It's Here!

The day I've been waiting for has finally arrived.

Costco will open their first Manhattan Store on Thursday, November 12th. Expect long lines, crazy crowds and great deals.

The store will be located on East 117th Street, near the FDR.

You Can Find Me In the (Warehouse) Club

Hooray!

Mea Culpa

It's been way, way, way, way too long.

I'm sorry.

Now that we've gotten that over with, I have much to share in the coming weeks (assuming someone is still reading this (thanks Mom)).

First, a short article detailing how to get the most nutritional value out of the foods you are eating.

Try adding some black pepper to this party for both complexity and, apparently, good health

Luckily, the suggestions involved are often tasty additions to the vittles in question, so it really shouldn't take much convincing to give these ideas a try.


Enjoy: Getting the Most From Your Meals

What I Cooked On My Summer Vacation

I made it out to San Francisco last month for a fantastic week long vacation. I stayed with my friends Jeannette and David and spent most of my time eating very, very well. This is the first of two posts discussing the wonderful things I consumed on that trip.

This post shows off some of the work that David and I did in the kitchen during my time there.

Next time I'll show you what we dined on at San Francisco and Napa's wonderful restaurants.

Thursday David and I walked through the Ferry Building and picked up a whole striped bass that we grilled in their garden. We stuffed it with a bunch of herbs he had lying around the house and served it over papparadelle that we made from scratch.

For the record, the striped bass started it

I had never made pasta before, so this was an enlightening experience. I enjoyed the process so much that I have since purchased my own pasta machine.

On top of the fish and pasta, we tossed in some fresh veggies that we bought at the Ferry Building's farmer's market. We also made a sauce from fresh corn and milk that worked beautifully with the pasta and morels, if not the fish or veggies. See the results of our work below.

Mise En Place - Morels, Carrots, Snap Peas, Wax Beans

Striped Bass, Flat Leaf Parsley, Hysop, Thyme, Rosemary

David rolling out the pasta sheets

Fresh Corn Sauce

Trust me, there's a striped bass in there somewhere

The finished product - Whole Roasted Striped Bass over Home Made Pappardelle, Morels, Carrots, Sugar Snap Peas, Wax Beans

On my last day in town, David and I put on a brunch for about 20 of his friends. I got to play sous chef and waiter, and it was a blast seeing everyone enjoy themselves (and the food) so much.

Here's what we made:

The Menu

Crispy 36-Hour Pork Belly, Vidalia Onion Jam, Russian Black Bread

Wild Mushroom (Chanterelle, Maitake, King Trumpet, Porcini) Omelet, Fromage Blanc, Heirloom Tomato Salad

French Toast Sticks, Fresh Strawberries, Diced Strawberries, Strawberry Puree, Basil Whipped Cream

David Plating the French Toast

The Americanized Croque Madame

The Completed Pork Belly Sandwich

Look out for my next post when you'll find out what exactly the dish called Carte De Musica is.

Don't Forget The Drinks

Eating well isn't my only pastime.

I also like to enjoy a frosty beer, a fine wine or a well-crafted cocktail from time to time as well.

The one issue I have with buying drinks when out is whether the juice is worth the squeeze.

By that I mean, why pay six dollars for a beer when I could have the same exact same brew from the supermarket for less than a dollar a bottle? What reason do I have for dropping ten bucks on a gin and tonic when I can concoct my own for a tenth of the price? What's my motivation for ordering a forty dollar bottle of wine that retails at my local wine store for $13?

In certain instances there may be unique offerings in terms of selection (hard to find brands) or liquid delivery method (draft or cask ales), but in general, a great majority of the drinks ordered by bar and restaurant going patrons are familiar to their future imbibers.

When I drink outside of the house, I tend to order based on three ideals (in order of importance):

1) Beverages that I've never heard of

2) Beverages that I've never before had the pleasure of experiencing

3) Reasonable markups on beverages that I am familiar with (and enjoy)

I understand the need for restaurants to provide customers with the option of drinks they are familiar with to ensure that non-adventurous customers can quench their thirst. However, I believe that it should be the responsibility of any restaurant worth it's salt to provide diverse and unique options for those patrons interested in trying something new.

