This is what my boss must have meant...
Monday, May 17, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
all i want to do this sunday is lay in bed and watch the original star wars trilogy...
and eat these william sonoma cookies:
and make these:
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
our mexican intern just returned from a trip home and brought back obleas, which i've never had before.
it's like eating two jesus wafers (aka. bodies of christ) stuck together by tangy, sugary caramel. the tang, from the addition of goats milk, is kind of strange, but awesomely delicious too.
basically...best intern ever!
it's like eating two jesus wafers (aka. bodies of christ) stuck together by tangy, sugary caramel. the tang, from the addition of goats milk, is kind of strange, but awesomely delicious too.
basically...best intern ever!
Monday, April 19, 2010
Friday, April 16, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
my first yelp review: http://www.yelp.com/biz/elizabeth-new-york#hrid:VAW66emb4hcmWFDQtjfWjA/src:self
Elizabeth
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Nolita
Neighborhood: Nolita
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
i was so excited to watch life on sunday that i made a little viewing snack. bruschetta was a good idea, since once it was assembled, i didn't have to take my eyes off the screen to eat it.
bruschetta, pronounced "broo-sket-ta," originated in Central Italy supposedly as far back as the 15th century. it originally consisted of grilled bread rubbed with garlic and topped with olive oil, salt and pepper.
my version is a basic tomato one...next time i might try something with cheese...i mean, what doesn't taste better with a little cheese?
ingredients
1 baguette, thinly sliced about 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch (when we went to the market, there were no baguettes left, so we used portuguese heroes, which were actually better size-wise -- each piece of bruschetta made for a 2 bite snack!)
4-5 vine-ripe tomatoes, diced
1 handful of chiffonade basil
2 tbs of chopped parsley
half of large onion diced
1-2 minced cloves of garlic (i like a lot)
olive oil (using a flavorful EVOO will make a huge difference, since the flavor is unadulterated by cooking; e.g., 365 EVOO from Whole Foods is an affordable option)
balsamic vinegar
s&p
what you'll need
1 large baking sheet
1 large mixing bowl
serrated knife (i find that a serrated knife is best for chopping tomatoes)
prep
preheat oven to 375 degrees. place sliced baguette on a baking sheet. prep all chopped vegetables and herbs. try to chop the tomatoes in an even dice. chop up the onion and mince the garlic, so you don't get large chunks of either, while eating. to chiffonade basil easily, wrap the largest leaf around a bundle, hold at one end and slice through the length of the leaf, so that there are essentially little ribbons of basil. combine the herbs, tomatoes, onion and garlic in a bowl. add two tablespoons of olive oil to the mixture and drizzle balsamic vinegar to taste. while the balsamic vinegar is optional, i like that it adds a tangy sweetness, which is great when you can't get the best-tasting tomatoes. make sure to season with salt and pepper generously. toss the mixture and refrigerate. toast baguette in the oven for about 10 minutes. watch closely to prevent burning. remove the baguette slices from the oven and drizzle each piece with olive oil. add a heap of tomato mixture on top of each baguette and serve immediately.
bruschetta, pronounced "broo-sket-ta," originated in Central Italy supposedly as far back as the 15th century. it originally consisted of grilled bread rubbed with garlic and topped with olive oil, salt and pepper.
my version is a basic tomato one...next time i might try something with cheese...i mean, what doesn't taste better with a little cheese?
ingredients
1 baguette, thinly sliced about 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch (when we went to the market, there were no baguettes left, so we used portuguese heroes, which were actually better size-wise -- each piece of bruschetta made for a 2 bite snack!)
4-5 vine-ripe tomatoes, diced
1 handful of chiffonade basil
2 tbs of chopped parsley
half of large onion diced
1-2 minced cloves of garlic (i like a lot)
olive oil (using a flavorful EVOO will make a huge difference, since the flavor is unadulterated by cooking; e.g., 365 EVOO from Whole Foods is an affordable option)
balsamic vinegar
s&p
what you'll need
1 large baking sheet
1 large mixing bowl
serrated knife (i find that a serrated knife is best for chopping tomatoes)
prep
preheat oven to 375 degrees. place sliced baguette on a baking sheet. prep all chopped vegetables and herbs. try to chop the tomatoes in an even dice. chop up the onion and mince the garlic, so you don't get large chunks of either, while eating. to chiffonade basil easily, wrap the largest leaf around a bundle, hold at one end and slice through the length of the leaf, so that there are essentially little ribbons of basil. combine the herbs, tomatoes, onion and garlic in a bowl. add two tablespoons of olive oil to the mixture and drizzle balsamic vinegar to taste. while the balsamic vinegar is optional, i like that it adds a tangy sweetness, which is great when you can't get the best-tasting tomatoes. make sure to season with salt and pepper generously. toss the mixture and refrigerate. toast baguette in the oven for about 10 minutes. watch closely to prevent burning. remove the baguette slices from the oven and drizzle each piece with olive oil. add a heap of tomato mixture on top of each baguette and serve immediately.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
guess what i got in the mail today??? little billy's letters!
