Welcome to Harlem

After stumbling upon an adorable studio apartment complete with private garden, I decided to switch up my scenery and move to Harlem for the summer.  I've only been here for a week, but I can honestly say I've never eaten better (with the exception of living with my mother, goddess of the kitchen).  Last Saturday night, Read and I took a stroll through our new neighborhood only to find that we live four blocks away from the famous Sylvia's Soul Food Restaurant.  We couldn't miss it.  It looked like people were lining up for a nightclub at 7:30, except every one looked hungry.

Read and I contemplated waiting in line, but our rumbling stomachs couldn't handle the wait. We walked another couple of blocks to find the next restaurant with a soul food sign. And while Silvia's may be famous (and we will most certainly try it), what we found next could be one of my best Manhattan finds.

With a name like "Jacob Restaurant" (that's right, not even possessive, just "Jacob") I wasn't expecting much. But as you may have guessed, we were blown away. First, let me say that Jacob Restaurant is a buffet, which is not exactly synonymous with good food, but hold on.  A two isle soul food buffet complete with fried chicken, ribs, brisket, Jamaican jerk, collard greens, sweet potatoes, mac and cheese, roasted turkey, and literally anything else you can imagine, awaits.  Now, what makes this set-up different from other traditional buffets is that you pay by the pound, which means that it's not a wild free-for-all, which in turn keeps the quality of the food high.

Needless to say, everything was amazing. Crispy, juicy fried chicken with just a hint of sweet, collard greens seasoned with turkey meat, fall-off-the-bone ribs and slow cooked sides.  Michael Jackson was blasting and entire families came in to enjoy their weekend dinner. You simply fill a container with what you like, weigh it, and enjoy your perfectly crafted meal in the dining room. I smiled the entire time. Oh, and did I mention it's $4.99 a pound, and our meal was less that $20 all together?? Insane. If you're in the neighborhood, or very far away from the neighborhood for that matter, come check it out! I may never leave.....

Swedish Greenhouse

Here's the greenhouse at Appelfabriken. We've had nonstop glorious sunshine since I arrived a week ago. This means I'm getting a great tan but also devoting a ton of time to watering all the plants! Alright, no complaints...

Hot summer/cool food

While having dinner with South American friends on Friday, we were fantasizing about our favorite summer meal: Ceviche and guacamole! Both are so easy to make, yet my Venezeulan friend had never made either! I told her I would give her my favorite recipes, but I'm giving them to The Dish first!

Ceviche:
Ask your favorite fishmonger to cut up 1/4-1/2 inch cubes of white fish - I like to use a combination of sea bass and scallops. Marinate the fish with the juice of 3 limes, season with salt and pepper and place in fridge for at least an hour. In another bowl, place cut up jalapeno pepper, red pepper, red onion ...and whatever other veggies you like - I sometimes add corn or small chunks of sweet potato. Add lime juice and marinate for an hour.
Drain both, mix together, add more lime juice and chopped cilantro. (the lime juice "cooks" the fish so make sure to marinate it for at least an hour - up to 3 hours is fine.

My guac has become a family favorite.
Place in a blender 3 serrano peppers, a tsp. salt, 1/4 onion and chop finely.
Add 3-4 avocados, 3 Tbs. lime juice and mix.
Stir in 1/3 cup chopped pear, chopped grapes and (if available) pomegranate seeds.

Invite friends over for drinks and appetizers and that may end up being dinner!
Taylor had both on one of his early visits to Cincinnati and decided Jill's family was ok!

WTW: Stockholm

I learned my first Swedish word: REA!! Yes, I know- I am working at Appelfabriken-the quaint country café and garden in Stockholm's inner archipelego. Day to day tasks usually include weeding the garden, mowing lawn, trimming hedges, watering the greenhouse down and a whole mess of other odd jobs involving rakes, hoses, shears and keeping my nails short.