In that vein, here are some of my favorite restaurants and watering holes that also have superb libations to match their vittles:

Tailor's Solid Cocktails (yes, that's white russian rice crispies)

Tailor - They aren't cheap, but I guarantee you that you've never had anything like Eben Freeman's Cocktails. They just filed for bankruptcy, so go check them out before you no longer can. The free curry popcorn at the bar is about as addictive as it gets.

The lair of the Chang and Wylie Dogs, and Bacon infused whisky

Please Don't Tell (PDT) - Finding your way into this hidden drinking den is only the beginning of the fun. Creative drinks using fresh, seasonal ingredients are the standard at this clandestine cocktail lounge. More importantly, there's nothing quite like quaffing a pitch perfect cocktail while chowing down on phenomenal junk food (Jalapeno Cheese Tater Tots anyone?). Be sure to check out their celebrity-chef haute dogs.

Even the bar stools are appetizing

Terroir - Wine bars can be snooty, overpriced and boring. This place is none of those things. Run by the fine folks at Hearth and Insieme, Terroir's staff will gladly educate you about the wines you're tasting while feeding you excellent morsels of interesting foods.

Five and Ten - I adore Five and Ten for about a million different reasons, but one of my favorite reasons to love it is their beverage program. Every liquid on hand is carefully chosen, from local craft beers (Terrapin!, Sweetwater!) to classic and modern southern cocktail favorites (Mint Julep, Southern Sunrise).

Don't be dismayed if your date gets distracted by the wine list

Their wine list is a tome worth checking out even if you never plan to step foot in the restaurant. It evokes the pleasures that the wines it lists provide, and uses humor, Rochioli, Sonoma, 2005 (the cult classic), or Loire, Dom. St. Nicolas, Cuvee Jacques, 2004 (full, bright; speaks fluent terroir)), gravitas (Billecart-Salmon, rosé, NV, Champagne (complex beyond belief; true bliss)) and food imagery (rose, Pax, Sonoma County, 2005 (sought after; berries, roses, nilla wafers)) to describe the many wines on offer.

Even wines by the glass get chef's notes in their descriptions. It's one of the few wine lists that is actually fun to read, and its evident that those involved clearly had a blast coming up with it.

So I challenge you as diners to seek out something new and interesting when you go out, whether it be food, drink, atmosphere, or hopefully, all of the above.

Summer in the City Tasting Event

City Harvest, a non-profit organization that I am an active volunteer for, is the world's first and New York City's only food rescue program.

The organization saves perfectly good food that would otherwise go to waste from restaurants, farmer's markets, grocery stores and trade shows and distributes the bounty to the people who need it most.

To run this great organization requires some lubrication (a.k.a. cash). To that end, City Harvest organizes several fundraisers through out the year, most of which are centered around tastings of many of New York's best restaurants and bars.

Their logo certainly does not match the local weather so far this summer

This Tuesday, June 23rd, City Harvest is hosting their annual benefit, Summer in the City. This year's event features tastings from over thirty top joints, including Stanton Social, Dirt Candy, Allen & Delancey, and 10 Downing.

Of interest to celebrity chef followers, Food Network and Top Chef alum such as Leah Cohen, Alex Guarnaschelli and Chris Santos will be on hand cooking on behalf of their restaurants.

I've been working on my pick-up line for weeks

The night will also feature two new components; six chef demos and late-night celebrity chef karaoke.

The event costs $125 for general admission and $200 for VIP. For the price of a nice dinner out, you can eat dishes from 30+ great restaurants and drink from some of Manhattan's top watering holes, both with unlimited portions.

Would it help if I told you I'll be on hand as a greeter?

Again, this is a really fantastic cause, so if you've got the evening free, I couldn't think of a better way to enjoy a Tuesday night while doing something both important and fun.

It's the most wonderful time, of the year...

For those of you who aren't already planning your weekend around it, let me encourage you to reschedule whatever you thought you were doing and head to the 7th annual Big Apple BBQ Block Party.

Due to using up the world's supply of beans on one pot, the Proclamation Stew Crew won't be joining us this year

Last year I did a preview of what was going down, which you can see here. All of those favorites are back for another year, as well as some new entrants into the competition. I'm particularly excited to sample the ribs from Pappy's Smokehouse in St. Louis.

Some important changes that have taken place since last year include the extension of the festival's hours from 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm to 11:00 am - 7:00 pm. While I'm excited about the change, I'm worried that the 'cue will run out well before 7:00 pm, as it has in prior years.

