Botanica Bakery Blows my Mind

Every once in a while a store-bought cookie comes along that is so yummy that I must eat an entire bag.  Tate's Chocolate Chip is one such cookie. Botanica Bakery's Fennel Pollen is another. WTF? You are probably saying. Fennel Pollen has no place in a cookie. Well, that is true unless you are Sondra Wells, the Chief Indulgence Officer of said company.  She decided to do a genius, girly mash-up between herbs and butter, between spices and sugar.



Woah!!! Weird!!! And yet so delicious. I tried all flavors (below), and the Fennel Pollen was my #1. Following close behind was Cardamom and then Cinnamon Basil. They go together really well! I am telling you it's weird but wonderful!



But the goodness doesn't stop at the w&w flavor combos. There are also only like 5 ingredients in each cookie. Yes, two are butter and sugar but guess what? They are organic! And, 5 ingredients?? That's holy awesomeness right there. They are like homemade but you didn't have to get the kitchen messy. Get these today - The Dish wholly endorses them.

When more peeps RSP than you planned

get these chairs!

Coffee Table Love.

Look at this perfect coffee table! You can keep your mags nearby without them cluttering up the surface.  Plenty of room for a homemade TV dinner.



MAG Coffee Table + TELE Side Table, image courtesy of Ali Sandifer Studio

A Tang Island

Brought to us by Happy Finish. Click to see the making of.

Soup Cubed

After a long business meeting/lovefest at Cube Marketplace last week, I was sent home with some frozen Roasted Kobocha Soup. After it sat in my freezer for most of the week, I was finally able to whip it out in a pinch during Game 2 of postseason - a game that completely derailed my Saturday evening plans, leaving me on the couch, alone save the players.  And I got hungry. I was supposed to be at a girlfriends house eating sushi and doing face masks but 13 innings of LAA vs NYY was too good to move a muscle for.

I took the soup from the freezer and followed the super easy microwave instructions. Cut an X into the plastic, place soup in plastic in a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave for 4.5 minutes. Easy enough to do during a commercial break.   When it was ready I poured the now soupy contents from the plastic/bowl into a mug and nestled into the couch.  Wow! The first sip was so delicious I had to look away from the game.  It was great - super creamy and very nicely spiced.



At the next break, I grabbed the box to check out the ingredients of what I'd just so rapidly consumed.  All natural... all ingredients I recognized. No chemicals, preservatives or flavor enhancements whatsoever.  That spice came from good ol' sage, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice.  The creaminess was a trifecta of the squash, honey and a dash of cream. Here's to extra innings!

Rice Cooker

Whether in LA or NYC, I want a damn rice cooker. I found this amazing one on Amazon and have been hearing good things about it from the Culinistas. The  Zojirushi Rice Cooker is a 6-cup powerhouse. It even has a steamer. Thoughts?

Hamburger Helper

If you're the type for whom lunch never comes soon enough, try the hamburger hand warmer/mouse pad.  What a hilarious blend of technology and cuisine...



To purchase, go here. Don't shop while hungry.

EZ Hammock

I've always loved hammocks - occasionally sleeping on one in Madagascar and picking one up in Nicaragua a few years back even though I knew I'd rarely have a chance to use it in NYC. But I think I've found the perfect nest. The EZ Hammock from Royal Botania.  Sleek and aerodynamic, the EZ Hammock won't flip you out of it's pocket.  It's also sexy-to-boot. Did I mention it's my birthday at the end of the month?! And sure, this may not have to do with food per se... but wouldn't nibbling strawberries while reclining on the EZ be divine?

(love that.)

Pancakes 2000

My dad sent me a link to ChefStack a few days ago.  The company offers a product for "Perfect. Panless. Pancakes." The website equates their invention to the iPod for music and the toaster for bread.  These people like their pancakes.  And they like them auto-made.  They claim it's already a hit in Australia and New Zealand and are expecting the same thing in the US.  The ChefStack became available only a month ago here though, so only time will tell.  But it does look pretty cool. Batter comes in indivual packets and is low fat/low calorie.  It's kind of a bummer that you can't use your own recipe while using the machine, but ease of use and a no-mess factor might very well make up for it.

After perusing the website for a good chunk of time, I couldn't help but wonder why my dad had sent me the link.  Was it because it was his 33rd wedding anniversary with my mother (in my opinion an excellent maker of pancakes) and was hinting at a gift?  Was it because he knows how much Taylor likes pancakes and knows that our (skimpy in comparison) 2nd year dating anniversary is on the horizon?

A Waste of Space?

Due to infamous only in NYC kitchen space constraints, most of my appliances and tools are multi-purpose.  I do not have a garlic press, a tomato peeler, or cheese knives.  But tucked between my plates and the corner of the cupboard is a milk frother.  A frother looks like a French press with a more complex mesh/strainer apparatus that magically transforms a generous splash of milk into luscious foam.

[caption id="attachment_2757" align="aligncenter" width="199" caption="Bonjour! courtesy of fliker user bonsai hiker."][/caption]

That’s it.  Milk to milk with air bubbles.

But even at my most bleary eyed, scraping the last bit of foam from the bottom of my Ikea mug lets me pretend that I am actually sitting in an outdoor café, soaking up the sun and drinking café au lait from a delicate cup.  On especially distressing mornings, I sprinkle maple sugar on top to heighten the effect.

