo are worth the extra dough.
On a recent taste test, we sampled the al ceppo and the whole wheat penne rigate and found both to be ambrosial. Their textures after boiling them in salted water became a dichotomy between tenderness and sturdiness. The tubes were both supple and firm upon first bites—a hard quality to achieve, as most pasta is either soft and flimsy or dry and hard.
The trick is the process. This pasta is made using traditional Italian bronze dies and given two full days to dry on its own. This slow dry system enhances the pastas’ dense flavors.
Ask any of the cheesemongers and they will help you match a cheese to your desired pasta, explaining why certain shapes take to particular cheeses so nicely.
Kids will have fun trying to stick their fork prongs into the tightly rolled sheets of pasta al ceppo. Originally made from wrapping the dough around needles, the shape pairs lovely with green beans and shaved parmesan.
The whole wheat penne rigate was a skeptical choice—whole wheat can often kill the mellow, comforting vibe of a steaming bowl of pasta. Not to mention, the tubes of penne were an unappealing gray-ish color in their uncooked state. However, I added sautéed slivers of avocado and arrived at the ideal meal.
Rustichella sells a line of pre-packaged pastas; however, Murray’s is distinct for selling the varieties by the pound.
BLT Adds Burger
Laurent Tourondel first wowed New Yorkers with BLT Steak and then quickly followed up his success with two more constantly packed eateries, BLT Fish and BLT Prime. Last week, he opened BLT Burger on a busy Sixth Avenue block, which, within five minutes of opening, was filled with beef loving patrons.
And, if you can get beyond the noise, your hankering for a sturdy burger will soon be replaced with a sturdy food coma. It is easy to get too full at a restaurant that offers Chili Cheese Waffle Fries and burgers piled with applewood smoked bacon. It is also easy to get broke, as the restaurant is supplying a 5 oz. Japanese Kobe Burger for $62.
Highlights of the menu include the combos, which match the classic burger (Black Angus beef with the fixins’) with fries and either a fountain soda or a milkshake.
The burger lives up to the hype; it’s just a matter of snagging a seat.
And, if you can get beyond the noise, your hankering for a sturdy burger will soon be replaced with a sturdy food coma. It is easy to get too full at a restaurant that offers Chili Cheese Waffle Fries and burgers piled with applewood smoked bacon. It is also easy to get broke, as the restaurant is supplying a 5 oz. Japanese Kobe Burger for $62.
Highlights of the menu include the combos, which match the classic burger (Black Angus beef with the fixins’) with fries and either a fountain soda or a milkshake.
The burger lives up to the hype; it’s just a matter of snagging a seat.
Monday, November 20, 2006
Sunday Morning French Toast
It recently occurred to me that every time I make a family brunch, I ALWAYS use a tattered, ripped-from-a-magazine recipe for banana stuffed French toast. Last week, I realized that the recipe comes from Zoe Restaurant in Soho. I got the restaurant recipe from a decade-old Bon Appétit Magazine. And over the years, I’ve made small changes to the original that appear in myriad pen markings over the glossy page. I’ve also discovered that using the whole-wheat challah from Silver Moon Bakery on 105th Street makes the very best rendition. This recipe, though it seems tedious, can be split into night-before and day-of preparation, a huge bonus for morning meal prep. Usually, I toast the almonds, prep the bananas, and make the dry sugar-oat mix the night prior to my big brunch.
Ingredients: for 6 big servings.
2 tbsps plus ¼ cup unsalted butter
2 tbsps plus ½ cup sugar
2 large ripe bananas
1 loaf of challah
2 cups whole milk
6 large eggs
1 tbsp cinnamon
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cup thinly sliced almonds—toasted
¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup minute oats
2 tbsps all purpose flour
1.Heat 2 tbsps. butter in a skillet; add 2 tbsps. sugar and water. Stir until it foams.
2.Slice in the bananas and cook until tender. Transfer to a small bowl; cover and chill.
3.In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, oats, flour, and 2 tsps cinnamon. Add ¼ cup butter and incorporate.
4.Preheat oven to 350º. Slice bread into 2-inch-thick slices. Slit a pocket in the middle of each slice. Stuff each bread slice with the banana mixture.
5.Whisk milk, eggs, 1 tsp cinnamon, vanilla, and ½ cup sugar and pour into a baking dish. Soak bread slices for 10 minutes, and then flip them and let sit for another 5 minutes.
6.Remove bread from egg mixture. Coat both sides of each piece with toasted almonds. Place the bread on a baking sheet and drop clumps of the brown sugar butter on top of each slice.
7.Bake for about 25 minutes and serve hot.
Ingredients: for 6 big servings.
2 tbsps plus ¼ cup unsalted butter
2 tbsps plus ½ cup sugar
2 large ripe bananas
1 loaf of challah
2 cups whole milk
6 large eggs
1 tbsp cinnamon
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cup thinly sliced almonds—toasted
¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup minute oats
2 tbsps all purpose flour
1.Heat 2 tbsps. butter in a skillet; add 2 tbsps. sugar and water. Stir until it foams.
2.Slice in the bananas and cook until tender. Transfer to a small bowl; cover and chill.
3.In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, oats, flour, and 2 tsps cinnamon. Add ¼ cup butter and incorporate.
4.Preheat oven to 350º. Slice bread into 2-inch-thick slices. Slit a pocket in the middle of each slice. Stuff each bread slice with the banana mixture.
5.Whisk milk, eggs, 1 tsp cinnamon, vanilla, and ½ cup sugar and pour into a baking dish. Soak bread slices for 10 minutes, and then flip them and let sit for another 5 minutes.
6.Remove bread from egg mixture. Coat both sides of each piece with toasted almonds. Place the bread on a baking sheet and drop clumps of the brown sugar butter on top of each slice.
7.Bake for about 25 minutes and serve hot.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Pancetta
Living in Manhattan as the seasons change and the wind starts blowing strong down Broadway always brings me to a steaming bowl of soup. In the past year, I have made many variations of bean and squash soups; in all of my endeavors, I have found that one secret ingredient livens them all.
Whether it’s a simple lentil soup or a blend of kabocha and onions, adding crispy pancetta to the mix adds a smoked, sophisticated flavor.
The addition of pancetta works especially well with purees. By blending the crispy bits of pork into the soup accommodates a more uniform smoky essence.
This season, try adding pancetta to any of your favorite soups for a comforting indulgence.
Whether it’s a simple lentil soup or a blend of kabocha and onions, adding crispy pancetta to the mix adds a smoked, sophisticated flavor.
The addition of pancetta works especially well with purees. By blending the crispy bits of pork into the soup accommodates a more uniform smoky essence.
This season, try adding pancetta to any of your favorite soups for a comforting indulgence.
West Village Inns Get Revamped
Two “Inns” in the West Village have recently undergone complete renovations. The Beatrice Inn and Ye Waverly Inn are old-time spots that are getting new faces. And they happen to both be sleek, sexy, alluring makeovers.
The Beatrice Inn was a small, quaint restaurant on West 12th Street. It served dinner everyday for 50 years before it closed its doors around this time last year. The restaurant had numerous regulars who filled the dining room every night and who were extremely sad to see it go.
Now, only a year after Beatrice Inn has been shut down, a new neighborhood spot is opening up shop. This one, however, might not be so quaint. Though they are trying to keep a low profile (keeping the same name, same sign and all), owners Paul Sevigny, Andre (legendary graffiti artist), and Matt Bromcheck of Employees Only will surely pack in the crowds every night.
Their theme is to keep things classic, serving up a throwback menu, which will include items such as Reubens and egg creams. Like Employees Only, this one will dole out exceptionally made drinks and become quite the scene during after hours. Hope the neighbors have been warned…
Ye Waverley Inn was closed for about the same time before Vanity Fair’s editor-in-chief, Graydon Carter decided to take over this summer and gut the entire space. The result is a charming, sultry restaurant with a strict policy for noise level and neighborhood etiquette.
The buildup around Ye Waverly has become so inflated that there’s been a party there every night. Carter insists that this will not be a hyped, exclusive place—but with an entourage of stars permanently sipping cocktails in the garden room in back, his historic inn may not be as quaint as its nearly century-long run.
However, if the scenesters don’t shut out the regulars, Ye Waverly’s second wind will be as strong as it’s first. Look forward to a classic menu to reinvigorate this classic place.
The Beatrice Inn was a small, quaint restaurant on West 12th Street. It served dinner everyday for 50 years before it closed its doors around this time last year. The restaurant had numerous regulars who filled the dining room every night and who were extremely sad to see it go.
Now, only a year after Beatrice Inn has been shut down, a new neighborhood spot is opening up shop. This one, however, might not be so quaint. Though they are trying to keep a low profile (keeping the same name, same sign and all), owners Paul Sevigny, Andre (legendary graffiti artist), and Matt Bromcheck of Employees Only will surely pack in the crowds every night.
