f is for foodie

Bowling for Soup - Pumpkin Soup!

2008-11-19T13:12:00.007-05:00

I've only made soup once. My college roomie Jul-Bean and I made cream of broccoli soup from a Moosewood cookbook recipe as part of a Valentine's Day double date dinner. The soup wasn't all that memorable - actually neither was the date.

Fast forward x amount of years later and I decided to embark on a rematch with soup making. Spurred on by the sugar pumpkin that has been my tablescape and my new blender, I was up for the challenge.

After scouring the web for the simplest pumpkin soup recipe I could find, I settled on Kerry Simon's (of Vegas' Simon Kitchen & Bar fame and now Ago) recipe from The Food Network site. (link to recipe: here)

The result? Well, now I know why I don't make soup. Besides basically not having the patience, there was a ton of chopping (carrots, onion, apple, sage in a fine dice) just to put it all in the blender. Not to mention roasting the pumpkin forever and chopping that up as well! I was also a bit heavy handed with the cream and needed to season, season and season again to get it just right. Couldn't believe how much salt this dish needed! The cleanup was a bit much as well although if I owned an immersion blender it might have helped lessen the mess.

In my defense, the soup actually tasted so much better the next day after all the flavors settled. Still a bit too creamy for my palate but overall not too shabby.

Foodie F-Rants: Taste Bud Torture

2008-11-14T22:34:00.004-05:00

In this edition of Foodie F-Rants....

I'm not a good sick person. Simply because I rarely get sick. When I do, no matter how severe the illness is; I am just miserable. Miserable because this usually means I won't be eating for a bit.

Having a cold is torture on the taste buds. If you have an appetite at all, the only thing that will satiate you is chicken or matzoh ball soup, tea and orange juice. Not exactly on a gourmand's wish list. And being under the weather, I am not exactly up to the challenge of finding quality matzoh ball soup outside of Manhattan.

So as I sit and wait for this illness to pass, I will try and conjure up some delicious meals to make up for the ones I am missing. I only hope my taste buds will forgive me for boring them to death.

A Salute to the Return of Top Chef!

2008-11-12T17:28:00.000-05:00

In celebration of the return of Top Chef (fingers crossed it doesn't jump the shark this season) I thought I'd bring back my Tom Colicchio post... enjoy!

Below is my long overdue Vegas culinary recap. While it was a crazy jam-packed week of work related insanity, I did manage to hit a few restaurants during my stay.

First, was a trip to Emeril's in the MGM Grand. This was a staff dinner and I must admit that I was curious how the Food Network Kingpin's cuisine would fare. The verdict? Not so great. I started my meal with the miso glazed black cod with green onion soba noodles and sweet soy. It was actually pretty decent (and by default wound up being the highlight of the meal) but far from spectacular; flavorful without being overpowering but not super memorable.

I followed that up with the steamed grouper with lobster, gulf shrimp, shucked clams and vegetables in a saffron and shellfish broth; while sending most of my co-workers to the pecan crusted Texas redfish with grilled vegetables, stone ground grits and Creole meunière butter sauce (when in "New Orleans" get the Gulf fish, right?). Much to my surprise, the grouper arrived table side in a plastic bunched pouch - are the ladies from the Reynolds wrap commercials in the kitchen? When I opened the pouch I was left with a mismosh of nothing special. There wasn't enough salty sea flavor from the shellfish and the saffron didn't do much except add some color to the dish. Overall, very run-of-the-mill. In a town of excess you need to do a bit better to keep up with the competition.

After leaving the restaurant, we walked past CraftSteak. Long story longer, Top Chef Tom Colicchio was actually in the kitchen and came out to say 'hello'. My co-workers took a step back and left me face-to-face with Tom and his baby blues. We introduced ourselves and I alerted him to the fact that I was a food blogger and coming to CraftSteak (a place I've enjoyed on previous visits) the next evening so he should expect a review. He was pretty gracious and an all-around good sport.

The rest of the conversation went a little bit like this:

Tom: A food blogger? Oh, you're on of those... (laughs)
F: Yup. So expect a review...
Tom: What's your site? I'll check it out.

F: f is for foodie

Tom: f is for foodie dot com?

F: f is for foodie dot blogspot dot com (mumbling)

Then Tom seemed to be getting a little creeped out by my co-workers snapping our pics like crazed paparazzo (one of eleven posted above) and politely excused himself to get back to his event. That event happened to be a three-course $500/head dinner with wine tasting courtesy of the lovely folks from the awesome Shafer Vineyards. Not too shabby, Tom! I'd prefer the company of some Shafer cab sav myself!

That being said - JC, CJ and I returned the next evening for a beef extravaganza and we were not disappointed. We started with an excellent 'someday-I'll-learn-to-pronounce-it' charcuterie platter.

I went with the expertly cooked lean but tasty bison as my entree while JC and CJ split the soft as butter Porterhouse for two.

What an excellent char on the Porterhouse and a great cut of beef!

We rounded out our meal with a side order of chanterelles as well as the super creamy and delicious potato gratin.

The only downside to our meal was that our server didn't seem to take us as serious diners.

In fact, I felt like we were treated like some kids who snuck into the dining room. Our server even mocked me a bit when I told him that I was chatting up Chef Colicchio the prior evening. Not cool! And Victor, I am not a fly by night Top Chef freak fan I am a serious diner! You should treat every customer the same respect - c'mon you should know better!

On one of the only other nights I was able to have a proper meal was when a good number of our team managed to snag the back room at Planet Hollywood's P.F. Chang's. Not sure if we were getting special treatment or they were looking to sequester us from the other diners but no matter...

I have never been to the chain before and I must say I was quite impressed with the chicken lettuce wraps and the kung pao shrimp. The fried rice was pretty decent as well and the overall 'grease factor' was much less than anticipated... or perhaps exhaustion and the shot of gin (thanks CJ!) I did before dinner made me a bit more easy on the cuisine.

As far as the on site catering, some things are better left unsaid.

I left Vegas exhausted and more than ready for culinary adventures in Spain and Portugal.

Stay tuned for the day by day recaps!

Bolognese Sauce Doctor'd Up

2008-11-11T13:40:00.000-05:00

I've been becoming a regular at the West Hartford Farmer's Market. One of the items I've been eyeing on my visits is Sankow's Beaver Brook Farm's Bolognaise Sauce. For a mere ten bucks you can have one quart of sauce that includes ground lamb, tomatoes, onions, celery, carrots red wine, extra virgin olive oil, lamb stock, garlic, spices and salt.

While I prefer the Italian "Bolognese" to the French "Bolognaise" I was still intrigued and decided to treat myself. How bad could it be?

As my salted water was bubbling away, I started to heat up the sauce and once warm gave it a taste. It was a bit sweet for my palate and finally determined it was the large amount of carrots that were adding an overpowering sweetness of the sauce. I decided to add a can of tomatoes and season generously with salt, pepper, crushed red pepper and nutmeg. After the flavors began to settle and the rigatoni was cooking away, I still needed to add something else to the sauce and was kicking myself for not buying tomato paste on my last trip to the supermarket!

What else can thicken this up and off set the sweetness? After combing through my pantry and fridge, I finally decided to throw in some eggplant I had roasted the day before. What do I have to lose?

It wound up being a pretty successful experiment and after a liberal helping of grated cheese I had a delightful meal whose depth of flavor was even more pronounced on the next day when I heated up some pasta for lunch.

Tales from the Grill

2008-10-27T20:58:00.009-04:00

A big plus of my new suburban life is having a grill. On my day off, I basically throw every meat (chicken, various sausages, pork) and veggie (mainly zucchini, squash, eggplant, peppers, onions) in my fridge on the grill and (voila!) I have lunch and/or dinner for the week.

One dish that is quickly becoming a staple in my grilling repertoire is swordfish kabobs. After burning quite a few wood skewers, I've moved on to metal ones but the basis of the dish has remained the same. I alternate swordfish cubes, red onion (for color) and red and green peppers. A generous coating of olive oil spray, kosher salt and a lemon pepper spice mixture I purchased at Penzey's rounds out the dish. In minutes, it is done. Plain, simple, delicious!

A great accompaniment to the kabobs is grilled corn on the cob. I parboil the corn on the stove then spray liberally with butter spray and let the cobs caramelize on the grill. For a side salad the next day, I've removed the kernels from the cob and added to greens, black beans, tomatoes and avocados. A Southwest inspired delight!

Another fish I've tried to grill is tilapia with mixed results. I figured I'd give myself mercury poisoning if all I'm eating is swordfish, so I branched out. Since tilapia's not quite firm enough to stand up to grilling it can be a bit of a challenge. Again Pensey's Sunny Spain seasoning really saved the day and added a subtle fresh flavor to the fish.

The key to meats that you are planning on reheating is to ever so slightly under cook them so they do not dry out upon reheating. Pork chops and pork tenderloin grilled in a pineapple sake marinade became something extra special when I grilled some fresh pineapple along side it. Chicken in a teriayki glaze caramelized beautifully on the grill and I met equally outstanding results with a sesame ginger marinade. I must admit the marinades come out of a bottle, but hey, this is mostly low maintenance grilling.

It's pretty safe to say that I will be "that weirdo neighbor" that you see outside working the grill in a parka in the dead of winter and it's also pretty safe to say I'll be "that weirdo neighbor" taking pictures of her grill too!

Peppercorn's Grill

2008-10-24T14:57:00.007-04:00

RRR headed into Hartford late Saturday night to check out Peppercorn's Grill. The menu was extensive. In addition to the wide array of items offered on Peppercorn's regular menu, there was a pretty long list of specials to add to the indecision.

We finally came to a consensus and decided to share the il piccolo ragù di funghi selvatici con il loro brodetto e polenta di semolina which is a fricassee of seasonal wild mushrooms in their own juices with parmigiano reggiano and semolina polenta. The polenta had a nice crusty outer layer and the rich sauce provided a nice bed for the earthy mushrooms.

For a main course, RRR had the sea bass special with haricot verts, artichokes, potatoes and olive and tomato bruschetta. The fish was fresh and perfectly cooked and the artichokes really stood out from the rest of the vegetables. Overall, a very well-rounded nice dish.

I chose my traditional pasta with seafood dish. The fettuccine was freshly made and toothsome and well coated by the rich thick hearty tomato sauce that came with it. Fresh clams, mussels, calamari, scallops and half a lobster tail were all well cooked and delicious.

Would I say it is the best Italian I've ever had? No. Would I say that it was a good restaurant option if you're in Hartford and itching for Italian? Yes.

Glastonbury Apple Harvest Festival

2008-10-22T13:33:00.010-04:00

What are you going to do after you help your friend run his first 5K? Pig out at the nearest fair of course! After running the 34th Annual Apple Harvest Festival 5K road race, the 'official' race photographer (aka RRR) and I headed over to the fair grounds of the Glastonbury Apple Harvest Festival.

We perused the various stalls and made a few purchases including the adorable lunch bag (see post below) and a super cute pumpkin lantern for RRR. We tasted a few of the gourmet food items of some of the vendors but weren't moved enough to make a purchase.

And what's a fair without lots of fried goodness at your fingertips? The apple fritters seemed to be the item du jour and we chose a stand and decided to give them a whirl.

Basically, we're talking batter dipped apples that you coat with some powdered and cinnamon sugar. Yeah, it's fried dough with fruit in the middle. They were pretty good but RRR and I are 'purists' when it comes to fried dough (aka zeppoles to those not up on the Jerz slang) and weren't totally enamored with the fritters. Plus, this was not the apple fritters we remembered from our childhood...I believe those came courtesy of Mrs. Paul!

But there were more apples to be had and I followed the fritters with a slice of apple pie while enjoying the band playing at the fair. The pie was decent, but the chill in the air took a bit out of it... it would have been better if it was warm.

We didn't totally leave empty handed, however, and left the fair with bags of... what else? Apples!

Alidoro: A walk down memory lane (or Sullivan Street!)

2008-10-21T23:08:00.004-04:00

My first job after college was at a small production company in SoHo. Back then, SoHo wasn't the 'outdoor mall' it is now, but an eclectic array of boutiques, artist's lofts and a few Mom and Pop stores.

One of my biggest treats (given my near poverty level salary) was to take a walk to the little Italian shop on Sullivan Street to get a sandwich. The menu was listed on the wall and you dare not deviate from the menu. A co-worker made that mistake once.... (once!) and was banned from the store. (This was well before Seinfeld's Soup Nazi). The older Italian man behind the counter may have been abrupt when serving you, but took great care in making your sandwich.

My favorite was the fresh mozzarella, sundried tomatoes and bel paese on semolina bread. After a few frequent trips to the store, he eventually warmed up to me and we would talk while he made my sandwich. He would tell me that I was way too pale to be Sicilian, that Alberto Tomba is a drunk but will once again bring home Olympic gold for Italy in Lillehammer, that I should be able to speak fluent Italian if only to show respect to my Grandmother and other Italian-related conversations. Okay, maybe it wasn't so warm and fuzzy but if I close my eyes I can still taste the sandwich.

There's the backstory... and since New York is really a small place, I now get my hair done at the salon next door to the old Italian sandwich shop. It is usually closed when I get there in the evening, but my Monday afternoon appointment made it a perfect opportunity to enjoy a bit of culinary nostalgia.

The shop is called Alidoro and it's not a well kept neighborhood secret. In fact, it never was. The old man is gone (I am hoping that he is just back in his beloved homeland enjoying retirement) and the couple behind the counter have a bit of his mannerisms.

The menu hasn't changed (not that I would dare deviate from it anyway) and on this visit I ordered the Mona Lisa: fresh mozzarella, artichokes, caponata of eggplant and bel paese on semolina.

The semolina bread is as crusty yet fresh as I remembered. The mozzarella as creamy and as smooth as ever. The artichokes were full of oily goodness and the bel paese brought all the ingredients together in perfect harmony. The caponata was a bit sweet; but if this is the worst thing about this sandwich, I'll take it. With my first bite, the memory of sandwiches past flooded back and were just as vivid as ever.

The Cutest Lunch Bag!

2008-10-20T22:56:00.004-04:00

As someone who "brown bags" it to work, I am always looking for a lunch bag that will not only be able to contain the enormous amount of food I carry on any given day but will also not make me look like a complete dork.

For the past few years, my Lean Cuisine white and pink insulated bag (with proceeds going to Susan G. Komen) did the trick but it's seen better days.

Yesterday, while perusing the stalls at the Glastonbury Apple Harvest Festival (more to come on that!) RRR and I came across these stylish yet functional lunch bags! The company is called Posh Paks and it's one of those products where you say "why the heck didn't I think of that?".

Check out the link, while I love the pseudo-Burberry style of the Katie, I needed a bit more room and wound up leaving with the Brittany.

Can't wait to pack my lunch tomorrow!

Hartford Restaurant Round Up

2008-10-15T10:00:00.002-04:00

So while I have been mainly cooking at home, I have been able to get out and about to sample some of the area restaurants. Here's a quick recap:

Barcelona: a tapas-style restaurant located in the heart of West Hartford center. How do I put this nicely? THIS RESTAURANT IS A JOKE. Subpar food, lots of attitude and NYC prices to boot. Late night (by late night I mean 10 o'clock!) the restaurant has a I-wanna-be-a-club-like atmosphere complete with beefy bouncers who are just hoping a fight will break out to save them from utter boredom. On my last visit on a Friday night, this neckless joke of a human being said to my friend who was finishing up a beer "drink up man...I'm about to take that bottle from you the minute you take that bottle away from your mouth". Puh-lease!

Max's Oyster Bar: also located in West Hartford Center, this restaurant offers fresh quality seafood. (Ed note: Read more of my review at this link) On the weekends the bar area becomes a haven for single divorcees from the surrounding burbs. A meat market atmosphere in a fish restaurant is a bit of irony, huh? Okay, perhaps in the Alanis Morrissette type of way. Oh yeah and the drinks are pretty darn good here.

Bricco: an Italian restaurant from Billy Grant, local culinary hero and owner of Grant's (see below). The outside dining area and bar area have a modern touch while the interior dining room feels a bit dated. While the decor might be dated, the food is fresh, modern and a delightful twist on standard Italian fare. Not cheap by any means but a solid dining option. I've only been here once and have heard mixed reviews from those who have been there more frequently, so the jury's still out on this one...

Grant's: pretty decent fare with a bustling al fresco dining area. You can get a bit of the suburban 'tude (see Barcelona review above) if you venture in late night (again, 'late-night' means around 9pm) but consistent food and highly touted desserts keep the crowds satisfied. Not sure if I think the desserts are THAT exceptional but I'll keep coming back to try them out.

The King & I: a funky little BYOB Thai restaurant located down Park Road. A good place for inexpensive high quality Thai with a lot of spice (the pad kee mow was on par with what I used to get in NYC). Basically it's a house transformed to a restaurant and a gem in the area. If you go, make sure to check out the bathroom. As my buddy BB says, "I think they are performing human sacrifices in there after hours"... I just think it looks like a bag tag sale threw up in there.

Plan B: pub grub in a casual setting. A la Counter, you can get a pretty decent burger here at a bit more reasonable price. The service is friendly and there is a small bar area. When dining there with RRR we were both very satisfied with our burgers; I especially enjoyed her Cubano burger: ground pork with bacon, cheddar cheese, mustard and pickles.

Trumbull Kitchen: great drinks and a well rounded menu located in Hartford. TK is part of the same restaurant group as Max's and I really enjoyed this place. I definitely am overdue for a return trip here. (more detailed review here).

Rizzuto's: a bit of an upscale Paparazzi meets your neighborhood NYC salumeria this modern noisy Italian is a great place to bring the family for dinner or to hang out with the girls. Not all of my gang up here like Rizzuto's as much as I do but for a new restaurant, it's definitely headed in the right direction. (more detailed review here).

Flatbread's: along the same lines as Rizzuto's although a bit more family oriented and casual. Great option for a nice lunch when in the Farmington area. (more detailed review here).

Italian Heavy Hitters (aka RRR's wine tasting): The Wine!

2008-10-14T09:00:00.000-04:00

My dear sister (aka RRR) steps in to blog about a recent wine tasting she hosted. Salute!

The Italian Heavy Hitters

We are not talking about our Jersey family and friends here! RRR is stepping in to cover the latest Boston, Mitch inspired wine tasting. Should we start with the food or the wine? Guess that's like the chicken and the egg debate. Can't figure out if the food makes me crave the wine or the wine makes me crave the food…

The Vino

Mitch took charge of the wine selection. She focused on the primary wine regions-the classics for the night's line up. Speaking of line-up, guess I should identify the guest list. We had the usual suspects present … If only Ms. Foodie was present!

Mitch – Master of Wine Ceremonies
Ski – Not a usual suspect, but when she’s present, she's present. Her quote, "I want to taste some earth!"
Lynnie – Yes, a usual suspect and so much more, but sans "Dan-O" – a Ms. Foodie favorite and our token male…our other partner-in-wine [Stay tuned for a North Fork Wine tasting trip – RRR, Mitch, Lynn and Dan-O!!!]
SheGal – Another usual suspect, sans the stinky cheese (that was present beyond ofactory comprehension at the last tasting)
Lori – Our token beer drinker, observer, photographer and designated driver
Mr. RRR – "Bernie" was awake and alert for the tasting!
And of course, yours’ truly… RRR

Mitch set the line up as follows…with RRR's tasting notes which mirrored most of the overall comments from the tasting crowd.

First at bat – a 2005 Chianti Classico, villa Caffaggio. Overall impression was that for the money ($20), we weren't that impressed, particularly given the selection of Chiantis well below this price point. Light tannins, sour cherry notes. RRR tasted again on day two (out of obligation and respect for the grape of course!) and found it bit more strawberry-ish on the nose but still lacking any complexity.

Next, a 2004 Masciarelli, Marina Cvetic (Montepulciano d'Abuzzo). Lots of dried cherry fruit, medium to full-bodied. The crowd really enjoyed this one, well beyond the first 'taste' – as nada for a day two tasting.

A 2003 Capanna Brunello di Montalcino. Smoky and tannic. Did not score high with the crowd. Obviously enough for day two tasting. Still not impressive to RRR. Tannins tamed a bit, but lacked any complexity. But hey, it's red, it's Italian, the RRR’s polished this one off.

2002 Travaglini Gattinara. Light to medium bodied with dried cherry and an almond finish. Tasted even better day two!

These last three were the favorites of the night…

A 2003 Villa Antinori Super Tuscan. A unique curry aroma and taste, combined with tobacco and blackberry. Very complex, very interesting. The crowd was a bit mixed on this one. RRR day two tasting – only hints of the curry on the nose with the smokiness and fruit shining through. Yes, a winner for RRR! Think this one was my favorite of the bunch.

A 2001 Ronchi Barbaresco. A smooth cherry taste. This was a star! Soft tannins, floral with a nice hint of earth.

A 2003 Batasiolo Barolo. Big cherry notes, some menthol. A big Italian beauty (speaking about the wine of course)!

2001 Allegrini Amarone. Probably the star of the night! Dark red fruit, some chocolate notes. Unfortunately, we only had a half bottle when we could have easily taken care of a full one!

We had a couple of throw in's (aka pinch hitters) – namely a Lou's Red from Rosedale Vineyards in CT – a blend of CT and CA grapes that RRR picked up from the CT wine trail tasting with Ms. Foodie. Cracked open in honor of Lynnie, native CT and lover of all CA wines. With the first tasting, mixed reviews given the 'funky' port taste. On day two, the funkiness rounded out to a dried fruit smoother finish. Not bad for CT…?

Mr. RRR broke out his Silver Decoy Blueberry wine (NJ) to compliment dessert. Don't be fooled here. We are not talking pancake syrup here. Burst of blueberry but just enough sugar to not be cloying.

Italian Heavy Hitters (aka RRR's wine tasting): The Food!

2008-10-13T21:39:00.012-04:00

Big Night…

Well the eating commenced prior to the first pour. I tried to stagger the menu until all the usual suspects arrived. Plus, I was holding off on the heavier items in anticipation of the wine. Eat, taste… then repeat.

I should probably give readers of this blog some insight into my approach to cooking and utilizing recipes. I typically use recipes as a general guideline and modify based on what I have on hand or what is seasonal. As Ms. Foodie might be learning now, out in the ‘burbs, you do not always have all ingredients available. Take for example, a special stop for leeks! And another trip for bread! Plus I could not find decent pita bread…

Spicy Shrimp Boats – Guess I'll first have to confess that I have a subscription to Every Day with Rachel Ray. Guess Ms. Foodie will have to post a link on her blog! (Ed note: you're right! here it is!) Actually, there aren’t many recipes in the mag that have been worthy of a try. But this one looked simple enough and I needed to find a use for the cooked shrimp in my freezer.

