Tuesday, March 31, 2009
April Fools or a Very Convenient Truth?
La Fonda del Josh
Passover Coke
Bacon TakeDown

Génoise Cake
Friday, March 27, 2009
Creamy Caramel Pudding
Fairly confident in my pudding skills, I thought I could get this recipe right. I measured precisely, kept a close eye on the clock, and patiently strained all four cups of pudding through Jill’s child-sized sieve. As vigilant as I tried to be, the pudding turned out to be a disaster. While a nice caramel color developed, it tasted like burnt sugar. The texture was grainy at best, even after my diligent sieve-ing, and the pudding completely separated while chilling in the fridge. Needless to say, it was not my best performance.
Here is a color photograph, multi-media journey through my battle with, and ultimate defeat to, Creamy Caramel Pudding….
Everything started off great. My water and sugar was bubbling away on the stove, and I was confident it would turn to caramel.

As soon as the mixture began to "deepen in color", I removed the pot from the stove in order to incorporate the milk. I was careful not to overcook the caramel because Jill reported a burnt flavor in her last batch.

This is where it began to fall apart. As the milk and caramel cooked together, the texture became grainy. With the addition of the cornstarch, the pudding did thicken, but the texture was off, and a taste test revealed the same burnt flavor.

After running it through the sieve, the final product looked almost like the magazine photograph, just, grainier. And worse, I suppose is the correct word.

I emailed Melissa Rubel, Food and Wine Magazine Recipe Developer and creator of this recipe, asking for help. She kindly replied, not exactly sure what the problem was, but walking me through the critical parts of the recipe. So I pose the question, what went wrong?? Was the milk too cold? Sugar cooked too fast?? Too much cornstarch?? These were all suggestions made by Culinistas, restaurant owners, and avid home cooks.
I'm eager to hear your responses, in hopes of getting this pudding right!
Butterlane Redux

But the cupcakes are so good that it wouldn't matter if they were sold from a fifth floor walk up. Though we tried nearly every frosting - and loved Key lime and American chocolate - we opted for blueberry with chocolate and strawberry with vanilla.


Thursday, March 26, 2009
Sexy Burgers: Paris vs Padma
[poll id="2"]
or
GoodWorld Goodbye for Good
The menu - what was left of it.
My Brother's Last Bite.
So long, farewell; Auf Wiedersehen, goodnight
I hate to go and leave this pretty sight
So long, farewell
Auf Wiedersehen, adieu
Adieu, adieu
To you and you and you
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Goodbye GoodWorld
One of the best burgers in NYC will be no longer in a matter of days. Good World, the Scandinavian spot at the Southern end of Orchard Street will say goodbye over the weekend to make way for condos. My favorites were always the burger, the peel and eat shrimp and, of course, the potato pancake.
Exclusive-ive-ive-ive... Lula's Sweet Apothecary
I sat down with Bythe Boyd and her partner Derrick over the weekend to discuss their vegan dessert shop in the East Village. "As a vegan, you always want what everyone else has," says Mrs. Boyd, which was part of her reason for opening Lula's Sweet Apothecary in autumn of 2008. She says that as a vegan, she constantly finds herself saying, "I wish they'd veganize that." Such was the case with the concept of an old-fashioned fountain shop. She was obsessed with the idea of it and when no one else had done it, she decided to take matters into her own hands. Though neither she nor her partner have any professional background in culinary techinique, they are both vegan (and thus always testing and tweaking vegan recipes) and had previously owned a vegan food truck in Philidelphia that specialized in veganized burgers and fries. The truck was called Viva Las Vegan and though it was successful, both were hankering to return to New York. For months, Derrick traveled to Manhattan from Philly each day looking at spaces until he finally found the sweet sliver of a spot on East 6th Street, just one block from Tompkins Square Park.