But post-midsummer here, everything in Stockholm goes on REA... SALE!! I had to check out my fav Swedish brands and hot damn I lucked out! What to wear Stockholm isn't directed at one specific restaurant (though I'll be checking out Lisa Pa Torget asap- I hear it's great), but really just an assembly of my purchases. Come on! I'm living in the boonies (the gorgeous, forest and water engulfed, heavenly boonies but still) so I gotta bust out sometime!

So here's my what to wear - a totally Swedish round up: starting from the top we have a Cheap Monday top with cool layering in the back and single pocket in front. Jeans are Acne brand on REA for a little less than $100! Shoes are a Weekday find- the design collective responsible for Cheap Monday. And last but not least is crowning jewel- the Whyred travel bag in all it's pixely glory. Yum!

Now all I need is Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair and I'll be invincible. Reason for another day off!

Ps- I realize photos are eyesore-poor quality but i'm blogging à la iPhone so that's what I gots :-)

Sweden: Design Torget

Design Torget, in Stockholm's Sodermalm neighborhood, is a design junkie's heaven. Think MoMa design store + Ikea + Muji. I spotted a ton of stuff I wanted to import but most of it was too big. Enter the collapsable cheese grater. I am fascinated. Maybe you can get in in NYC? But I've never seen it... I also spotted a roundy one. Cool too!

Coming soon... LE YUM - Bobo

In an upcoming episode of LE YUM, Chef Patrick Connolly of Bobo walks Jill through his signature dish - Ahi Tuna, with crispy tofu, avocado, and cilantro. The dish is insane, and Jill has a blast grooving down with Patrick in Bobo's kitchen. They rock it. Stay tuned...

Rest in Peace

Yes we Coyoacan!

The ultra-modern, all glass facade of Mesa Coyoacan is what deterred us from visiting the space's previous inhabitant, Pampa Grill. What can I say - it's just a bit out there for this stretch of Graham Ave. That said, after nudges and endorsements from our neighborhood pals, we decided to finally cross the threshold and... books, covers, judgements - you get the idea.

Inside, it's seductively inviting, dark and spacious. There's a hint of the modern rustic thing, but they're doing it with some subtlety. I love all the wood, and it contrasts nicely with some of the utility style fixtures. In addition to the 2 tops and 4 tops, there were two large communal tables, which usually I'm kinda so-so on, but we speculated that these are probably great on the late night tip when the bar takes greater emphasis.

The food.  Let's just say, a hole in my soul has been filled. This neighborhood, my home for the past 10 years, has lacked one very important feature - good Mexican food. We've always had to trek waaay over to Bedford Ave area for anything decent. With the welcome addition of Mesa Coyoacan, that dark epoch is now behind us.

The place was fairly busy, as it has seemed to be since opening, but on a Monday that caught us by surprise. They had something at a communal table, but we opted to sit at the bar. The menu destroyed us. There were just too many drool inspiring options. We finally landed on starting with the Ceviche De Camaron. One of many of Chef Ivan's family recipes, this chilled dish was a perfect warm summer night starter. The plump fresh shrimp with the lime, avacado, and cilantro and some kind of spicy salsa goodness combined to great effect.



Jill - no surprise here - had the mushroom tacos. Three little spicy shroomfests in fresh tortillas that packed a punch. They had also tossed into the mix some cactus, huitlacoche, pico de gallo and queso fresco. Knocked us out.

I decided to go for the Enchiladas De Mole, noted as another Chef Ivan family secret. I'm not normally that big a fan of mole but was feeling adventurous. Good thing too, because it blew my miiind suckah! The mole sauce was smooth and soothing. And omg, we also got a side of fried plantains, so it was bite of enchilda, a bite of plantain, a bite of enchilada... and every now and then a hint of fresh habanero sauce... mmm...

Yes we opted for a couple of desserts. Both were great. First we had the churros, which were served with two sauces, chocolate and caramel. The churros were among the best I'd tasted - I flashed back to the street vendors in Jarez. These were crisped to perfection with a moist inner lovliness. It was so satisfying to switch off dipping into the slightly spicy dark chocolate sauce and much lighter creamy caramel. No matter how full you are, you must order this dessert.