Their theme is to keep things classic, serving up a throwback menu, which will include items such as Reubens and egg creams. Like Employees Only, this one will dole out exceptionally made drinks and become quite the scene during after hours. Hope the neighbors have been warned…
Ye Waverley Inn was closed for about the same time before Vanity Fair’s editor-in-chief, Graydon Carter decided to take over this summer and gut the entire space. The result is a charming, sultry restaurant with a strict policy for noise level and neighborhood etiquette.
The buildup around Ye Waverly has become so inflated that there’s been a party there every night. Carter insists that this will not be a hyped, exclusive place—but with an entourage of stars permanently sipping cocktails in the garden room in back, his historic inn may not be as quaint as its nearly century-long run.
However, if the scenesters don’t shut out the regulars, Ye Waverly’s second wind will be as strong as it’s first. Look forward to a classic menu to reinvigorate this classic place.
Nibbling on Feed
Jason Osborn and Jason Wright, two West Village residents and proponents of healthy eating to properly fuel our bodies, recently launched Feed Granola Co. Their granola comes in three flavors: Raisin Nut Crunch, Blueberry Banana Crunch, and Coconut Spice.
The packaging, appropriately, looks like a bag of feed: a brown construction paper-ish bag with the brand “stamped” onto it. A recent taste test proved the Raisin Nut Crunch to taste quite similar to the look of it’s packaging: organic and rustic. With few processed ingredients, Feed is much healthier than other granolas, and has a very natural, unrefined taste. It’s a little on the dry side, but with the addition of yogurt and honey, dry mellows into super crunchy.
Feed is loaded with the good stuff and uses very few filler ingredients. It’s ingredients list of grains, nuts, and seeds will surely be feeding the West Village for a while.
The packaging, appropriately, looks like a bag of feed: a brown construction paper-ish bag with the brand “stamped” onto it. A recent taste test proved the Raisin Nut Crunch to taste quite similar to the look of it’s packaging: organic and rustic. With few processed ingredients, Feed is much healthier than other granolas, and has a very natural, unrefined taste. It’s a little on the dry side, but with the addition of yogurt and honey, dry mellows into super crunchy.
Feed is loaded with the good stuff and uses very few filler ingredients. It’s ingredients list of grains, nuts, and seeds will surely be feeding the West Village for a while.
Tuesday, November 7, 2006
Wild Lily Farewell
Time is running out for Chelsea’s much loved Wild Lily Tea Room. The oh-so-familiar Manhattan tale of lease complications has taken another innocent victim. December 24th will mark the end of sunbeam tea, dumpling samplers, and those delicious scones, all enjoyed in the serene 22nd Street location.
A farewell tea tasting will be held Thursday, November 16 at 6:30pm, so book now to get in on the tea finale.
Starting this week, all merchandise other than tea will be discounted 40%, and around mid-November, larger objects and furnishings will be put up for auction online.
Lucky for tea lovers, the owners will still maintain their online teashop, but this Chelsea gem will be sorely missed.
A farewell tea tasting will be held Thursday, November 16 at 6:30pm, so book now to get in on the tea finale.
Starting this week, all merchandise other than tea will be discounted 40%, and around mid-November, larger objects and furnishings will be put up for auction online.
Lucky for tea lovers, the owners will still maintain their online teashop, but this Chelsea gem will be sorely missed.
K-Town Tofu Snacks
Leave it to my Korean assistant to dig up the tastiest K-Town snack with the most versatile uses. Simply called Tofu Snack on the back of the cellophane wrap, certainly the name does not do these crunchy, sesame-flecked crisps justice.
Found at Koryodang—a bakery and café on the jam-packed 32nd Street—the tofu chips are a simple mixture of tofu, sesame seeds, salt, sugar, egg, and flour. Elements such as the All Trumps flour (an enriched, malted blend) and the non-greasy fry give the chips a textured, complex flavor. The sugar adds an underlying sweetness to them but doesn’t overpower the savory tones of the bean curd and black sesames.
The chips are formed into irregular triangular shapes, twisted and crinkled around one another in the bag. They resemble the fried wontons served on the table at so many Chinese restaurants, but these are much more satisfying than that dry, oily rendition.
These fried crunchers are delicious served atop a soup or salad. Drop them into any squash purée for an added layer of taste and texture. They also taste delicious in a chicken noodle soup or a cup of hot and sour. Add them to a leafy green salad to substitute crunchy nuts.
More creatively, they could be used as scoops served with a tuna tartare or crumbled up and used as a coating for fried sesame chicken to replace bread crumbs or corn flakes. For the tartare, chop tuna into small bits and mix it with sesame oil, sesame seeds, and a little soy sauce. Form it into a mold and serve the chips around the tuna as an appetizer.
Of course, they are also great plain. Serve them in your children’s lunch box in place of Goldfish™ or pretzels. You can carry them in your purse and nibble them at your desk or serve them in a bowl on the kitchen table for your crew to munch on before dinner is ready.
No matter how you like to eat them, the tofu chips are a healthy snack alternative to potato chips.
Found at Koryodang—a bakery and café on the jam-packed 32nd Street—the tofu chips are a simple mixture of tofu, sesame seeds, salt, sugar, egg, and flour. Elements such as the All Trumps flour (an enriched, malted blend) and the non-greasy fry give the chips a textured, complex flavor. The sugar adds an underlying sweetness to them but doesn’t overpower the savory tones of the bean curd and black sesames.
The chips are formed into irregular triangular shapes, twisted and crinkled around one another in the bag. They resemble the fried wontons served on the table at so many Chinese restaurants, but these are much more satisfying than that dry, oily rendition.
These fried crunchers are delicious served atop a soup or salad. Drop them into any squash purée for an added layer of taste and texture. They also taste delicious in a chicken noodle soup or a cup of hot and sour. Add them to a leafy green salad to substitute crunchy nuts.
More creatively, they could be used as scoops served with a tuna tartare or crumbled up and used as a coating for fried sesame chicken to replace bread crumbs or corn flakes. For the tartare, chop tuna into small bits and mix it with sesame oil, sesame seeds, and a little soy sauce. Form it into a mold and serve the chips around the tuna as an appetizer.
Of course, they are also great plain. Serve them in your children’s lunch box in place of Goldfish™ or pretzels. You can carry them in your purse and nibble them at your desk or serve them in a bowl on the kitchen table for your crew to munch on before dinner is ready.
No matter how you like to eat them, the tofu chips are a healthy snack alternative to potato chips.
Making Onions the Main Course
Cipollini onions have been at the Green Market for a while now, but until I tried them in a rich wine reduction, I didn’t know that they were such delicacies.
Try simmering 10-15 of the onions in any Grenache-based vin doux from France. Using a port or a Banyuls will work wonders on the little guys.
Cook them in the liquid until the onions have turned completely the color of the wine and sopped up most of it into their layers. This should take about 15-25 minutes. In a final moment of the preparation, lob a small chunk of butter into the pot and stir it until it coats all the onions evenly. This will make the remainder of the liquid into velvety syrup.
They are wonderful alongside a simply roasted pork loin or beneath rosemary braised chicken. However, with onions so decadently smothered, they might be best enjoyed as the headline event. Consider serving them with salad and cheese on the side for the ultimate onion effect!
Try simmering 10-15 of the onions in any Grenache-based vin doux from France. Using a port or a Banyuls will work wonders on the little guys.
Cook them in the liquid until the onions have turned completely the color of the wine and sopped up most of it into their layers. This should take about 15-25 minutes. In a final moment of the preparation, lob a small chunk of butter into the pot and stir it until it coats all the onions evenly. This will make the remainder of the liquid into velvety syrup.
They are wonderful alongside a simply roasted pork loin or beneath rosemary braised chicken. However, with onions so decadently smothered, they might be best enjoyed as the headline event. Consider serving them with salad and cheese on the side for the ultimate onion effect!
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Natto
Intern, Jennifer Salenger, reminisces about her culinary adventures in Japan as Halloween is upon us.
Even as an adventurous foreigner in Tokyo, I didn’t have in mind something I like to call the “Stinky Spider-webbed Beans”, officially known as Natto. Natto are fermented soybeans that have been produced and eaten on the Japanese Archipelago for thousands of years. While these fermented beans are extremely good for your health, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they have an appetizing exterior—stinkier than even the most pungent French cheeses. Moreover, each time you touch a bean, it spawns new gossamer-like threads that waft in the air and get caught on everything. Talk about new ideas for Halloween party spider web decoration!
Even as an adventurous foreigner in Tokyo, I didn’t have in mind something I like to call the “Stinky Spider-webbed Beans”, officially known as Natto. Natto are fermented soybeans that have been produced and eaten on the Japanese Archipelago for thousands of years. While these fermented beans are extremely good for your health, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they have an appetizing exterior—stinkier than even the most pungent French cheeses. Moreover, each time you touch a bean, it spawns new gossamer-like threads that waft in the air and get caught on everything. Talk about new ideas for Halloween party spider web decoration!
