A Couple of Tarts

Perpetually Full in LA

2007-07-27T20:06:00.000-04:00

One of the perks (and downfalls) of visiting my parents is that we go out to eat. A lot. And their refrigerator is always full. Which is great, except for the part where I always gain five pounds per week I am home. When I was young, going out to eat meant fast food or chain restaurants, but my parents have branched out quite a bit since those days and I can always count on excellent food choices.

Before RFC and I said good-bye to the Bay Area, though, we stopped by Arizmendi Bakery for a carbohydrate loaded breakfast of cheese rolls, sticky buns and muffins. It tasted wonderful at the time, but unfortunately we had a sugar high crash a couple hours late...it was worth it. And on the drive down to LA we made the first of two In-n-Out stops. Always a must when traveling in California. Make sure to ask for the grilled onions!

In Los Angeles, I was lucky to get to try two very different bakeries. While popping over to Venice to see a friend, we took a walk on Abbot Kinney. I stepped into Jin Patisserie, a Japanese-influenced bakery that I have heard much about. On the expensive side, I splurged and bought a lavender chocolate gateau and a bag of green tea shortbread bites. I was most impressed with the textures of both. The cream filling of the cake was very smooth with just the slightest hint of lavender and the cookies had a very fine crumb. The second bakery was in the San Fernando Valley, Big Sugar Bakeshop. I wasn't planning on going there even though it has been on my to do list for the past couple of visits. I just happened to be reading the local paper and saw listings for Harry Potter release event. I love Harry Potter and while I'm not one to be waiting in line at midnight for a copy of book I can buy at Target the next day (which is just what I did), I can be persuaded to wait in line for Potter-inspired goodies. The line at the bakery wasn't too bad...there was a fog machine, treats for those of us waiting (muggle chocolate coins and orange slugs), and the chance to be on the 11 o'clock news. Once at the counter we tried cauldron cakes, pumpkin pasties, pretzel wands, all washed down with butterbeer and pumpkin juice.

Before I end this post and we move onto the trip back to NYC, I have to mention the amazing Mexican food we had at Las Fuentes in Reseda, which RFC proclaimed as some of the best he has ever had. And the incredibly tasty Indian food that was eaten at Clay Oven in Sherman Oaks. The San Fernando Valley may get a lot of knocks (some coming from me) but there are some gems to found hidden among the strip malls.

NYC Tart
(from somewhere in the Rocky Mountains)

At the Ferry Building

2007-07-15T01:24:00.000-04:00

If I play my cards right, one of the days I visit San Francisco is always a Saturday. That way I get to pay a vist to the Ferry Building Farmer's Market. Yes, it is a pricey and can get crowded, but I LOVE it. It makes me so happy to be there and RFC noted that I was in heaven the whole time we were walking around. We really splurged this time and picked up lots of treats to make dinner. Heirloom tomatoes, jade beans, Bedega goat cheese, a baguette from Acme Bread, organic strawberries, June Taylor jam, shitake mushrooms from Far West Fungi...jealous yet? And even though it started out a typical SF summer day, foggy and chilly, that changed by the time we were finishing up and the sun was out and the sky as blue as can be.

We had breakfast at the market with my brother, RFC and I splitting up to maximize the number of foods we could taste. I headed for Hayes Street Grill to get a plate of wild mushroom scrambled eggs while RFC scored by getting one of the last batches of griddle cakes and sausage from Prather Ranch. My brother also got scrambled eggs, but from Rose Pistola. Blue Bottle Coffee accompanied all meals. It was pretty potent, being the single cup drip variety. I think we were all wired.

It was hard to leave, but I am looking forward to the meal in which we will be using many of these amazing ingredients.

NYC Tart (from SF)

The Golden State

2007-07-12T14:36:00.000-04:00

It's hard to believe, but we made it to California. After many miles (3400 to be almost exact) we rolled up in Petrolia, California. You might be wondering where this is, even if you have lived in CA all your life. It is pretty much far away from any kind of city or town (Eureka being the closest) but right smack dab in the middle of amazingly beautiful countryside. A friend of RFC's lives there and we took a very windy road to spend two days with her. We went for a bike ride by the ocean and spent a day by the river, swimming in a real swimming hole! Because the town of Petrolia only has one little general store that closes at 5 pm, cooking at home was the plan for each day. RFC's friend was a wonderful hostess and prepared fabulous spreads at meal time. Our first morning, we feasted on banana stuffed pancakes laced with local currant jam eaten out on her back pork amid the butterflies and hummingbirds. She also made kickass salsa. At night we threw salmon on the grill and made our own eel sushi. I even got to pitch in and put together a crisp using cherries and local blueberries. We had such an amazing time that it was very hard to leave. The only thing that made it okay was that the next stop was San Francisco!

This has been RFC's first trip to the Bay Area, so I have been having fun taking him to all my favorite places, On the way down Highway 1, we stopped for lunch at the North Coast Brewing Company. My dad had recommended the beer battered fish and chips and he was right on. The coating was just enough to make it feel decadant but didn't overwhelm the fish and the fries were the perfect crispy consistancy. Their kobe burger was also great, especially when paired with their garlic fries. The first morning in San Francisco, we met one of my old baking buddies at Tartine Bakery in the Mission. So many things to try and after discussing with my friend what we recipes we had tried from their cookbook, I settled on a slice of their olive loaf and a straight-up croissant. They were both fantastic. The olive bread was loaded with olives (of course) and bits of ham. It was almost custardy inside. RFC ordered one of their croque monsieurs. Now that was rich! They had just come out of the oven and were overflowing with gooey cheese. I wanted to get some sweet things, but we were so full (and I felt a bit gluttonous) that we passed and took a walk to Dolores Park. We did make one little stop at the Bi-Rite ice cream shop. The counterperson was kind enough to give us tastes of a number of ice creams. I don't know if I will be able to go back this trip, but if not it is going to move to the top of my list.

Of course RFC had to have the SF taqueria experience, so I took him to my favorite: El Torro. My brother and I talked him into getting a burrito. He thought it was ridiculous...rediculouly good. We stuck with more low key tacos. I know that some people prefer Pancho Villa and they are owned by the same people, but I like the intimacy of El Torro. Plus it is the scene of one of the craziest things I have ever seen happen in SF involving shouting and a flying plate of food. And obviously I love the food.

One highlight has been dinner at Firefly Restaurant in Noe Valley. There is a soft spot in my heart for it and I haven't been there since I moved away four years ago. It was a treat to go back. The style of food has remained the same...their logo used to be home cooking with no ethnic boundaries. We had grilled romano beans with truffle oil, a tempura tuna roll, and entrees that included a veggie tagine, salmon with pesto potatoes, and sea bass with avocado and quinoa. Desserts are as good as ever. Simple and homey and filled with flavor. Creme brulee is no longer on the menu and neither is a flourless chocolate cake (probably for the best and the sanity of the pastry chef) and we enjoyed an apricot turnover and a chocolate truffle tart.

One more treat was to have afternoon cocktails at the Orbit Room. Drinking a mojito, the breeze blowing through the window, sitting with people I love...now that's pretty close to perfection.

More soon!
NYC Tart (from the Left Coast)

On the Open Road

2007-07-05T23:49:00.000-04:00

Oh, where to begin? RFC and I left on our great cross-country adventure last week. It is made a little more adventurous by the fact that I am sharing the driving of RFC's stick shift, when all I have ever driven is an automatic. But so far, so good, and we have made it to Rock Springs, Wyoming.

We have been taking a northern route west and have driven through a number of states. Pennsylvania seemed to take the longest, but it was the first day and we may have been anxious to put some distance between ourselves and NYC. So far, it has been camping each night which means lots of camp fires and camp food. We stocked up before we left and invested in a camping french press so I could have my coffee from the Porto Rico Importing Company each morning. A few nights ago I had my first real s'more. I discoved the trick is to get the mini chocolate bars because the big size is too big and doesn't melt well enough from the heat of the marshmallow. No worries though, because the other trick is to rest the assembled s'more on your fork and hold that over the fire to finish the job. I have also realized that nothing compares to the taste of a fire-roasted hot dog on the Fourth of July when you have just gone to see Mount Rushmore.

Speaking of Mount Rushmore, we thought it lived up to all expectations. And the Black Hills of South Dakota have got to be one of the most amazing sights in the United States. And wacky. Huge heads carved into a mountain? Before we got here, though, we also paid a visit to the Corn Palace. Yes, that's right, a palace decorated with corn. RFC has heard me say this already, but I think the coolest thing about the Corn Palace is being able to say that you've gone there. We also stopped for lunch at the famous Wall Drugs. Haven't heard of it? Drive anywhere within a 400 mile radius of Wall, South Dakota and you will see the signs advertising free ice water, 5 cent coffee and homemade pie. (My advice: skip the pie and go for the homemade donuts...they are perfect.)

I made sure to buy Road Food by the Sterns and have tried to map out a few of their suggestions. Our first attempt was a place in Middlebury, Indiana, but we found ourselves out of luck, it being Sunday in Amish Country. We were more fortunate at Bob's in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. We sampled broasted chicken for the first time. Broasting is a way of cooking in a pressurized fryer. Apparantly a company in the Mid-west makes them. The result is fried chicken without the breading but all of the greasy crispy goodness. We topped off this meal with a generous helping of homemade vanilla ice cream.

Life is good! We've learned that there are RV's bigger than our apartment. You can get pretty good Mexican food in Albert Lea, Minnesota. And the deer and antelope really do play out on the range.

NYC Tart (dispatching from the field)

Bar Jamon

2007-06-20T13:56:00.001-04:00

My friends are awesome. I really adore each and every one of them. And one thing they all have in common is great taste in food and restaurants. I can count on them to accompany me to a little pizza place in Brooklyn or a higher end seasonal menu type restaurant in the West Village. Sometimes I am lucky enough to be the recipient of an evening out as a gift for a birthday or some other event. S. recently took me out to the tapas bar Bar Jamon in honor of completing my masters. We share an affinity for Spanish food which was well established on a three week trip through Spain four years ago. We often reminisce and sigh thinking about the delicious meals which included bacalao, stuffed peppers, tortillas and various forms of fried fish (of which we indulged a little too much).

We have been to Casa Mono, Bar Jamon's sister restaurant around the corner. Bar Jamon really is a bar, with bar chairs situated around long, high tables. We got there early to ensure a seat and began our experience with Cava Mono. I don' t know much about sparkling wine, but this was delicate and refreshing and didn't give me a headache, all signs of something good. We wanted to try a number of plates, but ham and cheese were must-haves. We ordered a plate of jamon serrano and manchego cheese paired with mebrillo (quince paste). I am partial to this combination from having to make trays and trays of the paste as a pastry chef in San Francisco. We also had to get pain con tomate. This is basically toasted bread with tomatoes rubbed over the top and drizzled with olive oil. So simple and so satisfying. I think tomatoes on toast is one of the best things to eat. Ever. We also had lomo (pork) served with shitake mushrooms and a plate of pickled sardines. The only disappointment was the churros with chocolate. I think everything served at Bar Jamon is prepared earlier in the day and just plated to order by the bartenders. The churros were hard and drenched in cinnamon sugar, nothing like the light, crispy/chewy fried dough sticks we were expecting. The chocolate was tasty, with a bit of a spicy kick, but it didn't make up for the churros. I guess it is a reason to go back to Seville.

Thanks S. for a wonderful evening out!

Bar Jamon
125 East 17th Street
New York, NY
(212) 253-2773

My Favorite Thing

2007-06-19T21:46:00.000-04:00

Mmmm...bagels. One of my all time favorite things to eat. Before I moved to NYC, when I was visiting here with S., we stayed in the West Village and we would often walk by Murray's Bagels on the way to the subway. I would look in the window and see people reading the paper, enjoying their bagels. And I would think how neat it would be to live in New York and be one of those people. Little did I know that one day it would be me. Well, I usually enjoy my bagel and newspaper around the corner from my apartment in Astoria but every so often I do get myself to Murray's to have one of their crusty and chewy works of art. Today I treated myself to an everything bagel with sundried tomato cream cheese. It was a little heavy on the spread, but the bagel itself was so straight-out-of-the-oven warm that it seemed toasted and the cream cheese melted into a gooey mess. Yum! Hands down, the best bagels in New York City.

Murray's Bagels
500 6th Avenue
New York, NY
(212) 462-2830

Official Start of Summer

2007-06-14T18:23:00.000-04:00

I know summer doesn't officially start for another week, but as far as I'm concerned, it got going recently with a trip out to the beach topped off by dinner at All American in Massapequa. Last year I was introduced to this Long Island institution by RFC. It's legendary among him and his friends as well as with a few other LIers I know. The food is fantastic, cheap and fast. It's reminiscent of McDonalds (I'm sorry, it's not a dig, but a reality). I always get the quarter pounder and onion rings. One of these days, I'm going to get a shake, but I can't justify the calories just yet. (Maybe if I actually get myself to the gym.) But anyways, one of the traditions of going to All American is to eat in the car. Put the rings on the dashboard, lay down some napkins on your lap and dig in. It is always satisfying, especially topped off with ice cream from the adjacent Marshall's where I recently had my first Brown Bonnet...which I think sounds vaguely dirty.

Bouchon Bakery...finally

2007-06-10T18:59:00.000-04:00

Way back when the Time Warner Center first opened, I heard that Bouchon Bakery was going to be one of the foodie destinations within this ginormous structure. Every time I was in the neighborhood or grocery shopping at Whole Foods, I would take a look and see if it had opened yet. And each time I checked, it was still "coming soon." Then, one day, I walked by its space and there before me were cases filled with beautiful pastries and cookies. I stepped up to the counter and began to make my selection when...I was told that they hadn't "officially" opened. Apparently, everything in the case was for display and was going to be used later for an event. To be honest, I was a little annoyed and so did not make an effort to go back. I mean, who fills their cases with food just to say, sorry, we're not actually selling it?

But last week I was out and about with S. and she suggested after a leisurely afternoon in Central Park, ending out day with coffee and a pastry from there. I grudgingly agreed. (Okay, not really grudgingly.) Chocoholic that she is, S. tried their TKO cookie. An indulgent take on the Oreo, it was a crumbly chocolate wafer cookie with a creamy sweet filling. Very rich. I had to get one of their macaroon. I chose a seasonal flavor, jasmine tea. I enjoyed its crispy surface and chewy inside, but did not get any jasmine flavor. Maybe my palette is not refined enough. (If you love macaroons, then you have to read The Girl Who Ate Everything's search for the perfect specimen in NYC.) I would go back and try their other offerings, but the prices are a little steep. At least I was finally able to check it out.

Bouchon Bakery
Time Warner Center
Third Floor
10 Columbus Circle
New York
(212) 823-9366

New York, New York!

2007-06-03T13:19:00.000-04:00

I have had the week to recover from the flurry of activity stemming from my parents first ever visit to New York and my graduation from my Masters program. Ah, where to begin? I faced the same question when they arrived here. There is so much to see and do and eat that I didn't know where to take them first. And it took them four years to visit me, who knows when they will be back. It being their first time here, we stuck to the basics which included lots of sightseeing. But first, since RFC and I do live in Astoria, Greek food was the choice for their initial evening out. We went to a homey little place on the corner of Astoria Park called Agnanti Restaurant. This place is the real deal. Three of the four of us ordered the salmon, which you must get with with the tomato, onion and feta topping. I ordered a dish which was basically french fries mixed with strips of chicken. Tasty, but not wow. The service was a little spotty, but the food was worth it and we got to have some little nut and honey cakes for dessert served with Greek yogurt. An alternative to eating at the restaurant is getting it to go and having a picnic in Astoria Part, something RFC and I enjoyed a few weeks previously.

My dad had made the request to eat "New Yorky" food, so lunch the next day was at Lombardi's Pizza in SoHo. Because we are an indecisive bunch and want to try everything, our pizza was loaded down with peppers, pepperoni and mushrooms. I am becoming very fond of getting a slice and the crispiness of the crust, so having so many toppings kind of took away from that. But it was still delicious and very "New Yorky." Dessert consisted of rice pudding from Rice to Riches across the street. Only in New York can you find a store that sells nothing but rice pudding in a rainbow of flavors. My dad LOVES it, as he will tell you, and had to try four different renditions before choosing two that were distinctly flavorful and not just creamy and sweet. He settled on mango, which was interesting and a bright yellow, and rum raisin, which we couldn't get enough of. Word of warning, they give you a lot for one serving so it is definitely a place where sharing is in order.

Another day lunch/dinner was at Carnegie Deli. A little touristy, but hey, my parents are tourists and it is filled with a lot of history. Plus it has neon signage! We ordered way too much food which is par for the course. Pastrami on rye, corned beef on rye, potato pancakes, matzo ball soup (and cheesecake to go). The favorites with my folks were the soup and pancakes, but I was partial to the fall apart in your hands pastrami. I don't get to eat like this often and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Another New York institution we visited was the Oyster Bar at Grand Central Station. My dad and I practically licked our bowls of Manhattan and New England Clam Chowder, while my mom polished off a bowl of gazpacho with lobster. We ate at one of the U-shaped counters. It was a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle out in the station.

The highlight of their visit, for me, was going out to the North Fork and visiting two of my favorite wineries, Sherwood House and Old Field. At both, we sat outside at picnic tables and enjoyed the beautiful weather and the refreshing wines. We stopped at a cheese shop on the way to Old Field and put together a little lunch that included a truffled Parmesan and a jar of truffle honey. We added a bottle of rose when we arrived. The owners of both places were around and made us feel incredibly welcome, as did the chickens roaming the yard.

While my parents were here there were many sights seen and one place we all visited for the first time was the New York Botanical Garden. It was amazing with roses just coming into bloom and pansies and violas everywhere. We drove, but it is right across the street from a Metro North station.

I think I tired my parents out with all the running around and there was still so much left for them to see. I possibly have to get a PhD for them to come out again. But maybe after it all sinks in they will be craving more of the Big Apple.

Agnanti Restaurant
19-06 Ditmars Boulevard
Astoria, NY
(718) 545-4554

Lombardi's Pizza
23 Spring Street
New York, NY
(212) 941-7994

Rice to Riches
37 Spring Street
New York, NY
(212) 274-0008

Carnegie Deli
854 Seventh Avenue
New York, NY
(212) 757-2245

Oyster Bar
Grand Central Station
New York, NY
(212) 490-6650

Catching Up

2007-05-20T14:37:00.001-04:00

Has it really been a month since we have updated this site! Tsk, tsk. In our defense, we have been distracted (in a good way) with other matters. RFC and I got a new addition to our little family in the form of a stray kitten. We named her Shea, after Shea Stadium, because we ran across her only because of last minute Mets tickets. She's a handful, but a welcome member.

My real excuse for not writing in an embarrassingly long time is that grad school has finally come to a close. All papers and projects have been wrapped up. All that's left is the actual graduation. But that's not to say I haven't been out and about exploring and eating well. We checked out the Cherry Blossom Festival at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden a few weeks ago. What a slice of heaven in the big city. I am sure there is much more in bloom these days so make sure to get over there.

