Creative Snacking Inspired by Casellula

This really easy dish was inspired by an awesome visit I recently took with Kimberly to Casellula, a quaint wine and cheese bar in Midtown Manhattan.  But besides the usual suspects, Kimberly and I also ordered the most delicious snack of lavender rosemary popcorn.  The combination was so stupendous that it's been on my mind ever since, and I craved to recreate it at home.

I did a bit of research and found a similar recipe on the Healthy Green Kitchen blog, which I altered a little bit.  Their recipe called for butter, which I chose to omit, instead just using the maple syrup and diluting it with a bit of water.  Unfortunately, I didn't have any lavender on hand, so I had to omit it, but it still came out really good and so crunchy.  Instead, I topped the popcorn with generous amounts of truffle salt, which definitely did the trick.

Take a look at this awesome recipe and try it at home - Dan and I loved snacking on it on a random Sunday night, while we watched Puss in Boots.  Crunch on that.  

Sugarfreak Brunch was a Freakin Success

My We Heart Astoria colleagues, Meg, Mackenzi and I recently met for brunch at Sugarfreak to discuss some We Heart Astoria business.  The meeting was not only incredibly productive, we really enjoyed munching on some hearty, comforting grub.  It's been a while since any of us have been there, and as it happens, brunch here was new to us all.  Here's what we tried:

Hush Puppies - I was so glad when Mackenzi suggested we get this, as I can't exactly turn down fried corn bread.  Surprised by how giant Sugarfreak's version was, I enjoyed them nonetheless.  The outside was crispy as can be, albeit a little oily, while the inside was tender, moist and bready.  Dipping these babies into the spicy remoulade sauce totally hit the spot and made this very New Orleans.

Charbroiled Oysters - Even though I just had oysters the day before at the North Fork Wineries, I was happy to try this version, which was totally different.  Boasting some really generous pieces, their Blue Point oysters on the halfshell had a nice golden color and a really meaty interior.  It felt great to scoop up the meat of the oyster and eat it alongside little pieces of crispy, buttery bread.

Jambalaya and Eggs - Since I loove me some jambalaya, this had my name all over it.  There were two fried eggs on top of the actual jambalaya, and I'm happy to report that they had perfectly runny yolks that you can spread over the spicy rice interior.  Although I had the jambalaya here before, I totally forgot how awesome it was, peppered with chunky pieces of andouille sausage and even some seafood action.  The whole thing was incredibly hearty and something that can tide you over for well half the day - hands down.

Dessert - Although we were so incredibly full, we couldn't refuse a generous offer of a dessert trio, including a butterscotch rice pudding topped with popcorn, a classic order of begneits, and also their bourbon bread pudding.  Out of those, the rice pudding was my absolute favorite.  Loving the juxtaposition in texture between the crunchy popcorn and the soft, silky pudding, the flavors were also totally in sync.  The homemade whipped cream was the cherry on this proverbial cake, and I just couldn't get enough of the whole combination.

Service and Cost:
We received great service here, as everyone was super attentive, even during the peak of brunch.  Our waters were refilled without even one look at our waiter, and dirty plates cleaned before we could lick our chops.

Costs are reasonable and include:

Brunch entrees - $13 - $14.50
Starters - $7-12
Sides - $4-$7.50

3 Mmmms

Sugarfreak - 36-18 30th Avenue, Astoria NY 11106
718.726.5850
N/Q Train to 30th Avenue
www.sugarfreak.com

Friday is National Eat Outside Day - For Real!

Recently learning about this random yet fun little food holiday through Mojave's newsletter, I was only too happy to start thinking about some of my favorite places in Astoria with the best outdoor spots.  Mojave of course tops the list, but here are a few others.  For the record, National Eat Outside Day is this Friday, August 31st.  Happy dining!

Mojave - My We Heart Astoria colleague, Meg recently shouted them out as having a beautiful outdoor space, and she has some pretty neat pictures up on the site.  I couldn't agree more and think Mojave is a great respite after a long grueling day in the city.  My favorites to get are their frozen margaritas (especially the mango), the plantain empanadas appetizer, Motherroad Roadhouse Chili (yes...even during the summer!) and any of their fajitas.  22-36 31st Street, Astoria.  718.545.4100

Ovelia - Being around for a few years now, Ovelia has always had fabulous sidewalk seating that snakes around the side of the restaurant.  It's also great when they open up their "garage door" window, which makes you feel like you're sitting outside even if you're technically inside.  There's so many awesome yummies you can grab here including their fried feta cubes, coated in black sesame seeds; fried-to-perfection zucchini croquettes; the spicy kafteri feta dip and more!  34-01 30th Avenue, Astoria.  718.721.7217

5 Napkin Burger - Even though you normally may not think of this place as a choice for outdoor dining, their sidewalk seating is enormous, and it's right in the middle of the 35th Avenue action.  I love this place a lot because their food really accommodates any kind of diet restrictions, as both carnivores and vegetarians can chow down without compromise.  Although I'm far from a vegetarian, I often get their veggie burger, since it's so darn exceptional and filling.  Don't forget to get a side of sweet potato fries along with it.  35-01 36th Street, Astoria.  718.433.2727

Winegasm - Recently coming here with Mackenzi, we sat outside and enjoyed a really pleasant evening.  While the outdoor seating isn't as extensive as some of the other places I mention here, it's really nice and generally provides a private atmosphere.  If you're just stopping in for a quick snack, I urge you to try the mushroom crostini, which contains generous amounts of truffle oil and gooey fontina cheese.  31-86 37th Street, Astoria.  718.932.3331

At Home! - While we enjoy eating out as a special treat, there's nothing like cooking your own homemade meal and eating it on the porch, in the backyard, on the front stoop, front yard or what have you.  Some delicious resources that will surely keep you stocked with interesting foods include: Mediterranean Foods, Artopolis Bakery (just next door to Med Foods), Titan Foods, Parrot Coffee Market, Rosario's and more.  

