I don’t know when sushi shaped like cats, or cats eating cute pieces of sushi became a popular image, but I am glad it did. What could be cuter then a salmon roll with a smiling cartoon cathead on it? Or a game where you play a round blue feline who eats sushi? Either way, sushi and cats, what a perfect combo.
One thing you should know, I think Starbucks is brilliant. Well, more I think the people behind the brand are brilliant. Not only have they made coffee into a luxury and necessary item, but they have trained us to ask for it by funny names like caramel macchiato, or crave a skinny vanilla latte, or even worse, use a benign size system. Tall? What does that mean? I worked in a cafe for over 5 years and nothing was more annoying then someone asking for a grande macchiato when really they meant a medium (I think) latte.
Last night I had the pleasure of attending a party at the Brazilian Consulate in honor of Leticia Moreinos Schwartz’s new cookbook, The Brazilian Kitchen. The small room was packed with Schwartz’s family, friends, publisher, and other food-oriented people mulling about the makeshift bar and sipping fresh made Cabana sponsored caipirinhas. As we downed the dangerously delicious cocktails, plates of finger food created from recipes in Schwartz’s book made the rounds. From delicate puffs of hot cheese bread (page 16), to the heavy and fried beef croquettes (page 23) and black-eyed pea fritters (page 31), and to the rich caipirinha flavored bonbons (page 166), the samplings of the evening barely brushed the contents of her book.
One recent Friday afternoon, I found myself with an hour to kill and was conveniently located near Union Square and its fabulous greenmarket. Normally I just rush about, wanting and craving everything I see, but either I have no cash, or don’t want to carry my bounty around town. This time, while the fresh veggies, eggs, and meat tempted me, what really pulled me in was the goat stand. For about 20 years, Ellie Hushour has owned and operated the Patches of Star Dairy in Nazareth, PA, and her goaty goods are found every week at the green market. She sells goat milk, yogurt, and cheese, all packaged fresh, with no preservatives, and at reasonable prices.
photo by Randy Mayor (from Cooking Light)
Man, so about a month ago I took on the task of rounding up the best all-you-can-eat joints in the city. My results? You can now see them HERE in this week’s Time Out New York! My all time favorite one was Cabrito, mostly because the staff was so nice and their tacos-AMAZING. Of course, from fried chicken, to piles of meat, to delicate mussels, all these places are good, I tried each one in less then a week. Still not sure how I did it, I mean, that is a lot of food. Lucky me, it seems I was born with a second stomach.
Does anyone have a good all-you-can-eat place that I missed? Always looking for more places to gorge.
Tacos at Cascabel
Hey kids, I figure you have noticed I have been slooooooow at posting. I guess the more you write about the food the harder it is to keep up the blog. The good news is, there are tons of reviews for you to read! I have also started writing for Edible Brooklyn, which is pretty exciting. Anyway, all these restaurants are Mexican themed, my favorite. Click the link to read full review.
I love Rick’s Picks, especially their Smokra‘, a delightfully spicy, paprika spiked pickled okra. But what, pray tell, do you do with the wonderful brine leftover after you finish these addictive beauties? The other day I was faced with such a conundrum, I didn’t want to throw it out, but saving it, really? Well my answer was right on the jar: use as a meat marinate. Yum.
So, I stopped by Whole Foods and bought a thick cut pork chop ($6.30) from the meat counter and brought it home. There, I cut the piece of meat into six large chunks and plopped them into the jar. Nothing could have been easier. I let the pork sit for a couple days before I cooked it up in a frying pan. No oil, no spice, just some heat to cook the meat. After it browned in the juices on medium heat, I drained it and added some quartered Brussels sprouts. That’s it, an easy, no mess meal. When the meat was done, the spice of the brine shone through with a peppery tang. Because it had sat in the marinate for so long, the pork was super moist. Next time, I might try to put two pork chops in the jar and share, but I guess that means I need a new jar of Smokra’…oh darn.
Yesterday I hit up Greenlight Bookstore in Fort Greene to hear Louisa Shafia talk about her book, Lucid Food: Cooking for an Eco-Conscious Life. Well, let’s be a little more candid, I mainly went to try the food she whipped up from recipes in this stunning cookbook. On the table, she had a briny, crisp red cabbage, apple, and dulse salad (page 86), a fluffy, fresh tortilla Espanola (page 36), and the bittersweet, flourless chocolate cake with prune puree and hazelnuts (page 65). Um, yum?! Each hor’dourves sized bite had a unique, refreshing flavor, but the best part, Shafia had gotten all her ingredients from the Fort Greene Farmer’s Market.
Time to round up some of my latest, tantalizing food reviews for your enjoyment. Yum yum!
MacBar in Soho (New York Press)
“My gang and I dove into six of the options, all sized small, all gooey, all damn tasty. Each of the dishes was baked to perfection, with the insides hot and melty and the top brown and crispy. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes to get an order, but every one is made fresh. My favorite of the ones we sampled was the “Mac lobsta’” ($8.99). It surprised me due to its unbelievable lightness, explained by the use of mascarpone cheese instead of a classic cheddar or fontina. Because of the mild nature of the cheese, the freshness of the lobster chunks really came through, and mixed with tarragon and cognac, the flavors eased together to create a rich and delicious combo.”
A while back I was traipsing around Jackson Heights, Queens, researching sexy spots for a Time Out New York article, when the scent of meat on the griddle wafted into my nose. My mouth started salivating and my head felt dizzy with anticipation. I had struck taco stand heaven. For $2 you can get two, hot corn tortillas piled high with savory, perfectly cooked meat (usually pork for me), fresh cilantro, pickled carrots and peppers, and a sprinkle of chopped onion. You know a taco is perfect when you don’t have to add any sauce to it, and the one from this stand was key.
As a Colorado native, I really miss out on tacos here in New York. Though the ones found in this Mexican heavy neighborhood certainly can contend with my beloved home state’s spicy, savory treats. Bring me tacos or bring me death! Ha. But really, with all the new taco places opening up (I told you months ago that tacos would be the new bahn mi, which were the new cupcake), I am shocked more of them can’t get it right. I won’t divulge my secret top taco spots yet…but in time you will know them too.