so excited to read it - check out this posting on boingboing about the book. my fav so far is a letter to the governator!
so excited to read it - check out this posting on boingboing about the book. my fav so far is a letter to the governator!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
beano
love this touching article by pete wells of the times about cooking with his son.
the first time I tried to cook dinner for the fam, i made "stuffed peppers." needless to say, the shins were not impressed. they didn't try to hide that fact either. we ended up eating rice and kimchi that night.
the first time I tried to cook dinner for the fam, i made "stuffed peppers." needless to say, the shins were not impressed. they didn't try to hide that fact either. we ended up eating rice and kimchi that night.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
wagyu burgers
we did a little food walking tour on saturday.
on our way to nicky's (i couldn't make it the whole way - so starving), we stopped at artichoke, for a slice of the sicilian and a slice of the artichoke pizza, which basically tastes like a creamy artichoke dip on top of crusty flatbread. i think i preferred the sicilian this time...the tomato sauce was the edge.
with a nice base in our bellies, we headed over to nicky's for vietnamese iced coffees and split a spicy, classic bahn mi. this visit solidified my desire to never again pay more than 6 dollars for a bahn mi! nicky's hoagies are da bomb. (yes i'm bringing that back.) loaded with pâté, vietnamese ham, roasted ground pork, the crunchy baguette is also topped with a pile of pickled carrots, cucumbers, cilantro and jalapeno. with a gratuitous squirt of sriracha, this sandy puts me in a happy place. a realllly happy place.
at this point, we should have probably stopped thinking about food for at least a couple hours. but, never! we walked over to japan premium beef on great jones street, which has got to be the best street in the city. japanese wagyu retailers, artsy boutiques and firemen! jk. (not really.) picked up a pound of ground wagyu beef, for literally 5 dollars!! not only is the ground beef super affordable for wagyu, these are the best-dressed and most polite butchers you will ever meet. look below! he's smiling!!!!
images by melissa horn, nymag
anyway, we turned all that glorious meat into some pretty handsome burgers. since we were using good quality meat, we wanted the shining flavor to be the meat, so we used few ingredients in the actual patties.
ingredients
1 lb of ground meat
3 tbs of olive oil
1 to 2 tbsp of good quality mustard, plus more for spreading on buns
lot's of freshly ground pepper
kosher salt
buns, preferably brioche or potato
3 tbs of butter
1 large spanish onion, about 2 cups chopped
1 tbs of sherry vinegar
1 tsp of fresh, chopped thyme
additional toppings: cheese (we used a comte, for its meltiness factor), mayo, tomato, lettuce, pickles
what you'll need
mixing bowl
tray or baking sheet, covered with wax paper
saran wrap
knife
cutting board
saute pan
large, shallow pot
wooden spoon
spatula
prep
mix the meat, olive oil, mustard, salt and pepper. do not over mix the meat. form two to three patties and pack it tightly. if you have time, wrap each patty individually in saran wrap and refrigerate overnight.
add two tablespoons of butter and a glob of olive oil to a pot over medium heat. once the butter has melted, add onions and saute over medium-low heat for 20 to 30 minutes. note: the longer this process takes, the better. the onions should be soft, sweet and golden brown, but definitely not burnt. add vinegar and thyme, and season with salt and pepper. cook for another 5 minutes. keep warm.
meanwhile, add olive oil to coat the bottom of the grill pan or saute pan (over medium-high heat - oil should be shimmering, not smoking). add the burger patties and sear for 3 minutes. flip and there should be a nice caramelized crust. if you feel like being totally indulgent, drizzle a little bit of clarified butter on top of the patties. i mean, butter makes everything taste better. either way, immediately add cheese slices and cover the pan so that the cheese melts. cook for another couple minutes (depending on thickness) and serve burgers, with the caramelized onions and on the buns.
on our way to nicky's (i couldn't make it the whole way - so starving), we stopped at artichoke, for a slice of the sicilian and a slice of the artichoke pizza, which basically tastes like a creamy artichoke dip on top of crusty flatbread. i think i preferred the sicilian this time...the tomato sauce was the edge.
