Sunday may be considered a day of rest for some, but for me, Sunday has become my day of indulgence. In preparation for the grueling week ahead, I make it a point to do something fun, something for me on Sunday to counter-balance all the annoying stuff I have to do during the week for everyone else. This past Sunday, fun came in the form of sparkly shoes and a scrumptious sandwich.
New York's unusually warm weather this past weekend was its own zing of fun, making my downtown excursions act as the sprinkles on this ice cream "Sunday". I started at Loehman's, where designer discounts are guaranteed to work up an appetite. After waiting in line for what seemed like an eternity for a fitting room, I emerged from my mother-ship with a few pairs of leggings and amazing Betsey Johnson summer heels. Super high cork heels, sparkle, sparkle golden straps, and a perfect forties peep-toe, complete with a large gold bow, made me salivate so much that I knew I just had to have them.
After drooling over my fantastic new shoes, and calling my mother to boast about my indulgent purchase, I headed southwest to Balducci's. Balducci's is the food market for food lovers. Isles of imported goodies, pungent cheeses, crusty breads, and fresh veggies would make me hungry on any given day, but my pillaging at Loehman's had made me particularly ravenous. While Balducci's is best known for their gourmet goods, it is their sandwich station that gets my taste buds excited. A variety of pre-determined sandwiches are featured, as well as a list of ingredients ideal for building your own, which is obliviously the more fun route, and since Sundays are all about fun, that's exactly what I did.
After browsing the extensive list of deli meats, cheeses, veggies, and vinaigrettes, I decided to start with the bread. I chose a whole wheat bread with grilled chicken breast, white American cheese, and fresh avocado to be topped off with a roasted red pepper mayo. I danced around the cheese isle, sniffing all the rinds of my favorite fragrant formages, while I waited for the Balducci's sandwich maker to finish his craftwork. As soon as my lunch was wrapped up and paid for, I sprinted across town to Union Square.
I popped a squat on a bench and unfolded my ornately wrapped sandwich. Before I could take a bite, I had to remove some of the chicken breast, as the sandwich was so packed that I would have worn more than would have made it into my mouth. I hate wasting food, so I placed the chicken breast into a napkin to feed to the pigeons after I finished feeding myself. Now I was ready to eat. Wow. It's no wonder that Balducci's sandwiches are so expensive, because they're that good. The chicken breast and cheese were moistened by the red pepper mayo, which was out of this world. The fresh avocado brought a lovely lightness to the sandwich, making my indulgence a predominantly healthy decision after all. After munching down on half of my sandwich, I re-wrapped up the rest and stuck it in my purse. $10 for a sandwich makes me want to get as much bang for my buck as possible, so I planned to take the rest to work on Monday as another deliciously indulgent lunch.
I moseyed around the farmer's market at Union Square for a while, contemplating my next move. My Sunday was almost complete, but something was still missing, besides another pair of shoes, of course. While browsing the cook book section of Barnes and Nobles, a sudden craving for a cupcake came over me. It may have been the sight of all the cakes and cookies on the covers of the cook books, or my natural inclination towards frosting, but I immediately peeled myself off the floor and headed directly for Billy's Bakery.
Billy's Bakery has my favorite, favorite cupcakes in all of New York. They are light and fluffy with just the right amount of sweet butter cream frosting. The line was out the door and down the block when I arrived, but I mustered up some patience and waited my turn. The sweet smell of confectioners sugar fills the bakery. "Two vanilla cupcakes with chocolate frosting," I shouted over the sugar hungry crowd. I sat outside on the sea foam green bench and devoured my sweet ending, taking comfort in knowing that I had another one in my bag for later.
Geisha is my favorite Japanese restaurant--the innovative menu and beautiful décor attracts a Euro crowd mixed with financiers. Visitors and locals are always impressed by the food and atmosphere Geisha offers. The sleek ambiance is a result of the collaborative efforts of Vittorio Assaf and Fabio Granato, who recruited David Rockwell to design a geisha-inspired interior complete with flowers, origami, wall surfaces flecked in gold leaves and silver beads, resembling a headdress hanging from the ceiling. However, the secret weapon that makes Geisha so special is an adorable twenty-something master sushi chef from Vietnam named Don Pham.