Downing Halloween Tang Punch
Happy Halloween! For all of you party animals, The Dish’s Dishes has a festive punch that can be made at the last minute to spice up any Halloween festivity. The sugar and spice combination will have even the oldest spirits coming back for more. The key ingredient for is a throwback to the old days—Tang™!
For those who didn’t get a chance to enjoy Tang™ in its hey day, it is an orange powder drink mix that gives kids 100% of their daily value of Vitamin C with a tang of extreme orange flavor. It also jolts anyone with as much sugar as a filled bag of Trick or Treat goodies!
Our warm Tang™ punch incorporates instant tea, instant lemonade, cinnamon and cloves and gives a spicy fall flavor that both kids and grownups can enjoy. To release all your Halloween spirits, add some dark rum to the combination for a Tang-Toddy.
The bright orange color will go well with any Halloween décor and spark all kinds of curiosity with your guests. Enjoy!
TANG SPICE TEA
3/4 cup instant Lipton Lemon Tea™
1 jar Tang
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 jar Country Time™ Lemonade mix
1. Combine all ingredients. Shake them up.
2. Boil water.
3. Mix 2-3 heaping teaspoons into each cup of hot water.
This recipe makes enough for the entire party and to enjoy the morning after. If you are adding alcohol, we recommend dark rum or whiskey. Stir it in after mixing in the hot water. A nice touch would be to use cinnamon sticks as swizzlers if you are feeling extremely festive!
For those who didn’t get a chance to enjoy Tang™ in its hey day, it is an orange powder drink mix that gives kids 100% of their daily value of Vitamin C with a tang of extreme orange flavor. It also jolts anyone with as much sugar as a filled bag of Trick or Treat goodies!
Our warm Tang™ punch incorporates instant tea, instant lemonade, cinnamon and cloves and gives a spicy fall flavor that both kids and grownups can enjoy. To release all your Halloween spirits, add some dark rum to the combination for a Tang-Toddy.
The bright orange color will go well with any Halloween décor and spark all kinds of curiosity with your guests. Enjoy!
TANG SPICE TEA
3/4 cup instant Lipton Lemon Tea™
1 jar Tang
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 jar Country Time™ Lemonade mix
1. Combine all ingredients. Shake them up.
2. Boil water.
3. Mix 2-3 heaping teaspoons into each cup of hot water.
This recipe makes enough for the entire party and to enjoy the morning after. If you are adding alcohol, we recommend dark rum or whiskey. Stir it in after mixing in the hot water. A nice touch would be to use cinnamon sticks as swizzlers if you are feeling extremely festive!
A Date With a Brownie
When I was told about the Date Brownie at Murray’s Cheese, I was immediately skeptical. A brownie without chocolate isn’t very promising. However, the Murray’s wrapper boldly states, “Forget Chocolate!”
Opening the package revealed something that looked more like a blondie than a brownie, with its golden, flaky top. But biting down into the gooey center was a completely new, and very satisfying experience. A blend of butterscotch and muscovado sugar—an unrefined brown sugar with tones of molasses—enhances the sticky dates. The incorporation of walnuts adds to the refined experience. The ingredients and the flavor are almost Mediterranean, and the result is a sophisticated sweetness that could be paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a cup of coffee. The dense square of dates and walnuts goes for $3, but it’s best split three ways. It would also pair nicely bite for bite on a cheese platter—perhaps why it’s made and sold and Murray’s!
Opening the package revealed something that looked more like a blondie than a brownie, with its golden, flaky top. But biting down into the gooey center was a completely new, and very satisfying experience. A blend of butterscotch and muscovado sugar—an unrefined brown sugar with tones of molasses—enhances the sticky dates. The incorporation of walnuts adds to the refined experience. The ingredients and the flavor are almost Mediterranean, and the result is a sophisticated sweetness that could be paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a cup of coffee. The dense square of dates and walnuts goes for $3, but it’s best split three ways. It would also pair nicely bite for bite on a cheese platter—perhaps why it’s made and sold and Murray’s!
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Ice Cream Social
I came across the Ice Cream Social set at Garber Hardware a few weeks ago and immediately became fascinated by it. The set of four multicolor tumblers with built-in straws plus one plastic ice cream scoop is a genius new packaging of old Arrow Plastics products.
Naturally, I began to reminisce about my first ice cream social and about how I might recreate it. However, then a better idea dawned on me: why not fill these pink, yellow, blue, and green tumblers with A&W™, add ice cream, and have a root beer float party? The built in straw makes sipping easy while the wide mouth of the cup allows the slurper to ladle out the ice cream.
Grab a ‘scream set and soon you’ll be frothing at the mouth!
Naturally, I began to reminisce about my first ice cream social and about how I might recreate it. However, then a better idea dawned on me: why not fill these pink, yellow, blue, and green tumblers with A&W™, add ice cream, and have a root beer float party? The built in straw makes sipping easy while the wide mouth of the cup allows the slurper to ladle out the ice cream.
Grab a ‘scream set and soon you’ll be frothing at the mouth!
Trick or Treating with Spooky Vegetables
A recent visit to the Greenmarket in Union Square startled me with spooky Halloween-like vegetables! We shift seasons with strange hybrids and farmers who let nature run its course. Here’s a guide to a few items that will add to your bloodcurdling biodynamic buffet!
These days, you’ll find regal-looking purple broccoli resting up next to the traditional green trees. It comes from Hawthorne Farms (biodynamic and organic) so the color isn’t a GMO induced phenomenon. It’s simply farmers having frightening, freaky fun.
Summer is over but the baby chard is still widely available in shades of 1980s neon pink, orange, and yellow. Forget dressing up as a Power Ranger, a baby dressed as chard would have a very colorful costume!
Just as varied in color is the Indian corn that starts cropping up at the market around this time. It’s hues of maroon, yellow, red, and sometimes even a purplish blue add to tablescapes and radiate the feeling of autumnal harvest.
Celeriac starts to make its debut around this time as well. Harold McGee calls it “swollen,” so you can get an idea of how bulbous and bizarre the root is. Celeriac looks like a giant mutated white radish with knobs and growths all over it (you could use is as “Frankenstein’s brain” at a Gymboree party and really shock some six year olds).
It requires a lot of peeling to get to the tasty, edible part, but it’s well worth it. It tastes like celery but without any bitterness. Many New York chefs will accompany fall and winter entrees with celeriac puree, and it’s not to be missed (especially if they combine it with apples).
Broccoli Romanesco is surely the wackiest of the fall veggies. Its green leaves flank a conical head of mosaic-ed pea green nodules. The brainish fruit is a nutty, creamy combo of cauliflower and broccoli. However, it’s usage as a creepy tumor for a haunted house may be more appropriate.
Of course, all of these Greenmarket goodies have their culinary purposes, so as the ghosts and goblins line up, you might as well give them a taste of their own medicine!
These days, you’ll find regal-looking purple broccoli resting up next to the traditional green trees. It comes from Hawthorne Farms (biodynamic and organic) so the color isn’t a GMO induced phenomenon. It’s simply farmers having frightening, freaky fun.
Summer is over but the baby chard is still widely available in shades of 1980s neon pink, orange, and yellow. Forget dressing up as a Power Ranger, a baby dressed as chard would have a very colorful costume!
Just as varied in color is the Indian corn that starts cropping up at the market around this time. It’s hues of maroon, yellow, red, and sometimes even a purplish blue add to tablescapes and radiate the feeling of autumnal harvest.
Celeriac starts to make its debut around this time as well. Harold McGee calls it “swollen,” so you can get an idea of how bulbous and bizarre the root is. Celeriac looks like a giant mutated white radish with knobs and growths all over it (you could use is as “Frankenstein’s brain” at a Gymboree party and really shock some six year olds).
It requires a lot of peeling to get to the tasty, edible part, but it’s well worth it. It tastes like celery but without any bitterness. Many New York chefs will accompany fall and winter entrees with celeriac puree, and it’s not to be missed (especially if they combine it with apples).
Broccoli Romanesco is surely the wackiest of the fall veggies. Its green leaves flank a conical head of mosaic-ed pea green nodules. The brainish fruit is a nutty, creamy combo of cauliflower and broccoli. However, it’s usage as a creepy tumor for a haunted house may be more appropriate.
Of course, all of these Greenmarket goodies have their culinary purposes, so as the ghosts and goblins line up, you might as well give them a taste of their own medicine!
Praise for Piopinnis
The piopinno mushroom is a widely used fungus in Asia as well as through Italy and Spain. It is grown near poplar trees, and thus gets the nickname of a Black Poplar ‘shroom. They have a small, smooth, auburn cap with a long white stem. They grow in clusters much like enoki mushrooms, many white stems attaching together at a single base.
The mushrooms are firm when raw. They have a slightly nutty, forest-like taste. Their versatile taste and texture make them perfect add-ins to perk up any meal. They pair well raw in a salad with toasted pine nuts and pecorino, quickly sautéed and added to pasta, or even reduced to a sauce to be ladled over a steak stir-fry.