I also stopped by a great falafel spot in the West Village. Taim has a few different types of falafel, like green olive and red pepper. Plus they have a great pita sandwich, sabich, which is
stuffed with fried eggplant and hardboiled egg. I hear the smoothies are also quite tasty.

Googly-eyed Falafel

So! More to come, I promise. I now have much more free time with no papers hanging over my head. Plus the 'rents are in town (first trip to NYC ever) so there will be lots of good eating in the next week.

NYC Tart

Taim
222 Waverly Place
West Village, New York
(212) 691-1287

Downtown Sugar Fix

2007-04-17T20:24:00.000-04:00

So S. and I got back from spending days sitting on the beach to this lovely April weather. I have to say, it makes me miss California. It also makes me want to curl up at home on the couch and not take a step outside.

Fortunately, there so many little gems to discover all around NYC, that I can be persuaded to venture out on a cold, rainy day.

Especially when dessert is involved.

S. is getting married and despite years of promises, I am not making her wedding cake due to the other obligations of being maid of honor. So instead she took me to the bakery/cafe that is doing the honor so we could sample some of their pastries.

Financier is a welcoming respite in Lower Manhattan, near Wall Street. It is on the cobblestoned Stone Street and was bright and cheery despite the greyness outside. We tried their chocolate mousse cake, which was definitely a winner. The sacher torte wowed us less, but their coffee was satisfying and came with a mini financier (of course), which RFC enjoyed later on that night.

It's good to know there is such a place to duck into in that area.

Financier
62 Stone Street
New York, NY
(212) 344-6400

Hot Cross Buns

2007-04-15T21:22:00.000-04:00

Just thought I would let you know that the hot cross buns I made for Easter came out wonderfully. I used a recipe from Martha Stewart and the orange zest gave them them an extra something special. One word of warning if you decide to make them next year...it's quite a process. The actual mixing of ingredients, forming, and baking of the buns doesn't take that long. It's the rising and proofing that keeps you home waiting. They are well worth it though!

NYC Tart

Happy Birthday Mom (one day early!)

2007-04-10T19:45:00.000-04:00

To say that my mother is an excellent cook is an understatement. She is the best. Everytime Dave and I visit my parent's home, Dave will ask "Can we make this at home?" My pathetic answer is "Um, sure." Deep down we both know I am lying. Despite my professional status, I am unable to duplicate the dishes of my childhood. I try to recreate the dishes from memory because no recipe is ever written down. One day, my sister and I had my mother do a demo of her noodles. We hovered over her shoulder with a pad and pen jotting down every gesture and movement. This technique only provided a mediocre result.

I know that I won't find the same aromas or flavors in a restaurant. So I feel compelled to perfect as many recipes as I can. Lately, I have been experimenting with my mother's pickled cucumbers. I can remember being as young as 3 and waiting impatiently for them to be prepared. It seems simple enough. Thinly slice a cucumber, add salt, vinegar, worchester sauce, soy, and a pinch of sugar. They come out differently each time, which is actually quite nice. The taste is not quite the same but perhaps one day...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

Joyeuses Paques

2007-04-08T10:05:00.000-04:00

Happy Easter!

Banh Mi and Fresh Ricotta

2007-04-07T14:47:00.000-04:00

I braved the bone chilling weather yesterday and took a little trip into Manhattan to visit a couple places that have been on my To Do list for some time. I checked out the Essex Street Market, which my mom out in LA actually told me about. It was interesting, something more for those who live in the neighborhood, than something so unique as to warrant a special trip from Queens. But I'm glad I finally made it over there. For lunch, I took a walk into Chinatown to eat at a banh mi spot I had heard about recently, Paris Sandwich. Banh mi is a Vietnamese sandwich. It is on a french roll, the kind with the crusty outside and the soft fluffy inside. They are filled with pickled carrots and peppers (if you want it hot) and come in a variety of meat fillings. I think the traditional one is with pork roll and pork pate. There are also ones with chicken, BBQ pork, and sardines, to name a few. I went with the traditional (so much for no meat on Good Friday!). They bake their own bread, which makes a huge difference with the sandwich. I thought the fillings were a little skimpy and would have liked more carrots. And honestly, I prefer Nicky's Vietnamese Sandwiches in the East Village. Or what I remember of Banh Mi Saigon nearby (haven't been there in a while). But the bread was fresh and had the perfect crunchy/fluffy consistency. Another bonus is that they carry Vietnamese desserts (which I didn't try this time).

It was a good thing I had something to eat before my next stop! I finally visited that bastion of Italian meats and cheese, Di Palo Fine Foods in Little Italy. I can't believe I've lived here for almost four years and haven't once stepped inside. After hearing about them from S. and reading a bit about their ricotta in Heat, I knew it was time to get myself to Mott Street. I think there is always a line, but going two days before Easter insured cooling my heels for an hour or so. Luckily, I had all day and since I had never been there, it was fun to look around and watch the fine folks who work there. When it got to be my turn, I decided to get some sopprasatta, gorgonzola, and housemade mozzarella and ricotta. It may take forever to get waited on, but once you do, they take their time helping you and give you tastes of anything you might be curious about. I am taking the sopprasatta and mozzarella to RFC's mom's house tomorrow for Easter, but I have partaken in the ricotta. A few years back, I finally discovered what good ricotta was after having only been exposed to the watery and tasteless stuff in the supermarket. Until that point, I had never thought about eating it plain. It wasn't until I had fresh whole milk ricotta that I truly understood what it was supposed to be. I have been eating the ricotta from Di Palo simply spread on a piece of dense bread, with a scant sprinkle of course salt and a dash of fresh ground pepper. It's amazing. RFC also suggested putting a dollop on a plate of pasta with tomato sauce and eating the chilled cheese little by little with the hot dish.

Today I am making a recipe for Hot Cross Buns from Marth Stewart's show this week. So far so good and the buns are now proofing on the pans. It's almost time to add the cross.

Paris Sandwich
113 Mott Street (at Canal)
New York, NY
(212) 226-7221

Di Palo Fine Foods
200 Grand St
New York, NY
(212) 226-1033

Bon bini!

2007-04-04T13:49:00.000-04:00

S. and I left the boys at home and hit the beach in Aruba last week for a much needed vacation. Neither one of us had been to the Caribbean before, so it was a totally new experience. S. and I have traveled to a number of places here and abroad and all of our trips have entailed much walking around and checking out the local culture. Aruba, we decided, would be all about sitting on the beach, swimming and catching up on our reading. S. had a stack of New Yorkers and I delved into Heat by Bill Buford. We stayed at the Manchebo Beach Resort, which I highly recommend. It was low key, a little worn around the edges, but right on a quiet stretch of beach. The staff was incredibly nice and while the food was mediocre, it satisfied all of our other needs, which mainly consisted of doing nothing in a beautiful setting.

Well, I can't tell you much about Aruban culture or food for that matter, but S. and I did venture into town a couple nights and had some great food from other Caribbean islands. One night we went to Cuba's Cookin' for excellent mojitos and live music. We had a generous helping of lemony guacamole with plantain chips, followed by two different meat dishes with "moors & christians" (beans & rice). Mine was Picadillo de Res, which tasted a little like a meaty tomato sauce, served with more plantains.

The next night we headed for Jamaica Me Krazy. I just love saying that! To the point that S. was accusing me of wanting to go there just so I could tell people we ate at Jamaica Me Krazy. Luckily for both of us the food was fantastic. Unluckily, a few things we wanted to try they were out of. I ended up settling for jerk chicken, which wasn't a bad thing. It was spicy and juicy and came with plantains and a phallic looking bready piece that was akin to a hush puppy. For dessert I had my heart set on Jamaica Black Cake. I made a version of it with dried fruit at Christmas, so I was curious what this would taste like. At first they said they were out, but suddenly our waitress appeared bearing a plate with three slices of cake topped with chocolate and berry sauce and chocolate whipped cream. The cake was interesting in consistency, it had been soaked in rum for so long it had a slightly gummy texture. I loved it and ate far to much of the helping considering how heavy a cake it was. A few hours later it was still sitting in my stomach, lesson learned!

Now we are back in NYC, with our tans and tropical memories, looking out the window at the rain. Sigh...can't wait 'till summer! Or at least a sunny bit of spring.

Hearty Fare

2007-03-27T10:14:00.000-04:00

In my mind, much of the food from Eastern Europe is very similar. It's hearty and filling. Growing up with Hungarian and Slovak family, I ate my share of stuffed cabbages and peppers and sausages baked in the oven. The old apartment buildings where my friends and I live in Queens often have the same smells as my childhood lingering in the hallways. I find them comforting, especially since many of the people who made these dishes for me have passed away or are too old to stand over a hot oven.

I was out to dinner a few nights ago in Sunnyside to see a college friend visiting S and SG. We decided to have Romanian food that night at Acasa and it was like being at grandma's house (except for the keyboardist in the corner who entertained us). One of the appetizers we ordered was the caviar spread. It was more like a fishy, salty mousse that whet our appetites. Which was good, because the food was filling. We also ordered little sausages, called mici. I ordered a pork stew with polenta. S also had polenta, but hers came with lamb "pastrami." Both were great, but I especially liked hers. Even though we were stuffed to the gills, we still ordered dessert. We had cheese doughnuts (papanasi cu smantana), smothered in a tart vanilla sauce (creme fraiche?) and topped with a dollop of jam.

Acasa
48-06 Skillman Avenue
Sunnyside, Queens
(718) 651-1364

FroYo: Part II

2007-03-19T22:46:00.000-04:00

When we last left off, our fearless foodite (me) was attempting to find out if the hype over the new wave of frozen yogurt shops was actually worth anything. In Part I of this adventure, the answer was a resounding "NO!" Pinkberry turned out to be a huge disappointment.

I was almost ready to give up on this and not try Yolato as I had planned. But, I decided to go for it and I'm happy that I did. I made a small detour on my route and stopped by their Broadway outpost on the Upper Westside. They have an assortment of yolato (a blend of yogurt/gelato) flavors. To keep the comparison similar, I chose to get the yogurt flavor. It is served like traditional gelato, using a paddle and given with a tiny spoon. As opposed to my experience yesterday, this was delightful. It had a mouthfeel similar to ice cream, though not as fatty. I loved the tang of the yogurt flavor. I wonder if all the flavors have that slight tang. I would definitely go back (and someone can join me...I got a two for one coupon - any takers?). It's not cheap, at $4.00 for a regular. And I think it has more calories than Pinkberry and Tasti-D, but still less than ice cream.

Now I just have to wait for Red Mango to start opening up here.... If that does happen, hopefully it will be during the summer. I can't take eating this stuff when there is still snow on the ground.

Yolato
2286 Broadway (at 82nd Street)
New York, NY
(another location in the West Village and more coming soon)

FroYo: Part I

2007-03-18T20:57:00.000-04:00

I remember the frozen yogurt frenzy of the late 1980's. In my mind, it was even more intense in Los Angeles, where I grew up. My family ate it all the time. As embarrassing as this might be (mostly to my parents) we would even have it for dinner. Our carrier of choice was Penguins, in the mini mall near our house. The attraction there was that you could pick a base flavor and then pick mix-ins, like peanut butter cups, oreo pieces, toffee. It was great!

So I was understandably intrigued by the frozen yogurt sensation that has been sweeping LA recently. A sensation by the name of Pinkberry. I'm not going to go into details about it because it has been covered extensively in other food blogs (like Eater LA) and on Good Food on KCRW. But it has grown to epic proportions. I heard that Pinkberry opened up outposts in Manhattan in the last few months. In LA, a number of similar places have popped up and here in NYC, the same has happened. Yolato, which serves a combination of yogurt/gelato (get it?), has also opened, serving, from what I hear, a similar product.

Against my better judgment, I have decided to throw my own opinion out there and today I stopped by Pinkberry and tried their green tea frozen yogurt. Maybe it was too cold to appreciate anything frozen, but I really can't see what all the fuss is about. First of all, it doesn't taste like frozen yogurt much at all. It has a watery, hollow flavor, with only a faint taste of green tea. To tell you the truth, I would have been more satisfied with Tasti-Delite. I still want to try Yolato, but after this my expectations are very low.

Those crazy Angelenos, what are they thinking...

Dinner at Home

2007-03-16T18:15:00.000-04:00

Had dinner at Home recently. Not my home, but Home the restaurant located in the West Village. Home is owned by the same could who owns the Shinn Estate Vineyards out on the North Fork. We took a trip out there this past October and absolutely loved their winery. You can read more about it here. They now have a bed and breakfast on the property. It sounds heavenly, but expensive. Maybe once I win the lottery.

The food at Home is delicious. They combine seasonal ingredients to make dishes that satisfy all your senses. We shared a salad of warm goat cheese, grilled apples and greens. The homemade salami on the cheese plate blew us all away. RFC would have been happy just to eat a stick of it with a boy scout knife. Some of the highlights of the entrees were the pork chop, crusted with spices, and the mac and cheese. For dessert we ordered chocolate pudding and pear pie. While the pie was a bit disappointing (the crust was soggy), the pudding was divine in texture and in taste.

Oh, and two neat things about Home: all the wines are from the East Coast and many are from the North Fork and there is a plate of chocolate chip cookies on the front windowsill to either placate you as wait for a table or cleanse your palate on the way out.

Home
20 Cornelia Street
New York, NY
(212) 243-9579

For Peanut Butter Lovers

2007-03-12T08:41:00.000-04:00

I was just in City Bakery yesterday afternoon. I can't remember the last time I was there, probably splitting a cup of their famous hot chocolate four ways. This time I passed on the that and tried one of their peanut butter cookies. It was so tender, I can see why it looks like the dough was just scooped and baked. If the cookie was flat, I think it just might crumble into nothing. The bite I took melted into my mouth, almost like eating straight peanut butter, but better because it didn't make my mouth stick together.

Oh! and the reason for the afternoon out in Manhattan was wedding dress shopping for S. A big congratulations to her and S.G!

City Bakery
3 West 18th Street
New York, NY
(212) 366-1414

l'avoine

2007-03-05T17:27:00.000-05:00

I am a big fan of the oat. This humble looking food is wholesome, delicious and nutritious. Even when they make an appearance in cookies, I feel like I am eating something healthy. Speaking of healthy, what is more nourishing than granola? It is dense, hearty and yes calorie-rich, but oh so yummy. I have fond memories of the peanut butter and cinnamon ones from my childhood. Because I find myself giving much of my income to Kashi, I decided to try my hand at an old favorite.

The following recipe is practically fool-proof. You can add or omit whatever lovely nuts, seeds and dried fruits hiding in your pantry.

CHOCOLATE CHIP GRANOLA

4 C. quick cooking oats
1/3 C. canola oil
1/2 C. honey
1/4 C. light brown sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
3/4 C. chocolate chips
1/2 C. chopped pecans
1/4 C. dried cherries
1/4 t. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir until evenly coated. Spread mixture into a 9 x 13 sheet pan that has been lightly oiled or sprayed. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring a few times, until golden brown.

Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

Hot Chili for a Cold Day

2007-02-25T15:40:00.000-05:00

Now that it is finally cold in NYC, it's time for some hearty food to curl up with. RFC makes a kick-ass rendition of chili that is something to look forward to after negotiating the brown slush of the streets and the windy walk from the subway.

Three Bean Turkey Chili
2 large cans crushed tomatoes
package (usually about 1/3 pound) ground turkey
olive oil
2 medium onions, diced
3 -4 cloves of garlic, minced
envelope chili seasoning (taco seasoning could work also)
1 bottle of dark beer
hot sauce
1 can each navy beans, kidney beans and black beans (drained and rinsed)
red pepper, diced
salt and pepper

Brown turkey, but don't drain the fat. Set aside. In a large pot, saute garlic until tranluscent. Turn off the heat and add the onion and stir (with no heat). Add the tomatoes, beans, seasoning and beer. Bring to a boil and simmer for about an hour. After an hour, add the red pepper and hot sauce, salt and pepper to taste.

**I believe this recipe originally comes from two of RFC's friends, one out in SLC and one in LI, so shout outs to them.

Sucker for Valentine's Day

2007-02-14T17:36:00.000-05:00

You know what? I love Valentine's Day. I know it's commercial, but I love the little Valentine cards with Scooby Doo and kittens from the drugstore. I love Hershey's Kisses in red foil. I love conversation hearts that say Be Mine and Kiss Me. How can you have a problem with a holiday that practically begs you to eat chocolate? And I say this after many years of not having a special someone to be with on February 14th.

This year (and last, for that matter) I get to have an excuse to be especially lovey dovey. I have my very own, super sweetheart whom I made truffles for and I am here to tell you that you should give it a try too. It's not terribly hard, although it is a bit messy, and the satisfaction of presenting someone with a box of candy that you made yourself is undeniable. For ideas and recipes, check out this recent Sugar High Friday. You will definitely be inspired.

Happy Valentine's Day to RFC and also to my girlfriends who have always been my valentines during those boyless Februarys.

NYC Tart

Shredding the Nar *

2007-02-10T14:16:00.000-05:00

I have turned a corner in my snowboarding ability. I can actually connect turns and make toe turns without bailing and falling down every time my board points down hill. If you have no idea what I am talking about, trust me, this is major! It makes all the sore muscles and banged up and bruised knees worth it. And it is all because of a recent trip to Salt Lake City and RFC's awesome friends who hooked us up, entertained us and gave us a place to rest our exhausted bodies at the end of the day (ginoromous thank yous to B., J., S., JM, and their friends).

RFC and I were up early Saturday morning after a late flight in and spent the day at Snowbird. I can not explain to you how much I have heard about this place from RFC. Unfortunately, Utah has not seen as much snow this year and the SLCers are a dissappointed bunch this season. But, compared to the sorry season here in the Northeast, the conditions were great. And the mountains were beautiful. J.'s friend gave me a private lesson and this is what really made a difference in my snowboarding. That first day ended with all of us relaxing in the heated pool at the resort followed by us gorging on plates of nachos as big as our heads at Porcupine. The next day we spent out at Solitude, where I was able get off the bunny slope and go down longer runs. While I was still falling quite a bit, I felt much more confident. Solitude lived up to its name and the quiet rides up on the ski lift gave me time to enjoy my surroundings.

Now, of course, the food. As I just mentioned, I have been hearing about the mountains in Utah since I started dating RFC. Another part of the SLC experience I have heard almost equally about is a Mexican restaurant called the Red Iguana. RFC likes this place so much that he almost didn't let me take him to a Mexican place here in NYC because he thought it would some how spoil his memory of the Mexican food he had in SLC.

Well, now that I have had the opportunity to eat there, I can say that it lived up to and beyond the hype. Coming from California, I swear by the taquerias, but this was a different kind of experience. The specialty here is the mole, and they have a number to choose from. We even got a little sampler plate of the varieties to try. I ordered the lomo de puerco en mole de almendras. It was pork loin stuffed with dried fruit in almond mole. I have never had anything like it before. It was so rich and I loved the sweet/savory mix. RFC ordered the mole poblano. It was equally excellant, shredded turkey smothered in mole flavored with peanuts, walnuts and almonds.

So the verdict on Utah? It was a great break from NYC. The mountains were beautiful, the people were fun, and the Mexican food was so good we took a doggy bag all the way home to New York.

