erin's kitchen

Christmas Cookie Challenge: Party Edition

2011-12-19T17:17:00.000-08:00

Last week, I attended a panel about women entrepreneurs in the food industry. One of the speakers started a baking business while working full time as a corporate lawyer. She spoke of sleeping just four hours a night, churning out bagels and rugelach until the wee hours of the morning, then suiting up for a long day with demanding clients.

Despite having worked a twelve hour day, I went home right after the panel and baked some M and M pretzel bars--no lawyer's gonna beat me in the overachiever olympics. As I cut into the pretzel bars around 10:30 that night however, eyes drooping, I reevaluated my competitiveness. Baking, for me, is supposed to be fun--forcing oneself into exhaustion to meet some ridiculous, self-imposed "challenge" makes no sense at all.

That said, our annual holiday open house this weekend had no shortage of cookies on the buffet table--some, like the parmesan biscotti and peanut butter oatmeal cookies, were the result of savvy dough freezing earlier in the month. Others, including the linzers, cheddar thumbprints, and cranberry orange walnut drop cookies, were whipped up Friday night. All are repeat recipes--the thumbprints come from last year's Washington Post, which recommends either onion jam or pepper jelly for the filling. The simple cranberry orange cookies have been in my repetoire since 2002, a little bit different every time. The original recipe calls for pistachios, fresh ginger and fresh cranberries, but I left them out this year and they were still a hit.

Christmas Cookie Challenge: Day 9, Double Ginger Chip

2011-12-09T18:41:00.001-08:00

Twenty-five days of cookies? What the hell was I thinking? More sane food bloggers give you only twelve days of cookies in December. As does the Food Network, and they have an army of cooks.

This is a long way of saying--Day 8? No cookies were made. I managed to eat quite a few, though--including the peppermint splodges, crushed and mixed into vanilla ice cream.

Today, though, I've begun to recover my honor--making these easy Double Ginger Chip cookies from 101 Cookbooks. I made a few adjustments--regular flour, regular sugar, and chopped candied ginger in place of the real stuff. They're spicy, chewy, and small enough that you always have room for just one more.

Christmas Cookie Challenge: Day 7, Oatmeal Peanut Butter White Chocolate Chip

2011-12-07T20:07:00.001-08:00

These cookies are brought to you by my friend Keisha, as well as a few scotches at Off the Record, and some dumplings at Mandu. I'm not exactly sure how I was able to get these out of my oven this evening--but damn, they are so easy, even an exhausted girl like me can make them.

The recipe is here--I substituted butter for both the margarine and the shortening--though Keisha says the shortening makes the edges crisp up, which sounds delightful, I just didn't have any. Also on Keisha's recommendation, I added about a cup of white chocolate chips. Ridiculously delicious.

Christmas Cookie Challenge, Day 6: Meyer Lemon Bites

2011-12-06T18:24:00.001-08:00

As soon as Jon started zesting the Meyer lemons for these cookies, the smell transported me back to Los Angeles (yes, assistance was required to get these in the oven tonight). Oh how I miss the land of citrus and sunshine some days. Until we make our millions and retire in Malibu, these bastardized lemon bars--with ridiculously expensive gourmet grocery store Meyers--will have to suffice.

I first made--and blogged--these in 2007, you can find the recipe here. Though I complain about the price above, Meyers are worth a splurge every now and then, sweet and fragrant, you could almost eat them out of hand.

Christmas Cookie Challenge: Day 5, Black Pepper Parmesan Biscotti

2011-12-05T19:13:00.001-08:00

Merely five days in, and I'm on sugar overload. Time for a savory recipe: Black Pepper and Parmesan Biscotti. All evidence to the contrary, I'm actually a savory gal--I'll take some salty olives and cheese over chocolate any day. Or, in this case, salty cheese, spicy pepper, and--well--still--lots of butter. Though over at the Copywriters' Kitchen they substituted olive oil for butter with no ill effects.

Biscotti are a treat so nice you bake them twice, ensuring crisp edges all around. The dough freezes beautifully--I tucked away three-quarters of this batch for a later date.

Christmas Cookie Challenge: Day 4, Triple Chocolate Spice Cookies

2011-12-04T19:16:00.001-08:00

These chewy and dark beauties are my favorite so far--the richness is balanced by tart currents and a hint of pepper adds a kick. They're an elegant after-dinner treat, with a cup of tea or glass of milk.

They come from the San Francisco Chronicle Cookbook, with a few tweaks by me.

Triple Chocolate Spice Cookies

1/2 cup dried currents
2 tablespoons Kahlua
2 oz. semisweet chocolate
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate
3 tablespoons butter
7 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
few shakes of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
pinch cayenne pepper
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Combine currents and Kahlua in a small bowl and let sit while you prepare the rest of the batter. Combine the semisweet and bittersweet chocolates and butter in a small saucepan and melt over low heat, stir frequently. Set aside to cool.

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, pepper and cayenne in a small bowl; stir to blend.

Beat eggs and sugar in a large bowl until pale and thick. Add vanilla and melted chocolate; stir to combine. Fold in the flour mixture. Stir in the currants and chocolate chips. The dough is very liquidy, but don't be alarmed--it works out just fine.

Drop dough by spoonfuls on lined cookie sheets; bake 9 to 10 minutes, until tops are shiny and they start to crack a bit.

Christmas Cookie Challenge: Day 3, Chestnut Butter Balls

2011-12-03T14:51:00.001-08:00

The author of this recipe, Deb at the Smitten Kitchen, calls these treats "Roasted Chestnut Cookies." That name isn't a lie, but it downplays a critical ingredient: Butter. Lots of it. Two sticks, to be precise. Don't get me wrong, the chestnuts make the cookies sing--rich and sweet, it's worth the effort to roast your own--definitely take Deb's advice, however, and roast more than you think you need...rotten chestnuts are a fact of life, and the only way to know is to roast it and cut it open.

I packaged these up in long-forgotten treat bags for some friends--a three-mile run this afternoon is not nearly enough to counteract a whole batch, so, get them out of the kitchen--quick!

Christmas Cookie Challenge: Day 2, Peppermint Splodges

2011-12-02T19:55:00.001-08:00

I should've known better. On what planet would baking a peppermint patty inside chocolate cookie dough at 350 for 15 minutes turn out like this, Rachael Ray's purported Double Chocolate Cookies with a Peppermint Surprise:

Alas, I now have two pans of splodge--damn tasty, but certainly not worth the effort of wrapping each peppermint patty in sticky chocolate cookie dough. Maybe they can be crumbled up and served over ice cream? Because in a month of cookies, that's just what I need. Some ice cream.

Christmas Cookie Challenge: Day 1, Peanut Butter Blossoms

2011-12-01T18:53:00.001-08:00

Alright, here's the plan. Twenty-five days until Christmas, twenty-five different cookies. Every day the oven goes on, and every day something delicious comes out.

First up--the ubiquitous Peanut Butter Blossoms. Nearly every recipe I found warned, "Don't use natural peanut butter." Not a one told me why, however, so I threw caution to the wind, and used a butter from the farmer's market with just one ingredient: peanuts. Disaster did not follow, so I encourage you to avoid the oily, high-fructose industrial slop.

As for the Hershey Kisses, I used a mix of dark chocolate and some crazy "aerated" kisses. The airy ones lost their shape quickly, while the shiny dark ones look and taste better.

So, have a favorite cookie recipe for me? Want to play along? Want a cookie delivery? Let me know. Though J. may beg to differ, we can't eat 25 batches of cookies alone.

Tomatoes, Under the Wire

2011-09-27T18:23:00.000-07:00

~~Two~~ (um, Three!) years ago, I shared my end of summer adventures with tomato jam, tomato focaccia, a little tomato salad. This year, the sequence was repeated--albeit a bit later and with more urgency given that the season was quickly drawing to a close. No one needs another recipe for a tomato salad, but if you haven't yet tried Mark Bittman's simple, spicy tomato jam, you're missing out.

To prepare for the coming cold and wet months, I also oven-dried a few pints of cherry tomatoes--the easiest way to preserve these fruits. Slice the tomatoes in half, turn the oven to warm, and let them sit inside on a cookie sheet over night. In the morning, let them cool, then bag them and store in the freezer. I use them throughout the winter on pizza and in sauces--a burst of summer sweetness in January makes slogging through months of winter squash and kale a bit easier. If you're feeling more ambitious, I recommend tackling Chez Pim's amazing tomato confit--similar idea, even more delicious end product.

Banana Caramel Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

2011-09-12T19:23:00.000-07:00

Birthday cake, morning after (a.k.a. breakfast).

She spent time in jail, was savaged by Cybil Shepard in the made-for-TV movie, and looks pretty freakin' ridiculous on the October cover of her eponymous magazine. Yet...the woman knows how to bake something fierce, and for that, Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook remains my go-to resource for birthdays and other celebrations.

This time it was her Banana Caramel Cake that caught my eye. The cake layers are a richer version of banana bread and dead simple to make. The filling inbetween is also quite easy and lots of fun--you make a quick caramel on the stove, just sugar and butter, and then saute some banana slices until brown. Cutting your slices on the thicker side helps, though no worries if they break, you can piece them together when you put them on the cake.

I deviated from Queen Martha on the frosting--as I did on Meyer Lemon Cake I made for J's birthday a few years ago. Instead of mascarpone, I substituted a simple cream cheese frosting: 16 ounces of cream cheese, approximately 2 cups of sifted powdered sugar, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla, all mixed together. Also, instead of futzing with a separate batch of caramel to decorate, I just drizzled some of the leftover sauce from the caramelized bananas across the top.

In addition to the lemon cake, I've made her pear bundt cake (that's it, up above, in my blog's header), cheesecake thumbprints, savory caraway cheese crisps, chocolate shortbread fingers, apple spice layer cake, apple crumb pie, cherry slab pie, honey whole wheat bread, cranberry pecan rye bread, parkerhouse rolls...and...whew...I think that's it...and every one was delicious. She may be crazy, but woman knows her baked goods.

Perfect Summer Dishes at Palena & Estadio

2011-09-05T05:16:00.001-07:00

Peach salad with mint, almonds and goat cheese at Estadio, 14th Street, Washington, DC. Making this at home would be a breeze--if you need a recipe, here's something similar.

The pool closes today, the sky was dark when I woke up at 6 am, and the tips of the leaves on the oak in the yard are hinting at the flame colors to come. All signs that summer is ending, but c'mon--this ain't the Midwest--the thermometer will register above 75 many times this September. Here's hoping that Palena Cafe and Estadio will continue to feature these dishes on their menus for at least a few more weeks--or, if you'd like, I've linked to similar recipes so you can try them at home while the corn and peaches still overflow.

Radishes with tarragon butter at salt at Estadio. We needed about double the radishes for that amount of butter, but man, was it delicious. Ideas for other herb compound butters here.

Sweet corn panna cotta with roasted corn kernels and peach ice cream at Palena Cafe, Connecticut Ave, Cleveland Park, DC. If I'm going to order a dessert at a restaurant, I prefer that it's something I'd never make at home, but if you're ambitious enough to try this one, a similar recipe is here.

Peach-Almond Crostata, Interrupted

2011-08-29T16:50:00.000-07:00

FEMA recommends stocking up on water, canned food, and batteries during a hurricane. Me? I rush to the Saturday Courthouse Farmers Market, to buy peaches from Toigo Orchards--I won't let little ol' Irene deny me my favorite late summer fruit.

She did, however, delay me. After I made a simple peach salsa to munch on while making dinner, Irene decided to knock over a tree down the road, and --poof-- our power was gone. So much for the peach crostata I had in the works--the filling was made, the crust rolled, and the first fruit halved, ready for slicing. We have a gas stove, but I wasn't willing to mess with the temperature regulation without electricity.

With J's help, I quickly tupperware'd the crostata's components, and crossed my fingers that we'd have the power back on before the fridge went sour. Fortunately, by Sunday night we were in the clear, and the dessert was easy to compile, delicious to eat.

The recipe comes from Mario Batali's Babbo Cookbook and I followed it closely--you can find it here. I added some fresh thyme to the crumble topping, kept the peels on my peaches, and skipped both the honey butter and gelato. And as I learned, the almond filling, topping and crust can all be made the day before, making for an easy last minute dessert. The crumble starts to soften the next day once baked, so it's best eaten fresh.

Summer Vegetable Tart & Upside-down Plum Cake

2011-08-22T19:33:00.000-07:00

Dear readers, patience is the theme of today's post. Something I've gotten a lot better at since starting this blog over five years ago. Something you must have in spades if you still check in here once and awhile to see if I'll post!

See that corner of plum cake above? I've made this cake before--every summer since I discovered it in the LA Times in 2004. But I've been lazy. When I wrote about it here in 2006, I gave you the adapted, fast version, in which I skipped browning of the butter and steeping the milk with whole vanilla bean. How wrong I was. Last night I made this in its full and fussy glory, and man, the caramel-y butter and flecks of real vanilla are worth a sink full of extra dishes. Patience.

That vegetable tart across the table? Five years ago, I wouldn't have taken the time to make it so delicious. This time, I made a pate brisee, instead of a cheap and easy puff pastry. I roasted the zucchini and eggplant, after brushing the cubes with olive oil, crushed garlic, and thyme from my garden--instead of tossing the raw cubes on the tart in the hopes they'd cook up enough there.

And--the most difficult--the patience to wait all year long--until the plums are ripe, the tomatoes are bursting, and the sweet corn is fresh from the stalk--to make a delicious summer dinner, best enjoyed on the patio, under the stars.

Summer Vegetable Tart

Pate brisee (I used Martha Stewart's recipe)

1 log goat cheese, softened
2 tbsp pesto (I used some I made/froze earlier this summer)
1/2 large eggplant, cubed
1 large zucchini, cubed
1 garlic clove, crushed
thyme leaves, about 1 tbsp
olive oil
kernels from two ears of corn
couple handfuls of cherry tomatoes, chopped
fresh basil
fresh chives

Heat oven to 425. Roll out pate brisee and press into a tart pan (I used an 8 inch square pan). Chill in the fridge while you put the eggplant and zucchini on a rimmed baking sheet, and brush with the olive oil, garlic and thyme. Don't forget the salt and pepper. Roast veggies in the oven until browned--about 20 minutes or so. Take out of the oven, mix in a large bowl with corn and tomatoes.

Take out your crust, put it in the oven. Blind bake for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the goat cheese and pesto together. When the crust is done, take it out, let it cool for a bit, and gently spread the goat cheese mixture across it. Then, add the veggies evenly over the top. If you have more veggies than crust space, save 'em for a salad.

Sprinkle sea salt on top of the tart, and bake it in the oven for about 10-15 minutes, until crust is browned and veggies are too. While it bakes, make ribbons out of your basil, and batons out of your chives. Sprinkle the herbs liberally on the top of the tart when it's done. Serve with a big spinach salad and a glass of chardonnay. Save room for plum cake!

Cafe Fledermaus at the Neue Gallerie

2009-06-09T08:57:00.000-07:00

When I started this blog, it was a toss-up between focusing on food or books--I read nearly as much as I cook, if not more--Erin's Kitchen could have been Erin's Library.

However, graduate school not only severely curtailed my cooking, it also reduced my fiction reading to the occasional mystery novel over holiday breaks. Hence, after graduation a few weeks ago, my first move was to crack Roberto Bolano's 2666. Over the past two weeks I carted this 900-page book on the subway and to various coffee shops around New York, reveling in my newfound freedom.

One of my favorite stops was Cafe Fledermaus at the Neue Gallerie on the Upper East Side. Located in the basement of the museum, this lower-key sibling of the upstairs Cafe Sabarsky, is the perfect place to while a way an hour or two with a Wiener Mélange (espresso with steamed milk and foam) and a slice of sachertorte. The menu is the same in both cafes, but the basement cafe is less popular and therefore there's no pressure to give up your table--a perfect reading spot.

Cafe Fledermaus
Neue Gallerie
Thurs/Fri/Sat/Sun 12 noon-6 pm
Closed Mon/Tues/Wed
1048 5th Ave (entrance on 86th)
New York, NY

Mango Salsa & Jackson Heights Produce

2009-06-01T17:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my friend Kat and I headed out to Jackson Heights, Queens for the $10 buffet at the Jackson Diner (home of made-to-order dosas). After lunch, we stopped at Patel Brothers, a huge Indian grocery store, packed with amazing fresh produce.

The first thing that caught my eye? Eight limes for $1. Unlike their shriveled, juiceless, more expensive brethren found at groceries in my neighborhood, these vibrant green orbs remind me of California produce. I also picked up fresh mint, cilantro, eggplants, baby cucumbers, a chunk of ginger, and ready-to-make mini-papads--all for the low price of $6.48. Is the produce local? I don't know. I do know it's much fresher, tastier and cheaper than most anything found in Manhattan.