I cut up an English cucumber and carved out the center – to make little round vessels for the shrimp. This surgery to the cucumber took the most time. Otherwise, I quite simply diced up some pre-cooked shrimp. Combined a tablespoon of rice vinegar and ½ Tbs. of sugar and nuked for a couple of seconds to dissolve the sugar. The recipe called for minced jalapeno – however I bought minced green chile by mistake. I used it anyways and added a couple of dashes of Tabasco. Instead of chopped fresh mint (recipe),I had some cilantro on hand instead. Fill the little cuke cups with this shrimp mixture and voila – something fancy – almost 'sushi looking' to impress the guests. Nice sweetness of the rice vinegar coupled with a touch of spiciness. Plus the 'lightness' of it all was a nice break from what was yet to come…

Shrimp with Artichoke Pesto – Partnered some of the whole cooked shrimp with this easy tasty pesto. Using the food processor, pulsed together some artichoke hearts, a handful of fresh basil, shredded Parmesan cheese, garlic and streamed in some olive oil. Easy, tasty and hit with the crowd! Not only was it a more unique side than the typical cocktail sauce, but it doubled as a topping for crostini. I plan on using the 'leftovers' on fish or chicken this week. At the last tasting, I served shrimp with a Bloody Mary sauce – email Ms. Foodie if you'd like that recipe!

Baba-ga-humus – I discovered this recipe in Cooking Light. Roasted a whole eggplant, let cool and then peeled the skin. Added the eggplant pulp, 3-4 Tbs. of tahini, a can of chickpeas, salt, pepper and of course, the garlic. Whizzed around in the food processor and served with some crostini. As a lover of all things eggplant, I could eat this by the spoonful – actually, I have been using the leftovers as a spread in lieu of mustard on my sandwiches this week!

Goat Cheese Leek and Pancetta tart. I tried my hand at using frozen puff pastry and I am sold! This recipe was inspired by two NYT recipes I had on hand. Defrosted a sheet of the puff pastry and rolled out the sheet a bit to fit on a cookie sheet. Brushed the pastry with a bit of truffle oil. Topped with leeks and diced pancetta that I had already sauteed up. A sprinkling of goat cheese and popped into the oven (400 degrees) for approximately 25 minutes. These also re-heated well during the course of the long festive night.

Flatbreads – Sorry to do this again but yes, inspired by Rachel Ray on this one. Admittedly, I have gotten some good inspiration and ideas from her show (and – another confession – her cookbook. It was a gift! Even Ms. Foodie has one.) Unable to find some 'thick' authentic pita bread, I had to settle for the lavash bread at the deli. Oh well, they still were easy to make, tasty and easy to re-heat during the evening. I even 'tested' one out the night before for an easy dinner.

I piled on some arugula, prosciutto and brie. For the veggie topping, I made two different versions, one using grilled eggplant and sauteed mushrooms on another. I folded the lavash and grilled up in a pan on the stove. Easily cut up into appetizer-size squares. They made for the perfect little packages to accompany the wine. For dinner the previous night, I used some salami on hand vs the prosciutto and ummm tasty!

Stuffed Sausage Bread – Ok brace yourselves, but got this recipe from Parade magazine. Yes, that flimsy Sunday newspaper insert! And of course, not the REAL sausage bread that Ms. Foodie, Cousina and I make for Christmas. The recipe called for two loaves, but I halved it for one loaf and did some tweaking. I sauteed up some sausage (approx. ½ lb.) and 1/3 lb ground meat (recipe called for beef but I had turkey on hand) with diced onion (about 1 medium). I hollowed out a fat French loaf bread (cut both off the ends and use a long serrated knife) and made some bread crumbs with the 'innards' in the food processor. Then added the bread crumbs to the meat mixture, along with a heavy Tbs of Dijon mustard, salt and pepper, diced fresh sage and diced fresh flat leaf parsley plus one egg. Took the 'stuffing' and jammed it back into the hollowed out loaf. Make sure you pack it tightly so it can slice well when done (my lesson learned). Then reattached the ends – I used two BBQ skewers, inserted diagonally on each end. In the meantime, I made some 'garlic butter' and brushed that on top. Wrapped it in tin foil, leaving the top slightly exposed and bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes at 400 degrees. A perfect appetizer to make ahead and then pop into the oven. Mr. RRR believes this rivals the REAL sausage bread, but not sure his opinion is worth much. He'll devour just about anything made with sausage. Hmmm… sounds like someone else we all know? (Ed note: I have NO idea who she is referring to...oink oink)

Pasta Bolognese – A 'real' recipe this time, from the master Mr. Batali. I sauteed up approximately 2 diced carrots, 4 celery stalks and 2 onions (my advice is to use the food processor to get it to a fine dice) in my Dutch oven. Added some diced pancetta (approximately 4 oz.). Then added ground meat – 2 lbs in total. Given the limitations of the burbs I used one package of the meatloaf mix (beef, pork and veal) and 1 lb. of ground pork. Mario's recipe called for 1 lb. veal and 1 lb. pork. Sauteed that up until cooked through and then added 8oz. of tomato paste, ½ cup dry white wine, 1 cup of milk and fresh thyme ( I threw in some dried too.). Instead of 1 cup water, I used beef broth. And of course, some salt and pepper. You can cook it on the stove (low heat) for 1 – 1.5 hours, or as I did – in the oven at a low temp (250 degrees). Nothing beats anything cooked in the Le Crusette in the oven! I actually made this the night before and just heated it up and added some pasta water to liquefy a bit. Topped the pasta and sauce with some shredded parmesean. A match made in heaven! Oh the vino, let’s not forget the vino! I have to admit, when I heard Mitch decided on Italian reds, I could only dream about this combination.

Chocolate Chip Cookies – There is always room for something sweet, no? Made these a couple of nights prior. Instead of defaulting to the Tollhouse package recipe,I followed one by Cook's Illustrated. The primary differences being melting the butter for creaming with the sugar, using more brown sugar (versus white) and using one whole egg and one yolk. The result being a more chewy cookie – yes, even after a couple of days of being on the counter. And that is the real test – actually two test – 1.) staying chewy and 2.) lasting 2 days without being eaten in entirety!

Molten Chocolate Cake – As fancy as this may sound, it couldn't be easier. This can be a go to impress your guests with no effort dessert for just about anyone! Melted some bittersweet chocolate chips and butter over a double boiler. Whisked in some sugar, eggs, egg yolks and a wee bit of flour. That is it! (I'm going to spare you calorie counters out there by not telling you how much of these ingredients go in.) Put into ramekins and bake for 15 minutes or so (depends on size of ramekins). Mine oozed out within seconds of hitting the plate, but who cares when there's vanilla frozen yogurt so scoop up with the decadent, rich chocolate mess. The crowd did hiss when the frozen yogurt came out - Who's watching calories at this point?

Hungry Girl's Krispymallow Treats

2008-10-11T12:33:00.003-04:00

I don't link to Hungry Girl. Why? Because she's good and I don't want to drive away traffic.

Her name has come up in my many conversations with WWEppy about Weight Watchers and he bought me a copy of her cookbook as a thank you for spending countless hours talking about points, meal planning and all things WW.

I decided to start my tour of Hungry Girl's book with her krispymallow treats. As a bit of a sweet freak, I'm always looking for dessert after dinner, so why not try something a little more calorically-friendly?

Basically it revamps the original rice krispie recipe by substituting margarine for butter and adding some Fiber One cereal instead of all Rice Krispies. The result? Pretty darn good. The hardest part was having enough patience to wait for the marshmallows to melt and they actually tasted better the next day after the marshmallows had a chance to stiffen up a bit.

A whole tray cut into 16 pieces worked out to 1.25 WW points per piece and was quite satisfying. Recipe below... check it out for yourself!

5 cups puffed wheat cereal
2 cups Fiber One bran cereal (original)
3 cups mini-marshmallows
3 tbsp light whipped butter or light buttery spread

Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Add both cereals. Stir until thoroughly coated.

Using a spatula, press mixture evenly into a 9"x13" baking pan sprayed with nonstick spray. (ed note: I used my hands and a 8"x10" pan) Allow to cool. Cut into 25 squares.

Counter: the East Coast Edition

2008-10-07T21:08:00.004-04:00

I've been watching the construction of Counter in West Hartford's Blue Back Square for awhile now and the same question kept crossing my mind. Was this the same Counter that I enjoyed in Los Angeles a few years back?

The answer was "yes".

I stopped in yesterday for a late lunch and the place was bustling. The hostess initially tried to seat me at the counter (literally) as one is apt to do when a patron dines solo but with a lack of counter seating, I wound up at a four top in the middle of the dining room.

I decided to build my own burger instead of choosing one off their regular menu. Looking back to my former post on Counter, I pretty much built the same burger this time around. What can I say? I'm a creature of habit.

My choice was a 1/3 lb turkey burger with Gruyere cheese, sauteed mushrooms, grilled onions, and baby greens on a honey wheat bun. I also opted for a side of the peppercorn steak sauce which was basically an au jus. On the fry-side, I chose to go "fifty-fifty": a smart combo of sweet potato and regular fries.

The fries were excellent. Crispy and well-seasoned with the sweet potato version having a slight edge over the Idaho's. The burger was a tad overdone but nothing that a dip in the au jus didn't help remedy. (Next time I'll request medium rare) The mushrooms were pretty good and the onions were tasty, although a few raw onions slipped into the mix.

This burger creation, fries and a diet soda ran me just under 20 bucks, not cheap. The food was quality but a bit overpriced, a trend of most establishments in this new "hip" part of West Hartford.

Flatbreads in Farmington Valley

2008-09-29T17:31:00.007-04:00

During a marathon day of shopping (Ms Foodie doing her part to help the economy), I stopped for lunch at Flatbreads in Farmington.

Flatbreads has the feel of a chain with the coziness of a local eatery. The rustic farmhouse vibe of the wood burning oven and the open kitchen add to the charm of the place although I didn't quite get the point of the large rock I wound up sitting next to...

There were two types of pizzas to chose from: with sauce and without. You can also build your own pizza so there is certainly is variety in the menu. My server touted the "organic" ingredients on the menu and while I appreciate organic farming, it doesn't necessarily sway my choice of eatery. Sorry, just being honest. But I digress...

After perusing the menu, I decided to go with one of the intriguing specials, a pizza with caramelized onions, butternut squash, roasted cranberries and goat cheese. I paired this with a blueberry wheat beer recommended by my server.

The flatbread had a nice combination of savory and sweet and I enjoyed the thin crust of the pizza. Unfortunately, I found the beer less satisfying. It basically tasted like a Budweiser with the blueberry essence. A small pizza was more than enough for a light lunch and I will certainly be back to try one of their salads. If you are looking for a casual friendly place with decent food at a reasonable price, Flatbreads if for you.

Shrimp fra diavolo foodie style!

2008-09-28T17:19:00.004-04:00

It's Sunday, I'm watching football and what goes better with Sunday football than a big bowl of pasta? (especially after the 5k I ran in the morning)

I indulged my craving and took this carbo-opportunity as a chance to clean out my pantry and fridge. While my pot of water was boiling, I defrosted and peeled some frozen shrimp I had in the freezer. I heated up my trusty large saute pan and set two cloves of minced garlic and about a quarter of a thinly sliced white onion to soften. I prefer white onions in tomato based sauces for the sweetness it adds to the dish. A can of crushed and a can of peeled tomatoes joined the onions and I let that simmer for about ten minutes.

As the angel hair pasta was cooking, I added some julienned basil and a few chopped sundried tomatoes to the sauce. Finally I added the shrimp and continued to cook until the shrimp turned pink. Along the way I continued to season with kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, garlic powder and a hefty dose of crushed red pepper.

After adding the angel hair to the sauce and giving it a twirl with my tongs; I garnished with a bit of parsley from my herb garden and dinner was served!

Who says you can't get good Italian in the burbs?

Girl Meets Grill

2008-09-22T20:15:00.007-04:00

Many of you have expressed concern over the lack of recent posts on f is for foodie.

"What's the matter? Nothing to eat in Connecticut?"
"Are you starving yourself?"
"Spending too much time in the cafeteria of the WWL?"

Actually none of the above.

Unfortunately, as a circumstance of working nights, I no longer have the luxury of coming home and whipping up a meal. What I do have is two days to prepare my lunches and dinners for the week and pack them up to bring to the WWL. More often than not, it's cramming a week's worth of cooking into one day.

Luckily, my new grill has been doing the heavy lifting. Basically, I take all the veggies (eggplant, zucchini, peppers, onions and corn on the cob) and meats (various type of sausage, pork chops, marinated chicken breasts, burgers) I have on hand, season them up and throw them on the grill. I've also been preparing various salads and sides like couscous to which I add some toasted pine nuts and fresh parsley from my mini herb garden to spruce it up a bit.

One good thing about living in this part of Connecticut is there are plenty of farm stands and fresh produce to be had just about every day of the week. The corn and tomatoes have been exceptional this summer and one benefit of moving north is the produce season lasts slightly longer than in New York. There's still great tomatoes to be had up here!

As my grilling skills improve, I've become a bit more adventurous. I've made swordfish kabobs, grilled shrimp, and grilled pineapple. The pineapple was a particularly delightful accompaniment to my pineapple sake marinated pork chops last week. And as I continue to experiment and churn out grilled goodies, I will do my best to keep the photos and posts coming!

Hitting The Connecticut Wine Trail

2008-09-03T22:02:00.010-04:00

What better way to judge my new home state than by hitting the wine trail? RRR and I recently took a culinary road trip and hit a few farm stands and vineyards. Using the "Food Lovers' Guide to Connecticut" (a great book by Patricia Brooks and Lester Brooks) as our guide, we mapped out a game plan and ventured out to the farm lands.

First stop was Tulmeadow Farm Store in Simsbury. As I loaded up on zucchini, squash, tomatoes and peaches, I had to remind myself to take it easy since this was only the first stop on our journey. We enjoyed some of their ice cream as well and the red-raspberry chocolate chip was spectacular! I would drive back just for the ice cream alone!

After Tulmeadow, we made a short stop at Say Cheese in Simsbury where we stocked up on some cheese, crackers and other picnic goodies in anticipation of tasting some wines. We wound up at Rosedale Farm and Vineyard and after waiting quite some time for assistance eventually did a tasting. Our guide was doing some very one on one tasting and we were itching for some wine - c'mon, multitask! multitask!

Their Three Sisters (a delightful light fruity white) and Lou's Red (a big red in the California vein) were the standouts. We purchased a few bottles, some cheese, produce and bread and then set up shop at one of the picnic tables in back. The landscape was beautiful and if I didn't know any better I'd swear I was in Northern California!

We packed up and hit two more vineyards, Jerram Winery and Connecticut Valley Winery. We had a good laugh at Connecticut Valley Winery watching the couple next to us downing each taste of wine like it was a shot and staring at us like we were insane for not finishing our glasses of each wine. We didn't love any of the wines enough to purchase but overall it was a pleasant experience and we tasted some decent wines. Surprisingly, a bit less complex than the wines we tasted in South Jersey but delightful nonetheless.

Not bad, Connecticut, not bad at all!

My Fair Lady...

2008-09-01T19:40:00.009-04:00

In another attempt to bond with the state of Connecticut, RRR dutifully drove down from Bean Town to spend the weekend exploring the Nutmeg State with her sister.

We decided to go "country" for this trip and hit the Goshen Fair.

For those not familiar with "fairs" (I was one of these people), it is a place were farm equipment, animals and large produce are on display and prizes are given for excellence in all of these categories.

We wandered around the fairgrounds, enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of the large pumpkins, zucchini, and farm animals. The piglets were my favorite! So tiny, cute and sweet as they insisted on lining up next to one another even when away from their mother!

Of course we admiring farm animals can work up an appetite, so we ate and ate and ate. C'mon, it's a joke!

The chicken sausage with sundried tomato sandwich from Nodine's (also mentioned in the "Food Lover's Guide to Connecticut) was the highlight of "pig-out"!

So much fun! Can't wait for the next one... now if I can only get the pooh out of my shoes!

Consistency is Key

2008-08-28T21:49:00.007-04:00

I've said in this blog more than once that in cooking, fresh ingredients really make all the difference. What I haven't said is that for a restaurant to be successful, the key is consistency. Perfect a dish and be able to execute it night after night after night. That being said, after singing the praises of the Labrador Lounge in my last post, I am now rescinding my recommendation.

I went to Labrador on Tuesday night with Rockstar and Legs, days after posting about my second trip. I was tempted to order the Asian baby back ribs that Mr. RRR had on our last visit, but instead, chose the "Marion's Famous Crab Cakes".

After waiting over 30 minutes, our food finally arrived. The crab cakes were extremely dry beneath an inch of over browned crust and ice cold on the inside. As particular as I am about my meals, I NEVER send food back. Well never say never. We called our waitress over and she brought them back to the kitchen, convincing me to give it another go, even though at this point I was already done with this meal.

Second time was not a charm. They were warm but still dry and in a word...inedible. The mound of remoulade sauce didn't help and I wound up taking two bites before throwing in the proverbial towel (or napkin in this case).

Our server was extremely apologetic and removed the crab cakes from our bill. She also informed us that we were not the first to complain about this dish and when she left the couple next to us also expressed displeasure with the crab cakes.

Note to Labrador Lounge: If you are reading this, I suggest removing this dish from your menu. If you can't execute a dish consistently, you shouldn't bother. Perhaps you should try to rip off this excellent crab cake recipe from Tyler Florence.

Return Trips to Red's and the Labrador Cafe

2008-08-24T19:59:00.010-04:00

Our week down at the Jersey shore included a trip to Red's Lobster Pot in Point Pleasant. This is not my first post about Red's, one of my favorite restaurants on the Jersey Shore, but I enjoy eating here so much it was worth a second post.

Red's isn't exactly a well-kept secret and the wait for a table can sometimes be lengthy. The good news is that Red's expanded its dining area to include a large outside patio which boasts a more casual menu. If you are on the hunt for steamed clams, lobster and raw bar offerings you are in luck! Just bring your favorite beverage, grab a booth and watch the fishing boats come into the docks.

We prefer to sit inside and enjoy one of the many special that Red's has to offer. The specials are usually a bit more interesting than Red's regular menu offerings and this trip was no exception. As I've said time and time again, it all comes down to fresh ingredients and with the fresh fish Red's serves up daily, you can't go wrong!

Another return visit was made to The Labrador Lounge and certainly merits a second post as well. It was a bit overcast on the night I visited The Labrador with the RRR's but we took our chances and sat outside hoping the skies wouldn't open up until after our meal.

Mr. RRR had the pick of the night with the baby back ribs and sweet potato fries. We were able to wrestle a few morsels from him and the meat was stringy tender and sticky sweet. As you can see by the photo, I was lucky to even get in a snapshot (must admit, I don't blame him for not wanting to share). In the midst of the BBQ craze, you don't really get ribs better than this!

I started with shrimp skewers over a delightful slaw of jicama, peppers and mango; followed by a creamy chicken curry over noodles. The curry was quite good and the portions at Labrador are always generous to say the least. The restaurant also gets an interesting mix of people - families, locals, couples on dates and foodies like us. If you are looking for a casual vibe and good food without all the frenzy that you can find at Jersey Shore restaurants on busy summer weekends, take a ride over to Labrador. You won't be disappointed!

"Sideways" in South Jersey

2008-08-23T18:54:00.008-04:00

Shockingly, when my sister (aka RRR) planned an itinerary for our jaunt on the Jersey Shore, the oenophile included a visit to a few wineries in southern New Jersey. We were thinking the climate would leave us tasting a lot of white wines but were pleasantly surprised to find many red wines produced by the Garden State wineries.

Our first stop and coincidentally the highlight of our mini-wine tour was a trip to Silver Decoy, New Jersey's 2007 Winery of the Year. Our delightful host took us through a (free) tasting of all the wines Silver Decoy had to offer.

The first white, a 2007 Traminette was quite lovely. A light fresh bouquet and a subtle hint of apricots and honey. We all were in agreement that this was a purchase and bought a few bottles to get us through the week. After working our way through a Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Chamourcin, Marechal Foch, Merlot, Cabarnet Franc, and Sunrise Blush, we made our way to the fruit wines: a blueberry and a raspberry.

I was expecting a "fruit bomb" but again was surprised by the drinkability of the wine. You could certainly pair it with grilled meats or vegetables - no need to wait for dessert! The blueberry was outstanding and the raspberry was refreshingly tart. We were all quite impressed with the Sunrise as well. A tasty blush that wasn't too sweet and perfect drinking wine for a warm summer evening.

After making a bunch of purchases (Mr. RRR quite enjoyed the blueberry wine and decided to stock up) and chatting with our gracious host in the tasting room, we hit the road and headed to Cream Ridge winery, perhaps the best known vineyard in the area.

Cream Ridge's wines were not as complex or sophisticated as the ones at Silver Decoy but I did purchase an interesting Sangria. The Sangria is a blush wine with a hint of citrus on the back. Since I've been doing lots of grillin' in the burbs, I figured this would be a nice accompaniment to whatever I toss on there.

As lovely as the vineyards were in the summer, I'm sure they are even more delightful in the fall. Looking for a day trip and not willing to bear with Long Island traffic? Hit the Turnpike and head to the Jerz instead! You won't be disappointed!

Cause down the shore everything's all right...

2008-08-20T22:36:00.010-04:00

I've said it before and I'll say it again...there's nothing like the Jersey Shore. It's silly, sweet, fun, unpretentious and one of the best guilty pleasures around. Oh yeah, and the food's pretty good too!

The RRR's and I spent some time down at our beach house last month. One of the cornerstones of our trip was a return visit to the sixth annual New Jersey State Ice Cream Festival in downtown Toms River. RRR and I take full advantage of Mr. RRR's peanut allergy by helping ourselves to his peanut-laden samples. Hey, whatever it takes to make an informed decision.

If you don't remember from the last time I posted about this event, the premise is simple. You pay a few bucks, get a spoon and some tickets, and make your way down the street picking up samples at the various vendor stands. After sampling the creamy treats, you then place two votes: one for best national and one for best local flavor. Of course, there's entertainment and other craft stands to occupy your time while you contemplate your decision.

The contestants this year? Vying for the title of best local flavor were Applegate Farm's Frozen Hot Chocolate (Upper Montclair), Baskin Robbins' Chocolate Orea (Toms River), Friendly's Hunka Chunka Peanut Butter (Toms River), Farley's Homemade Ice Cream's Cinnamon Buns (Jackson), Mrs. Walker's Blueberry Pie (Beachwood), Sweet Kate's Cookie Crunch (Lacey), Springer's Homemade Ice Cream's Oreo (Stone Harbor), Gifford's Ice Cream's Lobster Tracks (Maine), and The Sprinkle Shack's Praline Fudge (Berkeley).

It seems that the ice cream festival is also feeling the effects of the economy with this year's samples being about half the size of the previous year's treats.

It also seems that proper food hygiene has gone at the window for one of the vendors. At Applegate Farms, one of the workers was a class act and had a lit cigarette dangling out of his mouth as he doled at samples to waiting patrons. In my mind, this should have been an immediate disqualification, even more of an issue than their poorly stored samples. My sample was complete liquid, RRR's frozen solid and Mr. RRR somewhere in between. One word sums up Applegate Farms: disgusting!

We were all close in our picks for favorites but we weren't totally in sync with the rest of the crowd. Enough of the hype, let's get to the winners!

People's Choice Local Brand
1 Praline Fudge, Sprinkle Shack
2 Blueberry Pie, Mrs. Walker's
3 Frozen Hot Chocolate, Applegate Farms

People's Choice National Brand
1 Hunka Chunka Peanut Butter, Friendly's
2 Chocolate Oreo, Baskin Robbins
3 Lobster Tracks, Gifford's

Judges Local

1 Praline Fudge, Sprinkle Shack

2 Oreo, Springer's

3 Cinnamon Buns, Farley's

Judges National Brand

1 Lobster Tracks, Gifford's

2 Hunka Chunka Peanut Butter, Friendly's

3 Chocolate Oreo, Baskin Robbins

Next up in the long overdue posts, a trip to NJ wine country! Yes, NJ wine country!