Red Iguana
736 West North Temple
Salt Lake City, Utah
(801) 322-4834

*Any real snowboarder would say I wasn't actually doing this, considering I am barely off the bunny hill, but what the heck. It makes a great title.

lever house

2007-01-30T23:15:00.000-05:00

AIDEZ-MOI, I have forgotten what dining out is like! J'en ai marre! Qu'est-ce qu'on peut faire? What is a girl to do? Luckily, I still have a few connections in the restaurant business. Earlier this month, on a quick jaunt up to NYC, Dave and I had the good fortune to spend some time with our friend Deb (superstar Pastry Chef) and her adorable son, Gabriel. (superstar cutie) We happily accepted her invitation to have dinner at her restaurant, Lever House.

I have never had the good fortune to dine there, because it always seemed a bit too swank. The reputation of the food is only equaled by its design. The entrance alone impresses with its sleekness. Being the modernist I am, I felt at ease the moment we walked through the doors. The Marc Newson interior is absolutely stunning with its honeycomb motif and soothing palette. This is how I envision my dream home. Deb greeted us as we settled into the pod-like booth. As I sipped my "Quincy" cocktail, I absorbed our sumptuous surroundings. Ahhh..such perfection in the details. I felt a bit shabby, especially since I've been running around all day, maybe I'll try to sit up taller.

My starter was a beautiful winter salad of Satur Farm greens, butternut squash, ricotta salata, and hazelnuts. The unique combination was not only delicious but had a most pleasant texture. Chef Dan Silverman sent out an albacore and fluke tartare which was unlike one I have ever tasted. The buttery fluke was delicate and came to life with a burst chive, jalepeno, and orange. My entree was a sweet and rich monkfish highlighted by olives and cipollini onions. What came next was a feast of desserts, 3 courses to be exact. We began with light-as-air potato doughnuts, hot chocolate and cranberries. It was followed by a dizzying array of perfectly executed desserts...Blood Orange Ice box Cake with Graham Crackers, Chocolate and Peanut Butter Layer Cake with Peanut Brittle Ice Cream, Butterscotch Creme Caramel with Cornbread, and Marscapone Cheesecake with Pineapple Fritters. Jaloux? Nous sommes tres heureux! It is impossible to choose a favorite. The flavors are familiar but composed with such sophistication and balance. Je suis tres content, mais combien de temps dois-je attendre pour le prochain?

Dining Out in Astoria

2007-01-29T23:18:00.000-05:00

When you think of Astoria, do you automatically think of Greek food? Yeah, that and maybe the Bohemian Beer Garden. But there are other a plethora of other types of restaurants in these parts. Since RFC moved in, I've been eating out in the neighborhood a lot more. I think when I was living here by myself I figured if I was close to home, I might as well save my money for when I was going with friends and eat the food I had in my fridge. Now that I have someone close at hand to explore with, I've been trying out new places.

Friday night we went to Stove. It had been recommended by one of RFC's friends and it was just down the street. The bone chilling weather made it a good night to try some place nearby. The place was very cozy inside, almost a little too warm, especially once I'd had a glass of wine. But the Irish waitresses were friendly and we felt very comfortable. The menu is eclectic, with options ranging from shepherd's pie to chicken Kiev. RFC and I decided on an onion, tomato and blue cheese salad. It was a little heavy on the red onion, but still tasty. We shared two entrees, wienerschnitzel with warm potato salad and red cabbage and crab-stuffed sole with mashed potatoes. I thought the fish was flavorful and RFC liked the cabbage that came with the wienerschnitzel. Overall it was a pleasant meal. The food was good, not spectacular, but satisfying. We will definitely go back and it is a great option to have in the neighborhood.

A far superior meal was had at Locale, a nouveau Italian restaurant. It is a modern looking cafe and the night we went it was filled with families. We shared a pasta dish, fagottini alla barbabietole, a beggar's purse filled with gorgonzola served in red beet creamy sauce, and a fish dish. It's been a while since we went, so I have forgotten exactly what it was. What I do remember is that it was a delicious meal.

Finally, we recently went out with some family to the old school Italian joint the other way down the street, Ristorante Piccola Venezia. RFC and I had been curious about this place for quite some time. There are always cars double parked outside and there aren't really any windows, so we couldn't check out the inside. Very mysterious. One night we ducked in to check out the menu and a few weeks later made a reservation. This place was a treat! Definitely a throw back to an older Queens. You have dinner there and you feel like they are really taking care of you. It isn't cheap, but I think you are paying partly for atmosphere and the experience. They sit you down and give you a chance to relax, order a drink and nibble on the bruchetta, meat and cheese they have set down on the table. Once you have caught your breath, then they come with the menus. Our waiter assured us they could prepare any of the fish or meat any way we preferred. I had osso bucco that was so tender, I didn't need a knife. It came with gnocci in red sauce. The baked clams were also good. RFC had fish, but again I can't remember what it was (bad foodblogger! bad!). It's not some place we can go to all the time, but it was a treat.

Stove
45-17 28th Avenue
Astoria, New York
(718) 956-0372

Locale
33-02 34th Street
Astoria, New York
(718) 729-9080

Ristorante Piccola Venezia
42-01 28th Avenue
Astoria, New York
(718) 721-8470

Sugar High Friday #27: Chocolate by Brand

2007-01-26T15:40:00.000-05:00

This is my second opportunity to participate in Sugar High Friday, a food blog event first started by Jennifer at Domestic Goddess. This month it is brought to us by one of my pastry idols, David Lebovitz. Being that his passion is chocolate, it is not surprising that he threw the parameters of the event wide open and made the theme Chocolate by Brand.

On my trip to the Bay Area last summer, I finally was able to take a tour of the Scharffen Berger chocolate factory in Berkeley. I am partial to their chocolate because they are a Bay Area company and I used their semi-sweet and unsweetened chocolate for all my creations when I was a pastry chef in San Francisco. While I was visiting, I bought a package of their cacao nibs. Up until now, I had only used them a few times and was saving them to try and recreate a meringue cookie I had at another Bay Area favorite, Tartine Bakery in San Francisco. At Tartine they call them rochers, which means boulders in French. The one I had on my visit had a crunchy outside and was chewy inside. The cacao nibs were a fine foil for the sweetness, adding chocolate, but not more sugar. I have been meaning to try and make them myself and SHF #27 gave me the perfect excuse.

The following recipe is a combination of two I found. The ingredient list (with the addition of the nibs) is from Emily Luchetti's Chocolate Meringue Cookies which is in Star Desserts. The technique came from the Almond Rocher recipe in Tartine Cookbook, by the owners, Elisabeth Prueitt and Chad Robertson. My version turned out wonderfully, although not as chewy as the one I had at Tartine.

Cacao Nib Meringue Cookies
3 egg whites
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons Scharffen Berger unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup Scharffen Berger cacao nibs
1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine egg whites and sugar in a metal bowl. Heat water in a saucepan, bringing to a simmer. Put the bowl over the hot water and whisk until the sugar dissolves and the mixture in hot to the touch. Take the bowl off the water and begin to beat with an electric mixer (or on a Kitchen Aid with whisk attachment) at high speed until the mixture is thick and shiny and holds stiff peaks. Fold in the cocoa powder, cacao nibs and vanilla. Either drop by a spoon onto the baking sheet or use a piping bag to make "kisses."

Bake with the oven door slightly open (use a wooden spoon to prop it) for 17 - 20 minutes until they begin to crack and are dry to the touch. Take out, let cool and store in an airtight container.

The Luckiest Girl

2007-01-15T12:24:00.000-05:00

Who has the best boyfriend ever? I believe that would be me.

Yesterday was my birthday and I was treated to a day that was both relaxing and fun, filled with excellent company and good food. All courtesy of RFC.

The day started with a breakfast that included hashbrowns I have been hearing about for months. They were well worth the wait and RFC spent the morning slaving away over the stove turning them out as well as eggs and bacon. For my part, I lounged around reading the Sunday paper and drinking coffee, something I don't get to do leisurely very often these days. Once breakfast was over and we had gotten ourselves together, it was into Manhattan to spend a few hours at MOMA. Have you ever noticed that the Male and Female bathroom icons at the museum have a swagger in their step?

Dinner was a surprise and I knew that RFC had been emailing with S. to pick out a place to take me. When he told me this, there was one restaurant that popped into my that I hoped she would suggest. As we walked through the West Village, down Bleeker Street, I realized that was exactly where we were going. August Restaurant is a place I have been wanting to go for literally years. I have heard nothing but wonderful things about it and it was number one on my To Dine List.

We started with a chestnut canellone filled with ground veal and chicken. I can't describe to you how rich and meaty it was. We shared our two entrees, oven roasted whole orata (a meaty white fish) and grilled bavette of beef which came with a creamy sauce of sunchokes and mushrooms. We added on a side of brussell sprouts with almonds. Everything was perfect and one of the staff helped us pick out a delicious wine to go with our meal. We sat in the back, which is like a patio with a glass roof. If you have a choice, sit there. We finished our meal on a sweet note with their sticky toffee pudding. Cavity inducing, the sweetness was offset by tart pomegranate seeds sprinkled over the top. August lived up to all my expectations.

The evening ended with jazz dowstairs at the Cornelia Street Cafe and me wishing it could be my birthday every day.

August
359 Bleeker Street
New York, NY
(212) 929-4774

bon anniversaire karen!

2007-01-14T11:15:00.000-05:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET KAREN!

Please join me in wishing the NYTart a wonderful birthday.

la raison pour laquelle j'adore NYC

2007-01-09T23:12:00.000-05:00

In the year and a half that I have left New York, I think of it everyday. I know this sounds quite sad, but everytime I return it is that much sweeter. For a period of less than 48 hours, Dave and I ran around like a bunch of "country folk." Actually, that is a lie. It took us about 15 minutes to get back into the swing of things. Dear, sweet city how I miss you so. Here are a few reasons why.

class with Kristin and Barbara at The Shala

enjoying the bread basket at Le Pain Quotidien with friends and your honey

fighting over the last NYTimes at your corner bagel place (OK, I borrowed that one from Karen)

Pat Kiernan on NY1

greenmarket at Union Square

boutique hotels and their swell-looking staff

sitting in Central Park and taking it all in

city noise

obsession for real estate

the fashion show on the street

Lever House (to be continued...)

48 Hours in Baltimore

2007-01-05T20:12:00.000-05:00

And not a pink flamingo in sight.

I went down to Baltimore (or B'more as the t-shirts say) for a couple days to visit KB. I had never been there before so it was all new to me. An interesting place with lots of little neighborhoods to walk around in. KB and I spent lots of time bumming around, drinking coffee, and taking advantage of this freakishly warm weather. One neat little coffee house we had lunch in was Spoons in Federal Hill. The coffee was great and I had a delicious tuna salad sandwich. It had just enough mayo to hold it together and it still felt healthy. It also had bits of apple to make it interesting. We spent an afternoon at the Baltimore Museum of Art. This museum and the Walters are now free to the public all the time. Pretty cool if you ask me. BMA has a number of Turkish mosaics that are amazing. We ended the first day satisfying our sushi cravings with dinner at Matsuri. What impressed me most about our meal was the yellowtail and scallion roll we ordered. Usually, the piece of yellowtail is pretty small, but here it was a good-sized chunk so that we could actually taste the fish.

My trip ended with a slice of pie from Dangerous Pies. KB had heard of this place from others and of course I had to give it a try. The minute we walked in the door, we were engulfed in the sweet, buttery smell of baking pies. The owner was set up at the back tables filing pie shells with apples and cherries. So it was pie for breakfast for both of us. KB had a slice of blueberry, while I decided on cherry. Now I know neither of these fruits are in season, but we both thought they were delicious. The cherry pie was a little tart and the crust, while thick, reminded me of a cookie. KB's slice of blueberry was a little sweeter and the crust was flaky and thin. They also have savory pies and quiches on the menu.

Spoons
24 East Cross Street
Federal Hill
Baltimore, MD
(410) 539-6751

Matsuri
1105 South Charles Street
Baltimore, MD
(410) 752-8561

Dangerous Pies
1036 Light Street
Baltimore, MD
(410) 522-PIES

The LA Report

2007-01-01T16:40:00.000-05:00

I answered the call of sunny Southern California for the holidays and spent a relaxing week with the family and RFC cruising around, snowboarding and eating lots of Latin food. Isn't the ratio for any CA trip one taco for every two days in California?

In honor of RFC's first time meeting my family, we had to get a pizza from Baronne's. They say they are the originators of the rectangular thin crust pizza in So Cal. I have no idea if it's true, but I do know that their pizza is like no other I have ever had. It's nothing like NY pizza or Chicago pizza or the fancy CA pizza with tandoori chicken and feta cheese. It's kind of greasy, the bottom crust is a little doughy and the crust around the edge is almost non-existent, but what is there is crunchy and crisp. It is the best pizza I have ever had!

Another must-eat every time I am home is Poquito Mas. Their ahi tacos are simple and delicious, as are all their tacos. They also have salsa bar with two kinds of salsa, various shades of other pepper sauces, jalepenos and carrots, and cilantro. And the tortillas are made to order. Yum!

That was only the beginning of the Latin food we enjoyed. There was also a trip to El Torito. I know what you must be thinking, "Ack! A chain! The TGI Fridays of Mexican food!" But it is a favorite of my mom's and I have to say that the food was much better than I remembered. I had the Mexico City tacos which were pretty darn tasty. We also indulged in the tableside-made guacamole as well. I admit I was pleasantly surprised.

One night was spent down in Venice. If I ever have to move back to LA, this is where I would want to live. There are so many sweet little houses and they are all distinctive. My friend recently moved into the neighborhood and she has such a neat little set up. She took us to a laid back tapas place, Santino's. Many of the dishes have an Argentinean bent and there is also a large panini menu. We were partial to Eggplant Mamma Mia, a garlicky spread, and the chicken empanada. From there we went down the street to La Cabana for excellent margaritas and creamy guacamole. Both restaurants had a laid back, chill atmosphere. Great places to catch up and get to know my friend's new beau.

One last treat was a visit to Porto's. This Cuban bakery has been family owned and operated since 1960. They have an outpost in Glendale, but we checked out their newish location in Burbank. The little cakes and pastries filling in the case are beautiful. Mini coconut cakes with purple orchids perched on top, tres leche cups with piped merengue, fruit filled empanadas...you can't go wrong. This time, though, we were there for lunch and I had my very first Cubano sandwich. I can't believe I waited so long! The bread was crisp and toasted just enough to warm the inside, which was filled with pork, ham, Swiss cheese, mustard and pickles. All the sandwiches come with plantain chips. The next day we stopped in for breakfast on our way to the airport and had omelets on croissants with guacamole and papa rellenas. These breaded mashed potato balls are heavenly and filled with seasoned ground beef.

The week was fun and went by so quickly, but it's nice to be back in NYC. I still have a little down time before I go back to work and I think I need to detox just a bit and hit the gym after all the indulging. RFC seemed to enjoy his time there and fit in well with my people. Next time, though, I have to get get him up to Northern California for an entirely different experience.

Baronne's
13726 Oxnard St.
Valley Glen, CA
(818) 782-6004

Poquito Mas
10651 Magnolia Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA
(818) 994-8226

Santino's
3021 Lincoln Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA
(310) 392-5920

La Cabana
738 Rose Ave.
Venice, CA
(310) 392-7973

Porto's Bakery & Cafe
3614 Magnolia Blvd.
Burbank, CA
(818) 846-9100

Happy Holidays!

2006-12-23T19:41:00.000-05:00

So, I made it through this last week before Christmas...barely, but I was helped along by a special package of cookies from NC Tart (thank you!) and the prospect of a tasty dinner Friday night in Astoria with RFC. Look forward to more on that next year, plus posts on whiskey cake, middle-eastern in the West Village and a recipe for chili, perfect for the winter nights ahead.

Until then, Happy Holidays! Happy New Year!
NYC Tart.

le stress

2006-12-18T19:07:00.000-05:00

A few nights ago, I was toiling away at work. It's the same old story--prepping too much for private parties and trying to keep my sanity. Just shy of 10:00 p.m., I received a phone call from the NY Tart. So nice to hear a her voice! We commiserated for a few seconds before the wretched sound of a dessert ticket interrupted our conversation. The consensus-We need a drink.

Sunny SoCal is calling our names. Can we survive the following week?

Happy Birthday Dora!

2006-12-04T09:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday dear Dora!
Happy Birthday to you!

With much love from you blog sister.

Itzocan Cafe

2006-12-02T13:24:00.000-05:00

In my many wanderings through the East Village, I always pass lots of interesting looking cafes and restaurants. Usually, I am walking by when eating a meal is not on my immediate agenda. Trouble is, when I actually want to try a new place, my mind goes completely blank. It's like having a huge list of books to read, but having a brain freeze the minute you walk into a library or bookstore.

Last night one of those nights when my friend and I were up for trying some place new, but weren't quite sure where it would be. There seem to be lots of little places east of 1st Avenue, so we took a stroll down 9th Street and came across a sweet tiny place called Itzocan Cafe. There are only about eight tables, but it wasn't too crowded. The food is basically Mexican or California Mexican. The lunch menu looks delicious with a selection of quesadillas and burritos. The dinner menu is smaller but varied. We shared crispy goat cheese ravioli which definitely lit up your mouth a bit with the addition of jalapenos. My friend ordered the braised flank steak, which was so tender she didn't even need her knife. I decided on the semolina dumplings. It was a hearty bowl with corn and mushrooms and broth, a fitting choice considering the storm outside. It could have used a little heat, as in more peppers, but I enjoyed it.

Itzocan Cafe
438 East 9th Street, b/w 1st and A
New York, NY
(212) 677-5856

P.S. For some reason, the comment settings changed on our blog and I had to approve comments before they were published. Thanks to RFC who caught this. I changed it back and comments now go automatically up. Sorry to everyone who left a comment that was not posted until today!

To Grandmother's House We Go

2006-11-27T20:13:00.000-05:00

I have just returned from the land of palm trees and 70 degree Thanksgivings. Yes, I braved long check-in lines and airport food courts to spend time with the family in Los Angeles. My mother cooked up a storm and really out did herself this year. The turkey was brining all morning and came out of the oven incredibly juicy. She also made her world class mashed potatoes. I don't care what anyone else says, my mom makes the best mashed potatoes ever. There was, of course, cranberry sauce, stuffing (that was very much like a savory bread pudding), sweet potatoes, green beans and carrots. There was only one small last minute change in our plans in that we had to pack up the dinner and take it over my grandma's house instead of eating at my parents' house. Not a big deal, the important part being that we were all together, the rest...just gravy (hee, hee).

A sampling of all the dishes made for a beautifully plated dinner.

My contributions to meal were special requests from mom:

Macadamia Nut Tart

Pecan Pumpkin Pie

And no Thanksgiving at home is complete with out mom's cranberry jello. Very 1950's and very delicious.