In addition to this bounty, I bought a box of sweet mangoes from the mango guy outside the store. Another great deal--$6.99 for 7 large, fragrant fruits. Later that night, I diced one up, mixed it with chopped mint, cilantro, green onions and a few squeezes of lime juice. Served over roasted red snapper, it contributed to a delicious dinner.

Like my feast for $5.58 last summer, this meal was a reminder that ethnic markets pack a lot of bang for the buck--had I been in need of spices, rice, lentils or any other Indian staples, I could have stocked up at Patel Brothers for much less than a trip down Fairway or Whole Foods "ethnic" aisles. Sure, Jackson Heights is a long subway ride from the Upper West Side, but I always like to remind myself that there's more to New York living than Manhattan.

Fudgy Brownies and Chocolate Revel Bars

2009-05-29T13:58:00.001-07:00

Chocolate Revel Bars

Text from me to J around 3 pm on Wednesday:"If you buy eggs on your way home, I'll make brownies."

J got home around 7:00 pm, we made dinner, drank a bit of wine, ate some strawberries--suddenly brownie-baking sounded a lot less appealing than it had earlier in the afternoon. Well, J knows just what to say to get me going--"Really? No brownies? My mom could whip them up in thirty minutes. What's the big deal?" The boy was kidding--and commenting more on his Mom's baking insanity than my domestic skills--but it still spurred me to action. Of course, I required his help, and by 11:45 pm we were dunking warm, fudgy brownies in cold glasses of milk as a bedtime snack.

I used Martha Stewart's brownie recipe in her Baking Handbook--perfectly fudgy and dense, though perhaps a bit too much sugar. Good, but I imagine most people reading this blog already have a favorite brownie recipe of their own.

So...let me share with you a distant cousin of the brownie that J's mom is known for--Chocolate Revel Bars. A few years ago J and I visited his folks for Thanksgiving and the Wednesday before the holiday, J's mom tasked with baking these, ginger snaps and a few other cookies as "treats to have around" for the weekend. They were not for a specific dessert or day, but just for J and his two brothers to snack on. Baking insanity, indeed.

These are the ultimate Midwest church basement bar--straight out of the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, and ridiculously delicious. They are a favorite of J's, and when I want to surprise him, I dust off my copy of the book (which is actually a great repository of cookie, bar and dessert recipes) and bake them. You can find the recipe here; I usually halve the recipe, and omit the nuts. The only downside to halving the recipe is I never know what to do with a leftover half-can of sweetened condensed milk, but that's probably better than having a full batch (75!!) of these bars around to tempt me.

Tomato-Topped Herbed Wheat Shortcakes

2009-05-27T11:39:00.000-07:00

Let me introduce you to what is destined to become a summer staple around these parts--a savory shortcake topped with fresh, bright vegetables. A variation on a panzanella, but with homemade biscuits instead of bread.

Alas, I cannot take credit for this innovation--that goes to food writer Shanna Masters. The San Francisco Chronicle Cookbook includes five different recipes by Masters for savory shortcake toppings, including grapefruit and avocado, muffaletta, red onion, and Greek salad. The shortcakes themselves come in different flavors too--herbed wheat, cornbread, lemon-herb.

Using Masters' tomato topping recipe as a rough guide, I substituted what I had on hand: cherry tomatoes, black olives, green onions, red bell pepper, chives, and thyme--all chopped and stirred with a bit of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper.

I followed the shortcake recipe more closely, but changed the dried herbs based on what I had in the cupboard. The recipe makes six smallish shortcakes; J and I ate two apiece for dinner, with a hefty tomato topping and a mixed green salad on the side.

Herbed Wheat Shortcakes
feel free to use whatever dried herbs you have on hand

1/2 c. whole-wheat flour
1/2 c. white flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. nigella seeds
1/2 tsp. mixed "grill seasoning" (dried onions, garlic, hot pepper, etc)
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
6 tbsp. milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a baking sheet.

Combine all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and stir. Make a well in the middle and add the wet ingredients. Stir quickly and gently, until all dry ingredients are moist.

Using a spoon, drop dough onto baking sheet into six equal mounds. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until tops are browned and a toothpick comes out clean.

Moules Marinieres

2009-05-26T08:43:00.000-07:00

Steamed mussels are quite possibly the easiest, most delicious summer supper around, particularly if you buy well scrubbed ones (ours came from Fairway). Bring them home from the grocery as fast as you can, and store them in the fridge--make sure they are not suffocating in a sealed plastic bag--they're alive and need to breathe!

When it's time to eat, chop some shallots, mince some garlic, and wash a handful of thyme sprigs. Scrub the mussels in some running cold water, snipping their beards as you go (kitchen shears are perfect). Discard any that are open or feel extremely heavy (probably filled with sand). Heat a bit of olive oil or butter over medium heat in a heavy bottomed pan. Saute your shallots for a bit, until they begin to brown. Add the garlic and thyme, stir and let sit for a couple minutes. Gently add the mussels and about 1 cup of white wine for every 1 pound of mussels. Bring to a boil, cover, and let cook for about 5-7 minutes, until the mussels are all open (if any don't open, don't eat those).

Serve with a lot of crusty bread and a crisp white wine. Happy summer!

Savory Ramp & Cheese Scones

2009-05-20T14:20:00.000-07:00

A Google search for ramps turns up an interesting mix of skateboard accessories, how-tos on making your home wheelchair accessible, and--the subject of this post--recipes for wild leeks. Food bloggers go wild for ramps in the spring, and in the midst of finals a few weeks ago, I stopped at the Morningside Heights Farmers' Market to pick up my first bunch. They stunk up my locker at school quite nicely, and after reading this post about ham and ramp biscuits, I knew they'd make their way into a baked good of some sort.

These scones make a lovely dinner when paired with a mixed green salad or a bowl of vegetable soup. They're best right out of the oven--overnight they lose their crisp exterior. I used this recipe for savory scones, with a few modifications. A medium sized bunch of ramps took the place of the green onions--I used both the white parts and the green leaves. Also, I used goat cheese in place of the feta, only because I didn't make a grocery list and thought that's what the recipe called for. A perfectly fine substitution nonetheless. Finally, for years now I've baked my scones on a pizza stone, and it really helps to crisp them up. Highly recommend it if you have one. Enjoy!

Edamame Yogurt Dip & Pantry-Cleanout Couscous

2009-05-06T17:11:00.000-07:00

Last week, the Health Services department at my university sent a note on "end of semester self care." It recommended satisfying your sweet tooth with a banana, orange, apple or melon. Huh? I love me some fruit, but after a few stressful days of papers and presentations? I head straight for the Twizzlers, followed by a doughnut and then a chocolate bar. Burp.

To balance the inevitable finals period junk food fest, I try to ensure that I get some veggies into my system. This edamame yogurt dip was dinner the other night. You take some thawed frozen edamame, frozen spinach, plain low-fat yogurt, lemon juice, garlic clove, salt, pepper and whirl it all in the cuisinart for a few minutes. Serve with some whole wheat pita, and the Health Services office would be proud. Beware the garlic cloves however--I started with one, tasted it, decided to add two more. Big mistake. Overnight, raw garlic quadruples in strength, and my leftover dip was inedible. Hat tip to Pink of Perfection for the dip inspiration!

Tonight, after a week of dinners that included a burrito the size of my head, a grilled cheese, and approximately an entire package of crackers smeared with peanut butter, I decided another detox meal was in order. I cooked up the last of some spinach couscous, and stirred in the following treats found in my cupboards and fridge: black olives, parsley, raisins, cannelini beans, and some sauteed shallots and onions. Ahhhh. I feel almost healthy.

Lemon Cupcakes with Peeps

2009-04-12T17:00:00.000-07:00

It's come to this. I sit in the library, trying to read about economic statecraft, but my mind drifts to the sugary marshmallow cuteness of Peeps. Specifically, the Peep-topped cupcakes of the Upper East Side's Glaser's Bake Shop, which I experienced at Easter-time a few years ago.

As my daydream continued, I realized there was no need for a cross-town bus trip--why not bake my own? Never mind that J was out of town, many of my friends were headed home for Easter, and I had exactly zero plans for group get-togethers where I could pawn off these sugar bombs. No, I left the library, bought not one but two Peep packages (just one color wouldn't do), and headed home for a Friday afternoon baking-fest.

I followed this reliable vanilla cupcake recipe, adding the zest of two lemons. The frosting is Martha's meringue buttercream, minus two of her three sticks of butter. And the Peeps? Aesthetic purposes only. I shamefully throw them away before eating the cupcake. What can I say? Being this close to grad school graduation is clouding my judgment.

Okonomi-yaki, Hiroshima and New York Style

2009-04-06T18:04:00.000-07:00

Hiroshima okonomi-yaki on the right; New York (Village Yokocho) okonomi-yaki on the left

One of the best meals on my trip to Japan involved cooking my own okonomi-yaki (basically a Japanese pancake, topped with delicious-ness) in Hiroshima at Misasa. Wanting to relive the memory, I ordered okonomi-yaki at Village Yokocho, forgetting that the Hiroshima version of this comfort food differs from the style found in the rest of Japan. Don't get me wrong--they're both delicious. Yet the Hiroshima-style is comprised of a very thin, crepe-like pancake, topped with cabbage, pork, noodles and a fried egg, while the Yokocho version was a thick frittata, studded with shrimp, cabbage, and more. Fortunately, I received an okonomi-yaki "expert" certificate in Hiroshima and a bottle of the restaurant's special sauce, so I will soon recreate the Hiroshima version here in my own kitchen. Meanwhile, a step-by-step Hiroshima-style guide is below.

Our instructor making the thin crepe-like pancake.

After the pancake cooks for a few minutes, top it with cabbage and bean sprouts.

Then, add the pork and a bit more pancake batter before you flip it.

With two spatulas and a steady hand, carefully flip your pancake to cook down your cabbage until sweet and soft, full of porky goodness.

A successful flip.

Frying the egg. You break the yolk with the spatula, then move your pancake on top of the egg, flip, and you're almost ready to eat.

Top the pancake with the sweet okonomi-yaki sauce, bonito flakes and seaweed powder. Enjoy!

Meyer Lemon Layer Cake

2009-04-02T06:31:00.000-07:00

The only downside to my Japan trip was missing J's birthday. Fortunately, his friends took good care of him, and he and I were able to celebrate before we left.

J loves all things lemon, so when I handed him the Martha Stewart Baking Handbook and told him to pick his birthday cake, it didn't take him long to settle on this one. I subbed Meyer lemons for regular ones, adding a soft, aromatic touch to the tartness of the curd. The cake itself is also lemon-riffic, studded with bright bits of zest.

My major departure from Martha's recipe was in the frosting, a meringue buttercream. She calls for THREE sticks of butter--I used one and a quarter, which was plenty. The frosting perhaps tasted a bit more meringue-y and marshmallow-y than buttery, but that's how I like it. The only downside to making this glorious cake was that I flew to Tokyo the next morning, so I only had one slice!

Tsujiki Fish Market, Tokyo Japan

2009-03-26T16:08:00.000-07:00

In the summer of 2007, I read an article in Vanity Fair by Nick Tosches about the largest fish market in the world, Tsujiki in Tokyo. The market moves more than 2000 tons of fish every day, occupies over 2 million square feet, and employs nearly 60,000 people. When I finished the extensive piece, I added Tsujiki to the ever-growing list of exotic places I'd love to visit but probably won't get to for years to come. Little did I know, less than two years later, I'd be in Tokyo and up at 4:30 AM to tour Tsujiki.

No perfume, no flash photography, no getting in the way: these are the Tsujiki rules. The motorized carts driven by cigarette-smoking, heavy-lidded dudes stop for no one, certainly not gawking western tourists. One highlight was catching the end of the tuna auction, where bidders compete for the huge frozen tuna pictured above. Another was talking with the propriator of Hicho, a tuna stand in the market that's been around for 150 years. They sell only Yellowfin and Bluefin, primarily fresh. And finally, the morning was topped off by a 7 am sushi breakfast around the corner from the market.

Oishii Japan

2009-03-24T18:24:00.000-07:00

I had the ridiculously good luck to go to Japan over Spring Break, on a trip organized by Japanese students at my graduate school. We spent a week visiting Toyko, Hiroshima and Kyoto, and of course, I ate so many delicious (oishii) treats, I'm not sure where to begin. I've spent my years in New York missing Los Angeles sushi (Hama and Saito to be precise), but LA has nothing on Tokyo sushi at 7 am right outside the Tsujiki Fish Market, the largest in the world (more on that in an upcoming post).

Another favorite was nisshin soba--buckwheat noodles topped with mackerel--a specialty of Kyoto. I was able to slurp a whole bowl down in minutes (slurping is ok in Japan fyi), despite my tight kimono. Later that same afternoon, I had the pleasure of attending a tea ceremony (chanoyu) at Kankyuan, the center of the Mushakouji Senke tea school. Our tea was prepared by Futessai Sen Soushu, the 14th Grand Master of this school of tea. He will be in New York demonstrating a tea ceremony at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on April 8, 2009 at 2 pm.

Of course, I brought home many treats as well, including Kyoto's famous cinnamon-spiked yatsuhashi, plum wine, Japanese whiskey, and more funny sour, sweet and gummy candies than my bag could hold.

Comfort Cakes: Pear Spiced Bundt and Raspberry Vanilla

2009-03-03T15:07:00.000-08:00

Oh March. In like a lion indeed. Had your foot of snow come in late November, I'd have been delighted. But this week? Now? I'm despondent. And cold!

Yesterday my friend Emily briefly considered saying goodbye to the cruel snowy world by throwing herself in front of the plow. What saved her? Brownies. She baked, and life was better. I can relate. A cozy apartment, a warm cake right out of the oven--almost enough to make me forget this wicked weather.

For Valentine's Day, J. and I once again stayed home and cooked together, finishing late in the evening with the Pear Spice Bundt Cake above. It's from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook, made moist and fragrant by a homemade carmel-y pear sauce. It got better throughout the week as the spices mellowed throughout the entire cake. For the full recipe, click here and scroll down.

This dessert, a simple raspberry vanilla cake, was whipped up last Friday for a dinner with friends. Of course, that night it wasn't snowing, but raining (also depressing). However, a warm cake on your lap while you take the cross-town bus makes the weather a bit more bearable. The golden raspberries came from my favorite neighborhood grocery store, Barzini's, and the recipe came from Epicurious. The original called for marsala and a side of creme fraiche. I substituted Patron Citronge for the sweet wine, and skipped the sides. I also used a smaller pan than called for, which wasn't ideal, but our hosts didn't seem to mind the dark brown edges. After all, at least we weren't out in the rain.

Beet and Citrus Salad and Bourbon Chocolate Bundt Cake

2009-01-08T14:19:00.000-08:00

One of the keys to fabulous dinner party? A knockout dessert--it sends your guests home happy, erasing the memory of any misses on the rest of the menu. This Bourbon Chocolate Bundt Cake--found at Orangette--is just such a dessert, rich and dense and fragrant. Even better, it's not fussy--no frosting, no last-minute messiness, just a one-pan delight. Maker's Mark was my poison of choice--as Orangette recommends, you should use quality booze because you're definitely going to taste it, but I'd save your priciest bourbons for sipping since you need a whole cup of the stuff.

To be honest, the only memory of last night's dinner party that I hope the cake erased was that of the middling carrot dip, a recipe from the New York Times. The rest of the meal was just divine (if I do say so myself). A homemade rosemary focaccia, a swiss chard tart, and a seasonal salad of clementines, blood oranges, beets, blue cheese and arugula. I roasted the beets the night before, left them in their skins in the fridge, and peeled them right before I made the salad. I dressed it with a lemony champagne vinaigrette, a little salt, a little pepper.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have some leftover cake to eat.

Squash, Chickpea and Couscous Salad

2009-01-05T16:47:00.001-08:00

Before adding the dressing and mixing it all together.

After an epic two week holiday vacation visiting family and friends in Wisconsin and Iowa, it's time for me to step away from the cookie plate and back to the vegetable aisle. J is off to glorious California for work, so I've packed this week's menu with the vegetable he loves to hate--winter squash.

Tonight's dish was a version of this salad from one of my favorite foodblogs, The Kitchn. I ditched the goat cheese and the walnuts, added fresh spinach and used spinach couscous. I also roasted my squash with some curry powder, salt and pepper--not included in the original recipe. And finally--I changed the name; in my opinion, the squash is the star, and in my version, the chickpeas outnumbered the cranberries. Truth be told, I may not need another squash recipe all week--I have more than enough of this delicious concoction to feed me until J returns from sunnier climes.

Blueberry Lemon Crumbles

2008-12-29T08:25:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I worry that I will never have "my" recipes--dishes I'm known for, something I make every time we have guests, a cake that appears for every family birthday. With so many cookbooks weighing down my shelves, I feel the need to constantly try new recipes, nevermind the gazillions of options on the internet.

Christmastime, however, seems to bring out the traditionalist in me. Perhaps its that my family has eaten cinnamon rolls every Christmas morning for as long as I can remember, or that J's family holiday celebration is not complete without a hickory nut cake, a recipe that comes from his great-great grandmother. So, when it comes to Christmas cookies, I turn to some of the same recipes year after year.