Chef MJ and the Squirrel Make It Official!

2008-08-11T21:11:00.006-04:00

Prune: the Redux

2008-08-05T22:05:00.007-04:00

A very belated post on a recent brunch at Prune with Bomber.

We anticipated the wait of a lifetime but we were lucky to only have a half hour wait in front of us. Even with long lines, both the front of the house and the patrons were very patient.

After much agonizing, I finally made a decision and ordered the Dutch Style Pancake (yes, pancake...singular!). The menu stated the pancake came with pears, however, our waitress alerted me that it would be coming with blueberries. Even better! It came as one large and very filling pancake with a side of Canadian bacon. Normally, I'd stay away from pancakes but this was light and fluffy and left me satisfied without feeling like I had just eaten a hockey puck.

Even better than my pancake was Bomber's Monte Cristo, perhaps the best Monte Cristo I can remember. Prune serves their Monte Cristo with an egg and some currant jelly. We both couldn't believe how simple yet amazing this was, so good in fact, that Bomber complimented the chefs who were happily toiling away in the open kitchen at the back of the restaurant.

On this trip to Prune, we also enjoyed a few of their Bloody Mary's. The Mariner made with clam juice and olives were served with a shot of beer. This was certainly the stand out of the few we sampled (yes...Bloody Mary's plural).

This was my second trip to Prune and I was equally impressed on my return visit. The wait for a table can be a bit daunting, especially if you are with a large group, but certainly worth every minute if you are looking for a high quality, satisfying meal.

Hingham's Caffe Tosca

2008-06-17T11:40:00.014-04:00

After a lazy Saturday on the South Shore, the RRR's and I headed out to Hingham's Caffe Tosca for dinner.

This was my second trip to Caffe Tosca and one of many visits for RRR and Mr. RRR. Looking back on my previous post, I wasn't too surprised to discover that Mr. RRR ordered the same entree (he likes consistency) and that RRR was torn between ordering her usual eggplant pizza or venturing out into the menu and trying something new.

I began my meal with a lovely cocktail, the pomegranite fizz which was made with Absolut Citron, pomegranite juice and a splash of prosecco.

From there I decided to go for the pasta tasting which was a choice of three pastas from the menu. One of my pasta choices was the cappellini with broccolini, garlic, red pepper flakes and chilis. This simple dish was light, fresh and delicious and offered a nice balance to the richness of my other pasta choices.

On the heavier side, I chose the bucatini with pancetta and chunky tomotoes along with the ravioli with sweet corn and pancetta. Both pastas were the perfect size and the freshness of the ingredients really shown through. And when RRR dips her fork into a plate of pasta more than once, you know it's good!

Speaking of RRR, she went with a pizza offered as a special, with baby arugula, mozzarella and salami. We were a bit surprised (that would be pleasantly surprised for Mr. RRR and myself) to see a pizza with sausage come to the table and unfortunately for the other patron, didn't realize we were given the wrong pizza until it was two slices gone! Oh well! An extra tasting for us!

The pizzas at Caffe Tosca are outstanding. Super thin crust and are served on the back of a baking sheet table side. And in what is becoming my mantra, when you start with quality fresh ingredients you really can't go wrong.

And while I didn't manage to sneak in a bite of Mr. RRR's steak, I did sneak of few of the tasty Asiago fries that came with his dish. Salty, cheesy goodness!

We skipped dessert and headed into Hingham Center to Nona's for some post meal ice cream. I had the Hingham Harbor Sludge, chocolate ice cream with tons of caramel and fudge complete with super thin chocolate sprinkles. Rich, rich, rich! Actually much more caramel and fudge than ice cream but I'll take it! What a way to end a meal!

Lunch at Hull's Kitchen

2008-06-17T11:00:00.004-04:00

With a much shorter ride to casa de RRR, I decided to head up for the weekend. It was a beautiful Saturday and we took a walk up to the beach and had lunch at Hull's Kitchen.

Hull's Kitchen opened last summer and is located across the street from the beach. You can sit out on the porch and look out to the ocean. The view is pretty nice and the food isn't half bad either. We shared the fish tacos; fried cod with guacamole, sour cream, and shredded cabbage on a fresh tortilla with limes and a variety of hot sauces (Ms. Foodie recommends the Banana Pepper Hot Sauce!). I've always been a sucker for the baja style tacos so I quite enjoyed these.

We also shared a grilled sandwich of roast beef, pepper and mozzarella with a side of cole slaw. This was an interesting flavor combination and very satisfying. RRR even dipped into the cole slaw and she's normally not a fan.

While the restaurant is quite good what I don't understand is why it was not busier on a warm sunny Saturday. Is the food a bit overpriced for the other options in the area? Did we just get there at a weird time of day?

RRR had said there were days when she's driven by and it was busy and other times it is empty. I sure hope Hull's Kitchen survives in the tough restaurant market... I'm rooting for ya!

Daniel: The Last Supper!

2008-06-16T14:02:00.002-04:00

He had me at Bar Boulud.

That being said, for when it came time to chose what could be my last dining experience in New York for some time, Chef MJ treated me to dinner at Daniel, the mothership of fine French dining.

We began our evening in the lounge where I sipped two smooth delicious drinks: a rose martini followed by a bergamont martini. The rose martini was beautiful, complete with a rose petal encased in an orb of ice. The bergamont martini was tart and refreshing with a flourish of a flaming lemon wedge, the perfect cocktail to kick off the summer drinking season.

After saying au revoir to our gracious bartender, we were seated in the balcony area of the dining room. The dining area is grand and formal, complete with a balcony, pool and tent areas. This terminology is all a bit tongue-in-cheek with the exception of the tents since yes, there are actual tents in the corners of the dining room.

Chef MJ asked the sommelier to bring us a wine tasting with each course and we were in his capable hands. I was more than ready to begin my culinary adventure at one of the best French restaurants in the city, if not the country!

The amuse bouche arrived in a three tier serving platter. We began with a taste of briny sea bass and clams with apples that had all the freshness of the sea and followed with bites of the classic combination of lobster and avocado, a crab salad, and finally some beets with walnuts. We enjoyed these tasty treats with a lovely Savignon Blanc from New Zealand; crisp, clean and a perfect compliment to the fresh ingredients in the amuse bouche.

We also enjoyed a few of the fresh breads that were served tableside. The sticky sweet garlic roll was my favorite with the butter roll a close second. I was tempted to push my caloric limitations and go for the rosemary roll but I knew there was a lot of food to come and I needed to be ready!

My decadent appetizer was the mosaic of foie gras and black angus beef cheek with Satur Farms beets, wagyu carpaccio and peppercress; paired with a sweet German wine. This was an interesting wine selection since I wouldn't think a dessert-type wine would compliment an appetizer. This is why I am not a sommelier. The sweetness of the wine was just perfect to cut through the richness of the foie gras. The beef cheek was tasty with just a touch of horseradish and capers. The meal could have happily ended here, but it was only the beginning.

The palate party continued with an extra course of fennel-basil ravioli with littleneck clam emulsion, baja shrimp, cuttlefish, broccoli rabe, and chorizo. This dish was super rich and the small portion was perfect. The chorizo and saffron brought a zesty richness to the plate and the ravoli were al dente. This plate was paired with an absolutely exquisite white Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The drinks were getting the best of me at this point, but there was no way in hell I was leaving a drop of this amazing wine.

For my main dish, I chose one of Daniel's signature dishes; paupiette of black sea bass in a crisp potato shell with tender leeks and a syrah sauce. The fish was so moist and flavorful that it made the wine sauce simply an added yet unnecessary bonus. One of my favorite things is when a simple technique (like wrapping a piece of fish in thinly sliced potato) is well-executed and elevates a dish to a new level. I was equally impressed with the Santa Maria pinot noir that was paired with the fish. The earthiness of this wine was more reminiscent of a French pinot than a California pinot.

After cleaning our plates, we were treated to a visit by the man himself! Chef MJ saw Daniel on her way back from a trip to the lounge and brought him by for an introduction. Holy Merde! I have been in awe of this culinary god of terrines for some time, but managed to keep my cool and we chatted about coming to Daniel for my last great meal in New York for awhile. I did joke that he needs to expand the Boulud empire to Hartford and I think he didn't realize that I was totally serious. All from a completely selfish perspective of course!

We decided to pass on what could only be an extensive cheese course and head right for dessert. Hopefully you can follow the extensive list: raspberry-lemon vacherin with Thai basil meringue and raspberry marshmallows, a tasting of mango with roasted sesame ginger marinated coulis with cilantro, sorbet with kalamansi hazelnut mousse with Gianduja biscuit, milk chocolate salted caramel ice cream with bittersweet chocolate-praliné, crémeux Amer cocoa sponge cake with Caraïbe ice cream.

This all came with an additional plate of petit fours. Oh my! Extravagant even for a sugar fiend like me! The salted caramel ice cream and the hazelnut mousse were my favorites, although I quite enjoyed the originality and lip smacking tartness of the raspberry and meringue dessert. The only and I repeat only miss was the mango dessert; most likely due to it similarity to sushi than poor execution. (NOTE: Ms. Foodie is not a fan of sushi)

I managed to find a bit of room for a lemon meringue tart and a dainty smores-type stack of treats while I polished off the rest of my dessert wine. Then it was time for a tour of the kitchen!

By the time we got back there, most of the staff had gone for the evening and I stopped dead in my tracks to marvel at the size of the kitchen, a rarity in New York City restaurants. After all, less room in the kitchen means more room for paying customers. The tour also included a stop at the prep kitchen and I stopped to get a whiff of two large pots of stock bubbling away. After making our way through the prep kitchen we made a stop in the chocolate room where one of the members of the staff was prepping some chocolaty confections for the next day's service.

Speaking of service, let's just say outstanding would be an understatement. While I'm sure we were given the red carpet treatment due to Chef MJ's association with the company, I did notice how the staff treated the diners around us. I even watched as two members of the staff were asked to take photos of the same couple at the table next to us and in both cases, they graciously obliged. So whether you are a tourist, VIP or just regular Joe I'm pretty sure you will receive the same white glove service that I can only assume Daniel demands. And rightly so.

The bar has been set for Ms. Foodie's next NYC dining adventure. And it's been set pretty high.

Fired up over Rizzuto's Wood-Fired Kitchen and Bar

2008-06-15T21:12:00.004-04:00

I made a return trip to the latest addition to West Hartford's dining scene, Rizzuto's Wood-Fired Kitchen and Bar, located in the trendy brand-spankin' new Blue Back Square area. RRR and I had a delightful lunch there on our pre-move scout trip so I figured what better place to kick back on a Friday night?

Settling in at the salumi prep station I found myself eye to eye with a large round of mortadella fresh off the slicer. This meal was certainly starting off right!

"HELLLLLOOOOOOO LOOOOVVVVAAAAAHHHHHH!"

The restaurant was jam packed and there were groups of people seated around the Otto-style communal tables and lobbying for space at the marble topped bar. The noise level was a bit high, most likely due to the modern decor and high ceilings. More attention was paid to making this look like many New York wine bars/trattorias than to dining room acoustics.

I started my meal with the carpaccio of beef tenderloin with baby arugula. The dish was finished with a sprinkling of sesame seeds and a drizzle of olive oil. The beef was so thin it melted in my mouth with only the peppery bite of the arugula as a reminder.

For a main course, I just had to revisit the meatballs that RRR and I were so impressed with on our lunchtime visit, so I chose the meatballs with the house made fusilli. Now, I am not so convinced the fusilli was house made (as advertised) but it was perfectly cooked and the marinara sauce that accompanied it was so fresh, chunky and light. Quite pleasing to the palate!

As you know, I am a harsh critic of meatballs, and while the three large meatballs that came with my pasta weren't quite as good as the ones RRR and I had on our previous visit, they were still much better than I've had in most restaurants. They were finely ground with only the slightest hit of garlic.

And while I was busy people watching (as one often does when dining solo) I noticed the woman seated next to me had the "market fish" with large spears of grilled asparagus. I was tempted to ask her for a taste (all in the name of research of course) but I refrained. I also refrained from trying one of the many delightful looking desserts I saw coming out of the prep area. Next visit, I'll plan out my meal a little better to leave some room for dessert.

Overall, this was a quite impressive experience, especially when noting that this restaurant has been open for only about two and a half months. Service seemed to be fairly smooth and the dishes that I saw leave the kitchen were quite impressive. Atmosphere, quality food, good service and gentle prices? Sign me up!

NOTE: I took two meatballs home and had a hearty meal of a toasted meatball sandwich with a side of mesculn greens, beets and goat cheese. Nothing like having a great meal twice!

Max's Oyster Bar: First Stop on the West Hartford Culinary Tour

2008-06-11T21:38:00.012-04:00

Mitch and I hit West Hartford hot spot Max's Oyster Bar last Friday night for dinner and cocktails. I must admit this is my second trip to Max's, the first being with RRR, Lynnie and Dan-O on a pre-move scout. I was too overwhelmed with a day of apartment and car shopping to blog, but I was determined to document what will be one of many visits to the premiere restaurant of my new hometown.

First of all, the cocktails are outstanding. Crisp, clean and smooth are words to describe the ones I've tasted and the upside of these potential D.U.I. makers is that I will eventually be living within walking distance of the restaurant. The white cosmopolitan (Absolut Citron, Cointreau, White Cranberry and Lime Juice) and the Maxarita (Sauza Hornitos, Chambord, Grand Manier, Lemon-Lime Juice) were delicious and I am eager to try Max's Bloody Oyster (complete with freshly shucked oyster)!

This outpost of Max's restaurant group centers around their raw bar. On my initial visit I enjoyed the Jonah crab cocktail but on this trip, while Mitch happily satisfied her oyster jones, I headed for the appetizers and enjoyed the Maryland crab cake with jicama slaw. The crab cake was fresh and flavorful and although the kitchen was a bit heavy handed on the remoulade the crab to breading ratio was spot on. The jicama provided a nice bit of crunch to the smooth sweetness of the crabmeat.

For my main I went decided to choose one of the fish selections of the day with my choice of sauce. The Alaskan halibut with shallot herb butter was the winner, mainly due to the plethora of salmon and tuna choices on the menu this particular evening.

With a choice of a side, I went with the "rustic pasta" aka mac n'cheese with goat cheese. It was as decadent and creamy as you are imagining. Not the best mac n'cheese I've ever had but that didn't stop me from cleaning my plate. The halibut had a great char on it and I actually left a bit due to my overindulgence in the mac n'cheese side. Plus I HAD to leave some room for dessert.

Upon our server's suggestion (and since I couldn't convince Mitch to go for the key lime pie), Mitch and I shared the Valrhona "Baked" Hot Chocolate. It was an almost custard-like souffle dish of warm chocolate with a side of vanilla bean ice cream which was almost as impressive as the chocolate. I was not impressed with the house made marshmallow accompanying the dessert, but then again I am eternally spoiled by City Bakery's homemade marshmallows... nothing will ever come close!

RRR and I also ate at Trumbull Kitchen during our pre-move scout, another restaurant in the Max group located in Hartford and I can tell you that I will be paying more visits to that location as well. And as an incredible parting gift from two of my beloved former co-workers, I received a gift certificate for a chef's tasting at Max Downtown also located in downtown Hartford. If I keep this up, I think "Max" should put me on the payroll!

West Hartford Farmer's Market

2008-06-08T18:18:00.006-04:00

Not quite the Union Square Greenmarket but at least there is a farmer's market! Yes, life in surburbia makes me grateful for whatever culinary gifts I receive.

After perusing the few stalls mainly filled with plants, I managed to taste some lovely cow's cheese and purchased two varieties of cucumbers: lemon and verbina.

The woman running the stand suggested trying these odd shaped lemon cucs chopped up in a tuna salad and I think add some capers, salt, pepper and mustard and call it a day! I am expecting a slightly tart taste to them when I finally get to chopping.

I also bought some verbena cucumbers which are apparently used for pickling. I had one verbena with some pickled beets and goat cheese over mesclun greens and then in a simple salad of cucumber, grape tomatoes, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The verbenas were firm and fresh and not bad for 50 cents.

Not too shabby as I've only begun to get a taste of Connecticut produce!

Note to my dear readers...

2008-06-05T20:51:00.004-04:00

Since the inception of this blog, f is for foodie has mainly focused on the New York City dining scene (the occasionally European trips and out of state jaunts notwithstanding).

Hold on to your laptops but Ms. Foodie has left Manhattan and relocated to suburbia; the Hartford area to be exact. I have accepted a great job in a state better known for it's sky high gas prices than it's gastronomy.

The hardest part about leaving New York was all the great meals I'll be missing out on. Seriously. It was on my list of reasons NOT to take this new position.

Perhaps it will make my many trips back to the Big Apple that much more meaningful. Who knows? What I do know is that I have not been able to pick up the Dining Section of The New York Times since I've left. I just might sob uncontrollably.

Not to say that a good if not great meal can be found in the Constitution State. On a pre-move trip, RRR and I had some lovely meals at Trumbull Kitchen in Hartford as well as Rizzuto's and Max's Oyster Bar in West Hartford Center. And I've only begun to scratch the surface of what appears to be a burgeoning dining scene so expect the focus of the blog to become a bit more Connecticut based when I am not traveling. It also might be a bit light until I settle into my permanent digs, so please bear with me.

Also, please use this opportunity to submit some guest reviews to my foodie email link. I'd love to hear what I'm missing out on!

Wildwood BBQ: the latest in NYC's BBQ frenzy

2008-05-17T10:12:00.003-04:00

On Saturday during a stroll to find lunch, Thighs declared "I feel like eating meat. Does that make sense?". Honestly, it didn't until we found ourselves standing in front of the latest entrant into New York's race for BBQ supremacy, Wildwood BBQ.

Reviews for Wildwood have been mixed, but I was certainly willing to give it a try. The woody airy decor was enticing, however, it did make me long for the former inhabitant of this space, Park Avalon, a former new American establishment in the B.R. Guest empire.

We began our meal with 1/2 dozen chicken wings; choosing the "rubbed and fried" version since Thighs was going to have her main with Wildwood's chipotle-raspberry sauce and we wanted to taste as many flavors of sauce as possible. The wings were juicy and not as heavily battered as I expected, a pleasant surprise.

Thighs followed with the Memphis-style baby back ribs which are "wet and slathered with Wildwood spicy chipotle and raspberry BBQ". The ribs were tender and the sauce was rich and hearty. The best dish of the meal.

I chose the pork spare ribs which are "dry dusted with Lou's sugar and spice rub". The ribs were meaty and on the lean side yet still slid off the bone with ease.

We enjoyed our vegetarian's nightmare with a side of sweet potato fries which were decent, but not as crispy or salty as I would have liked.

Overall, it was a noble effort by Wildwood to stand up to the competition and while it slightly missed the mark, this might improve with time. The quality of the meat may be slightly lower than the high standards set by Hill Country (an obvious competitor) but the level of smoke and flavors are on the right track. That is, until the next wave of cuisine takes over the city.

Batali-Bastianich Double Header: Lunch @ Esca, Dinner @ Lupa

2008-05-14T15:47:00.007-04:00

The dining extravanganza continued this week with a Batali-Bastianch double header on Wednesday.

Kenny and I had lunch at Esca, Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich's foray into the world of seafood with David Pasternack at the helm. I kicked off lunch with a lovely sweet rhubarb bellini while Kenny kicked back with a beer. After a short wait we were seated outside and treated to an amuse bouche of mackerel and white bean bruschetta.

For a first course I enjoyed the caprese salad with creamy buffalo mozzarella, oven dried tomatoes and basil. There is just something about buffalo mozzarella... beauty in it's simplicity that makes it an amazing part of any meal.

My main course was the polipo; grilled octopus with giant corona beans, preserved sorrento lemons and rosemary on a bed of frisee. Kenny chose the scallops with citrus and greens. I was curious to see how Pasternack's scallops would stand up to the amazing ones I had at Tocqueville the previous evening, and they actually fared well. The citrus added a nice flavor to the sear on the scallops and it was the perfect choice for a light lunch. I was equally impressed with the octopus, which can be either very good or very very bad. It had a great char on the outside without being overcooked or rubbery. The creaminess of the beans and the dressing added a nice balance to the dish.

Overall, I was pleased with my lunch at Esca and it more than made up for an abysmal meal that RRR and I had there about a year ago. I'm glad I gave it another chance!

Now that dinner was over, it was time to get ready for dinner! We had decided on a trip to Lupa prior to lunch at Esca and it didn't seem like it would be a culinary conflict, as long as I stayed away from the seafood offerings. Lupa is yet another jewel in the Batali-Bastianich crown, this time with partners Jason Denton and and Mark Ladner.

We decided to eat at the bar and after a short wait, RRR and I were perusing Lupa's fantastic menu. Having eaten at Lupa a handful of times, we were pretty well versed in the menu offerings, especially the house cured salumi and outstanding pastas.

I began our meal with another one of the delightful rhubarb bellini's I enjoyed at Esca a few hours earlier and we finally decided on a game plan. We started with an order of the coppa cotto and quickly added a creamy blended goat and sheep's milk cheese we saw being served to the couple seated next to us.

After slathering some fresh Italian bread with the cheese and sopping up some of the nutty olive oil served with our meat and cheese, we were ready for our pasta course. We decided to split the asparagus cappellacci and ramps, a creamy unique mix of fresh veggies and creamy pasta. The cappellacci were shaped like small envelopes with a delightful package of asparagus and sharp fresh ramps. Absolutely wonderful!

For our main course, we split the pork shoulder with treviso and aceto. The pork was fork tender and melted in our mouths. The aceto provided a bit of sweet richness and I'm certainly glad we decided to split this dish, I would have been jealous if RRR got to enjoy this all about herself. Did they cook this all day? Oh my!

Once again, we ate ourselves into oblivion and we unable to muster up enough of an appetite for dessert which was fine since of all that Lupa does so right, the desserts are fairly unimpressive in my book.

What an outstanding culinary day!

Tocqueville - Still the best restaurant in Union Square

2008-05-13T15:10:00.003-04:00

Tonight RRR and I treated ourselves to dinner at Tocqueville. In the early incarnation of this blog, I declared Tocqueville to be one of my top three restaurant choices in the city. Will it still fare as well?

Since that post, Marco Moreria and his wife Jo-Ann Makovitzky, have expanded Tocqueville into the larger space next door and opened a Japanese restaurant, 15 East, in Tocqueville's former home, so this was our first foray into the new digs.

RRR and I were in a celebratory mood so after enjoying our amuse bouche, we decided to treat ourselves to the calorically decadent short rib and Hudson Valley foie gras ravioli appetizer. The ravioli were served with some wilted arugula which gave the pasta a peppery bite and worked in perfect harmony with the richness of the short ribs and foie gras. Pecorino cheese added some saltiness to the plate and we debated the other spice we tasted in the dish. Fennel seed? Cumin? Simply a red wine braise of the short ribs? It was so simple, so rich, mouthwatering and utterly amazing. I could have ended the meal here and been completely satisfied.