Finally, we paid out (not bad), and took for the road home our strawberry paletas - 2 fun size pops per order. Post rain, on a muggy July '09 night... yes, yes, yes... they were oh so very good.

Shipping Out to Sweden Today

Hi Folks! I am leaving on extended travel to Sweden today.  I'll be living on an apple farm on Färingsö - an island near-ish to Stockholm.  It's called Applefactory and they grow all kinds of local Swedish apples.  There is a factory in which they produce a variety of different marmalades, chutneys, butters, glazes, syrups, jellies, and mulled wine.  I'll be there for about a month learning about organic farming and researching for a travel TV treatment.

In the meantime, I am handing over blog duties to none other than Mr. Taylor Thompson.  A gifted writer among other things, he'll keep your mouth watering with all sorts of stories and photos.  Taylor was raised in Louisiana and Florida so he's a pro when it comes to warm weather cuisine. Jolynn, Cecily and the rest of the gang will be contributing, too... along with a few surprise écrivains!

And hey - who knows, you might get a few Swedish stories dotted along the way from yours truly.

Cherries Jubilee

The potential Culinista who arrived for her cooking interview on Friday had no idea that my favorite Ralph's Ices flavor was Cherries Jubilee... or did she?  The first dessert ever made for a Culinista interview, this one was a winner.  Check it out! Elderflower-Spiked Cherries Jubilee with Caramelized Almonds and Creme Fraîche. And, what do you think - does she get the job?

Bobo Supper Club

Bobo has been through three, maybe four, chefs since opening its doors in late 2007.  I've always been a fan but the reviews have always knocked the food.  Patrick Connolly (re: sexy chef contest) has been in the kitchen for almost a year now and I am hoping that people start showing some love.  I had a great dinner with The Supper Club in Bobo's private room.  Connolly cooked us a special selection of dishes in the quaint 2nd floor (entrance through the apartment building next door) clandestine parlour.  There's a separate kitchen connected to it along with a private deck - complete with a grill where the man could really work his magic.



He gave an opening speech and then the meal began.



Starters were a choice between English pea soup and an ahi tuna-crispy tofu tasting.  I went for the tuna and was very glad I did.  Turns out it's the chefs signature dish.  He fries a sliver of tofu, tops it with creamed avocado and layers on a mouthwatering piece of sushi-grade ahi.  Four came on the plate; I ate each one!



I should note that I liked the tuna so much that All Things Delicious will be shooting a Le Yum with chef Connolly in the very near future. Alright enough about that. I didn't think the rest of the meal could live up to the first course.  But low and behold came my scallops.  Four plump, charred, something-crusted bivalves resting on a bed on sauteed onions and mushrooms.  There was a smudge of sauce and a mini-pile of micro-greens as accent. Scallops were grilled and firm. The whole dish was light and summery. LOVED!



The other option was waygu sirloin that came with some tasty looking ramps and potatoes.  Though I did not sample, my friend vouched for the dish. For dessert, I opted for the strawberry cobbler.  It was mixed with peaches and topped with a thick crumble. YUM! I loved it. And the creme fraiche ice cream on top was a wonderful addition - not too sweet as to overpower the fruits.



Again, my friend opted for the other option - chocolate pudding with gianduja ice cream.  Served in a saucer glass, it was precious and this time I could not resist a bite. I liked mine only slightly more than hers, but I do see myself returning to Bobo soon to get my very own helping.

Preserve or Perish?

As fruit displays progressively shine with the appetizing colors of summer, some locavores, heirloom produce hounds and DIY enthusiasts are already planning for winter by arming themselves with massive tongs, a litter of mason jars and huge pots of boiling water. Clostridium botulinum beware!  Though an average pint sized jar of preserves or pickles lasts me 36 hours at most and a cellar of jars adorned with red-checkered cloth features prominently in my fantasies, I will remain mostly un-pickled and unpreserved.

