Biscuits & Brioche

Bracelets, Tacos & Radish Sandwiches

Partly cloudy with a promise of 100% thunderstorms this evening, the early part of the day was spectacular. Celebrating warm & breezy temps, all the hip & tan were out and about in Williamsburg/Greenpoint sunning in the park, browsing the artsy acoustic deals of the Williamsburg Walks, or slurpin' down some Van Leeuwen.

After  dropping off a couple of pairs of shoes to be repaired at Yelena, I headed out for a stroll down Bedford initially in search of a bracelet. This bracelet, worn by one of the bartenders at The Levee, is made of horn & wire, I think, and is the perfect balance of bold and delicate. Alas, it was not meant to be purchased by me today, as I didn't see it anywhere. But that didn't stop me from taking in the sights, sounds and flavors of the day.

With just a quick gander, passing and perusing the artists and artisans, I ended up of course around food. Bedford Cheese Shop caught my eye and nosebuds (ok, olfactory receptors - note: need a cute, new name for those.), so I had to check it out, and see what lovely nibbles I might find. After taking it in for about 15 minutes, wandering about resembling some sort of vagrant hungry for samples, I left to see what else the street had in store for me. Eh, nah, I wanted that baguette. I went back in, ordered a super crispy baguette by Amy's Bread along with a slice of rabbit pâté with prunes, abstaining from any of the gloriously aromatic cheeses (down, pocketbook, down!), and set off for the second look at the Williamsburg Walks.

Almost to McCarren Park, I ended up stopping at the taco stand nearby for a chorizo taco with all the spicy fixinz and a Coke, then made my way past the bathers and onto a bench near the band. Delicious! Now that's life. Indeed.

With the wind kickin' it up a notch, I figured I ought to head back before the storm (which still hasn't happened yet) touched down on Brooklyn skies. A few moments of work & research and a very short nap later, I awoke hungry. That's when I chopped off a hunk of my crispy baguette, sliced it into, lathered it with butter, layered on some cleaned & sliced radishes from the bunch I bought at the Artists & Fleas, sprinkled all with an herbed salt, and accompanied it by a small chunk of the páté and some brie. mmmmmm... Life can be positively delicious. Bon appétit!

 

   

   

   

Curry & Baby Bottles

Tonight, my belly's full of decent chicken tikka masala from Raj Mahal (yup, that's right) Exotic Indian Restaurant. Super sweet waiters, great company with Kara and Margaret, a bottle of deliciously dry white wine thanks to Margaret's parents, Raj fits in there with I'm sure some other pretty sweet Indian spots in the East Village's Curry Row. Walking down E. 6th Street near 1st, the spicy curries and garamasala's waft through the evening air as the restaurant hosts beckon pedestrians to dine in and enjoy some butter chicken & samosas. A great night for it actually with a slight chill in the air. Our evening ended with a libation at d.b.a., mother to that in New Orleans. This one has a different vibe to it though. The area? The people? The lack of humidity? Eh...

Jessica arrived tonight, as did Joel. But as they get settled in, I'll write this entry, and ponder upon what Louisiana shenanigans we might all get into tomorrow. Yay. Or coffee/lunch would be good too.

Last night was superb as I finally ventured out to La Cave des Fondues with Arlyn. An amazing woman full of spunk and real life stories, not like the ones you find spit-shined and over-polished on TV, she's full of interesting tidbits and advice that a woman like myself could really dig into. And the meal was pretty fun too. Mussels in a divine dijon sauce I could have dived headfirst into, with a side of frites to start, accompanied by a biberon of sauvignon blanc. Then onto the ooey gooey cheese fondue, which could have used a little kick, with bread and ham, as well as a biberon of bordeaux for me and pinot noir for Arlyn. And the cutie French beret'd waiter was nice enough to find us some cornichons. The end was made complete with a café liegeois (ice cream & coffee with a dollop of whipped cream, served in a martini glass). And the room was adorable with long wooden tables, kitsch murals, and very loud French music from the 60s. Not exactly Montmartre's Le Refuge des Fondues, but a pretty good substitute when you don't have the real deal. Speaking of... check this out:

Le Refuge des Fondus
Uploaded by koikeou - Explore lifestyle, fashion, and DIY videos.

I'm off to rest me belly and dream sweet thoughts of sugarplums, fairies and me able to fit in my bikini even after all of these yummy meals. mmmmm... A girl can dream... Bon appétit.