Happy Eat Outside Day!

My Food Guide to the U.S. Open

With the U.S. Open in full swing, lots of you may be checking out the action in person and taking advantage of this awesome event right in our neck of the woods.  For those of you who are depending on the food court to get your grub on, stop right there and reconsider, as I've put together a quick where to eat guide for you that falls out of bounds of the Billie Jean King Tennis Center.

Tortilleria Nixtamal - The easiest stop over on your way to or from the tennis center, all you have to do is get off at the 103rd street stop on the 7 and bring your appetite.  True that this place is on the intimate side, but you won't be sorry as you indulge in their homemade tortillas used in their famously delicious tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas and more.  The tamales are also a big must, and I personally recommend the pork tamale verde.  104-05 47th Avenue, Corona.  718.699.2434

Tuk-Tuk - If you're coming to the Open from the city, stop at the Vernon Blvd/Jackson Avenue stop on the 7 and hit up this awesome Thai eatery.  Not only is the atmosphere really mod and interesting, the food comes out fast and it's really tasty.  If you'd like to properly sustain yourself before the games, I suggest you get the pineapple duck curry, featuring crispy duck, sweet chunks of pineapple, bathed in a slightly spicy curry broth.  49-06 Vernon Blvd, LIC.  718.472.5598

Czech-Slovak Varieties Store - Paying homage to my Slovak roots, I often stop in at this store to load up on snacks before going to Flushing Meadows.  I stock up on my Slovak sweet treats such as chocolate wafer cookies called Tatranky, Fidorky, all the Kinder I can ever want, chrumky and other native snacks that last me through the games.  If you're just curious to see what they have, don't be afraid to pop in and give them a customary "Dobry Den" greeting (means good day).   10-59 Jackson Avenue, LIC.  718.752.2093

Salt and Fat - Many may have heard of this place but haven't yet had the opportunity to go.  Here's your chance, as it's again right off the 7 train on the 40th Avenue Lowery Street stop.  Like its name suggests, this won't be a light meal, but it's also really memorable, featuring menu items such as Korean BBQ wraps, pork belly buns, a crispy pork trotter and even a foie gras with bacon brittle.  See a pattern here?! That's right...bring on the pig!    41-16 Queens Blvd, Sunnyside.  718.433.3702

New World Mall Food Court - While in Flushing, I urge you to take advantage of all the culinary wonders that it provides, including the fabulous food courts at the big malls.  One of these is the New World Mall food court, which is just enormous and super affordable.  From sweet red bean sesame buns to savory pork ones, surf and turf stir fry made before your eyes, and desserts such as all the tangy bubble tea you can drink, this is a true gem and a culinary Mecca.  40-21 Main Street, Flushing.  718.353.0551

Hope you get to try some of these eats, and if you have other suggestions, I'm all ears. Enjoy the games!

Taste of Tennis Aces it Again

With the official start of the U.S. Open tomorrow, everyone's excited and all the top tennis talent is in town.  I'm of course all about it, and have started to observe the season early, with Thursday's awesome Taste of Tennis event at the W Hotel that I cover each year.  I'm happy to report both an elevation in talent (Serena!) and the food really aced it. Let the games begin!

Before we get to all the tennis talent, let's talk about the food and the awesome star-studded chefs.  Some of the names have been on the Taste of Tennis docket for a few years now, and they keep folks coming back, while some chefs like Barbuto's (and Top Chef Maters) Jonathan Waxman and culinary TV personality, Gail Simmons made their debuts this year.  I hope they'll be back next year, along with some of these awesome veterans:

Marc Murphy of Landmarc
John Mooney of Bell, Book & Candle
Jonathan Waxman of Barbuto
Craig Wallen of Spasso
Kerry Heffernan (Top Chef Masters Season 4)
Roberto Deiaco of Armani Ristorante
Daniel Holzman of The Meatball Shop
Brian Ray of Buddakan
Frank Maldonado of Sazon & Sofrito
David Craine of BLT Bar & Grill
Emma Hearst of Sorella
Julian Medina of Yearba Buena
Marco Porceddu of Asselina
Fernando Navas of Sushi Samba
Adriano Ricco of STK Out
Marc Anthony Bynum of M Bynum Anthony
Chris Leahy of Lexington Brass
Angel Elon of Baking by Design
Peter Andino of Heartbeat
Jehangir Mehta of Graffiti
Romuald Jung of Bagatelle NYC

My Favorite Eats:
While everything at the event was delectable, there were a couple of stand-out dishes that kept event goers lined up and swooning over each bite.  Here are my personal faves that have inspired me to try some of these restaurants in the future.