[caption id="attachment_2636" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Fruits and Vegetables courtesy of flikr user val'sphotos."][/caption]

Making preserves literally implies compensating for overabundance.  My summer passes with a handful of cherries, a strawberry rhubarb pie, a special outing for raspberry picking, and a week of tomato and cucumber salads.  Then apple season arrives suddenly. Each ripe morsel is a rare prize.

I prefer to concentrate my preservation efforts on less ephemeral foods.  Cabbages mature in early summer or late fall and endure all year making it easy to enjoy slaws, stir-fries, borscht, and best of all, SAUERKRAUT!!!

[caption id="attachment_2634" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Sauerkraut & Bratwurst courtesy of flikr user *keaggy.com."][/caption]

While it is possible to pickle cabbage, I prefer fermentation for sauerkraut, which requires nothing but cabbage, salt and water.  Fanatics ferment in all receptacles from barrels to jars to garbage bags.  But after an unfortunate incident with exploding purple cabbage in the spare bathroom, I invested in a 7.5 liter Harsch Fermenting Crock Pot.



The fermentation pot is glazed ceramic and includes ceramic weights and an airtight water seal system.  Excess gas escapes through the ceramic’s tiny pores and prevents all explosions.  To make sauerkraut, pack tightly shredded cabbage and salt into the pot, place the weights on top, submerge cabbage and weights under water, cover, and place pot in a cool place for 3-4 weeks.  The appropriate cabbage to salt ratio is provided in the instruction pamphlet.  After 3-4 weeks, I pack the sauerkraut into old yogurt containers that I keep in the refrigerator.  The sauerkraut lasts at least two months.

You can ferment anything in the Harsch pot, but I’ve primarily stuck to sauerkraut.

Jolynn and the Giant Peach

Yesterday, I went to the grocery store and discovered a peach special. Once home, I kicked off my shoes and immediately started eating my prizes one after another while licking the juices from my fingers and arms and reliving old summer memories. Ten minutes later, I retrieved my shoes from under the washer and headed back toward the store for more.

[caption id="attachment_2627" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Peaches courtesy of flikr user rageforst."][/caption]

Nostalgia fueled the first couple pounds of peach gluttony, but as I gazed at the giant bowl over my distended stomach, thoughts of peach flecked salsa, peach cobbler, peach chutney, and more invaded my mind.

I turned to the archives of my favorite blogs for inspiration. The best recipes covered desserts, but I still want to incorporate my peaches into savory dishes. So please share your ideas!

Here are the top contenders so far.

Peach Watermelon Sangria Sorbet from Not Eating Out in New York

Peach Tart with Almonds and Maple Syrup from Café Fernando

Peach Brulee from Joy the Baker

Blueberry Peach Buckle from Diary of a Fanatic Foodie

$20,000 Peach Pie by Zen Can Cook

Locanda Verde

Locanda Verde is DeNiro's finest restaurant yet. On a recent visit, I enjoyed everything I tasted.  Sitting outside along Greenwich Street, I became progressively excited each time the waiter arrived to our table with a new dish.  Starting with the house bread - the bar was set high.  Doughy foccaccia smothered in tomato sauce. Le yum...



We began with the mushrooms agro dolce.  I was initially put off by the mini portion, but it was small potatoes in comparison to the rest of the meal.  Plus, what we did get of the 'shrooms was fantastic - sweetly pickled and flecked with crushed red pepper flakes, the dish was a mix of hen of the woods, crimini and beech.



Next up came a blue crab crostini with jalaeño and zucchini.  The blue crab was rich and creamy, hinted with old bay and spice.  Jalapeño added an ever so subtle tang and the zucchini was sliced on top so thin as to balance out the decadence.  Taylor commented that he could eat about twenty of them. So it was serendipitous when the kitchen mixed up and sent us out a round two! :-)



Soon, a stack of lightly charred bread came with a sizable scoop of sheep's milk ricotta.  Sprinkled with herbs and granules of sea salt, the cheese was aromatic.  I am curious from where they source it...