The health benefits of mushrooms have been widely published. They absorb cholesterol, build the immune system, and have anticancer and antiviral effects. These benefits are an added bonus to an already tasty and exciting ingredient.
The mushrooms are firm when raw. They have a slightly nutty, forest-like taste. Their versatile taste and texture make them perfect add-ins to perk up any meal. They pair well raw in a salad with toasted pine nuts and pecorino, quickly sautéed and added to pasta, or even reduced to a sauce to be ladled over a steak stir-fry.
The health benefits of mushrooms have been widely published. They absorb cholesterol, build the immune system, and have anticancer and antiviral effects. These benefits are an added bonus to an already tasty and exciting ingredient.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Las Brisas
The Arbequina olive grows 1300 feet above sea level in the Spanish city Jumilla. Jumilla has gained recognition in the wine world for its delicious monastrell-based reds made from grapes grown in extremely arid conditions. This severe weather intensifies the fruit, and it also does wonders for the olives.
Jorge Ordoñez, the utmost wine importer for the area, picked up on this and, as a result, also imports the outstanding Las Brisas olive oil, made predominantly from Jumillan arbequina olives.
Unfiltered and cold extracted (a process that protects unstable flavor), the oil retains much of the true aroma and taste of the small greenish grey olives. A rich golden oil, it hits the tongue with a fruity punch and then coats the palate with a velvety finish.
Jorge Ordoñez, the utmost wine importer for the area, picked up on this and, as a result, also imports the outstanding Las Brisas olive oil, made predominantly from Jumillan arbequina olives.
Unfiltered and cold extracted (a process that protects unstable flavor), the oil retains much of the true aroma and taste of the small greenish grey olives. A rich golden oil, it hits the tongue with a fruity punch and then coats the palate with a velvety finish.
Impressing Guests With a Frittata
A while back, my boyfriend and I were hosting a house of friends at a vacation cottage on the North Fork. We spent the week fishing, grilling clams, and eating pie. On our last morning, I wanted to make something special for breakfast—not that leftover pie each morning wasn’t delicious…
Though I’d never made one before, I figured a frittata would be fairly easy, and we’d have a chance to finish off the eggs so as not to waste them. I took all the eggs, leftover cheese, and onions from the refrigerator. I didn’t have a recipe but I understood the basic steps of a frittata: assemble on stove; bake in oven.
I did just that. I cracked all the eggs into a bowl and then grated all the rest of the cheese (which happened to be cheddar, chevre noir, and a little knob of some fancy pecorino) into the eggs. I chopped the onions into small bits; I sautéed them, and then I added the eggs. I sort of swirled them around to stir up the onions on the bottom of the pan. I keep messing with the sides, putting my spatula between the eggs and the wall of the pan. I remembered than I needed to season so I ground some pepper and dusted on some salt. After about 5 minutes, I decided it was time to bake the eggs. I loaded the pan into my preheated oven.
People began to awake and I suddenly became very nervous because I realized that I didn’t know what I was doing and I’d used all the eggs. I’d passed the point of no return so just kept checking the eggs. After about thirty minutes at 350ª, they seemed ready to me. Plus my nerves made me anxious to get the thing out of the oven and onto the table.
I must have done something right because our guests devoured the frittata. My boyfriend—who is my toughest critic—had two slices and so did his best friend. It was fantastic. And, fantastically easy.
To make a successful frittata, you need no skill, nor do you need fancy ingredients or tools. You can doctor it up with spices and vegetables or have it plain-old; either way, it winds up absolutely delightful!
Though I’d never made one before, I figured a frittata would be fairly easy, and we’d have a chance to finish off the eggs so as not to waste them. I took all the eggs, leftover cheese, and onions from the refrigerator. I didn’t have a recipe but I understood the basic steps of a frittata: assemble on stove; bake in oven.
I did just that. I cracked all the eggs into a bowl and then grated all the rest of the cheese (which happened to be cheddar, chevre noir, and a little knob of some fancy pecorino) into the eggs. I chopped the onions into small bits; I sautéed them, and then I added the eggs. I sort of swirled them around to stir up the onions on the bottom of the pan. I keep messing with the sides, putting my spatula between the eggs and the wall of the pan. I remembered than I needed to season so I ground some pepper and dusted on some salt. After about 5 minutes, I decided it was time to bake the eggs. I loaded the pan into my preheated oven.
People began to awake and I suddenly became very nervous because I realized that I didn’t know what I was doing and I’d used all the eggs. I’d passed the point of no return so just kept checking the eggs. After about thirty minutes at 350ª, they seemed ready to me. Plus my nerves made me anxious to get the thing out of the oven and onto the table.
I must have done something right because our guests devoured the frittata. My boyfriend—who is my toughest critic—had two slices and so did his best friend. It was fantastic. And, fantastically easy.
To make a successful frittata, you need no skill, nor do you need fancy ingredients or tools. You can doctor it up with spices and vegetables or have it plain-old; either way, it winds up absolutely delightful!
Rocking Rocambole Garlic
Keith’s Farm, a regular Greenmarket presence, is known for its rocambole garlic. In the summer, their double curl rocambole scapes take the lime light, and as fall comes, it’s the bulbs that steal all the attention.
This type of garlic is very easy to peel due to its loose skin. Each bulb usually has about 12 cloves, and each bulb gives off a concentrated aroma. You can spot the garlic in the market by its purple-stripped skin.
Their depth of flavor is quite distinctive. I recently roasted an entire bulb to use as a spread and got rave reviews from friends, saying its potent flavor made the ideal smear for a sandwich.
Keith’s sells garlic gift satchels at their stand at the market, which come with a few bulbs. They are wonderful to give to friends and families who love the stuff…you could also give them to children who want to fend off vampires on Halloween!
This type of garlic is very easy to peel due to its loose skin. Each bulb usually has about 12 cloves, and each bulb gives off a concentrated aroma. You can spot the garlic in the market by its purple-stripped skin.
Their depth of flavor is quite distinctive. I recently roasted an entire bulb to use as a spread and got rave reviews from friends, saying its potent flavor made the ideal smear for a sandwich.
Keith’s sells garlic gift satchels at their stand at the market, which come with a few bulbs. They are wonderful to give to friends and families who love the stuff…you could also give them to children who want to fend off vampires on Halloween!
Saturday, October 7, 2006
Try This Now!
It has quickly become the end of tomato season, and we find ourselves moving quite fast into the savory harvest of fall. Not all hope is lost for our heirloom obsessions though.
In this in between moment of the year, try combining the crunchy and the cured. A salad at Blue Hill at Stone Barns led to the joyful discovery of mixing the last of the heirloom tomatoes with high quality jars of sun-dried varieties.
Sort through your basket of cherry tomatoes and select only the good ones. Chop them in half and supplement the number over ripe ones with chopped sun dried flecks. Incorporate some of the oil from the jar while tossing the tomato pair.
The result is sophisticated flavor from one very simple ingredient.
In this in between moment of the year, try combining the crunchy and the cured. A salad at Blue Hill at Stone Barns led to the joyful discovery of mixing the last of the heirloom tomatoes with high quality jars of sun-dried varieties.
Sort through your basket of cherry tomatoes and select only the good ones. Chop them in half and supplement the number over ripe ones with chopped sun dried flecks. Incorporate some of the oil from the jar while tossing the tomato pair.
The result is sophisticated flavor from one very simple ingredient.
Nintendo Takes Its Place in the Kitchen
Japan has always been a few steps ahead in games and electronics. The cell phones, the electronic toys, and the cameras make ours look like they are from the stone ages. So, when I recently saw a new Nintendo “game” only available in Japan, I realized that Japan’s advances are infiltrating far beyond text messaging and high resolutions pictures of kittens.
The Nintendo DS (dual screen), a semi-recently released Game Boy for the modern kid, offers more than just Tetris and Mario games. It provides “adult functions,” too. The DS Cooking Navigator looks like any game cartridge. But load it into your DS and you’ll be doing more than fighting villains and capturing princesses.
The Cooking Navigator helps you prepare over 200 Japanese meals, from sushi to mushroom miso soup. The cook can browse recipes by calories, ingredients, or type of dish. Then, by selecting a serving size, the DS guides the user through a shopping list and step-by-step instructions for meal preparation. If your DS is near the sink and you are at your chopping block, you can use the voice activation feature to move through your personal cooking lesson by speaking to the monitor!
Each step of the recipe features a picture to illustrate the phase: how to chop, sear, sauté, and boil. If everyone had the DS Cooking Navigator, The Dish’s Dishes might find itself out of business! Luckily for now, the program is only in Japanese characters and dialogue! To see a demo, check out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtEBzRb5G9Q
The Nintendo DS (dual screen), a semi-recently released Game Boy for the modern kid, offers more than just Tetris and Mario games. It provides “adult functions,” too. The DS Cooking Navigator looks like any game cartridge. But load it into your DS and you’ll be doing more than fighting villains and capturing princesses.