Like last year (but unlike the first five years), many of the BBQ seminars given on site will be free. You can check out a listing of what's being taught here. There's even a free bourbon tasting.

Finally, if you haven't already purchased a fast pass (don't say I didn't tell you to do so), they won't be selling anymore this year. Hopefully this means shorter lines for pass holders (like yours truly).

I'll be the one right over there, licking my fingers

Whether you're there for the food, the live music, the beer garden or just great people watching, this event has something for everyone. I look forward to seeing you there.

Enjoy!

Edacious, Profiled

I'm famous.

Melody Serafino is bringing value to the masses

Fellow frugal New Yorker Melody Serafino pens a valuable blog called Fabulously Frugal. For her weekly Friday profiles of people living according to her site's mantra, she has chosen yours truly.


Check it out here.

A Whiff of Spring

Can you feel it in the air? More importantly, can you smell it?


That pungent garlicky aroma? It can only mean one thing.


Ramps are back.

Tastiest Weeds Ever

For those who aren't familiar with these spring delicacies, ramps are wild green onions that grow in eastern North America from north Georgia up through Canada. Prized for their sharp, powerful flavor and come-hither aroma, ramps substitute easily for any dish requiring garlic or onion.


Ramps are only available for about a month out of the year, depending on what neck of the woods you call home. Also depending on the location of your domicile, you might be able to go out and pick your very own ramps (or order them from someone who can). Ramps are often found in groups with wide, verdant green leaves, and purple or burgundy tints on the stems. A scallion-like bulb strongly roots the plant to the dirt underneath.

For New York city dwellers, ramps can be found at the Union Square greenmarket Mondays, Wendesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Just let your sense of smell guide you to them.

Seriously, follow your nose...

I love using ramps in recipes that allow them to play with other bold flavors, or as a substitute for garlic. Some of the things I've been concocting include:

Ramp and Bacon Omelet

Grilled Rice Cakes, Kimchi, Bacon, Ramps

Shrimp and Grits, Andouille Sausage, Ramps

With ramps, you really can't go wrong. Have fun, experiment, and for everyone's sake, brush your teeth.

Costco is coming!

It's official (seemingly).

Costco is coming to Manhattan.

According to this article, it will arrive by year's end.

Cheapskates rejoice!

Consider the Lobster

I just wanted to let everyone know that after witnessing a PETA video last night and then reading the following article, I have decided to become a vegetarian.

This blog will now focus only on textured vegetable proteins (TVP) and (more so) on good old fashioned vegetables.

I encourage you, dear readers, to do the same.

Consider the Lobster - by David Foster Wallace

APRIL FOOLS!

Lamb Bacon

I first experienced the wonder that is lamb bacon at Resto, a Belgian restaurant in Manhattan. The dish was called Lamb Belly with Snap & English Peas, Tendrils, Leaves, Goat Cheese.

From the first bite, I was smitten.

Combining the intense, delicious flavor of lamb with the salty, crispy goodness of bacon, the lamb belly was a revelation. I couldn't believe I hadn't experienced this product before.

Six months later, I had my next encounter with the smoky seductress. This time the belly arrived nestled amidst bacon's common confidants, lettuce and tomato as part of a gourmet BLT. While many plates coming out of Boqueria's kitchen are memorable dishes, this was one of the all-time greatest sandwiches I've ever had the pleasure to eat (and I don't even like raw tomato slices!). It was balanced and perfect in all the ways that a great BLT is, but had the added pizazz of lamb flavor to up the ante that much more.

Boqueria's Beauties

By this time I was hooked. I had to have more lamb bacon, to experiment with this wonderful ingredient on my own, and to share the fantastic flavor with my friends.

There was just one little problem with my plan.

I couldn't find any.

I called specialty stores, emailed meat purveyors, and even wrote to various farms around the country. Nobody, and I mean, nobody, sold lamb bacon.

After about a dozen attempts, I gave up. It seemed that there was no lamb belly to be had.

A few months later, I had the pleasure of attending the launch party for the new daily food digest, Tasting Table. In between hobnobbing with various food bloggers and encountering the legendary Jean-Georges himself, I met the proprietors of said newsletter.

For some reason the conversation ended up turning to lamb bacon, and low and behold, the gentlemen told me that the following day's e-mail would contain the answers to my search.