Sea Scallops with Potato Foam from Armani Ristorante - Surprised that this place actually exists, it was even more astounding to see a huge line of people waiting to try it.  Once I got a look (and a whiff), I understood why.  The giant sea scallops were impressive, and cooked to perfection, sporting a beautifully caramelized crust.  But the most interesting part was the light-as-air potato foam that was served along the side, as well as the fragrant baby artichokes, kissed with a bit of truffle flavoring.  It was wealth on a plate so to speak...very Armani.

Gnocchi a la Parisienne from Bagatelle - Being a total sucker for gnocchi, I really enjoyed this bite sized portion, placed in a wide serving spoon.  Even though it was a small bite, a lot of thought went into it--the tiny gnocchi dressed with truffle pesto and additional truffle sauce. Since the flavors were pretty strong, I immediately comprehended the small portion - it was another luxurious dish worth trying at the actual restaurant.

Arroz Negro Paella from Yerba Buena - Originally I wasn't even going to go for this, but then the friendly Yerba representatives including Chef Medina talked me into it.  Deliciously out of this world, the squid ink rice was perfectly cooked and contained deep seafood flavors from the white fish, calamari and scallops.  I liked that it was pretty light despite a complexity of ingredients, dressed with a green pepper sofrito that gave it an earthy edge.

Roasted Stuffed Fig from Asselina - Another big highlight for me, this was presented beautifully on a rustic wooden board.  Chef Porceddu proudly displayed the perfectly round figs, which were enveloped by a golden prosciutto blanket and stuffed with creamy goat cheese and fresh herbs.  It reminded me a little bit of The Spotted Pig's Devils on a Horseback, which is a fabulous combination of sweet and savory.

Red Velvet "Love" from Baking by Design - Since I'm a huge dessert person, I couldn't wait to dig into these little beauties, which were presented in adorable little parfait cups.  Layered with the red velvet cake, cream cheese mousse, raspberry jam and chocolate rice crispies, it was the most interesting rendition of a deconstructed red velvet.  I loved digging down all the way to the bottom of the cup and mixing in the jam with the decadent cake - heavenly!

Heavy Hitter Tennis Talent:
Besides photographing all the awesome tennis stars on the "green carpet," I got to see them again at the event, a lot of them actually lending a helping hand to the chefs.  It was so neat to see them pitching in, with their aprons on and serving customers, chatting them up and really interacting.  It was a brand new element to this event, and I thought it was a great move.  Here's who was present:

Serena Williams (2012 Wimbledon winner and 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist - USA)
Bob and Mike Bryan (2012 Olympics Gold Medalists - USA)
Victoria Azarenka (BEL)
James Blake (USA)
Sam Stosur (AUS)
Fernando Verdasco (ESP)
Janko Tipsarevic (SER)
Mardy Fish (USA)
Mirjana Lucic (CRO)
Tommy Haas (DEU)
Daniela Hantuchova (SVK - my home country!)

I hope you're all excited about the games, which start tomorrow.  And look out for my upcoming U.S. Open guide to good eats!

My Generously Stuffed Tomatoes

My philosophy is...if you've got a surplus of something, create a new dish, which is exactly where these stuffed tomatoes came from.  In the process of making a zucchini and chicken sausage casserole, I found myself with a lot of leftover orange zucchini.  Naturally not wanting it to go to waste, I thought it could create a  wonderful stuffing for the three ripe tomatoes I also happened to have lying around in the fridge.  Improvising a pretty easy dish, it was success all around, including getting high marks on the healthy scale.  I hope you get to try it at home and change it up in any way that suits you.

Fooditka's Stuffed Tomatoes

Ingredients (serves 2)
2 medium ripe tomatoes, cut in half and scooped out with a spoon (or your fingers)
1/2 cup of panko breadcrumbs
1/2 large orange zucchini, finely chopped
1/2 small yellow onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 475 degrees.  Mix the panko with a little bit of oil, salt and pepper.

Sautee the onions and garlic, being careful not to let it burn.  Combine with the orange zucchini and cook for about 5-7 minutes until, soft and slightly golden brown.  Season with salt and pepper.

Place stuffing into the scooped out tomatoes and top with breadcrumbs.  Place all of this in a ceramic dish that has been slightly oiled.

Bake for about 10 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Celebrating our Awesome Food Trucks Right in LIC

Sure I love to indulge in some of New York's mobile treats, and we have a whole food truck lot right outside of my building at work, but why should it be only for Manhattanites?  For those of you who love the food truck scene (and Astoria/LIC of course) will know that since last year, we've set up a food truck lot on Crescent Street, near 44th Road.  Just like a lot of the lots in the city, the Long Island City Food Truck Lot operates in a similar fashion, where they get a steady rotation of the NYC's most famous gourmet food trucks.  Taking place each Thursday and Friday from 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. you can catch anything there, from Asian Fusion, Mexican, good ol' American comfort food and of course desserts.