The Cooking Navigator helps you prepare over 200 Japanese meals, from sushi to mushroom miso soup. The cook can browse recipes by calories, ingredients, or type of dish. Then, by selecting a serving size, the DS guides the user through a shopping list and step-by-step instructions for meal preparation. If your DS is near the sink and you are at your chopping block, you can use the voice activation feature to move through your personal cooking lesson by speaking to the monitor!
Each step of the recipe features a picture to illustrate the phase: how to chop, sear, sauté, and boil. If everyone had the DS Cooking Navigator, The Dish’s Dishes might find itself out of business! Luckily for now, the program is only in Japanese characters and dialogue! To see a demo, check out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtEBzRb5G9Q
Chowing Down on Cincinnati Night
I grew up in Cincinnati. Though the Midwest may not be glamorous, I am proud to know about a few Ohio pleasures.
First of all, Cincinnati has Graeters Ice Cream. A French pot process of pouring molten chocolate into freezing, churning cream yields massive irregular chocolate chunks. Second, there is Skyline Chili. The secret recipe is packed with elements of chocolate and spice and is served over spaghetti and hot dogs. There’s LaRosa’s Pizza, which should get honorable mention, though pizza is a touchy subject for New Yorkers.
I mention these delicacies not to brag or taunt, but to entice you to go to Cincinnati Night at Edward’s restaurant in TriBeCa. Once a month, the Cincinnati-born and bred owners get all the goods shipped to the Big Apple. Cincinnatians pack in to devour their hometown comfort food. It’s an ebullient sight to be seen, especially since the Bengals are doing well this year.
The next ‘Nati Night is October 23rd, the day after our boys play The Panthers at Paul Brown Stadium for the first time ever.
First of all, Cincinnati has Graeters Ice Cream. A French pot process of pouring molten chocolate into freezing, churning cream yields massive irregular chocolate chunks. Second, there is Skyline Chili. The secret recipe is packed with elements of chocolate and spice and is served over spaghetti and hot dogs. There’s LaRosa’s Pizza, which should get honorable mention, though pizza is a touchy subject for New Yorkers.
I mention these delicacies not to brag or taunt, but to entice you to go to Cincinnati Night at Edward’s restaurant in TriBeCa. Once a month, the Cincinnati-born and bred owners get all the goods shipped to the Big Apple. Cincinnatians pack in to devour their hometown comfort food. It’s an ebullient sight to be seen, especially since the Bengals are doing well this year.
The next ‘Nati Night is October 23rd, the day after our boys play The Panthers at Paul Brown Stadium for the first time ever.
Tuesday, October 3, 2006
Grand Confusion on Sullivan Street
In the middle of the summer, partners Monica Von Thun Calderón and Jim Lahey went their separate ways: he taking Sullivan Street Bakery’s Hell’s Kitchen location and she taking its namesake spot.
Monica changed the name of her bakery to Grandaisy (an homage to her grandmother). And, since then, it’s been a frenzied confusion of the implications of the new moniker. Rest assured, she may have hung a beautiful new logo, but she continues to make the same delicious breads and pastries. People were skeptical to have a Pizza Patate from the “new” bakery, but don’t fret, the recipes remain the same. The breads are as flawless and as fresh as they have always been.
Lahey’s uptown bakery continues to operate as Sullivan Street Bakery but word on the street he’s just applied for a liquor license… to be continued…
Monica changed the name of her bakery to Grandaisy (an homage to her grandmother). And, since then, it’s been a frenzied confusion of the implications of the new moniker. Rest assured, she may have hung a beautiful new logo, but she continues to make the same delicious breads and pastries. People were skeptical to have a Pizza Patate from the “new” bakery, but don’t fret, the recipes remain the same. The breads are as flawless and as fresh as they have always been.
Lahey’s uptown bakery continues to operate as Sullivan Street Bakery but word on the street he’s just applied for a liquor license… to be continued…
Toasting and Roasting JP’s Nutty Pasta
On my birthday, my friend, JP, presented me with a stockpot filled with delicious orzo. It seemed excessive at first; however, soon my guests and I were scraping the bottom of the pot. While the birthday feast may have been over a month ago, I’ve been salivating over the recipe ever since. Here, JP exposes his secret concoction, which he says is an adaptation of a Mark Bittman recipe.
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped walnut pieces
4-6 anchovy fillets with oil
1/2 cup plus one tbsp olive oil
2 tbsps minced garlic, and dissolve
Fresh ground black pepper
1-2 Chives, chopped
1/4 lbs grated Parmesan
1 lb. orzo
Italian parsley
1.Preheat oven to 400. Toss tomatoes in 1 tbsp olive oil and spread on a sheet pan. Roast them until blistery: about 20-30 minutes. Set aside.
2.Boil water and cook 1 lb. orzo as directed. Drain, but reserve a little pasta water if possible.
3.Toast 1/2 cup chopped walnut pieces in a small pan on the stove. Remove from pan and set these aside as well.
4.In the pan, combine 4-6 anchovy fillets with their oil, 1/2 cup oil, and 2 tbsps minced garlic, and dissolve the anchovies using the back of a fork. Add several twists of freshly ground black pepper and the chives. Add a bit of the pasta water (about 1/4-1/2 cup) and boil it down.
5.Add the walnuts after about 5 minutes. Mix. Set Aside.
6.Combine pasta, the walnut-anchovy mixture, Parmesan, and the tomatoes in bowl, mix, and snip on some Italian parsley, generously. Serve.
4-6 Servings.
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped walnut pieces
4-6 anchovy fillets with oil
1/2 cup plus one tbsp olive oil
2 tbsps minced garlic, and dissolve
Fresh ground black pepper
1-2 Chives, chopped
1/4 lbs grated Parmesan
1 lb. orzo
Italian parsley
1.Preheat oven to 400. Toss tomatoes in 1 tbsp olive oil and spread on a sheet pan. Roast them until blistery: about 20-30 minutes. Set aside.
2.Boil water and cook 1 lb. orzo as directed. Drain, but reserve a little pasta water if possible.
3.Toast 1/2 cup chopped walnut pieces in a small pan on the stove. Remove from pan and set these aside as well.
4.In the pan, combine 4-6 anchovy fillets with their oil, 1/2 cup oil, and 2 tbsps minced garlic, and dissolve the anchovies using the back of a fork. Add several twists of freshly ground black pepper and the chives. Add a bit of the pasta water (about 1/4-1/2 cup) and boil it down.
5.Add the walnuts after about 5 minutes. Mix. Set Aside.
6.Combine pasta, the walnut-anchovy mixture, Parmesan, and the tomatoes in bowl, mix, and snip on some Italian parsley, generously. Serve.
4-6 Servings.
Claude, the King of Chocolate Croissants
Everyone in New York should know Claude. He is the man responsible for making the very best chocolate croissants. Period. His croissants are the epitome of ideal texture and taste, integrating that difficult union of flakiness and layered-ness.
At Patisserie Claude, Claude himself works everyday in the back to make perfectly crusty, buttery chocolate croissants. He’s sometimes a little confused, speaking French instead of English in his barebones shop, but he’d never mix up his invincible blend of chocolate and pastry dough. Flaky and brown on the outside, his croissants are surprisingly soft, with fold upon fold of warm dough on the inside. They are perfect morning, noon, and night, but he often runs out by the day’s end.
Everyone should try Claude’s creations, and The Dish’s Dish will deliver them to you!
At Patisserie Claude, Claude himself works everyday in the back to make perfectly crusty, buttery chocolate croissants. He’s sometimes a little confused, speaking French instead of English in his barebones shop, but he’d never mix up his invincible blend of chocolate and pastry dough. Flaky and brown on the outside, his croissants are surprisingly soft, with fold upon fold of warm dough on the inside. They are perfect morning, noon, and night, but he often runs out by the day’s end.
Everyone should try Claude’s creations, and The Dish’s Dish will deliver them to you!
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Essential Cinnamon
I add cinnamon to just about everything. I double the amount in my baking, and I toss in at least a pinch of it in the savory dishes I make. Whether it’s lentil soup or braised pork, adding cinnamon to almost anything makes it taste better.
The evergreen tree from which cinnamon is derived comes from Sri Lanka, and it’s the bark of the tree that is ground into the beloved spice. As the bark is ground into bits, it releases an essential oil that gives it the aroma to which we are accustomed.
Cinnamon trees are grown for only two years, at which point they are cut down so that little branches will sprout up from the roots. The outer bark is stripped away to 1/2 mm “quills.” These quills are what we use for stirring our hot chocolate.
The evergreen tree from which cinnamon is derived comes from Sri Lanka, and it’s the bark of the tree that is ground into the beloved spice. As the bark is ground into bits, it releases an essential oil that gives it the aroma to which we are accustomed.
Cinnamon trees are grown for only two years, at which point they are cut down so that little branches will sprout up from the roots. The outer bark is stripped away to 1/2 mm “quills.” These quills are what we use for stirring our hot chocolate.