My absolute favorite are Cranberry Orange Drop Cookies, chock full of pistachios, fresh cranberries, walnuts and orange zest. However, these Blueberry Lemon Crumbles aren't far behind--they were the first to disappear at our annual holiday party, much to J's chagrin (he only got two).

The recipe can be found here. This year I replaced the blueberry jam/compote with some thawed frozen blueberries, which I macerated with a bit of sugar and lemon zest. Be careful regarding your dough to filling ratio, if you're too over-zealous with the blueberries, you risk a sticky mess.

Cranberry-Citrus White Chocolate Biscotti

2008-12-28T08:46:00.001-08:00

I was lucky enough to have a relatively light finals schedule this December, so instead of studying, I baked--and became the cookie fairy for all my friends at school. These citrusy, holiday-colored biscotti were a big hit in the library, as I defied our evil librarian and distributed them freely throughout the stacks.

The recipe is here, but I made a few tweaks. I used frozen cranberries instead of dried (its easy to chop them in a food processor) and included chunks of white chocolate instead of drizzling the chocolate over the top at the end. They're best with a cup of coffee in the morning, or as a pick-me-up while you're hitting the books.

Concord Grape Pie: A Dessert to Live For

2008-11-09T15:50:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday, I saw Salman Rushdie speak on religion and tolerance, and he presented a bleak outlook on the world, full of pessimism. He took questions from the audience, and the last question was stark, "What, sir, do you live for?" Rushdie replied, "dinner." And we all left to eat ours.

As I ate some of this ridiculously amazing Concord Grape Pie later that evening, I thought of Rushdie's statement. Why do we always term fabulous desserts "to die for"? This my friends--it's a pie to live for--despite all the bad in the world, to know that you could have just one more bite of this pie sometime in the future--well that's a fine prospect indeed.

Concord grapes are as sweet as can be, with what I can only term "real" grape-y flavor. On the East Coast you can find them at your farmer's market this time of year. Their only downside? Seeds. Fellow foodblogger Kathy at Not Eating Out in New York lamented this fact when she shared her version of this pie. However, the recipe I used gets around this easily. You squeeze the grapes out of their skins (reserving the skins) and boil the insides, then push the insides through a mesh strainer. The skins, the now-seedless insides, some sugar, flour and a bit of lemon juice all get mixed up and baked in a pie crust with a brown-sugar streusel crust.

You can find the recipe here at Lisa's Kitchen. I will admit it--I cheated with a store bought pie crust, but the grapes are so magical, it's really not important. Be sure to let the pie cool completely before you dig in--that gives the filling time to set. Enjoy!

Ribollita

2008-11-01T17:44:00.000-07:00

The winter coat is officially out from the back of the closet, socks are in heavy rotation. While daydreaming through my Emerging Markets class the other day, snowflakes flurried out the 14th floor window. The heater in my apartment? Clanging away.

In other words, its time for soup, hearty and warm. The first one of the season was an Italian--Ribollita--studded with white beans, pancetta, and spinach. Served over toasted, garlicky, crusty bread, it was delicious and got better as the week went on--the perfect, reheatable dinner for a quick meal. I used this Giada De Laurentiis recipe at the Food Network site, which I found via Apartment Therapy's The Kitchen. It's a quick and easy version of ribollita, which was just fine with me.

Slipping Summer

2008-09-19T17:29:00.000-07:00

Hello, denizens of Erin's Kitchen. J here. The sun's setting earlier in the evening, the breeze is carrying a hint of menace, so hanging onto the last shreds of summer is the correct response for northerners. Erin and I are doing our part by consuming the remains of our homemade vin d'orange.

A couple years ago, Erin picked up a book entitled Aperitif by Georgeanne Brennan, a book devoted to the virtues of the aperitif and containing several recipes for vins du maison. I decided it was time to put the book to use and kept a sharp lookout for bitter oranges this spring. One night I struck pay dirt and bought a couple dozen at Fairway.

Here's the basic recipe:

6 2/3 bottles of a dry rosé or white wine (e.g. Sauvignon Blanc); avoid anything too heavy, but don't abandon structure entirely
1/2 qt vodka
1 pound (2 cups) granulated sugar
2 vanilla beans (whole)
1 lemon, cut into pieces
peels from 6 bitter oranges (aka Seville oranges)

Combine everything in a clean crock or jar and cover. Store in a cool, dark place for a month, and give it a good shake every day for the first week to dissolve the sugar.

After aging, strain the wine through several layers of cheesecloth in a mesh sieve and discard all the solids. Sterilize some wine bottles in boiling water, ladle the vin d'orange into the bottles using a funnel, and cork. Store the bottles in a cool dark place for a couple months, then enjoy; the author warns they won't last the year. Serve chilled or with ice.

That's the idea anyway. I'm drawn to projects like this, but those who know me know all too well that my initial fire cools quickly. Fortunately, this is a wonderfully forgiving recipe. I had one jar sit around for 2 months before I bottled it one hectic night. A week later, the result was delicious, and has been since. The second crock remains in a cool, dark place, for bottling some night this week; I'm sure it will be fine.

Erin will tell you I can't make a recipe straight up, and she's right. I added a few whole star anise fruits into the concoction. It is a noticeable flavor in the wine, and I recommend similar tinkering wholeheartedly. The wine is sweet up front but with a bitter finish. In addition to the orange, there's a lot of vanilla, and the star anise helps temper that a bit. Next summer I might try adding cloves or cardamom. Since the rosé was fortified with the vodka, it has a proof similar to a port; but don't expect it to taste like a fine tawny or, on the other end of the spectrum, like a sweet ice wine. It's more like a Lillet with a Campari chaser.

We purchased 375mL bottles and corks over the internet as well as a simple corker thingy. The corks were definitely easier to push through if they'd soaked in the boiling water for a bit, and the smaller bottles have worked well for gifts -- not to mention that since they barely fit in our largest pot, we would not have been able to sterilize 750mL bottles.

Pickles & Pastrami

2008-09-19T17:14:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, J and I hit up New York's 8th Annual Pickle Day. We munched on all sorts of free samples of pickled goods--from melon to herring to cukes. The Pickle Guys were doling out free, whole new, sour or spicy pickles, and a Korean food stand featured kimchi stir fried rice and pancakes. Not completely stuffed with pickles, J and I completed our Lower East Side excursion with a delish pastrami at Katz's Deli. And, of course, more pickles.

A variety of Rick's Picks

Melon pickled with mustard

Pastrami at Katz's Deli

Tomato Time

2008-08-30T15:50:00.000-07:00

Here at Erin's Kitchen, I can't get enough late summer tomatoes. I knew I was over the edge when I paid a whopping $4 for one heirloom tomato--it was actually mealy and not particularly sweet, so that cooled my tomato fervor--or at least made me a more discerning farmer's market shopper.

It's hard to beat a simple salad of tomatoes, mozzarella and basil, and I served Suzanne Goin's version at a dinner party last night--she studs hers with crisp, rustic croutons and tops it with an oregeno-scented vinaigrette. Another favorite is pictured above--tomato wedges tossed with salt, pepper, basil and plenty of fresh sweet corn.

More complicated tomato concoctions include this ridiculously amazing tomato focaccia, courtesy of The Wednesday Chef. I loved it so much, I made it two nights in a row and each time it disappeared within hours.

Finally, Mark Bittman's super-simple tomato jam provides a nice transition from summer to (gulp) fall. I'll smear some of this deep crimson, cinnamon and clove flavored concoction (with a hint of heat) on some crusty bread tomorrow and pack it in my lunch for the first day of school.

My Upper West Side Dining Guide

2008-08-21T13:22:00.000-07:00

My summer internship in DC ended last week, and school doesn't start until after Labor Day. So I've spent my free time lazing about and creating the Upper West Side Dining Guide. It's designed as a resource for my fellow grad students, but useful for all. Go check it out!

American Flatbread Bakery-Waitsfield, VT

2008-08-19T18:01:00.000-07:00

And just like that--it was August. How the summer flew, and I with it--from DC to NY to DC to NY to Iowa to Wisconsin to DC to NY to DC. Whew. Now I'm back in NY for good--after a much needed long weekend with J in the mountains of Vermont. A friend's parents were kind enough to lend us their cabin and we did nothing but read, cook, and wander the hills.

Our one meal out was at the lovely American Flatbread Bakery, which becomes a restaurant on Friday and Saturday nights. The set-up is simple: you put your name on the list, grab a beer and then grab a seat outside--round the campfire, in the grass, on the porch--as you wait for them to call your name. This was the only restaurant where I've ever been disappointed that our wait wasn't as long as promised--I could have sat in the cool summer evening sun, staring at the green trees for another hour. It was heaven.

There's one salad on offer, and a slew of flatbreads. We ordered the special--a clam flatbread topped with local cheese, oregano and pancetta. The dining room houses the wood-fired oven where the breads are baked, and the young guys manning the stove will show off by twirling their wooden paddles used for sliding the breads in and out. While you wait, you can attempt to read the history of bread & fire posted chronologically around the room, though the print is small. One flatbread easily feeds two; J and I finished ours, leaving no room for dessert.

If you're not planning a trip to Vermont any time soon, you can try to simulate the experience with a frozen American Flatbread--you can find them many Whole Foods or other natural food markets. Invite some friends over, sit in the backyard, drink some beer and try to forget that summer's almost over.

Peach Tart with Raspberry Jam

2008-08-09T10:23:00.000-07:00

This tart is a variation of the Aprium-Pistachio Galette (Galette? Tart? Difference?) I made last summer. You cheat with puff pastry, and top with fruit. I spread the pastry with Quaker Valley Orchards red raspberry jam, then topped it with fresh sliced peaches. I sprinkled a tablespoon or two of sugar on the top, then baked in a 350 oven for about 30 minutes. The crust was somewhat problematic because of the jam--it got a bit soggy in the middle, and I actually cut the tart into squares and then baked it a bit more to crisp up the edges of the individual pieces. Next time I might try pre-baking the crust a bit before spreading the jam. Still--delicious, summery, and my officemates devoured it before 10 AM.

A Return to Red Hook

2008-07-30T17:58:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month, I was in New York for the weekend and some friends and I decided to sate our pupusa craving with a trip to the Red Hook Ball Fields in Brooklyn. Little did we know that our visit fell on the first weekend the new! improved! "healthy"! stands were open. After a lengthy battle with the city, less than half the vendors have returned this summer, ensconced in approved taco trucks, following all health code standards.

Bean and cheese pupusa with cabbage slaw.

The food was just as good as it was when I first sampled it last summer--particularly the grilled corn, doused with lime, cheese and chili. However, as I explained to a NY1 reporter, the weekly gathering has lost some of its neighborhood, family picnic charm. You can see my brilliant interview here.

Though it may have been first weekend madness, I recommend arriving early. At 11:30 when we showed up, lines were short--by the time we left around 12:45, you'd have to wait awhile for your Latin food fix. One exception--the ceviche line was unreasonably short, considering the deliciousness of the refreshing dish. Maybe the $8 price seems unreasonable compared to $3 tacos, but a serving is packed with meaty shrimp and worth every penny.

On another note, Manhattanites have an additional option for arriving at the Ball Fields this summer--the new IKEA ferry. Over at Serious Eats they have a handy map and instructions, but be warned that on the trip back those with receipts from IKEA jump to the front of the line. However, a receipt for a bottle of water is just as good as one for an IKSANDEERVERDENHOVEEN heap of plywood, so you won't be stuck waiting all afternoon. And you'll get a beautiful view and lovely breeze--much better than the stinky subway on a summer afternoon.

Domo Arigato, Mr. Yogato

2008-07-15T18:20:00.000-07:00

The suggestion and message board at Mr. Yogato

What does a rocket scientist do when he leaves Cali for DC and misses frozen yogurt? Opens his own froyo joint of course. A froyo joint that has rules--all of which lead to a discount of some sort, whether it's 20% off when you allow the cashier to stamp "Mr. Yogato" on your forehead, to 10% off if you answer a trivia question correctly.

Free stuff to put on your yogurt. Olive oil's (?!?!) one of the choices.

The tart yogurt and fruit toppings are direct descendants of the Pinkberry tradition, yet the warm, goofy atmosphere is as far from the antiseptic, corporate feel of the 'berry as it gets. Visiting Mr. Yogato feels like stumbling into a raucous neighborhood ice cream social, with free mango or mojito yogurt samples for all.

On Saturday after a sweaty hike around the Mall, looking at statutes of dead presidents, my friends and I stopped in to cool off. We managed to confirm our patriotic cred (and earn a 10% discount) by correctly answering the following: Name three of the four U.S. state capitals named after presidents. We may have gotten just a smidge of help, but just a smidge (our hint: 3rd president). My blueberry and banana covered tangy yogurt would've been worth it without the discount, but not "the funnest yogurt experience" I've ever had. (Personally, I'd prefer "most fun" but, hey, I'm not a rocket scientist).

Mr. Yogato
1515 17th Street NW (between P & Q)
Washington, DC 20036

Two feasts for $5.58

2008-07-09T17:49:00.000-07:00

Are you a grad student working an unpaid summer internship? Determined to eat like a queen on a shoestring budget? Here's what you do: visit your nearest Hispanic market or bodega. Pick up an onion, green bell pepper, avocado, can of Goya black beans, and homemade corn tortillas. Contain your surprise when these ingredients (plus a few breakfast bananas) total $5.58 at the check out. Fortunately, you already have some crumbly cheese (feta works), garlic, and cilantro at home or you would've forked over at least $7 or $8.

Dice your onion and pepper, mince your garlic. Saute them all in olive oil. Meanwhile, drain and rinse your beans. When the onion/pepper mix is done--browned slightly, onions translucent--add the beans, salt, and pepper. Stir well. As the beans warm up, chop your avocado, your cilantro, and crumble some cheese. Turn the beans to low or off. Heat a smidge of olive oil in another pan until warm, then toss in a tortilla. Heat on one side until it puffs up and the bottom gets crispy. Flip. Repeat with a second tortilla. Put tortillas on plate, pile with 1/3-1/2 of the beans, top with avocado, cilantro and cheese. Save the leftovers for tomorrow's dinner, and toast your thrifty-ness with a glass of an $8-a-bottle pinot grigio.

The Market Lunch Dilemma: Blue Bucks or the Brick?

2008-06-25T17:02:00.000-07:00

Though it's in new, temporary quarters thanks to the Eastern Market fire, the breakfast dilemma at the Capitol Hill institution Market Lunch remains the same: Blueberry buckwheat pancakes or the Brick? The huge, fluffy pancakes are a buttery delight--plus, you get to hear the cashier yell "Bluuuuue BUCKS" to the line cooks. However, the Brick is an unparalleled breakfast sandwich--a homemade biscuit houses your choice of meat (bacon, sausage or ham), cheese, eggs and the piece de resistance, fried potatoes.

On Saturday morning, the Market Lunch line is long, and the boys ahead of us were hungry enough to order both the pancakes and the Brick. J and I adhered to one Brick for each of us, he with sausage, me with bacon. It provided plenty of fuel for our walk back down the Mall (and then some).

Know before you go: Market Lunch doesn't do breakfast on Sunday, and stops serving breakfast items around noon on Saturdays.

Market Lunch (inside Eastern Market's temporary location)
7th Street & North Carolina Avenue, SE
Washington, D.C.

Strawberry Banana Pudding Pie

2008-06-18T17:54:00.001-07:00

So, a few months ago, I had the...um...pleasure of meeting Katie Lee Joel at a food charity event. I was about to ask her what it was like to be Billy Joel's daughter, but then the reporter next to me asked about her HUSBAND, Billy Joel. Oops. His daughter, Alexa Ray Joel, is a mere four years younger than her stepmother, so you can't blame me for being confused.

Anyway, at this event I was...um...lucky enough to get a free copy of Joel's new cookbook, The Comfort Table. No disrespect to Mrs. Joel's Southern heritage, but this vanity project looks straight out of the Hamptons, not straight out of West Virginia, her home state. The one recipe that caught my eye was a banana pudding pie. I added strawberries, and nixed the extra layer of vanilla wafers in the pie itself. While the pudding was a bit runny, it was quite delicious, though I doubt the slim Katie has eaten too many slices of such a decadent dessert.

Banana Strawberry Vanilla Pudding Pie

45 vanilla wafers
3/4 stick butter, melted
1 batch of vanilla pudding (try Mark Bittman's recipe)
2 bananas, sliced
1/2 pint strawberries, sliced
3/4 c. cream
scant 1/4 c. sugar (or less, depending on your sweet tooth)

Preheat oven to 350. Pulse the vanilla wafers in your food processor until crumbly. Slowly add in the melted butter and pulse until well-mixed.

Press vanilla wafer crumbs into a greased pie pan. Bake for about 10-15 minutes. Cool.