[caption id="attachment_2756" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Cafe au lait courtesy of flikr user xb3."][/caption]

My frother is a the BonJour Caffe Froth , but I’ve also used the Bodum Chambord Milk Frotherwith success.

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!

Coupla Guys

I've been sampling my way through Coupla Guys Foods tomato sauces and last night, after a long day out and about, the mushroom sauce was calling my name.

"Rich, earthy and slightly spicy" is how the guys describe it on their website and that's exaclty right.  I heated up some chiocciole (ie, snail-shaped pasta) and tossed it with an ample amount of the sauce. Wow. For someone used to making her own pasta sauces, I was very impressed. But after looking at the ingredients, I realized why I liked it so much - there's really nothing in there that isn't the usual sauce component... there's onions, garlic, rosemary... no preservatives whatsoever.

For pasta in a pinch, I'd keep a Coupla Guys in your back pocket.

Olio & Spices BBQ

I was Queen of the BBQ when I brought Olio & Spices to a friend’s house on one of the first days of spring.  Barbeque Figs went wonderfully with grilled chicken legs.  The hickory smoke with the sweetness of the fruit added intense depth to the dark meat.    Red Wine Onion was a punchy addition to the mahi mahi burgers my buddy had grilled up.  Made with chopped onions and cabernet, it was tangy addition. 

The sauces have no artificial flavors or ingredients and no preservatives.  I can’t count their ingredients of my two hands.  Beyond sauce, the jars, actually called “more than a sauce”, can be used as marinades, dips or glazes as well.

I also brought over a grilling rub, packed with cumin and paprika, which we used on super thin steaks. 

After tasting the steaks, I decided this blend would be perfect for hearty beef tacos and three-bean stew as well as adding a hint to brownies.  I’ll bring those to the next BBQ.

Boulder Popcorn

I grew up on popcorn (being from Ohio and all…) and didn’t know there was too much of a difference between movie style and homemade except the calorie count until recently.  Boulder Popcorn is addictively good popcorn that comes from the Munson Farms in Colorado.

They make three kinds of popcorn – blue which pop into white, yellow which pop into a smooth and creamy yellow and red which pop into big, bright puffs.  A pound and a half is $4.95 from the website; I highly recommend purchasing the mix of all three kernels, which pop into the prettiest blend.  Pop them on the stove with a little oil or in an air-pop machine.  Either way, the popcorn is so tasty, you really don’t need butter or salt!

Brooklyn Food Conference

On Saturday, The Dish's Dish had a booth at the Brooklyn Food Conference.  We were selling bags of granola and Mother's Day gift certificates for our Culinista service! Success. And we are now taking orders for our granola. Please email for details! thedish [at] thedishsdish [dot] com

And check out our adorable Cecily.

UFOs

I stumbled across Trader Joe's UFO's last time I was there. There are very tasty and for $3.99 a bag, a steal in my opinion (they'll last you a while).  Try them in brownies, when making chocolate buttercream frosting or have a few as an after dinner treat.  They are great!

Miguel's Chips

While in Florida, we came across these chips, Miguel's, at a really great organic market, Food & Thought.  I highly recommend the market for when you are in the area and the chips wherever you can find them.  We tasted the three pepper, which were great with both crab dip as well as fresh salsa.  There are no unknown ingredients in the recipe - just pure flavor. 

Your CHOICE

Last weekend at the Brooklyn Flea, I had a delicious mushroon and swiss scone from Choice Market's booth.  For those indulging in all things leavened this week, the savory scone is choice.

Etsy for Foodies

By now, the secret of Etsy is out of the bag.  This craft site, based in Brooklyn, serves as a marketplace for makers of all things knit, sewn, hand-painted, etched, and custom-bound.  It's a wonderful source for finding unique gifts as well as if you need something custom-designed.  The original DISH aprons were made by a woman who I found on Etsy.

But if crafting isn't your thing, and you are reading this blog because you like FOOD, now there are two websites that are sort of Etsy for Foodies: Foodzie and Foodoro.  Both sites are online marketplaces where shoppers have access to "local" artisans.  They are food vendors who sell, usually, in only one store or to only a few stores in one city or state.  The sites bring the specialties of specific farmers' markets, regions, and vendors into greater awareness and accessibility.  Both companies are based in San Fransisco and both were founded in early 2008.  Both even have the same 'feedback' tab that sticks out the side on the browser.  Are these related? I'm not sure but, quite incredibly, they do not overlap much in vendors.

I'm eyeing some sauces by Coupla Guys Foods on Foodzie as well as some popcorn made in Boulder, CO. I am very interested in some sweets by Milk & Krunchies I found on Foodoro.  I am also salivating over Little Sky Lavender, a company dedicated to using lavender in food in a number of tantalizing ways.

As far as aesthetics go, I think I am partial to Foodzie for now.  But I'm holding out until my treats come in the mail to truly compare.  For now, they both have tasty offerings.

Beer Soap!

Parents ever tell you to go wash your mouth out with soap? Well now you'll be glad to! Thanks to beer soap!  Do you like Blue Moon? Then you'll probably like Blue Moon soap, too!

Isn't that the bees knees!? Now, you can pre-game and get cleanly before going out for a night on the town ...all in one! Read more about the creators here.