Stretching Mozzarella at Joe’s Dairy
Joe’s Dairy on Sullivan Street has been a New York favorite for mozzarella since the 1930s. Tuesday through Saturday, patrons will find second- generation mozzarella messiah Anthony Campanelli dunking his dairy-weathered hands into a stockpot of scalding water atop a standard Manhattan stove he’s rigged to heat up to commercial kitchen degrees.
He forms and reforms the raw cheese and stretches the long, thick mozzarella rope the full length of his arms, and then ties it off into the familiar balls we see in the latteria. All day he works, making an average of 1,200 pounds of mozzarella, which he sends to various cheese shops and restaurants and sells directly from the shop.
Mozzarella comes fresh or smoked, salted, lightly salted or unsalted. I recently discovered that the counter woman makes fresh cheese sandwiches. When recently picking up a few mozz-knots, I noticed her making a sammy for a customer ahead of me. When it was my turn, I added one to my order. She sliced open a foot-long ciabatta and stuffed in five thick slabs of cheese. Then she loaded it with roasted red peppers. The result was an incredibly simple yet delicious combo. Sauce-free and spice-free, the sandwich depends on the pure flavors and texture of the cheese, the peppers, and the bread. And, indeed, the trifecta works well. And, the beloved counter lady double seals it first in saran wrap and then in a brown bag to the juices and aromas stay where they belong.
This sandwich is the best deal in town. At $6, that’s 50 cents per inch of top quality, uber-fresh mozzarella, not to mention the **homemade** peppers and the Grandaisy bread. By using such incredible ingredients, the simple sandwich is as satisfying as can be.
Recipe
Grandaisy ciabatta, sliced Joe’s mozzarella, sliced in rounds, roasted red peppers in their Juice
1. lay desired amount of cheese and peppers on bread
2. close sandwich, slice in half, and enjoy!
He forms and reforms the raw cheese and stretches the long, thick mozzarella rope the full length of his arms, and then ties it off into the familiar balls we see in the latteria. All day he works, making an average of 1,200 pounds of mozzarella, which he sends to various cheese shops and restaurants and sells directly from the shop.
Mozzarella comes fresh or smoked, salted, lightly salted or unsalted. I recently discovered that the counter woman makes fresh cheese sandwiches. When recently picking up a few mozz-knots, I noticed her making a sammy for a customer ahead of me. When it was my turn, I added one to my order. She sliced open a foot-long ciabatta and stuffed in five thick slabs of cheese. Then she loaded it with roasted red peppers. The result was an incredibly simple yet delicious combo. Sauce-free and spice-free, the sandwich depends on the pure flavors and texture of the cheese, the peppers, and the bread. And, indeed, the trifecta works well. And, the beloved counter lady double seals it first in saran wrap and then in a brown bag to the juices and aromas stay where they belong.
This sandwich is the best deal in town. At $6, that’s 50 cents per inch of top quality, uber-fresh mozzarella, not to mention the **homemade** peppers and the Grandaisy bread. By using such incredible ingredients, the simple sandwich is as satisfying as can be.
Recipe
Grandaisy ciabatta, sliced Joe’s mozzarella, sliced in rounds, roasted red peppers in their Juice
1. lay desired amount of cheese and peppers on bread
2. close sandwich, slice in half, and enjoy!
Enjoy Over 25 Varieties of U-Pick Apples
Going apple-picking is a quintessentially glorious activity in September and October. Happily, New York State grows a large assortment of Johnny Appleseed’s favorite fruit, with many varieties available at U-Pick orchards.
Every year, jealous family members who live in the Mid-West ask me how I am enjoying my Crispins, my Ginger Golds, and my Honeycrisps. Sardonically, I remark that they are wonderful, but what about the Liberties, the Newton Pippins, and the Jonamacs?! Surely, apple-loving New Yorkers are a lucky bunch with well over 25 varieties.
www.nyapplecountry.com is a great website to get a complete listing of the U-Pick orchards in greater New York. I always brag to those Midwestern relatives when I am driving up to the orchard. But they’ve got the leg-up on me there: there are always better corn mazes in Ohio!
Every year, jealous family members who live in the Mid-West ask me how I am enjoying my Crispins, my Ginger Golds, and my Honeycrisps. Sardonically, I remark that they are wonderful, but what about the Liberties, the Newton Pippins, and the Jonamacs?! Surely, apple-loving New Yorkers are a lucky bunch with well over 25 varieties.
www.nyapplecountry.com is a great website to get a complete listing of the U-Pick orchards in greater New York. I always brag to those Midwestern relatives when I am driving up to the orchard. But they’ve got the leg-up on me there: there are always better corn mazes in Ohio!
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Apple Pie and an Appealing Tool, Too
As apple pie season rounds the corner, I am reminded of one of my family’s favorite kitchen gadgets, the Apple Peel Away. This device allows brothers, fathers, family guests, and the culinarily challenged to help out with pie prep while enjoying the fruits of kitchen camaraderie.
The contraption clamps to any counter; the apple goes on the end of a sharp, rotating prong that spirals into to a corer/ peeler/slicer device. Turning a crank, the magic happens and out comes an apple that has been cored, peeled, and sliced into an accordion-like helix that tempts creative (or destructive, depends on how you look at it) brothers to employ the apple as a slinky.
Slinky substitute aside, the Peel Away makes perfect apple slices for apple pies. They are 1/4” thin, totally skinless, and ready to be piled high in a homemade (or store-bought) piecrust.
The contraption clamps to any counter; the apple goes on the end of a sharp, rotating prong that spirals into to a corer/ peeler/slicer device. Turning a crank, the magic happens and out comes an apple that has been cored, peeled, and sliced into an accordion-like helix that tempts creative (or destructive, depends on how you look at it) brothers to employ the apple as a slinky.
Slinky substitute aside, the Peel Away makes perfect apple slices for apple pies. They are 1/4” thin, totally skinless, and ready to be piled high in a homemade (or store-bought) piecrust.
One Clients’ Recipe for Success (at least, a successful dinner)
A Dish’s Dish client tried her hand in the kitchen and got great results with this recipe.
Roasted Autumn Vegetable Salad with Maple-Cider Dressing
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs butter
1 tbs honey
1 clove garlic, minced
4 slices pumpkin, cheese pumpkin, or kabocha squash, skin on, seeds removed
4 parsnips, halved lengthwise (quartered if thick)
4 carrots, halved lengthwise (quartered if thick)
4 small sunchokes, halved
2 red onions, sliced into 1/4” rounds
2 or 3 sprigs rosemary, or thyme
12 fresh sage leaves
2 red apples, cored and cut into 1/4” thick rounds
Salt and pepper to taste
12 pecorino romano shavings
Dressing:
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2tsp Dijon mustard
A bit of minced garlic
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tbs walnut oil
2 tbs olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1.Preheat oven to 400. Prep vegetables.
2.Combine the olive oil, butter, honey, and garlic in a baking dish and place in oven very briefly so that contents melt together. Remove baking dish from oven; add all the vegetables and rosemary or thyme and toss to coat.
3.Bake another 15 minutes, gently stir, add sage leaves, and season with salt and pepper. Return to oven and roast another 20 minutes or until vegetables are golden brown and tender.
4.Add the apple slices during the last 10 minutes of cooking. When done, remove from oven and cool to room temp. Remove the herb sprigs. Set aside.
5.Combine the first four dressing ingredients, then whisk in the oils until combined. Gently toss vegetables in the dressing – add the cheese shavings. Serve at room temp.
Roasted Autumn Vegetable Salad with Maple-Cider Dressing
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs butter
1 tbs honey
1 clove garlic, minced
4 slices pumpkin, cheese pumpkin, or kabocha squash, skin on, seeds removed
4 parsnips, halved lengthwise (quartered if thick)
4 carrots, halved lengthwise (quartered if thick)
4 small sunchokes, halved
2 red onions, sliced into 1/4” rounds
2 or 3 sprigs rosemary, or thyme
12 fresh sage leaves
2 red apples, cored and cut into 1/4” thick rounds
Salt and pepper to taste
12 pecorino romano shavings
Dressing:
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2tsp Dijon mustard
A bit of minced garlic
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tbs walnut oil
2 tbs olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1.Preheat oven to 400. Prep vegetables.
2.Combine the olive oil, butter, honey, and garlic in a baking dish and place in oven very briefly so that contents melt together. Remove baking dish from oven; add all the vegetables and rosemary or thyme and toss to coat.
3.Bake another 15 minutes, gently stir, add sage leaves, and season with salt and pepper. Return to oven and roast another 20 minutes or until vegetables are golden brown and tender.
4.Add the apple slices during the last 10 minutes of cooking. When done, remove from oven and cool to room temp. Remove the herb sprigs. Set aside.
5.Combine the first four dressing ingredients, then whisk in the oils until combined. Gently toss vegetables in the dressing – add the cheese shavings. Serve at room temp.
