If I had to choose a final meal on death row, it would be passed hors d'oeuvres. Sure. The logistics here are a little absurdist. Would I get a butler in my jail cell? Do maximum-security prisons stock toast points? I don't really care.
I'm not sure when my obsession developed or where it came from, but I love the idea of eating little things off trays that someone else is carrying around the room. It doesn't even have anything to do with the ingredients of said little things on trays—I would probably eat endive leaves filled with cat food. My love isn't influenced by the party's atmosphere either—I once attended an alumni bowling association fundraiser for the snacks.
I had no problem clearing my schedule last Wednesday evening when my friend Sheila invited me to Wine Down, an event hosted by Gourmet Magazine wine consultant Michael Green. Not only did the invite promise passed hors d'oeuvres, but it also hinted at the possibility of passed desserts supervised by James Beard Award winning chef Charlie Palmer. As far as I'm concerned, hors d'oeuvres are second only to desserts in the hierarchy of small edibles passed on trays. On a side note, I love to attend foodie events because unlike, say, fashion and art parties, you are not ostracized by other attendees for cramming shrimp salad canapés into your mouth.
Held in the penthouse space at Astra in Midtown, Wine Down was exactly the type of place where one might hope to eat hors d'oeuvres. On my way into the party, I helped myself to a glass of sparkling rose and went to linger on a balcony that stretches around the periphery of the restaurant to wait for Sheila. Then, I saw the first tray.
From what I could make out, it was seared tuna on melba toast. But, as I mentioned before, it could have been a sliver of Slim Jim and I would have approached it with the same excitement. By the time Sheila arrived, I had eaten two pieces of peppered tuna, little bits of nearly raw beef with horseradish, asparagus in a crispy roll of phyllo, a remarkably good scoop of smoked chicken salad with mango and anything else that passed my sightline. I can't say for sure, but I think some of the catering staff had started to avoid me.
Luckily, Sheila reminded me that the event was about tasting wine not chasing the final piece of tuna back to the kitchen. To give Wine Down the credit it deserves, we tried some fantastic wines. Among my favorites were a sparkling variety from California with notes of hazelnut and yeast that gave it a pleasantly cake-like aroma. We also tried a lovely, slightly funky, very grapey white wine from Santorini and an unusual "frizzante" Riesling from the Umbria region of Italy.
I left Wine Down in the state that I normally leave functions with passed hors d'oeuvres—stuffed to the gills and a little bit drunk. If you have an extra fifty dollars to spend and share my love of miniature food, I urge you to blow it on the next Wine Down event. In addition to all the foodie benefits, the party was also packed with cute corporate boys in fancy suits...
For any one who's keeping their money in a shoe box on top of the fridge as a result of the, ahem, complete economic meltdown and doesn't feel like spending fifty dollars on nibbles and booze, I decided to add my favorite hors d'oeuvres recipe.
Deviled Eggs with Cornichons and Herbs
A dozen eggs
A cup of cornichons
Handful of fresh parsley, basil, dill
2 tablespoons of whole grain mustard
1 tablespoon of high quality olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Paprika
1. This recipe is pretty much idiot proof: Cook the eggs. I normally start them in enough water to cover and leave them in for about ten to twelve minutes, but it really boils (ha ha) down to preference (excuse the terrible pun).
2. Slice the eggs in half and scoop out the yolks.
3. Combine the olive oil and the mustard and chop the cornichons finely.
4. Put the yolks in a bowl with herbs, cornichons, a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper and mash them together in whatever way strikes you as most efficient.
5. Scoop yolks back into egg whites, sprinkle with paprika and sea salt.
6. Recruit a friend who owes you a favor to tote them around on a tray all night, replenishing as necessary...
Whenever I happen to be in New York on my birthday, my first choice for dinner is always Italian. Last time around it was Babbo and as much as I loved the food, I wanted to try something new this year. As I searched for a birthday destination, I realized how hard it is to find a highly-recommended Italian restaurant in New York that isn't part of the Mario Batali empire. But eventually I succeeded—kind of.
Dell'anima was opened at the end of 2007 by Chef Gabe Thompson and Sommelier Joe Campanale. Both hail from "The Empire" —Thompson from Del Posto and Campanale from Babbo—and lucky for us, it's apparent in both the style of food and the depth of the wine list. Like many restaurants in New York, the atmosphere of Dell'anima walks a fine line between cramped and cozy. They've managed to squeeze in a dining room and two bars, one in the front of the restaurant for sipping drinks and one in the back for observing the open kitchen, and tables also spill out the back door onto the sidewalk. The proximity of the kitchen and the other diners, combined with the restaurant's relaxed vibe, made me feel like I was at a giant dinner party (thrown by a friend who was a really good cook.) It is for this reason, I think, that Dell'anima is so popular. It is also the reason I felt forgiving when a few dishes didn't live up to my expectations. But before we get to the food, let's talk about wine.