The next morning, after frantically refreshing my inbox for a couple of hours, the e-mail arrived.

Lamb belly was now being sold at Williamsburg butcher shoppe, Marlow and Daughters. I immediately made plans to go.

The answer to my prayers

After a scrumptious lunch with my roommates at Peter Luger, I made my way over to this new meat market and plunked down a cool $5 for 1/3 of a pound of lamb pancetta. While not exactly lamb bacon (pancetta is cured, but not smoked), I figured it would do the trick.

The trick I hoped that the pancetta could perform was to add balance and flavor to a salad I was making that evening.

I decided that I’d roast the paper thin rounds of pancetta until they were crisp sheets and then crumble the warm results over a salad.

The other cast members included peppery baby watercress, sour and acidic blood orange segments, and shaved red onion. The salad was topped with Annie's garlic studded Green Goddess dressing.

Baby Watercress, Lamb Pancetta, Blood Orange, Red Onion, Green Goddess

The lamb bacon was not only able to hold its own against these pungent ingredients, but it actually served to tie them all together.

The bacon fat was cut by the acid from the blood orange and the pancetta’s crispy texture gave spunk and flavor to the watercress. Red onion added its own sweet and spicy flavor, while the dressing both lubricated and flavored each ingredient well. When all the ingredients were eaten in one bite, the salad was a perfect expression of the type of dishes that I love to make; big, bold flavors that play well with one another.

Unfortunately, between the salad and pre-meal snacking (a good chef always tastes his food before serving it), I used up all the pancetta on this one dish.

Don’t worry though. 

Even if it means another trek to Williamsburg, where there is lamb bacon, I’ll be there.

Big Apple Block Party Fast Passes and Schoolgirls

I won't delay you from clicking on these links any longer than I have to.

There are two things you need to know A.S.A.P.

1) Big Apple Block Party Fast Passes are now on sale

2) Park Avenue Winter, one of my favorite restaurants in the city, is doing this (via Eater):

"Attention UES parents, creepy old men, and ladies willing do anything for a free meal. Feast your eyes on this little ol' Dealfeed from Park Avenue Winter: "Park Avenue Winter will make its small-screen debut on The CW’s Gossip Girl on Monday, March 16. The ingénue restaurant is celebrating its star turn with a special offer for March 16-20: girls of any age in a school uniform will be treated to dinner with Park Avenue’s compliments." "Girls" over 21 get two rounds on the house. "

Park Avenue Winter
100 East 63rd Street at Park Avenue, 212-644-1900.


Now go make yourselves a reservation!

A Tasting You Can Afford

Your humble host bring news of another fantastic New York event.

Last year's Village Voice Choice Eats

While there are plenty of tastings around the city, usually for the benefit of one charitable organization or another, the great majority of them are incredibly expensive or lack variety. 

The event I bring to your attention this evening has an extensive, eclectic lineup of some of New York's best restaurants, many of which are from uncharted territories (a.k.a. the outer boroughs).  

This delicious lineup is hand picked for you by none other than famed Village Voice critic Robert Sietsema.  Known for his strong opinions and love of "underdog" restaurants, Sietsema uses this forum to champion his favorite places around town and get patrons to experience unique and wonderful world cuisines.

Robert Sietsema is crazy..... (about great food)

Per the press release, there will be over 50 restaurants from all five boroughs in attendance, nearly double the number that were at the first edition of this now annual event last March.

I'm still waiting for a Jamaican restaurant named "The Jerk Store"

Best of all, all of this deliciousness, plus three hours of open bar, can be experienced by yourself for the very, very reasonable price of $35.  Oh, and did I mention that the profits benefit Slow Food NYC, an organization near and dear to my heart?

If you don't have plans for March 31, 2009, I hope to see you there.

Get your tickets soon as they sell out quickly.

Enjoy.

TONIGHT - ONE NIGHT ONLY! Tongue Test!

Sorry for the late notice, but, if you've got an extra quarter-Benjamin lying around, you can attend what promises to be a pretty fantastic event. See below:

Tongue Test

Thursday, 2/12 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Food chemistry guru Harold McGee and taste expert Linda Bartoshuk discuss the science behind flavor at this interactive tasting ($25). Attendees will sample various foods, including the sense-beguiling miracle fruit. New York Academy of Sciences, 250 Greenwich St. (at Barclay St.), 40th floor; nyas.org

Enjoy!