Searching for Superior Sardines
In the wake of last week’s canned toro article, a reader has requested that The Dish address the too often maligned reputation of another finned delicacy, sardines. Many people have long regarded sardines in the same category as Spam—food of last resort, when the cupboard is bare. However, poking around town, there are a few restaurants that serve sardines that will certainly change minds, and maybe even start a new obsession.
Head to Barney Greengrass for the classic appetizing of sardines, but if you want to ease yourself slowly into the flavor and the idea of eating the little busters, go South to Mary’s Fish Camp where they serve ‘em up fried. At Po, the sardines pop up on a toasted barley salad, and at Hearth, they lay on a bed of savory soffritto.
If you crave a more classic preparation, Peasant’s rendition comes with three big grilled ones. Prune offers them as a bar snack with Triscuits and mustard.
Once you try these versions, you won’t be waiting for any more last resorts.
Head to Barney Greengrass for the classic appetizing of sardines, but if you want to ease yourself slowly into the flavor and the idea of eating the little busters, go South to Mary’s Fish Camp where they serve ‘em up fried. At Po, the sardines pop up on a toasted barley salad, and at Hearth, they lay on a bed of savory soffritto.
If you crave a more classic preparation, Peasant’s rendition comes with three big grilled ones. Prune offers them as a bar snack with Triscuits and mustard.
Once you try these versions, you won’t be waiting for any more last resorts.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Easy Bake
1963 was a lucky year for little girls. It was the year that the first Easy Bake Oven hit toy stores. In its first year, 500,000 kids took home the turquoise fake oven/stove top combos.
Since its creation, the Easy Bake has changed from turquoise to green to gold to white to pink. The classic, stripped-down model gets embellishments added each year, starting from mini dinner trays to a digital clock and microwave. In every era era, the Easy Bake Oven reflects the style and trends of the times.
Today, according to the Easy Bake website, more than 16 million ovens have been sold. There is even an Easy Bake Oven Gourmet Cookbook if young chefs want to get really ambitious.
Since its creation, the Easy Bake has changed from turquoise to green to gold to white to pink. The classic, stripped-down model gets embellishments added each year, starting from mini dinner trays to a digital clock and microwave. In every era era, the Easy Bake Oven reflects the style and trends of the times.
Today, according to the Easy Bake website, more than 16 million ovens have been sold. There is even an Easy Bake Oven Gourmet Cookbook if young chefs want to get really ambitious.
Brooklyn Bakes
When I consider Brooklyn’s legendary bakeries, I always think of Junior’s, which has been supplying Brooklynites with “the world’s most fabulous cheesecake” for more than 50 years. But there’s more to Brooklyn sugar-love than this well-known, age-old bakery.
Two other Brooklyn sugar shops prove that the schlep from Manhattan is well worth the sugar rush, three-fold.
Cab it out to Red Hook to get one of Steve’s Key Lime Pies. He sells them from a warehouse along pier 41, passed a sign that reads “Pies Here.” He only sells full pies, so go with a friend.
If you just want a slice of sweetness, you can head to Cake Man Raven’s in Fort Greene for a luscious piece of red velvet cake. He is well known for his life-like, life-size cakes, but you can always go in for a hefty slice to tide you over.
Tour the three on a bike and you’ll have room for each one.
Two other Brooklyn sugar shops prove that the schlep from Manhattan is well worth the sugar rush, three-fold.
Cab it out to Red Hook to get one of Steve’s Key Lime Pies. He sells them from a warehouse along pier 41, passed a sign that reads “Pies Here.” He only sells full pies, so go with a friend.
If you just want a slice of sweetness, you can head to Cake Man Raven’s in Fort Greene for a luscious piece of red velvet cake. He is well known for his life-like, life-size cakes, but you can always go in for a hefty slice to tide you over.
Tour the three on a bike and you’ll have room for each one.
Tuesday, September 5, 2006
Chin-What?
What makes your soup so velvety when you dine out? What makes those pancakes at a restaurant brunch so fluffy and even? The answer is a fastidious kitchen tool: a chinoise.
A chinoise is a conical, ultra-fine sieve that chefs (and uber-perfectionist home cooks) use for straining a number of things: sauces, batters, compotes, and soups. It can also be used for dusting powdered sugar, cinnamon, or the like.
A sieve or even a colander are analogous, but when your recipe warrants an ultra smooth concoction, using the chinoise will make the dish. Truly, a key lime pie doesn’t merit much delight if it’s lumpy. The tool is pricey but versatile. And, to enchant the palates of guests, it could be a worthy purchase.
A chinoise is a conical, ultra-fine sieve that chefs (and uber-perfectionist home cooks) use for straining a number of things: sauces, batters, compotes, and soups. It can also be used for dusting powdered sugar, cinnamon, or the like.
A sieve or even a colander are analogous, but when your recipe warrants an ultra smooth concoction, using the chinoise will make the dish. Truly, a key lime pie doesn’t merit much delight if it’s lumpy. The tool is pricey but versatile. And, to enchant the palates of guests, it could be a worthy purchase.
Meanwhile, at my Favorite Diner…
Every person knows the best diner. No matter the neighborhood, the person, or the favorite breakfast platter, everyone thinks that the tastiest eggs over easy and greasy fries come from a local diner sooo under the radar.
It’s the diner with the best potatoes, the crispiest Belgian waffles, or the only shake worth ordering. However, it would be foolish and irresponsible for me to crown my diner with eminent honor. There is a favorite diner in each and every neighborhood that probably deserves an award.
My diner happens to be La Bonbonniere on Eighth Avenue. I am not saying it’s the best diner in the city, but I am saying it’s the best one for me.
Weave through the line on weekends and have a seat at the counter. You have better viewing of the short-order cook who seems to never mess up an order and never stop loading up the griddle with anything from eggs to bacon to burgers to pancakes. He’s got a mound in the corner of chili powdered smashed potatoes that are served alongside most breakfasts. They, I think, are the pinnacle of diner fare. They are browned and well seasoned, and the turnover is so fast that a fresh batch is always waiting to hit your plate.
The food assembly to food-in-mouth lag time is minimal. If you become a regular, the cooks will be able to finish making your dish in the time you’ve enunciated your desired platter, as I’ve seen take place over a “three-scrambled-eggs-with-extra-bacon-and-two-pieces-of-white-toast-and-a-coffee” order.
The standard diner system applies: free coffee refills, ketchup on every table, and a license but no appeal to linger in your seat. Le Bonbonniere is my stand-by for early morning, start-the-day-right meals, for post-jog meals, and for post-late night meals. Each time is as delicious and satisfying as the last. And each time, I think about how I have found the perfect diner.
It’s the diner with the best potatoes, the crispiest Belgian waffles, or the only shake worth ordering. However, it would be foolish and irresponsible for me to crown my diner with eminent honor. There is a favorite diner in each and every neighborhood that probably deserves an award.
My diner happens to be La Bonbonniere on Eighth Avenue. I am not saying it’s the best diner in the city, but I am saying it’s the best one for me.
Weave through the line on weekends and have a seat at the counter. You have better viewing of the short-order cook who seems to never mess up an order and never stop loading up the griddle with anything from eggs to bacon to burgers to pancakes. He’s got a mound in the corner of chili powdered smashed potatoes that are served alongside most breakfasts. They, I think, are the pinnacle of diner fare. They are browned and well seasoned, and the turnover is so fast that a fresh batch is always waiting to hit your plate.
The food assembly to food-in-mouth lag time is minimal. If you become a regular, the cooks will be able to finish making your dish in the time you’ve enunciated your desired platter, as I’ve seen take place over a “three-scrambled-eggs-with-extra-bacon-and-two-pieces-of-white-toast-and-a-coffee” order.
The standard diner system applies: free coffee refills, ketchup on every table, and a license but no appeal to linger in your seat. Le Bonbonniere is my stand-by for early morning, start-the-day-right meals, for post-jog meals, and for post-late night meals. Each time is as delicious and satisfying as the last. And each time, I think about how I have found the perfect diner.
Phenomenal Fromage Hails from Quebec
Le Chevre Noir is delicious on its own as a snack; but it is also fantastic melted on a burger or folded into a frittata. The cheese gives red meat a sharp kick and creamy eggs a savory tang.
The cheese is a fairly common, but rather hidden gem of a cheese. Its reasonable price and lackluster origin make it easy to overlook, but its taste and texture are extraordinary.
It is a raw milk goat’s cheese from Quebec that is aged for one to two years. Wrapped in black wax to guard and add to its moistness, the folks at Murray’s Cheese say it’s made like a cheddar cheese. The semi-firm block has a flavor that matures and unfolds on your palate like wine. It is fruity and earthy simultaneously, and the taste seems to linger for quite long. There are notes of vanilla and nuts that make the cheese full bodied--a delight any time.
The cheese is a fairly common, but rather hidden gem of a cheese. Its reasonable price and lackluster origin make it easy to overlook, but its taste and texture are extraordinary.