The shop is dotted with nostalgic touches like penny candy jars (above), metal shovel spoons and working seltzer bottles from New York's own Seltzer Man. What you won't find in the shop is trans fats, artificial flavors or coloring or high fructose corn syrup. There are no stabilizers and each flavor is made in small batches every morning. The ice 'creams', made with soy milk, coconut milk and nut milk (often cashew) as their bases and sweetened with organic cane juice and maple syrup, are miraculously delicious. The nut milks are made from scratch. I tried the strawberry, ginger snap, cake batter, and cinnamon pecan - all of which I adored. Even a friend visiting from the land of cheese, dairy, and fat (ie France) loved the Lula 'scream! My favorite was Derrick's Irish Sundae: Irish Stout ice cream (made with Brooklyn Brewery beer) topped with hot fudge, crushed peanuts, and a little dollop of soy whipped cream.

What makes Lula's so special is that the owners are truly behind the vegan cause. They opened Lula's with "the health and well-being of animals, humans and the environment in mind." When I asked them their opinion of Stogo - another recently opened vegan dessert shop - Blythe said that she was just happy for vegans to have more options.
The S&P

Tuesday, March 24, 2009
2 Degrees of Kevin Bacon

Irving Mill Sunday Supper


We also ordered the Irving Mill Burger (which came with cheese). It was also quite tasty though not anything too special. I loved the cupcakes we got for our Supper dessert - chocolate with orange buttercream. My brother's girlfriend and I gobbled ours up and then duked it out for who would get to eat the one in front of the man in the middle.

I highly reccomend doing this Supper option, available only on Sundays. It's a wonderful familial experience (even without your blood relatives) fused with the luxury of eating out.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Asian Sammies

At $7.50 a piece, they made the perfect bite before a lazy Sunday afternoon Sunshine Theater screening. I only wish there were a few more chips and a blazing Vietnamese sun to accompany every mouthful.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
A Razor, Un Cuchillo Brillante
Here are the details; please rsvp with them if you'd like to join in:
6p lessons & 7p dinner on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, March 20th-22nd
Price: $100 a person for a variety of cooking lessons and demonstrations which prepare a 5 course meal paired with drinks.
Lessons:
Knife sharpening and basic skills (feel free to bring your own knives)
Activa YG and bonding dairy proteins
The many uses of a pressure cooker
Gellan Spherification
Menu:
Hamachi Crudo with Crème Fraîche Sherbet, Chorizo Powder, Aji Amarillo and Passion Fruit Caviar
Huitlacoche and Black Truffle Queso Fundito
Taco Flight
- Pork Belly
- Lamb Belly
- Tuna Belly
Roasted Pork Loin with Serrano and Lime Glaze, Plantain and Queso Blanco Stuffing and Jicama Salad
Tequila and Agave Glazed Whole Foie Gras with candied Poblano and Cashews
Chocolate Nib Tea
Mole Cake with Flan and Hot Almond Whipped Cream
To read more about the founder of A Razor, check this out.
Artichoke

I'm not writing off Artichoke quite yet. Maybe the slice I got was a little old? ...And I am interested in trying the crab slice. But you won't see me waiting more than five minutes in any line.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Itzy Bitzy Macarons at Long Last!

In both versions, the cookie and cream are the closest to true French macarons I've had. Biting into an Itzy Bitzy mac, the cookie breaks, falling into the cream; but instead of cutting through it, the two elements fuse together making each bite complete. Each component is less vibrant than, say macarons from Madeleine, but they together make a more French feeling bite. It's almost a more effortless perfection. Black + White is a subtle nod to Oreo in taste. I liked this one very much but felt the true genius (and Pierre Hermé osmosis) came in the Chestnut Green Tea variety. It's pretty dead-on Hermé. They are available at Tafu and at the Brooklyn Flea for now, but flavors change monthly so unless you live nearby one of the venues, join the rest of us begging Itzy Bitzy to get her own storefront!
Breakfast Pie @ Co.
The Special Pie: Bechamel, Mozzarella, Shaved Asparagus, Black Pepper, and Two Eggs Over Easy.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Scuderia
I only got iPhone pics; but this is the dining room.
The food turned out to be pretty tasty. The best of our selection was the pizza - we chose the pesto and pinenut variation. The brioche fish sammy was good but nothing spectacular and we felt the kitchen had really skimped on the grilled vegetables. The thing is, the service was so pleasant and the space so nice (save the din, which was inescapable) that I would gladly go back and explore the menu a little more.
One interesting thing I noticed as we were passing our menus back to the waitress were the Scarpe di Scuderia: The Shoes of Scuderia. Leyla Marchetto has collaborated with artist Joshua Peters to make 12-per-season, hand-painted sneaks. Check out the ones he did for her daddy:
Cool? Yes. Worth $895? I don't know... does it get you free pizza at Scuderia for life?
One last pic to get you really excited to go to Scuderia... The Dish tagged the bathroom! (In chalk)
Exclusive-ive-ive-ive... Stogo