When crust is cool, place a layer of bananas and strawberries in the crust. Top with a thick layer of the pudding. Place another layer of bananas and strawberries on top, then the rest of the pudding (you may have some extra). Place in the fridge to chill for at least two hours. Meanwhile, whip the cream with the sugar until you have stiff peaks. When ready to serve the pie, top with a layer of whipped cream.

Open-Faced Asparagus Spring Onion Sandwich

2008-06-16T17:44:00.000-07:00

I tried to stay local through the winter, stopping at the Morningside Heights farmers' market on Thursday afternoons, but a girl can only eat so many apples. The pickings were slim December through March, and I rarely had the time to trek down to the larger New York market at Union Square.

I have no excuses now--summer's bounty has begun, and on Wednesday nights the Foggy Bottom market in DC is right in front of the Metro station I use to get home. The market is small, but covers all the bases. A couple veggie stands, a dairy/egg stand, a pork and beef guy, plus a bread gal. Last week in less than 10 minutes, I pulled together the ingredients for a full meal at the market, forcing my seatmates on the Metro to bathe in the smell of my fresh garlic the whole way home.

Last week I caught the last of the asparagus, fat, crisp tips perfect for roasting. I drizzled them with olive oil and garlic, and tucked them in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes. As they cooked, I sauteed some sweet, purple spring onions and some baby summer squash. I toasted some walnut-whole wheat-cumin bread, spread it with fresh goat cheese, topped it with the onions and squash, then the tender asparagus spears. I finished the whole open faced delight with one non-local ingredient--lemon juice. Even in summer, the Mid-Atlantic can't quite catch up with California's riches.

And Now From Our Nation's Capital

2008-06-01T09:46:00.000-07:00

Friends--this summer Erin's Kitchen will come to you from Washington, DC, where I'll be working until mid-August. I lived in this sweltering city when I first graduated from college, and have fond memories of Saturday mornings at Eastern Market, cheap lunch at Ben's Chili Bowl, and my first-ever mussels at Bistro du Coin.

However, more often than not I'll be eating in--J must stay in New York for work, and paying two rents requires beans-and-rice-style belt-tightening. I'll still visit the Big Apple every other weekend, so you can expect reports from both the Union Square and Foggy Bottom farmers' markets on a regular basis. I've added some DC foodbloggers to my links on the left. If you have any favorites to recommend, please let me know!

Eat the Tail, Suck the Head

2008-06-01T09:22:00.000-07:00

To eat your crawfish, you twist at the middle, breaking the head from the tail. Squeeze the head and suck out the fat, then peel the tail a bit, hold the end, twist and pull out the meat and eat. See? Simple.

The weather gods have been remarkably kind to J and I this week. Tuesday night we scored tickets to Hamlet in Central Park, and though the sky was black and wet just an hour before the show began, the rain stopped about 10 minutes into the show. Similarly, gray clouds and a depressing weather report nearly kept us off the bus to Crawfish Fest down in Sussex County New Jersey yesterday. However, J's Louisiana-bred friend Geoff was determined to get his crawfish fill and we decided to cross our fingers and go. Though the raindrops got bigger the closer we got to the festival, by the time the bus doors opened, the drops disappeared and we even got a bit of a sunburn as the day progressed.

It's hard to beat a day in the sun with friends, drinking beer, listening to live music, and eating spicy Cajun food. Though as we rolled into our apartment around 9 pm last night, J and I agreed we perhaps overdid it--in addition to a whole mess of crawfish, between the two of us we ate a crawfish sausage, crawfish bread, onion rings, beignets, mint chip ice cream, and the piece de resistance--a jalepeno stuffed honest-to-god alligator sausage on a stick. Hoo-boy.

Fortunately, it's a well known fact that just like iceberg lettuce, boiled crawfish are calorie neutral. You see, you burn as many calories snapping and peeling and sucking as you consume. So it's all good. But trust me, I never want to see another alligator sausage.

Green (Purple) Goddess Dressing

2008-05-30T06:23:00.000-07:00

Sweetpeas on the left, chive flowers on the right

Wednesday morning I made it to the Union Square Greenmarket for the first time in ages. Though yesterday I pined for my California market, I will admit late May's bounty here in New York ain't bad. I stuffed my bag full of strawberries, rhubarb, asparagus, spring onions, radishes, baby romaine, and the chive flowers pictured above.

The radishes and baby romaine cried out for a creamy dressing, so I cracked open my trusty Joy of Cooking and found a Green Goddess dressing recipe that easily adapted to my ingredients at hand. I used the purple chive flowers instead of chives, and as the dressing sat on my salad, it's color shifted to a subtle lavender. The flowers have the same taste as their younger, greener stems you normally see in the store. The added benefit is the lovely bouquet gracing your table until you cut up and use all the flowers.

This delish dressing is my entry for Kalyn's fab Weekend Herb Blogging event, hosted by Wandering Chopsticks this week.

Green (Purple) Goddess Dressing
This makes more than enough for one large individual salad

scant 1/4 c. creme fraiche (for a low-fat version, sub fat-free plain yogurt)
splash of lemon juice
splash of champagne vinegar
approx. 1 tbsp. chopped parsley
approx. 1 tbsp. chopped chive flowers
salt and pepper to taste

Whisk all ingredients together. Voila--you have salad dressing.

Cherry "Jello"

2008-05-29T06:45:00.000-07:00

As I've puttered around the apartment this week, I've listened to podcasts of Los Angeles-based chef Evan Kleiman's show, Good Food. Each episode begins with a "market report", highlighting what's in season at area farmers' markets. Right now, it sounds like LA is drowning in cherries, apricots, and the summer's first sweet corn, grown deep in the hottest part of the state. It's hard to keep my longing in check--what I wouldn't give for a freshly picked deep red Bing or yellowy Rainer.

To assuage my desire, I snagged a bag of (expensive!!) Bings at a local market. They were good, but not great--a bit soft and not super-sweet. They worked well in this homemade Jello though. I followed Elise's recipe for a Strawberry-Rhubarb Terrine, cutting the ingredients in half, using cherries instead of strawberries/rhubarb, and agave syrup instead of white sugar. A perfect dessert for a sticky summer day. If you want to keep your food local, however, and you live on the East Coast, you can stick with Elise's original fruit choices--yesterday's Union Square greenmarket was bursting with early strawberries and rhubarb.

Kicking Off Summer with Celebration

2008-05-27T06:33:00.000-07:00

I spent the long weekend in Wisconsin with my family, celebrating my little sister's upcoming nuptials. She's getting hitched to a lovely boy at the end of July, then they're packing their bags for Honduras, where they'll teach for two years. To preview their Central American adventure, my Mom and I threw my sister a "tropical" bridal shower on Saturday.

While I doubt she'll find many cupcakes in San Pedro Sula, I figured a lime curd filling was tropical enough to include these beauties for dessert. The recipe for these lime curd stuffed cupcakes with cream cheese frosting comes from the inimitable Cupcake Bakeshop, though the lime wedge decorations were my sister's inspiration. While we sent most of the leftovers away with our guests, we saved a few for breakfast the next day.

For a savory and sweet treat, I also made these banana and black bean empanadas. These are simple thanks to the use of puff pastry. Nearly any filling could work--next time I may try sweet corn. You can make them ahead--place on a cookie sheet, cover with tinfoil, and store in the fridge.

Ladies Who Brunch

2008-05-21T13:56:00.001-07:00

I'm cherishing every day of downtime between the end of the school year and the start of my summer internship. Novels, baking, blogging--oh my! Today, the ladies who helped me slog through a year of economics came over for brunch to celebrate our freedom. These gals remind me why I came to grad school--over a leisurely meal of asparagus frittata, fruit salad, and blueberry-banana bread, our conversation ranged from the politics of Venezuela and Russia, to the recent Pulitzer Prize winner Junot Diaz to good old fashioned girly gossip.

A few moments ago I unwrapped the leftover blueberry bread for a quick snack--this stuff is addictive and actually somewhat healthy. A nearby market has been on berry-overload for the past week--hence the overflowing fruit salad, whose leftovers, as soon as I finish this post, will complete my late afternoon noshing.

Blueberry Banana Bread
adapted from Joy of Cooking

1 c. white flour
1/3 c. whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
5 1/3 tbsp. butter, room temperature
2/3 c. pure cane sugar
2 large eggs
3 mashed very ripe bananas (2 if they're big)
1 pint blueberries

Topping:
Oats
Brown sugar
Butter

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a loaf pan.

If you want to make the crumbly topping, mix together approximately 1/4 c. oats, 1/4 c. brown sugar and enough butter to make it stick together (sorry! didn't measure when I did this!).

Whisk together flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. In a separate large bowl beat butter and sugar together for 2-3 minutes. Beat in the flour mixture into the butter-sugar stuff until blended. Gradually beat in the eggs. Then fold in bananas and blueberries.

Pour into loaf pan. Top with crumbly topping if you want. Bake for about 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let pan cool on a rack for about 10 minutes before taking bread out of the pan.

Beet, Potato and Prosciutto Salad

2008-05-20T07:25:00.000-07:00

Over the past few weeks, I've become obsessed with mustard vinaigrette. During finals, I ate it drizzled over blanched green beans nearly every night (served next to a pathetic frozen veggie burger). Now that the semester has ended, I've got time for more than a quick bean boil, so last night I used it to dress a jumble of potatoes, beets, arugula and prosciutto.

My mustard of choice is the French Clovis brand--last week I finished up a jar of its tarragon mustard and have recently opened a jar flavored with Provence herbs. Its sharp, earthiness works equally well on a ham sandwich and in salad dressing. In NY, you can find Clovis at Fairway--$2.79 for 7 ounces.

Beet, Potato and Prosciutto Salad

1 bunch of beets, greens trimmed
6-7 medium white potatoes, cut into quarters
olive oil
1-2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
1 tsp. fresh dill, chopped
1 tsp. fresh tarragon, chopped
zest of one lemon
2-3 oz. proscuitto, cut into bite sized strips
1-2 large handfuls of arugula

Dressing ingredients:
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 tbsp. mustard, preferably dijon or stone-ground
1 1/2 tbsp. champagne vinegar
olive oil
kosher salt
pepper

Preheat the oven to 400. Wrap the beets tightly in foil. Place in oven and roast 45-1 hour depending on size. Open foil carefully (beet juice likes to spray) and wait for the beets to cool. Carefully rub off their skins and cut into quarters. Set aside.

After you put the beets in the oven, prepare the potatoes. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme. Put in the oven and roast for about 30-40 minutes, until skins are crispy and potatoes are fork tender. Remove from oven and set aside.

Mix the tarragon, dill and lemon zest together. Set aside.

Prepare the vinaigrette. Place diced shallots, mustard and vinegar into a small bowl. Stir well. Slowly add olive oil, whisking as you add it, until the dressing is the consistency you'd like (approximately 5-6 tablespoons of olive oil). Add salt and pepper to taste.

Compose salad. On a large platter, scatter arugula. Drizzle a bit of the dressing on top. Place beets and potatoes on top of arugula. Sprinkle the prosciutto across the plate. Sprinkle the lemon zest mix across the plate. Finish with more of the dressing and a scattering of fresh ground pepper and fleur de sel.

Warm Weather (Finally) = Outdoor Beer & BBQ at Fette Sau and Spuyten Duyvil

2008-04-20T19:54:00.000-07:00

Oh my lord, during my years in LA I forgot the pure bliss of those first really warm, sunny spring days. All things considered, this past winter in New York has been mild, but I spent most of February and much of March cursing the day I left southern California. But last Friday, oh last Friday--her 75 degrees of delicious sunshine made up for all of the gray, damp days earlier this year.

What better way to celebrate such weather than an evening al fresco? J and I joined our friend Geoff for a night in Brooklyn, first at the car repair shop turned BBQ joint that is Fette Sau. Belly up to the counter and order your meat by the pound, then swing by the bar to pick up a beer in a mason jar. Prices are reasonable and the meat is tenderly terrific. I recommend a hearty squirt of the spicy mustard, and a seat at the outdoor picnic tables.

Beware the beer taps at Fette Sau.

J & G at Spuyten Duyvil as we waited for a patio seat.

After stuffing ourselves silly as we soaked in the last of the sun, we headed across the street to Spuyten Duyvil, a beer bar I've written about previously. We bided our time at a table in the front window until a spot opened in the garden patio. Here you feel as though you're in a friend's back yard, but with much better beer than any of your friends would provide. We headed home early, and Saturday morning I was back in the florescent-lit computer lab, crunching stats data. But last Friday was just a preview--summer's around the corner and I'll be damned if I set foot in a computer lab between May 13 and August 31.

Fette Sau
354 Metropolitan Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11211
nr. Havemeyer St.
718-963-3404

Spuyten Duyvil
359 Metroplitcan Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11211
Across the street from Fette Sau
718-963-4140

Good Things to Eat: Dosas, Dumplings and Triple Chocolate "Muffins"

2008-04-17T09:44:00.000-07:00

You know how fancy hotel brunches have a Belgian Waffle guy that makes them to order? Well, the Jackson Diner in Queens makes dosas to order during the $10 buffet lunch.

Broke, but have a monthly subway pass? Take the train to 99 Allen Street on the Lower East Side and get five porky fried dumplings for $1. Look for the neon sign that says...wait for it...Fried Dumpling.

David Bouley would like you to believe that this is a Three Chocolate "Muffin." So you're free to eat one for breakfast the next time you're in Tribeca at 8 am. Take an extra minute to sit outside and appreciate the ridiculously delightful spring flowers outside the Bouley Bakery.

Swiss Chard Tart with the World's Most Expensive Puff Pastry

2008-04-06T15:08:00.000-07:00

Can you feel the quality radiating from the puff pastry in the above photo? Does it have an otherworldly, heavenly glow? Does it look like it costs $10 for one sheet? I hope so, because I certainly couldn't detect much of a taste difference than my usual Pepperidge Farms puff pastry. I know, I know, this stuff is locally made with "the finest churned sweet butter", not wacky transfats, but still. I bought it despite the price--it was all Whole Foods had, and I wasn't about to ruin my Sunday with a stop at Fairway. Plus, this tart is just too damn good to abandon because of puff pastry prices.

Tart before baking.

This tart is my favorite recipes from Suzanne Goin's cookbook, Sunday Supper's at Lucques. Of all of her complex recipes, this has the lowest work to deliciousness ratio. The puff pastry crust is smeared with a ricotta and creme fraiche mix, topped with swiss chard that's already been sauteed with shallots, and a generous handful of crumbled goat cheese. You bake it in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, then serve it with a currant pinenut relish (recipe here).

Serve the tart with this lovely farro salad on the side, and you have an excellent meal when your vegetarian friends come over for dinner. For a version of this tart with spring greens, click here.

Antics at Antik, East Village (or why I'm an old lady)

2008-04-02T21:06:00.000-07:00

Here's a shocker: I'm not a clubbing, crazy nightlife kind of girl. Sure, I like my chichi cocktails and fancy restaurants, but bottle service, velvet ropes and oonce-oonce-oonce through the speakers? Um, no.

After seeing a play tonight, J and I wanted to grab a drink and discuss. I'd read the following in Time Out about a new place on the Bowery, Antik:

There’s no bar at this burgundy-draped lounge from owners Larry Kramer and Craig Koenig ...Instead, cocktail servers transport drinks—like the Hi Ho (gin, white port and bitters)—from the back of the house to marble-topped tables. The goal is prohibition-era formality, a surprising endgame for a pair of nightlife impresarios whose previous projects adhered to the B&T-friendly Meatpacking and West Chelsea mold.

My reaction? A new place with aspirations to be the next PDT or Little Branch--and damn, the Hi Ho sounds good. Steps from our theater, a cozy spot for a well-crafted cocktail. Yeah, not so much. At 11 pm it was empty, yet the bouncer asked us if we were there for the private party. Um, no--just want a drink. Okay--he lets us in. The music is thumping, and the waitress looks at me blankly when I request a Hi Ho. J and I settle for $14, very weak Manhattans and attempt to discuss the show. The music volume continues to rise, and we are treated to a (admittedly delightful if random) breakdancing show from a staff member. By the time we leave 1/2 hour later, the place is still empty--I assume the cool kids don't arrive until well past midnight. At which time, I'll be tucked into bed.

Antik
356 Bowery between Great Jones and 4th Sts
212-388-1655

West Village Bakeries: Batch & Birdbath

2008-03-31T19:21:00.000-07:00

Huckleberry chevre pudding at Batch, West Village

New York is littered with specialized dessert shops--from cupcakes to hard candy, rice pudding to frozen yogurt--long lines often form for these one hit wonders. And really, what's not to like? A long, leisurely walk around the Lower East Side is greatly improved with a quick stop for a pistachio cupcake at Sugar Sweet Sunshine. Similarly, after a long day at school I admit sneaking into Pinkberry for a late afternoon snack, and I appreciate that only three choices (green tea, original or coffee) present themselves.