You're doing it all wrong...

Chowhound, a valuable resource for regionally based dining advice has added a new video on demand section with some very interesting and informative shorts.

The videos give very specific and valuable bits of advice regarding their chosen topics from people who really know their crafts.

That's Mr. Carmellini to you...

When I found out that one of my favorite chefs, Andrew Carmellini, was getting in on the (lights, camera) action, I knew that this was a series to take seriously.  Here's a link to the home page and to my favorites of the bunch:

How to sauce pasta

How to pour sparkling wine

How to cut and serve cheese

Enjoy.

People Like Food

Happy new year!

It's been way, way too long and I'm sorry for the delay.  I have plenty of fun things to discuss this year and I'm looking forward to a delicious 2009.

To get things started, I thought I'd post this fascinating article from The Onion.

Who knew?

PEOPLE LIKE FOOD

These days it's hard to get people to agree on things. Some people like wearing shorts all the time, but other people think you always have to dress up nice. Some people like movies with cartoons in them, but other people only like watching real people. How do you find a middle ground? You don't. It's impossible. But, there's one thing I've found where I think we can all agree: food. People like food.

Now before you argue against my statement, think about it for a second. Everyone I've ever talked to likes food. My mother likes food. My brother likes food. My stepdad likes food even more than my mom. The president likes food, too, probably. I've never eaten with him, but I can picture him sitting at a table eating a big bowl of macaroni and cheese right now. Homeless people ask me for money all the time just so they can buy food. It seems to me that food's pretty popular.

And, when you really think about it, there's a lot to like about food. It tastes good and it's good to eat. That's all I can think of for now, but those two things alone make me like food. Furthermore, I just thought of something else: Food is probably the healthiest and best thing to put in your mouth. You can ask a doctor about that.

And, so, thus, people like food.

There's one big argument against people liking food that I'm going to rebut right now. "What about picky eaters? They don't like food." I must admit that part of that statement is true. Some picky eaters don't like every food that's available, but just because you don't like one food doesn't mean you don't like any food at all.

Still don't believe me? Here's an example that will quiet any naysayers. During dinner one evening, my friend Dale refused to eat asparagus, so I thought to myself, "Does he not like food?" But a few minutes later I looked over and he was eating some baked chicken. So, if he likes chicken, and chicken is food, then he must like food. See? Picky eaters like food, too.

That was just one of many examples of how people like food.

There's food out there for everyone. Hamburgers is one good example. But even if you don't like hamburgers, there are a number of other foods to consider: spaghetti, chicken nuggets, cheeseburgers, cereal, bacon, pancakes, pot pie, and dairy. Some people like food you don't even have to cook, like Starbursts or cheese and crackers. And there is also cold food, liquid food, soft food, hard food, and jelly-filled food. I'm positive that if you look hard enough you will find one food that you like.

I bet you like pizza.

People like food so much that they find time to eat it in between eating it. That's why we have snacks—little foods that taste good that you can eat whenever you want. The snack aisles in supermarkets are very big and have lots of choices. That's because supermarkets learned a long time ago that people like food enough to buy it. They know it, I know it, and you can know it too if you just listen.

Now, granted, I don't know the statistics, but I bet something like 98 percent of people eat food every day. It's got to be really high, because all students and people with jobs have lunch breaks, and what else would they be doing? Even babies cry when they don't get food, which some might say is evidence that we are practically born to eat food. Maybe that's why people like food so much.

Here's a fact: Food has been around forever. Food was there when Marco Polo brought back food from Asia. Food was there during the first Thanksgiving. If you think about it, eating food is the one thing humans have always done. It's what makes us who we are. Without food, could we really even call ourselves human? We'd probably be pretty tired and hungry, or dead.

So in conclusion, if you don't want to be dead, it's time you wised up and accepted the reality that people like food. They just do, trust me. Thank you. 

BY JOSEPH BRUNEEL 
JANUARY 7, 2009 | ISSUE 45•02

Food For Thought

I write to you today to ask for your consideration.

No I'm not up for an Academy Award.

I'm asking for your consideration of an issue near and dear to my heart. That issue is agricultural policy in the United States. 