The charm and grace of Master Sushi Chef Don Pham brings a smile to all those who meet him. Slightly shy and very humble, he makes the best sushi and sashimi you'll ever experience. He created Geisha's unique sushi bar menu; his most famous dish is the Black Tuna Truffle Sandwich. It was previously a "secret" dish that wasn't listed on the menu but specially made for celebs and chosen members of the elite. Fortunately, the masses were finally given access to his refreshingly delicious creation. In Pham's Behind the Burner segment, he shows us how he dices the tuna and truffle and assembles the other ingredients in between crispy chips that form the sandwich. Avocado complements it perfectly, but the secret is in the sauce—just the right amount of spicy flavor to satisfy your palate.
There are many other exciting items at Geisha that you have to try—Hamachi Jalapeno, Shrimp Lollipop and Tiramisu for dessert. Cuisine king Eric Ripert was instrumental in creating the menu, so it is safe to say that it is top-notch.
Still, the Black Truffle Tuna Sandwich is a MUST EAT. Every time I encourage someone to order it, their reaction validates my opinion. Most recently, I dined at Geisha with friends who were visiting from Italy. They were hesitant when I insisted that they try it and explained that truffles and tuna are not a natural combination. However, once it arrived, they savored every bite, unable to hide their expressions of delightful surprise. I grinned victoriously.
On a recent visit to a Mexican restaurant with my husband, I became infatuated with the flavors of the traditional mole (pronounced MO-LAY) sauce. I knew that mole was prepared with numerous fresh ingredients, a cooking process fairly tedious, but I was determined to make my own! So, I did.
The search for the perfect mole recipe took just as long to find as the preparation itself. I finally decided on a recipe from a small cooking school, the Coci-Mari, located in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
For the most part, I could find most of the ingredients listed at my neighborhood grocery store. As for items such as, ancho chile, pasilla chile, Ibarra chocolate, and plantains, I decided to venture to an authentic Mexican mercado (market) on the Upper East Side, El Tepeyac Grocery Inc.
Once I had all 21 ingredients on my kitchen counter, I was ready to begin. Looking over my recipe, I did feel a bit disheartened. I had just bought all of these items and knew I had committed the rest of my afternoon to making a sauce! My husband would laugh at me, but I hoped his first taste of my version would make him proud. The anecdote I had once heard about the Mexican tradition of making a genuine mole kept reverberating through my mind. Slow and steady - I did not want to take any shortcuts.
I carefully laid out all of my perfectly measured ingredients and began my slightly modified recipe. There were a series of thirteen steps in all. I had to improvise on some of the equipment called for in the directions. I did not have what is called a Comal, or griddle, so I used my largest sauté
pan.
My kitchen quickly filled with the aromas of pork lard (think bacon), smoky dried chiles, roasted garlic, and toasted spices (cumin, cinnamon, anise). All in all, the whole recipe took me about an hour and a half just to get everything in the same pot! Once the last ingredient was in, the stirring began. The constant stirring allows for everything to remain well blended and to prevent the bottom from burning. Just like making a fine chocolate ganache, I was on the vigil.
My classic Mexican creation cooked for well over two and a half hours, blending into merriment of flavors for my mouth to enjoy! I was on cloud nine when the sauce became a hit at the dinner table -- not only did I "wow" my family -- but I felt proud of myself for starting from scratch -- just like the Old Mexican tradition.
The names of Fergus Henderson and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall are rather synonymous with culinary expertise. Their philosophy, and in turn, recent participation, has bestowed a sense of heightened awareness among chefs and the cooking community. In essence, both endorse a return to the celebration of the animal in its entirety: from slaughtering, to preparation, to its tabletop presentation.
Historically, the use of the entire animal in cooking was one of sustenance rather than desire. Our rich agrarian past coupled with the provincial landscape less than 150 years ago dictated our menus. We relied heavily on seasonality, preservation and the pragmatic utility of all ingredients.
Our current culinary zeitgeist -- our recipes, our techniques -- are tied to this tradition. And, the integral foundation of this movement relies heavily on community and relationships and, hence, a sense of understanding between the farmer, merchant and cook. This conscious attitude challenges our nation's willingness to complicate food and steers our attention toward locality and sustainability
South Williamsburg contains a high concentration of merchants catering to those adhering, at least in part, to this mindset. And, most recently, the proprietors behind Marlow and Sons, Diner and Bonita opened a butcher shop aptly named Marlow and Daughters, at 95 Broadway, a mere stone's throw away from a few of their other ventures.