Cupcakes and puddings at Batch

Sometimes, however, a one-item shop just won't cut it. Your vegan friend craves something sweet, but you want a buttery cookie. Or your little sister only eats pink-frosted cupcakes, while you're sick to death of buttercream. Two different bakeries in the West Village help solve these dessert dilemmas.

Cookie stacks behind the counter at Birdbath. Fake, I believe.

To accommodate the vegans and environmentalists in your life, visit Birdbath Bakery, an eco-conscious offshoot of City Bakery. Don't worry-- you--the dairy-loving, Hummer-driving friend, won't have to eat birdseed. You can try the mighty fine gingerbread cookie-it's perfectly chewy and studded with real, fresh ginger. The cookies are about the size of a saucer and come in double chocolate chip, chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin and other traditional flavors. I can't speak for the tastiness of the vegan items, but New York magazine recently termed the banana sesame agave cakes the best "vegan treat" in the city.

For the cupcake-loving little sister (and her jaded, worldly older sibling) try the new Pichet Ong venture, Batch. Right next to his schmancy spot P*Ong, Batch is a bright little bakery stacked Willy Wonka style with puddings, cookies, cupcakes and more. J and I loved the huckleberry chevre pudding--creamy cheesecake in a cup. My friend Jess tried both the lemonlemonlemon cupcake (she pronounced it dry) and a caramel chocolate cupcake with a dose of sticky caramel on the inside (she liked it). The aspirations and the prices at Batch are higher than many other bakeries in town, so choose wisely (cupcakes were approximately $3, while the pudding was $5). If you're the kind of person who swaddles your doggie in sweaters as soon as temperatures hit 45 degrees, you'll also appreciate the foie gras doggie biscuits Batch offers.

Birdbath Bakery
corner of 7th Ave South and Charles Street
(646) 722-6570

Batch (currently cash only)
150B W. 10th St. at Waverly Pl.
(212)-929-0250

Get Up, Get on Up: Wine, French Fries and James Brown at Bar Boulud

2008-03-30T19:15:00.000-07:00

Bar Boulud, the newish, casual venture of chichi chef Daniel Boulud on the Upper West Side, has won plaudits for its wide array of pâtés--Frank Bruni termed the restaurant a "terrine machine." Yet when J and I stopped in for a late glass of wine after a jazz show, gelatinous meat wasn't on our agenda. Really, we were there just for the wine. Then--one dish went by, another and another, and the smell had us practically stealing the plate out of the waiter's hands. Instead of causing a scene by filching someone else's dinner, we ordered our own. The dish that caused such fervor? A bucket of french fries. These slim, crisp beauties had sprightly salt in every bite, and I alternated dips in mayo and ketchup. When we told our waiter of our love for these perfectly fried potatoes, he said he hoped there'd be a big batch waiting when he clocked out in a few hours.

Directly across from Lincoln Center, Bar Boulud was crazy crowded on a Saturday night at 11 pm. We squeezed around a table in the front window (no stools) and enjoyed our wine and fries, not looking at the food menu (for real reviews, look here and here ). We finished our last sips of wine to the sound of James Brown's Sex Machine--I looked to see if the Upper West Side matrons had noticed. Nope--too busy with their french fries.

Bar Boulud
1900 Broadway (at 64th)
New York, NY 10023
(212) 595-0303

Go to Gottino (Unless I'm Going)

2008-03-23T16:38:00.000-07:00

The prep area at Gottino--Love those blood oranges and heirloom apples

A slip of an Italian wine bar in the West Village, Gottino serves up some delish seasonal snacks to nibble on while you sip your Barbera d'Alba. When J and I stopped by around 9 last Thursday, we wedged ourselves against the slim marble counter opposite the bar. By the time we'd finished our first bruschetta (my favorite featured preserved tomatoes--how I long for summer!), a couple seats at the bar opened up and we squeezed in.

The bartender gave us a warm welcome--after J had ordered another glass of wine and mentioned his love of Italian whites, the bartender poured him a taste of an additional wine he thought J would like. We rounded out our late dinner with a smoked trout panzanella, blood orange salad and some apples roasted and stuffed with sausage. So, yeah, though I long for summer--winter dishes aren't so bad. The apple-sausage combo was especially satisfying--I'm a sucker for sweet and savory, especially on a cold, windy night. Though the menu features your typical wine bar staples--cheese, cured meats, olives--that's just the beginning of chef Jody Williams (she runs the kitchen at Morandi just around the corner) creation. I would tell you more, but when I asked for a copy of the (paper, flimsy) menu I hit the only sour note of the night--"we don't give that away." What I remember is lots of pork, some interesting veggie dishes, and various sardine concoctions.

The place stayed packed all night, and I think we lucked out with a spot. There are few tables in the front and back, but you'll get hungry waiting for the bartenders/waiters to part the crowds and come take your order. With patience and good timing you're better off at the bar itself--and save me a seat!

Gottino
52 Greenwich Ave
New York, NY 10011
212-546-7892

Meyer Lemon Guava Granola

2008-03-22T12:02:00.000-07:00

Growing up, my little sister couldn't stand vegetables. Cooked broccoli could not sit next to her at the dinner table. She briefly became a vegetarian in high school after learning about factory farms, but it was an unsustainable venture without veggies.

How times have changed. Broccoli is now one of her favorites, and she eats like a vegetarian queen. She's the best veggie cook I know, wowing her friends with homemade chili, nursing her own sourdough starter, and concocting fabulous vegetable soups. We talk food more and more these days, and her commitment to whole grain, natural ingredients motivates me to keep my kitchen healthy. More veggies in the crisper, less white sugar in my baked goods, more brown rice in the cupboard. This granola is sweetened by one of my all-natural, unrefined choices--agave syrup--notable for its low glycemic index. The thought of adding citrus zest came from the granola recipe in Super Natural Cooking, and it will make your home smell fantastic as the granola bakes.

Meyer Lemon Guava Granola

4 cups oats
1 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts and almonds)
Cinnamon
1/4 cup wheat germ
Zest of two Meyer lemons
1/2 stick butter
scant 1/4 cup honey
scant 1/4 cup agave syrup
1/2 cup chopped, dried guava (I found the most amazing discs of dried guava at Fairway)

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, mix together oats, nuts, cinnamon, wheat germ and lemon zest.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, mix the butter, honey and agave syrup until everything dissolves together. Stir constantly. Set aside and cool for a few minutes.

Pour butter mixture over the oats. Using a wooden spoon or your hands, mix well.

Spread oat mixture onto a large, rimmed baking sheet. Bake in oven for approximately 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove and let cool, then stir in chopped guava. Store in an airtight container.

Click here for another Erin's Kitchen granola recipe.

Celebrating Spring with Brooklyn's Italian Eats

2008-03-20T13:31:00.000-07:00

Arancini at Esposito's Pork Store, Brooklyn.

Oh, spring. You tease. Saturday was a gorgeous day. Sunny, no wind—I walked a few blocks in short sleeves with no chill. My skin hummed with happiness in the blue sky and warm air. By the time Sunday morning rolled around, it was all over. The clouds rolled in, the sky got dark, and today it’s violently windy and gray (okay, as I type this the sun is peeking out, but just barely).

However, J and I did all we could to suck up the sun while it shone. We took a leisurely stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday, then down Court Street through neighborhoods of Cobble and Boerum Hill. Our first food stop was Esposito’s Pork Store, where we admired the sausages hanging from the ceiling and the thick cut pork chops in the cold case. We ordered baseball-size arancini—fried rice balls stuffed with cheese (mine) meat sauce (J's). The gregarious counterman heated them for us, wrapped 'em up, and we took them to a kid-filled park up the street. With many napkins in hand, we devoured our treats—mine was marvelously stuffed with a combination of mozzarella and fresh ricotta.

Still hungry, we ambled further down Court to Frankies Spuntino 457, a modern take on a traditional Italian sandwich joint. We found seats at the bright bar, and ordered up a couple of Italian white wines. J then settled on the sausage and broccoli rabe sandwich, while I went for eggplant marinara. He made the better choice. I wasn’t a huge fan of my sandwich’s sauce—it was neither sweet nor spicy, instead rather watery and boring. His sausages (from Faicco's Pork Store) were fantastic, however, and I loved the pairing with the bitter rabe.

I’m crossing my fingers for another day like Saturday….soon!!

Esposito's Pork Store
357 Court Street
Brooklyn, NY 11231

Frankie's Spuntino 457 (they also have a location in Manhattan)
457 Court Street
Brooklyn, NY 11231
718-403-0033

J's Favorite Chocolate Birthday Cake

2008-03-19T16:39:00.000-07:00

The women in J's family are extraordinary bakers. At Christmas, his grandmother often bakes every grandkid's favorite dessert--usually, J gets a light-as-a-cloud angel food cake all to himself. When we visits his house at Thanksgiving, his mom keeps me busy baking gingersnaps, revel bars and other treats--not for dessert but for "snacks" during the holiday break.

For J's birthday this year (his claims its his 29th--again--but the candles tell a different story), he requested the chocolate cake of his youth. I talked to his mom on the phone and she rattled off the recipe from memory. His dad likes to use sour cream instead of the sour milk, but his mom says that makes it too heavy. I recommend using the best unsweetened cocoa you can find since it's the star of the show. I used two 9 inch round cake pans for the batter and froze one cake for later indulgence.

Sour Milk Chocolate Cake

2 sticks butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 c. sour milk--mix 1 c. milk and 2 tbsp vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. cocoa
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
1 c. boiling water

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and mix well. Add milk and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda. Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Add boiling water and stir.

Pour batter into cake pans. Depending on size of pans, will probably need to bake 25-35 minutes. Check it frequently, using a toothpick to test.

Chocolately Fudge Frosting

1/2 stick butter
1/4 c. milk
1/4 c. cocoa
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
dash of salt

Heat all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir constantly. Boil for one minute. Cool completely before spreading frosting.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2008-03-17T06:45:00.000-07:00

Behold the glorious St. Patrick's Day cupcake from Upper East Side institution Glaser's Bake Shop (you may remember my report on their fab Easter cupcakes a few years ago). For just $1.50 this buttercream delight is yours. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a parade to watch.

Glaser's Bake Shop
1670 First Avenue, at 87th
(212) 289-2562

Cranberry Apple Orange Amaranth Coffeecake

2008-03-16T08:13:00.000-07:00

Today was my second day of spring break, and I'm mostly over my jealousy of my friends who've taken off for Rio, Barbados and Palm Springs. Instead I'm focusing on the fact that J & I spent two thrilling undergrad spring breaks exploring New York, and I've constructed a packed agenda for the next week, with stops in Queens, Brooklyn, and....drumroll please...Trader Joe's. I'm also looking forward to reading the paper and baking as much as possible. This morning I'm off to a good start--this low-fat bread paired well with the Sunday New York Times (something white people like).

Note: Amaranth flour is ground from amaranth grain, a staple of pre-Columbian Aztec diets. It contains no gluten, so needs to be paired with a wheat flour for recipes with leaveners. It's high in protein and calcium; I first read about it in Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Cooking. Bob's Red Mill makes the flour, which can often be found at natural food stores. Anson Mills is another good source for hard to find New World grains.

Cranberry Apple Orange Amaranth Coffeecake
(adapted from Joy of Cooking)

1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. amaranth flour
2/3 c. sugar
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 c. low-fat yogurt
1/3 cup orange juice
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 apple, chopped
1/2 c. cranberries, chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8 x 2 inch round pan, or a loaf pan like I did. Whisk together flours, sugar, baking soda, spices and salt in large bowl. In another bowl, combine yogurt, orange juice, olive oil and vanilla. Pour wet mixture over dry mixture and stir until dry ingredients are just moistened. Gently stir in apples and cranberries.

Scrape mixture into your pan. Bake until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. For the round pan this will be approximately 25-30 minutes. For a loaf pan it will be closer to 45-50 minutes. Let cool in pan for a few minutes, then remove to rack.

Serious Eats...Seriously?

2008-03-12T08:05:00.000-07:00

Gourmet editor Ruth Reichl has called New York's Ed Levine, mastermind of the entertaining Serious Eats site, the "missionary of the delicious" and I admit that his "Where to find the best" lists have been indispensable as I've explored the city.

But...but...in the past few months, he's posted a couple stories on his blog that have made me question his taste. First, he posted a laudatory blurb about Morningside Heights' Community Food and Juice. This newish spot touts its commitment to organic, healthy food and charges you plenty for the privilege of a brown rice bowl with grilled tofu ($11) or a "country breakfast" of two eggs, Canadian nitrate-free bacon, carrot hashbrowns and a whole wheat biscuit ($11). The food's not bad, but if it was located on the Lower East Side instead of outside Columbia's gates, I doubt it'd be packed to the gills every day. I admit I haven't tried the blueberry pancakes Levine gushes over, so maybe there's something I'm missing.

I was much more disappointed, however, with Levine's recent report on his trip to Lisbon. Basically, he trashes the food there saying, "...in Lisbon it's hard to find much of anything delicious." Excuse me? Did we travel to the same city?!?! He's right to describe it as "peasant food" but if Portuguese peasants eat what I ate in Lisbon (pork and clams; blood sausages and quince paste; a ridiculously amazing egg, potato, salt cod hash), then I'd be fat and happy as a Portuguese peasant, washing it all down with port and vino verde. Really Ed, you searched "high and low"???

Banana Pear Nutella Bread

2008-03-05T20:06:00.000-08:00

Why can't I find a good bunch of bananas in New York City? They often come in plastic bags and turn from hard-as-a-rock green to peel-splitting ripe in no time flat. I assume NY bananas come from the same (very distant) land as my LA bananas, right? I've tried switching to pears and apples for my daily mid-morning snack, but they're messy and not nearly as filling.

The upside to a fruit bowl full of overripe bananas, however, is banana bread. Last Saturday, I was also craving chocolate and remembered my friend Emily making a delightful Orangette banana-chocolate concoction last summer. Well, I had no chocolate in the cupboard, but I did have Nutella. I also had an overripe pear--the more, the merrier, right? I threw a large scoop (about 1/2 a cup?) of Nutella in the batter, as well as chopped pear bits. As soon as the bread went in the oven, I looked at my counter and realized I--doh!--hadn't added the requisite sugar. Thanks to the gooey swirls of sweet hazelnut spread, this wasn't a problem--in fact, sans sugar it seemed less ridiculous to eat the bread for breakfast every day this week.

Click here for the full original recipe. I admit I was skeptical regarding the lack of butter or oil, but high banana content (plus my pear I think) provided plenty of rich, moist flavor.

Help Me Identify Rocco's Sidekick

2008-03-05T13:08:00.000-08:00

Who's the guy behind Rocco? He's ~~"food star"~~ "soap star" famous, right?

So as a bona-fide snob (see previous post), the J & E household has no television, and therefore I'm not very up to date on my Food Network stars. However, I did recognize Rocco Dispirito as I hopped the escalator behind him and his entourage (seriously, like 5 people) at the Time Warner Center. He was there for a photo op--Bertolli Pasta was giving away free pasta samples, and as their official shill, Rocco was there to "cook" some samples. Some other person in an actual chef's jacket had the pan sizzling when Rocco arrived--he shook it a few times and tasted the contents, all with an eye to the cameras.

Anyway, more amusing to me was the lament of his sidekick (the tall guy in the photo) as they rode the escalator. One of the photographers had tried to convince them to take a picture next to the looming Botero statues in the mall's lobby. The guys refused--as the yet unidentified dude said as we went up, "It wouldn't be good for me to be photographed next to a huge penis." Nor would it be good for the rest of us, I'm sure.

Drinks for Your Inner (or Outer) Snob

2008-03-03T19:55:00.000-08:00

Rhum Cure at Madeline Mae, Upper West Side

Way back in 2001 when I was an eager just-out-of-college Hill staffer, I attended a party celebrating the passage of campaign finance reform. "Oooh, " my friend Sherry exclaimed as we walked in, "Free apple martinis." I distinctly remember the thrill of imbibing such a "fancy" cocktail, gratis.

These days my astronomical liquor snob level means I wouldn't touch a neon green syrupy vodka concoctions with a ten-foot pole. Even if I had an Apple Pucker craving, it'd be difficult to satisfy, as many bars have moved on to more obscure, artisanal booze and beers.

J and I have hita sample of such barslately, enjoying some of the snobbiest (dare I say trendiest?) drinks New York has to offer. First we sampled homemade rhum cures at the new Madeline Mae on the Upper West Side. These infused rhums are made for sippin', and run from the wintery, savory types, full of vanilla and cinnamon, to the fruity, tropical ones. At $10 a pop, they're a nice way to end the evening in lieu of port or coffee.

Gramercy Park Hotel: Lightbulb ceiling; atmosphere; my friend Ben checks out Damien Hirst's medicine cabinet.