While waiting for our entrees, we were treated to some white asparagus, courtesy of the chef. We believe this was mainly due to the extremely long wait between our first and main courses. This seemed to have been a theme in the dining room this evening; since many tables were sat simultaneously and the kitchen became a bit backed up. However, our server kept checking in and the sommelier kept the wine flowing, so all was good in the proverbial hood.

When our mains finally arrived, I was treated to Tocqueville's signature dish, seared diver sea scallops and foie gras. This was the dish that caused me to obsess over Tocqueville in the first place, so it seemed fitting to return to my 'first love'. I was not disappointed. The scallops were perfectly seared and seasoned and the lightness of the fish held up well to the richness of the foie gras.

RRR enjoyed the local wild striped bass poached in asparagus vichyssoise, with rutabaga purée, white and green asparagus. The fish had a great char on the outside and was moist and extremely tasty. The asparagus was thinly sliced and perfectly seasoned. It was such a standout that the asparagus would have worked well on it's own.

By the time we finished with our main courses, we were a bit too sleepy (I think I was in a foie gras induced coma) to enjoy dessert so we decided to call it a night. On the way out, we found Marco sitting at the bar and struck up a conversation (I used to sell Marco potatoes and tomatoes during a stint years ago at the Union Square Greenmarket). Jo-Ann joined the conversation shortly thereafter and the couple were quite charming. I certainly think it added to RRR's "I am dining like a rockstar" experience!

Drunch: The Redux

2008-05-11T13:57:00.007-04:00

Rockstar, Thighs and myself, known to some as "The Trinity", gathered on Sunday for a drunch at Il Bastardo. Dunch is a drunken brunch for those who are not-in-the-know. Previous drunches have been held at Sette, the restaurant next door, which shares a kitchen with Il Bastardo. Now it seems the owners are reinventing Sette as another establishment but I'm not exactly sure what the story is there.

Since our last visit, it seems that drunch has become more popular and the new found popularity is reflected in the prices. The previous deal of an $8 all you can drink Bloody Mary, Mimosas or Screwdrivers has been replaced with a $15 deal. Still a deal even though the glasses are smaller and the refills less frequent.

The portions have decreased as well but the food still fares well. After some internal debate, I decided on the frittata with parmigiano and mixed vegetables. The eggs came with a small side of potatoes with some peppers and eggs and without the usual accompaniment of toast. At least the mini muffins that are served when you first sit down are still part of the service.

On a more positive note, I chose to polish off the meal with a surprisingly delicious ricotta cheesecake, complete with fresh fruit. I usually skip dessert and decided to treat myself this go around and it was well worth it.

So while Il Bastardo might have fallen a bit off the mark, it's still a decent deal in the city of over priced over crowded brunches. And after a few Bloody Mary's, does it really matter?

No Momofuku for me (or you)

2008-05-08T19:57:00.003-04:00

Just a quick note of thanks to Frank Bruni for giving three stars to the latest jewel in the David Chang crown, Momofuku Ko in today's New York Times review.

It was next to impossible to get into any of Chang's restaurants (Momofuku Noodle Bar, Momofuku Ssam, and now Momofuku Ko) prior to Bruni's glowing review but now... there's no way in hell you're getting a reservation!

So while I wait (about five years or so) for the buzz around Chang to subside, I can at least take comfort in the fact that I was able to eek out a review of my own at Momofuku Noodle Bar awhile back.

BLT Fish

2008-05-07T21:53:00.003-04:00

The week of dining continued when my LA pal came in and we had dinner at BLT Fish. My inaugural visit to BLT had been at the more casual "Shack" on the townhouse's ground floor. The restaurant had just opened and the upstairs dining section wasn't completed yet. I knew RRR and I had picked a winner when I noticed my neighbor (a former Babbo chef) enjoying dinner with his wife and we enjoyed a great meal.

Since then, chef Laurent Tourondel has received raves for his freshly prepared fish and has quickly expanded the BLT franchise to include BLT Steak, BLT Prime, BLT Market and BLT Burger. You would think he'd be a little BLT'd out at this point...

Mussy and I skipped the appetizers and dove right into the entrees which we enjoyed with a lovely Riesling from BLT's well-rounded wine list (with inflated prices to match). I chose the pine nut crusted Maine sea scallops with sweet pea arugula pesto and Mussy had one of the evening's specials - fluke with fried artichokes.

The scallops were well cooked, perfectly crusted with the pine nut topping and I used the fresh fish to sop up all of the pesto I could fit on my fork. We also shared a side of the grilled asparagus with gremolata and the goat cheese risotto. The risotto was the stand out side here, creamy and rich complete with a few double roasted cherry tomatoes on top to add a bit of sweetness to the dish.

The fish was wonderful and fresh but I was a bit surprised by the high prices of the entrees. I find it difficult to spend over 35 per pound for a two pound fish (the menu states that most fish weighs between two and three pounds each). Who eats two pounds of fish in a sitting? And why the high prices? The cost of shipping in the fish from out of state purveyors?

Judging by the many businessmen who crowded the beautifully decorated minimalist dining room with an open ceiling, they don't have a problem paying over 70 bucks for an entree. I guess BLT Fish is the calorically responsible businessman's steak house?

No knock to Mr. Tourondel but I think next visit, I'll be eating at the "Shack" where it's a little easier on the wallet.

A Carnivore's Dream at Hill Country

2008-05-06T20:53:00.008-04:00

On Tuesday evening, Goldie, Smunch and I headed to Hill Country for a second trip and a long awaited review. It took so long before I got around to writing the first review that I forgot most of our meal! After a bit of debate on whether to go to Hill Country or try Wildwood Barbeque, the latest to hit Gotham's burgeoning bbq scene, we decided to stick with what we knew to be quality.

The restaurant was pretty crowded for a Tuesday evening and there was a pretty long line at the barbeque counter. The good news was it gave us some time to take a peek at Kevin Bacon, who was dining with an older couple (his parentals perhaps?). After reviewing the extensive meat offerings, we decided on a sampling of everything!

We started out with what was the last beer can hen of the evening. To that we added beef ribs, pork ribs (just for moi!) and some lean brisket just to keep the gluttony in check. And then we hit the sides counter and got some beer braised cowboy pinto beans (again just for moi), white shoepeg corn pudding and some pickles (just for Goldie).

The hen was the standout item and that came as a bit of surprise to this trio of carnivores. There was a great hickory smoke on the crispy yet juicy skin of the hen and even if it was the last hen of the evening it was still moist and tasty. The ginormous beef ribs were tender with a nice layer of fat and I was a bit torn whether I preferred the beef ribs or the peppery slightly leaner pork ribs. If memory serves, I might have enjoyed the pork ribs more on the first visit, the beef ribs on the second. Either way, it's a win win for me... and a vegan's worst nightmare!

The corn pudding was sweet and rich but I think we were a bit more impressed on the previous visit. The beans were okay, and just okay, not a lot of flavor there with the exception of the strong green pepper flavor that came through even with a healthy dose of bacon. But then again, at Hill Country it's all about the meat, right?

I somehow found a bit of room for some sweets and we shared (although I semi-commandeered the dessert) Hill Country's banana cream pudding and hot apple cobbler. The cobbler was a bit dry and we had a better dessert on the previous visit. I did enjoy the banana pudding, however, it doesn't come close to my favorite Magnolia rendition.

Speaking of Magnolia, over dinner, Smunch presented me with a thoughtful gift of the "More From Magnolia" cookbook. Yes, the bakery that inspired the great cupcake debate! This could be trouble! Sugary, fattening, amazing, wonderful trouble!

NOTE: Smunch's beautiful photography is going to put me out of a blogging gig!

Happy Birthday to Me (again)

2008-04-30T20:06:00.000-04:00

So after celebrating with the Petey's at Paladar, I spent a lovely Sunday (my actual birthday) with Thighs and completed the birthday weekend with a trip to one of my all time favorite places in the city, Magnolia Bakery!

What can I say about Magnolia Bakery cupcakes? RRR and I have debated for years on whether these sweet treats are all hype and despite what she thinks I say no way! This heated debate even inspired the f is for foodie great cupcake debate!

The sugary buttercreme frosting is a perfect compliment to the light airy cake. I do prefer the vanilla cake and icing to the chocolate cake/chocolate icing or vanilla cupcake/chocolate icing combos, but I certainly wouldn't turn one of those away. And judging by the club-like lines at the door, I am not alone in my cupcake frenzy.

And just when I thought I found my sugary soul mate in Magnolia's cupcakes, I discovered their banana pudding. Rich, creamy and custardy complete with soft bananas and Nilla wafers, the beauty of this dessert is in it's simplicity.

Happy Magnolia Birthday to Me!

Happy Birthday Ms. Foodie

2008-04-29T21:52:00.004-04:00

For Ms Foodie's birthday, Chef MJ spearheaded a dinner get together for a small group of ten. Paladar offered a great deal of three appetizers, three entress and three desserts served family style for $36 per person. Not a bad deal when you are looking for a nice meal before a night of drinking. Everything was as good as it looks and I think I have to get back there soon!

Here's the menu we decided upon:

Empanadas: Seasoned flour turnovers filled with chicken picadillo, served with smoked tomato salsa

Costillas 'LES' Pork Spare Ribs: with guava BBQ sauce, served with mango, jicama & cabbage slaw

Marinero Fish: ceviche with habanero, lemon & citrus segments

Pan Roasted Market Fish With coconut clam rice & orange rocoto chile vinagrette

Carne Asada: Grilled sirloin steak with salsa verde,yucca con mojo & bitter greens salad

Pollo Asado: Adobo-rubbed chicken with roasted garlic chipotle glaze, & sautéed hominy

For dessert, I chose the tres leche cake (much better than I anticipated), the flourless chocolate cake and the bananas soaked in rum. They also brought over some coconut ice cream complete with a birthday candle. It doesn't get much better than this.

Vegas Day 5: Feasting on Asphalt (and Rosemary)

2008-04-28T20:33:00.019-04:00

Having said our goodbyes to Niko, J-Bends and the Sanch, RRR and I got up bright and early and hit the road for a day of adventure off the Strip. On my previous trips to Vegas I've never driven outside of town to check out the desert so we decided to be a little adventurous.

We mapped out a game plan with the first stop being a trip to Hoover Dam and were pleasantly surprised to find out we can be at this industrial marvel in about half of our anticipated driving time. Hoover Dam was pretty darn cool. After snapping a bunch of photos, we chose to skip the $30 tour of the dam and power plant since we were anxious to get out of dodge before the wave of tourists flooded the dam (pun intended). We hopped back in the car and back on the road out to the Valley of Fire.

All this flat hot desert driving can do a job on one's appetite so we searched for a place to eat. The tour books suggested stopping at Echo Bay for the most restaurant offerings in the area. Eventually we found ourselves at a marina shop and patiently (okay impatiently) waited for the cashier to fill out various fishing day licenses before directing us to the restaurant up the hill.

On the way out we noticed a huge amount of fish and bent over near one of the docks to take a look. A swarm and I mean swarm of carp came swimming up to us mouths open waiting to be fed! It was worse than being attacked by hungry squirrels in a park! Very strange and creepy in a 70s b-movie type of way. Hope the picture does the scene justice.

Utterly freaked out by the aggressive carp, we made our way up the hill and headed into a nautical themed eatery which seemed to be the only game in town for lunch. We found that we were the only customers with the exception of some bikers who might have been speaking with a German accent. We were laughing thinking that this was the type of establishment Alton Brown might come across during an episode of "Feasting on Asphalt".

The menu was pretty bare bones middle American fare but we found great pleasure in splitting the roast beef au jus and a cup of chili with grilled cheese, complete with a tomato nestled between gooey cheese and toasted white bread. Seriously it was delicious! Simple pleasures on a hot day in the desert! After trying to subtly snap a few pics of the bikers, we were back on the road and on our way to the Valley of Fire.

Finally made it out to the Valley of Fire and picked a short trail to hike in the blazing afternoon sun. The trail was pretty sandy due to the wind erosion of the rock formations. All in all, it was pretty cool. After a bit of driving and climbing to snap some more scenic pics, we got back in the car and made the drive back to Sin City.

The grand finale of our Vegas adventure was dinner at the Rosemary's, an esteemed restaurant located off the Strip. We have heard and read so much about this place that we were eager to see if it lived up to the hype. After driving down a road filled with strip malls and car dealerships we finally arrived at Rosemary's nestled in a non-descript shopping center. We were greeted warmly at the door, seated and began to navigate the extensive menu. So much to choose from!

With some advice from our knowledgeable server, we decided to get a three course pre-fixe meal for $65 per person. A bargain considering the amazing choices on the menu. We conferred on what to share and decided to get the dry aged beef and maytag blue cheese carpaccio with arugula, candied walnuts and port wine drizzles.

We were so amazed by the thin yet tasty carpaccio that we just had to ask our server how it was made. She told us that the beef was pounded thin and a thin layer of blue cheese was spread over the meat. It is then frozen and sliced super thin to order. The thin slices basically defrost as the rest of the salad is getting prepared.

We also chose the wilted spinach salad; prepared with port wine shallots, a goat cheese cake, spiced pecans and sherry mustard dressing. The shallots soaked up the port and were balanced by the creaminess of the goat cheese. Equally wonderful!

For my main, I chose a piece I fish I don't believe I've ever seen on a restaurant menu, barramundi. For this entree, it was a pan seared barramundi with sesame sauteed spinach and wild mushrooms, pickled ginger, sweet soy and wasabi ponzu butter sauce. The barramundi was sweet and flavorful with a perfectly seared skin.

The rich sauce had some amazing depth with the sesame and ponzu butter with an added earthiness from the mushrooms. Surprisingly the pickled ginger brought a lot to the dish as well, I actually had to persuade RRR to give the ginger a shot for which she was eternally grateful. Our server remarked that the sauce was one of their signature items and it goes really well on a variety of fish, poultry, meats and even as a salad dressing. I swear I could have slurped up every last bit of this sauce... remarkable!

RRR had the escobar, another fish we were not familiar with but were curious to try. This Hawaiian white fish was served with a pancetta cream sauce and morells. The fish was sweet yet firm and held up to the smokiness of the bacon. RRR usually has an aversion to the words "cream sauce" but I'm glad she threw caution to the wind and ordered this entree. She even remarked how she is usually not "wowed" by fish but in this case, Rosemary's knocked her socks off! (mine too!)

And since our server hadn't steered us wrong yet, we let her pick our dessert. She brought us a creamy lemon tart with raspberry sauce. Perfectly refreshing after a rich decadent utterly satfisying meal.

Vegas Day 4: Seablue at last!

2008-04-24T21:53:00.015-04:00

When planning last year's NAB dining fest I attempted to visit one of San Francisco chef Michael Mina's establishments. It didn't work out and I was determined to make it happen this year.

A trip to Nobhill would have blown the budget so instead we went to Mina's Seablue in the MGM Grand. I really feel that MGM is a real gem when it comes to dining. There's Craftsteak, Fiamma, Seablue, Nobhill, Diego and the big poppa of them all...Joel Robuchon.

After taking a moment to admire the open kitchen and the many water walls that decorated the restaurant, Niko, Sanch and I decided to start by sharing an appetizer of the "fried and crusted tasting trio" which consisted of the following:

Lobster corndogs with whole grain mustard
Gulf shrimp tempura with pineapple and pickled salad
Dungeness crab–stuffed piquillo peppers with house-smoked pepper aioli

The portions were not huge (especially for three) but the corndog was spectacular. The moist lobster was blanketed in a starchy bed of corn was superb and the only disappointment was that there wasn't more to go around. The tempura was also impressive; large shrimp lightly battered and perfectly fried without a bit of grease. Equally spectacular was the dungeness crab; sweet and juicy with the slightest tinge of heat from the pepper and aioli.

RRR and J-Bends decided to create their own salad for an appetizer.

They were given pencils and asked to check off ten items to include in their salad. Again, not a huge portion but tonight is all about quality over quantity.

At this point of the trip, everyone was playing along with Ms. Foodie's dinner photography and we passed the camera around so they could snap a photo of their dish. Of course Niko (a kick ass camera dude) had the best photos of the bunch; I might have to hire him full time for f is for foodie!

Here's how the dinner went down:

Niko: SEABLUE "Paella"Select Seasonal Shellfish, Chorizo Sausage, Grilled Quail, Saddle of Rabbit

Sanch: Ahi Tuna from Hawaii With Olive Oil Smashed Potatoes and Select Seasonal Vegetables

J-Bends: Arctic Char Nova Scotia With Chickpea and Lentil Rice and Select Seasonal Vegetables

RRR: Atlantic Cod tangine with Almond Crust, Couscous, Lemon broth, Artichokes

Foodie: Bacon-wrapped Chilean Sea Bass tangine with Toasted Garlic Jus, Cannellini Beans, Manila Clams

Each dish was wonderful. The freshness of the seafood was evident and the presentation was gorgeous. I tried my best to savor every bite while clamoring for more.

For dessert we shared an order of pear sorbet along with a cheesecake tasting of mango, raspberry, dulce de leche, apple pie, and double chocolate. The mango was a bit too sweet for my taste but the apple pie was pure fruity creamy heaven; surprising since that was the cheesecake I didn't think I'd enjoy.

Wow! Mr. Mina and his James Beard Award certainly did not let me down. If anything, it made me only want more Mina. And when I found out that there is a branch of Seablue located in the more geographically convenient Borgata in Atlantic City it made the thought of a return visit that much more enticing.

Can I find a better meal than this in Vegas? Stay tuned...

Vegas Day 2: Ago at the Hard Rock

2008-04-22T20:28:00.001-04:00

An abysmal lunch of over processed lunch meat on low grade 12 grain bread at the Las Vegas Convention Center added to the excitement leading up to Monday's meal at Ago. Ago is an Italian restaurant located in the former home of Simon Kitchen and Bar at the Hard Rock Hotel and partially owned by Robert DeNiro. There was a poolside party at the Hard Rock that evening so logistically it was a no-brainer to have the night's meal here.

We began by splitting one of the evening's special salads: mixed greens with roasted beets, gorgonzola cheese and candied pecans.

We also shared the lo bianco pizza which was made with mozzarella, rucola, cherry tomatoes and shaved parmesan. The portions weren't exactly huge but the salad and pizza were pretty darn tasty.

For my main course, I chose the lombo di maialino con cavolo nero e patate: a roasted pork chop with black cabbage & rosemary potatoes.

The pork chop was pretty large and well seasoned although slightly more cooked than I would have preferred but certainly not dried out by any means. The cabbage and the potatoes rounded out the dish perfectly.

The rest of the crew were equally satisfied with their dishes and the standout meal belonged to Sanch's seafood risotto, chock full of briny goodness. After a long day on the convention floor, this was a great way to kick back and relax!

Vegas Day 3: An Evening "AT" TI, not "WITH" T.I.

2008-04-22T09:04:00.009-04:00

On my way to meet the team before a day at the convention, I stopped off at Payard in Caesar's to get some breakfast. The man himself, Francois Payard was there, along with a huge crowd and a camera crew. Apparently, he was unveiling a new Willy Wonka-esque clock that not only resembles a large truffle but dispenses chocolate truffles every fifteen minutes! What can I say about that except ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!? That is insanely fabulous! Ms. Foodie was torn between getting to the meeting place on time to do her "day job" or staying at Payard to cover this event for f is for foodie.

Unfortunately for you dear readers, my daily obligations took precedence and I left this chocolaty scene with my delicious egg and caper sandwich and sub par coffee (which sadly seems to be prevalent all over Vegas) and met up with the group. And while the coffee was mediocre at best, the sandwich was excellent. Crispy fresh bread and the slightest touch of hollandaise on the egg sandwich. Delicious!

For our second day at the convention we decided to pass on the nasty Aramark lunch and hit Big Daddy's Barbecue. We have made a lunch at Big Daddy's a bit of an NAB tradition and this year we got to introduce the Sanch (at left) to Daddy's pulled pork sandwiches. A filling sweet stringy pork sandwich on a doughy roll complete with crispy fries... delicious! And what a great way to refuel after hours of walking around and schmoozing with vendors.

After resting up a bit at the hotel, it was time to head out to dinner at the Mexican restaurant, Isla, at Treasure Island. It seems that Treasure Island is looking to change their vibe a bit and everywhere you go the hotel is referred to as "TI". Since our team has covered the actor/rapper T.I. pretty extensively in the last year, there were plenty of corny "TI" jokes to be made.

Anyway, back to the meal. We began with a tower of crispy chips with three salsas (verde, tomatillo and fresh) along with some guacamole. Quite tasty and addictive! Of course we didn't stop until we saw the bottom of the bowl.

I decided to start with the rock shrimp ceviche. The shrimp was quite good but a bit heavy handed on the paprika and I found myself in the middle of a coughing fit after inhaling a heap of the spices. In an unusual plating choice, there was a scoop of guacamole on the top of the dish which proved to be helpful in balancing out the spice of the ceviche. (Note: The lovely margarita I had with Chambord also added a smooth touch to the heat of the fish)

RRR and I decided to split a steak burrito for our main. The steak was perfectly cooked but we were a bit perplexed by the rice and beans accompanying the burrito. I was expecting a traditional yellow rice and black beans but instead it was more of a pilaf than sticky rice with saffron.

Oh well... still a nice way to fuel up before hitting another poolside party. Unfortunately, it was a bit windy so the party was brought indoors and not nearly as good as the party the prior evening at the Hard Rock. Don't feel too bad for us... the good thing about Vegas is there's always a better party at the next hotel.

Vegas Day 1: Chinois and "Wing It"

2008-04-21T20:02:00.004-04:00

We arrived in Vegas last Sunday for our third annual trip to the NAB Convention. Joining J-Bends, Niko and I on his inaugural trip to NAB was the Sanch. RRR also came along for the ride, however, I couldn't convince her to actually come to the convention with us; I guess the pool at Caesar's is a bit more inviting.

After settling in, we decided to walk through the Caesar's Forum Shops to find some lunch. After weighing our options, we settled on Wolfgang Puck's Chinois. We started our meal with the very tasty chicken and shitake spring rolls. The rolls were crisp and juicy without being overly greasy and the chicken was very flavorful. The portions were a bit small however, and the four of us wound up with about half a roll apiece.

I chose the firecracker shrimp for my main course which consisted of shrimp in a spicy yet tangy sauce accompanied by bok choy, water chestnuts and basil. The vegetables provided the perfect amount of crunch and the spiciness of the shrimp was just about right and some sticky rice certainly helped balance out the bit of heat from the dish.

After spending time at an Avid off site at the Hard Rock Hotel (complete with open bar and a few hors'douvres) we regrouped at the hotel and decided it was time to get a bite to eat. It was decided prior to leaving that this was going to be the one meal that was not preplanned and it was a bit disappointing for J-Bends to learn that "Wing It" didn't mean chicken wings and beer.

We ventured over to Mandalay Bay and had a casual meal at Burger Bar. I had a delightfully medium rare burger with mushrooms and onion rings and we ordered some sweet potato fries for the table. The fries were crispy and wonderfully salted and the onion rings were far above average. Thick rings of onions that didn't fall out of the batter after a bite.

The burger fared equally as well. The quality of the beef was outstanding and it was perfectly charred on the outside and bright juicy pink on the inside. What a way to kick off the week.

Note: I refrained from snapping photos to ease my co-workers into what was sure to be a photographic nightmare....