Cranberry Jello
1-1# can whole berry cranberry sauce
1-20 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained but reserve juice
1-6 oz package strawberry jello
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
2 cups sour cream
3 T lemon juice
1 cup water

In saucepan combine jello, water, pineapple juice (add enough water so pineapple liquid equals one cup). Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, pour into bowl and add cranberry sauce. Refrigerate until mushy. Add pineapple, sour cream, nuts and lemon juice and pour into 9 x 9 inch serving dish. Refrigerate until firm.

I am thankful for...

2006-11-23T12:58:00.000-05:00

...all the wonderful people I am lucky enough to have in my life. They make every day just that much better.

Happy Thanksgiving!
NYC Tart

Roller Derby!

2006-11-21T18:23:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday I watched the Queens of Pain demolish the Manhattan Mayhem in the championship match of Gotham Girls Roller Derby. I just discovered roller derby this summer and have been three times. It's fun and exciting with just enough necessary roughness to make you gasp once in a while. Roller derby is done for the season, but keep up to date on their website to find out when it is on again.

I met the girls at Junior's in Brooklyn for dinner and dessert before the showdown. It was my first time having their famous cheesecake. I am not an aficionado, but I enjoyed the simplicity of the creamy wedge. Instead of the crumb crust, they use what looks like a thin layer of cake. I also loved the ambiance of the restaurant. There were lots of families and teens out for the night. It felt very local. You just knew some of the people there came every week for dinner. And who can beat the neon signs!

Junior's
86 Flatbush Avenue Extension at Dekalb Avenue
Brooklyn, New York
(718) 852-5257

quelle belle saison

2006-11-18T10:42:00.000-05:00

I am also guilty of neglecting my post writing and secretly hoping Miss K. would fill the void. I guess she has been busy with nefarious activities.....

Are you ready for the holiday season? Each year, it seems to appear out of nowhere and the stress of travel, gift giving and establishing tradition consumes you for a month or so. Every year, I try to simplify the process, but somehow I end up doing the opposite. We place so much effort on the expectation, so I propose we simply enjoy this time with our family and friends. Food and wine certainly helps in this task. The fondest memories I have of Thanksgiving have been the untraditional ones. One year, in San Francisco, my friend gathered 30 or so friends for a virtual feast. Everyone was instructed to bring their own version of cranberry sauce, stuffing et al, thankfully no green bean casserole made an appearance. The result was a lovely experience where everyone contributed and the atmosphere was relaxed.

This year I will not make the mistake of trying to cook an entire Thanksgiving dinner. Although the gathering will be small, only 4 of us, the work has been evenly distributed. I am in charge of les legumes et les desserts. Although turkey is not on the menu, I fell a need to make some Thanksgiving inspired sweets. I have successfully overcome my pie phobia, and with Dorie Greenspan as inspiration, a pumpkin-pecan pie is in order. Je crois qu'elle est la panachee. Check out this month's Saveur for this delightful dessert that combines two holiday favorites. Also, not to be missed, an article written by the late R. W. Apple .

P.S. I hope to never outgrow A Charlie Brown Thankgiving

Shackin' Up

2006-11-14T22:50:00.000-05:00

Gosh! I'm sorry I have been posting so sporadically these days! Apparently life (work, school, and a little bit of a social life) has filled my dance card the past few months. But that does not mean I haven't been cooking, baking and eating well. (Unfortunately, it does mean exercise and enjoying some this beautiful weather has taken a back seat for a moment.)

There has been a big change in my life...my apartment is now our apartment, as RFC and I have taken the plunge and decided to live together. We now have a cozy little home, that has amazingly absorbed much of his belongings. It is an adjustment, but one whole heartedly made, and the payoff is having someone special to come home to every night.

We celebrated our new living arrangements recently by having a couple friends over to see what my, oops, I mean our apartment looks like with more furniture (like dressers!). And we used the gathering as an excuse to buy lots of goodies at an Italian deli we discovered down the block. Sorriso's has been around for about thirty years and everything we have tried has been delicious, from their sandwiches to their capanota. This time we bought a selection of Italian meats: proscuitto, capicola, and salami, along with their housemade mozzarella (it's creamy and has a lightly salty exterior).

I also took out of the freezer a jar of Fig Sesame Jam I had made a few weeks previously. Yes, I did give jam making another try. It paired wonderfully with manchego cheese and crackers. I finished it off later in the week with the leftover meats. One highlight of the evening was RFC's baked ziti. He made his own sauce with fresh oregano and a bit of spice from hot peppers. The spiciness was even more present the next day. With his permission, here is his recipe. Lucky us had so much leftover, there is a smaller tray in the freezer ready to go.

Baked Ziti

One pound ricotta cheese, preferably whole milk

1/4 cup fresh oregano

1/2 teaspoon each of salt and fresh ground black pepper

one egg

1 package of (I think it is a pound also) of regular mozzarella cheese, part skim is fine

sauce

1 pound of ziti (I prefer large rigatoni)

Prepare cheese mixture by mixing ricotta, oregano (pulled off the stems), and salt and pepper. It is also nice to add 1/4-1/2 cup pecorino-romano grated cheese. Let sit at room temp while cooking pasta. The mozzarella will be used to create the crunchy brown top. Cut the cheese into pencil sized bars.

Next, cook pasta about 3/4 of the recommended cooking time, so the pasta is pre-aldente. The pasta will continue to cook while baking in the oven. Preheat oven to 375 when you drain the pasta. Pour the pasta into your baking dish (about 9 x 13). Add cheese mixture to the pasta and slowly add sauce till you have a nice pinkish color, that is pretty wet. Once the ziti is mixed, cover it with sauce on top. Lay the mozzarella rods out in any kind of pattern on top of the sauce, I usually do a cross-hatch, but it all melts together anyway. Bake for anywhere from 45-60 mins. Depending on you oven, you may have to cover the top with foil for the first 30 mins. Check on the dish every five mins starting at 45 mins. Top should get brown.

Sauce

1 large can of whole tomatoes (roma/plum from italy)

2 large cans of crushed tomatoes (roma/plum from Italy)

1/4 cup fresh garlic, sliced thin

1/4 cup fresh oregano pulled from the stems

enough olive oil to cover bottom of pot

3 grilled cherry peppers, from a jar, the ones I used were hot

teaspoon salt

fresh black pepper

Add oil, garlic, and oregano to medium-large saucepan. Saute on medium flame till garlic starts to become translucent. Add tomatoes and crush whole tomatoes by hand, puncture and then crush, otherwise the tomato erupt all over the place. Make sure to use liquid that is with whole tomatoes. Add cherry peppers. I usually half the peppers, de-seed and coarsely chop them. Bring to a boil on high heat, and reduce heat to a simmer. Stir, look, and taste the sauce for the next one or two hours. You may season to taste at this point with salt and pepper. You can be creative at this point. I add carrot slices to make a less acidic sauce. Grilled eggplant it also nice.

Sorriso's
44-16 30th Avenue
Astoria, New York
(718) 728-4392

My Apple Pie Can Beat Up Your Apple Pie

2006-11-01T09:56:00.000-05:00

I'm not one to normally toot my own horn, but I have to report on a moment of triumph I had by association recently. A friend happens to work in a very foodie workplace. The subject of apple pie came up in a discussion within her department and of course someone claimed to make the best apple pie. Then another person claimed to make the best apple pie, from his grandmother's recipe. My friend, who has never made a pie, much less an apple pie, in her life, broke in and said her apple pie could wipe the floor with their apple pies. More trash talking ensued until finally it was decided there would be a bake off and blind taste test by another department the following Monday.

I got the call Sunday afternoon. It was my friend calling to see if I had a recipe I could walk her through. And I do, one that is pretty simple and never lets me down. We talked it over and during the process of her making it I got a couple more phone calls with quick questions and at the end a photo via cell phone of it just out of the oven.

And Monday afternoon....a text message that she won "Best Overall." (While I am patting myself on the back, I think my friend must be a natural at the baking and has been harboring a hidden talent for pie making.)

"Best Overall" Apple Pie
Easy Pie Dough
1/2 pound butter, chilled
2 cups all purpose flour
pinch of salt
about 1/4 to 1/3 cup ice water

Cut butter into small pieces. Put flour and salt in a bowl. Add butter. I don't have my kitchen aid right now, so I use my fingers to rub the butter into the flour until there are no large chunks and it looks a little like corn meal. Add ice water a little at a time, tossing with the flour/butter mixture, until it starts to come together. Don't knead the dough or add too much water, only enough to get it to stick together. Divide it into two disks, one a little bigger than the other and refridgerate for at least an hour. This is definitely enough for a lattice top pie and probably enough for a double crust if you are careful when rolling it out.

Apple Filling
6 - 7 cups peeled, sliced apples, like Granny Smith
3/4 cup brown sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 T lemon juice

Toss together and pour into pie shell. Mound in the middle, as it will bake down. Lay top crust over or weave lattice and crimp edges. Brush with an egg yolk/water or egg yolk/cream glaze and sprinkle with a little sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until top is golden brown and a skewer inserted meets very little resistance. If the top browns too quickly, lay a piece of tin foil over the top.

**This recipe came to me through my work at the sadly no-more Little Dipper Bakery in San Francisco.

pain d'epice

2006-11-01T00:07:00.000-05:00

I blame my family for my obsession with food. It is their fault that I am working in the restaurant industry, and the fact that I always make way too much food for dinner. My brother holds a large part of this responsibility. He introduced me to foods, without exaggeration, that changed my life-mole and Kashi. I eat a Kashi product everyday and I wish I could eat mole everyday. (in the form of an Orale Orale burrito please) I would like to give a shout-out, on his birthday, to him and his lovely family.

My family lives on the West Coast, so it makes celebrations like birthdays a bit sad for me. Eventhough birthdays loose their luster as we grow older, we can always look forward to the birthday cake. Old school favorites come to mind. Who can resist a Carvel Ice cream cake? Drawing inspiration from the fall season and the beauty of the foliage, I would like to offer a gingerbread cake. It may seem a bit unorthodox, but paired with a cream cheese frosting it makes a delightful alternative to a mundane sheet cake. The aroma of the spices and deep caramel color will get you in the mood for the upcoming holidays and cold weather.

Cette recette est vraiment simple mais ca gout mieux le lendemain.

Gingerbread (yield one 8-inch cake or 9 cupcakes)

1 2/3 C. all purpose flour
2 t. baking soda
2 t. ground ginger
1 t cinnamon
1 /4 t. ground cloves
pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 t. salt
3 oz. butter
1/2 C. packed dark brown sugar
1/2 C. molasses
1 egg
2/3 C. boiling water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease or spray an 8-inch cakepan. In a large mixing boel, sift the dry ingredients. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Lower the speed and add the molasses scraping down the sides. Add the egg and mix until combined. Add the flour in 3 portions, alternating with the boiling water. Beat the ingredients just until they are evenly incorporated. Do not overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the top of the cake springs back when touched, about 30-35 minutes. Allow the cake to cool in the pan then invert it onto a rack to finish cooling.

Ramen, Cupcakes and a Champagne Cocktail

2006-10-28T22:10:00.000-04:00

What more do you need on a rainy, windy Saturday?

After a successful but mentally fatiguing shopping expedition to Midtown, S. and I treated ourselves to some much needed girl time. We headed down to the East Village to some of our favorite places. First off was Minca Ramen Factory. We both went for the Basic, a huge steaming bowl of noodles and thick, rich garlicky broth topped with mushrooms and a couple slices of melt in your mouth pork. Rest assured, this ramen bears absolutely no relation to the noodle block many of us depended on for sustenance in college. I can never finish it and usually take the rest home for lunch the next day.

After filling our bellies with ramen noodles, we took a walk down to Sugar Sweet Sunshine on the Lower Eastside to have a couple of their superb cupcakes. S. likes the red velvet, which are moist and very red. I tried the pumpkin with cream cheese frosting, also moist with a little spice. The buttercream they use is light and not too sweet. You can eat a whole cupcake without feeling like you'll get a cavity. The atmosphere is cozy and warm and the sweet smell makes you want to stay for a while.

We topped off our evening with cocktails at Angel's Share. I tried one of their signature drinks, Scenes in the City. A refreshing mix of Citron, grapefruit juice, and lychee syrup. S. went for her favorite, a Bellini. For the encore we each had a Kir Royale. I have to thank S. for getting me started on the champagne cocktails. They add a festive note to going out for a drink. This bar is small and a little hidden (though really not much of a secret). You need to go up a flight of stairs and through a Korean restaurant to enter. It fills up quickly, so the time to go is right after it opens at six. We sat at the window and watched twilight fade into night. The mixologists at Angel's Share are scientific in their approach to drinkmaking. They are fascinating to watch as they measure out the proportions and then put it all together. I recommend getting a bar seat once in while to see them work.

Minca
536 East 5th Street
New York, NY
(212) 505-8001

Sugar Sweet Sunshine
126 Rivington
New York, NY
(212) 995-1960

Angel's Share
8 Stuyvesant Street
New York, NY
(212) 777-5415

Wine Stained Teeth

2006-10-11T20:31:00.000-04:00

As many of my friends will tell you, I will rarely, if ever, say no to a glass of wine. Not that I am a connoisseur by any stretch of the imagination. I just know what I like and enjoy partaking in it. By extension, wine tasting is a favorite outing. When S. and I lived in San Francisco, we tried to make it up north of the Golden Gate once or twice a year. Since moving to NYC, we've discovered the North Fork area of Long Island. It was time for a trip out there and out of the city, so RFC, S., S's SO (who will be henceforth known as SG) and I packed up the car for a weekend away.

I can't believe how close the North Fork is, and yet how far out in the country it seems. There are big(ger) pieces of land, farms, farmstands, and wineries, all about two hours away from NYC. We totally lucked out on the weather with two perfect days of sun. We hit five wineries in all, but really just three stood out. The other two were closer to that scene in Sideways of the scary over-run tourist winery, so I won't bother with them. I think the trick to North Fork is to get off the Route 25 and onto the less traveled 48. There you will find Shinn Estate Vineyards and Sherwood House Vineyards. Shinn Estate is owned by the people who own Home in Manhattan. (Which is a lovely little place in the West Village.) During our wine flight, we were led on a short vineyard walk by one of the owners. We also had the opportunity to lavish attention on their cat and dog. The people at Shinn Estate pointed us in the direction of Sherwood House down the road. They boast the smallest tasting room in North Fork, and it is small, a converted shed really. But because you can't hang around inside there, you are forced (wink, wink) to sit outside next to the vines. Earlier, we had stopped by the Peconic Baking Company and there had picked up a moist, lightly spiced pumpkin bread. We brought it out and spent a very content hour nibbling and enjoying their Reserve Merlot. It's amazing we were able to leave. We ended this day eating at Claudio's in Greenport. This was a recommendation by RFC who has been there a few times and it was totally on the mark. We dined on clam chowder, local oysters, flounder and striped bass as well as North Atlantic swordfish. Everything was simply prepared so the freshness of the seafood shown through.

The next day was much more leisurely. We refueled with eggs, toast and bacon at the Cutchogue Diner. It's a classic with it's chrome outside and cozy, bustling atmosphere inside. Since we weren't quite ready for wine at 11am, we scouted out a few farmstands. They were already packed with families seeking corn mazes, hay rides and the perfect pumpkin for jack o'lantern making. We selected a few types of winter squash to enjoy later in the week. Having satisfied much of our wine needs the day before, we decided to only stop at one last vineyard, Old Field. We went by The Village Cheese Shop in Mattituck and with the help of the friendly and very mellow staff, picked out a couple cheeses which we paired with fresh bread and thinly sliced prosciutto. I am a very bad foodie by the fact that I can't remember what we bought. (Can anyone help me with this?) This became the basis of a little picnic at Old Field. The owners here are very friendly and all the tastings are done outside, the chicken coop in clucking distance. You feel like you are a million miles from the city. We loved their chardonnay and bought glasses of it to enjoy with our snack.

I have to say a big thank you to RFC for doing all the driving. He really needs to teach me how to drive a stick so I can do my part. And S. and SG were perfect traveling companions. I can't wait until our next outing.
NYC Tart

Shinn Estate Vineyards
2000 Oregon Road
Mattituck, NY (631) 804-0367

Sherwood House Vineyards
Elijah's Lane North of Country Road 48
Mattituck, NY (631) 298-1396

The Old Field Vineyards
59600 Main Road
Southold, NY (631) 765-0004

Claudio's Restaurant
111 Main Street
Greenport, NY (631) 477-0627

Peconic Baking Company
8595 Cox Lane, #5
Cutchogue, NY (631) 734-4182

The Village Cheese Shop
Love Lane
Mattituck, NY (631) 298-8556

Cutchogue Diner
28230 Main Road
Cutchogue, NY (631) 734-2330

sandwhich

2006-10-10T15:55:00.000-04:00

When I moved to Chapel Hill, I knew only 2 people. One was my dear friend Cheryl who I met at White Lotus during a Yoga Teacher Training Program. The other was a cook named Hitch who I worked with at the venerable Union Square Cafe. We literally worked on opposite sides of the kitchen. Hitch would work feverishly on the Pasta Station, while Karen and I would toil away in the Pastry Station. The design of the Pastry Area was created by someone with a very wicked sense of humor. During service, only 2 people could work in the area and it was still a bit too cozy. While we tried to make delicate tuiles in the top oven, the line would be searing off lobsters or bacon in the bottom one. Our Hobart machine was housed on the floor and the ice cream machine lived in the dungeon. I mean downstairs past the walk-ins and dry storage. The whole kitchen and upstairs office had an eclectic feel of a first apartment. Use of space and inherited objects would find very creative uses, but somehow it all worked.

The menu was not cutting edge, no foam or sous-vide here, just, rustic inspired food. How could you go wrong with the Greenmarket just steps away? Among the hustle and bustle, you would find a familial atmosphere. Many interns, cooks and chefs would pass through the doors to gain hands-on experience and a notable mark on their resume. I didn't know Hitch all that well, but knew he was moving to this place called North Carolina. Quelle idee! I thought when you get married and have children you move to Connecticut. Of course, roughly a year later I found myself in the same predicament and was eager to get in touch with him.

I had no idea what a culture shock it would be to move here and going to Hitch's restaurant Sandwhich definitely reminded me of home. We would reminisce about work, living in the city and adapting to life in a small town. He even let me try my hand at making a few pastries for his shop. His menu is composed of thoughtful concoctions that are far from ordinary. Each sandwich is served between Weaver Street Bakery bread and many ingredients are from local farmers. The Tuna Sandwich, a favorite, is a perfect homage to our Alma Mater.

SANDWHICH
East End Courtyard
431 West Franklin St. Suite 16
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
919-929-2114

Apple Time

2006-10-09T10:33:00.000-04:00

Autumn is definitely my favorite time of the year. I love the chill in the air, football on the television (Go ND!), Halloween and Thanksgiving, and the hearty, comfy food it all inspires. RFC and I celebrated the beginning of fall by going apple picking. We took a drive about an hour north to Masker's Orchard in Warwick, New York. It is a "u-pick" orchard where you actually drive your car among the trees and fill your orchard-issued bags until your heart's content. I don't think I am too keen on the idea of driving through the orchard and it was awfully crowded, but we still had a fabulous time picnicing on the grass with apples randomly falling from the trees above us and then harvesting to the point we could barely carry our bags. We came away with a few Red Delicious, which aren't really a favorite of either of us. I find the peel a little bitter and RFC thinks they are devoid of flavor. Most of our haul consisted of Macintosh and Jona Golds as big as your head. Pie making is now in my future, along with some apple cookies and possibly pancakes.