Further downtown, J and I had the dumb luck to end up on the guests-only rooftop patio bar at The Gramercy Park Hotel (If you don't have any friends that are fancy-pants lawyers, try to acquire some--trust me, it's worth it). The amazing city views and the Warhol, Hirst and Schnabel pieces on display made $18 for our Elderflower Smashes seem almost (but not quite) reasonable. If you aren't a guest/with a guest, you can drink the same beverage in the lobby-level Jade Bar, a cozy if slightly intimidating spot. Through the Jade Bar you can also visit the Rose Bar, though I understand reservations are advised and you may want to call RIGHT NOW to secure your space for July--because paying through the nose for a drink is a privilege, not a right.

Finally, this past weekend J and I trekked to Williamsburg for a friend's concert. Pre-show, we slipped into Spuyten Duyvil, a bar that takes it's beer very seriously. Even if you're a certified beer expert, these guys will have something you've never heard of before. I loved the old-school maps and diagrams on the wall nearly as much as my Defiant Tripel. Prices run the gamut, but there are many cheap ($5ish) options. As soon as the weather warms up, I'm planning a return trip for a brew in their back patio followed by a meal across the street at BBQ joint, Fette Sau.

Madeline Mae
461 Columbus Ave (at 82nd)
New York, NY
212-496-3000

Gramercy Park Hotel

*Really, ask anyone, and I'm a snob about nearly everything. Except Legally Blonde: The Musical. Best. Broadway Show. EVER.

Birthday Cupcake Crawl

2008-02-19T08:32:00.000-08:00

For my birthday this year, I decided instead of just one cake, I wanted to try at least four. My friends and I set out on a cupcake crawl beginning on the Upper West Side, ending on the Lower East Side, and capped with drinks at Verlaine.

My favorite was an old standby, the pistachio cupcake at cozy sugar Sweet sunshine. Crumbs and Buttercup Bakeshop on the Upper West Side were tasty but the seating areas have zero personality. Our final stop was vegan bakery Babycakes. Their cupcakes were dry and full of wacky, seemingly un-natural ingredients subbing for butter, sugar and white flour. I definitely understand that those with gluten allergies and lactose intolerance may crave a sweet baked good, and Babycakes can fill that need. However, as a dairy-loving, luckily allergy free gal, I'll take real cupcakes (in moderation of course) over their vegan counterparts. On a positive note, the Babycakes space is adorable and thinking of the cakes as muffins makes them more palatable.

Crumbs

321 1/2 Amsterdam Avenue @75th Street
New York, NY 10023
(212) 712-9800

Buttercup Bakeshop
141 W. 72nd St (Between Amsterdam & Columbus)
New York, NY 10023
212-787-3800

sugar Sweet sunshine
126 Rivington St
New York, NY 10002
212-915-1960

Babycakes
248 Broome St
New York, NY
212-677-5047

Learning to Love Tuna

2008-02-12T18:36:00.000-08:00

When I was sixteen, or even twenty, had you told me there'd come a time when I'd crave a tuna fish sandwich, I'd have called you crazy. I remember gagging when a high school boyfriend forced me to take a bite of his mom's "famous" mayo-heavy tuna fish sandwich. In college, I'd make my roommate sit in the hall to eat the tuna and cracker snack packs she loved.

I know now that the problem wasn't me, it was the fish and the mayo. Water packed Chicken of Sea doused in Miracle Whip is nothing like the olive oil packed solid tuna lightly dressed with balsamic vinaigrette that graces the sandwich you see above. I've found a favorite brand at Fairway--Flott--imported from Sicily. Not local, and I'm sure full of mercury, but I'm addicted. In addition to sandwiches, I'm partial to a salad of canned cannelini beans, tuna, jarred roasted bell peppers, maybe some green onions. On Sunday nights it's easy to fix a couple containers of the mixture for a couple of weekly lunches, or on a busy school night, dinner's ready in a flash.

Portugal Details: Lisbon, Coimbra & Porto

2008-01-29T20:10:00.000-08:00

(Sorry for the delay in posting our trip details!) J and I spent little time planning ahead for our trip in Portugal and other than reservations for our first two nights in Lisbon, our itinerary was up in the air before we arrived. As it was the off season this worked wonderfully--we added an extra night to our stay in Lisbon without difficulty and arrived in Coimbra and Porto without reservations anywhere.

We used the Rough Guide to Portugal, which gave great lodging advice yet fairly unhelpful transport and sight-seeing advice. It was often out of date or unclear. We found the Portuguese tourist offices useful, as well as the Comboios de Portugal (train) website. As far as restaurants, in my last post I mentioned David Lebovitz's Lisbon report, but we mainly took advice from our hosts and wandered the streets 'til we found a bustling spot. In general, every cafe or bar we popped into for a coffee or a glass of vino verde delighted us to no end--low prices, interesting characters, friendly faces.

FOOD FAVORITES AND LODGING GUIDE

LISBON

Bota Alta
Trav da Queimada 37
213 427 959
Traditional Portuguese food perfectly excecuted in a lively, crowded setting. Arrive early for a table.

Adega Santo Antao
Rua das Portas de Santo Antao 42
Rustic spot with the best roast pork and potatoes of the trip. Cheap wine and many old men sitting alone tucking into a bowl of pork and clams.

Confeitaria Nacional
Pr da Figueira 18
213 424 470
Where we at our first nata (traditional breakfast pastry). Beautiful interior. More expensive than the nearby non-descript local cafes.

Pensao Ninho das Aguias
Costa do Castelo 74
218-854-070
This small pension is situated on a cozy street in the Alfama neighborhood. Beautiful views of the city and comfortable rooms. Close to the Castelo de Mouros and a short (albeit steep) walk from Praca da Figuiera. In-room bath costs a bit more. No breakfast. We called from the U.S. to reserve ahead of time.

COIMBRA

Jardim da Manga
Rua Olimpo Nicolau Rui Fernandes
239 829 156
A self-service restaurant featuring Portuguese dishes. It's sort-of like a cafeteria but much classier with friendly service people--for example, you order espresso at a separate counter and it's expertly pulled, delivered to your table. Students watch soccer on TV in the corner. Open on Sundays, when many other spots are not.

A Cappella
Rua do Corpo de Deus, Largo da Vitoria
The spot to see fado in Coimbra. This club is housed in a former chapel and the acoustics are lovely. Drinks and snacks available.

Casa Pombal
Rua dos Flores 18
239-835-175
A Dutch-run pension in the old town section of Coimbra. Small but comfortable rooms. We chose the shared-bath option, though we were the only guests for the night. Also, we had a sink in our room. The proprietor was very friendly and gave us good advice for exploring and eating. Excellent, large breakfast.

PORTO

Dom Tonho
Cais da Ribeira 13-15
222-004-307
Expensive contemporary restaurant serving traditional Portuguese dishes with a modern twist. Had the best octopus of my life here--so fresh and tender, in a limey, piquant marinade. Bustling room overlooking the Douro with a mix of Portuguese and European tourists.

Vinologia
Rua de Sao Joao 46
936 057 340
Excellent port tasting bar featuring small, independent producers. Cozy wood interior and friendly, knowledgeable staff. You can buy port to take home as well.

Grande Hotel de Paris
Rua da Fabrica 27-29
222-073-140
A grand but charmingly shabby hotel. The first TV of the trip. Bathroom included, as well as a fantastic breakfast, with pastries of all stripes. A five minute walk from the main train station and a pleasant stroll or quick cab ride from the historic waterfront.

A Week in Portugal: Pork, Port and Pastries

2008-01-18T08:23:00.001-08:00

Taking full advantage of my long winter break, J and I snuck off to Portugal last week. Airline tickets were reasonable, and we figured the off season in this small coastal country was the cheapest spot in Western Europe. Of course, the off season meant raindrops and shortened hours at museums, but it also meant very few Americans, the ability to explore magical castles alone, and no hotel reservations needed. We visited Lisbon, Sintra, Coimbra and Porto in a 6 day trip.

We ate and drank more than our share of Portuguese delights--primarily rustic, cozy food perfect for chilly January days. Vegetables were few and far between, though those we had--raw carrots on a salad for example--were vibrant and full of flavor. In addition to pork, salt cod plays a key role in the Portuguese diet. "1000 Salt Cod Recipes"--a cookbook I found in a local bookstore. One of my favorites of the trip was a comforting hash of salt cod, shredded, fried potatoes and onions, held together by a loosely scrambled egg. We also ate multiple lunches featuring salt cod and potato fritters--some excellent, some only so-so.

I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story and post restaurant locations and travel details in a subsequent post. I was lucky enough to read this post by fellow blogger David Lebovitz right before we left and we followed many of his Lisbon recommendations.

Nearly every morning began with an espresso and a nata pastry--an eggy, creamy custardy filling in a flaky buttery crust. Our first two days in Lisbon, we ate this breakfast at a tiny stand-up counter in the Praca de Figueroa, the only tourists (and I the only woman) among a handful of older Portuguese men, many drinking a glass of vinho verde or local cherry brandy, ginja. The second morning I also ordered a banana, and then watched the waiter ceremoniously cut both ends off, then peel 1/2 of it and set it on a plate in front of me.

The picture above is from Pasteis de Belem, a bakery known for the best natas in Lisbon. I'd have to concur. Below is a view of the bakery's bustling kitchen.

Our first night in Lisbon, we walked around the Alfama neighborhood and found a tiny wine bar to begin the evening. At this point, our Portuguese vocabulary barely consisted of "obrigado" (thank you) so we struggled to ask if we could get a snack to accompany our wine. The waitress said no, but then a man came out of the back and began arguing with her--as far as we could tell, she didn't want to make any extra effort for the silly Americans while he insisted they could scrounge something up. J and I, embarrassed, tried to say nevermind and thought that was the end. About 10 minutes later, the waitress brings us a plate filled with various sausages and a pile of quince paste in the middle (pictured above). Starving, we gobbled the cumin and olive flecked sausages right up and when she came out again, I thought she asked if we liked it. So we both emphatically shook our heads in affirmation. Well, five minutes later we get another bigger plate with sausages and roast pork chunks. Sheepish, we also polished this off and ordered more wine. Our waitress seemed to have warmed to us by this point and as we got ready to leave, she brought us complimentary glasses of the house white port.

We spent one morning wandering the Porto central market, and found lots of pork products on display, including the sausage casings for home sausage making adventures.

A trip to Porto would be incomplete without a visit to the port wine lodges across the river from the city in the town of Vila de Nova Gaia. The wine is brought here from the eastern Douro Valley for fortification and trading purposes. The wine used to come down the river on boats but now semi-trucks suffice. Most lodges offer tours, but as it was January few were open. We settled for a tour at the large, Brit-run Taylor Fladgate and a small tasting at Sandeman. The port highlight of the trip, however, was a stop at Vinologia, a cozy tasting bar in Porto itself that specialized in ports from small producers. The extremely knowledgeable staff helped us taste tawnies, rubies and whites--a couple of which we carefully packed and brought home with us.

For more Portugal pictures, visit here. I'll post details of restaurants and other spots soon.

A Boozy Bourbon/Whiskey Break

2008-01-09T10:32:00.000-08:00

An Oh Henry and its ingredients.

As my regular readers (all three of you) may have noticed last fall, grad school put a serious crimp in my blogging updates. In fact, it put a serious crimp in nearly every activity other than reading, writing papers, and plotting demand curves. Therefore, I've been relishing winter break like a convict released from prison, immersing myself in museum-hopping, bread-baking, and novel-reading (just like your average convict...uh...maybe the metaphor doesn't hold.)

In addition to all these high-minded activities, I've also had my share of cocktails--forgoing last semester's $2 happy hour PBRs for drinks with friends at the cozy speakeasy PDT, a bar one reaches through a phonebooth in the St. Mark's hotdog mecca, Crif Dogs. At this tiny spot, reservations are usually advisable (you can call starting at 3 pm the day you'd like the reso), but my friends Bala, Booker and I sneaked in at 7:30 on a Sunday, reservation-less. The schmancy cocktail menu touts an old-fashioned made with bacon-infused bourbon. Considering my maxim, I had to try it--and truly enjoyed the smoky, peaty flavor.

A regular diet of $12 cocktails is too swish for my grad student budget, so J and I have mixed up our own concoctions at home as well. Thanks to my friends at Married...With Dinner I bought a bottle of Benedictine, following my fellow bloggers' instructions for the wintry Oh Henry. In a similar vein, I cracked open my cocktail cookbook, The Art of the Bar, and mixed myself a Bobby Burns. Less sweet than the Oh Henry, Bobby's a stiffer drink -- nearly too stiff for my tastes, though it helped push the thought of 2nd semester out of my mind.

Bobby Burns
2 oz. Scotch
1 oz. sweet vermouth
2 dashes Benedictine
lemon twist

Combine all liquid ingredients in an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Stir, and strain into a glass. Garnish with lemon twist.

PDT (Please Don't Tell)
Inside Crif Dogs, thru the phone booth to your left
113 St. Marks Pl
New York, NY, 10009
(212) 614-0386

Oops, I Killed the Yeast: Quick Bread to the Rescue

2008-01-05T15:58:00.000-08:00

The savory zucchini bread that saved the day.

Thursday was cold in New York, as WNYC kept reminding me: "It's currently 20 degrees but FEELS LIKE 100 below." Perfect weather for bread baking. Over Christmas, I sampled my increasingly domesticated sister's fantastic sourdough and was determined to put the oven to work when I returned to New York. Unable to take some of her starter with me on the plane, I opted for a plain loaf of milk bread from Joy of Cooking. This recipe requires you to heat the milk to 110 degrees before adding it to the dough. Of course, I wasn't paying attention and heated it well beyond the 110 degrees. Instead of allowing it to cool, I unthinkingly dumped it directly into the yeast-filled bowl. As I felt the metal bowl heating up below me, I knew I'd made a stupid mistake. Any temperature over 120 degrees kills the yeast and prevents the bread from rising. I persevered with the recipe, hoping a few hearty yeasties survived, but it rose nary a millimeter and baked into a rock hard mess.

Sniff. After the yeast died.

Fortunately, my bread-making afternoon was not a waste. Throughout the fall school semester, I've sneaked a glance or two at fellow foodblogs, bookmarking recipes for some later date. The savory onion zucchini bread at What Geek's Eat has had me drooling for months, and it more than made up for the yeast bread failure. Chock full of shredded zucchini, onion and parmesan cheese, I ate about 1/2 a loaf within the first few hours it was out of the oven. No kneading, no rising time, no chance you'll kill the zucchini. Pure savory bread-making bliss.

Pork Noodle Soup With Cinnamon

2008-01-03T13:47:00.000-08:00

The best winter recipes make your home smell as good as the dish tastes. This soup shines in both categories. As the pork ribs cooked in a blend of water, soy sauce, brown sugar, sherry, cinnamon sticks and star anise, our tiny apartment flooded with fragrance. As I cut the meat off the ribs, I couldn't resist snatching pieces of tender pork, sweet and dusky.

Click here for the soup recipe on Epicurious.

A few notes: The soup needs some spice--I'd try a crushed, dried chili or two next time. Also, I didn't like the somewhat gelatinous texture of the bean thread noodles. In the future I'll use soba, udon or rice noodles. Make sure you have plenty of time--prep is fast, but the soup needs to cook for nearly 2 hours.

New Year's Feasting At XO Kitchen

2008-01-02T06:56:00.000-08:00

J and I hoped to kick off 2008 with some sandwiches at Banh Mi Saigon Bakery, but it was one of the few restaurants closed in Chinatown on the 1st. No matter--we continued to explore the bustling streets and happened upon XO Kitchen, a packed, divey joint claiming Hong Kong as its culinary home. The expansive menu (plus the patchwork of "special" signs on the wall) ranged across Asia with a few strange leaps to Italy such as spaghetti with tomato sauce.

Not the most amazing food, but it was cheap, flavorful and fun. Highlights included the rice noodles topped with the restaurant's own XO sauce, studded with pungent dried mushrooms, and the crispy shrimp dumplings (not pictured). The "house special" pancake stuffed with sesame paste was so rich that a few bites satisfied, and J and I were quite convinced it was dusted with a coating of Parmesan cheese. If we had had hangovers from the night before, I'm sure XO Kitchen would have cured them.

XO Kitchen
148 Hester Street
(between Bowery & Elizabeth St)
New York, NY 10013
(212) 965-8645

Cumin-Roasted Potatoes and Bacon-Wrapped Dates

2007-12-20T07:55:00.000-08:00

Wednesday I entered my kitchen for the first time in nearly a month. Well, that's not quite true--seeing as our "kitchen" is really just one wall of our "living room" in our tiny Manhattan apartment, I enter it all the time. But pull out the knives, turn on the oven and follow a recipe? It's been awhile.

But on Monday of this week, I took my last final, turned in my last paper and officially finished my first semester of grad school. How to celebrate? With a fab holiday party of course--as the prosecco flowed, everyone gobbled up bacon-wrapped, parmesan stuffed dates and cumin roasted potatoes topped with smoked salmon and creme fraiche. For the recipes, click the links. The dates can be prepared ahead of time--just store on a baking sheet in the fridge until you want to cook them. With the potatoes, be sure to follow the instructions and roast them cut-side down on the pan--they'll develop a lovely crispy-crunchy skin. Also, I skipped the caviar on the potatos--I am just a grad student after all.