Cherry Blossoms and a trip to the Ironbound

2008-04-20T16:54:00.009-04:00

Saturday I met up with Brian and Ron at Newark's Penn Station. From there it was a short trip on the light rail and we were transported to the middle of Branch Brook Park's Cherry Blossom Festival. The trees were in full bloom and the park was filled with parents putting their kids up in trees and snapping away on their digital cameras. We didn't have any children to toss up on a branch so we just walked around the park a bit and enjoyed the beauty.

All that nature can sure work up an appetite, so to top off the day, we headed back into Newark's Ironbound section where we met up with Brian's family for some Portuguese food at Casa Vasca. After starting the meal off right with quite a few pitchers of sangria, we were seated and the feast began!

We started with a few appetizers: clams in green sauce, mushrooms in garlic, grilled chorizo and the mother of all apps, shrimp in garlic sauce. This was my first time having the mushrooms and they were garlicky and delicious with just enough parsley to elevate the dish.

And I have extolled the virtues of shrimp and garlic in previous posts and this (double) order certainly did not disappoint. After I scooped up as much shrimp as I possibly could without being rude and gluttonous to my dining companions, I sopped up most of the remaining red garlicky oil with a few crusty Portuguese rolls!

For my main course, I couldn't resist my all-time favorite, Paella Marinera. Of course there were many stand out dishes on the menu (including roast suckling pig and octopus) but I knew that if I didn't go for the paella I'd feel I was missing out. The paella was delicious and it was like seeing an old friend...lots of nostalgia for the good times we've shared over previous meals.

The lobster was chewy and the clams, mussels and shrimp were fresh. Fresh tomatoes and peas rounded out the dish and there was plenty to share. Spanish and Portuguese restaurants in the city just cannot come close to what you can find in Newark... and having been to both Spain and Portugal, I can tell you it's pretty authentic too!

For dessert, I tried the orange cake which was two thin slices of pound cake soaked in an orange and sugar sauce. Moist and quite tasty, especially with my 10 year old ruby port!

As the three of us ran to make our train back, I almost forgot my tin of leftovers and ran back into the restaurant in a frenzy to retrieve my package. I think you can guess what's for dinner tonight!

Weekend in Boston

2008-04-01T20:42:00.010-04:00

Saturday was RRR's birthday. My 'gift'? The pleasure of my company for the weekend. I drove up on Friday, picked her up from Logan Airport and we headed into Boston's South End to meet Mitch and SheGal for dinner and drinks.

We met at Stella in the South End or SoWa as it is being termed. The decor was minimalist yet modern and the bar scene was pretty hopping for an early Friday evening.

For appetizers, we shared the spicy mussels with saffron cream, roasted peppers, white wine and garlic. The broth was a bit creamier than expected but in a good way. A bread-sopping good way. We also enjoyed the crispy fried artichoke hearts with country mustard remoulade.

There was a lot of tempting choices on the menu but I couldn't get past the pastas. SheGal and I both decided to get the tagliatelle in Bolognese sauce. The noodles were soft yet firm enough to support the hearty tomato sauce and chunky pieces of meat. There was definitely a heavy handed dose of cream used to finish the sauce and I found myself eating beyond the point of being satiated. It was just that good.

RRR went her usual pizza route but deviated somewhat from the usual mushroom with truffle oil route and instead went for the meatball. Not as many meatballs as she would have hoped but certainly with a large enough portion to have leftovers to bring home. Unfortunately, I completely forgot what Mitch ordered so perhaps she will read this post and comment below.

And in an unusual turn of events, we skipped on dessert and did manage to find some room later to have some birthday cake at casa de RRR.

On Saturday, RRR and I continued the celebration with a casual lunch at Not Your Average Joe's. We started off with a couple glasses of wine (I chose a lovely dry Alice White chardonnay) and some of Joe's signature bread. They serve their foccacia-type bread with a dipping sauce of olive oil, grated cheese, minced garlic and some crushed red pepper, assembled tableside by our uber-chipper server Joe (Ironic huh?). Okay, he poured oil into a dish of cheese and garlic and gave it a stir, but it's the thought that counts.

We split the crispy Asian chicken rolls which were filled with chicken, ginger, soy, carrots, mushrooms and rice noodles, and served with both a cucumber-carrot salad and a peanut dipping sauce. The dipping sauce was okay but we were more impressed by the curry in the rolls. The chicken might have been a bit too moist though since the rolls did start to fall apart but all in all this appetizer was much better than expected.

For our 'main' we split a crab cake sandwich and some fries. Poor RRR didn't even get a chance to ask for a salad before I told Joe we wanted the fries as our side. The crab cakes were nice and flaky without a lot of heavy breading and served on a buttery brioche roll.

We attempted to pass on dessert, but Joe lured us in with Not Your Average's clever offering of "sweet petites"; tiny versions of their desserts served in miniature martini glasses. We were wooed by the key lime pie with raspberry sauce and whipped cream. A few perfect spoons of sweet to finish a meal!

RRR's birthday dinner was at what can only be termed as Hingham's hottest restaurant, the Scarlet Oak Tavern. It was difficult for Cousina to get a reservation there at the same time and her crew wound up at the Square Cafe instead. 5:30 or 10? What is this Nobu? Perhaps it's the happening bar scene...this place was jam packed! Crazy!

I started with a delicious French martini, not too sweet, not too strong. From there I moved on to the arugula salad with goat cheese complete with red and gold beets and pistachios. Mitch had the most adorable appetizer of the group, the farmhouse grilled cheeses complete with a tomato soup dipping sauce. Awwww....

Steaks are the thing at the Scarlet Oak and I chose the 6 oz filet mignon. It was pretty good, however, I made the mistake of ordering medium instead of medium rare so it was cooked a bit more than I would have preferred.

Interestingly enough for a nominal fee, you can add a lobster tail, grilled shrimp or shrimp scampi as an add-on to your steak if you are in the surf and turf mood. The two sides that came with my steak were quite enough thank you and I thoroughly enjoyed the butternut squash puree with Vermont maple syrup and the sauteed wild mushrooms. I did manage to sneak a fork into Mr. RRR's two deliciously decadent sides: corn bread stuffing and classic mac and cheese bake.

This time around, I did manage to find some room for dessert complimented by a d'Arenberg shiraz port. Rich, ruby and sugary sweet with a deep berry aroma. Mitch got a delicious carrot cake that was far better than any carrot cake I've had in recent memory. There were bits of carrots in every bite and the fresh hit of nutmeg on the back end. I chose a large cakey brownie complete with pecans and vanilla ice cream and a sweet caramel sauce and of course monopolized the dessert.

I can see why the Scarlet Tavern is a hot spot, but perhaps I might have to return for further investigation...starting with the dessert menu!

Jax and Dre Get Married!

2008-03-31T12:49:00.003-04:00

The music was great, the bride was stunning, the groom was handsome and a great time was had by all! And hey, the food was pretty good too!

Sharpie's Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Fig Sauce

2008-03-26T20:40:00.005-04:00

So I finally made the pork tenderloin. I did get home a bit later than expected (yet again) and as a result, felt like my pork preparation was 'rushed'. The pork would have been better if I took my time. I really do believe that sometimes you get out of a dish exactly what you put in.

I also gained a new appreciation for sauciers... I do not have the patience to make a sauce which is why you won't usually find me making them. In this case, the sauce was easy to make and certainly worth the effort.

Regardless, this dish was a hit and thanks to the Sharpie's for passing it along.

Fig Sauce:
2 1/2 cups port
1 1/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
8 dried black Mission figs, coarsely chopped
2 sprigs fresh Rosemary
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Pork:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon salt, plus more to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 4 to 4 1/2 pound boneless pork loin
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

For the Sauce:
In medium-size saucepan, combine port, chicken broth, figs, rosemary, cinnamon, and honey. Boil over medium-high heat until reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Discard rosemary springs and cinnamon sticks (some of the rosemary leaves will remain in the port mixture). Transfer the port mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Blend in the butter, salt and pepper (Sauce can be made 1 day ahead).

For the Pork:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Stir oil, rosemary, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper in small bowl to blend. Place pork in heavy, flame proof roasting pan. Spread oil mixture over the port to coat completely. Roast, turning pork every 15 minutes to ensure even browning, until thermometer read 145 degrees F (about 45 minutes).

Transfer pork to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm. Let pork rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, place the roasting pan over medium heat and stir in chicken broth, scrapping the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits. Bring pan juices to a simmer. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.

Using large knife, cut the pork crosswise into 1/4 inch thick slices. Arrange pork on plates, spoon jus over. Drizzle the warm fig sauce around and serve immediately.

Derailed by 50...

2008-03-25T20:51:00.002-04:00

I was planning on trying Sharpie's recipe for Roasted Pork Loin with Fig Sauce when I got home from work tonight.

Unfortunately, 50 Cent had other plans for me this evening since I was delayed at work figuring out logistics for a shoot with him tomorrow.

Unfortunately, the recipe will have to wait another day. All is not lost though since I was able to make the fig sauce (figs, port, honey, rosemary) this evening and I must say it smells absolutely incredible!

Prepping half a recipe can be helpful but can also be a big tease.

Thanks a lot 50! I really appreciate your culinary derailment. Seriously, how can you sleep at night?

Not really cooking more like an assembly

2008-03-24T21:49:00.004-04:00

Last week I decided to start making use of my Laura Chenel goat cheese. I took the "easy route" and made a pizza using a classic flavor combination of goat cheese, prosciutto and arugula.

Work has been even more hectic than usual, so I needed something quick and low maintenance. First, I stopped at Trader Joe's for one of their whole wheat pizza crusts and some prosciutto, knowing full well that I will have spent more time in the checkout line than I will actually making my pizza. After a solid ten minutes in the express line, I made my way home and got to "work"

Step one: preheat oven
Step two: remove pizza crust from wrapper

Step three: remove prosciutto from wrapper

Step four: remove goat cheese from wrapper

Step five: wash some baby arugula

Step six: spray the base of the crust with olive oil spray and start layering ingredients

Step seven: season with pepper, garlic powder and thyme (plenty of salt in the prosciutto)

The pizza came out of the oven in about 10 minutes and I drizzled some olive oil on top. As a side dish, I sauteed some spaghetti squash and seasoned with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, fresh thyme and a generous helping of grated cheese. This side dish was inspired by Smunch's comments to my spaghetti squash post. Decadent and delicious! Thanks Smunch!

To me, this was about the same amount of work as pouring myself a bowl of cereal and I couldn't help but wonder would some people consider this "cooking"?

A ziti filled Easter

2008-03-23T21:44:00.004-04:00

Today, I spent Easter with my Dad and Marie. Our normal holiday routine is to go to one of two local Toms River restaurants, Jack Baker's or the Old Tyme Tavern. What can I say, my Dad is a creature of habit and it's one of his many traits I've inherited.

Marie decided to shake things up a bit this year and make dinner instead. She served what she calls a 'simple' meal of baked ziti served with meatballs, sausage, pork (the usual Italian Sunday meal accouterments) along with a mixed salad with olives and tomatoes.

Let me take a moment to talk about Marie's ziti. First off, I am not a huge baked ziti fan but there is just something about her ziti that sends me into a cheesy carb frenzy. Perhaps it's the soft noodles, the gooey cheese, the hearty tomato sauce or the right amount of seasonings. I don't know and I don't care. All I know is that it's magically delicious and the only baked ziti I'll eat.

Today was no exception. The ziti was "downright kick ass" (a recent quote I borrowed from Unc) and after Dad and I polished off a bottle of wine we went back for a bit more.

Equally amazing was the strawberry cheesecake I purchased at the last minute at the Garden of Eden. Who knew? Light, creamy and the perfect size for three people. And with a nice piece to take home!

The best part of the day was what I find most rewarding as a home cook (and one of the main reasons why I enjoy writing this blog). There is something so deeply satisfying when someone enjoys a dish that you've put your heart and soul into, and in this particular instance, a recipe you've spent years perfecting.

I've experienced that myself when friends and family go ga-ga over a dish I've served and I can tell Marie felt that appreciation today as I was freaking out over one of her signature recipes. A cook can never hear too many compliments! The large hug that I received at the end of the day made me realize that my gluttony provided some happiness in what has been a tough and emotional period in her life as of late.

And just knowing that you have brought some light to someone else's day sends good karma and positive vibes back to you instantly. Sometimes that's all it takes.

Shake Shack: Open for Business

2008-03-17T20:56:00.005-04:00

Jax and Dr. Dre were getting married this weekend and Bacon blew in from the mighty Midwest for the occasion. We met on Saturday afternoon, for a pre-wedding lunch at Shake Shack.

Chef MJ, Bacon, UofM, the Aussie and I met in Madison Square Park and agonized over the menu (okay just MJ and I were agonizing) while we waited in the surprisingly long line on a somewhat chilly but sunny afternoon. Apparently Bacon wasn't the only one who was excited for an inaugural meal at Shake Shack.

We skipped the delightfully filling shakes and concretes and stuck with the traditional burger and fries. The five of us tried to sit as close to the heat lamps as possible while we waited impatiently buzzers in hand to be called up to the counter.

Finally, my double stack and cheese fries I was splitting with MJ were ready. I was a bit disappointed that my double stack did not have one cheeseburger and 'shroom burger as promised but I was too hungry to argue. The burgers were juicy and tasty.

Bacon and UofM were a bit shocked that I added a bit of ketchup to my stack since there's plenty of shack sauce and the beef is good enough that it's not needed. In my book though, there's never too much ketchup. Delicious! Worth the wait! I really think you do not realize how many mediocre burgers you consume until you've have a taste of a really excellent one.

Unfortunately the fries did not fare as well as the burger. The crinkle cut fries were crisp but without much flavor and the orange cheese quickly coagulated in the cool air. Next time, I'll save my calories for a Brooklyn Lager!

Don't worry Shake Shack...I'll be back! Next time I'll plan my visit around the custard calendar!

Borgo Antico - A neighborhood gem

2008-03-12T20:30:00.011-04:00

MPV came into the city last night and I found myself struggling to pick a restaurant. I wanted somewhere low key and casual, with great food. Ideally, it would be one of the few places left in my Union Square neighborhood where I've never been eaten before.

The amount of restaurant choices sometimes leaves me paralyzed by indecision. In the embarrassment of culinary riches that is the New York City dining scene 'too much' can often be as frustrating as 'not enough'. (What a rough life, huh?)

The eventual winner: Borgo Antico!

We arrived on the early side of the dinner rush and were offered a large table near the window on the second floor of Borgo Antico's charming townhouse. After ordering a bottle of Valpolicella Marion from the well-priced wine list, we decided to start our meal with a bit of salumi and cheese.

We chose an aged salumi and a cow and sheep blend cheese to start. They were presented on small cutting boards with an adorable butcher knife for the cheese wedges. Both plates puzzlingly came with hazelnuts, sliced red onion and mushrooms but also with a delightful bit of honey complete with pears. Unfortunately, only one piece of toasted bread came with each order but our bread basket was able to provide some additional cheese and honey vehicles for us.

For our main course, we both went with pasta dishes. MPV chose the pappardelle con ragu di funghi while I went with the ricotta gnocchi with sausage and mushrooms (my apologies for not writing down the official name of this pasta special).

MPV's pappardelle was in a hearty ragu of assorted mushrooms and the scent from the truffle "perfume" wafted above the table as soon as the waiter presented the dish. The pasta was fresh and perfectly cooked and the earthiness of the mushrooms were complemented by the subtly of the truffles.

My gnocchi were small, light and melted in my mouth. The tomato sauce was hearty and while I did feel that there weren't enough sausage or mushrooms in the dish the perfect execution of the gnocchi more than made up for it. Most gnocchi on Italian restaurant menus tend to be heavy and sit in your stomach like a ton of bricks after two bites. In Borgo Antico's case, this was one of the few times that I took a chance on gnocchi and was pleasantly surprised when my gamble paid off.

While Borgo Antico is not a 'fancy restaurant' by any means, it is a down-to-earth comfortable neighborhood place with good sized portions and gentle prices. Judging by the amount of people who had filled the restaurant by the time we left; this is not so much a neighborhood secret as it is a great date place or in this case a place to spend some quality time with one of your best friends!

Culinary Gifts: The Results Post

2008-03-11T20:09:00.003-04:00

I finally opened one of my Laura Chenel goat cheeses I received from Brian and Ron. After some extensive internal dialogue, I went for the herb and it served as the inspiration for today's side salad.

The salad was comprised of: baby arugula, sliced orange segments, herb goat cheese, sherry vinegar and olive oil. I was hoping to add some pistachios to the mix, but until I can stock up at Manhattan Fruit and Vegetable Exchange, it was not meant to be. In the end, the salad did not need anything else.

The peppery bite of the arugula was smoothed over by the creamy richness of the goat cheese. The cheese had a nice hit of fresh herbs on the back end and the orange provided a bit of juicy sweetness to the salad. The sherry vinegar and Spanish olive oil from my recent trip to Spain were just mild enough to bring the salad together in perfect harmony.

What a perfect way to get me out of my salad rut!

Even more from the catering files

2008-03-07T21:05:00.012-05:00

Today was a big move day for my office. Or should I say a massive reshuffling of personnel on our floor. It was such a large undertaking that all "non essential" employees were asked to stay home. Since I was one of the people unaffected by the move and there were some edits to keep an eye on, I was one of the few working on our floor today.

It stinks when you are at work and your co-workers are enjoying a day off (oh right, they are 'working from home') so what better way to soften the blow than to provide a nice lunch for those who did have to come into the office today?

Peanut D had ordered a surprisingly good sandwich platter from our in-house catering for a previous team lunch, so I decided to follow her lead and give it our gang a shot.

Our feast started with a mixed greens salad with tomatoes and shredded carrots, a second salad of artichoke hearts, tomatoes and mozzarella and a Caesar complete with roasted peppers. I am not a fan of the building's gelatinous dressings but the artichoke salad was already dressed and did not need anything extra. Not bad...

The sandwich platter included roast beef with olive tapenade that WW remarked was quite good, turkey with bacon and mayonnaise on a hearty ciabatta, and a chicken wrap with guacamole. I put in some extra time at the gym this morning in preparation for a large lunch but found that one turkey sandwich was quite filling and didn't get to sample the other offerings.

It goes without saying that my favorite were the desserts: brownies, blondies, rice krispie treats, chocolate chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal raisin cookies and coconut and pecan cookies. I ate about half my weight in rice krispie treats and when my stomach ache subsided, I hit the dessert tray again and finished off a brownie. Sometimes, I'm even shocked and disgusted by my own gluttony. Today, however, my self-loathing was overshadowed by the appreciation from my co-workers.

Sometimes a few cookies are all it takes to make someone happy!

Chili Rubbed Pork Chops: another easy weeknight meal

2008-03-06T20:49:00.002-05:00

Another night of coming home ravenous and I wanted something quick, easy and flavorful for dinner. And as the only person who works in televsion yet does not have tiVo or DVR I wanted to be done with dinner in time to watch "Lost".

Quick? Easy? Flavorful? Defrosted pork chops? Chili rubbed pork chops! What else!

I made a mixture of chili powder, brown sugar, and cumin (garlic powder is a nice addition as well). After whisking it together and breaking up the brown sugar clumps, I added Worcestershire sauce until I reached my desired paste-like consistency. I rubbed the paste on each side of the pork chop and placed the chops in my preheated broiler.

Using the heat of the broiler, I began to roast some brussel sprouts in the oven as my side dish and heated up some kale that I sauteed the night prior.

In about 15 minutes dinner was served! Zesty, sweet, healthy and delicious!

"Un-Wined" Wednesday's at Choice Kitchen

2008-03-06T20:01:00.009-05:00

Tiara wearing birthday Princess JRo celebrated the big 3-0 with a get together at Choice Kitchen in Murray Hill. Choice has an aptly titled "Un-Wined" special on Wednesday's where for a mere $35 bucks you get a bottle of wine with your choice (pun intended) of three appetizers. What a deal!

The atmosphere at Choice is pretty relaxed. There was a decent amount of people there but you were certainly able to talk to your companions without having to scream over the innocuous soundtrack. I was one of the last to arrive (par for the course with post work get togethers) and the wine ordering was well underway so I just went with the proverbial flow.

We tried to order a variety of appetizers so that everyone's dietary needs, food passions and allergies were taken into consideration. When all was said and done we wound up with the following: spinach and artichoke dip complete with tri-colored tortilla chips, Thai chicken skewers, Chimichurri beef skewers, buffalo wings, nachos grande, crispy spring rolls and the Mediterranean delight. As the bottles of wine increased, we went back for doubles on some of these tasty treats.

I was pleasantly surprised by the wings. They were meaty, a bit sweet and a nice hit of spicy heat on the back end. Bar menu wings have the tendency to be pedestrian but Choice's were a bit above average. The rolls were crispy without being greasy and didn't need the accompanying dipping sauce. Good thing because the double dip dilemma is always tricky in a large group.

Equally pleasant were the beef and chicken skewers. The meat was tender and juicy and not the least bit dried out. The peanut sauce for the chicken was just okay, but the chicken was seasoned well enough that again, the sauce was not needed.

The Mediterranean delight was an interesting combination of tastes. Fresh chickpea hummus (I get it) guacamole (huh?) and pico de gallo (what?) and served with warmed pita chips (fine for the hummus but for the guac and pico? Huh? What?). By this point, we were well on our way to being "un-wined" so who cares?

While our waitress seemed overwhelmed most of the evening, she became more attentive as the crowd thinned, even buying us a round of shots. And to top off the evening was the JRo's chocolate molten cake with vanilla ice cream complete with a birthday candle. Poor girl barely got to make her birthday wish before she had to dive out of the way of my incoming spoon. My greed and gluttony served me well, the chocolate was quality, warm, gooey and perfectly complemented by the cool creamy ice cream.

The few misses on the appetizers menu were certainly overshadowed by the hits. The nachos needed a bigger dish to spread out the cheese which was instead stuck in clumps to some of the chips. Of course, that did not stop me from devouring the bulk of the bowl. And I've already mentioned the curious Mediterranean delight.

Hits and misses, notwithstanding, if you are looking for a good weeknight deal and a place to "un-wined", check out Choice.

Culinary Surprise!

2008-03-04T21:14:00.008-05:00

I came home late from work last week and found two boxes waiting for me. Since I wasn't expecting anything, I was a bit perplexed and increasingly curious about what was inside these packages from Williams-Sonoma. After examining the packing slip, I saw that the mystery gifts were "thank you" presents from Brian and Ron for being in their wedding party! Thank me? Thank you! These boys certainly know the way to this foodie's heart.

After I stopped running around the apartment exuding an Abagail Breslin-as-Olive in "Little Miss Sunshine" scream, I caught my breath and took inventory.

First, was a box of frozen French butter croissants and my eyes glazed over as I fantasized about enjoying the warm pastry (with my favorite jam of course) over the Sunday newspaper and a piping hot mug of coffee.

In the second box were some more treats right up my alley - four different Laura Chenel goat cheeses! Ms. Chenel is an artisan whose love for her goats led to her becoming a pioneer of the goat cheese revolution of the 1980s. And even though the Sonoma based dairy goddess sold her business to the French Rians Group in 2006, we continue to enjoy the delicious cheeses that still bear her name. Williams-Sonoma was even so kind as to include an insert with descriptions, storage and shelf life for all of the four cheeses: chablis log, cabecou, tapuiniere and herb coated chabis. I can map out my cheese intake for months!