Can vegan ice cream really be good? It seems like an oxymoron. But according to Rob Sedgwick (above), it is! That is, if he's the one making it, along with his partner, Steven Hirschhorn, and Malcolm Stogo, 'scream consultant and founder of the Ice Cream University. I didn't love everything, but I would say the majority of flavors are very tasty. If you know how to order here, Stogo is not only a true blessing to those uninterested in dairy but it's gathered a following of lactose-loving fans as well. Maybe that's because Sedgwick himself isn't vegan - he just likes a quality product.
Some aspects of the business are pure whimsy: brother of Kyra named the parlor after his recipe developer and put a line over the first O in Stogo just because. However, shenanigans aside (they also opened up shop in the middle of winter -huh?!), most of the flavors are pretty great. Goji Berry and Mixed Berry were stand-outs to me as were the flavors made decadently with coconut milk. I especially like Coconut Chocolate. Strawberry and Piña Colada were very flavorful, too. Not only is the frozen dessert dairy-free, but also, it's made with only unrefined sugars such as agave and brown rice syrup. Some had slightly off consistencies... the Chocolate Chip Cookie and Mango Berry. But word on the street is that by summer there'll be soft serve, which even the connoisseurs of this niche are clamoring for!
159 Second Ave 212.677.2301
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
The BLT Pasta Salad
Here is a delightful recipe incorporating both ideas. The adult version to old favorites.
(Exact measurements not necessary. Can be served warm.)
Ingredients:
1 Box Spiral pasta, cooked al dente
1 pt Cherry tomatoes, halved, raw
1 pt Cherry tomatoes, halved, roasted in oven with a few spoons olive oil and sea salt
10 slices Center cut thick sliced bacon, cooked flat on a cookie sheet till crisp, then cut into 1" pieces
Baby basil or simply the smaller basil leaves, keep the leaves whole
Arugula sprouts (use a lot, they taste lighter than I originally thought and so good for you)
Pecorino romano, shredded
Balsamic dressing:
Balsamic vinegar
dijon
Fruity extra virgin olive oil
Tellicherry Black pepper, coarse grind
Sea salt (I like himalayan pink for this recipe)
Toss ingredients together. Season to taste with salt an pepper. Drizzle with dressing. Serves 8.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Dumpling House
I am partial to the vegetable dumplings in soup and the chive and egg pancake, which is a Chinese breakfast burrito of sorts. It's only good fresh and on this last visit, it had clearly been made a few hours earlier. Heating it in the oven if this happens to you will do the trick. The seasame pancake (the giant circle of fried dough cut into wedges) is tasty as ever and they've added a Peking duck variation, which is quite delicious for the pennies you pay.
All in all, even though my Dumpling House is history, I am glad that Vanessa's has risen from it's grave. VDH offers the same quality and authentic flavor for a similar cheap as it's previous iteration. It's probably more sanitary now and they certainly get you in and out more quickly. Sometimes change isn't a bad thing.
Little Giant Brunch
Fisherman's Breakfast: poached eggs, crispy cod cakes, spicy buttermilk sauce, roasted potatoes
Pig in a Poke: Grits topped with poached eggs and andouille sausage
Biscuit and Gravy: the famous LG biscuit, poached eggs, pork sausage patty made in house and garlic-herb gravy
There's also tons more to fill up on: French Toast that comes with banana gelato and toffee sauce, Truffle Grilled Cheese, and the Trucker's Breakfast (a slew of savories to test your date's manliness) are all great ways to start a Sunday (or close out a Saturday night hangover).
Monday, March 9, 2009
Spicy Mina