We took a break from the picking to indulge in all things apple at the farm stand. The two of us shared a slice of apple pie and a cider doughnut. And we sipped hot and cold cider. The pie was freshly baked, the apples in the filling still held their shape, yet melted away in my mouth. The crust was flaky, if rolled a little thick. The cider doughnuts were...good as doughnuts usually are. I couldn't taste the cider in them, but I love the idea of cider in doughnuts. The dusting of cinnamon-sugar was enough to satisfy my taste buds.

Now is the time to give free rein to your apple fancy. If you can't get out of whatever city you are in to pick them yourself, I'm sure there is a farmer's market near by. Here in NYC, I know the Greenmarkets are bursting with their apple bounty. If you see them, try Honey Crisp, they are so sweet, it's like natural candy.

NYC Tart

Cheese & Pepper

2006-10-02T21:21:00.000-04:00

In honor of S.'s 32nd birthday, the gang made a trek to the East Village to Cacio e Pepe for an Italian feast of pasta, wine, and then a little more wine. S. and her SO went to Italy last year and still reminisce, and attempt to recreate at home, a pasta dish they had there, which also happens to be the dish for which this restaurant is named. Three of our five ordered it and it was served tableside out of a hollowed out wheel of pecorino cheese. The presentation was very impressive, though it led to some discussion about whether this was a traditional way of serving it (the consensus was no, followed by a few cheese wheel jokes). The dish is very simple, literally just cheese and pepper dressing the pasta. S.'s SO thought the key was fresh, fragrant peppercorns. I was thrilled with my giant rigatoni with tuna, olives, and capers that packed quite a kick. RFC was also pleased with his pasta in red pesto. All were cooked perfectly al dente. We also tasted a sweet/salty foccacia with figs and proscuitto and a lentil salad with blue cheese and beets. We passed on dessert because there was a cake waiting back in Queens, but there were some interesting combinations that I would love to come back and try.

Cacio e Pepe
182 2nd Avenue
New York
(212) 505-5931

Cookies for Breakfast

2006-10-01T12:00:00.000-04:00

I am very overdue in my write up about a second blogging event I participated in. Around the time I discovered Sugar High Fridays, I came across Blogging by Mail, sponsored by Dispensing Happiness. Stephanie invited bloggers from all over to send in their snail mail addresses to her along with food likes and dislikes. She matched up everyone so that we all got a care package in the mail this past month. I sent one out to Kansas to Heather at Eating for One. I included some NYC treats along with a few things I really enjoy. A couple weeks ago, I received my own box of goodies from Michelle in Texas. What was waiting for me at the post office was filled with two kinds of cookies, tea cakes that were similar to sugar cookies, but more crumbly, and what she called, "one cup cookies." They were like oaty chocolate chip cookies. I like cookies with some texture, so I literally ate them up...for breakfast...every day for a week. Yum. Thanks Stephanie for setting up BBM and thank you Michelle for the lovely package! NYC Tart

Pie for Everyone!

2006-09-25T21:05:00.000-04:00

This past Sunday, I took part in the 3rd Annual Brooklyn Pie Social in DUMBO. It was a blustery, windy day with dark clouds threatening rain, but that didn't stop enthusiasts from coming out to try the many incarnations of pie that were available. I made a maple pecan pie and my special Concord grape pie. Not many people have every had the latter. I was introduced to it by a former boss when I worked at a bakery in SF. It pretty much tastes like Welch's grape juice or jelly, but not as sweet as you might think. For the past five years, I've made it every September during the short Concord grape season. I always like to get a few new people to give it a try. Since the pie social fell right during my usual pie making time, I thought it would be fun to bring. I did get lots of comments on it and both pies were gone after two hours. I was very proud! S. came to keep me company and I don't know what I would have done with out her. The strong winds made manning the pies, plates, forks, and knives a task for two people. (Thanks!)

With my entry of pies, I got five tasting tickets which I gladly shared with S. There were so many that looked delicious, it was hard to decide. We started with an apple pie topped with a cornbread, bacon and cheddar crumble. It was just enough savory to compliment the sweetness. We then tried a peach-pistachio tart from the Pie Queen, whom I finally got to meet in person. It was a lovely last hurrah for summer. After a short break (we wanted to pace ourselves) we tried shepard's pie and then a swiss chard torte. Both were amazing. We ended the extravaganza with a sweet pear and fig pie that was still warm from the oven. There was a short bit of rain that made everyone scamper under the scaffolding covering the sidewalk. Despite this and the wind, we had a fabulous time. It was such a homey, community orientated affair. And the proceeds went to two public elementary schools. How can you go wrong?

NYC Tart

mon mari

2006-09-21T13:04:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday My Love

Ruby and Dora

tarte aux pommes (a la mode)

2006-09-18T11:11:00.000-04:00

Je suis desolee. La derniere semaine, j'etais tres occupee. This past week, has been delightfully busy. First and foremost, it was New York Fashion Week. As much as I love food and travel, J'adore la mode! I am starved for style and fashion down here. In my town, most girls dress like they have just come from soccer practice or are going to the prom. Egads! Where is my friend Stefania to set these girls straight? So my week was filled with catching up on the latest trends (leggings and volume oh my), welcoming my in-laws into town, making apple pie and meeting a beekeeper.

As Miss Karen knows, I am a bit traumatized by making apple pie. In the past, I have preferred to bake tarts, crumbles, cobblers, crisps...but the art of piemaking has eluded me. With the weather becoming cooler, I was determined to put my phobia aside and compose the ultimate apple pie. Nothing froufrou or overwrought, just a delicious double crust apple pie worthy of the NY Tart. My credo has always been to keep things simple and hopefully your personal style will shine through. After trying countless varieties of apples, I found the Granny Smith works best. For snacking, my favorites are Jonagold, Mutsu and Honeycrisp, but sadly they don't translate well when baked. The Granny Smith has a bright flavor and crisp texture that will balance out the rich, buttery crust.

(PATE BRISEE)

20 oz. ap flour
1 t. salt
14 oz. butter (cold and cut into small pieces)
8 oz. milk (cold)

(APPLE FILLING)

2 oz. brown sugar
2 oz. sugar
2 oz. ap flour
½ t. cinnamon
¼ t. nutmeg
8 Granny Smith Apples
1 T. lemon juice
2 oz. melted butter

(TOPPING)
1 egg (lightly beaten)
2 T. sugar

Prepare the Dough
-sift dry ingredients into a medium mixing bowl
-using a pastry blender or your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs
-add the milk slowly and toss with a fork
-before dough comes together turn it out onto board (it will be shaggy),
continue mixing by hand (it is important at this time to handle the dough
w/care in order to ensure a flaky and light crust)
-divide dough into 2 round discs approx 1 inch thick, let rest 30 mins in
fridge before rolling out or freeze and shape later
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
Prepare the filling
-peel and core the apples
-slice then into even pieces about 1/4 inch thick
-combine the apples and melted butter in a large bowl
-toss w/ remaining ingredients until all apples are evenly coated
-roll out 1 portion of the chilled dough to form a 12 inch circle
-line a lightly greased 10 inch pie tin and press the dough into the bottom and sides, leavin a 1 inch overhang
-roll out the second piece to a slightly larger circle
-mound the filling into the tin and transfer the top crust over the apples
-crimp the edges or seal them with a fork
-pierce the top with a knife to create vents
-brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle a it with the sugar
-bake for approximately 45-50 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly

The apple pie is like the LBD. It is always au courant.
NC Tart

Transition into Autumn

2006-09-17T18:48:00.000-04:00

Although this weekend warmed back up, a few days ago the temperature dropped here in NYC and it started to feel like autumn was here. A visit to the Union Square Greenmarket revealed that while there is still the tail end of summer produce... fall treats are here as well...

I got in one more trip to the Shake Shack (in Madison Square Park) before the weather turns too cold to enjoy lunch outside. I tried the chicken version of the Chicago Dog. Very good and you don't feel so guilty adding on that order of fries. M. was in town from the West Coast, so S. and I used her as an excuse to go out to eat. There was the aforementioned trip to the Shake Shack, as well as a spontaneous visit to Max Brenner Chocolates. This is a relatively new dessert cafe on Broadway near 14th Street. Have you noticed these cafe/bars are the new thing??? A few opened up this year and I believe more are to come. Dora wrote up a beautiful description of Chikalicious, which was on the forefront of this trend. But back to the chocolate...it's a huge space, actually a little big for my taste. But we were able to be seated immediately, a big plus since we had just come from dinner at Tia Pol, which had a wait of over an hour. The three of us shared the Double Chocolate Fondue. We chose to get it with dark and milk chocolates and it came with banana bread cubes, banana slices, strawberries and marshmallows. While I was not overly impressed, it served its purpose that evening, giving us a place to sit and chat over coffee and sweets.

By the way, Tia Pol, a tapas place on 10th Avenue between 22nd and 23rd Streets, is awesome! Their food is the closest thing S. and I have found in NYC to what we had on our trip to Spain. The only negative is that the restaurant in so small, the wait is unbearably long on most nights. If you go, try the pan tomacat (toasted baguette slices with tomato) and patatas bravas (roasted potatoes with a spicy, creamy sauce). Both very simple dishes that hit all the right flavors. NYC Tart

Sugar High Fridays #23: The Surprise Inside

2006-09-12T09:21:00.000-04:00

I am so excited to be a part of the 23rd edition of Sugar High Fridays, a food blogging event I came across while exploring various links and sites late one night. It is the brain child of the Domestic Goddess and each month the recipe round-up has a different theme. The themes have ranged from canning to white chocolate to dairy and each is hosted by a different food blog. This month, Alanna at A Veggie Venture is rounding up all the participants. You can check out everyone's submissions here around September 23rd.

At first I was at a loss as to what I would make for this month's theme. What jumped to my mind first was a warm truffle cake, mainly because I had to make them for months and months at a restaurant I worked at in the Bay Area. But that seemed too obvious an answer. Then it came to me, I would make the recipe I have for Rolo Cookies! Everyone loves them and they are always surprised by the nugget of caramel inside. Unfortunately, I do not know the true origin of this recipe. I have never come across anyone else who made them, but after doing a little searching on Google, I found multiple links to very similar recipes. Mine came to my mother through a woman she knew from work years and years ago. The hardest part is not eating all the Rolos as you unwrap them so that you have enough for the cookie dough!

Rolo Cookies

2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup butter, soft
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1 bag Rolos (unwrapped!)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bow combine flour, cocoa and baking soda and set aside. In a large bowl beat sugars and butter. Add vanilla and eggs and beat well. Add flour mixture and then pecans, if using. Shape 1 tablespoon dough around one Rolo for each cookie.

Place 2" apart on cookie sheet and flatten slightly. Bake for 7-10 minutes until just firm. Careful, they burn easily! Cool 2 minutes and remove from sheet to cool completely.

NYC Tart

gnocchi come vuoi

2006-09-07T11:34:00.000-04:00

I am very grateful that the restaurant is closed on Sundays. It is the perfect excuse to prepare a homey Sunday supper. My inspiration for these meals is rooted in the Tuscan countryside. I was on vacation several years ago with Dave and my friends Torrey and Stephanie. We were staying in the picture perfect town of DiComano in an equally picturesque villa. I will never forget the wonderful smells radiating from the homes on our first afternoon. Since this trip, I have tried to become more aware not only of the food I eat, but how it is prepared. Lately, it also comes out of necessity since there is a shortage of Italian restaurants in the area. After reading an excerpt from Bill Buford's book Heat, I was compelled me to buy a pasta machine. For whatever reason, I have been craving dishes that are rustic and get your hands dirty.

To help guide me, there is the Italian Farmhouse Cookbook by Susan Herrmann Loomis. It is what every good cookbook should be. The well-tested recipes are accompanied by wonderful tidbits and anecdotes. Gnocchi has always eluded me in the past. Didn't I need some fancy equipment to prepare them? It turns out all you need is a ricer, fork, a little patience and your own 2 hands. The ingredients are probably in your pantry already. I may have been happier with a moule, but my $3 ricer worked out fine. Because I don't take direction well, I doubled the recipe and ended up with enough gnocchi to feed a few guests. (and their families) These delicious dumplings freeze well and have found a home in my freezer next to some parpadelle and tagliatelle. I believe there is a nonna in all of us. There is something very satisfying and tasty about creating something so simple. C'est parfait..scusi perfetto.

la vanille

2006-09-01T13:33:00.000-04:00

If you are like me, your introduction to vanilla involved (ahem) imitation vanilla extract. Quelle horreur! I found this ingredient quite curious. How could it taste so awful on its own, but make Toll House Cookies taste so good? In fact, it became my secret ingredient. OK, vanilla extract is hardly a secret, but I thought adding a double amount would provide a personal spin on a ubiquitous recipe. Ahhhh....The beginnings of an illustrious career. Since then, I have graduated to Nielsen-Maasey Madagascar vanilla. The beautiful bottle resembles something you would find in an apothecary containing a sweet elixir.

The simplicity of the flavor can also be celebrated in the vanilla bean. I am lucky to work in a restaurant, where I have access this exotic fruit. The Tahitian variety was en vogue when I began cooking many moons ago and I still favor their ethereal flavor. Because they can be expensive, I'm always trying to find ways to prolong their use. My favorite is to dry the empty gousse for a couple of days and drop them into a canister of sugar. The vanilla will infuse the sugar with its fragrance and create a lovely treat. I also love the flecks of the bean contrasted against the sugar crystals. C'est quelque chose tres recherche.

Overnight, the temperature became cooler and there is a crispness in the air. Very fitting this being the 1st of September. J'attend avec impatience the Labor Day Weekend and puttering around with mon mari and ma fifille. A nice bowl of gnocchi sounds perfect for a Sunday supper...Etre Continuer.

Mangosteens & Prickly Pears

2006-09-01T08:31:00.000-04:00

It's exotic fruit day here at A Couple of Tarts!

I've been hearing so much about mangosteens lately, I just had to jump on the bandwagon. What are mangosteens, you ask? If you haven't heard of them, I'm not surprised. Currently, there is a ban on importing fresh mangosteens into the continental United States because of the pests they might carry. They are indigenous to Southeast Asia and are grown commercially mainly in Thailand. Which is where I came across them about two years ago when backpacking around the country. It was my second day in Bangkok and I was wandering around a market when I passed by this woman selling a fruit I had never seen before.

As I stood in front of the stand trying to figure out what they were, she grabbed one, cracked it open and gave me some. I was sold! I bought a few and found a place to sit and enjoy my new treasure. The thick skin is a deep purple. To open it, all you need to do is kind of squeeze it and it cracks revealing translucent white segments. The mangosteen is sweet and I thought it tasted a little like a lychee. There was an article in the NY Times recently about them and they were also featured on Good Food on KCRW. Apparently, they may be available in the future from a grower in Puerto Rico. But not that soon...the trees have been planted, but take 8-10 years to bear fruit. Sounds like an excuse to go to Thailand, if you ask me!

*****

Have you noticed all the prickly pears (or cactus pears, as they are sometimes called) at the produce markets lately? On a whim, I bought three. And then had no idea what to do with them. I did a little internet research for recipes and did not come up with too much. I learned how to peel them: cut off the ends, make a slit down the side and then peel. But the recipes I found were limited to margaritas, dessert sauces, and fruit smoothies. I had a yoghurt and soy milk in the fridge and little else for breakfast, so a smoothie it was. The insides of the prickly pear were a fuscia red. I cut off a slice to try and realized it was full of seeds. Hard black seeds which looked like small lentils. It tasted a little like watermelon. Not having a food mill to get the seeds out, I chopped up the fruit and heated it in a sauce pan in an attempt to make it mushy and easy to press through a sieve. This worked well enough and I added the juice to plain yoghurt, soy milk, and honey in a blender. Well, I think I know why the recipes were limited. The prickly pear juice gave my smoothie a pink color, but absolutely no flavor. I ended up adding a banana to give it some body. All in all, a learning experience, but a bit of a disappointment in the taste department.

If anyone has any other suggestions for prickly pear, I would love to hear them. I feel like I am doing it an injustice. There must be more for it to do than make a cool sounding drink!

K. (NYC Tart)

I Heart KCRW

2006-08-29T22:05:00.000-04:00

Many of you might already be familiar with the radio station KCRW, a public radio station out of Santa Monica. It has become well known in the last few years for its music programs, particularly Morning Becomes Eclectic with Nic Harcourt (whom I also *heart*). They are always introducing new bands to the masses and have live performances by the likes of Beck, Belle & Sebastian and Cat Power, all the time. Even if you don't live in the LA area, you can catch Nic and other great DJs on the internet using KCRW's handy simulcast feature or by listening to archived shows.

If you've already heard of KCRW, you still may not have heard of one of its non-music shows, Good Food. (Unless you are a friend of mine and I have talked your ear off about it.) Good Food is on every Saturday morning at 11:00 am PST (that's 2:00 pm here on the east coast). It's hosted by Evan Kleinman, a local restaurant owner. Do you remember the Saturday Night Live skit from the 1990's which featured a radio show based on food? I am convinced it was a knock off of Good Food...but don't get me wrong, the KCRW version is awesome! They cover so many fascinating topics that if you love food, you will just eat (hee!) it up. Sure, it's a little LA-centric. Each week starts off with a market report from the Santa Monica Farmer's Market that causes me to think wistfully of California produce. And usually Jonathan Gold from LA Weekly is on talking about his latest hole-in-the-wall food find. But it will actually make you wished you lived in LA, at least for the hour you are listening. Kleinman does feature many topics of general interest as well. In the past few weeks, some have included: catfish, red wine headaches, summer preserves and pudding contests. If you happen to be around in the middle of the day Saturday, definitely tune in. Otherwise, check out the archived shows and listen to one that sounds interesting. I'm always learning something new. And I've even started a list of places to try next time I find myself visiting the family in SoCal.
K. (NYC tart)

Fishing with Karen

2006-08-27T16:52:00.000-04:00

I apologize in advance if any of the images or descriptions offend any readers (especially my vegetarian blog sister). If you have an aversion to fish, fishing or anything having to do with getting the fish from the water to the table, you should probably skip this post. (Tune in next week for mangosteens and LA radio!)