But wait...there's more! I came home the next night to ANOTHER Williams-Sonoma box! Are you kidding me? The treats in this box included an Olivier cruet set complete with extra-virgin mission olive oil and barrel aged balsamic vinegar. Hmmmm....might go well drizzled over some goat cheese!

And finally, last but certainly not least was a Recchiuti sauce duo: burnt caramel sauce and extra-bitter chocolate sauce. Ohmigosh! Poached pears...stat!

Who needs 30 minute meals? How about 5!

2008-03-03T21:55:00.004-05:00

I got home a bit later than usual for a Monday, thanks to a three hour wait at the eye doctor's this afternoon. By the time I got home, I was ravenous and dilated-pupils-be-damned I wasn't going to deviate from my meal plan. Actually, there wasn't a need to grab a convenience food; I had dinner on the table in about five minutes.

Quick, simple and delicious fish tacos. I started with a tilapia fillet, seasoned with my trinity of Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper and garlic powder. Shortly after placing the fish in my heated saute pan, I zested one lime onto the fish. A mere minute later and I was adding the juice of the lime to the pan.

While the fish was cooking, I chopped up some cilantro and mesclun greens. I was out of salsa but had a few roasted tomatoes and garlic that would do just fine. I had barely finished rinsing and cutting my greens and it was time to turn the fish. I added a bit more lime juice and the chopped cilantro and voila! Done and done!

A satisfying low calorie meal made in about half the time it took me to write about it.

An Ode to Cauliflower

2008-03-03T21:35:00.009-05:00

I was feeling a bit lazy yesterday and not quite up for the trek to Manhattan Fruit and Vegetable Exchange. I decided to stick close to home and hit up Garden of Eden for my weekly produce fix.

There wasn't much in the way of produce inspiration, so on a whim I decided to grab a head of cauliflower. Don't get me wrong, it's one of the first things I grab in a crudite (okay, when the carrots are gone) but I never think to make it when I'm home.

I doused it with a liberal coating of non-stick cooking spray, added a generous amount of Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper and garlic powder. About thirty minutes in a 350 degree oven and the florets were cooked to perfection! There was a light caramelization on the florets and I had to stop myself from devouring the entire roasting pan.

It was a great midday snack today and I was treated to a few hits of hidden salty bits within the florets, only to be balanced by a sharp hit of pepper. It was so tasty, that I didn't even bother to heat it up. Oh, cauliflower, please forgive my neglect! I promise to never forget you again!

Spaghetti Squash: two variations

2008-03-02T20:09:00.006-05:00

I decided to try a recipe that RRR had emailed me awhile back saying, "This might be a good idea for lunch". So last Sunday, I took a crack at Weight Watchers' recipe for Italian Turkey and Spaghetti Squash Pie.

The recipe is on the link above and I made a few tiny adjustments. For what is basically their version of a bechamel sauce (ricotta plus an egg) I added a generous helping of thyme. Instead of the olive oil, I used my trusty nonstick cooking spray since it seemed a bit unnecessary for this dish. And you might say that no self-respecting cook would use a fat free mozzarella but in this instance, it melted quite nicely and took on the flavor of the sauce. I think you don't use enough cheese for it to get rubbery.

Unfortunately for me, I underestimated the size of my dish and the amount of "spaghetti" that my squash would yield. As I was layering (squash, then ricotta mixture, then sauce, then cheese) I wound up with a holy mess. The sauce leaked over the sides of the pan and I had to cook it with a baking sheet underneath to catch the dripping sauce. Lucky for me, taste and aesthetics don't always go hand in hand and I wound up with a flavorful hearty lunch that I rounded out with a small mesclun salad.

This experiment led to this week's slight variation of the same recipe. Instead of a lasagna-type dish, I went for a simpler squash with a chunky Bolognese-type sauce. Spaghetti squash is in abundance at my local market (sadly, acorn and butternut squash aren't looking so great) so I decided to give it another go, but with a few minor adjustments.

I started by halving a spaghetti squash, scooping out the seeds and pulp, then placing it cut side down in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes. I added a bit of water to the bottom of the dish, but it's not completely necessary.

While that was cooking, I began to brown 1 1/2 lbs of ground turkey. While that was draining, I sauteed half an onion and 3 small cloves of garlic. On a whim, I grated into the onion and garlic one small carrot to add a bit of sweetness to the sauce. The turkey went back into the pan and was joined by a jar of Nanina's marinara sauce (a gift from my Aunt) and a large can of diced tomatoes.

To this mixture I added: chicken stock, some generous squeezes from my tube of tomato paste, fresh nutmeg, thyme, Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, garlic powder, crushed red pepper and two bay leaves. I let that simmer for a good twenty minutes and then removed the bay leaf.

While the sauce was simmering, the squash became cool enough to handle. I took a fork and basically raked the inside of the squash and placed the spaghetti-like strands of squash into a bowl.

Once that was done, a heaping scoop of squash, some of the hearty, tasty sauce, a sprinkling of grated cheese and in no time I was enjoying a low calorie version of a typical Italian Sunday meal... and without the post meal carb coma!

Post #200!

2008-03-01T15:32:00.000-05:00

I felt the need to commemorate the milestone of my 200th post with a "best of" f is for foodie.

It goes without saying that my favorite posts were my daily recaps of trips to France (starting with this post), Spain and Portugal. There is nothing like exploring new places, trying new foods and wines, strolling through the local markets and soaking up the culture. Incredible experiences that have changed my palate forever!

When it comes to recipes, there are a few of my favorites that I've shared with you and I hope you have tried and enjoyed. In no particular order some of my stand outs are: white bean turkey chili, mustard-crusted pork with carrots and lentils, pork chops with zucchini and tomatoes, lentils and escarole, and my posts on meatballs - only to be culminated with one of my two tasting panels; meatball madness and the great cupcake debate.

Although most of my restaurant reviews are for New York restaurants, I've also reviewed establishments on the Jersey Shore, in Boston and suburban Massachusetts, Washington D.C., Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Wherever my travels will take me, I will be there camera in hand to give you my take on the local cuisine!

I hope you continue to enjoy this blog as much as I do and bon appetit!

Otto: the perfect start to a bachelorette party!

2008-02-18T13:46:00.017-05:00

On Saturday night our small mob of nineteen women descended upon Otto to kick off Jax's bachelorette. Otto had a pretty good deal for a large group. For $75 per person (without tax and tip) you get bread, charcuterie, cheese, appetizers, salad, pizzas, dessert and all the wine you can drink.

The caveat? You have two hours to imbibe and eat to your heart's content - that's it. Not bad though when there is a long night of drinking ahead but there was a sense of urgency to drink as much wine as possible and eat quickly.

The bread came with three dipping sauces: a truffled honey, roasted pears with a nice kick of pepperoncino, and a sweet cherry sauce. I particularly enjoyed the pears; the perfect balance of sweet and savory.

This was followed by a lazy Susan presentation of some small vegetable plates. Some of the highlights included roasted beets and saba, califlower "alla Siciliana" roasted in a light balsamic sauce, eggplant caponatina enriched by capers and pignolis, large mixed olives, simple but hearty green lentils "Toscana" and a I'm-not-quite-sure-how-they-did-it brussel sprouts and vin cotto.

For me, the meal could have ended here but it was only just the beginning. Next came two salads and bruschetta with roasted leeks. The leeks were pretty good, but honestly, not the best choice to eat on a night of flirting with guys and carousing with your girlfriends.

The one salad was a puzzlingly boring Romaine with thinly sliced onions sans dressing but the peppery baby arugula made up for what the other salad lacked.

As I was busy enjoying this feast with a lovely light 2005 Nebbiolo, out came the pizzas. We were given four: funghi and taleggio, margherita, bianca and pepperoni. The funghi was a bit salty but I quite enjoyed the extra salt balanced by the earthy mushrooms. The margherita was pretty good, however, I found myself wanting the crust to be a bit more crisp to compliment the freshness of the tomato sauce.

Pepperoni was a heartier meatier option of the bunch and this was not your store bought pepperoni stick, definitely house made. The bianca proved to be the most dissappointing of the four. When you have a great dough this simple pizza can excel but in this case the dough was a bit flat. Even the olive oil and rosemary couldn't help this pizza.

And just when I thought I couldn't possibly eat any more out came dessert, an assortment of gelatos with plenty of spoons for the group.

Highlights included the olive oil (only me and Chef MJ seemed to be fans of this one), an outstanding hazelnut stracciatella, vanilla, chocolate, and creamy butter pecan. After much debate it was decided that the "strawberry" was really grapefruit and the tart fruit didn't do much to impress the group.

Some of the girls were distracted by the loud clublike soundtrack of the restaurant. I was distracted by my conflicting thoughts on Otto, a restaurant I had not been to in at least a year. It is difficult to judge a restaurant by a group meal and I am not sure if Otto has jumped the proverbial shark and become yet another rustic pizza joint. Perhaps some more research is in order...

Excuse me, mind if I ask you a question?

2008-02-17T13:25:00.007-05:00

I am often stopped on the street during my somewhat obsessive food shopping and asked, "Excuse me, do you mind if I ask you a question?"

While I am secretly hoping the question is, "Are you f is for foodie?" instead it is "Where did you get that shopping cart?".

The shopping cart in question is Zabar's folding shopping cart; perhaps one of my most prized possessions (sad but true). During my summer spent working at the Union Square Greenmarket I came across many shopping carts but one in particular caught my eye. It was the perfect size, lightweight, collapsible and the mesh netting helped it to expand when you have bulky items. After hearing the man go on and on about how this cart was a Godsend; I asked the RRR's to get it as my birthday gift that year and I've been using it religiously ever since.

Unfortunately, the cart is no longer available on line but a quick trip to Zabar's and you can experience the joy of shopping too!

Catering Redemption?

2008-02-11T20:38:00.000-05:00

Another weekend spent at work. This time it is thanks to the fun, the horror and the spectacle that was this year's Grammy Awards. Saturday was a short day (no catering required) but Sunday there was lunch and dinner to be ordered for the team.

Sunday morning I was off to Jax's bridal shower, so I left J-Bends in charge of the food order. It was a small group for lunch, therefore, a quick call to Times Square's Bella Vita and the team was happy. Done and done.

I was a bit concerned about dinner. Apparently, I have gone overboard on the Havana Central orders for the past few events and the team was sick of it. Torches were lit and revolt was imminent if I dare order Cuban food for one more late night meal. Even the always pleasant Smunch had some harsh words for one more night of ropa vieja and empanadas.

Okay guys, I get it! This time I went for Chinese. What's a more quintessential New York late night meal than Chinese take out? After consulting with Peanut D, I chose John's Shanghai on 46th Street.

I ordered egg rolls, spring rolls, steamed dumplings, wonton soup, fried rice, lo mein, boneless spare ribs, vegetable moo shu, Chinese broccoli, General Tso's chicken, chicken in garlic sauce, baby shrimp in black bean sauce (a Ms. Foodie fave!), double sauteed sliced pork, beef with orange flavor and shredded beef.

The meal was such a hit (or perhaps the team was just ravenous and didn't care anymore) that I needed to order a second round of entrees to feed the late shift who hadn't arrived yet.

I'd like to think that I redeemed myself.

Busy Week from Hell made Real Simple!

2008-02-09T21:53:00.000-05:00

This past week and a half at work has been insanely busy. Late nights and high stress do not lend themselves to eating well or eating right.

In anticipation of this hectic time, I chose two recipes from Real Simple that I could quickly prepare in advance to make my lunch a pleasant experience.

My first recipe was salt and pepper shrimp with Thai fried rice. Just about all of the ingredients were pantry staples, I had frozen shrimp in the freezer and there was some nice long grain brown rice on sale at the supermarket. Easy! The recipe (on the link above) was pretty simple to execute, however, I omitted the chorizo to save myself a few calories.

When the dish was complete and I was getting ready to pack it up in my Tupperware, I decided to mix the shrimp in with the rice to save some space in my work fridge. It looked beautiful and tasted great! I didn't find it as filling as I had hoped however, so perhaps the chorizo would had made it a more satisfying meal.

The week had taken a lot out of me (and it's not over yet) and I was really in need of some comfort food. That being said, for my second recipe I chose the turkey and roasted red pepper meat loaf in this month's issue of Real Simple. The magazine's been sitting unread on my table all week, so not only was it quick and handy but also gave my cookbooks a rest.

Chopping the onions and red peppers were the most labor intensive part of this dish but once you got past that it was a breeze. As I was mixing the meat, I could smell the herby goodness of the parsley and the zest of the dijon mustard. As the meat was resting on my cutting board, I realized that I accidentally omitted the Parmesan cheese called for in the recipe. After giving the meat a little taste, I can see where they were going with the cheese but I think it came out just fine without it.

So now I have a delicious satisfying lunch to look forward to next week. Hopefully I'll have the time to enjoy it!

More from the gross catering files...

2008-02-04T20:57:00.000-05:00

Where to begin?

I worked on Saturday and as you probably know, the biggest question on my mind isn't "will all my hard work and preparations pay off?" but instead "what's going to be our catered meal?"

While my counterparts a few floors up were dining on a lovely Cuban meal courtesy of Havana Central, I was relegated to the studio offering which was mediocre American fare with all the trimmings.

The menu consisted of: ham, white rice with ham, turkey with runny stuffing, pesto fettuccine with veggies, veggies with butter, meatloaf, chicken parmigiana and chocolate cake with cherries.

The ham was sliced thin (therefore dried out) so I decided to skip that and move to the pasta. On first glance, the pasta seemed dry and I couldn't figure out where the corn kernels fit in (besides maybe being an inexpensive vegetable). Shockingly, this wound up being the best of the bunch - so sad but so true. There were also large chunks of breaded chicken barely held together by tomato sauce and cheese. Your local pizzeria does a better job.

Next came the veggies in butter - string beans, carrots and zucchini - typical buffet fare and overshadowed by the horror show that was the turkey with wet drippy stuffing. (skipped it) From there was a passable meatloaf and white rice with chunks of ham in it.

If you've assumed that my favorite part of this meal was the chocolate cake with a layer of cherries you'd be correct. However, in these situations, you take what you can get and you are grateful for the meal but it was a colossal waste of precious Weight Watchers points for me.

Not sure who provied this meal but as as I ran to email J-Bends to please save me some empandas and arroz con pollo I am convinced more than ever that I really need to open up my own catering company.

I'll spare you the photos...

PBS Cooking Shows

2008-01-28T20:16:00.000-05:00

Lidia's Italy: What can I say except that I love this woman! A few years back I had the pleasure of meeting her at a cookbook signing where she made four different versions of gnocchi which we enjoyed with some Bastianich wines. I hadn't had gnocci that good outside of Italy!

I do enjoy this new version of her show where they intercut Lidia in different regions of Italy then back in her home kitchen making the dishes you've seen her enjoy abroad. Informative and entertaining!

Perhaps it is the way she adds pecorino with reckless abandon to a dish of cacio e pepe or the way she can crush garlic with the strength of three men! I do enjoy her stories about the tradition behind the dishes she makes and her stories about growing up in Italy. Giada and her cleavage have nothing on Lidia's man hands! And never tire of Lidia's closing line: "tutti a tavola a mangare" when she invites you to her table after she puts a generous pour of olive oil to finish a dish and toasts you with a big gulp of wine. You really feel like you are sitting on the other side of her counter and she's cooking for you.

Lidia is the Queen of Italian Cuisine - hands down!

Everyday Food: They seemed to have revamped this show since I last tuned in; adding Martha at the beginning and end of the show to add a little 'star-power' to the cooks featured each week. They also seemed to have dispatched of the dude that used to cook with all the ladies - where did he go? This show is a bit of a guilty pleasure for me; it's a bit cheesy (no pun intended) but the recipes showcased are often great springboards for easy weeknight meals. The show seems to cater to the soccer Mom but there are ideas and meals here for everyone.

Tonight's episode included a "Quick Tip" on salt describing the difference between table, Kosher and sea salt. Quite helpful actually, especially for the novice cook. The camera work on the show seems to have improved with some very stylized shots of the finished dishes - very Martha!

The shredded pork tacos looked particularly good this evening and pretty close to the Real Simple pork rustica dish but with a Mexican flair. But then again, if you know me at all you know I am a pork freak. I did my dinner dishes when one woman made salsa - zzzzzzzzzz! And there's Martha again with a tip on cutting brownies. Apparently it's a faux pas to serve up the brownie edges to your guests and you should instead freeze the edges and serve them over ice cream at a later date. Okay, I can buy that!

Everyday Baking: There's Martha again at the top of the show. It appears they spun off the Everyday Food cooking show into a half-hour baking show. And there's the DUDE! John! One could look at this as a promotion or a demotion depending on how you look at it: he's got his own show but it's as if he's been banished to the lesser show. One of the ladies from the previous episode randomly showed up to give a tip on how cool the Microplane is as a kitchen tool. (FYI: she's right!) Too bad my lack of willpower keeps me from baking for fun. That and the fact that I don't have counter space for a stand mixer. But all jokes aside, this episode was informative and made even the more complicated cookie recipes seem simple to execute. And there's Martha again in the last segment heating platters using hot water instead of the oven.

Bittman takes on America's Chefs: I always enjoyed Bittman's articles in The New York Times Dining Section and his other PBS series where he traveled the world for the best (hamburger, meatball, paella) recipe - you get the point. In this show, a renowned chef makes a dish for Mark and then he follows with a homemade easy take on their complex dish. This week was Suvir Saran, chef from New York's Devi restaurant (I've been told by those in-the-know that this is the most authentic Indian in NYC), was his guest. RRR and I chatted at the beginning of the episode so I missed the intro but it looks like Suvir didn't totally enjoy Bittman's take on his dishes. It was interesting to see Mark "defile" Suvir's beautiful tandoori shrimp with okra but did receive a nod of appreciation from the chef.

Last week's episode of Bittman featured Michel Richard and was an absolute riot! Now THAT guy needs his own show!

Simply Ming: I ran out of steam (this time pun intended) when Simply Ming got on, but I did catch last week's episode where he caught up with Master Sommelier Andrea Immer. I was wondering where she was! Her Fine Living shows, Simply Wine with Andrea Immer along with her food pairing show (Pairings with Andrea Immer) seems to be M.I.A. What gives Fine Living?

But back to Ming... I actually went to Blue Ginger, his Massachusetts restaurant, years before this blog was started with RRR, Mitch and Contessa and he was actually working in the kitchen. I do love his food but the preparation and ingredients can sometimes be a bit too complicated. He appears to have toned it down a bit. Still looks delicious!

I do adore my PBS cooking shows - certainly more entertaining than tonight's State of the Union address!

Chicken with double roasted tomatoes and leeks

2008-01-27T20:15:00.000-05:00

I spent the better part of last week eating my way through a refrigerator of leftovers from a dinner party I threw over the weekend.

So this weekend, it was time to try something new to rejuvenate my palate. I walked through the Manhattan Fruit and Vegetable Exchange on Saturday looking for some inspiration.

There were some nice fairly (I stress fairly) inexpensive leeks so I grabbed a bunch and then saw that grape tomatoes were on sale (2 pints for $2.99). The tomatoes looked decent and even though I stay away from them in the "off season" I thought some time in the oven would give them some depth of flavor.

I came home and after washing all the sand off the leeks, sliced them in chunks and filled a cookie sheet with the leeks, the grape tomatoes and some unwrapped cloves of garlic. Some olive oil spray, salt, pepper, garlic and thyme and my work was done. After a good half hour of roasting time the vegetables were tender and my apartment smelled amazing!

The next day, I preheated the oven while preheating my Le Cruset on the stove top. After seasoning some chicken breasts, I placed them in the Le Cruset to sear on both sides.

When that was complete, I added the leeks, tomatoes, garlic, some chicken stock, tomato paste as well as few large capers and olives for good measure. A light mix and it was off to the oven for about twenty minutes.

What came out was juicy chicken in a rich salty sauce. I probably added a bit too much kosher salt but that's nothing a little extra stock won't take care of when I reheat it for lunch this week; making what is going to be a very busy week at the office a little easier to handle.

A Mystery Gift!

2008-01-24T20:25:00.000-05:00

I came back to my desk after a few morning meetings and found a book sitting on my chair. Not just any book, but "My French Vue Bistro Cooking at Home" by Shannon Bennett. This book looks awesome! Beautiful pictures and sections dedicated to food and wine matching, pantry and refrigerator ingredients to keep on hand, basic recipes for items like stock, eight-spice powder, mayonnaise, etc.

In the time I wasn't gazing lovingly at the photos and trying to figure out what to make first, I was trying to figure out who gave me such a thoughtful gift? It's no secret around the office that I have a ridiculous passion for food and cooking but who is the mystery gift giver?

My first thought was JV or WW, but no dice. If it was Monty, he would have earmarked pages and left notes saying "make this for me". I need to thank SOMEONE!!!!

And who exactly is Shannon Bennett? After a bit of research, I discovered he is an Australian chef and owner of Vue du Monde, a French restaurant in Melbourne. Some additional research uncovered the fact that Shannon was a recent guest on Martha Stewart's show. That lead me to the conclusion that the mystery gift-giver was none other than JC, who went to a Martha taping the other day with the Mrs.

Mystery solved! Case closed! I caught you JC! Looks like I'm going to have to have the newlyweds over for some coq au vin.

Ask the Foodie - Rocco's

2008-01-17T17:22:00.000-05:00

Dear Ms Foodie

A few night back I was watching a reality show called The Restaurant. The place was called Rocco's 22.

Have you ever heard of them or eaten there? Don't ever recall doing a write-up on them.

An avid reader

Dear Avid,

Thanks to my friend Cortez, a self-professed reality show junkie, I have been to Rocco's 22. He was a big fan of "The Restaurant" and was convinced that I was going to go ga-ga over Mama's meatballs. I have not reviewed the restaurant since this was before this blog was created.

Let's just say that the short-lived restaurant (opened in June 2003) had bigger problems than the well-publicized feud between celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito and restaurateur Jeffery Chodorow. The food was just plain awful. I mean sub par Olive Garden Italian awful. The meatballs were gross. The service was abysmal. Just plain nasty.

Speaking of nasty, after Rocco's closed, Chodorow opened Caviar and Bananas in the same space and then tried again with Wild Salmon. Both restaurants received pans by New York food critics and began a very entertaining feud between Chodorow and New York Times food critic Frank Bruni. As a response to the unflattering review of his latest venture, Mr. Chodorow began a blog which was quite entertaining.

Check it out it you need a good laugh and keep those questions coming!

Ms. Foodie

No Pudge Brownies, how do I love thee?

2008-01-16T21:32:00.000-05:00

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that Ms. Foodie has an insatiable sweet tooth. Actually, I probably can't get through a post or two without singing the praises of chocolate! However, in the name of being calorically conscious, I often sacrifice my love of sugar in an effort to stay fit. But when the cacao bean calls, sometimes you just gotta answer! The cure for my itch?

NO PUDGE BROWNIES!