with a nice base in our bellies, we headed over to nicky's for vietnamese iced coffees and split a spicy, classic bahn mi. this visit solidified my desire to never again pay more than 6 dollars for a bahn mi! nicky's hoagies are da bomb. (yes i'm bringing that back.) loaded with pâté, vietnamese ham, roasted ground pork, the crunchy baguette is also topped with a pile of pickled carrots, cucumbers, cilantro and jalapeno. with a gratuitous squirt of sriracha, this sandy puts me in a happy place. a realllly happy place.
at this point, we should have probably stopped thinking about food for at least a couple hours. but, never! we walked over to japan premium beef on great jones street, which has got to be the best street in the city. japanese wagyu retailers, artsy boutiques and firemen! jk. (not really.) picked up a pound of ground wagyu beef, for literally 5 dollars!! not only is the ground beef super affordable for wagyu, these are the best-dressed and most polite butchers you will ever meet. look below! he's smiling!!!!
images by melissa horn, nymag
anyway, we turned all that glorious meat into some pretty handsome burgers. since we were using good quality meat, we wanted the shining flavor to be the meat, so we used few ingredients in the actual patties.
ingredients
1 lb of ground meat
3 tbs of olive oil
1 to 2 tbsp of good quality mustard, plus more for spreading on buns
lot's of freshly ground pepper
kosher salt
buns, preferably brioche or potato
3 tbs of butter
1 large spanish onion, about 2 cups chopped
1 tbs of sherry vinegar
1 tsp of fresh, chopped thyme
additional toppings: cheese (we used a comte, for its meltiness factor), mayo, tomato, lettuce, pickles
what you'll need
mixing bowl
tray or baking sheet, covered with wax paper
saran wrap
knife
cutting board
saute pan
large, shallow pot
wooden spoon
spatula
prep
mix the meat, olive oil, mustard, salt and pepper. do not over mix the meat. form two to three patties and pack it tightly. if you have time, wrap each patty individually in saran wrap and refrigerate overnight.
add two tablespoons of butter and a glob of olive oil to a pot over medium heat. once the butter has melted, add onions and saute over medium-low heat for 20 to 30 minutes. note: the longer this process takes, the better. the onions should be soft, sweet and golden brown, but definitely not burnt. add vinegar and thyme, and season with salt and pepper. cook for another 5 minutes. keep warm.
meanwhile, add olive oil to coat the bottom of the grill pan or saute pan (over medium-high heat - oil should be shimmering, not smoking). add the burger patties and sear for 3 minutes. flip and there should be a nice caramelized crust. if you feel like being totally indulgent, drizzle a little bit of clarified butter on top of the patties. i mean, butter makes everything taste better. either way, immediately add cheese slices and cover the pan so that the cheese melts. cook for another couple minutes (depending on thickness) and serve burgers, with the caramelized onions and on the buns.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
mom just sent this to me
she loves the gags
http://www.youtube.com/user/ladygagaofficial?blend=1&ob=4
http://www.youtube.com/user/ladygagaofficial?blend=1&ob=4
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
the minimalist
yums - recipe from bittman of the times
Evan Sung for The New York Times
Creamy Polenta With Parmesan and Sausage
Ingredients
1 cup medium-to-coarse cornmeal
Salt
1/2 to 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste
2 tablespoons butter
Freshly ground black pepper.
Prep
1. Put oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add sausages and cook, turning occasionally, until well browned on all sides and cooked through, about 20 minutes. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, put cornmeal in a medium saucepan along with 1 cup water and whisk well to make a slurry; continue whisking mixture to eliminate any lumps. Put pan over medium-high heat, sprinkle with salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, whisking frequently and adding water as needed to keep mixture loose and free of lumps, between 3 and 4 more cups. If mixture becomes too thick, simply add a bit more water; consistency should be similar to sour cream’s.
3. Polenta will be done in 15 to 30 minutes, depending on grind. Add cheese and butter. Taste and add salt, if necessary, and lots of pepper; serve topped with sausages.