If you want to impress your friends or your date with your wine knowledge at Dell'anima, good luck. Unless, of course, you're a whiz when it comes to small-production, somewhat obscure Italian wines. Let the Sommelier do the work for you and try to hide your surprise when he shows up looking like a hipster who's barely old enough to drink. Don't worry, you're in good hands. Sommelier Joe Campanale will quickly lead you to a wine that suits your palate and your price range.
Once our glasses were filled with a light and earthy Sangiovese, we dove into the menu. I'd heard a lot about the Bruschette appetizer at Dell'anima so that's where we started. Wipe all thoughts of mushy tomato and basil out of your head. The Bruschette at Dell'anima are much more inspired: Octopus Panissa, Avocado with Lemon, Ricotta with Sea Salt, Lily Confit (shallot with onion and garlic) and Rapini Pesto served with thick slices of grilled bread. I could've made an entire meal out of any one of these spreads. I loved the nutty and pleasantly bitter rapini blended into pesto with walnuts, pecorino cheese, garlic and a generous drizzle of olive oil. The Rapini Pesto had a noticeable amount of spiciness, as did our next appetizer of Charred Octopus with Chicory, Chorizo and Rice Beans. No, there's not supposed to be a comma between rice and beans: rice beans are related to the kidney bean, with a similar texture and milder flavor. The shape and color reminded me of pine nuts and so did the flavor — so much so that at first I thought that's what I was eating. The rice beans were perfectly cooked, but overall this dish stumbled slightly in its execution, only because the chef was trying too hard to please. There was too much going on, too many flavors battling it out. Even so, the plate was empty when our server brought the next course: pasta.
Dell'anima offers a selection of pasta in practically every shape and size. We chose cappellaci (little hats) and orecchiette (little ears). The cappellaci were filled with ricotta and the tiniest hint of snap peas and garnished with morel mushrooms and pea spouts. The dish was light and delicate with most of the flavor coming from the earthy morels. The orecchiette, generously covered by house made sausage, dandelion greens and an overly rich parmigiano brodo (broth) was more filling, if a little too salty and oily.
We didn't leave room to delve into the Secondi course, but I'm wishing we had. I'm still thinking about the Tasmanian Sea Trout with Fava Beans and Pickled Ramps I missed out on. But if I don't end up returning to Dell'anima for dinner, I will definitely return for apertivo between 4-6pm on weekends. Apertivo is like happy hour, Italian-style. If you haven't experienced it, you should, ideally at an outdoor table in Rome. But if you can't make it to Rome, then head on over to the West Village and hope there's an empty seat at the bar at Dell'anima.
—Jennifer Meier
Dell'anima
38 8th Avenue at Jane St.
New York, NY 10014
212-366-6633
Babbo
110 Waverly Place
New York, NY 10011
212-777-0303
Del Posto
85 Tenth Avenue
New York, NY 10011
212-497-8090
Whether you bustle in the kitchen every day or you use your oven to store your Manolos, take a look at these expert TTTs guaranteed to give you culinary confidence.
1. When trimming asparagus, bend the tough part of the stem until it breaks — there is no need to cut
2. Wear gloves when cutting beets because the stains from them are difficult to remove
3. Pour warm coffee into a thermos to preserve temperature and fresh flavor — stoves and coffee makers result in a burnt flavor
4. Cooking cheese at a low temperature will prevent it from becoming tough and stringy
5. Cream that flecks in coffee is reaching the end of its life. If it's spoiled, the smell will give it away
6. Use a vegetable peeler to garnish cucumbers, create stripes of dark green skin and light green flesh
7. Foods with a high-sugar content require a lower deep frying temperature. If the temperature is too high, the sugar will burn before the food is cooked
8. The easiest way to julienne basil is to stack them together, roll them lengthwise and slice crosswise
9. Rub meats with kiwifruit before grilling or roasting, the tenderizing enzymes will create a great tasting dish
10. Never bake or fry with reduced-fat margarine, the high proportion of water can ruin the meal
Now stop looking, get cooking! With our guidelines, you'll never screw up dinner again.
New York City is a place where you can get just about anything you want whenever you want it. Craving a juicy bacon cheeseburger at 3 a.m.? The local diner will deliver it in less than twenty minutes. Have a sudden urge to do laundry at midnight? Many Laundromats are open 24/7, and some will even match up your socks for you. However, if down-home, traditional, smoky barbecue is what you're yearning for on a Friday night, you may want to call your travel agent, because this can be challenge to find on the island.
Given the accommodations of New York City, one would figure that great BBQ would be somewhere on the list, but us New Yorkers seem to have more success with pizza and bagels than brisket. While there are BBQ eateries in the city, some of which receive great praise from local reviewers, they do not compare to the pulled pork found in Texas or South Carolina. Maybe it's the water, or the city air, but something prevents local pitmasters from flavoring their meat with the same moist, tender lovin' that the Southerners capture oh so well.