I wanted to shout-out one dessert truck in particular that's a favorite of mine that'll be at the lot tomorrow.  The one, the only Treats Truck will be present in full-on sweet glory serving up their signature treats such their sandwich cookies, brownies and crispy squares.  My personal favorites are their oatmeal jammy cookies, stuffed with raspberry jam, as well as their crunchy and slightly crumbly peanut butter sandwich cookies.

Don't forget to bring a bottle of water (or milk) with you to wash down all that goodness.
The Treats Truck will be at the lot tomorrow from 11:00 a.m. - 3 p.m. 

LIC Food Truck Lot - 43-29 Crescent Street, LIC NY 11101
N/Q Train to Queensboro Plaza
www.nycfoodtrucks.org

Achieving a Proper Winegasm

I know what some of you may be thinking, "did she have to go there?!" Yes. I did. Come on people...loosen up and just go with it.  Anywho...

Wanting to re-visit Winegasm for a while now, I was incentivized by a Scoutmob deal for $10 off.  For those of you who haven't yet downloaded this nifty little mobile app, I urge you to go right ahead, as it'll change your life and bring you tons of advantageous savings.  

Mackenzi and I headed over to this wino haven last weekend for some casual snacks and wine, both of which were delicious, the vibe being fabulously chill.  We also really found ourselves enjoying the mild temperature that we soaked up from dining al fresco.

Snacks:
Since neither one of us was particularly hungry, we went for a few sharable snacks, which I'll go into now.  The portions were quite generous, and I'd highly recommend getting them if wanting to go halfsies with a buddy.  We even had some leftovers, which was encouraging.

Muhammara Dip - While I've had this before with Dan, it didn't stand out to me as much as this time around.  A somewhat creamy but still a little bit chunky dip, it was made up of red peppers (hence its brick orange color) as well as earthy walnuts that gave it a little bite.  Paired with nicely toasted pita bread, the dip was super spreadable and somehow hearty enough like hummus.  I think it'd also go well with protein such as tofu or chicken.

Wild Mushroom Crostini - Although it sounds like a super simple dish, it was actually quite complex and really outstanding.  Its excellence really stemmed from a delicious base, which was a thin piece of perfectly toasted bread that was slightly chewy on the inside.  The topping was brilliant as well, consisting of delicate little pieces of wild mushrooms and curly ringlets of asparagus, which were all melded by a sea of gooey fontina cheese.  A piece-de-resistance was the sprinkling of truffle oil on top that really made all these flavors sing.

Service and Cost:
It's interesting that my previous dining experiences have been somewhat mixed, and we haven't always received great service.  Tonight, that was totally set right, as our server was just awesome, pacing everything out perfectly and having a sense of humor at the same time.    He was also really gracious about us using the Scoutmob coupon, which I sometimes get a little flack for, even though it's totally legit.

Costs are fair, with the above-mentioned apps setting us back $7 and $6 respectively.  We also each had a glass or two of wine, so with all of that, the discount came in really handy.

3 Mmmms

Winegasm - 31-86 37th Street, Astoria NY 11103

718.932.3331

N/Q Train to Broadway

www.winegasmeatery.com

Alobar's Tomato Festival is Coming

Since tomato season is still in full swing, but will begin winding down soon, it's nice to see that restaurants are really taking advantage of all that delicious bounty.  Alobar in particular is making hay with tomatoes through their tomato festival, which is taking place in the first week of September.  Their all-tomato menu ranges from appetizer to even cocktails for a little bit of spirit.  Here's the menu for more inspiration - I hope you get to check it out.
Alobar's Tomato Festival - "A Celebration of all things Tomato"

September 3rd - 9th
2-course special menu with a cocktail or a glass of wine - $30/person

Menu:
Tomato bread and jam for the table
Chorizo, raclette and tomato fondue, toast points
Tomato watermelon salad - roasted scallops and basil sorbet
Spicy tomato shorba - a cold soup native to Algeria
Crab stuffed roasted tomatoes
Tomato and sweet onion crumble - with chive creme fraiche
Roasted tomato housemade ricotta ravioli - with mushroom bacon broth
Grilled wild salmon summer vegetables - stewed in tomato water

Tomato water martini
Freshly squeezed yellow tomato Bloody Mary

Alobar - 46-42 Vernon Blvd, LIC NY 11101
718.752.6000
7 Train to Vernon Blvd/Jackson Avenue
www.alobarnyc.com 

Zucchini and Chicken Sausage Casserole Din-Din

It's been a while since I've made a multi-course Sunday night dinner, but tonight I had the opportunity so I went all out.  Wanting to cook something special but also not too caloric, I was inspired by a recipe that came from September's Everyday Food magazine.  While I altered some of the ingredients such as substituting beef for chicken sausage and using just one kind of squash, I followed the general directions, which resulted in something really delicious.

While I don't think this dish will satiate you on its own, I'd suggest making a fresh veggie salad or an easy side dish to go along with it.  My side dish came in the form of stuffed tomatoes, which I filled with leftover squash that I sauteed with garlic and onions...but more on that later.  Hope you enjoy this recipe and wash it down with a crisp glass of white wine.