Yield: 4 servings.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
aldea
photos by jerry erricoportuguese-american chef george mendes opened aldea in may 2009 on 17th street. having worked with celebrated top chefs, like david bouley, roger vergé, alain ducasse and martin berasategui, mendes fuses his exceptional culinary training and family heritage at aldea.
while someone with his culinary resume could easily succumb to delusions of grandeur, mendes' dishes are surprisingly simple, refined and elegant. his presentations are clean, whimsical yet still look like the actual food.
the menu is divided into 5 sections: petiscos (or small bites), charcuterie, appetizers, meat, and fish and shellfish.
to start, we had the sea urchin toast, accompanied with cauliflower cream, sea lettuce and lime; the salt cod croquettas with garlic-truffle aioli; and dry-cured portuguese ham, presunto. the sea urchin was light, sweet and delicate, and sat on top of a nicely-toasted piece of bread. i enjoyed it for its varied texture and the balance of sweet and savory. the croquettas, i have to admit were good, although i felt it was obvious that a ball of fry served with garlic-truffle aioli was going to be alright. sure there can be good and bad croquettas, but in the end, it will still be a croquetta. my dining companions surely rolled their eyes as i professed this sentiment. the presunto wasn't spectacular. the only reaction i had was that tasted like a poor man's prosciutto di parma.
next, we had the lightly-cured fluke with meyer lemon, almond milk and crunchy soy. slippery and subtle and delicious!
we enjoyed the chatham cod, encrusted in sea salt before its seared and served with braised cranberry beans, tomato confit and tarragon-parsley coulis, but the shining star of the night was the arroz de pato. paella-type crusty rice is topped with duck confit, chorizo, olive and duck cracklings - no question that we cleaned the plate. in the words of rae rae: YUMMO.
had i been dining alone, i might have ordered a bit differently...perhaps the crispy pork belly with apple cider and szechuan pepper...or the foie gras terrine with caramelized bartlett pear, vanilla-pear puree and blis maple syrup or the baby cuttlefish served with caramelized lychee, mentaiko and squid ink...but i can't deny that i left satisfied and content!
Monday, February 22, 2010
pork chops with mustard crust
made pork chops the other night, adapted from a bon appetit recipe:
ingredients
4 pork chops with bone
cooking spray (optional)
handful of chopped parsley
4 tbs of olive oil or melted butter
2 cups of panko breadcrumbs
6 tbs of hot dijon mustard
s&p
what you'll need
9" by 13" roasting pan
knife
cutting board
spoon
prep
preheat oven to 350°F. oil or spray roasting pan. mix melted butter or oil, parsley and 3 tablespoons mustard in medium bowl. mix in breadcrumbs. spread remaining mustard on both sides of pork chops. sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper and arrange in prepared roasting pan.
press breadcrumb mixture evenly atop each pork chop. bake pork chops until cooked through, about 35 minutes.
preheat broiler. broil pork chops, crust side up, until golden brown, watching closely to avoid burning, about 2 minutes.
i served this with a red cabbage & apple slaw and cauliflower gratin.
ingredients
4 pork chops with bone
cooking spray (optional)
handful of chopped parsley
4 tbs of olive oil or melted butter
2 cups of panko breadcrumbs
6 tbs of hot dijon mustard
s&p
what you'll need
9" by 13" roasting pan
knife
cutting board
spoon
prep
preheat oven to 350°F. oil or spray roasting pan. mix melted butter or oil, parsley and 3 tablespoons mustard in medium bowl. mix in breadcrumbs. spread remaining mustard on both sides of pork chops. sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper and arrange in prepared roasting pan.
press breadcrumb mixture evenly atop each pork chop. bake pork chops until cooked through, about 35 minutes.
preheat broiler. broil pork chops, crust side up, until golden brown, watching closely to avoid burning, about 2 minutes.
i served this with a red cabbage & apple slaw and cauliflower gratin.
defonte's of brooklyn
i started to write this on friday, but ran home and forgot to post:
to make up for the horrible lunch i had yesterday, a "low-fat tuna salad" sandwich (i question whether it was actually low in fat and if it even was tuna), i had to seriously redeem myself today.
i asked myself a question that seriously takes up most mornings, what can i eat for lunch that will be delicious? trying to look busy, i suddenly remembered reading about some sandwich shop, on some street, known for some yummy sandwich. after frantically searching through old e-mails and countless, futile attempts at the google machine, i was finally victorious: defonte's of brooklyn.
defonte's on 261 third avenue is the 2nd branch of the 88-year-old red hook hero shop, founded by nick defonte, an italian immigrant who decided to sell sandwiches after not being able to find work, according to new york magazine. brother, i know how that goes...
i had the pleasure of experiencing why defonte's has been around for so long, especially now, when restaurants have popped up and out faster than you can say "tyra is going weaveless!" when i got to defonte's, i don't know how helpless i looked, but a kind gentleman behind the counter swiftly guided me through the menu, pointing out the hot roast beef (injection! jk) and the pork hero.