Since Richard Nixon's administration, the United States has been manipulating farming through various incentives provided to both industrial and independent farmers.  While I'm all for efficiency and understand economies of scale, these incentives have both destroyed natural food systems and created problems far beyond edible industry. Energy policy, the health care system and even national security are all significantly worse off because of the various Farm Bills that have been passed in the last 40 years.

But don't take my word for it.

And definitely don't take his word for it...

Author Michael Pollan is leading the charge to change our hypocritical, wasteful and damaging policies with well-written, fun (and frightening) to read books about the state of the American food system. Whether you just read one of the articles below or check out The Omnivore's Dilemma (or one of his other books) in it's entirety, I promise that you will be a significantly more informed food citizen.  We eat (at least) three times a day, yet most fail to consider where exactly that food is coming from and what the consequences of our food choices are.  After exploring Mr. Pollan's writings, you will appreciate the impact of the choices that we make, every time we exchange money for food.

Your Reading List

The Omnivore's Dilemma - (Introduction and First Chapter)

The Futures of Food

Unhappy Meals

Farmer in Chief


After you've checked out this literature, I encourage you to sign this petition encouraging President-Elect Obama to appoint someone Pollan and other food luminaries support to the position of Secretary of Agriculture.

He Already Loves Arugula...

I wouldn't bother writing if I didn't think it was vitally important to both our nation's future and your very own taste buds.  

Thank you for your consideration.

Don't Try This At Home...

You probably shouldn't try it at a restaurant either.

A reporter for ABC has embarked on an important journalistic endeavor; to record for future generations a series of eating contest menu items at various restaurants around the country.

The pinnacle of human achievement

If you're in the mood for a 50 pound burger (that's 200 1/4 pounders for you non-math folk), a 76 ounce steak with all the trimmings or 21 scoops of ice cream with toppings galore, read on.

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/SmallBiz/Story?id=6353125&page=1

Don't say I didn't warn you...

Thanks to Mark for the tip.

Iron Chef - Bacon

After sampling a particularly delicious dish at Momofuku Ssam Bar featuring Benton's Bacon, I decided to see if I couldn't procure some of this superlative swine myself.  I checked out Mr. Allen Benton's website, and ordered myself four pounds of bacon and a pound of "Tennessee Proscuitto."  

The man and his hams

After a couple of shipping miscues (the UPS guy couldn't figure out what floor my company was on so he had it returned to Tennessee), and some e-mailing with Mr. Benton himself, I had the pungent, piggy product in my hands.  

Knowing how extraordinary this food was, I wanted to share it with my bacon loving friends and make it a truly memorable meal.  Thus, the idea for another iron chef challenge was born.  

One night, ten friends, five courses, all bacon.

For over two months I pondered what dishes would best show off the flavor and versatility of the Benton's bacon.  I solicited ideas from friends, poured over restaurant menus and scoured the Internet for recipes.

Finally I set the date, sent out the evite and started shopping.  Here's how it all went down:

For the first course, I served an amuse bouche brilliantly conceived by my friend Mark: Bacon Wrapped Bacon.

More than just a play on the simplicity of wrapping something in bacon to enhance its flavor, this amuse would be a warning shot, a bacon siren, that things were about to get heavy, in a good way.

To break up the monotony of so much Benton's bacon, I also bought a package of my favorite store supplied product, Niman Ranch Applewood Smoked Bacon.  I cut each slice into thirds and made an equal armed cross out of one cut piece of each brand.  I alternated folding each slice back over the other, a bit of a bacon weave, until I ran out of bacon real estate and was left with what looks like a fat-streaked rose.  I put a wooden skewer through the middle to hold the creation's shape together and popped the 10 skewers in a 375 degree oven for 18 minutes.  When they emerged, they were crispy throughout and the excess fat had melted into a pool in the bottom of the grill pan that was my cooking vessel.  What was left was super crispy layers of phenomenally rich meat that really popped with flavor.  Everyone was moaning (from joy, I think) and palates were primed for the impending porcine party.  We also watched this video to get "in the mood."

Bacon, by any other name, would taste as sweet...

Thankfully these monsters were only one bite each as any more might have been asking for it.

Up next was a salad that I love making during the summer when peaches and nectarines are at their sweet peaks.  The dish consists of grilled peaches and/or nectarines, baby spinach leaves, crumbled candied pecans, dried cranberries, freshly cooked warm bacon bits and blue cheese dressing.  Without fresh peaches or nectarines at my disposal, I used a high quality jarred white peach that filled in decently well for its summer cousin.  This salad is always a hit and on this night, was a welcome bit of green in a dinner filled with heavier foods.