Last but not least, we went for the maltagliati with pesto - YUM. This might have been my favorite.  Pasta was cooked perfectly and laced with tomatoes, olives and green beans.  They all tasted as if they'd been picked from my Italian neighbors garden.



This dish alone would get me back to Locanda Verde... but then again, there's so much more that I want to try.

Party Down

A few people had raved about Party Down before I finally sucked it up and plopped in front of the TV (errr Projector) for a viewing.  Party Down is a 10 episode series on Starz network starring Adam Scott, Ken Marino and Lizzy Caplan.  It's about a catering company, the employees of which are, for the most part, out-of-work actors and people who want to work "in the industry" in one way or another.  Each episode is a party, which run the gambit from an "ordinary people" style suburban set up to an Eastern European mobster celebration to a California College conservative union caucus and even the Sin-Say-Shun after party.  Ooo naughty!  The humor comes from the banter shared amongst the Party Down staff as well as the characters at each party.  I loved the first show so much that I watched all 10 episodes in two days!

Stumptown

I love Stumptown Coffee. But I also loved this article. A friend forwarded it to me a few weeks ago and I just got around to reading it. Does Stumptown = Starbucks?  What do you think? Are these tattoos just hipster branding?

Park Avenue Potluck Celebrations!

That's the one and only Florence Fabricant, writer for The New York Times and editor of many cookbooks. A couple of years ago, she co-authored Park Avenue Potluck, a collection of recipes assembled by The Society of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center meant to raise money and awareness for patient care, research and education.  Well, the ladies who are known to lunch did so well with their first book that they decided to release a follow up: Park Avenue Potluck Celebrations. The book gives composed menu ideas to occasions such as Valentines Day, Christmas, Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July.

At the press luncheon, hosted at Le Cirque, we got the chance to sample some of the best dishes from the book.  Artichoke Soup with Oysters, though I was at first hesitant, turned out to be a fantastic hors d'oevre.



Our lunch started with a simple, peppery arugula salad with proscuitto. Quite simple but quite perfect to kick off a 3-course lunch in the middle of the week.



Our main course was a Le Cirque specialty - Halibut pierced with a bay leaf, nestled in a pea broth and topped with a fried squash blossom purse of pea purée.  It was all at once light as well as structured.  I was surprised to see elegant ladies around me cleaning their plates.



Dessert was a perfect fruit sorbet - a recipe from the book.  Surrounded in macerated fruit, a pale purple scoop of liqueur-infused sorbet nestled in the bowl.



We all received Tate's wheatless chocolate brownies as our to-go dessert.  They, too, were excellent. Nibbling on them for days after the event, I couldn't help but salivate in anticipation for October when the book will be available on Amazon.com.  Luncheon attendees had the chance to see excerpts and they are nothing short of spectacular.  All photos were shot in these ladies homes - both dotted along Park Ave as well as their abodes in the Hamptons.



If that's not enough to get you to pre-order, there's also the fact that purchasing the book could help find a cure for cancer.

Salmon Burgers

I mentioned salmon burgers in my last post. I got two from The Lobster Place for dinner. This is barely a blog post because they are so easy! Simply sear them for about 5 minutes with a little olive oil.



Then pop them in the oven at 450°... ten minutes later, take them out and serve!  I served them with french fries and grilled eggplant.

Easier French Fries à la Cooks Illustrated

I got these great salmon burgers from The Lobster Place for dinner and wanted to do a fun accompaniment. I had just received my Cooks Illustrated in the mail and remembered a recipe for "Easier French Fries."  That sounded perfect. I started out with some humble Yukon Golds.



Slice it into batons.



Drop them into a pot of canola oil - 1 cup per potato - while the oil is still cold. Once you put the taters in, turn on the heat.



Let them fry for 20 minutes and them fluff them with tongs.



Get any sticky bits off of the sides.  Wait another 5 minutes, et voilà!