i happily left with the pork hero and devoured it within 10 minutes of returning to my desk. the bread's crust was crunchy and what was left of the interior was fluffy and chewy. my sandy guy had pulled out most of the interior to presumably make room for the two inches of thinly-sliced, hot, flavor-packed roasted pork with a slice of swiss. below that was a crispy, paper-thin layer of fried eggplant. side note: do you have a "fry" equation? how much more delicious does X food item become when you add "fry?" i think this sandwich was at least 1.5 times more delicious.
back to the meatwich, underneath the mountain of pork and eggplant, laid what is oddly named, hot salad. hot salad is a pickled and spicy medley of veggies, served cold, including: celery, bell peppers, sport peppers, pickles, zucchini and cauliflower! my colleagues got to hear me, for the brief, but probably horrifically memorable moments in which i feasted.
so...i'm probably going back. tomorrow. if i can brave the cold and walk there.
amazing phone picture, which will surely make this sandwich seem even more tantalizing!
to make up for the horrible lunch i had yesterday, a "low-fat tuna salad" sandwich (i question whether it was actually low in fat and if it even was tuna), i had to seriously redeem myself today.
i asked myself a question that seriously takes up most mornings, what can i eat for lunch that will be delicious? trying to look busy, i suddenly remembered reading about some sandwich shop, on some street, known for some yummy sandwich. after frantically searching through old e-mails and countless, futile attempts at the google machine, i was finally victorious: defonte's of brooklyn.
(i didn't take this picture)
defonte's on 261 third avenue is the 2nd branch of the 88-year-old red hook hero shop, founded by nick defonte, an italian immigrant who decided to sell sandwiches after not being able to find work, according to new york magazine. brother, i know how that goes...
i had the pleasure of experiencing why defonte's has been around for so long, especially now, when restaurants have popped up and out faster than you can say "tyra is going weaveless!" when i got to defonte's, i don't know how helpless i looked, but a kind gentleman behind the counter swiftly guided me through the menu, pointing out the hot roast beef (injection! jk) and the pork hero.
i happily left with the pork hero and devoured it within 10 minutes of returning to my desk. the bread's crust was crunchy and what was left of the interior was fluffy and chewy. my sandy guy had pulled out most of the interior to presumably make room for the two inches of thinly-sliced, hot, flavor-packed roasted pork with a slice of swiss. below that was a crispy, paper-thin layer of fried eggplant. side note: do you have a "fry" equation? how much more delicious does X food item become when you add "fry?" i think this sandwich was at least 1.5 times more delicious.
back to the meatwich, underneath the mountain of pork and eggplant, laid what is oddly named, hot salad. hot salad is a pickled and spicy medley of veggies, served cold, including: celery, bell peppers, sport peppers, pickles, zucchini and cauliflower! my colleagues got to hear me, for the brief, but probably horrifically memorable moments in which i feasted.
so...i'm probably going back. tomorrow. if i can brave the cold and walk there.
amazing phone picture, which will surely make this sandwich seem even more tantalizing!
and if you need another example, here a photo from nyc food guy:
Friday, February 19, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
i would totally dominate the downhill...
and every other olympic sport, if it were based on my daily protein intake
wsj.com
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
random favorite fashion week looks
yup, hate to love her, but victoria beckham:
carolina herrera
chris benz
love the sleek derek lam looks
donna karen
dvf
erin fetherston
halston
jill stuart
marc jacobs
ohne titel
rebecca taylor
thakoon
vera
yeohlee
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pros:
- great, accommodating and multi-tasking bartender - water cup appeared immediately as each person arrived at the bar
- the outdoor garden is romantic, candle-lit, intimate, just special
- garlicky fries packed a powerful punch
- scallops were cooked well (though too much salt) and accompanying cauliflower and grape dish was interesting and delightful, really
cons:
- your reservation does not reserve a seat in the garden, which is first come, first serve (had a reservation at 8:30 p.m., sat outside at 9:06 p.m.)
- the hostess was cold and awkward, not at all gracious; e.g., even though we had been waiting for a while to be seated, when a table finally became available, she expected us to rush while we closed our bar tab. also, we just got new drinks that were filled to the brim and I was surprised that no one offered to bring our drinks out (this experience in and of itself compelled me to write my first yelp review)
- while friendly, the wait staff did not seem to understand when we said, "please bring us our entrees, while we munch on our appetizers"
- waited 20 minutes for the appetizers to arrive and had to ask for bread
verdict: food was good, but not good enough to make up for the spotchy service. i don't know if i'd eat here again, but i'll probably return for a late night drink.