This course actually might have been healthy

For the third course, I had planned to cook up a batch of Bucati alla Amatriciana, my favorite Italian dish.  Consisting of diced red onion sauteed with pancetta, red chili flakes and tomato, it is a dish I serve quite often.  On this evening however, I didn't want to make a pasta as I feared noodles might fill my friends up with 2 courses yet to go.  Thus, I came up with the idea of turning this powerfully flavorful, yet simple sauce into a soup.  

To that end, I browned four slices of Benton's bacon over medium heat in my largest stock pot and removed them when they were cooked through.  To the melted fat which they left in their wake, I added three diced large red onions and a few pinches of red chili flakes and sauteed over medium-low heat.  After ten minutes, I dropped in two 35 oz. cans of San Marzano peeled tomatoes, sans the liquid they are canned with, and mashed them into the onions with a potato masher.  I popped the top on the pot, and let the mixture cook over low heat for 90 minutes.  

When the lid was removed, I returned the bacon to the party (after a rough chop) and let the mix simmer uncovered for another ten minutes.  After a little adjustment of seasoning with salt and pepper, the soup was ready to serve.  

I'm sorry Campbell's. but this was truly a soup that ate like a meal.  Hearty, warm, with a subversive kick from the chili flake, it was the kind of food I long for on a winter's evening.  The flavor was rich with bacon, but that richness was cut by the sweetness and acidity of the tomatoes and the natural sugar in the red onion.  It was my favorite creation of the evening and will be a staple for many NFL Sundays to come.

You're the inspiration... (sadly no one photographed the actual dish I made)

For our fourth plate of piggy goodness, I decided to have a little fun.  I wanted to showcase just how good this bacon was by offering it in very traditional ways.  To do that, I made a course I decided to call "Bacon All Day."  The plate consisted of three mini sandwiches, none of which was particularly novel.  I made a mini bacon egg and cheese biscuit, a hot peanut butter, banana and bacon sandwich and a bacon cheeseburger slider that I augmented by adding bits of bacon inside the burger patty.

Three Little Pigs

These simple sandwiches were hopefully able to convey how different and delicious Allen Benton's bacon is than that typically consumed in these common sandwiches.  While I probably should have tried to go a little lighter (perhaps a BLT rather than the burger), I think the point was made.  Everyone had a different favorite, but all agreed that the star was shining brightly in its bacony glory.

For my last act, I took the suggestion of a good friend from high school who used to live in Los Angeles named Tristan.  In L.A., he told me, there was a restaurant famous for its bacon cheesecake, which consisted of of a layer of bacon slices set between the crust and cake on an otherwise standard cheesecake.

Being a lazy and poorly equipped baker, I ditched the idea to splurge for a spring-form pan and copy the cake to a T and decided instead to use the recipe as a jumping off point for my own creation.  

I purchased a frozen NY Style Cheesecake from Trader Joe's and let it sit out on the counter for four hours until the cake became malleable.  At that point, I sprinkled crumbled bits of extra crispy Niman Ranch Bacon (the Benton's is perhaps too flavorful for this application) and crushed honey graham crackers over the top of the cake.  I then kneaded the crumbs and crumbles into the cake until there were bits of both in every bite.  Next, I rolled the mixture into bite sized balls and stored them in the ice box until about 20 minutes before they were ready to serve, when I let them sit out on a counter to soften up.  My friends and I really enjoyed the classic mixture of sweet and salty, but it was my coworkers who were most impressed when I brought in left-overs to sample the following day.  Comments ranged from, it's not that bad to "it's almost better than sex."  I wish I were making this up.  I'm not.  

Now you can have your pudding while you eat your meat.

All in all, we went through about 60 slices of bacon that evening, each serving its own delicious purpose.  

Here's what bacon lover and attendee Victoria had to say:

"The meal was nothing but decadent and sinful.  Of course, I knew this going into it, so I prepared well with a pair of stretchy pants.  My favorites were the amuse bouche (bacon wrapped in bacon) and the bacon breakfast sandwich, which haunted me in my dreams last night. I think the high I was feeling from this meal caused me to say some lascivious things to Smith, so I'd like to make a public apology to my fiance."