It is a raw milk goat’s cheese from Quebec that is aged for one to two years. Wrapped in black wax to guard and add to its moistness, the folks at Murray’s Cheese say it’s made like a cheddar cheese. The semi-firm block has a flavor that matures and unfolds on your palate like wine. It is fruity and earthy simultaneously, and the taste seems to linger for quite long. There are notes of vanilla and nuts that make the cheese full bodied--a delight any time.
Monday, September 4, 2006
Dish Favorite After School Snacks
Everyone has a favorite after school or after work snack, whether it is something that your mom gave you growing up or something that you snuck to the corner store to buy yourself. As school starts back up this week, the Dish asks her crew what they after school then and what they eat after work now.
Josie Gordon, Senior Culinistaä, used to eat cheetos and corn chips after a long day of learning. Now, she opts to wind down with vanilla yogurt and Peace brand cereal.
Jennifer Ophir, our Culinistaäwho was recently in Italy teaching traditional Tuscan cuisine used to adore Stella D’Oro Swiss fudge cookies and Dipsy Doodles. Her tastes have changed and now she nibbles on tamari almonds and medjool dates.
Amanda Elliot, another outstanding Culinistaä used to eat green beans or Crispix after school. Her mother also used to bake bread that Amanda ate with butter and cinnamon. These days, though she still adores her childhood treats, she eats mostly nuts.
Nick Horween, Culinistaä and Business Manager, routinely ate apples and cheddar cheese after reading, writing and arithmetic He still adores cheese, but lately, he’s been eating cottage cheese atop greens with truffle oil dressing.
Sarah Chang, the Dish Executive Assistant who’s taking time off in Bueños Aires until December used to stop off at Whole Foods for sushi with her mom on the way home from school. Now, sans mom, she crunches on rice crackers wrapped in nori that she gets from Sunrise Mart.
Katie Han, Press Gal Extraordinaire, used to eat carrots but only if they were served to her with French onion dip. She was also a fan of ham and cheese to tide her over until dinner. Now she goes straight for anything chocolate.
Yours truly was a huge fan of carrots, too. I also liked tacos from a certain place, and I’d get to go if I was with my friend and her babysitter. I still like to eat carrots, but lately I love a piece of toast. Sometimes I top it with honey and sometimes salmon caviar I found cheap in Brighton Beach.
Hopefully the Dish favs will give you a few ideas of your own as you buckle down this fall!
Josie Gordon, Senior Culinistaä, used to eat cheetos and corn chips after a long day of learning. Now, she opts to wind down with vanilla yogurt and Peace brand cereal.
Jennifer Ophir, our Culinistaäwho was recently in Italy teaching traditional Tuscan cuisine used to adore Stella D’Oro Swiss fudge cookies and Dipsy Doodles. Her tastes have changed and now she nibbles on tamari almonds and medjool dates.
Amanda Elliot, another outstanding Culinistaä used to eat green beans or Crispix after school. Her mother also used to bake bread that Amanda ate with butter and cinnamon. These days, though she still adores her childhood treats, she eats mostly nuts.
Nick Horween, Culinistaä and Business Manager, routinely ate apples and cheddar cheese after reading, writing and arithmetic He still adores cheese, but lately, he’s been eating cottage cheese atop greens with truffle oil dressing.
Sarah Chang, the Dish Executive Assistant who’s taking time off in Bueños Aires until December used to stop off at Whole Foods for sushi with her mom on the way home from school. Now, sans mom, she crunches on rice crackers wrapped in nori that she gets from Sunrise Mart.
Katie Han, Press Gal Extraordinaire, used to eat carrots but only if they were served to her with French onion dip. She was also a fan of ham and cheese to tide her over until dinner. Now she goes straight for anything chocolate.
Yours truly was a huge fan of carrots, too. I also liked tacos from a certain place, and I’d get to go if I was with my friend and her babysitter. I still like to eat carrots, but lately I love a piece of toast. Sometimes I top it with honey and sometimes salmon caviar I found cheap in Brighton Beach.
Hopefully the Dish favs will give you a few ideas of your own as you buckle down this fall!
Nalgene Tups
Be invincible to people bumping you and your lunch on the train, in traffic, or in the hallway. With Nalgene’s Lexan containers, your lunch will be safe, and you’ll be stylish!
The Dish team wants the new school year—or simply the fall quarter at work—to be a breeze for those who like to pack a lunch. Nalgene’s line of containers is just the thing for people who prefer to prepare food at home and bring it in to work and school.
4, 8, 6, and 32 oz sizes are available to those eating, or simply storing, food for the go.
They come in green, blue, and clear and are available at most outdoor/camping stores. For these leak-proof, extremely durable vessels, the price ranges from $2 to $8.
The Dish team wants the new school year—or simply the fall quarter at work—to be a breeze for those who like to pack a lunch. Nalgene’s line of containers is just the thing for people who prefer to prepare food at home and bring it in to work and school.
4, 8, 6, and 32 oz sizes are available to those eating, or simply storing, food for the go.
They come in green, blue, and clear and are available at most outdoor/camping stores. For these leak-proof, extremely durable vessels, the price ranges from $2 to $8.
Casa Paradou Pastas To-Go!
Casa Paradou in the Essex Street Market offers delicious homemade pastas that are perfect to take into work or school for a hearty, satisfying lunch.
Large portions of Seven Herb Fettucine, Black Pepper Capellini, and Spinach Linguine will only run you about $7.50. There’s enough for two in these portions or perhaps enough to heat it up for dinner and then pack the rest away for the following days mid-day meal.
Butternut Squash Ravioli or Mushroom Ravioli are deliciously filling ways to get some vegetables into your routine. And, if you feel like being decadent, go for the Duck Confit Ravioli for only a few dollars more.
If you are stocked with pastas at home but want a new way to prepare your pinwheels and gemelli, pick up a portion of Paradou’s sauce: Bolognese, Clam, Fra-Diavolo, and Alfredo only cost $3.50.
Large portions of Seven Herb Fettucine, Black Pepper Capellini, and Spinach Linguine will only run you about $7.50. There’s enough for two in these portions or perhaps enough to heat it up for dinner and then pack the rest away for the following days mid-day meal.
Butternut Squash Ravioli or Mushroom Ravioli are deliciously filling ways to get some vegetables into your routine. And, if you feel like being decadent, go for the Duck Confit Ravioli for only a few dollars more.
If you are stocked with pastas at home but want a new way to prepare your pinwheels and gemelli, pick up a portion of Paradou’s sauce: Bolognese, Clam, Fra-Diavolo, and Alfredo only cost $3.50.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Dan Philips Makes Me A Grateful Dish
Dan Philips, the man who brought us Gatton Farms hickory smoked bacon for the BLT Fest is back with his annual Grateful Palate gift handbook. Every year, he features a variety of bacon as well as bacon-themed gifts for those who really love pig. I mean REALLY love it.
This year he’s got a whopping forty selections of savory slices of artisan pork. Apple wood smoked, Swiss sugar cured, and Swiss hickory smoked honey cured bacon are a few that just skim the surface of this man’s obsession with the stuff. The popular Bacon-Of-The-Month club is back, but this year, Philips also features a Salami-Of-The-Month club. Decisions, decisions.
The handbook is stuffed with fun gifts from the classic bacon soap to this years’ surprise favorite, bacon brittle. There are a variety of bacon-themed t-shirts this year. My favorite is the Go Pig Racer shirt, which features a pig on wheels.
The gift guide includes items that compliment bacon, too. Specialty balsamic vinegar, sea salt, and imported soy sauce look very tempting. They make me eager with ideas of how I could prepare a great porky feast. Philips even carries sweet products like Hawaiian white honey and an exceptional array of exceptional preserves.
Philips takes his handbook one step further by asking us the join his party and “Think Pink.” His worship for all things piggish might be over the top, but where else could we turn if we wanted a BLT ring? That’s right, the catalogue could be the answer to all your gift-giving woes when your sweetheart asks for jewelry. The BLT ring is a sterling silver set of five rings that look like the ingredients in a BLT. Stack the bread, the bacon, the lettuce, the tomato, and the other slice of bread to have a beautiful BLT with you at all times.
Check out www.GratefulPalate.com to order your catalogue or to make direct pig purchases. You’ll savor every gift!
Forgotten Fries
A few weeks ago, I wrote about my favorite, and your favorite, French fries in Manhattan. In the passed weeks, I have found two more stellar fry experiences.
Stop at decade-old Pommes Frites on Second Ave to have your share of a massive bowl of fresh potatoes on display that are fried upon request and served in the classic paper cone. Aficionados choose from dozens of dips: try the rosemary garlic mayo or the wasabi mayo.
Head to the West Village for Taim. This falafel shop serves up wonderfully crispy, thin-cut, made-daily fries. They come with saffron aioli, which adds a cooling but tangy note to the piping hot potatoes.
I wouldn’t add an insert like this if I weren’t serious. Go get ‘em!
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