December 31, 2008 10:39 am
As the temperature outside drops, all the lights are hung on the lampposts and the department store windows and I see passersby bundled up with scarves, thick mittens and cozy hats, I think to myself, the way to warm me up is in my kitchen.
I love the holidays and the best thing to me about the holidays is the food. There is food everywhere. At your local supermarket, they are giving away free samples. Gift baskets and other goodies are being delivered to your house from well-wishers of the season. Your office Christmas parties seem to never end and the constant flow of comfort food extends from every department. It's overwhelming but it's definitely a reminder of the impending holiday season.
Every year, my daughter and I do some serious baking in our own kitchen and provide goodie bags for all of our loved ones (and also, sneak a few for ourselves). On the menu this year, traditional cut-out cookies, peanut butter kiss cookies, five layer squares, peppermint chocolate fudge and homemade truffles. So after a mad dash to the supermarket which was swarming due to the impending snow storm, we hunkered down and pulled out our warmest PINK sweats and fuzzy slippers and dedicated ourselves to an afternoon of warmth, comfort and baking. As soon as the first batch of cookies get going, the smell and heat from the oven warms the entire house.
It was our first time working with chocolate for the truffles so I was a little nervous. But I remembered some of the tips, tricks and techniques from Behind the Burner and assured myself that I could do it too. I made sure to use a double boiler and after the truffles were chilled, I left them to warm to room temperature before serving them with some nice red wine. Oh, what a night! Cookies, chocolate and wine.
After spending five hours in the kitchen, I was ready to settle in but I couldn't help but feel a small bit of sadness that my baking for the holiday season was over. So, I spent the next week baking pies and cakes for my family's Christmas parties. So, the new year has arrived and I look forward to my baking again in 11 months!
Jennifer Ambrose
— Written by Jennifer Ambrose
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December 31, 2008 10:12 am
I met Sarah Endline through a friend and fellow Harvard Business School alum. Those HBS women--they're always networking :-) They are also always eating :-)
After a little searching on Google, I realized that Sarah was not only making yummy treats, but actually trying to make the world a better place--one sweetriot at a time. She sources her cacao directly in Latin America (who would have guessed?) Better yet, she uses recyclable packaging, which features some of the most talented emerging artists. Here's the best part: sweetriot is made by only using all-natural, healthy ingredients for their dark chocolate 'peaces.' Who would have thought sinning with sweets could be eco-friendly and healthy at the same time. No wonder why Sarah Jessica Parker and Eva Longoria Parker love them!
In case you didn't know, cacao beans come from cacao fruit trees commonly found in South America and Central America. After the beans are cleaned, roasted and shelled, the nibs of the beans remain. Sweetriot nabs the nibs in their natural, unprocessed state and dunks 'em in dark chocolate to balance their naturally bitter flavor. The result is a lightly (but not overly) sweet nugget with a teeny crunch. Not only are they full of antioxidants, but they're packed with so-called bliss chemicals such as anandamide, and phenylethylamine (PEA), which is released when you're in love and helps you to stay focused.
In this video, we share some of magic behind the sweetriot. This shoot was quite an experience with tons of New York epicures bumping into us while searching for their favorite ingredients at Zabars. Life is busy and I do a lot of my eating on the go. sweetriot is the perfect quick snack; a healthy pleasure rather than a guilty one.
When Sarah showed us how she satisfies sweet cravings one sweetriot at a time, we were instantly addicted. Sweetriots have become a favorite snack at the behind the burner office--they sure satisfy our sweet cravings and keep us in a good mood even when we're up late writing and editing each other's work!
These yummy cacao nibs can be your very own treat for your purse, briefcase, man bag (if you so fancy), suitcase, car and everywhere else you desire.
On a personal note, it has been a pleasure getting to know Sarah; she is a passionate and socially responsible entrepreneur who has all it takes to run a successful business.
We've joined the sweetriot. Now, it's your turn.
