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.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
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.
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