Summer Chicken Sausage and Rice Casserole

Ingredients (serves 4)
1/2 cup of fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan (I omitted this)
2 tbs of olive oil, divided
5 cups reserved quick meat sauce (I sauteed chicken sausage and combined it with tomato sauce)
1/2 cup long-grain white rice (I substituted with brown rice.  Please note that the recipe tells you to not pre-cook the rice before mixing it with the other ingredients, but please do cook it or else it will remain extremely al-dente)
1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
2 zucchini or summer squash, very thinly sliced (I only used one of these, the yellow squash, and found that I only needed about a half of it)
Salt and pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 475 degrees.  Combine breadcrumbs, parmesan and 1 tbs of olive oil.  In a large cast iron skillet, bring meat sauce to a rapid simmer over high.  Stir in rice and remove from heat.  *Once again, please pre-cook your rice instead of putting it in raw.*

Top with onion, then carefully arrange zucchini in a single, slightly overlapping layer.  Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with remaining olive oil and top with breadcrumb mixture.

Return to heat and bring to a simmer.  Cover with foil and bake for 10 minutes.  Remove foil and bake until rice is cooked through and breadcrumbs are golden, about 10 minutes more.  Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe adapted from September 2012 issue of Everyday Food

Georgetown Cupcake Comes to NYC

For those of you who know me well are familiar with how enamored I am with cupcakes.  Having tried most well-known cupcakeries in Astoria and NYC, I'm always looking for that next little decadent taste of perfection, and I've recently found it at Georgetown Cupcake, which is now open in NYC.

Being a huge fan of cupcakes, I naturally not only eat them or bake them, I also love to immerse myself in cooking shows that feature them.  One of the better ones out there is TLC's DC Cupcakes, highlighting two sisters and friends who own a bakeshop called Georgetown Cupcake.  It's needless to say that I'm always drooling each time I watch them make their decadent treats, but also marveling at the challenges they constantly overcome that come with owning your own small business.  

It's exciting to see that their cupcake empire is growing, a new outpost opening right here in NYC in the Soho area where I work.  Having now sampled these cupcakes on three occasions, and recently buying them for my friend Dianne's bbq, I just had to tell you about my experience.  

Atmosphere:
A common challenge with fancy bakeries in NYC is that they're super small and often cramped with people (including tourists).  You'd expect Georgetown Cupcake to fall into this category, but it's nice to see they were pretty selective with their space and chose a really long, high-ceiling space on Mercer street, in the heart of Soho.  

Not only is there enough room up front to admire their display case, there's also a nice seating area for people to relax and enjoy their treats on the premises.

Overall, I adore the space and its embellishments, which are really colorful and feminine.  The cupcakes are the main showpiece, as they should be, and they deck the front counter with some pretty elaborate displays.  Good cupcake art is hard to come by, but at Georgetown, they've nailed it with a gargantuan mural of fancy cupcakes, somewhat reminiscent of a Warholian style.  The blinged out pink stand mixer is also something to admire and I just couldn't not snap a photo to record the memory.

Cupcakes:
With about 16 different regular flavors as well as daily specials, choosing a dozen cupcakes here is no easy feat.  But it can be done!  Some of the flavors vary only slightly and I think it's good to go for a couple of classics and then finish off the assortment with some interesting stand-outs.  That's just what I did when picking out my dozen.  While I naturally didn't get to try them all, here are the three that I did:

Red Velvet - The signature Georgetown red velvet cupcake is really sweet, and not in the literal sense.  I like the soft, spongy texture of the dough that's perfectly moist and actually quite simple.  Where things really kick up a notch is in the vanilla, cream cheese frosting that's a wonderful combination of tangy and sweet.  All this goodness is sealed with a red fondant heart, which helps to communicate its red velvetiness.

Banana Split - Because I'm a sucker for banana desserts, I just had to get two of these cupcakes in my dozen to make sure I get to try it.  The inside was made of fresh banana cake with an injection of dark fudge while topped with vanilla buttercream frosting, chocolate fudge, sprinkles, hazelnuts and a maraschino cherry.  The combination was reminiscent of a good quality banana split sundae, just without the ice cream.  I can see kids really going for this one, due to its festive appearance and delicious filling.

PB Fudge - Let's face it...almost everyone loves peanut butter, and especially on desserts, so naturally I could not, not get this cupcake.  Combining a classic valrhona chocolate dough with an airy peanut butter mousse on top as the frosting, it was simple and nostalgic.  While it didn't need much else to add to it, I think fresh slices of banana may be a nice suggestion, as I thought it needed something to cut that richness.

Service and Cost:
Georgetown's experience definitely shines through, as they had a great system down for ordering and picking up your cupcakes.  All the ordering is done up front, after which everyone gets a number and you wait and watch your cupcakes being assembled.  I liked the way this all worked because each order was really arranged with care, each person receiving great customer service.

Costs are expensive, but absolutely worth every penny:

$2.75/cupcake
$15 for 1/2 dozen
$29 for 1 dozen

Georgetown Cupcake - 111 Mercer Street, New York NY 10012
212.431-4504
N/R Train to Prince Street
www.georgetowncupcake.com

Cooking with Julia on her 100th Birthday

Yesterday, we had the great pleasure to commemorate the one, the only American female culinary legend, Julia Child.  Our favorite queen of butter would've been 100 years old yesterday and many honored her in a special way - some by shouting her out on social media (even Google had their own Julia homepage icon), others by watching the recent Julie & Julia flick, while some chose to give their kudos by eating (or in our case cooking) her decadent foods.  Hello butter!