With clean lines and a charming aura, the interior of Marlow and Daughters is both rustic and modern. The butcher counter stretches from front to back along the west wall, divided between charcuterie and cheeses near the front and meat, both cured and freshly butchered toward the rear. A small window into the walk-in storage refrigerator offers a glimpse of what takes place behind the scenes. A tidy display of produce, sauces and marinades, frozen goods and local dairy items line the eastern side of the store. The vibe is inviting and cozy. Blonde wood, muted butcher paper, white background elements and polished aluminum edges provide the perfect background for the deeper hues of the meat displayed in the case.
Of course, the centerpiece here is the meat itself. Marlow and Daughters receives whole steers and pigs weekly and is also the on-site butcher for both Bonita locations, Diner and Marlow and Sons. The emphasis here is on locality, the utilization of the entire animal and the importance of the relationship between farm and merchant. Traditional cuts, in-house cured meats, dry-aged beef, hand-made sausage (from breakfast to scrapple) and offal are all on display. And, since entire animals are being broken down on-site, stocked items vary from day to day.
In-house cured lamb pancetta, pastrami style tongue, brisket and short ribs, beef hearts and kidneys and a variety of swine ranging from bone-in fresh ham, bone-in pork shoulder to pork belly, jowl and salted pork are showcased, quite an array of products. A selection of poultry, rabbit, veal and cured meats, both imported and domestic are also available. Stocked items diverge from the traditional to the more esoteric. Thus, patrons can choose to challenge themselves in the kitchen or take the more conservative approach.
The importance of establishments like Marlow and Daughters is twofold: they provide high quality, local, fresh products, and hopefully instill an attitude or sensibility of respect and honor to the animal, if not all things agricultural. It's a lot to ask from a butcher shop, but small gestures, sometimes taken for granted, go a long way.
-Chris Forbes
Marlow and Daughters is located at 95 Broadway Williamsburg, Brooklyn 11211. Call (718) 388-5700 for more details about the location.
The Chinese Lunar calendar officially rang in the Year of the Ox on January 26, 2009—but if you missed this New Year's Eve celebration, not to worry, the party goes on well in to 2009. And along with the fireworks, street festivals, red and gold decorations and dress, there's abundant, incredible vittles and eats.
Traditionally, the Chinese New Year celebration lasts for 15 days, starting with a large, family-sacred reunion dinner held on the Lunar New Year's Eve where family members near and far come together and celebrate. Lucky red envelopes or "red packets" filled with money and other gifts are passed out to chase away unfortunate spirits, and a huge feast is prepared. Most dishes served are highly symbolic and meaningful, specifically cooked to inspire wealth, health, happiness and good fortune. Most dishes are chosen based on homonyms (words that are spelled the same or sound like other words) and have lucky meanings. Here's a sampling of delicious, lucky dishes that will help shepherd in the perfect new year.
Steamed Sea Bass or Red Snapper: Fish (yu), particularly cooked and served whole, symbolizes happiness and prosperity, and sounds like the Chinese word meaning "surplus".
Buddha's Delight: Classic vegetarian dish traditional enjoyed by Buddhist monks, typically served New Years Eve and following day to pay homage to their self-purification practice. "Fat choy" are rare, black hair-like algae considered a special ingredient because it sounds like "prosperity".
Spring or egg rolls: These tasty fried treats symbolize wealth simply because they look like bars of gold.
Lettuce wraps:Because the Cantonese word for lettuce sounds like "rising fortune," these little pouches are often filled with other lucky foods (chicken, cashews or dried oyster meat).
Tea Leaf Eggs: With a distinctive "marbled" look, these eggs symbolize fertility.
Turnip cakes: Turnips (cai tou) mean "good luck" and a staple at most Chinese New Year meals. You can find these bread-like goodies year-around in most dim sum restaurants.
Longevity Noodles: Represent longevity and long life, considered very unlucky to cut them!
Mandarin oranges or tangerines: China's most abundant fruit, the jin ju literally means "golden luck" or "gold and fortune" and thus are passed out frequently throughout the New Year celebration.
The Year of the Ox celebration officially wraps February 10, 2009. If you haven't eaten abundant lucky Chinese dishes, make a date at your favorite restaurant or check out local street fairs and markets near you and prepare a prosperous dinner feast. Make your party extra lucky with traditional goodies—you can find classic "red packets" along with noodles, fortune cookies, sweets, flowers and food items for sale in Chinatowns in New York, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles, among other US cities.
Subscribe to our Feed >
Join Our Facebook Group >
Follow us on twitter >
View our Flickr Photostream >