Okay, now that it's just us, I can tell you about the amazing time I had this past Saturday fishing off of Long Island. A group of people from one of RFC's circles rented a boat for a day of fishing. Wives, children and girlfriends were invited. Yay! Truthfully, when this was first brought up, I was more looking forward to the prospect of being out on the water that the actual fishing part. I didn't think I would do too much of that, maybe give it a try. In fact, what happened was that I fished just about the whole time we were out. And I actually caught about 15 fish! Most had to be thrown back because they were too small, but I did reel in four "keepers," three sea bass and one porgy. I did a little research and what I caught was specifically a black sea bass. Porgy refers to a number of similar fish and is very flat. I couldn't figure out which kind I had pulled up. RFC was also lucky, catching about the same amount as I did. I do believe luck had a lot to do with it. I am sure under other circumstances skill plays a part, but with at least ten lines going off every side of the boat, it seemed you caught a fish if one decided to nibble on your particular bait (we used clams). It was super cool to learn how to use the fishing pole, the reel, the release. I hooked my own finger many times in the beginning before getting the hang of grabbing the line. The least pleasant part was unhooking the fish. I found myself apologizing to my catch as I struggled to work the hook out of its mouth, and sometimes it's eye (yuck!), even if I was about to throw it back in. Two of the fish I meant to keep made a mad dash for freedom as I finally got the hook out and flopped right back over the side of the boat. Towards the end of the trip, one of the crew collected our catch and filleted them for us. He made quick work of the fish, gutting and skinning them with only a few flicks of the knife.

We took our prized bag to RFC's and fired up the barbecue. We seasoned the fish with salt and pepper, fresh dill, olive oil, and lemon and wrapped in tin foil packets. The end result was simple and light, a perfect late-summer dinner. The sea bass was the more tender of the two, although both were on the firm side. The porgy was fishier tasting and a little bony. It was very satisfying to be cooking and eating the very fish we had caught that morning. Most people, myself included, don't have much of a connection between the source of food and what shows up in the refrigerator. This was just a small way to see the link.
K.

La folie pour les mures

2006-08-25T00:20:00.000-04:00

Dave had his first class at UNC yesterday. Is it back-to school time already? Ce n'est pas possible! I look forward to the crisp, fall days, yet I am not ready to say good-bye to the summer fruits. I allowed cherries to come and go without a pie or tart in sight. Now I am in a mad dash to take advantage of the berries before they disappear. Is it possible that the seasons are growing shorter with each passing year? Whatever baie is your favorite, it will be perfectly complemented by a touch of lemon and a nice dollop of cream. It can be a simple creme chantilly or creme fraiche, marscapone, clotted cream...The citrus will bring out the bright cheerfulness of the flavor and the cream will balance out the natural acidity.

Lately, I have been feeling homesick and find myself craving the blackberry. It is the first fruit I can recall eating. Up until the age of four, my family lived in a quaint, Upstate New York neighborhood where the blackberries grew wild. I remember eating them unadorned and was surprised by the tart flavor and appealing texture. Shouldn't there be more dishes made with blackberries? I decided to do a some research about this mysterious fruit(which is actually not a berry at all). To my delight, it is part of the Rubus family which is a nickname for ma puce. According to Wikipedia, if you pick them after September 15th they are cursed because the devil has claimed them. Je vois, elles m'envoutent.

Brooklyn Shout-out

2006-08-24T12:59:00.000-04:00

This weekend I will be baking my little heart out for a couple of friends in honor of their birthdays. As I don't get to do this kind of baking (cake, filling, frosting-the whole nine yards) very often, I'm thankful for the excuse to dust off these skills and give them whirl. But first, I needed to stock up on a few supplies and, because I have a little time on my hands, I took the train out to my old neighborhood and stopped by my favorite kitchen shop, A Cook's Companion on Atlantic Avenue. This little store has a rather large selection of cookware, gadgets, knives, and baking supplies and I don't think their prices are that much higher than bigger retailers. They have lots of options for cake decorating and I was able to get everything I needed in one shot. While on Atlantic, I couldn't help but wander a few doors down to another local favorite, Sahadi's. What I like best about this Middle-eastern shop is that you can get spices, nuts, dried fruit, and grains in bulk. Go in late November and you will be surrounded by British women stocking up on ingredients for fruitcake and steamed pudding!

While at A Cook's Companion, I ran across an issue of Edible Brooklyn. This is a brand new quarterly which focuses, obviously, on the food scene all over Brooklyn. It is wonderfully put together, with articles ranging from fresh mozzarella to the food in Coney Island. I wish there was an equivalent for Queens! You can check out their website for locations all over the borough where you can get a copy for free(!).
K.

A Cook's Companion
197 Atlantic Avenue
Brooklyn, NY
(718) 852-6901

Sahadi Importing
187 Atlantic Avenue
Brooklyn, NY
(718) 624-4550

Summer in a Jar

2006-08-21T16:44:00.000-04:00

I love the idea of making jam. It sounds so homey and old fashioned. My Grandma D. used to make jars and jars of it from the apricots and plums growing in her backyard. It was thick and sweet with chunks of fruit. You could eat it right out of the jar, but we spread it on the stacks of crepes she made periodically or filled the cream puffs she whipped up at the drop of a hat. The taste of these fruits, even in the raw form, still conjure up afternoons spent at her house watching cartoons. Despite all my experimenting in the kitchen, my own jam-making experience is severely limited. To be honest, I am too afraid of doing it incorrectly and giving myself or someone else food poisoning.

I started to feel a little more comfortable with the notion two summers ago on a trip out to Oregon to visit G. We spent the morning picking raspberries and then the afternoon making pectin based jam. In this version, you don't cook the fruit, the pectin does all the work of gelling it. It was tasty and beautiful in the jars and I got to bring some back with me to NYC. But still I shied away from the kind of jam where any kind of heat was involved.

That is, until Sunday. I was procrastinating yet again and reading food blogs, when I saw Pie Queen's post on making apricot jam. With some words of encouragement from her, I tried my hand at it. And success! I now have three beautiful little jars of apricot jam sitting in my fridge just waiting to be spread on toast, mixed into yogurt, or spooned over ice cream. One jar will be off to S.'s kitchen and another might find a home with someone else because this jam has to be eaten within a month. RFC and I had some this morning and it really was like keeping summer in a jar. It was sweet, but not too, and almost the consistency of a compote. Now that I have overcome my fear of making jam (over twelve hours later and feeling fine!) I am all set to grab some plums, peaches or nectarines before the season is over. So if you have any old jars hanging around, send them my way!
K.

UPDATE: The jam was delicious the first few days after I opened the jar, but a week later I noticed what looked like mold around the rim. Just to be on the safe side, I'm going to toss the rest of the jam. Next time, I think I need to sterilize the lids (I only boiled the jars) and let them cool upside down. Obviously, more research and testing needs to be done!

links, moi aussi!

2006-08-20T11:24:00.000-04:00

Karen, You are not the only one procrastinating. In the wee hours of the night (morning, actually), often I can be found reading blogs. Every new one sends me on a hunt to find more posts and admire their photos. Since we launched our site I have added only one link. This was after asking Karen 20 times how to do it. Shamefully, it required three tries to be successful. The humiliation has worn off, so I will have another go at it.

My lists of favorites include--

Je suis en accord avec Karen
Chocolate and Zucchini
She is the Queen
David Lebovitz
I love his witty posts and sumptuous recipes

A few to add
La Tartine Gourmande
Bea is Frenchwoman living in Boston who loves the word tartine as much as I do. Her prolific blog is beautifully photographed
chubbyhubby
Blogging from Singapore, Chubbyhubby can inspire with a single picture
nordljus
A fellow catlover living in Suffolk, UK
foodite
3 guys from California (2 from the Bay Area, 1 from the OC) now living and eating very well in New York City
travelers lunchbox
A young couple who are true world travelers living in Edinburgh, Scotland

And to feed my ame francaise
Clea Cuisine
Wonderfully charming
c'est moi qui l'ai fait
Pascale (aka Scally) exemplifies joie de vivre
Passion fusion
Perspective from a student of architecture living in Paris

I had no idea how many blogs there actually were. As Karen stated, we are novices to this world. There are so many to choose from and each one offers a delightful voice and opinion. I am very lucky to share this with space with my friend Karen. She has a truly adventurous spirit and palette. Remember that green (or was it purple) pastry from Krystal's Cafe in Woodside? Only you could convince me to try that.

Links!

2006-08-18T10:10:00.000-04:00

What I am supposed to be doing these days: finishing my thesis application; preparing for my new teaching job.

What I am actually doing these days: going on the internet, discovering and then reading food blogs...what may be described negatively, though not unfairly, as procrastination.

This whole blogging phenomena is actually pretty new to me. It's only been in the past six months that I really started reading and following various blogs, specifically, food blogs. Even then, there were only two or three I regularly checked out. It was reading and then sharing them with my blog sister, Dora, that inspired us to start one of our very own. (Truth be told, it was Dora who said, "We could do this. We should do this!")

Recently, we upped our tech savviness and figured out how to add links to some of our favorite food sites on the left hand side of our blog. And just now, I added a few more to the list that have struck me as particularly interesting and fun to read. Have you checked them out? No? Do you need a little push? A little more reason than the fact that they are on our blog to begin with? I thought that might be the case, so here is a little run down of our fave food blogs and a taste of why we think they are so great.

These three are the trifecta of my little world. They are the first ones I actively took an interest in and the ones I check every day to see what's new.
**Adventures of Pie Queen is by a food writer who used to live in SF, but now lives in my old neighborhood in Brooklyn. I am a sucker for the Bay Area/Cobble Hill references. And c'mon, she loves to bake! How can I resist that!
**David Lebovitz has been one of my pastry idols since way back when I was a pastry chef in SF. His book, Room for Dessert, is one of my all time favorites and I constantly consult it for inspiration and recipes. He used to work at Chez Panisse but now lives in Paris and conducts chocolate tours. What I wouldn't give to go on one of these...sigh. Aside from food, he also writes amusingly about being an American in Paris. This and the next blog are for you Francophiles out there.
**Chocolate & Zucchini is by a young Frenchwoman, Clotilde, in Paris. She also lived in the the Bay Area at one point (do you sense a bias?). Her writing is charming and I am partial to the photos she posts of her creations and discoveries. She has a book coming out soon that I can't wait to get my hands on.

And here are a few I only just ran across recently:
**Farmgirl Fare: Have you ever dreamed of chucking city life and buying a place out in the country? Well, this lady did just that. She left the Bay Area for Missouri over ten years ago and writes about her experiences on her blog. For all you animal lovers, there are many pictures of her sheep, dogs and cats, as well as of her donkey, Dan.
**Cupcake Bakeshop: If you are in the mood to make cupcakes from scratch, but want to try something a little different, then this site should be one of your first stops. I have to admit, I haven't tried out any of the recipes yet, but damn, these cupcakes look good!
**delicious days is a blog out of Munich. I have just started to explore past posts, but there seems to be a lot on life in Germany.
**The Girl Who Ate Everything: This girl gets around! And I mean that in a goes-out-and-tries-lots-of-new-eateries kind of way. She is an NYU student and maybe the dorm food options push one in this direction. But whatever the impetus is, she is constantly writing about new little places. And taking photos of them. In just the week I have been reading her posts, I already have a list of five or six places that I want to check out.

Finally, being LA born and raised, I do have to represent my hometown. As much as I and most people I know, come down on it, there are some great aspects of the area. (Really. No, REALLY, I swear!) And I do have some peeps who live/visit there and might want some inspiration. The Delicious Life, by Sarah, is a fun read. She's another one who is always trying new places. And while you are being open to what SoCal has to offer, take a look at Matt Bites.

Hey Dora! Do you have anything to add? I know you do your share of food blog surfing. What do you have to say about C'est moi qui l'ai fait? I've looked at it a few times and wish I remembered more high school french!

Is it pathetic of me to say that I want to be friends with all of these people? Hang out with them, cook with them, go out to eat with them? Maybe a little, but they seem so cool. Luckily, I have a lot of people who (whom?) I actually do know who like to explore the culinary landscape.

But I still wouldn't mind spending some time with Clotilde, David and PQ once in a while.

K.

un repas avec notre voisine

2006-08-14T23:37:00.000-04:00

Sundays are becoming an excuse for me to get into Italian Mamma mode and cook as many things as possible. What does a chef do on her day off? Faire la cuisine, bien sur. My neighbor recently returned from her summer holiday in Germany, and it was a perfect excuse to have her over for some food and wine. She came bearing the gift of cheese which makes her perfect in my book. This was no ordinary fromage. It was Gouda from Gouda and it arrived studded with whole cumin seeds.

This was actually the second gift. A week before we received some traditional German Fare--Lindt Pralines Hochfein, Kartoffel Knodel Botato and Jager Sauce. All that remains of the chocolate is one marzipan piece. The last 2 are packaged and labeled in every language but English and French. The only German word I recognize is mit. I suppose that doesn't help me out too much. Did I mention that my neighbor and her husband are both linguist professors?
I was instructed to soak the packets in cold water for 15 minutes, cook them for 2 minutes and allow them to cool. It certainly seemed simple enough. The result tasted similar to the ramen you made in your college dormroom. Depending on who you are this could be a good or bad thing. I am tempted to send a box to Karen and see if she can sass it up.

Northern Exploring

2006-08-08T19:30:00.000-04:00

This past week I escaped the heat and humidity of NYC and took a road trip north with RFC. We went up into Vermont, towards Burlington. Our first stop was in Putney, Vermont, to have lunch at Curtis's Barbecue (Route 5, exit 4 off I-91). We found this place courtesy of Jane and Michael Stern's recently revised book, Road Food. RFC opted for the pork sandwich, while I went for the small order of ribs. Both were right off the barbecue, which was manned by Curtis himself. I am usually not one to order ribs because I am almost always disappointed with the amount of meat. Curtis's ribs had a thick slab of meat that practically fell off the bone. Yum! They were literally finger-licking good.

After our pit stop in Putney, we were off to Underhill State Park, where we spent a couple of nights camping. Unfortunately, it rained most of the time, but it was still beautiful and incredibly green. We got to experience an all-night thunder and lightening storm from the comfort of RFC's little tent, which really came through by keeping us dry despite the torrential downpour. I tried my hand at campsite cooking for the first time in probably ten years. One night we had the standard mac and cheese, but the second night experimented with couscous and canned chicken. We threw in some canned carrots and beans, curry powder and dried garlic and onion, and voila!: a tasty, filling dish that we devoured after our mountain hike.

Next, we treated ourselves to a night at a B&B in Burlington. A trip to Magic Hat Brewery was in order, being that their Number 9 is one of RFC's favorites. You can get unlimited shots of whatever beers they have on tap, which included a couple that aren't available in NYC yet. For dinner, we had tasty pizza at American Flatbread-Burlington Hearth. They serve a thin crust rendition with a variety of toppings to choose from, many of which use local ingredients. The next day we took advantage of the beautiful weather, rented bikes, and explored the amazing bike path that runs alongside Lake Champlain. We may not haved spotted Champ, the lake monster, but we did have gorgeous views.

RFC and I went back into New York, to Troy, to visit his friend K. I hadn't been to this part of the state and was charmed by the architecture of the town. There were houses akin to what you find in parts of Brooklyn Heights and Park Slope. K. was a lovely host and took us to the weekly farmer's market where we sampled fresh baked pastries and Indian food made right at one of the tables. K. also showed us her plot at the community garden and we harvested potatoes, onions, corn and parsley which later became the makings for a late afternoon barbecue. I have always thought there is nothing like the taste of tomatoes and strawberries fresh from the garden. Now I have to add to that list potatoes practically right out of the ground. To cook them, K. simply sliced them, added a few slices of onion, and sprinkled it all with rosemary and olive oil. This was wrapped up in a tin foil packet and placed on the grill for about 30 minutes. You can't go wrong with this combination. (Thanks K. for all your hospitality!)

Our road trip ended with one last stint of camping at Lake George. We joined a few of RFC's buddies, one of which took on most of the cooking duties. We were car camping here, so meals were much more elaborate. Bacon, eggs and potatoes came off the campfire grill one morning and fluffy, perfectly browned french toast the next. I got to try my first garbage plate late one night made from the breakfast leftovers, plus a can of chili, some sausages and a few handfuls of tortilla chips. It was probably best I couldn't really see what it looked like with the light of the campfire, but I can honestly say it was delicious, and that's not just because I had had a few beers.
K.

le petit dejeuner

2006-08-03T09:52:00.000-04:00

Our mothers have always told us that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I have to agree, to skip it is a bad idea on all levels. Hopefully, whatever you eat will be accompanied by a cup of joe. My passion for coffee was deeply influenced by a post-college job at Peet's in the East Bay. It was still a small company at the time and they took great pride in their craft. I have tried various brewing methods over the years. In college, I thought the French press was nec plus ultra. After a trip to Italy, I fell in love with an Italian stovetop maker. And from time to time, I pull out the Chemex and pay homage to Mary Tyler Moore. My current favorite is not as aesthetically pleasing, but the Melitta single cup, makes an intense, soulful cafe. The process has become a very personal ritual. I have no tolerance for wimpy "brown paper water" imposters. My family and friends have helped in my quest for a perfect cup of coffee. Over the years, I have received a grinder from my mother, a daily mug from my brother and belle-soeur and a travel mug from the NY tart. The travel thermos keeps a perfect temperature and reminds me of Joe's in the West Village. The temperature has reached to almost 100 degrees, but I cannot imagine drinking iced coffee. C'est sacrilege!

Now onto the question of nourriture. What is the proper accompaniment? The finest bread you can find. If you are like me, you hope to never hear another conversation involving carbs. Ca m'ennui. A slice of baguette or miche from Weaver Street Bakery is the perfect start to the day. Spread some Beurre d'Isigny and Les Comtes de Provence Clementine Preserves to make it sublime. Before you deal with the stresses of the day, take a moment to have an inspiring meal and to be present.

Bonne Journee.

Variations on a Theme

2006-07-29T09:43:00.000-04:00

My power was finally restored last Saturday, five days after it fizzled out. But not before I used it as an excuse to try one more place in Astoria, the taco truck on 30th Avenue and 33rd Street, El Rey del Taco.
It is usually out there in front of Rite Aid every night after 8 pm. I've looked at it longingly on a number of late night returns from Manhattan, but this night I made a special trip from my apartment just to get food there. I had tacos al pastor and they were delicious. The pork was seasoned just right and slightly sweet with pieces of pineapple. The meat was on corn tortillas, simply presented with a bit of lettuce, radish, and a wedge of lime. The also have burritos, quesadillas, tamales, and what I want to try next, tortas.

Once the AC could be turned on again, I was back in the kitchen. I seem to be on a quick bread making kick. There's the zucchini bread I made before and the following recipe is the second batch of banana bread I've whipped up in recent weeks. I have cocoa nibs on hand from Scharffen Berger and I have been trying them out in different dishes. I added a couple handfuls to the banana bread and I really liked the results. They taste like chocolate chips, but with just an edge of bitterness. This recipe calls for whole wheat flour, as well as white, which gives the final product a coarser crumb and a heartier texture.

Banana Bread with Cocoa Nibs

1 cup AP flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup cocoa nibs

1/2 cup butter, soft

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup banana, mashed

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Butter and flour a loaf pan and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together the first five ingredients. Stir in the cocoa nibs and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter. Add the sugar and then beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat in the banana and vanilla. Fold the dry mixture in to the wet and when thoroughly combined (but not over mixed) scrape into loaf pan. Bake for 45 - 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

millefeuille aux framboises

2006-07-23T12:36:00.000-04:00

If you haven’t noticed, I have a great fondness for the French culture particularment la cuisine. A simple baguette makes me swoon. When it comes down to planning my dessert menu, I tend towards a Gallic flavor. Inspired by a meal at Le Timbre and the berries of the season, I have composed a Millefeuille aux framboises. It involves many components, but my favorite is the crème patissiere. It is a lighter variation than you may be used to and also quite versatile. It is rather delicious with fruit or yogurt. I hope you will take the time to create an elegant dish for a special occasion or quelqu’un bien aime.