The ladies in my family including my mother-in-law, Vicki and sister-in-law Diana paid homage to Julia by taking a Julia-themed class last night at Sur la Table.  A special menu was devised in Julia's honor to highlight her impeccable cooking skills and the many fabulous ways she used simple ingredients such as eggs, butter, cream, cheese and of course chocolate.  We enjoyed the class immensely, forming quite a collaborative team, and the best part of course was eating everything at the end.  Here's a little more about our experience, including a delicious recipe, courtesy of Sur la Table.

Class Format:
Even though we had little individual stations set up, I liked that we were truly collaborative and cooked up front with Chef Nikki.  Forming teams of three, which was perfect for our trio, we followed the instructions of each recipe together, with Chef Nikki explaining each step and giving us helpful hints along the way.

Though I appreciated the trusty chef's assistants who helped to clean up after anything we did, I thought it was a bit unrealistic.  I actually like the mess you make and appreciate the humbling task of cleaning up, as that's really what you'd get when cooking at home.

While everything was cooking up, we got to shop at the Sur la Table store, which was just upstairs and then returned to feast on our very French meal.  The only thing that was missing for me was a fresh baguette to soak up all the saucy things we made and a full glass of wine.  Otherwise, it was perfection.

Class Menu:
We found all of Julia's quintessential dishes on the menu including a cheese souffle, scallops gratinee, asparagus with hollandaise, and a mousseline au chocolate (aka chocolate mousse).  I have to admit that I was a little worried that my sensitive tummy wouldn't handle all that butter and cream, but because we kept the portions conservative, all was fine.

Scallops Gratinee - Since all three of us adore scallops, we were psyched to make this dish.  The scallops looked relatively large, but reduced quite a bit in size after we poached them in a lovely shallot, vermouth and bayleaf bath.  We made our own veloute sauce to pour on top, which definitely involved a lot of care and attention, also incorporating the poaching liquid from our scallops.  All those flavors mixed together created the most luxurious combination of a velvety, cheesy goodness that went perfectly with the scallops.  Because they reduced in size, they seemed a bit slight, and I would've liked to have the dish full of more seafood (even a side of fish to add).

Cheese Souffle - I love me some souffle, but never really make it at home due to its touchy temperament.  To form the base for this, we made a homemade bechamel sauce, which I have experience with from making Emeril's 4 cheese mac 'n cheese.  Something different was that we seasoned it with paprika and nutmeg, which added a nice hint of flavor to something otherwise bland.  Once mixed in with the fluffy egg whites, which Chef Nikki showed us how to correctly fold in, the souffles were ready to be baked off into light, fluffy clouds.  After they came out and were served immediately, which is very important, we relished in their airiness and tang, which came from the grated Swiss cheese.  I can confidently say that it was the best cheese souffle I've ever had.

Asparagus with Hollandaise - A very simple but still sophisticated side dish, we were taught how to cut our asparagus and tie it in cute little bundles, which were not long after cooked in boiling water for just a few minutes.  The homemade hollandaise sauce served as the topper to this, and was way better than what I'm used to eating during the occasional brunch.  While we separated into groups (one of the groups making the hollandaise by hand, while ours made it with an electric mixer), they both came out very smooth and quite consistent.  I thought that the mixer was an especially effective tool, as it didn't leave much room for mistakes.  While I wouldn't normally make a hollandaise at home, I now may, and will certainly use a mixer to help!

Chocolate Mousse - What would a Julia dinner be without a rich dessert?!  Delighted to hear that we'd be making a chocolate mousse with espresso and orange liqueor, I was ready to learn--especially since my previous attempts at a chocolate mousse weren't successful.   It was interesting to see that the process here was very similar to the cheese souffle, only substituting with sweet ingredients of course.  The end result was fabulous and the espresso and the orange liquor really added intrigue and a pop in flavor that you wouldn't get by just plain old chocolate.  

A Julia Recipe!  Easy Hollandaise Sauce (made in an electric blender)
Courtesy of Sur la Table

Ingredients:
3 egg yolks
1/4 tsp salt
Pinch of pepper
1-2 tbs of lemon juice
4 oz or 1 stick of butter
A towel if you don't have a splatterproof blender jar

Directions:
Place egg yolks, seasonings and 1 tbs of lemon juice in the blender.  You can beat in more when the sauce is done and will know what portions you like for the next time.
Cut the butter into pieces and heat it to foaming hot in a small saucepan.

Cover the jar and blend the egg yolk mixture at top speed for 2 minutes.  Uncover and still blending at top speed, immediately start pouring on the hot butter in a thin stream of droplets (you may need to protect yourself with a towel during this operation).  By the time two thirds of the butter has gone in, the sauce will be a thick cream.  Omit the milky residue at the bottom of the butter pan.  Taste the sauce, and blend in more seasonings if necessary.

If not used immediately, set the jar in tepid, but not warm water.

Happy birthday Julia!  We miss you.

If you're interested in taking a future Sur la Table cooking class, do check out their class schedule.  