Last weekend about a dozen pitmasters from all over the country took up residency in Madison Square Park, offering up their smoked sausages for concrete masses, making New York the place to be for BBQ (for about 48 hours). In anticipation of this blessed event, I fasted the night before and called the only other person that would appreciate the ability to walk around the streets of New York with barbecue sauce all over the face, my cousin Mikey. Sunday afternoon we met on the corner of 23rd and 5th Avenue with empty bellies and comfortable shoes.
The Big Apple Barbecue Block Party lined the streets surrounding the park, making for a very congested few blocks. We made the rounds around the vendors before deciding where we wanted to start. Our first stop was at Pitmaster Ed Mitchell's stand for a sandwich with pulled whole hog and coleslaw. The lines were tremendous, so Mikey popped off for a moment to grab an Italian ice to tie him over until we reached the front of the line. By the time we were close enough to almost taste the barbecue sauce, smoke from the pits had blurred my vision, but my appetite was roaring and ready to go.
The pulled whole hog was nice and spicy, with hot pepper flakes visible within the heap of meat. I drizzled on a drop of peppery vinaigrette and a splash of "sweet and spicy" barbecue sauce. Under the warm sun, I took a manly bite of my meaty, barbecue sandwich; these are things I dream about: sunshine and pork. It was divine. The whole hog was spicy, which was to be expected from all the hot pepper flakes, but the sweetness of the barbecue sauce balanced out the heat so that the flavors were pleasant and not overwhelming.
Before Mikey had even bitten into his last forkful of coleslaw, he had a portion of smokin' hot beef brisket cooked with Texas oak in his other hand. Still busy nibbling at my pulled pork (I ate slowly to savor the flavor that will not be returning to New York until next summer), I opted out of the brisket and settled for a bite of Mikey's. The meat was incredibly tender and moist all on its own, but the sweet barbecue sauce highlighted the intense flavors and added even more delicious juiciness.
Having already eaten two lunches, one would assume that Mikey would have grown full by this point. Well, one would assume wrong, as we got in the longest line at the park for some Kansas City Ribs. We waited for 45 minutes in line, and although I am not the most patient person, the wait was definitely worthwhile. The charred coating of the ribs was crusty, but not too hard as to be challenging to eat. Tender meat fell right off the bone as the sauce wiggled its way further and further down my chin. The ribs came with a side of pickled okra that was mild and fresh, acting as the perfect complement to the intense flavors of the barbecue. While wiping his mush clean, Mikey announced that he was full...finally.
We may have skyscrapers, naked cowboys and the Yankees, but good BBQ is definitely something that New York is missing. However, this past weekend for only $8 a serving, New York really did have it all.
I know when June is here because my husband pulls out the charcoal. It is grilling season again! Not only that, but the air finally warms up, it is still too chilly for mosquitoes and everyone in New England begins to smile more. All this makes for the perfect excuse for some classic New England grilling with old friends. Tired of corn, not ready for lobster, and, if you can believe it, trying to avoid red meat, we decided to try Beer Can Chicken. It was awesome! The meat was tender and juicy, the skin was crispy and the hickory infused chips we included with the charcoal made for an excellent aroma. Not to mention that the preparation process kept several grown men entertained for hours.
The Charcoal
Medium indirect heat is needed to prepare a four pound chicken on a charcoal grill. You can include two large chimney's worth of charcoal cooked over medium indirect heat. We like to mix the charcoal with soaked hickory wood chips for an added rich flavor. The coals need 20 minutes to reach the desired temperature.
The Chicken
You'll want to get one four pound chicken to serve four people. To prepare the chicken first remove any giblets from inside. Then wash the chicken with cold water and dry pat. Following this, chopped up several cloves of garlic into large chunks and placed it under the skin of the chicken along with fresh oregano leaves (not dried). You also need to coat the skin of the chicken with olive oil, salt and pepper and if you prefer, some red pepper flakes for some spice.
The Beer
Next, open a beer and pour out half the beer (err, or drink half of it!). You want to carefully cut three triangular hole in the top of the beer can. This will enable the moisture from the beer to release into the meat. If you aren't using flavored wood chips mixed in with your charcoal, then you can add ingredients such as garlic cloves or nutmeg to the beer to create extra aroma and taste in your bird. Next, you need to place the beer can on a flat surface. Take the bird and slide it on top of the beer can. You then need to pull out the drum sticks (legs) to support the chicken.
The Grill
You then carefully take the chicken, with beer can inside, and place it standing up on the grill. It should be able to balance on the can and with the drum sticks. Grilling takes approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes for a four pound bird. Your chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 175 degrees F. You'll then need to let it cool for 10-15 minutes before carving.
We served the chicken with hearty, home-made lasagna and a salad of greens and tomatoes from the local farmers market. The entertaining prep and grilling process and definitely kicked the summer into high gear!
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