To my blog sister -- I hope the power is back on in your neighborhood. I believe you are taking refuge in Gramercy Park. J’espere que tout va bien.

GRAND MARNIER PASTRY CREAM

2 C. milk
1 vanilla bean (split)
4 oz. sugar
1 1/4 oz. cornstarch
¼ t. salt
1 egg
1 ½ oz. butter (room temp)

1 ½ C. heavy cream
2 t. confectioner's sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
1 T. Grand Marnier

-in a medium and heavy-based saucepan, bring milk and vanilla bean to a boil (scrape out
the seeds with the back of a knife)
-place sugar, cornstarch, salt and egg in a mixing bowl and whisk until pale yellow and
thoroughly combined
-whisk ¾ C. of the hot milk into the sugar-egg mixture
-pour the “tempered” mixture back into saucepan and continue to cook over a medium
heat and continue to whisk until very thick
-take off heat and add softened butter and whisk until fully incorporated
-strain through a chinois or fine sieve
-place a piece of cling film directly on top of pastry cream (to prevent a film) and chill
in an ice bath
-while the pastry cream is chilling, combine cream, confectioner’s sugar and vanilla and
whisk until stiff peaks are formed
-fold in chilled pastry cream and Grand Marnier and chill

**store well-wrapped pastry cream in fridge for 3-4 days**

Lights Out!

2006-07-21T12:47:00.000-04:00

I am going into my fourth day of no power here in Astoria, Queens. My poor neighborhood looks like a disaster area, but everyone seems to be coping. One cafe on 30th Avenue is putting on a good show and still serving drinks and desserts despite being on one of the effected blocks. Needless to say, it has not been an inviting prospect to cook in my unairconditioned apartment. On the relatively brighter side, I am being forced to eat out every day. (Do you think Con Edison will pick up the tab?) I've tried out a couple greek diners on Steinway, between 30th and 28th Avenues. So far in my opinion it is generally better to stick gyros over the souvlaki, but I think I need to investigate further.

The news is that the power may be on today...if not, then Saturday...if not then, definitely Sunday. Looking down the streets at all the police cars, fire trucks and Con Ed crews everywhere, it doesn't look too promising. Tonight I am fleeing to Manhattan to take refuge at S.'s. Here's hoping for a return of power soon!
K.

Summer Squash

2006-07-19T14:19:00.000-04:00

Zucchini is pretty inexpensive at the market right now. If you have some time on your hands and aren't too put off by the heat to turn on the oven, I highly reccommend giving my mom's recipe for zucchini bread a try. It is along the lines of carrot cake, but a little lighter in color and texture. I don't peel the zucchini because it adds pretty flecks of green to the finished product. The orange zest also adds color plus a citrusy aroma and flavor. I didn't add anything else, but you could add golden raisins, candied ginger or even chocolate chips to jazz it up. I was thinking you could also make a simple glaze of orange juice and powdered sugar to pour over the cooled loaf.

Mom's Zucchini Bread
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground ginger
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups grated zucchini
2 tsp orange zest

Butter and flour loaf pan. Mix dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. Add orange zest. In a large bowl beat eggs. Add oil and zucchini. Fold dry ingredients into wet. Pour into loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes.

K.

l'ete

2006-07-16T10:44:00.000-04:00

It appears that many parts of the world are experiencing la canicule. Despite the oppressive heat, summer is a delightful season.

La chaleur is welcoming for my Ashtanga practice.

The produce at the market becomes more beautiful each week.

The long, lazy days are perfect for daydreaming about future travels.

le 14 juillet

2006-07-14T00:02:00.000-04:00

Si Vous Voulez, Soyez un peu francais aujourd’hui

1) Buvez un café (ou deux, ou trois…) avec des croissants et des cigarettes (preferablement
Gitane ou Gauloise)
2) Regardez Le Tour de France (Allez Floyd, Allez George, et Allez Levi!)
3) Au lieu d’exercice, prenez un pot avec vos amis et votre famille
4) Portez des lunettes noires et un jolie foulard (pensez a Catherine Deneuve, Jane Birkin,
Anouk Aimee, Betty Catroux…)
5) Ecoutez a Serge Gainsbourg
6) Mangez un morceau de pain avec votre fromage favori et un bouteille de Chateau Margaux

"Ils n'ont plus de pain, qu'ils mangent de la brioche"

Coffee and a Pastry

2006-07-12T12:37:00.000-04:00

I have come to believe that it is surprisingly hard to find good cafes, ones without table service, in New York City. Do you know what I'm talking about? Sometimes I just want to go into a place, get a cup of coffee at the counter, be tempted by the bakery case, and then sit down and watch the world go, or read my book, or write a letter, while sipping my drink and nibbling on a cookie or muffin. Unfortunately, usually the closest thing around is a Starbucks. My friends know my feelings about Starbucks--I try to avoid them at all costs. So when I do run across a cafe that meets my criteria, I put it on my mental map of the city with a big star. RFC recently introduced me to Ciao for Now in the East Village (where I think your chances of finding a cafe are generally pretty high). We stopped in for breakfast and I got to try a few of their offerings. The bacon cheddar biscuit was buttery, with just the right amounts of cheese and bacon. The apple turnover had a thin, flaky crust with a good amount of filling. I also tried a muffin that I can't remember of the name of, but it was filled with nuts and fruit and tasted almost like carrot cake. They also carry a number of vegan pastries and you can get salads and sandwiches. Recently I stopped in for an iced tea and sat outside on the rocking bench. The place has a great neighborhood feel, with people coming by and saying hello to others who were hanging around. If you are in the neighborhood, definitely stop by and try this place out.
K.

Ciao for Now
504 East 12th Street
East Village
New York, New York
(212) 677-2616

bon anniversaire papa

2006-07-11T10:08:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday Dad!

Once upon a time, my father decided that he would prepare dinner for us. This was quite a shock to all of us. My mother and grandmother were the cooks in the family and managed to serve up delicious, homemade specialties. I’m not sure what the impetus was, but my mother was en conge from preparing dinner that fateful day. The dish to be served that evening was Crab Louis. The recipe, pictured in my mother’s Betty Crocker cookbook, was presented on an enormous platter resembling a clamshell. To my youthful eyes, it was the epitome of elegance.

This was the first and only time I've had Crab Louis, so I felt a need to recreate it. I searched through my cookbooks and located a classic recipe in The Fanny Farmer cookbook, but the one my father prepared had a little more flair. The “pink” dressing is made with mayonnaise and chili sauce, but we opted for Thousand Island dressing. The cracked Dungeness Crab is served on a bed of Iceberg Lettuce, with wedges of lemon, avocado and tomato. My memory is fuzzy, but I believe it took my dad all day to complete this dish. I have great affection for these “old school” dishes that are so comforting and full of nostalgia.

I’ve worked with a few chefs who think they are Ferran Adria and try to reinvent the wheel. Only a few have the talent and vision for this. Try a long-lost recipe or one that has been passed down from a friend or your family. The joy of eating and cooking is experiencing new tastes and revisiting the classics.

Beach Days

2006-07-07T11:44:00.000-04:00

Since coming back from California, I've actually been out of NYC quite a bit to the surrounding areas. Walking around the East Village yesterday, it felt like I hadn't been in Manhattan for months!

Much of my time recently has been out in Long Island for work. I did manage to have some fun on the side, though, including my first real trip to an East Coast beach. I can't count the times at Coney Island, since I never took a step off the boardwalk. I also don't consider the time I put my feet in the water off the coast of Savannah as a day by the ocean. No, my recent trip to Jones Beach, with the lovely company of RFC, was my inaugural beach day after three years of living in NYC. (I admit it, I was a being a teensy bit of a snob, thinking those first few years that a NY beach could never compare to one in CA, so what was the point. I have since changed my tune.) It wasn't too crowded, the atmosphere was festive, and the water wasn't too cold, once you got a little push in (thanks sweetie!).

And what do you do after a day at the beach in Long Island? Well, if you are one of RFC's gang, you head over to All American and get burgers, fries and onion rings and eat it all in your car. The only tables available are the few right outside. I had heard so much about this experience that it was very much built up in my mind. But no worries, it did not disappoint at all. Everything was filled with greasy, tasty goodness. I haven't eaten fast food burgers in a long time, so I thought the food was vaguely like In-n-Out. As a native southern Californian, I love In-n-Out, but do they have onion rings? Nope. I was a happy cat after the meal and to top it all off was an ice cream chipwich from the shop across the parking lot.

I was also lucky enough to be invited down to the Jersey Shore for a couple days. The weather was perfect on Long Beach Island and I got to spend time with G. and her family, including her two adorable children. The beach was crowded but it was very cool to look down our street one way and see the beach and then look down the other way and see the water again. Grandma very nicely babysat one night and we went into Ship Bottom, one of the little communities on the island, for dinner. G.'s friends led us to Ship Bottom Shellfish. It's a tiny place with a takeout case and about 12 tables if you want to eat in. After sharing a bottle of wine out on the porch (BYOB without the corkage fee) we were seated in a cozy booth. Out the window a lightening storm provided the evening entertainment. I had softshell crab for the first time ever. It was lightly breaded and fried. G. said it was the best she had ever eaten mainly because you couldn't tell there was a shell at all. We split crab cakes that had so much crabmeat, they barely held together. And the tartar sauce was lighter than I am used to and very lemony. Yum!

(Sour cherries are in season! Time to make another pie!)
K.

All American Hamburger Drive-in
4286 Merrick Road
Massapequa
Long Island, New York

Ship Bottom Shellfish
1721 Long Beach Boulevard
Ship Bottom
Long Beach Island, New Jersey

Happy Independence Day!

2006-07-04T11:34:00.000-04:00

Happy Fourth of July! Hope you are able to enjoy the day, with family and friends and good food all a part of the mix.

Love,
Karen & Dora

les confessions

2006-07-03T18:43:00.000-04:00

I would like to dedicate this post to my sister who is celebrating her birthday today. Even though we are now adults, she will always be my funky, stylish and rebellious sister. The first time I ever had Greek food was with her. So it may not have been the most authentic, but to me it was quite exotic. I am embarrassed to admit I didn't care for it. How could I not like Mediterranean food? In my defense, my palette was not very adventurous at this time. I was a typical teenager who preferred burgers and fast food pizza. I remember looking down at the gyro wrapped in pita hoping it may taste like a burrito. Cindy was pouring the tzatziki sauce with one hand and steering the car (a gray Toyota Corolla I might add) with the other. I was quite apprehensive about trying lamb with yogurt sauce. The new flavors and spices caught me off guard, but I didn't want to disappoint my cool, older sibling. I wanted to prove I could be sophisticated and open-minded but I am sure my lack of enthusiasm was apparent. Happily, my experience and love of Greek cuisine has greatly expanded.

My farewell dinner would be spent dining at Taverna Kyklades in Astoria, Queens. The first time I ate there, I didn't even know where we were going. I thought we had fallen off the face of the earth. Not only did the subway go above ground, but it was the last stop on the N train. Yes, I was one of those Manhattanites. That breed that thought you needed a passport to travel to another borough. Going to Brooklyn Heights was an adventure for me. Pitiful, non? A good meal is worth any amount of travel. Moving away from NYC has deepened my appreciation for its strong identities and it goes beyond ethnicity. You develop great pride and affection for your neighborhood and community.

The atmosphere is boisterous and it's all about dining en famille. An entire loaf of egg and sesame bread arrives as we are seated. It is toasted to a deep golden brown and is served in a platter full of pale green olive oil. We only order 2 appetizers but it is more than enough for 5 hungry bellies. A plateful of dolmas served with the same fruity oil as the bread. The copious amount of oil brings out the bright and clean flavor. The feta in the salad was melt-in -your mouth creamy. The highlight of the menu is the fresh seafood and generous portions.

Just a few blocks down, we chanced upon Martha's Country Bakery. The shop window caught the attention of Karen's keen eye. It showcased a wonderful display of fruit tarts, pound cakes, bread puddings and the ubiquitous cupcake. Inside, we found a dizzying array of tortes, cookies and palmiers bigger than your head. This town is cupcake crazy, and sadly most are quite ordinary. Good bakeries and good cupcakes are few and far between. They decorate theirs with a sunny fondant flower and sprinkles. (I think the technical term for them is jimmies, but that's another story) My choice of german chocolate was gooey and sweet and brought to mind my first taste of coconut. It is remarkable how one simple flavor can have such an impact.

Can it be possible that my trip is over? Maybe I can commute from the Triangle to NYC. The duration of the flight is the equivalent of a subway ride from Wall Street to Inwood. It's just a thought.

Taverna Kyklades
33-07 Ditmars Blvd.
Astoria, NY 11105
tel: (718) 545-8666

Martha's Country Bakery
36-21 Ditmars Blvd
Astoria, NY 11105
tel: (718) 545-9737

A Piece of My Heart (Part Two)

2006-06-26T22:15:00.000-04:00

I can't believe how much I crammed into my time out west, and there were still places I missed! Here are a few more highlights of my trip:

**Saturday Farmer's Market at the San Francisco Ferry Building. I know that this market is on the expensive side, but I think you are partly paying for the gorgeous view of the bay and the bridge. The day we went, there wasn't a cloud in the sky and the temperature was a perfect 78 degrees. Lavender is in season and the scent wafted over us at various points during our stroll amongst the stalls. I just had to buy lavender salt from Eatwell Farms. I am hoping the perfumy flavor will be absorbed into grilled meat (maybe lamb?). I also stopped by an old favorite of mine, Flying Disc Ranch, who sell a variety of dates. I bought a few Derries, which were sticky and sweet like candy. They did not last the day. Another purchase was a jar of honey almond butter from G. L. Alfieri Farms. The folks at the stall plied me with tastes of all their flavors and also a few pieces of their delicious nut brittle. Last, but certainly not least, I indulged by getting two turnovers from Frog Hollow Farm's cafe inside the terminal. One was ham and Gruyere and the other was boysenberry. Both were wonderful.

**Pizza from Arizmendi in Oakland (3265 Lakeshore Ave). Sheepishly, I admit I never had their pizza when I lived in the Bay Area. Many, many people told me how great it is but it was just one of those places I never got around to trying. This trip I had their pizza not once, but twice. It was out of this world! They only sell one kind a day, always vegetarian. The first time it was feta, basil, and kalamatta olives. The next time I think it was simply sliced tomatoes and a mix of cheses that might have included goat cheese. The crust was more thick than thin and the pan must have been well oiled, because the bottom was crisp, almost like it had been fried.

**Olallieberry picking at Swanton Berry Farm in Davenport, followed by cream of green chile soup and olallieberry pie from Duarte's Tavern in Pescadero. Swanton's is known for their strawberries, which you can also pick yourself, but my family decided to pick olallieberries because they are something we don't run across that often. An ollalieberry is a cross between a blackberry and a raspberry (though we were given two other, very different definitions, so who knows?). They are on the tart side, more like a blackberry. I didn't take any with me because I was soon to be flying back to the East Coast, but my mom made jam with most of the fruits (hee!) of our labor. We stopped at Duarte's afterwards because I had never been there in all the times I had traveled on Highway 1. The pie we bought was straight out of the oven. It was too hot to even hold on my lap once we were in the car. And it was bursting with fruit. The crust was flaky and just thick enough to hold the filling. The cream of green chile soup was incredibly rich and the flavor was slightly reminiscent of nacho cheese sauce, but without the cheese. That sounds a little odd, I know, but trust me, that's what we all thought of.

That wraps up my trip...I probably won't be out there again until next summer so these memories will have to last until then!

le diner

2006-06-26T11:25:00.000-04:00

I left Chikalicious wishing we had ordered another dessert but it's not the time to be greedy because I made plans to dine at Blue Ribbon restaurant that evening. We sadly said good-bye to Chika, Don and Sofia and headed over towards Soho. We split up right around Rice to Riches to meet our respective friends. I began navigating my way towards Spring Street and passed by the superlative Ceci-Cela and Balthazar bakeries. Let us not forget Sullivan Street Bakery as well. What a minute, where is Sullivan Street? Yikes, I am completely turned around and now I am in Chinatown. Have I been away that long?

My poor sense of direction never fails, but I do manage to actually arrive at the restaurant in one piece. Lily, a former co-worker, is waiting patiently in the bar area with a cocktail in hand. I am pleasantly surprised by the fact they we do not have to wait for a table. The restaurant is already abuzz with diners sharing drinks, gossip and tiers of fruits de mer. I have had the privilege of dining at many Blue Ribbon establishments (thank you Dave and the cycling team), but Lily will experience eating here for the first time. It has garnered a reputation for being a favorite with chefs. Partly because is stays open until 4 am but more importantly it is the execution of the food. The menu is wildly eclectic and never disappoints. You will discover fried chicken made from matzo meal next to tofu ravioli. Each dish comes out exactly as you want it to be.

Lily has a sophisticated palette and adventurous spirit, and I feel lucky to be dining with her.
My starter of a goat cheese salad is quite boring and wimpy next to the bone marrow and oxtail marmalade she chooses. Her motto this evening was to order something she wouldn't normally eat. She goes the distance with her main course as well, duck breast with turnip puree. After mulling over the wine list we decide upon a Domaine Ott, Cuvee Cote de Provence. I am quite impressed with the bone marrow and its presentation, but it is not for the faint of heart. It arrives on a platter with thick slices of toasted brioche and could easily serve 2 or 3.

We are seated in the middle of the dining room amidst the bustle of a typical evening. The front of the house staff never rests, yet they approach your table with a calm and cheerful manner. Even as we linger and chat, our server does not rush us out. Certainly our 4-top is valuable property at this hour? The Bromberg Brothers are definitely doing something right. From the slightly scruffy servers to the well-prepared food, an evening in one of their restaurants is always delightful. As we make our way towards the exit, the host makes sure to inquire about our meal. C'etait impressionnant.

Blue Ribbon Restaurant
97 Sullivan Street
New York, NY 10012
212.274.0404

A Piece of My Heart (Part One)

2006-06-23T20:34:00.000-04:00

I can't say that I left my whole heart in San Francisco when I moved away three years ago. Over the years bits of it have been scattered all over the world. A part of it will always be in Los Angeles, where I grew up, and a majority is definitely here in New York now, but a good sized piece will always be found in the Bay Area. It may be because it's where I really grew into myself, first in college at Santa Cruz, and then through my twenties in San Francisco. It's where I fully realized my passion for food and cooking....Or it may just be because it's so darn beautiful and the vibe is laid back and easy going. Whatever the reason, I will always think of it as one of my primary homes, whether or not I ever live there again.