School doesn't start again until late January, so watch this space! Over the next few weeks I'll be reacquainting myself with the kitchen and cooking up a storm (I hope!).

Fall Weather Flavors: Butternut Squash Pasta

2007-11-19T19:56:00.000-08:00

Apple crisp, roasted squash, long-braised pork. All of these dishes taste better with a chill in the air and colored leaves on the ground. In Los Angeles, fall and winter dishes usually required suspension of disbelief--yes, I really need that heavy braised lamb to help me face the 80 degree November day. No, there's nothing weird about baking Christmas cookies when it's 70 and sunny. And of course it makes sense that the Pasadena Gap sells hats and mittens--wouldn't want to get frostbite from the 2 second walk from the car to the house when it's an oh-so-cold 50.

No suspension needed here in New York. To say I've enjoyed my first proper fall in over 5 years is an understatement. From the first day I had to wear a scarf, to the hot apple cider from the farmers' market, to the wet, sloppy snowflakes that fell this morning, I've loved every minute.

When I've made it into my "kitchen" (i.e. the back wall of my "living room"), I've greedily exploited fall's signature foods. My favorite dish was one I threw together hastily last week--cubed and oven-roasted butternut squash, sprinkled liberally with salt and pepper, tossed with caramelized shallots and ribbons of speck. Ladled over fresh penne, showered with fresh parmesan. Make sure you let your squash roast long enough to develop crispy corners so you have little cubes of sweet crunchy goodness. Can't wait for December!

Lunch, with Highlighter

2007-11-08T18:31:00.000-08:00

Yeah, yeah, I know, I know. I should pack my own lunch for school. But instead I eat salads from Subsconcious all the damn time. Salad bars abound in New York and I love them--you give the guy behind the counter the container of greens you've selected, he dumps it into a big metal bowl, and you proceed to point to all the goodies you want, which he adds, tosses, and returns to you. This is a new phenomenon for me, and damn if I'm not giddy with all the choices (non-local and imbued with pesticides, I'm sure).

The best goodie selection near Columbia is at Westside Market--they have all sorts of berries, apples, pears, candied walnuts and more. Plus they charge you by the pound, not the item. Subsconcious is much closer to school though, so I rely on a mix of cherry tomatoes, corn, chickpeas, sunflower seeds, blue cheese and balsamic vinaigrette. Yesterday I branched out into beets, grilled chicken, cranberries and walnuts. I know this thrilling look into my lunch life is what keeps you coming back to Erin's Kitchen, but right now, it's what I got. Any recommendations for my next salad?

Pizza Worth the Walk-Grimaldi's

2007-11-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, the family was in town, and we took a stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge. Though the day was a bit drizzly and gray, we gawked at the Statue of Liberty, picked out the Empire State Building through the fog, and experienced the Bernoulli effect. Our willingness to endure a few sprinkles was rewarded with a short line at famed Brooklyn pizza joint Grimaldi's, our final destination, nearly smack dab under the bridge.

Home to a coal-fired brick pizza oven, Grimaldi's churns out the bubbling pizzas like clockwork--they need just a few minutes in the toasty oven to bake. The pizzas are all topped with fresh mozzarella, which blisters a delightful brown in the heat. The smell of garlic and basil permeates the small dining room, and it's hard to wait your turn. Our party of six made short work of two larges, one with pepperoni and sausage, the other with peppers, mushrooms and extra garlic (which ensured family togetherness for the rest of the afternoon).

For an extra treat, I suggest a stop at the nearby Jacques Torres chocolate shop for dessert.

Grimaldi's
19 Old Fulton St. under the Brooklyn Bridge
718.858.4300
cash only

From East to Ouest

2007-10-22T14:49:00.000-07:00

Fresh lychees in Chinatown, after dim sum at Jing Fong.

So grad school may not prevent me from eating (as my disturbingly regular afternoon chocolate chip cookie break can attest), but it certainly prevents me from writing about it. In between chapters of the U.S. military's Counterinsurgency Manual and afternoons spent deriving the consumer and producer surplus, I've savored barstool dinners at Franny's and Bar Stuzzichini, both purveyors of rustic, nibbly Italian food and home to well-made aperitifs. I've also discovered 50-cent Ukrainian-grandmother-made varenyky in the East Village, sampled Jing Fong's dim sum, and found time to whip up a nutmeg-laced apple crisp. And of course, $3 pizza slices have found their way into my mouth on more than one late night walk home from the library.

Dinner at Bar Stuzzichini--arancini (risotto balls stuffed with cheese), meatballs and eggplant involtini

My dining highlight of the past week, however, was a pre-econ midterm dinner at Ouest. Dinner at this proper spot helped remind me of my adult self, not the cramming in the library with vending machine snacks and drinking $2 Coors Light grad school self (to clarify, the beers are not consumed in the library, though that might help). J and I slipped into the bar, among the well-coiffed ladies and blue-blazered gents of the Upper West Side, and ordered comforting, fork-tender game dishes--pan roasted squab for him, roasted rabbit for me. In both dishes, the sides nearly outshone the meats, not a small feat. For every bite I snatched of his earthy duck liver risotto, he paid me back with a fork in my garlicky capellini studded with wild mushrooms.

The prices at Ouest aren't grad student friendly, but on the day before a big exam, I decided a treat was in order. Besides, all that vending machine food saves me plenty.

Ouest
2315 Broadway
New York, NY 10024
between 83rd and 84th

Plum Flatbread, Roast Cod, and the Balance of Payments

2007-10-01T18:54:00.000-07:00

So, if an American buys her plum flatbread with U.S. dollars from an Italian, she purchases an import while increasing her foreign liabilities. And if that Italian, he buys some fresh American cod with his lira? American exports increase, as do our foreign assets.

See--if I tie my foodblogging to economics? Then I can justify the time spent writing this post.

First, let me tell ya about plum flatbread. A few weeks ago, I discovered this late summer delicacy at Casellula Wine and Cheese, a tiny Hell's Kitchen joint. J was out of town, and I was distressed that I hadn't ventured below 96th Street in ages. Thumbing through New York Magazine's Cheap Eats, I noted this spot, figuring it was close enough to make it back home with plenty of study time left in the night.

The plum flatbread stole the show--so much so that I attempted to recreate it for friends at home the very next night. Toast some thin, hearty bread. Roast some plums in the oven for about 1/2 hour. Spread the plums on top of the bread, top with fresh ricotta and arugula tossed with balsamic vinaigrette. If you're not entertaining vegetarians, add some thin slices of prosciutto for extra decadence.

The lovely cod you see at the top of the post? It's all J. He's become the cook in the Sikorsky-Stewart household--as I slave over 800+ pages of reading a week, he chops and sautes with the best of them. He roasted this cod in the oven with green onions, tomatoes, olive oil, salt and pepper and it was gone in about 5 minutes. Perhaps I'll never be "less busy" than he is again!

LA Food in NY Style: Red Hook Ballfields

2007-09-18T16:38:00.000-07:00

When I arrived in New York, fellow foodblogger Eating in Translation recommended I get an unlimited ride MetroCard and explained that to eat the best New York has to offer, I'd have to get out of the Columbia environs as much as possible. While increasingly difficult econ homework makes the latter less and less likely, I do have the unlimited card and I've corralled a group of fellow grad student food lovers with the hope of heading out of Morningside Heights at least one weekend every month for cheap, tasty food.

Our first excursion took us to the Red Hook Ballfields, home to extremely popular Latin/Central American food stands. The Homesick Texan recommended them as an antidote to my longing for a cheap, decent taco. These stands have inspired extreme devotion from foodies, and so far the Health Department regulators have been kept at bay.

Having only one stomach, I was unable to sample the wealth of goods at the park, but I was more than happy with my spicy, limey grilled corn on a stick and my gigantic "quesadilla"--a tortilla filled with cheese and heated, then filled with your choice of meat, guacamole, salsas, lettuce, etc. Another highlight were the myriad fruity drinks--in addition to the standard jamaica and tamarindo, I also spotted watermelon and drank a subtly sweet lemon-lime.

I felt like I was back in LA, minus the driving, and, oh yeah--what's that I see from the Smith Street subway stop? The Statue of Liberty. Viva Nueva York.

Harriet's Kitchen Puts Shake Shack to Shame

2007-09-12T04:33:00.000-07:00

Alright, I've only had one Shake Shack burger, and that was a few years ago. But I remember the pleasure of eating outside in Madison Square Park as the highlight of the experience, not the burger itself.

The surroundings in which I ate my cheeseburger from Harriet's Kitchen on the other hand, were not nearly as lovely. This dingy Upper West Side hole-in-the-wall has just two tables wedged in front of a take out counter. But the burger--oh! the burger--if Harriet's required me to eat it on a West Side Highway traffic island during rush hour, I'd comply.

The thick patty was truly medium rare, charred to a perfect crisp on the outside, bursting with juice on the inside. A toasted sesame-seed-sprinkled bun was sturdy enough to absorb the juice, and the burger itself was smothered in a thick layer of cheese topped with a tangle of sweet sauteed onions. This was a burger I couldn't put down, except to eat some equally perfect french fries-deep dark golden brown with potato peels on.

So, skip the line at the Shack, hop the 1 train and visit Harriet's. You're even close enough to Central Park that you could get some take out and improve your surroundings.

Harriet's Kitchen
502 Amsterdam Ave.
New York, NY 10024
between 84th and 85th Sts
212-721-0045

In a Grocery Fix, Pork Chops Soothe the Pain

2007-09-09T17:15:00.000-07:00

These figs came from Fairway, and I had to fight off the fig fanatics of the Upper West Side for them.

Aargh, am I annoyed with grocery shopping in New York. The overpriced Gristede's on my corner makes me grumpy, while the Gourmet Garage doesn't have 1/2 of what I need. The Westside Market has dreamy cheese and charcuterie, but abominable veggies. I think the contents of Fairway's aisles might make me swoon if I could pause long enough to look without getting run over by an impatient 80 year old's shopping cart--today while waiting at the deli counter a gray-haired little lady called the man next to me a jackass because he didn't move out of her way fast enough.

The closest I've come to grocery shopping heaven is the greenmarket at 97th and Amsterdam on Fridays. Imagining a couple of stands a la LA's Silver Lake market, I was delighted to discover a block chock full of veggie and fruit stands, plus a free range pork and beef stand, a dairy dealer, and a turkey guy. I breathed a sigh of relief as I chatted with farmers and filled my bags with lovely local produce.

Saturday night J and I turned my market bounty into the first real dinner to come out of our New York kitchen--we even lit some candles and used cloth napkins! The pork recipe comes adapted from Epicurious, and you could easily use apples instead of the Asian pears. Also, I brined my chops for about 7 hours--about 1/4 c. salt, 1/4 c. sugar, 5 cups water and a handful of cloves and star anise. These chops were so delish, I forget all about the difficulty of city shopping.

Parmesan and Sage Crusted Pork Chops with Asian Pears and Onions

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
5-6 small Asian pears, seeded and quartered
2-3 small sweet onions, quartered
3/4 cups fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 large egg
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 boneless pork chops (each about 1-2 inches thick)

Preheat the oven to 425.

Heat a large, ovenproof saute pan over medium heat. Add butter and olive oil, then the pears and the onions.

While the pears and the onions begin to cook, mix the breadcrumbs, cheese, sage, and lemon peel in a wide, shallow dish. In a separate wide, shallow bowl, lightly beat the egg. Pour the flour on a separate plate.

Salt and pepper your pork chops on both sides. Dredge in flour, then dip in the egg. Then dip the chops in the bread crumb mixture, pressing down on both sides to help the crumbs adhere.

When the pears and onions are lightly browned, move them to the side of the pan so there's enough room in the middle for the chops.

Add pork chops to pan and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Place the pan in the oven and bake until chops are crisp on the outside and lightly pink on the inside, about 20 minutes.

Sculpture and a Scoop

2007-09-06T05:13:00.001-07:00

Though the gelato at the newish UWS spot Grom inspires long lines, it certainly can't inspire the awe that Richard Serra's massive steel sculptures do. Serra's Torqued Ellipse IV (1998) and Intersection II (1992) currently sit in the sculpture garden at the MOMA, where you can gaze in wonder while savoring Il Laboratorio de Gelato's intense dark chocolate gelato. The Serra exhibit closes September 10, so get there soon!

Taqueria y Fonda--Morningside Heights

2007-09-03T17:53:00.000-07:00

On a quest for a taste of LA, J and I descended on Taqueria y Fonda Saturday afternoon. This Mexican dive serves your standard burritos, tacos, enchiladas and tortas (Mexican sandwiches) for student-friendly prices. Though a taco costs a whopping (by LA standards) $3, the huge burritos clock in around $7 and my big-enough-for-two chicken torta was $6.25.

The salsas that came with our free chips were the standout of our meal--two green and spicy, one red and smoky--but they deserved better, saltier chips. J's cesina (dry beef marinated in lemon and herbs) burrito could have fed a small army, and my torta, smeared with refried beans, and stacked with onions, tomatoes, jalapenos, cheese, and charred, juicy chicken (but not the promised avocado) was similarly large. Both were tasty enough that we'll return to sample other menu items, but if we didn't live nearby I doubt we'd make a special trip to visit.

The seating's cramped, but the service and fellow patrons (a mix of Columbia students and Mexican families) are friendly. Unlike most LA taco stands, beer is available, as is delivery (and take out). The specials ("authentic regional dishes from southwestern Mexico" according to the menu) cost between $10.25-$10.95 and include chicken with pumpkin seed sauce, mole rojo (red mole), mole verde (green mole), and one of my favorites, chile en nogada (stuffed peppers with pork, raisins and bananas in a creamy sauce.

Taqueria Y Fonda
968 Amsterdam Ave (between 107th and 108th)
New York, NY 10025
212-531-0383 or 212-531-0325
delivery from 86th St to 122nd St

Surviving with a Sandwich

2007-08-31T18:39:00.000-07:00

In case y'all were wondering, this grad school thing? It's kicking my butt, and classes haven't even started yet. The fanciest item out of my frying pan since we moved to NY? A gussied up grilled cheese.

Damn though--a sammie can satisfy, and the ingredients, not hard work, make a good one great. I piled a crusty roll with thinly sliced garlicky salami, a schmear of goat cheese on one side, blue cheese on the other, a smidge of honey mustard and a tangle of sauteed bell peppers and shallots. Then I buttered the outside of the roll, placed it in saute pan over medium heat, then pressed down on the sandwich with my cast iron skillet. After a few minutes, I flipped the sandwich, pressed down again, and thoroughly enjoyed my gooey, toasty mess.

The Recession Special at Gray's Papaya

2007-08-27T18:26:00.000-07:00

When most non-New Yorkers hear "Upper West Side", I doubt a hot dog stand springs to mind as one of the neighborhood's prime dining destinations. But as I waited for J outside Gray's Papaya this evening, I discovered that this home of wieners has a following among grannies with walkers, lithe model types, young families, teenage boys and everyone in between. Frank Bruni's confessed his love for Gray's, as have Mario Batali and Anthony Bourdain.

The location at 72nd and Broadway is one of three outposts of Gray's on the west side of Manhattan and shouldn't be confused with rival Papaya King. On offer--hot dogs with your choice of mustard, onions or sauerkraut (you add the ketchup yourself) and various tropical drinks including banana daiquari, orange, grape, pina colada, and of course, papaya.

The recession special (or as I like to think of it, grad student special) gets you two hot dogs and small drink and sets you back a mere $3.50. The skinny dogs are nicely grilled with a slight smoky flavor, with a perfect bun to meat ratio. I highly recommend the onions and the mustard, with a smattering of ketchup on top. As for the papaya drink--it's nothing special--a gussied up kool-aid. At the 72nd Street branch, you can wander over to the benches outside the subway stop to enjoy your meal, or just gobble your frank in a few bites outside the restaurant's door.

Gray's Papaya
2090 Broadway (at 72nd)
212-799-0243

Studying at Joe The Art of Coffee

2007-08-23T06:34:00.000-07:00

In my undergrad days, The Haymarket was my regular coffee shop spot. The coffee wasn't great, but it was cheap and the vegan anarchist baristas didn't care if you sat all day, ordering just one cup.

It's been ages since I sat in a coffee shop for more than 1/2 an hour, but yesterday I couldn't face another day in the library with my math review materials. Grad school hasn't even started yet, and Columbia's already drowning me in linear functions. So I packed up and headed downtown to Joe The Art of Coffee, a place I'd noted after reading The Amateur Gourmet's plaudits.

My taste in coffee has improved over the past six years, and Joe's more than delivers. My cappuccino's foam was so thick that I had to spoon out the last few bits, and the espresso was rich and toasty. Joe's coffee comes from The Barrington Coffee Roasting Company, and its baristas are well trained and extremely skilled--read through their bios on the shop's website and you'll find they know their stuff.