 

Ace, Aldea & Bruno Jamais - Delicious Combo with Friends

Winding down my stay in New York has meant meeting up with friends I haven't seen too often while 'living' in the city, trying restaurants I'd put on hold for some crazy reason or another, and enjoying a beautiful summer with coffee in the a.m. out on the terrace/fire escape and watching fireflies flirt around the garden below at night.

A few evenings ago, the fireflies had my attention. Last night, friends did. Sansan and I met up at the hip & happnin' Ace for a cocktail and chat with April, the bartender and blues metal rocker chick of Black Horse, before heading off to Aldea. With sold out main dining seating, our culinary experience would remain at the bar (which I prefer anyway) where we joined up with friends Rosalina and George's lovely better half, Bonna. Ted, the bartender poured us a cocktail as we took a gander at the menu. With Bonna giving us a few pointers to help narrow our choices, I decided on the following: the Knoll Krest Farm Egg (with bacalao, black olive & potato); the Migliorelli Farms' Peas and Tennessee Bacon (with soft-poached egg, green garlic, & shaved truffles); and the Niman Ranch Pork Loin (with smoked yellow corn, manila clams, and a scallian-ramp glaze) with a delectable Cambodian sauce inspired by Bonna's mother. Sansan opted for the House-Cured Salt-Cod (with asparagus, morel, smoked jamon broth) while Rosalina nestled into the Baby Cuttlefish (with coconut-curry soup, herb purée, and squid ink) following the Sea Urchin Toast (with cauliflower cream, sea lettuce and lime). All incredible, and filled with delicious high-end umami goodness and mercy, I am incredibly proud of our Georgie and his Aldea accomplishments. Check out Frank Bruni's article/rating that just came out today from the NY Times. And taste George's Aldea for yourself.

Our next stop was Bruno Jamais on the Upper East Side, where I haven't ventured up to in a while. Jacques is as lovely and as charming as ever, the champagne is still flowing, the chocolate soufflé is still ooey gooey goodness, and the beats are still pumpin'. An interesting place worth checking out., especially for parties, and don't forget to sign up to their Facebook group. Be careful, though, it's addictive. Both Bruno Jamais and Facebook.

There are many other places I have to check out while I'm in town, so I'll be back soon with new posts. Until then, look out for fireflies, and bon appétit.

  



  

Fancy Foods & Smoky Tins

Events the past few days have launched yet another nomadic period. But I'm hoping that this one leads me to a slightly more stable spot. Sometimes strange things happen in your life that you don't completely understand, but they do so for a reason. I don't want to completely give in to the adage that everything happens for a reason because sometimes things are just too painful and seem unnecessary, and then the question pops up of why we're here in the first place. And with that, maybe the answer is better left unsaid. But a recent event woke me up and helped me realize what I do need in my life, and what I don't. So now it's time to figure out how to get it. Yes, even during these recessive times. But life is heading in a decent direction. Or at least that's what my Facebook tarot card quiz is telling me. Oy, Facebook.

I worked last Sunday and Monday at the Fancy Food Show. Waking up at 7am on a Sunday morning at first seemed sacrilegious. But once I arrived and remembered how much fun it was to be there, my initial grouchiness turned into the wonder of a  hungry little child. I was working with Foods from Spain though, unfortunately, I don't speak Spanish. Listening to seminars on Serrano ham, Spanish cheeses, tapas, and olive oils (in English... whew) was incredibly informative and beautiful. And the tastings were pretty spectacular too making me want to run off and dive headfirst into a Torta del Casar and splash myself off with a bottle of 2002 Ribera del Duero – Gomellano. Mmmmmm...

I wasn't able to roam around too much, but did gather up a few favorites:

Claudio Corallo (of course, some of the best chocolate I've ever tasted) has had some great press, but needs more. It's amazing stuff, and the company should be celebrated for their practices and delicious natural flavors.

Vermont Butter & Cheese has some delicious cultured butter with sea salt reminiscent of that which I may have thickly spread on my biscuits salés croustillants while living in Paris at some occasion (or many). Another that I'd always wanted to try, and that did not disappoint, was Plugrá's salted butter. Keep in mind that both are made in the U.S. Don't let the "European Style" label fool you into thinking it actually came from Europe. In any case, they're both yummy and can be found at Whole Foods.

