eat me drink me

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.

Antipasti at Angelina Pizza Bar

Don’t let the name fool you—Angelina Pizza Bar offers more then just pizza. This family-friendly restaurant near West 105th Street not only has extensive Italian fare and a decent wine list but Chef Giancarlo Delanzo cooks his crazy creations in a brick oven with a rotating floor. As pies like the Bella Angelina (with zucchini flowers, smoked salmon and goat cheese, $18 or $24) or the Bianco Forte (with garlic, ricotta, mozzarella, spicy sausage and hot peppers, $16 or $22) circle the fire, Delanzo dishes up small bowls with various meats, cheese and vegetables. Within minutes, the pizzas have cooked and the chef has completed an antipasti plate ($6 to $14). A bright-eyed waiter picks it up and the process starts again. (READ THE REST AT THE WEST SIDE SPIRIT)

› Continue reading

	Click on image above for timeline of wine making in New York and below for photos of New York wine label

Many people are surprised to find that wine is made in New York. When I tell people about it their first reaction tends to be “where do they grow it?” and “is it any good?”

The wine business is a tricky one. According to the Federal Tax and Trade Bureau statistics, New York is the second in the amount of gallons produced. But it has the third largest acres of vineyards and runs number four in the amount of wineries.

Wine makers in New York are eager to show the rest of the country that while California is number one in all those categories, New York makes a fine bottle as well.

One-reason grapes grow so well here is due to the nutrients soaked in through the glaciers that once covered the land. New York State is made up of eight main wine growing regions, Long Island, The Hamptons, North Fork, Hudson River, Finger Lakes, Seneca Lake, Cayuga Lake, and Lake Erie.

While many of the wineries in these areas don’t ship far, they sell most of their wine to restaurants upstate. Not many restaurants and wine shops specialize in New York wines in the City. Stain Bar, in Williamsburg, sells only New York wines. So does Bridge Vineyards, also in Williamsburg.

More and more, New York wines are making the scene.

Click on the image below to see a video of the vineyard in Queens and a New York wine tasting in Brooklyn