Cappuccino in hand, I plopped down at a quiet table, got out my notebook, and for about an hour reverted to my student-self. Unfortunately, once classes start, Joe is too far away for regular study sessions (shoulda gone to NYU!), but for that foam I'll make the trip at least once or twice a month.

Joe The Art of Coffee
9 East 13th St
212-924-7400

141 Waverly Place
212-924-6750

130 Greene St
212-941-7330

Morningside Heights Greenmarket

2007-08-18T06:14:00.000-07:00

The first "homemade" meal in my apartment: turkey, cheese and spinach sandwich on Meredith's Bakery oatmeal-walnut bread, tomatoes from the Greenmarket, and "baby" carrots

As J and I wait for the bulk of our possessions to arrive, we've been subsisting on yogurts, bananas and meals out in our neighborhood. We purchased a pack of plastic silverware and two glasses--that's the extent of our current kitchen.

Yet when I stumbled upon the Morningside Heights Greenmarket on Thursday, I couldn't resist the tomatoes, which I've had far too few of this year. I figured Samascott Orchards vibrant yellow cherry tomatoes would be sweet enough for afternoon snacking right out of the container, and I was right.

I also picked up a loaf of hearty oatmeal walnut bread from Meredith's Bakery. Her stand's tables were piled with pies filled with New York state fruit, all sorts of breads and cookies too. I was also pleased that at this fairly small market (about 5 stands) there were two dairy stands, something difficult to come by at LA's markets. One sold ice cream, fresh milk and butter while the other hawked its cheeses. Once our plates and knives and bowls arrive, I'll check them out!

Morningside Heights Greenmarket
Broadway between 114th and 115th
8 am - 6 pm Thursdays and Sundays

First NY Night Out at Kefi-Upper West Side

2007-08-16T15:15:00.001-07:00

tomato, green bean, and manouri cheese salad

New York Magazine's annual Cheap Eats issue arrived right before we left LA, and it's the one magazine that made the move cross country. Some have taken issue with the mag's definition of "cheap", and I'll admit my first sample of the list was not a $3 falafel joint. Instead, J and I headed to Kefi, a Greek meze spot run by Michael Psilakas where our tab for two ran about $50.

Though our single income/grad student budget will ensure we visit the $3 places more frequently, the subterranean Kefi was an excellent value. We feasted on three sizable meze plates, shared a pasta dish, and sipped a glass each of a decent Greek red wine. (Though if you include the white wine that entertained us while we waited for a table, you must add another $13 to the tab).

After two moving days filled with unhealthy beige/brown foods, I needed to start with some summery veggies, and Kefi's tomato, green bean, olive, and manouri cheese salad packed a perfect punch. Dressed with a pungent vinaigrette, the salad disappeared quickly as J had to fight me for his share. Not that he minded much--he was distracted by the crispy cod served over garlicky mashed potatoes, which he compared to a less salty brandade, unmixed. I snuck a few bites of the lemony, moist fish which would have only improved if I'd eaten it on the shore of some Greek island.

flat pasta with lamb in the foreground, sausage and sheep's milk dumplings in the background

Our second round was perhaps more suited for winter, but delicious nonetheless and the air-conditioned, windowless room helped us ignore the summer weather. We shared one more meze and my favorite dish--fluffy sheep's milk dumplings with spicy lamb sausage. With every bite I marveled over the sausage--sweet at first taste, then the spice hits you, with a hint of cinnamon. At this point I was fairly full, but still managed to enjoy our final dish of flat pasta, braised rabbit and graviera cheese. Topped with crispy shallots, this hearty dish was pleasantly gamey and rustic, and as we lingered over our wine, we polished it off.

The menu continues on to a list of main dishes, with a heavy dose of seafood, including a lovely-sounding pan fried striped bass and a grilled branzino. These courses top out at $16, while the meze, which easily provide 3-4 people substantial bites, range from $6-10. There are also plenty of Greek wines by the glass for only $6.

We didn't have a reservation and waited about 10 minutes at 9ish on a Wednesday night. The front bar area is quite cramped, but a decent place to sip some wine while you wait.

Kefi
222 West 79th Street
between Broadway and Amsterdam
212.873.0200

Why NY is Better than LA (for me)

2007-08-16T06:28:00.001-07:00

I know I'm picking a fight with this post's title. Don't get me wrong, I grew to like, if not love, LA in my five years there. If you read my posts about LA restaurants, you know I ate at delicious spots high and low and found the food fantastic. As I prepared to leave the city, I featured food lovers' LA favorites, and I wrote a short but sappy ode to the city at the end of June.

But. But. J and I have visited NY once or twice a year since we began dating in 2000, and every time we've been in the Big Apple, we've vowed to live here. It's where we fell in love, it's where we got engaged, and it's where we've enjoyed many a fabulous meal, whether a late night Crif Dog, an even later night steak frites, or one of many dinners with friends and family.

And now, the city is ours--not for a long weekend while we sleep in a friend's living room, but for at least two years of graduate school in our very own Upper West Side apartment. In just two days here, I know that for us, LA doesn't even compare.

I could go on and on, but here's a few food-related charms that I love: 75 cent coffee that's not great, but good, at the deli across the street. Multiple 24 hour restaurants and grocery stores within 2-3 blocks of our apartment. Bagels! Zabars! Walking twenty blocks to dinner. Fruit carts on almost every corner. And this is just the beginning. Check ya later La-La land.

photo by hyunlab

The Best Vegetarian Burgers on the Planet

2007-08-10T05:20:00.000-07:00

Vegetarian walnut balls at the Trempealeau Hotel

Frequent readers of Erin's Kitchen know my (negative) opinion of fake meat. The worst fake meat of them all? The veggie burger that tries to imitate a beef burger. If you've ever tasted a Boca Burger, you know what I mean. Since a juicy, medium-rare hunk of ground beef is inimitable, the soy stand-ins resemble the wan, dry "Grade D but Edible" patties of my middle school cafeteria.

However, veggie burgers that taste like veggies (or other non-meat ingredients)? Love them!! Morningstar Farms Black Bean Chipotle patties? Yum. My sister's falafel-like discs? I gobble them up.

Therefore, the best veggie burger in the world? It's a walnut burger, found at the Trempealeau Hotel in Trempealeau, WI and I've eaten them since my childhood. They aren't vegan--they're stuffed with cheese, eggs, bread crumbs, tamari and walnuts of course. Rich in flavor, extremely moist--they're vegetarian cooking at its best--instead of attempting to replicate a meat dish, these burgers are a delicacy unto themselves.

At the restaurant, they're served as burgers, and also as "walnut balls"--as an appetizer, in an Italian sandwich, and over spaghetti. You can order the patties frozen online, four patties for $7.40.

The Trempealeau Hotel
150 Main Street
Trempealeau, WI 54661
(608) 534-6898

Homegrown Tomatoes and Their Enemies

2007-08-07T08:05:00.000-07:00

Nothing says summer better than pulling a fresh tomato off my mom's plants on her front porch. Since I've been home on vacation in Wisconsin, I've been munching on these fruits daily--usually sliced with just a bit of salt and pepper.

Yesterday, however, we returned from a few days away and found one of her plants decimated--leaves gone, tomatoes half-eaten, and poop-like pellets everywhere. "Raccoons!" cried my mom. Later that night, as she rinsed the poop pellets off the deck, she looked at the plant again. And saw 1 inch wide, 4 inch long, bright green horned tomato worms. Five of them. The biggest worms I've ever seen outside of a tropical location. Left to their own devices, these worms can destroy a tomato plant within a day or two, and will eventually morph into giant moths. My mom bravely removed them from the plant and sent them on to the great tomato in the sky.

If hornworms haven't infested your tomatoes, you could try confit-ing tomatoes, roasted tomato, bell pepper and corn salsa, tomato pie, or this tomato onion tart.

A Final LA Favorites: Nancy's Living Large in LA

2007-07-31T13:02:00.000-07:00

Erin's Kitchen has (almost) left LA! Before I go, I'm asking Angelenos to share their favorite food spots--east to west, high to low. Read previous LA Favorites, including recommendations from Jonathan Gold, Russ Parsons, Evan Kleiman and fellow foodbloggers here.

LA Favorites #12: Nancy of Living LArge

How long have you lived in LA?

5 years. I'm one of those cynical Midwest transplants who bags on LA until I go home one winter into sub-zero temps and freezing hail and decide, hey, it's not so bad after all.

What neighborhood do you call home?
WeHo! Love the 'hood, hate the meter maids.

Quick--a favorite LA food memory. What's the first one that comes to mind?
My first trip to a farmers' market in California. The farmers' markets out here just don't compare to anywhere else in the country. Some friends and I went to the one in Hollywood (near Ivar and Sunset) and gathered up some peaches, strawberries, grapes, plums, gouda cheese, salami, fresh bread, fresh-squeezed lemonade and headed up to Zuma Beach for a hike and picnic.

It's lunch time, you've got $20 bucks in your pocket, and traffic is magically non-existant. Where do you go? I head east on the 10 and stop at the first banh mi place that I see (probably Lee's or Mr. Baguette) and get a sandwich for lunch, one for dinner and one for lunch the next day. And I'll still have $10 left over.

Top three food or drink experiences I should have before I leave LA?
1. Getting ridiculously housed on wine at Bin 8945 one night and then curing your hangover with a big bowl of ramen at Daikokuya the next day. (That's two experiences, but they go hand-in-hand.)
2. Scoops (on Heliotrope and Melrose) for Tai Kim's extraordinary ice cream, gelato and sorbet. He's a genius with flavors - Raspberry Chimay and Kombucha Brandy have induced tears of happiness. True story.
3. At least one LA food event. Many of them feature great restaurants, and it's a chance to sample a lot of food from many different places as well as meet chefs. Events can be pricey, but the money often goes toward a charitable cause. Some of the biggies include Best of LA (Concern Foundation), Taste of the Nation (Share our Strength), Great Chefs of LA (Kidney Foundation), Savor the Season (Break the Cycle) and American Wine & Food Festival (Meals on Wheels). So eat up, it's a tax deduction!

Whole Wheat Triple Berry Bread

2007-07-31T07:31:00.001-07:00

Perhaps I'm crazy for choosing to bake this quick bread in the middle of my packing adventure, but I had a lovely breakfast all week, and I was able to use up a bit more of my jamfest product. Plus, I needed a break from smashing wine glasses (dropping a bubble-wrapped glass on the floor to see if you've cushioned it enough is NOT a good idea).

The whole wheat flour and relatively low sugar content let the berries steal the show, and the jam helps moisten the bread. I used three mini-loaf pans, but one regular pan works fine too. This is my entry for Bread Baking Day #2 hosted by Columbus Foodie.

Whole Wheat Triple Berry Bread
(adapted from Baking Bites' Raspberry Lime Bread)

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp vegetable oil
3/4 cup half and half
3/4 c. blueberries
3/4 c. raspberries
1/2-3/4 c. strawberry jam

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly butter three mini-loaf pans.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

In a large bowl, stir sugar, egg, vanilla and vegetable oil until smooth. Stir in 1/2 of flour mixture and all of the half and half. Stir in the rest of the flour mixture until just combined.

Gently stir in the blueberries and raspberries. Fill all three pans 1/3 full. Spread the strawberry jam on the batter in the pans. In each pan, cover the jam with more batter.

Bake for approximately 45 minutes at 350F, or until a tester comes out clean when inserted into the center of the loaves.

Turn loaves out onto a wire rack and cool completely before slicing.

C Stands for Corn Mold: Testing my Limits at La Morenita Oaxaquena

2007-07-26T08:14:00.000-07:00

Enmoladas (Tortillas drowned in black mole and queso)

Here in LA, the Health Department gives restaurants letter grades that must be displayed on the premises: A, B or C. Though the Department describes a C as "generally acceptable" in food handling and many a Chowhound consider it a badge of honor to eat at C-level restaurants, the bright red letter (A's are blue, B's are green) makes me nervous. Until yesterday, I'd never knowingly eaten at a C--and you know what? I survived.

A few weeks ago, the LA Times gushed over La Morenita Oaxaquena, a cozy Oaxacan spot near Koreatown. Close to my old office, it was a convenient spot to meet with my friend and ex-coworker Axel, a Mexican food expert who has explained to me the real way to make cochinita pibil and generously cooked me his grandmother's delicious chocolately black mole.

Huitlacoche Empanada

As I walked up to this strip mall restaurant, I immediately noticed the bright C in the window, but the call of mole overcame my worries, plus the LA Times writer hadn't mentioned it, right? I like to eat out with Axel because he encourages me to try new things--yesterday it was huitlacoche, a fungus that grows on ears of corn. The Aztec name translates to "raven's excrement" and in Mexico the smoky black mold is prized. We ordered the huitlacoche empanada (looked like a quesadilla to me). The mold mingled with chewy queso, and Axel pronounced it good but canned (canned mold?!?) because of the saltiness.

Barbacoa Stew

Axel's barbacoa (goat) soup was rich and red, full of fork tender chunks of goat. My emoladas (tortillas drowned in black mole and queso) had bite and I nearly cleared my plate. The Times article highlights the red and green mole here, but I'm a sucker for black. They also serve tlayudas, crispy tortillas topped with all sorts of goodies--a Oaxacan pizza if you will.

Prices are reasonable but not ridiculously cheap--most main courses were in the $8-9 range. If I was still working in the area, I'd work La Morenita into my lunch rotation---and cross my fingers that they get that B soon!

La Morenita Oaxaquena
550 W. 3rd St.
Los Angeles, CA
213-365-9201
10 AM-1o PM, and they take credit cards

Adult Kool-Aid: Pomegranate & Mint White Iced Tea

2007-07-24T12:47:00.000-07:00

Packing + 80 degrees + no air conditioning = grumpy, sweaty, tired Erin. Fortunately, this barely sweet, grown-up "Kool-Aid" keeps me motivated.

Pomegranate & Mint White Iced Tea
For tea:
4-5 Pomegranate White Tea bags (Trader Joe's has some)
1 quart water in glass jar/container

Place tea bags in water and close jar or cover container. Place container/jar in sunny spot for at least 1 hour, up to 2. Remove tea bags and store jar in the fridge.
For one glass Kool-Aid:
1 tsp. (or less) simple syrup (equal parts water and sugar heated until sugar dissolves)
4-5 mint leaves, torn in half
ice cubes
Pomegranate iced tea
slice of lemon

In the bottom of a glass, muddle simple syrup and mint leaves together. Add ice cubes and fill glass with iced tea. Stir well. Add lemon slices. Repeat all afternoon.

Tasting vs. Viewing a Top Chef at Perilla

2007-07-18T15:11:00.000-07:00

Intellectual snob alert: I don't own a television. Hypocritical-intellectual snob alert: I love me some TV, and watch with reckless abandon when in a hotel, at a friend's or on JetBlue. It was on a cross-country flight from Long Beach to JFK that I caught nearly the whole first season of Top Chef, and became smitten with the quiet, industrious, eventual winner, Harold Dieterle.

Though I can count the number of TV celebrity chef restaurants I've visited on one finger (Babbo, and that was inspired by a New Yorker article, not Molto Mario), when wandering the West Village late last Friday, I happened by Perilla, the restaurant that sprang from Harold's Top Chef earnings. Recalling my flight-long crush on this dark-haired cutie, I decided to give his food a try.

These pictures are so dark and fuzzy, not sure it helps to post them, but on the left, duck meatballs, on the right, farro risotto.

At 10:30 PM, a seat at the bar was easy to find, though the restaurant was definitely still buzzing. The gracious hostess and bartenders made me feel at home, and I was soon savoring a humidity-cutting, heat-reducing Hitachino White Nest Ale as I perused the short menu. I settled on spicy duck meatballs with yam gnocchi and farro risotto to ease my late night hunger pains. I tried to pace myself with the fatty, smoky meatballs, enriched by an over-easy quail egg, but they disappeared quickly (the yam gnocchi faded under the glare of the decadent duck--I forgot they existed). The large portion of nutty, creamy farro, a side dish on the menu, lasted longer, but only because I was full. It was well accented with thinly-sliced sweet-tart purple grapes that helped cut the richness. Both dishes were $10 and more than satisfied for a late snack and could have comprised dinner. Main courses range from $20 for a sauteed skate wing to $29 for a grilled rack and breast of Colorado lamb.

Toward the end of my meal I headed to the ladies' room and was surprised to see Harold himself, noshing and canoodling with a lady friend in one of the restaurants booths. It was late, but on a Friday, in the first few months of a restaurant opening, shouldn't he still be barking orders in the back? Or, perhaps, as a TV star, diners want to see him, not taste food he's cooked? Regardless, the dishes I sampled were solid and his cozy restaurant's a pleasant spot for a single at the bar.

Perilla
9 Jones Street (between West 4th and Bleecker Sts.)
New York, NY 10014
212.929.6868