Divya Gugnani
— Written by Divya Gugnani
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December 29, 2008 11:40 am
One snowy night, I planned to meet a childhood friend for dinner. I hadn't seen her in weeks because work has been so hectic. But a little snow wouldn't make me cancel on her. I had originally suggested trekking down to the West Village to eat at Braeburn, but the weather had me wondering where I could get a good meal within a few blocks of my office. I immediately thought of Pera. I walked less than two blocks and left the cold behind as I stepped into the warm, earthy and exotic setting of this top Turkish brasserie, with a touch of Eastern elegance from the onyx and alabaster panels as well as the zebrawood bar. It was gorgeous. I had no idea this place was selected a "Top 5 Newcomer" by Zagat Survey New York City 2008.
When I got there, my friend was already sitting there, sipping a glass of dry red wine--a Kavaklidere blended with the Turkish grapes Okuzgozu and Bogazkere.
While we were catching up, the owner, one of my classmates in business school, came by and said, "Hello." He gave us the history of the restaurant and their quest to find just the right ingredients and purveyors to replicate the tastes of Turkey and the surrounding regions. It was all worth the effort; we enjoyed the fruits of his labor in the array of appetizers that awaited us.
In my travels to Turkey, I've always been impressed by the flavors of the meats. They are vibrant, sharp and savory just like the buzzing city of Istanbul itself. Yet, they're hugely comforting at the same time. My past experiences with Turkish cuisine in NYC have paled in comparison to this one. Yet at Pera, I have now found my Mediterranean home away from home. It is the perfect place to munch on meze, or eastern mediterranean finger foods. My friend and I tried a wide range of them, such as the dates stuffed with feta cheese and wrapped in pastirma, a sultry, spiced meat cured with cumin and paprika. Each bite was a true delight!
The sea bass was almost like ceviche, but cloaked in a lemon-dill marinade that harked back to the east. The fried artichoke hearts, sprinkled with chickpea flour, were my favorite. Almost an entire artichoke goes to waste for someone to enjoy its tender heart, but its lemony twist and the creamy paprika dipping sauce served on the side make it well worth the sacrifice.
The yogurt cacik, a smooth, chilled cucumber dip, was the perfect accompaniment to the crispy, cheese-filled phyllo rolls. The beef and bulghur tartar was both aesthetically and gastronomically gratifying: the buttery bibb lettuce mellowed the piquant and tangy flavors of the tender, minced steak. Of course, I can't forget the roasted whipped eggplant drizzled with fruity olive oil and served with oven-fresh lavash, a Turkish type of flatbread. Some of the other appetizers included the hand-ground lamb "adana" (named after the fourth largest city in Turkey), juicy lamb on a skewer served with more of their fresh, delicious flatbread.
After these heavy snacks, we were not ready to leave without a sweet treat, which turned into several sweet treats and lots of extra minutes on the treadmill the next day. Dessert began with the Kadaifi Kunefe, a shredded wheat pastry with a rich, molten cheese interior and a honey syrup on top. I had known better, I would have skipped the pear dessert (too sweet, mushy and gelatinous), but the warm chocolate cake was one of the best I've had in a long time. Served with a side of warm cocoa sauce to drizzle on top, it was intense, rich and divine. Each bite warmed my soul. I could have sat there all night in my cozy chocolate bliss watching the snowflakes fall outside the window. But I didn't need to worry--on my way home, the good food, good wine and good memories would keep me warm.
Divya Gugnani
Braeburn Restaurant is located on 117 Perry Street in the West Village (at the corner of Greenwich Street and Perry Street)
— Written by Divya Gugnani
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December 26, 2008 6:18 pm
Avenida is not an ancient hex created by a witch doctor in the jungle of South America. It's a quaint Mexican place on Greenwich Avenue in Greenwich, Connecticut. Avenida opened about a year ago, and was all the rage in the area. The plethora of patrons created hardly enough space to even enter through the restaurant doors. However, the Avenida of the past, despite the number of guests, had cuisine that was less than thrilling or appetizing. With the reopening of Avenida, I hoped this time the food would live up to the crowds it created in the past.