Awesome New Eats at the Queens Kickshaw

Even though it's been a couple of months since The Queens Kickshaw expanded their menu to include more than just their specialty grilled cheeses and mac 'n cheese, I just had the opportunity to try it.  Bringing along my new friends Thea and Emily from Eatdrinkjobs, I was able to accomplish two important tasks, including showing off a fabulous Queens venue to my newcomer friends, and at the same time get my hands on some pretty stellar food.  Here are the newbies we tried:

Basket of Knishes - Being a sucker for all things potato, including knishes of course, I couldn't resist this.  Another deciding factor was that these included a blue cheese blend, that I knew would add an interesting element, and it definitely did.  Their size was quite nice too, as they were small and bite sized, which was just perfect for knishes since they tend to be on the heavier side.  Spreading the beer mustard on top of each one added a nice little spicy-sharp tinge of flavor.  

Wild Mushroom Shepherds Pie - Since I really wasn't in the mood for meat that night, I went with the veggie shepherds pie with cauliflower mash on top.  That was actually what really swayed me to get it, as I adore cauliflower and was excited to devour the well done, slightly browned top.  The inside of it was delicious too, and contained a lot of other veggies such as carrots, potatoes, zucchini and of course mushrooms in a red wine reduction.  While I appreciated the veggie medley, I wished that they went heavier on the mushrooms, maybe mixing up different varieties.

Fontina Cheesecake - As soon as we saw this on the menu, we just had to get it, as it screamed of something unique and different.  First off, it looked like ice cream, and we had to prove to ourselves that it was actually made of a cheese custard.  Indeed it was true...it was certainly a cheesecake, with the most unbelievable mousse-like texture, and a hint of that fontina bite at the end.  The deep indigo blackberry sauce added a nice, zingy contrast to each bite, and the cereal crumble made me think of my favorite granola topping.  It felt like a familiar dish, but was far from any kind of cheesecake I've ever had before.

Calamansi and Pistachio Ice-Cream Sandwich - Ben, Kickshaw's co-owner surprised us with this awesome ice cream sandwich, using innovative ingredients such as calamansi (a citrus fruit originating in Southeast Asia) and pistachios.  As the cookie was nicely chilled, it hugged the citrusy ice cream like a glove and each bite brought out elements of sophistication and refreshment.  While it was ice cream in its full force, it didn't feel heavy and we each polished off our portion pretty quickly.

Service and Cost:
As we chose to dine in, we got great service and I loved that our food came out quite quickly. Even though we received our check, we didn't feel pressured to leave and would've hung around even longer if we could have.

Costs are reasonable and include the following for some of the new menu items I just mentioned:

Knishes - $7
Wild Mushroom Shepherds Pie - $12
Dessert - $6

3 Mmmms

The Queens Kickshaw - 40-17 Broadway, Astoria NY 11103
718.777.0913
M/R Train to Steinway Street
www.thequeenskickshaw.com

Special Cake for a Special Trio - Courtesy of Thea Sphere Sweets

This past weekend, my parents hosted our annual trifecta of family birthday celebrations.  It actually is a true trifecta, as my mom, dad and brother all have consecutive birthdays in the month of August.  "How bizarre," you may be thinking, but I've lived with this all my life and love to celebrate this fast and ferocious family holiday.

As we usually do, we had our cousins, aunts and uncles over for a big shin-dig.  Since I was in charge of the cake, I wanted to do something special and hit up my friend Thea who has a baking business called Thea Sphere Sweets, to do the job right.  First tasting Thea's delicious creations at this year's Ribfest, I was immensely impressed by her maple bacon cupcakes.  Since then, the two of us have been in touch, and I've been inspired by her sweet creations - and commissioning her to help out for my family's big birthday celebration felt natural.

Soccer and Heels Birthday Cake - Since I knew that Thea can make virtually anything, I designed a custom cake, including decor elements as well as flavor.  Wanting the cake to address both a masculine and feminine side, I thought that soccer balls (for dad aka Oci and brother, Peter) and high heels (for mom) would be appropriate.  From browsing her site, I saw that Thea had experience with fondant, so I was looking forward to this element shining through on the cake.
In terms of flavor, most of our party goers (including quite a few kids) were chocolate fans.  But wanting to keep the cake also sophisticated, I suggested that fresh raspberries be incorporated too.  Besides...who doesn't love that combination?!

When we received the cake (delivered to my parents' house on Long Island), we were pleased with its whimsical look and couldn't wait to dig in.  As we revealed it to guests, we got a nice reaction, as people automatically knew that it wasn't from a local bakery, but indeed something very different and special.

The taste was the best part, as it was rich and chocolatey, but not overly sweet.  The chocolate ganache and fresh raspberry filling was absolutely my favorite part, and I secretly wished to just pick the middle of the cake and eat it on its own.  I would've destroyed the whole thing if I followed my instincts, but still...I couldn't help to reach for another (and another) forkful of the chocolate/raspberry mousse.  

It was satisfying to see that the kids loved it too, my 5 year old cousin Emma exclaiming that "my friend is a good cook." Right on Emma!