Lindsay H. Frucci (from here on in we'll call her "choco-genius") started selling this brownie mix in 1995. The brownies are rich, chewy and super simple to bake. You add one cup of vanilla yogurt (or plain yogurt with a splash of vanilla extract) to the boxed mix and voila! You are in gooey chocolate heaven! Pure decadence for 120 calories or 2 Weight Watchers points! And one of the best parts, if you are like me and not always great about portion control, there's even a single serving recipe. What an innovator! And it's right there on your supermarket shelf just past the Betty Crocker box mixes. Just make sure to give Betty the finger on the way to your guilt-free chocolate paradise!

I particularly like the cappuccino brownies and I do find that the raspberry and mint varieties taste a bit too 'chemically' for my palate. The original isn't too shabby either! I've given some to friends without telling them they were "diet" brownies and they were quite impressed.

So if you are like me and the rest of the planet and are trying to lose some weight in the New Year but don't want to feel like you are sacrificing your craving for dessert, give No Pudge a whirl. You won't be disappointed!

Da Andrea con Andrea!

2008-01-15T21:55:00.000-05:00

Monday night Andrea (aka Bomber) and I met up with one of our sorority pals who was in the city for work. Double D was working down on Hudson Street, so a place on the west side in the West Village seemed in order. Bomber suggested Da Andrea, a small Italian place that's been on my radar for some time. I think she liked the name...

For our first course, we split an order of fettuccine di zafferano con verdurine e "tapanade" di olive nere. Translated, this was saffron fettuccine with vegetables in a tomato sauce over a black olive puree. While I loved all the veggies (reminscent of a ratatouille) I felt like it needed a bit more cooking time and some more aggressive seasoning. Bomber, however, thought the al dente vegetables added texture to the dish. I appreciated that the order came to the table split, a simple step that is often overlooked when you tell your server you are splitting an order.

I followed the pasta with the gamberoni alla griglia con fagottino di asparagi e salsa allo zafferano for my main course. This was grilled shrimp served on two skewers with asparagus and a saffron sauce. I really enjoyed this dish. The presentation was lovely and the jumbo shrimp had a good char on the outside without being too tough. I always love asparagus but I was served spears, not the 'asparagus tart' described on the menu. Either way, I'll take it. The abundant sauce was quite tasty but honestly, I didn't feel the shrimp really needed it.

Bomber had the filetto di salmone con carciofi, pomodori secchi e senape; salmon filet with artichokes, sundried tomatoes and dijon mustard sauce. Since I am not a salmon fan, I did not taste her dish, but it was a quality piece of fish and she really enjoyed the flavor the dijon added to the entree.

Double D went with the cavatelli di ricotta con gamberi, salmone e salsa al pesto; homemade cavatelli with shrimp and fresh salmon in a light pesto sauce. The pasta was fresh and flavorful and just the right texture.

One of the best parts of the meal was the affordability of the menu. The pastas are all under $15 and the entrees range from $15 - 20. Not too shabby in a town chock full of over-priced Italian restaurants. My only complaint is that the selection of wines by the glass were pretty slim and I would have loved more than two red wine options.

If you are looking for a small, inexpensive, casual Italian restaurant with an interesting menu that's not your typical veal marsala and saltimbocca fare, why not take a page from Andrea and give Da Andrea a shot?

Ask the Foodie - Getting Cheesy

2008-01-14T16:59:00.000-05:00

Dear Ms. Foodie-

I'm a cheddar guy.

I love the sharp flavor and semi-hard texture. I often enjoy a few hunks with a crisp, tart apple as my after-dinner dessert.

However, my palette longs to graze in more exotic cheese pastures. I tried mixing Gruyere and Gouda into the rotation but found them forgettable at best.

I've started getting brie and -- just yesterday -- Camembert for the first time, to great enjoyment.

Can you recommend any other good cheese selections for hors d'oeuvres / midnight snack purposes? I'm not opposed to a little stinkyness, provided I won't gag for having eaten it.

xo,
Cheesy J.

Cheesy,

Thanks for the email and please forgive Ms. Foodie for her delinquent response. In light of the Packers victory this weekend, it seemed appropriate to answer your cheesy question today.

When it comes to cheese, there's an embarrassment of riches, especially if you live in a metropolitan area. I would suggest a visit to your local Whole Foods or gourmet market and doing a taste test, although most local supermarkets carry a wide selection as well. Most cheese mongers would be more than happy to give you samples of the many different cheeses available (i.e. sheep, goat, cow, soft, semi-soft, hard, etc) so be adventurous and see what suits you!

You are certainly on the right track with Camembert, however, try putting in a warm oven (250 for ten minutes) and serving it with a crunchy baquette. If you are looking for hard sharp cheeses, what about a nice ricotta salata? It's my Dad's favorite, although he prefers his ricotta salata with a smooth gin and tonic!

And while Gouda might not have "wowed" you, why not venture into some aged or smoked varieties and see if that fares better? There are also some lovely aged goat cheeses that would have the texture you are seeking. There's quite a difference in taste when a cheese has been aged for months or even years.

There are also differences in taste when a cheese is produced in a different region; for example, Ms. Foodie had a parmigiano from Australia that was vastly different than the Italian parmigiano most people are accustomed to.

Other tasting options: hit a local wine bar and sample a few of their cheeses with an aperitif. Many restaurants offer cheese courses as well, you don't have to go high end to get great results! Just make sure to invite me along!

Good luck on your search and I hope I helped to steer you in the right direction!

xo back at ya!
Ms. Foodie

Mustard-Crusted Pork with Carrots and Lentils

2008-01-12T21:43:00.000-05:00

There are times when I am very impressed with my culinary prowess. Okay, it's just me putting a few spins on a recipe created by someone else, but I do get excited when that recipe exceeds my expectations and I can add it to my repertoire. This happened this evening when I tried a recipe in the November issue of Gourmet magazine for mustard-crusted pork with carrots and lentils.

The recipe is pasted below and I did make a few minor adjustments. First, I substituted cooking spray when roasting the carrots and as a result, needed some more liquid when adding the pork loin to the roasting pan, so I added a bit of chicken broth.

I also used dried lentils, therefore, had to use a lot of chicken broth to get the lentils to the perfect consistency. I also cooked the lentils in the pan used to sear the pork. I'm sure purists may say this is a cross-contamination no-no but I was feeling adventurous and it added some additional flavor to the lentils. If you are in a time crunch, you might want to use canned lentils, as outlined below. I also jacked up the seasonings all around.

1 pound pre-cut fresh carrot sticks

5 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 (1 1/4-pound) pork tenderloin

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided

1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs

2 garlic cloves, smashed

2 fresh thyme sprigs

2 (15-ounce) cans lentils, rinsed and drained

2/3 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle.Toss carrots with 2 tablespoons oil and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a shallow baking pan and roast while preparing pork.

Pat pork dry and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then brown pork all over, about 3 minutes total. Put pork on a work surface and brush with 1 tablespoon mustard. Stir together bread crumbs and 1/2 tablespoon oil, then press onto mustard on pork to form a crust. Transfer pork to pan with carrots and roast until carrots are browned and tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of meat registers 140 to 145°F, 15 to 22 minutes. Let pork stand 5 minutes; keep carrots warm, covered (or continue roasting if needed).

While pork roasts, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil with garlic and thyme in a small saucepan until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in lentils, broth, and remaining tablespoon mustard and cook until heated through. Season with salt and pepper and discard thyme. Serve pork with carrots and lentils.

This is a hearty, sophisticated but easy meal that can be prepared in a flash for a weeknight meal. I enjoyed my meal with a medium bodied glass of Duo Mythique, a syrah grenache blend which really brought out the earthiness of the lentils and carrots. Magnifique!

The Great Rachel Ray Experiment - Recipe 289

2008-01-10T22:12:00.000-05:00

As previously noted, I received a Rachel Ray cookbook for Christmas, "365: No Repeats". I started to cook my way through this book beginning with recipe 289; sage and balsamic pork chops with creamy pumpkin polenta.

Yum-O? Yuck-O? I'd say somewhere in between. Just Eh.

I did not follow the recipe to the letter and instead of the pumpkin polenta chose to roast acorn squash in an effort to save a few calories.

When roasting the squash, instead of my usual loads of nutmeg, I chopped the remainder of my sage and sprinkled it over the squash which was already coated with olive oil cooking spray, salt, pepper and garlic powder. The additional crunch of the herby sage made the acorn squash the best part of the meal.

I get where Rach and her garbage bowl were going with this recipe. The sugar from the balsamic caramelizes the pork chop and helps the herb rub adhere to the meat. It is a pretty basic combination of flavors but in this case, the parsley overpowered the sage. If I were to make this again, I'd reverse the amounts of sage and parsley listed below and would probably omit the parsley altogether if it wasn't handy.

I do have to give Rachel some credit, since I am pretty certain her pumpkin polenta recipe would have been pretty good so I am giving her a break and including it in the recipe below. I am also including the annoying Rachel-isms in the recipe so you can roll you eyes along with me! Delish!

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, EVOO (seriously!)

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, enough to just coat the pork chops; eyeball it (more like roll eyeball here)

5 fresh sage leaves; chopped (I'd double this)

1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, a handful, chopped (I'd do half the amount listed or omit completely)

1 lg garlic clove chopped

salt and freshly ground pepper

4 1 1/2 inch thick boneless center-cut pork chops

2 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth

1 cup milk

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

freshly grated or ground nutmeg, about 1/8 tsp

3/4 cup quick-cooking polenta

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus some for garnish

2 tbsp unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 375.

Preheat a large, oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tbsp of the EVOO, twice around the pan (yes it's still annoying). In a shallow dish, combine the balsamic, sage, parsley, garlic, the remaining 1 tbsp of EVOO, salt and pepper. Coat the pork chops and then place them in the skillet and sear the meat on both sides to caramelize, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer the skillet to the oven to finish off, about 8 minutes, or until the meat is firm to the touch but not tough.

While the chops are cooking, in a sauce pot combine the chicken stock, milk and pumpkin and season with the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Place over high heat and bring up to a simmer. Whisk in the polenta and stir until it begins to mass together. Add the grated cheese and butter, stirring to combine.

Real Simple: Mustard Roasted Chicken with Veggies

2008-01-10T13:08:00.000-05:00

My November into December eating-and-drinking-with-reckless-abandon has led to my New Year's Resolution to get back on track with meal planning and trying to shake a few pounds.

I loathe that I have the same resolution as basically everyone else on the planet, but honestly, this is my resolution all year, every year. I simply fall off the wagon now and then (most notably around the holidays) again basically like everyone else on the planet.

So while perusing the latest issue of Real Simple, I found an easy low-calorie recipe that I could make and bring as lunch for the week.

I chose the mustard roasted chicken with vegetables recipe featured in the magazine's January issue. It was so easy and many of the ingredients listed are my pantry staples.

I did substitute boneless chicken breasts for the whole chicken to help lighten the caloric load and did not use their "recommended mustard" since any quality mustard would work just fine. I also decided to kick it "old school" and bust out Mom's CorningWare but I think next go-around I might see how it comes out in my beloved Le Cruset.

If you are looking for something quick, easy and guilt free take this recipe for a spin!

Run, don't walk to Bar Boulud!

2008-01-07T15:48:00.000-05:00

Where do I begin with what is already is one of the culinary highlights of 2008?!?

I was invited to dinner this past weekend at Bar Boulud as part of the restaurant's "Friends and Family" event, a few days prior to the restaurant's official opening. For those who are not familiar with this common practice, the restaurant's staff will invite people to dine gratis (sometimes you need to kick in for beverage but should always tip and tip well) in order to sample the menu, work out some kinks, and receive feedback at the conclusion of the meal.

This is an opportunity to figure out what worked, what didn't and what could work better in all aspects: presentation, wait staff, kitchen and front of house service, wine list, decor, etc.

Think of it as a foodie focus group. I think of it as Ms. Foodie's fantasy come to life!

Chef MJ, Marathon Man, Rockstar and I began our meal with a tour of Bar Boulud's Charcuterie. Our selections included the Pate Gran-Mere (pork braised pate with chicken liver and cognac), Lapin de la Garrigue (terrine of slowly cooked and pulled rabbit, carrot, zucchini, spices and herbs), Compote de Joue de Boeuf (beef cheeks slowly braised with veal stock; shredded and combined with pistachio and beef gelee), and Saucisson Sec de Lyon (air dried sausage made in-house and hung for a minimum of one month).

If you read any of my posts recapping last year's trip to France, you know of my saucisson obsession. I wasn't disappointed. The thinly sliced, fatty, well-seasoned ham was so flavorful and complimented by the tart pickles and onions that accompanied it.

The terrines were equally impressive with just enough gelatin that it wasn't overly "gelatinous". The quality of the meat really came through and the terrines had just the right amount of spices with additional components to bring the dish together in perfect balance. My favorite of the terrines were the beef cheeks with the rabbit a close second.

I chose a glass of Beaujolais to start off my meal. For this event, we were offered wines by the glass and while our server recommended a glass of the Gevry, I chose the Beaujolais. I must say that I have not experienced Beaujolais this well-rounded since I returned from France! It was so good that I went back for a second glass before moving on to the Gevry, only to wish I had stayed with the Beaujolais.

You could really taste the terroir and it brought me back to our amazing visit to this region during their harvest. I echoed this sentiment to the manager upon exiting the restaurant, but I don't think he was as excited by this revelation as I was!

Next up was an item from the Cru et Custaces - the aioli. Chef MJ was very excited for this dish, having had enjoyed it earlier in the week. I wasn't sure of the draw until... the plate was put on our table.

The presentation was absolutely gorgeous! First to get a dunk into the aioli was one of the four thin perfectly salty bread sticks. I was instantly hooked! Each item was more delicious than the one prior, and keep in mind, this is mainly a dish of crudite! What's the draw? The shrimp was meaty, flavorful and not the least bit chewy. The oil poached cod was outstanding and even simple par boiled potatoes were fantastic. Once again, it just goes to show you that simple quality ingredients can make a huge difference. This is one of the more expensive items on the menu ($34 bucks) but don't let the name or the price deter you from trying this dish! I could have had this all night and been satisfied!

But wait, there's more....

Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, out came the main event. Coq au vin! Daniel's menu description of the classic French dish is to marinade the chicken overnight in red wine and then braise in red wine and a rich veal stock. Finished with button mushrooms, pearl onions and lardons this dish is completely decadent and truly authentic. Rockstar couldn't believe it was chicken! The poultry was transformed into a rich Bourgogne classic! Incredible!

We ordered a couple of sides to go with our meal, including a whole roasted head of garlic served with toasted country bread. It was delicious but can you really ever go wrong with roasted garlic? We also had the pommes frites which were thinly sliced and well salted but I've had better (namely at Pastis). Perhaps the only semi-miss of the night.

Of course, we had to find some room for dessert. We shared the Pain d'Epices, gingerbread with caramel mousse, topped with orange supremes and orange cinnamon ice cream. The staff even brought over a lovely fruit plate for Marathon Man since he has a food allergy.

We also ordered three cheeses which I enjoyed with a lovely dessert wine. I was impressed by Daniel's description of the cheeses on the menu: bloomy, earthy, creamy, sharp, goat. What a innovative easy way to navigate your way through a cheese course and ensure a well rounded selection. We chose bloomy, goat and sharp with only the sharp being somewhat pedestrian. I was a fan of the 'bloomy'.

When we did receive a bill, it pretty much used to gauge how much to tip our server. It wasn't that outrageous considering the amount of food and wine we ordered and certainly affordable compared to other restaurants in the Daniel Boulud empire. Most entrees were priced in the low twenties and the portions were just right. I must admit I am a bit concerned the restaurant's close proximity to Lincoln Center. My fear is it will be overrun with tourists although I am sure that was part of the master plan.

Run, don't walk to Bar Boulud (which officially opens this week) - I only hope you'll be able to get a table!

Christmas Day!

2008-01-01T20:36:00.000-05:00

Santa was very good to Ms. Foodie!

Before leaving for RRR's I was the lucky recipient of some culinary gifts: "Santa's Cookies" aka decadently delicious chocolate covered graham crackers with caramel and peppermint from Bossman1, a lovely 2003 Barolo from Bossman2, another bottle of vino from J-Bends, some Jacques Torres Cocoa Dusted Almonds from JC (who knows about my culinary crush on Jacques) , and a box of Max Brenner chocolates from CJ to go with the Jacques Torres chocolates and baking sheets I already received from Rockstar.

So before Christmas Day even arrived, I had done pretty well for myself. What other surprises could be waiting for me under the tree?

Well, dear readers, Ms. Foodie and RRR couldn't stop laughing (and perhaps crying) when we both received copies of Rachel Ray: 365 No Repeats! Yes, a cookbook from none other than Rachel Ray, who I continue to mock in this blog, despite getting rave reviews for making her sage sausage bites at the recent Petey Holiday Party!

Perhaps my resolution for 2008 should be to stop making fun of the goofy joker faced pseudo cook and take some of her dishes for a spin. Maybe I'm missing something that has the rest of the country so enthralled.

Regardless, this gift should provide fodder for many posts to come!

Christmas Eve at Casa Cousina!

2007-12-31T21:08:00.000-05:00

Well the big day had arrived and we were heading to Cousina's for dinner.

When we got to Cousina's the rest of the clan was there and had already gone through half of the seafood aspic. Our dish even got kudos from Cousina Solvita, the originator of the recipe. I was so proud of us!

The sausage bread was just perfect and while I could eat just these two appetizers all night and be completely satisfied, this was only the proverbial tip of the culinary iceberg!

First we started with Kristina's Cocktail aptly named for the hostess with the "mostess"... Normally, I don't enjoy drinks on the sweet side, but I found myself going back for seconds and thirds and fourths. It was delicious!

We retired to Cousina's beautifully decorated dining room where we began our meal with some homemade New England clam chowder, courtesy of Cousina's mother-in-law. The soup was the perfect amount of richness without being overbearing and creamy without overdoing it. The clams and potatoes rounding out the soup were diced to the perfect dimension. Wow!

Next course, was Cousina Solvita's lobster and avocado salad. I must say, this is one dish that I was anticipating for weeks! The dish is super simple (the best dishes usually are): chopped lobster, avocado, dill, mayonnaise and a bit of lemon juice.

While I am not a fan of mayonnaise based products, there is something about the freshness of the lobster coupled with the creaminess of the avocado that is absolute heaven! I stopped myself at my second helping.

For the main event, Mr. Cousina had been busy minding the grill while his mesquite beef tenderloin was cooked to perfection. A nice char on the outside and perfectly pink on the inside. The beef was served with some fresh asparagus and another treasured menu item from Christmas past, Cousina Solvita's mushroom cups.

After busting a gut, it was time to bust out in song and then to bust open some gifts. The kids were looking forward to opening presents and I was looking forward to dessert!

Auntie Lee made an amazing cheesecake (better than our pumpkin one for sure) and a chocolate trifle. We also had cream puffs and cookies. Now that's Italian!

When the kiddie chaos settled down, it was time to pick on some more cookies, call it a night and get ready for Santa!

I wonder what culinary gifts would be left under the tree for Ms. Foodie?

Cookies and Cheesecake

2007-12-30T17:57:00.000-05:00

No rest for the weary and since we spent Saturday helping prep Monday's Christmas Eve appetizers, Sunday was all about dessert!

After much debate, RRR and I decided to make chocolate peppermint cookies, lemon cookies (last Christmas cookie hit) and our holiday favorite, Patti's oatmeal raisin cookies (recipe below):

Patti's Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Sift: 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp salt.

In another bowl combine wet ingredients: 1 well-beaten egg, 1 cup sugar, 2 tbsp molasses, 1/2 cup melted butter, 1/2 cup melted shortening.

Mix dry ingredients into wet. Add 1 3/4 cups quick oats. Add 1 cup baking raisins and 1/4 cup milk. You may find that you need to add up to one additional cup of oats to get the desired consistency of the batter. Chill for at least 20 mins and bake at 325 degrees for about 12 minutes. Enjoy!

Cousina and her daughter stopped by to help us out and the cookies came out pretty good, although the lemon cookies were a bit 'puffier' last year.

We are not quite sure what went awry but RRR's suspicion is that Ms. Foodie didn't put in enough baking soda. Being a bit of an OCD-baker, I disagree.

Regardless of looks, all the cookies were delicious and we made some revisions to the chocolate peppermint cookie recipe (link to recipe above).

The recipe calls for peppermint extract and confectioner's sugar for the glaze. RRR thought that melted chocolate chips with the peppermint extract would be a better option and who am I to argue against melted chocolate?

In addition to our cookie-fest, we tackled our first cheesecake, a ginger pumpkin cheesecake courtesy of the fine folks at McCormick.

This recipe was passed on to me by Bacon, who is the Queen of Baked Goodness. Bacon brought this cheesecake over for Thanksgiving a few years back, and I've been itching to make it ever since. We struggled getting the gingersnap crust firmly pressed into the springform pan, but overall, it was a noble effort and the cheesecake was quite tasty. Our Grandmother (another cheesecake Queen) would have been proud!

NOTE: more pictures to come... Ms. Foodie misplaced her camera and was relegated to RRR's old school point and shoot!

Cooking with Cousina

2007-12-29T17:14:00.000-05:00

We checked out of the Westin Providence and headed north to Hingham where our Cousina was waiting for her two sous chefs to arrive. It has been quite a few years since we have spent Christmas Eve with our closest cousin and now that she's a mere few towns away from RRR, the timing for a family reunion was perfect!

However, before the reunion, there were sausage breads to be made and a seafood aspic to prep. If you've checked in with f is for foodie this time last year, you know that sausage bread is a time honored tradition in our family and this year was no exception.

RRR did the 'heavy lifting' this time around and arrived at Cousina's with proofed dough and sauteed sausage, peppers and onions in tow, making this more of an assembly line than anything. Cousina grated the mozzarella while I began rolling out the dough.

Together we made six loaves (!) and as always, contemplated how to bake them with without having the loaves bust open. We still haven't solved that mystery...

Lucky for us, Cousina's new home has two ovens, so while the loaves were baking for an hour each, we moved on to prepping the seafood aspic.

Cousina's Mom is the originator of this recipe and this was my first time making it. We knew it was a lot of work, seems gross during its assembly and is a recipe circa 1950, but it is quite addictive and quite amazing. Take my word for it, don't knock it till you try it!

1 can tomato soup
8 oz pkg cream cheese
2 envelopes Knox gelatin
2 6-oz cans Sunnysea or other quailty lump crab meat (don't skimp here)
10 oz pkg cooked shrimp cut into small pieces (approx 1/4 large bag frozen shrimp)
2 stalks finely diced celery
1 small finely diced onion
1 cup mayonnaise
Worcestershire Sauce (a few drops)
Tabasco Sauce (a few drops)

Slowly dissolve cheese into soup (this is the gross part but don't get discouraged!) Chop crab, shrimp, celery, and onion. Add mayonnaise, Worcestershire and Tabasco to seafood and vegetables.

Add 1/4 cup cold water to 2 envelopes gelatin and dissolve. Add to soup mix, then add soup mixture to chopped ingredients. Mix well.

We've found that a fish shaped mold works best and brings the seafood concept home, but feel free to be creative and it this recipe makes enough for two molds.

Spray mold with cooking spray, pour mixture into mold, cover with plastic wrap and chill. Decorate your "fish" as you wish, spread mixture on quality crackers and enjoy!