Returning to Avenida, I experienced the same bold décor reminiscent of southern Miami style with a bright orange tin ceiling offset by warming, dark furniture. Tile walls reflected the bath of light from the exposed bulbs hanging from the ceiling. The atmosphere of Avenida was just how I remembered, except for one tiny detail; there were hardly any people! Hopefully the food didn't follow suit.
I started with the Guacamole and homemade tortilla chips, as it was the best dish in the past. One taste and I began to worry. It was missing the citrus flavor that once worked so delightfully, but I decided to move on and not write Avenida off yet. Fortunately, I didn't because the Mahi Mahi tacos with red cabbage slaw and chipotle aioli were delicious! The fish, albeit a bit soggy, had a fiery mix of spices. I also sampled the Chicken quesadilla with cilantro crema and pico de gallo, which is always a safe bet at any Mexican restaurant. For the perfect end of the evening, I enjoyed some flan, which was both creamy and fruity. The best dessert by far was the churros, long fried dough dipped in chocolate. A wave of nostalgia came over me with each bite being that I delighted in my fair share of churros while spending time in Punta Del Este, Uruguay. One taste returned me to South America and sunlight.
Although the people were scarce that evening, the food surpassed the Avenida of the past immeasurably. Which is better, big crowds or big food? Perhaps the curse of Avenida will be lifted when Greenwich looks over the restaurant's past food follies, and this bold Mexican restaurant will have the best of both worlds. You may not go to Avenida for the bustling crowd, the mediocre margaritas, or even the food, but you should at least go to experience the nighclub-like restrooms. Walk in, shut the door, and you'll understand.
Divya Gugnani
Avenida
339 Greenwich Ave
Greenwich, CT 06830
203.622.1400
— Written by Divya Gugnani
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December 23, 2008 11:50 am
Bungalow 8 was the cornerstone of my nightlife activities when I moved to New York in 2002. A well-known celebrity destination, Amy Sacco's concierge themed hot spot catered to a hip jet set crowd whose nights lasted until the next morning. The perfect end to every evening before heading home, I went there to mingle and dance. When I wasn't drinking champagne, I was enjoying Bungalow 8's signature martini's. The Head Bartender, Ryan Metke, invited Behind the Burner inside the velvet ropes to show us what goes into the drinks.
Martini's are stereotypically a drink of sophistication. On the big screen and off, those who order a martini have an air of style and hint of power about them. Sacco's love for the martini pre-dated Bungalow 8, it began at Lot 61 where she was inspired by Jean-Georges Vongerichten's kitchen experiments. In her book Cocktail, Sacco says, "We spiked simple syrups with ginger, we poured fresh fruit purees into shakers, and by opening night we had sixty-one signature martinis, the most popular of which were the watermelon, a favorite summer elixir for mini-skirted goodtime girls, and the Valentino, a chic, red champagne-filled affair."
Back at Bungalow 8, Metke made three martinis for Divya and me--the Malibu Martini, Cowboy Martini and Watermelon Martini. I opted for the Malibu Martini because I have an apartment about 20 minutes away from Malibu, so I thought it would be nice to pay tribute to my California roots. Sipping the drink brought me back to my sunshine state, a warm breezy delightful twist of rum and juices, I could feel fresh air drift all around me. Divya does not drink liquor, but even she had to admit that her watermelon martini tasted light, sweet and delicious. As for the Cowboy, we let Metke take the reigns and describe the drink which you can watch on Behind the Videos.
Bungalow 8 remains a hip scene and you never know who you will bump into. When I stop by, I still see A-listers there whose names I'll keep to myself. (Privacy is to be respected!) Fortunately, the martini's at Bungalow 8 are no secret--they are legendary.
Caroline Alexa McBride
— Written by Caroline Alexa McBride
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