Dora has been doing such a wonderful job recounting our adventures during her visit to NYC that I am going to let her continue on that track. (Although I will be posting on a few new -to me- finds and a recipe in the near future.) I am going to fast forward to right after I left Dora. I said good-bye and was almost immediately on a plane to the West Coast. I had so much fun and ate so many tasty things there that to write about it all would take more time at the computer than I've got. Instead, I am dividing the highlights into two posts. Here are a few of my favorite things:

**Tacos, tacos and more tacos at two of my favorite taquerias: El Toro in the Mission in SF (598 Valencia Street) and Taqueria Vallarta in Santa Cruz (1101 Pacific Avenue). I always feel the ingredients at these places are super fresh because of the amount of people constantly streaming through. I especially love the marinated carrots at the condiment bar at Vallarta. They are just spicy enough to light a little fire on my lips. I think they are best eaten stacked on top of a tortilla chip. One of the great things at El Toro is that you can choose from two kinds of rice, beans and salsa. There is also a whole list of meat and non-meat fillings. Only in California do you have the choice of tofu for your burrito!

**Cocoa nib rocher at Tartine Bakery. A rocher is a meringue cookie and means "rock" in English. The rocher I had at Tartine had a crisp exterior while the center was soft and slightly sticky. The cocoa nibs added chocolate flavor and crunch without any extra sweetness. It seems that cocoa nibs are the ingredient du jour. For the first time I also tried one of their tartlets: banana cream. It looked beautiful and was surprisingly light. I think they use a puff pastry for the shell since it was so flaky.

**Cocktails and dessert at Range. This is a sleek little addition to the restaurant scene on Valencia Street in SF. My friend J., a fellow pastry chum, knows many of the people working there, including the pastry chef. J. hadn't been in yet to try the desserts, so a visit was definitely in order. We started with tasty cocktails. They have a very tempting list and after some debate I orderd a Hemingway. It was a refreshing mix of flor de cana rum, maraschino liqueur, grapefruit juice and lime juice. We ordered a couple appetizers, which were delicious, and then went on to main event...dessert! The choices were all seasonal and incorporated many of the summer fruits beginning to become available. Range always has a souffle on the menu and that night it was chocolate with cocoa nib (what did I just tell you ?) creme anglaise. We also tried a pavlova with strawberries and lemon ice cream and a pluot tart tatin with cardamom ice cream. The tart tatin was my favorite. This place has gotten a lot of positive press and rightly so. Their dishes show off the main ingredients by adding flavorful accents that don' t take over.

**Blue Bottle Coffee Roasting Company (specifically their Hayes Valley spot). Individually prepared drip coffee seems to be all the rage these days. While a cup of this joe is generally more expensive than your average house coffee, it is so worth the extra dollar. Blue Bottle offers just this, plus lattes to die for. They have other spots where they sell coffee, such as the Ferry Plaza, but this one is my favorite. Not only is it in my old neighborhood (if only they were there when I was living there!) but they have a neat little set up on a side street in a garage, right in front of what I think is a furniture (?) making shop. Get your coffee fix while watching someone saw and hammer away!

K.

le gouter

2006-06-21T02:06:00.000-04:00

You should always save room for something sweet. If you are feeling very special begin your meal with dessert. And if you are feeling extra special enjoy a wonderful 3-course dessert menu. One of my favorite places in New York is Chikalicious. Located in the East Village and barely the size of a studio apartment, it serves up whimsical, jewel-like treats. I had the good fortune to work alongside Chika Tillman where I was able to observe her creative process and sense of humor. Before we even sat down Don, Chika's equally passionate husband, poured us glasses of champagne. Ahhh...aperitifs in the afternoon. What could be better?

My original intention was to just stop by and say hello but I convinced Karen to share a dessert after perusing the menu. It is difficult to choose just one. Should we get the signature fromage blanc "island" or try the caramel soup with blackberries? I know whatever we choose we will not be disappointed. The first course was a black pepper gelee and a quenelle of strawberry sorbet. The texture of the sorbet was perfect, yet the flavor was not overly sweet. The main course consisted of a superstar tiramsu-Marscapone custard, espresso granita and 3 perfect squares of lemon pound cake. Our meal ended with an exquisite petit fours plate of coconut marshmallow, chocolate truffle and a hazelnut tartlette.

If you are unable to make it to Chikalicious, you can still make le gouter a part of votre vie quotidien. Try the following recipe of Breton sable and enjoy them with cafe, the or a pot of confiture. These cookies have a wonderful texture and rich, buttery flavor. They are also quite versatile. Try adding citrus zest, ground nuts or spices for a twist on a classic biscuit.

8 oz. unsalted butter (room temp)
3/4 C. and 2 T. sugar
5 egg yolks
21/3 C. all-purpose flour
1 T. baking powder
1 t. salt

-sift the dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and set aside
-with a paddle attachment on your mixer, cream the butter and sugar at medium speed until
light and fluffy
-add the yolks one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition
-slowly add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until it is incorporated
-divide the dough into quarters and roll each piece into a log about 1 1/2 inches wide
-wrap each log in plastic wrap and chill for 3 hours (the dough can be frozen for 2 months or
refrigerated for 2 more days)
-after the dough has rested, preheat the oven to 350 degrees
-lightly butter or spray a muffin tin and slice the cookies about 1/4 inch thick
-place each slice in the muffin tin
-bake for 5 mins, rotate the tin and bake for 5 more mins
-the sables will be a nice golden color around the edges and allow them to cool slightly in the
muffin tins before transferring them to a cooling rack
-this will yield approximately 4 dozen cookies

Chikalicious
203 East 10th Street
New York, NY 10003

New York, je t'aime

2006-06-15T12:26:00.000-04:00

I think I have always loved New York City. As a child, I longed to escape the suburbs for the dense, urban environment of the city. What was it that captivated me so much? It represented endless possibilities, diversity and gritty excitement. As my plane began its descent, we were given a spectacular view of the skyline. No matter how many times I have seen it, it remains breathtaking in its size and scope. How nice to be back!

My blog sister, Karen, generously hosted me in her lovely, new apartment. As soon as I arrived we seemed to hit the ground running. Who needs sleep? There are too many places to explore and old haunts to revisit. We started our weekend with some favorites--the greenmarket at Union Square and Le Pain Quotidien. As we walked over towards the West Side, we were tempted by every small wine bar and cafe that dotted the streets. The buzz of activity is intoxicating. It's not just the fast pace, but the fact that New Yorkers live to the fullest. Every space is utilized and every minute of the day is filled--I want to take it all in.

The next stop is Brooklyn Brewery. I am relieved to see that the hipster is alive and well in Williamsburg. My dear twenty-something friend, Stephanie, suggested the place and as we walked around the neighborhood, I couldn't help but think, "I am so old." Happily as we settle in to our table, I notice the crowd is represented by all ages and even a few families. As the evening and beers progress, we find ourselves craving the perfect accompaniment--pizza. Everyone has their favorite style (NY bien sur), topping (Margherita) and local favorite (Lombardi's), but it's hard not to get a decent slice here. Maybe it was the yummy beer, but the pizza was quite good in all of its greasy goodness. I refrain from another slice because I know a different slice is waiting for me, strawberry-rhubarb to be exact. Pie making requires a skill and instinct especially when using market fruit. K and I are still haunted by the "applesauce" pie. This one is neither too sweet nor too tart and the natural flavors of each fruit come through. All of this is surrounded by a flaky and light lattice crust made lovingly by Karen, the pie queen.

Two Tarts Together Soon

2006-06-06T17:35:00.000-04:00

This weekend Tart #1, Dora, will be back in NYC for three days of fun, food, and lots of just plain hanging out. I can't wait! I hear she has quite a To Do list which includes, of course, a number of places to eat. It looks like three meals a day may not be enough. I know one restaurant on the list is Blue Ribbon, a place I have heard much about but have never been to. There will definitely be a full report from both of us. It has been raining all morning...I hope the sun is back by Friday as I think a walk through Central Park may be in order (have to work off all those meals, you know!).

If the the weather actually does clear up today, I was hoping to make my way to the Union Square Greenmarket. I heard that rhubarb is finally in season and I realized I have not made a pie since Thanksgiving, ack! I've seen nice strawberries around and if I can find some decent red rhubarb, well, the pie practically makes itself. There are so many other pies I want to make as well, but I feel like I have to officially start this pie making season with strawberry-rhubarb or it just wouldn't be right. And having moved into my new apartment, this will be a way for me to test out my oven. RFC will be coming by to see my place, and then Dora, so it will also be a tasty way to welcome my first guests into my apartment. (S. was technically my first guest, but she only saw the apartment filled with still-packed boxes...I will have to have her over again soon for a proper visit!)

K.

Le deuxieme jour

2006-06-02T18:18:00.000-04:00

I know that 2 days in Paris is completely inadequate, but it is a challenge I gladly accept. We awoke pre-dawn feeling surprising well rested, but still a little disoriented. I attempted to do a little yoga in our miniscule room. Maybe a few twists and a reviving sirsasana will be a nice start to the day. We left the hotel to discover a perfectly crisp morning, and the city appeared to be still sleeping. We took this opportunity to walk around Saint Germain-des-Pres We felt as if the city belonged to us. The stillness and quiet was delicious. We were happy to find Patisserie Paul open at 7:30 and decided to begin our day with café crèmes and viennoiserie. I had the privilege of having a view of the daily offerings as they came out. I think I frightened the bakers and Dave as I sat mesmerized by the sight of canele, chaussons aux pomme, pains aux raisins… Can one eat their weight in pastry?

Dave and I continued our “walking tour” to the open market on Boulevard Raspail. With my canvas “Whole Foods” bag and cheese knife, I felt properly equipped for a midmorning picnic. The first stop was Maison Kayser bakery for a baguette Odeon. I was tempted to nibble off the crusty, seedy corner as we strolled along. Maybe Dave wouldn’t notice if I tore off a little morsel. My favorite part about open-air markets is that it remains a constant source of inspiration. How sad not to have a kitchen at our disposal. We would have to keep the purchases simple—a wedge of Bleu de Bresse, plump cherry tomatoes on the vine, jambon cru de pays, and a fragrant container of strawberries. The Jardin du Luxembourg makes the perfect backdrop for our snack. It was a great coincidence that we sat down opposite 18 rue Vaugirard. For those of you who don’t know, it is the home of the Belleau family in the sometimes silly yet useful “French in Action” series. The show is not only educational but also frozen in 1981.

Sadly, we slept through most of the afternoon and our 6:30 reservation at L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon. The evening was saved with the delightful restaurant Le Timbre. We were quite lucky to dine without a reservation. The atmosphere was convivial and merits all of its praise. To call this place cozy is an understatement. You will find yourself shoulder-to shoulder, but you will quickly relax into its charm. Our hostess impressed us with her ability to assume the role of server, busser, maitre d’, and dishwasher. She seemed to anticipate our every need even as the restaurant reached full capacity. I began the evening with the asparagus salad. The creamy white stalks were highlighted by thin shavings of Parmesan, tangy grapefruit and lightly bathed with olive oil. The crisp texture of the earthy vegetable, rich nuttiness of the cheese and bright citrus created a fresh harmony on the plate. The mille-feuille dessert was equally striking and lovely. Light as air layers of pate feuilletee layered with crème patissiere. Can I serve something so simple back home? Chef Chris Wright works around his diminutive kitchen with great precision and care. He impresses with his ability to create dishes that are in perfect balance. I admit I didn’t want the evening to end. The restaurant was buzzing with friendly chatter and diners continued to arrive. If I were ever to open a restaurant I would want it to be exactly like this.

Le Timbre
3 rue Saint Beuve Montparasse
tel: 01-45-49-10-40
metro: Vavin

Maison Kayser
10 rue de L'Ancienne Comedie
tel: 01 43 25 71 60
metro: Odeon
(several locations throughout Paris)

Calamari Canalside

2006-05-29T22:08:00.000-04:00

The start to my own summer may not have been as classy as Dora's, but I've decided that if I can't be living it up in Paris cafes, the next best thing is munching on calamari and french fries, drinking a cold beer and watching the boats go by with my sweetheart, RFC, on a sunny Sunday afternoon. This weekend was all about Long Island and I was introduced to the canals of Freeport. We spent a leisurely few hours by the water and it was a fabulous way to kick off the summer (cuz, man, I think summer has definitely arrived in NYC!). The calamari and fries were suitably greasy and we even scored a frisbee from the Coors Light ladies who were making the rounds. Fortunately, neither one of us actually had to drink the "beer."

Sunday, we even fit in a walk through a Japanese garden tucked away in the western part of the North Shore. And to round out the weekend, I also got a taste of Long Island diner culture, which I have heard so much about. We grabbed a bite at the Carle Place Diner. It has the chrome siding outside and you can get breakfast for dinner! I opted for lunch for dinner. A chicken salad sandwich later, I was probably a little too full, but otherwise very content. Although I stick by the assertion that I would never live there, RFC is doing a good job showing me a fun time when I am in Long Island. But ssshhh, don't let that get around!

K.

J'adore Paris

2006-05-27T04:36:00.000-04:00

Bonjour Tous!

I cannot find the words to express how much I love Paris. My husband and I spent 2 glorious days there. I will try to recount the beauty, the richness and (of course) the food that we experienced. We arrived in a jet-lagged daze to the hustle and bustle of a typical Parisian workday. The first thing on our agenda was le petit dejeuner. What is better than coffee and bread? Back home, we are used to a simple start to our day--a delicious bowl of Kashi. Being able to indulge in a tartine and a croissant is a most wonderful treat. The taste is amazing, is it the butter?

It has almost been 10 years since my last trip here, and I was curious to see if I would recognize the sights and sounds from my first time. Also, I would have a first-time perspective from my husband. He has a fondness for the European sensibility, but how would he fare in Paris? I was hoping he would love the city and joie de vivre that has enchanted me since I was a young girl.

I guess it is inevitable to have a few unpleasant experiences, but I find it unkind and unfair to make sweeping observations about certain cultures. “These people are so rude,” “The food is awful in that country,” “They are so loud and obnoxious.” I like to follow my parent’s example. They are seasoned veterans and enjoy the fact that they are guests when they travel. For those of you that know my mother, she can be quite…. particular (but only in the most loving manner). You have to leave certain habits and expectations at home. Travel with an open-mind, respect and allow your appetite to guide you.

Our first evening, we would be dining at Au Bon Acceuil in the 7th arrondisement. It came highly recommended, but also came with the warning of being frequented by mostly Americans. This would be a problem if the restaurant was a tourist trap, but the food and ambience were exquisite. Yes, there were many English-speakers, but they were well experienced Americans dining next to well heeled Parisians. We were able to savor the elegant cuisine and décor and there were no fanny packs or chanting of “USA.”

The balance of texture and flavor was even apparent in the potato puree that accompanied our main course. It arrived perfectly proportioned in a small cup. The color was the palest yellow unspoiled by herbs or seasoning. The body was light yet possessing enough body to carry immense flavor. It must be the butter. By the time we had finished dessert, I could feel the affect of our wine--A beautiful 1990 Chateau Fonbel Saint Emilion. As we stepped out onto the sidewalk, we were overwhelmed by the sight of the Eiffel Tower. It was decorated with thousands out lights and made a stunning ending to our evening.

Au Bon Accueil
14 rue de Monttessuy
tel: 01 47 05 46 11
metro: Pont de L'Alma

Travel by Association

2006-05-24T16:02:00.000-04:00

Sigh...I am eagerly awaiting Dora's return from France. That is, if her husband can get her back on the plane to the States. It seems my own overseas adventures will be curtailed this year due to lack of funds, so I will be enjoying travel abroad vicariously through my friends.

Dora--can't wait to hear about how you ate your way through Paris!
K.

An Indian Treat

2006-05-19T12:12:00.000-04:00

Mother's Day has come and gone and sadly my only contact with my own mom was a phone call to LA. Fortunately, I will be traveling to California next month for my baby brother's college graduation and will get to spend a week in the Bay Area! Then I will get some much anticipated time with the fam. And some time to visit with friends, drop by a few of my old haunts, eat Mission tacos, and pay a visit to the expensive but fabulous Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market. But more on that in another post...

I did get some Mom-time via S.'s mom's visit from California. S. is Indian and her mom is an amazing cook of foods of all kinds. I have had the pleasure of eating numerous meals at her house when we were in college and later when we lived in SF. They have run the gamut from Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings to Indian dishes with a lot cheesecake and waffles in between. If you come over for dinner and are lucky, you'll leave with a few of her famed tin foil packets filled with good things to munch on at home.

S. had made a special request for her mother to make Indian food during her visit and so she came armed with an arsenal of spices. We were the lucky recipients of an Indian dinner of seasoned green beans, turkey kofka (meatballs) and rice with toasted cumin seeds. For dessert, there was chai and Indian sweets, penda and gulab jamun, straight from San Jose. I jotted down the recipes for the green beans and kofka and plan to attempt them myself. The green beans were flavored with all the usual Indian suspects, but was given an added crunch by the addition of urhad daal (white lentils) which had been toasted in oil with mustard seeds. The kofka was out of this world and it seems for me to recreate it, I will be taking a trip out to Jackson Heights to purchase something called asfoetida. From the little bit of research I have done, it is a root from which resin is extracted, dried and used in Indian cooking. It has some colorful names, including Devil's Dung, and can be used to cure flatulence!

Now, I love Indian sweets, which I think is not always the case for people who have not grown up eating them, partly because they are usually incredibly sweet. S.'s mom brought S. and her brother's favorites. S. loves penda to the point that she won't share with anyone. Penda (sometimes called peda) is made with khoya (which I think is akin to condensed milk) and sugar and then flavored with pistachios and cardamom seeds. They are shaped into small patties. S.'s brother's dessert of choice is gulab jamun, which are like donut holes soaked in a sugar syrup. I think I may just have to get my own assortment of treats when I go out to Queens.

K.

Introducing Dora & Karen - A Couple of Tarts...

2006-05-16T21:18:00.000-04:00

I am the last person to start a blog. I have a healthy dose of computer phobia and in my 33 years I have been unable to keep a journal. The idea of a diary was always appealing--beautiful little book with lovely paper that contained my profound thoughts and momentos. It wasn't until I moved to a small, Southern town that I rekindled my desire to write down my thoughts. After living in the Bay Area and NYC, I now find myself adjusting to a very different life. The one thing that hasn't changed is my love and passion for baking and cooking. I have tried to quit the restaurant industry and find a "real" job, but a civilian life is not for me. I am happy to share this blog with my friend Karen who has shared so many food experiences and adventures with me. I hope you will enjoy my perspective on food and travel and the people, sounds, and sights that I will discover.
Dora

Like Dora, I also trace my culinary roots back to the Bay Area. In fact, it seems Dora and I lived parallel restaurant lives for a bit while working in San Francisco. Looking back, I think it was inevitable that we would eventually meet and work together here in NYC. Our California-centric dicussions during my first few months on the East Coast definitely eased my transition into New York living, while at the same time annoying a few of our native NY coworkers (oh, well). I also quit the restaurant industry, but I don't think it will be getting me back like Dora Instead I rediscovered my passion for food and cooking now that I don't have to make creme brulee every day of my life. My other passion is to travel and the two go perfectly together. Our hope is that this blog gives Dora and I a chance to share and discuss our discoveries with each other and with our friends.
Enjoy!
Karen