Another dairy delight I found is Cypress Grove Chevre from Arcata, California. I only tried one of their cheeses, but I was sold. Also available at Whole Foods, check out the Truffle Tremor, which won the Cheese Oscar at the Fancy Food Show. Soft, savory, earthy, and delish!

Too many booths to choose from, and way too many looking for distribution, one I fell in love with was Frinsa. I'm a sucker for little tins of Spanish smoked oysters, clams, mussels, octopus and sardines, etc. One of the questions someone asked me while at the Show was 'how come tins of seafood coming from Spain are so much better than coming from anywhere else?' Well, I asked José Nuñez of Frinsa, and he said it was because of the waters, the freshness (many of them coming directly from Galicia), the olive oil, the spices, etc. Of course. They are spectacular, and we need more of those delicious little tins on this side of the Atlantic. For more information, contact José at Grupo Frinsa.

Speaking of tins, my friend Henry and I met up at Hotel Delmano in Williamsburg, Brooklyn last weekend to check out all the hype. Delicious cocktails, beautiful, earthy European décor, and superb snacks give this cozy spot on N. 9th & Berry a definite go-to thumbs-up in my book. Rabbit pâté, sopresatta, and tins of smoked oysters with crackers make up a few of the available apps. I didn't check if the oysters were from Spain, but they were still really good.

Another cute spot I recently went to with Nina is Five Leaves in Greenpoint. Cute waitstaff, sweet & savory Devils on Horseback (dates wrapped in bacon & served with dijon mustard), Baked White Bean & White Anchovy Brandade (with parmesan & crusty bread), Beetroot Ravioli, and their grass-fed beef burger were all great deals in this nautical-themed spot. Word on the street is that it was created by funding from Heath Ledger's estate as it was originally one of his planned projects.

Off to see what else is going on out there before I head off to the next life adventure. Will keep you posted. Mmmmm... I smell barbecue. Happy 4th & bon appétit!

You Know, I Think We're Going to Need More Bluegrass...

After having spent several years in Seattle, rainy skies can't stop me from getting out & about, especially on the first day of summer. My June 21 began with an exceptional Bluegrass brunch at Nolita House with Nina. A dish of sweet fluffy biscuits smothered in creamy sausage gravy and topped with two eggs sunny side up alongside a Bloody Mary was the ideal way to start my day. Nina tried the New Orleans-Style Shrimp & Grits, mouthwatering cheesy homestyle grits surrounded by grilled asparagus, blackened shrimp and topped with sunny-side up eggs. We're both leery when it comes to trying so-called southern or Louisiana restaurants outside of that area, but Nolita House surprised us both and brought us right back home to our Louisiana roots. The Bluegrass music was pretty spectacular too creating a very comfort-food-esque atmosphere.

   

Our next stop was the Mast Brothers Chocolate factory for more Bluegrass thanks to Make Music New York. Potbelly Gumbo and Frankenpine picked and strummed in front of the factory, even during the intermittent grey skies, sunbursts and rain, while Nina and I hung out on cacao sacks out front tapping our toes and sipping on tasty, and free, cold Bud. 

After wandering about the Williamsburg hood, we settled into cozy, woodsy Nita Nita and nibbled on some amazing buttery garlic shrimp and spicy smashed sweet potatoes with chorizo. Definitely a place to drop into if you're in the hood, or even if you make it part of a Williamsburg destination tour.

Traipsing around a bit more, thinking I was about to head back to the city, the rain started falling again, and Nina and I found shelter in Fabiane's, a European café with a great awning-sheltered outside seating area for a bit of hot hipster eye candy. The mocha and pear tart were a lovely ending to a long walkabout day, and it didn't hurt that behind us was a couple speaking French and to the side was another speaking German. Gotta love the variety of New York.

  

A couple of days before, Amanda and I met Amy downtown at the Swedish Midsummer Celebration before heading to Cobble Hill where I was to meet up with Christina and Tereza for Thai food & libations. The next morning, Christina and I had a typical Parisian morning in Brooklyn complete with pastries from Sweet Melissa, freshly French-pressed café from Lighthouse, enjoyed outside on her terrace before the rain came down. No pics of the breakie, but here's one of the Swedish Fest.

Thus the music-food connection continues mixing delicious flavors with soulful sounds. It's inevitable. Two great tastes that taste great together. Philip Ruskin of Ruskin International is in search of chefs or others in the food industry within the New York area who might also be interested in playing some tunes. Give him a buzz if that's you. Bon appétit!