We've found that radishes work quite well as the 'eyes' and 'gills' of the fish and once the aspic is presented, it is hard to tear your guests away. Unfortunately, I do not have a picture of the aspic in it's glory, since it was about 3/4 gone by the time RRR and I arrived on Christmas Eve.

After a long but fun day in Cousina's kitchen, our work was done and it would be less than 48 hours until we get to enjoy the fruits of our labor!

Friday Night in Providence

2007-12-28T16:35:00.000-05:00

I headed up to Boston the Friday before Christmas on the Limoliner. After a bit of traffic leaving New York, I met up with RRR and we hit the road to Providence for a post Spain/Portugal reunion with Mitch and Sharpie. Mr. Sharpie, the Ronin's and Mr. Sharpie's college pal rounded out the dinner party.

We checked into the Westin Providence, hopped into one of the hotel's adorable London-inspired cabs and headed to Bacaro. This Italian restaurant is owned by Brian Kingsford and Jennifer Matta, both formerly of the venerable Providence restaurant, Al Forno. If Bacaro is even remotely like Al Forno, I knew we'd be in for a treat!

The gang had ordered some items from the salumeria and a few appetizers before we got there so once RRR and I were settled, we dug in and headed straight for the entrees. Pizza-freak RRR chose a delicious grilled mushroom pizza with a crispy flat crust and plenty of fresh mushrooms and rich tomato sauce. Very nice! Especially when "good pizza"in New England can be a bit of an oxymoron.

I went for the wood-grilled spareribs "Scottadito" with roasted butternut squash and Westport turnips. What a delight! The fall-off-the-bone ribs were sticky sweet but not overpowering and the creaminess of the squash was perfectly balanced by the earthiness of the turnips. Delicious!

As full as I was from my rich dinner, I couldn't resist trying some of the desserts. We ordered the cinnamon bombolini with hot chocolate and the mini ice cream sandwiches. The bombolini were decent, but not being much of a doughnut fan, I was more into the mini ice cream sandwiches.

The mini cookies had more crunch than I had anticipated but were good nonetheless, it just made eating the sandwiches a bit difficult since the ice cream shot out the sides of the cookie on the first bite.

I often don't meet a cookie I don't like and I certainly appreciate where the pastry chef was going here; I would just recommend chewy over crunchy; especially when ice cream is involved.

Overall, this was a delicious meal and Bacaro offers a wonderful menu with a great variety. You can come here for a pizza and salad, wine and charcuterie, or a full blown belt busting meal like my spareribs! Bacaro's a friendly neighborhood restaurant where you can come time and time again and not get bored with the selection.

What a nice gem in the middle of an adorable city!

Browns 24 Jets 18... "Brown food" #1

2007-12-19T13:37:00.000-05:00

As usual, the game stunk but the food rules! Billy & Nick sure know how to throw a tailgate AND work a deep fryer! As thighs likes to say when the guys bust out the fryer, "It's brown food day". Scallops, coconut shrimp, and turkey were just a few of the fried items on the menu and it seemed fitting given the Jets were playing the Browns.

Monty was my guest for this game and was in deep fried heaven! Lot 16-G's the place to be!

Petey Holiday Party!

2007-12-17T21:10:00.000-05:00

Awhile back, a few of my closest friends decided to call our group of girls the "Petey's" --- also sometimes Pete's, Peter's, you get the point. Anyway, every year we get together around the holidays, eat too much food, drink too much wine and exchange gifts a la Secret Santa/Hanukkah Harry. This year it was my (second) turn to host the gathering.

I made an appetizer and the main course. Thighs brought the cheese, crackers and crudite. Sockitome brought some well-seasoned asparagus, brussel sprouts, parmigiana and small rounds of fresh mozzarella from a local market, Rockstar brought dessert a la Fresh Direct - a dairy free lemon and a chocolate tart (Marathon Man, our lone dude for the evening, is allergic) and Chef MJ brought her famous deviled eggs and Caesar salad. Of course, everyone brought plenty of wine!

While Thighs was preparing a cheese, crackers and crudite plate, I was being the biggest hypocrite on the planet and preparing a Rachel Ray recipe! I KNOW!!!! I can't stand her Joker-grinned cheesy shtick but RRR had made her sage sausage bites with balsamic apricot dip and it was a big hit. As much as I loathe her and everything she stands for, I have to admit, this appetizer was super easy and quite tasty! The spice of the sausage was perfectly balanced by the herby sage and sweet dip with the right amount of tart from the balsamic. My few revisions to the dish (recipe on the link above) would be to put a bit more of the dip in the sausage, use hot sausage in lieu of sweet and to not make as much of the dip as the recipe calls for - I wound up with a lot left over!

Ms. Foodie made a rookie mistake when baking these tiny sausage meatballs... I used a flat cookie sheet instead of one with edges and before you knew it the kitchen was filled with smoke from the oil that was burning on the bottom of the oven! Oh well, it kept me and Thighs on our toes!

After devouring the sausage bites, we moved on to Chef MJ's deviled eggs which were deliciously rich and simply made using egg yolks, mayonnaise, dijon mustard and pepper. Fresh chives, paprika and a bed of purple cabbage added to the overall presentation.

Her Caesar dressing is even more impressive... made with one coddled egg yolk, olive oil, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, anchovies and lemon juice. I am not always a fan of Caesar, but MJ's is so light, flavorful and full of salty anchovy goodness that before you know it, you've gone back for seconds and thirds! Lucky for me, there was lots of dressing left over!

With my time being limited this week thanks to some late nights at work, I needed to make something less time consuming as the main course. I looked to that goddess of Italian cuisine, Lidia Bastianich, for a hearty pasta recipe and chose her bucatini with pancetta, tomato and onion. The recipe comes courtesy of my signed (how cool is that?!?) "Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen" cookbook and the complete recipe is on the link above.

The sauce was hearty and flavorful and actually tasted sooo much better the next day once the flavors had a chance to meld (as is often the case with sauces). We all found the bucatini a bit tough to eat and there was a lot of slurping; especially from my side of the table.

The best part of the meal was our gift exchange! We all know each others tastes so well and the gifts were simply perfect! I received a set of baking sheets from my Secret Santa, later revealed to be Comet aka Rockstar. The baking sheets came in a set of three different sizes with edges so I am sure not to repeat my sausage oil fire hazard stated above.

I also received a box of Jacques Torres chocolates! Oh me and my love - reunited at last! It's been too long! What a great way to kick off the holidays!

Jean Claude in SoHo

2007-12-14T17:34:00.000-05:00

Contessa, RRR and I headed to Jean Claude, a delightful small French bistro in SoHo for dinner the other night. I've been to Jean Claude a few years back for a date and while the date was unsuccessful; the meal was certainly memorable!

On this repeat visit, I began with a lovely mesclun salad with goat cheese croutons and vinaigrette dressing that I shared with RRR. The goat cheese was toasted and melted on to the croutons and while not as amazing as our salads we enjoyed in France last year, it was certainly tasty.

I followed with a roasted breast of Duck with ragout of white beans, shitake mushrooms and rosemary sauce. The duck was thinly sliced, perfectly cooked and the thick sweet rosemary sauce was simply magnificent! Almost as good as the duck was the white bean ragout. The best part of the beans was the head of garlic that was sliced, roasted and placed in the middle of the ragout. As I plucked the brown soft cloves out one by one and mixed them into the beans and mushrooms, I kept thinking this is pure paradise!

RRR had the sauteed red snapper with artichokes, leeks, and basil oil and the fish was cooked perfectly with a nice sear on the outside. Contessa's roasted leg of lamb with eggplant, zucchini, peppers and puree of potato looked beautiful but she was a bit disappointed in the sauce; this saucy lady likes her sauce on the subtle side!

For dessert we split a creme brulee that was just right and not too sweet, a crime often committed by French bistros across the city. I must say "split" is a term I use loosely since yours truly ate far more than her share.

A true gem in SoHo... Jean Claude will make you feel like you are in on a (not so well-kept) neighborhood secret!

McCatering at McCain

2007-12-13T16:37:00.000-05:00

Please excuse the lack of posts recently, it's been quite hectic for Ms. Foodie. While I certainly have been eating, it has been tough to find time to put together a proper post.

One of the things that has kept me busy was a recent trip to Manchester, New Hampshire where I worked on one in our series of Presidential Dialogues, this one with Senator John McCain.

Manchester was a quaint town, but my culinary experiences didn't get further than a daily trip to Dunkin' Donuts for coffee and a peanut butter on whole wheat bagel and an evening trip to the sports bar across from our hotel.

One of the highlights was our two days of catering courtesy of the staff of Southern New Hampshire University, our host school. The first meal was a Mexican theme; with ground beef, refried beans, Spanish rice and all the usual taco fixin's. I've learned from past production catering experiences that Mexican on a closed set isn't always the best option (for gastro-intestinal reasons) but it was actually pretty decent. The oatmeal raisin cookies were really the standout item in this meal!

The next day, the theme for lunch was Italian. Pasta with marinara sauce (this Italian girl passed), eggplant parmigiana, chicken parmigiana and some bland green beans filled out the offerings. Once again, dessert was the highlight... brownie sundaes with ice cream, hot fudge and whipped cream! Snow be damned, Ms. Foodie needs her sugar fix!

For the grand finale (aka dinner), the ladies stepped up their game. Curried chick peas with onions in tomato sauce was really quite delightful and the yellow rice was flavorful as well. The veggie blend (carrots, string beans, squash) was better than lunch's green beans and the chicken was passable. For dessert, it was apple crisp with whipped cream. Not bad and the chick peas really took me by surprise!

After the show was wrapped, a large group headed over to the Red Arrow Diner. On the recommendation of Lambert's Army, I decided to celebrate with the grilled chicken bomb. This sandwich was pretty much a chicken cheesesteak with peppers, onions, mushrooms and cheese but topped with a side of sweet potato fries and it was delicious!

The pies that a few of my co-workers ordered were giant slabs of custard and whipped cream but I was able to control myself and passed since as you can tell, I had my fill of dessert for the day!

Of course, the best thing about these remote productions is spending time with an amazing group of talented people and getting a job done, often in close quarters and challenging situations. A New England snow storm added to the fun of the weekend and needless to say, left some people a little stir crazy!

Brian and Ron got Married!

2007-12-10T14:41:00.000-05:00

I can not put into words how wonderful it was to see two of my dearest friends be able to (legally!) declare their commitment to each other. After a beautiful ceremony with traditions incorporated from both of their cultures, it was time to celebrate and even more importantly time to eat!

The Landmark Loew's Theater in Jersey City was the perfect backdrop for this art deco vintage affair and the evening included sushi passed by women in geisha attire, live music, a dj, gaming tables and a visit from the cake diva.

A good time was had by all but I'll let the pictures do the talkin'...

Morandi - the Italian Pastis

2007-11-28T21:30:00.001-05:00

I went to dinner with RRR and a few of her co-workers. Since I didn't want to freak out the old school finance dudes, I refrained from snapping photos throughout the meal, but that didn't prevent me from telling you all about Morandi.

Morandi is the latest venture from Keith McNally aka the dude behind Pastis, Schiller's Liquor Bar, Balthazar, Lucky Strike and Pravda; all perennial New York favorites. Morandi is his venture into Italian fare with some of the same approaches that have served him well in his highly successful restaurants. The decor is familiar, the menu layout reminiscent and the staff seems to have gone through the same training session. Hey, if it's not broke....

Anyway, onto the food! RRR and I started by sharing an appetizer of grilled radicchio and smoked mozzarella. The portion was a bit small (I would have preferred some more radicchio) but the cheese was quite lovely, with a nice charred layer on the outside and oozy smoky gooey goodness on the inside with just the right touch of seasoning.

I followed this up with pappardelle con cinghiale; fresh flat pasta with boar ragu. It was a bit of a risk since in the past, this dish (outside of Tuscany) can go very, very wrong. At Morandi, it went very, very right. With just the perfect portion, I happily finished every last bit of the tender slow-cooked boar and sopped up as much of the well-layered tomato sauce as I could using the fresh pasta as my vehicle. And with a bit of grated cheese to add another layer of flavors and texture to the dish it was quite lovely!

My meal was complete with a plate of mini-cannoli, a dessert I can never resist. The shell of the pastry was thinner than expected, closer to the texture of a sugar cone than a traditional cannoli. The filling was fresh and lemony with a nice strong flavor of pistachio. A load of powdered sugar and plenty of tiny chocolate chips gave the presentation a nice touch while adding to the flavor of the dessert.

I think the old school folk might have been a bit disappointed in the portion size and the rustic slant of the menu, however, if you are looking for a casual, reasonably priced Italian restaurant in the very crowded restaurant row of Seventh Ave in the West Village you really can't go wrong at Morandi.

Happy Belated Thanksgiving (to me)...

2007-11-25T20:17:00.000-05:00

You may think that Thanksgiving is a time for Ms. Foodie to get all fancy with her turkey. And I have. Twice. A port marinade to be exact. However, truth be told, I've traditionally gone out to dinner for Thanksgiving. Yes, I go out to dinner on the biggest food holiday of the year.

Growing up, Thanksgiving was always my Dad's holiday and we would go out to dinner with my Grandparents. RRR and I enjoyed the fact that we can get something besides turkey (which can be abysmal outside of a Jersey diner) and keep our calories in check by not being able to go back for seconds and thirds and fourths. My Mom, however, hated that we went out to eat and would often make us a small turkey before she went off to her Mother's so that we had leftovers to come home to.

This year, I took on my Mom's role and decided I'm going to make myself a pseudo-Thanksgiving dinner; albeit a few days later. So on Thursday, I had a petit filet mignon and shrimp scampi and today's feast consisted of: garlic, lemon and rosemary roasted chicken, cornbread stuffing with cranberries, sage and prosciutto, roasted acorn squash and a mix of balsamic roasted vegetables finished off with pumpkin pie for dessert.

Thighs came over for what is becoming a routine day of dinner and football so I was able to share today's feast (she brought the pie - a delicious leftover from Rockstar's T'giving meal).

First in the oven was the stuffing; a recipe given to me by Contessa and listed below:

Saute 4 carrots, 4 celery & one large onion in vegetable oil

Add about 6 - 7 slices prosciutto, chopped sage, salt, pepper

Add ¾ cup cranberries - soaked, drained & dried (I use dry - you can also use currants or any other dried fruit)

Mix these ingredients with six cups cubed cornbread & one cup chicken stock. Throw into a buttered baking dish and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.

It's pretty foolproof.

Once the stuffing was on it's way, I prepped my chicken; slathering it with lemon zest, chopped sage, rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper, garlic powder, lemon juice and a bit of chicken stock. I also put half a lemon and some of the herbs in the cavity of the bird. While this was starting to cook, I roasted one head of garlic (with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper) alongside it in the oven. Once the garlic had roasted and cooled; I smeared the chicken with it; getting some of it under the skin along with the herbs. Finally, I basted the chicken a few times to keep it moist and you know the drill - let the internal temperature of the bird come to 170, let the meat rest before carving, yada yada yada.

The acorn squash prep was pretty simple too: diced, coated with olive oil spray, salt, pepper, garlic powder, thyme and a generous helping of nutmeg. The balsamic veggies were pretty much the same deal except I used actual olive oil which was vigorously whisked with the balsamic to make a bit of an emulsion, then mixed with chopped fennel, eggplant and yellow squash.

Rockstar's pumpkin pie (courtesy of Fresh Direct) was creamy with an intense fresh pumpkin taste. What a great finish to a great meal!

The result was a post-Thanksgiving feast to remember... and with plenty of leftovers!

Spain Day 12 - Adios

2007-11-05T21:20:00.000-05:00

We woke up, packed up our stinky luggage and waited downstairs for the airport shuttle. After the RRR's and I said our goodbye's to Mitch and Sharpie who were on different flights, we headed to our gate for the long flight home.

There was a bit of time to spare, so we made a pit stop in the duty free shop; yet another chance to unload some Euro coin.

I added some sherry vinegar, wine, and Portuguese olive oil to my Spanish olive oil, port and sausage contraband. Somehow, I managed to make my way through customs unscathed. (Poor Mitch's goodies were confiscated at Logan).

So while it was nice to be on my way to my own bed (and perhaps on my way to the nearest Weight Watchers meeting!) I am going to miss our time in Spain and Portugal. What an adventure!

Spain Day 11 - More Madrid!

2007-11-03T21:47:00.000-04:00

We started the day a bit later and I was certainly grateful for the extra rest. We were all still dragging and I think the last two hectic weeks have caught up with us. And I have to admit, it has been nice to end our jam packed trip with two leisurely days of touring. Mr. RRR stayed back to relax some more while the girls and I walked over to the Palacio Real. The palace was grand and opulent and we were amused by all the tiny unnecessary rooms and the extravagance of the palace.

We needed to recharge already (it was only about 11:30!) so we stopped at a nearby cafe for some cortado and Mitch decided to feed the chubby little birds that had gathered around our table. We made quite a grand exit when Mitch broke a plate getting up. Our waitress was already annoyed at us for trying to unload all our Euro coin so we made a hasty exit.

After a long indecisive walk to find some lunch we grabbed some quick take out items and had lunch outside the Thyssen Museum. We split up and Mitch and I headed to the Italian Renaissance rooms and eventually dragged our way to the ground floor where we met up with RRR and Sharpie and collectively decided we were all in need of a siesta.

We napped and headed to the Plaza Mayor for a drink before dinner. We split a pitcher of sangria and it seems Mr. RRR has now mastered the art of ordering Tanguray and tonic in Spanish. (His Spanish was pitch perfect!)

We went to dinner at the famed Botin restaurant, whose claim to fame was that it was a haunt of Hemingway's. They are also known for their suckling pig, we shall see how it compares to Segovia's Jose Maria. The restaurant was pretty touristy and we were seated in the basement dining area where we ordered some appetizers.

We started with the mushrooms in a garlicky oil with tiny slivers of firm jamon. We also ordered the artichoke hearts and grean beans, all served with a bit of salty ham. RRR and I split the suckling pig and a chicken dish, tasty thigh meat in a slightly creamy sauce with tender rice.

The pig was pretty good; thick crispy skin on the outside and stringy bits of pork on the inside. However, I have been spoiled by Jose Maria and he is by far the victor in the battle of suckling pig supremacy.

We finished up and sauntered back to the hotel with a final pit stop for some helado. I somehow got a second wind, so RRR and I headed out to the Plaza Oriente and sat down at the Cafe de Oriente for an after dinner drink. Fittingly I had a glass of Tio Pepe white sherry, a bit dry for my taste but a nice nightcap nonetheless, and RRR had a coffee and a glass of wine. We discussed our trip highlights and how Madrid was a city that really was beyond our expectations.

In all our trip planning, I had spent the least amount of time researching Madrid and I really didn't know what to expect from this city. What I found was a place that was very reminiscent of Paris, that simply oozes culture and is filled with food, shops and museums just waiting to be discovered.

Finally, it was off to bed and getting ready for our big travel day home.

Spain Day 10 - Madrid

2007-11-02T20:24:00.000-04:00

I woke up pretty tired this morning, most likely due to the fact that my bed was on a slope and I spent most of the night dreaming I was sliding downhill...

We headed downstairs for the continental breakfast which couldn't compare to our breakfast in Porto but it wasn't that bad.

After we ate, we headed out to Plaza Mayor. It was pretty but since it was a bit early for the Madrid locals, we just saw a bunch of delivery trucks heading to the various cafes situated around the Plaza.

We spent some time searching for the Mercado San Miguel but it was being gutted so that market visit was a no-go. Instead we walked up to Puerta del Sol, where again we found ourselves S.O.L. for finding a market. We did stumble upon a nice deli where we stocked up on some meats. Then we finally found an indoor market and bought some fruit, bread, olives and cookies for our day of exploring.

With our goodies in tow, we went to the Jardins Botanico where we wandered around and I took a ridiculous amount of pictures. There were a lot of beautiful flowers, plants and trees but not everything was in bloom - so I can only imagine how gorgeous it is in the spring!

From there it was a short walk uphill to the Park Retiro. I expected the park to be a lot like Central Park but instead found it to be more lush and peaceful. We stopped there for a picnic lunch and recharged our batteries since we were all a bit weary - I think yesterday's big travel day caught up to us!

RRR and Mr. RRR headed back to the hotel for a siesta and Mitch, Sharpie and I headed off to the Reina Sofia to enjoy some modern art. One of my favorites was Dali's Girl and the Sea and I did the touristy thing and bought a postcard of the painting in the museum gift shop. We also enjoyed Picasso's Guernica, a depiction of the 1937 attack on the small town in Northern Spain that Picasso painted for the 1937 World's Fair, and the sketches that lead to this work of art.

We eventually made our way back to the Hotel Opera and took a much needed siesta. We were a bit restless, so RRR, Mr. RRR, Sharpie and I took a short walk up the street and settled in at a sidewalk cafe for some drinks and to soak up the late afternoon sun. After blowing about twelve Euro on two plates of potato chips and a dish of olives (you would think we learned our lesson in Sintra) we enjoyed some potent sangria.

Later, we headed to the area of Salamanca and had tapas at Jose Luis. We shared a delicious tortilla (one of the better ones of the trip) which was served on toasts with a creamy potato center. We also had salmon with cheese on toasts, cured jamon, a couple of ham croquettes and our requisite shrimp and garlic.

We were going to order some more but our waiter told us that we had ordered enough for the five of us and basically our eyes were bigger than our stomachs. (Little does he know!) Mr. RRR departed from his usual meat-fest and enjoyed some delightful green beans with ham.

After a detour through Puerta de Sol we finished the evening off with a trip to Chocolateria San Gines in Royal Madrid for some wine, chocolate and churros. Much better than our churros in Sevilla! By this point the sangria and wine from dinner had gotten the best of me and I couldn't even finish my last glass of wine.

We stumbled home and I had a restless booze-filled sleep...

Portugal Day 6 aka Spain Day 9 - Planes, Trains and Automobiles

2007-11-01T20:03:00.000-04:00

Woke up this morning and (finally) had a nice long workout with RRR and Sharpie. We made one final trip to the Sheraton's concierge lounge for breakfast. After we ate, we watched a few episodes of Queer Eye (which seems to be on an endless marathon in Portugal!) and headed out a bit early for the train station. This turned out to be a good thing since my timetable from Rail Europe was outdated and our train to Lisbon was 25 minutes earlier than we anticipated! We got on the correct express train (versus yesterday's 3 hour local train) and were on our way to Lisbon where we will be catching an evening flight to Madrid.

We got off the train and hopped in two cabs to the airport. I was a bit worried about security and customs in a country where I do not speak the language and was bringing farm products across borders but all was for naught. My bro-in-law, Mr. RRR, didn't fare so well, being cited for some water bottles that were in remote pockets of his knapsack. Nothing like being yelled at in a language you don't understand!

We had some time to kill so we ate at the self-service cafeteria. It actually wasn't that bad. I had a cured ham sandwich with some veggie soup with a carrot base and a few green beans, finished with a touch of cream. After lunch, we checked in and waited some more...eventually deciding to have some wine and chocolate - just to pass time of course!

It was finally time to board our plane which was very Jet Blue sans televisions. We all squeezed in a row and Sharpie and I mapped out a loose itinerary for our two days in Madrid.

We got to our hotel which was a bit dumpy but at least it was clean. We went to bed and got ready for an early day of exploring in Madrid.