Pakora - a must try appetizer

Samosa Chaat
Okra!
Chickpeas!
Dal!
Cauliflower!
And my favorite: Fried Dal!
Have Mina cook whatever she wants for you - just tell her you trust her. Your food might take a while, but that's because she's cooking everything from scratch. So our food wasn't limited to chaat at this stop on David's tour - but no one said a word.
Spicy Mina64-23 Broadway; Woodside Queens718.205.2340
Friday, March 6, 2009
Scallop Sliders

Scallop Sliders with Apple Brandy Sauce
5 Scallops
10 shitake mushroom caps
20 baby leaves of spinach
1/4 cup apple juice
1 shallot (finely diced)
1/4 brandy
3 tbsp. cream
5 tbsp. olive oil
Clean Mushrooms and Spinach set aside. Finely dice the shallots set aside. Prep Scallops and season with salt and pepper. Heat pan with 3 tbsp. olive oil. Sear Scallops for 3-4 minutes per side depending on size. Set aside. In the same pan saute mushroom caps with remaining olive oil till tender, reserve. Saute shallot in pan and deglaze with brandy. Reduce for 1 minute then add apple juice. Reduce for 1 minute and add cream. Season with salt/pepper. Add spinach till wilted. Remove spinach and reserve sauce. Split each scallop in two. Layer with spinach and mushroom cap and place a toothpick in for holding. Serve warm with the reserved brandy sauce.
Exclusive-ive-ive-ive... The Richardson Changes Up the Menu
Pretzel Bowl - Martin's pretzels. classic PA dutch style. 5 pretzels & a side of mustard.
Pickle Bowl - McClure's Pickles, classic.
Cannellini Bean Toast - a white bean salad on crispy toasts.
Westfield Capri Toast - "dope ass goat cheese from MASS".
Gallego Toast - a soft, Spanish cow's milk cheese.
Tuna Salsa Cruda Toast - a salad of high-quality, Italian tuna, artichoke, black olive & parsley.
Beer Drinker's Plate - 1oz Cabbot Clothbound Cheddar, 3 Martin's Pretzels, a side of mustard & 1 McClure's Pickle bowl
Butterlane Cupcakes

Thursday, March 5, 2009
...tell me the name of your sweet heart
Laughing burst in front of me. I was busted and joined in.
As a chef well-known for stuffing veggies down the throat of others, it was a sugar-vore's dilemma for me to admit that I frequented the donut chain. I got my treat but had to quell the insisting comments of the Culinista that the laughing was at her. I immediately made my case. I admitted what I was doing but that i had gotten the donut only because it was late and there was nothing else around. Right?
More laughing.
Apparently, my feeble and unnecessary efforts to deny that I regularly eat sweets was triple funnier than the supposed oxymoron of it that I built in my head. How else would Culinistas stay so sweet? *wink* (By the way, she prefers the Boston Creme.)
I guess I'm over it now.
And while I've never made a strawberry frosted donut, I have made another strawberry crowned goodie. I prefer giving this recipe because it has real fruit and doesn't condone the fast food sugar high. Make it with local strawberries when they hit the stands later this year. Use organic wherever possible. It will make me feel better.
Strawberry shortcake
(Adapted from Bon Apppetit!)
For biscuits
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
5 tablespoons turbinado sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons chilled whipping cream
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
For berries and cream
3 1-pint baskets local strawberries, hulled, sliced (or diced)
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons turbinado sugar
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint
1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 cup chilled whipping cream
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
Make biscuits:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Blend flour, 4 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter using 2 knives or food processor until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 1 cup cream and orange peel. Mix just until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; gently knead 5 turns. Roll out dough on floured surface to 3/4-inch-thick round. Using 3-inch-diameter cutter, cut out 3 rounds. Gather dough and reroll as needed to make 3 more 3-inch rounds. Arrange rounds on prepared sheet. Brush with 2 tablespoons cream; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.
Bake biscuits until pale golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool 15 minutes. (Can be made 2 hours ahead.)
Make berries and cream:
Combine berries, 1/2 cup sugar, mint, and orange peel in medium bowl; stir to blend. Let stand at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Combine cream, vanilla, and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar in large bowl. Whisk until soft peaks form.
Cut biscuits horizontally in half. Place 1 biscuit bottom in each of 6 bowls. Top each with berries, then sweetened whipped cream and biscuit top.
Relish!
My Own Granola