To find out more about Thea's delicious creations, check out her Facebook page, and feel free to contact her directly.  And please tell her who sent ya ;-)

Bear's Perfectly Seared Scallop

You may recall my recent behind the scenes interview with Chef Natasha Pogrebinsky at Bear Restaurant.  I had quite a good time getting to know the folks behind this awesome operation and especially loved being in the kitchen and observing where the magic happens so to speak.

While in their very orderly cooking quarters, Chef Natasha illustrated the process used to make one of her signature dishes, a seared diver scallop with corn risotto.  You can watch the video here to see how it's done, and possibly even recreate it at home, but I'd like to tell you more about its taste.

Seared Diver Scallops with Corn Risotto - If you'd like to get just a little taste of this instead of ordering a whole entree, you can do so, as it comes in an appetizer version too.   The beauty of this dish lies in its simplicity, as there's only about 3-4 ingredients in it, and they all shine.  The scallop is large and milky white on the inside but beautifully seared on the outside, boasting a caramelized crust.  Chef sure made it look simple, but getting a perfect sear on the outside of a scallop without overcooking it isn't easy.

Overall, I like that the dish was seasoned simply with salt and pepper, as well as a "secret" little spritz of something at the end (I'll give you a hint...it's very fragrant).  The corn risotto isn't actually risotto at all, but a refreshing corn salad that has only been put on the stovetop for a few seconds.  The whole thing tastes like summer and is further decorated with fresh herbs from the greenmarket.  It's really spectacular and I'd recommend starting your meal with it, or better yet, making it the main event.

Bear - 12-14 31st Avenue, Long Island City NY 11106
917.396.4939
N/Q Train to Broadway
www.bearnyc.com

Koliba on Summer Vacation

Since it's the summertime, you'll see some of our local faves shut down for a little while, taking their much deserved time off.  Even though I'm sad to see that Koliba is one of these places, I appreciate that they need a break too so they can recharge their batteries for the fall and continue bringing us more greatness.

So...please note that they'll be closed from this week until August 27th.  They'll reopen on Tuesday, August 28th for more Slovak goodness.  So save your calories until then...

Koliba - 31-11 23rd Avenue, Astoria, NY 11105
718.626.0430
N/Q Train to Ditmars
www.kolibarestaurant.com

More Fun at the NYC Food Trucks

This past week, I had the great fun to once again indulge in some of our best gourmet food trucks that are parked outside of my building at work.  Trying two new vendors, including the Palenque Colombian food truck and the Green Pirate food truck, I was duly impressed and so was my friend Lara who came along to keep me company.

Palenque:
Immediately drawn to its gorgeous looking truck, decked with blue and red tropical parrots, I walked over and peeked at the menu.  It sounded lovely, boasting different types of arepas, which I'm a big fan of.  I loved that you can add different toppings to it including meat and veggies, but what I found particularly neat is that not all the arepas were made with corn, but some also with quinoa, brown rice and flax seed.  Because we wandered over on the late side (after 2 p.m.) there was no line, but Lara informed me that during peak hours, it's always busy.

Original Arepa with Frijoles Macerados - Deciding to keep things on the light side, I chose to go with an all veggie option with mushed red beans as the topping.  I thought this was the only topping at first, but shortly found out that this arepa comes with the works such as arugula, cheese, chipotle mayo, cilantro, butter and guacamole.  I omitted the butter and cheese but kept on everything else.

First off, it looked beautifully colorful and came in a white box with a sticker that showcased the same bird design of the outside of the food truck.  I thought that was pretty neat and appreciated the attention to detail.

The arepa itself was really tasty, the dough slightly sweet but also savory was the perfect vehicle for the beans and the veggies I just mentioned.  Although it was a bit unwieldy (you had to use a fork and knife to eat it), each bite offered nice earthiness from the veggies but also a comforting bite from the arepa and the soft beans.  The mayo was great too, as it provided that pop of flavor to an otherwise mild mix of ingredients.  Overall, it was really filling and just one can definitely tide you over for the afternoon.

Green Pirate Juice Truck:
Seeing this truck on the streets of Soho, I've been meaning to try it and get a refreshing juice or smoothie.  Since it was super hot and humid on the day we went, I was in the mood for a smoothie and got the tropicolada with banana, pineapple, coconut milk and OJ.  It was a little creamy but still light and refreshing, tasting like a virgin pina colada.  I wish I got a little more banana in there, but overall it was pretty tasty, but definitely not worth $6 for a 12 oz drink.

Lara got an interesting juice called The McCarrot Park with carrot, apples and ginger too.  The latter ingredient was really pronounced and added something special to this already vibrant concoction.  I'd definitely get this over the smoothie next time, as it had more depth and was a step up from the somewhat ordinary tropicolada.

Service and Cost:
The service at both trucks varied greatly, as we had a wonderful experience at Palenque and quite an awful one at the Green Pirate Juice truck.  The staff at the former was full of smiles and an overall bright and cheery attitude, while the employees at the latter were surly and unpleasant.  Maybe it was just a fluke, but it left Lara and me with a bad impression.

Costs were fair at Palenque at just $7 for the hearty arepa I described, and quite steep at the Green Pirate, at $6 for a small drink that wasn't a stand-out.

Palenque - 3 Mmmms
Green Pirate- 2 Mmmms

Palenque Food Truck 

Green Pirate Juice Truck