Afterwards, I actually hurt all over. 

It was worth every last bite.

Recession Specials

If you haven't noticed, the economy is not doing so well.  One positive outcome of tough times tends to be unusual good deals, both in the stock market and in your super market.  

Restaurants have a particularly tough road ahead of them as dining out is one of the easiest forms of discretionary spending to curb.  To curb the curbing, many restaurants in New York are offering great deals to get you in the door.  Here's New York Magazine's list of some of New York City's best recession specials:

5 Ninth: $24 three-course lunch (one of the best dining deals in the meatpacking district).

21 Club: 3-course prix fixe menu at lunch for $35, and dinner $40 when seated by 6:30 p.m.

Abboccato: new selection of chiccetti (small plates for sharing); $26 three-course lunch on weekdays.

Allegretti: $28 three-course lunch.

Apiary: $35 three-course Sunday dinner, featuring options like pan-seared halibut with broccolini and spicy eggplant, and pumpkin crème brûlée.

Bacchus: $25 three-course dinner with plenty of options.

Bobo: Everything is $20 or less on the new den menu.

Café Loup: Nightly $28 three-course dinner.

Casa Havana: Recession Special breakfast includes two eggs, ham or bacon, French fries, toast, and coffee for twenty cents.

’Cesca: Half-price wine on Mondays; $31 three-course dinner before 6:30 on weekdays.

Chanterelle: Three-course lunch for $42, which includes tea or coffee and a tray of chocolate truffles.

Community Food & Juice: Burger and a beer for $15.

Craftsteak: The new bar menu features options like fried mac and cheese and crispy pork belly, all for $15 or less.

davidburke & donatella: $24.07 three-course lunch with shockingly luxurious dishes.

David Burke at Bloomingdale’s: $24.07 three-course dinner.

Demarchelier: Two-course dinner with wine for $26.

Dennis Foy: any appetizer and entrée for $27.

Dovetail: $38 three-course Sunday supper, featuring dishes like sweetbreads and duck goulash.

Eighty One: $42 two-course seasonal dinner all night on Sundays and from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Eleven Madison Park: $38 two-course lunch; new à la carte bar menu.

The EU: All entrée prices have been reduced by approximately $10.

Fiamma: $50 three-course dinner from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Fleur De Sel: $29 three-course lunch.

Gotham Bar and Grill: $31 three-course lunch; options include grilled steak.

Gramercy Tavern: $14 soup and sandwich in the Tavern room at lunch, options include a lobster roll and borscht.

Grayz: $27 three-course lunch.

Japonais: The Restaurant Week menu is still being served from 5 to 7 p.m. every night.

Jean Georges: $28 two-course lunch, plus free marshmallows (possibly the best deal in town?).

Johnny Utah’s: $19.95 three-course lunch; two-for-one drinks at lunch.

JoJo: $24.07 three-course lunch; $35 three-course dinner before 6:30 p.m. and after 9:30 p.m.

La Bonne Soupe: $23.95 three-course lunch and dinner.

La Petite Auberge: Four-course dinner with coffee for $28.

Le Cirque: $45 three-course lunch in the dining room; $28 two-course lunch in the café.

Megu: $55 three-course dinner.

The Mermaid Inn: The menu includes new wallet-friendly items such as a lobster po' boy.

Mia Dona: $24.07 three-course lunch (don't miss the bigoli); happy hour from 5-7 p.m.; 25 percent discount on gift cards worth $100 or more.

The Modern: Every bottle of wine in the Bar Room is now $50 or less.

Momofuku Ssäm Bar: $28 three-course lunch, features favorites like pork buns and spicy rice cakes.

Nougatine: $24.07 three-course lunch.

The Orchard: BYOB with no corkage fees every Sunday night.

Ouest: $34 three-course dinner before 6:30 p.m.

Pamplona: $15.95 two-course lunch; $21.95 three-course lunch; more shareable, wallet-friendly items at dinner.

Payard: $31 three-course lunch; $37 three-course dinner before 6:45 p.m.

Perry St: $24 two-course lunch; $35 three-course dinner before 6:30 and after 10 p.m.

Persimmon: $37 tasting menu.

The Smith: $12 burger and beer every Sunday night.

South Gate: $24.07 three-course lunch.

SushiSamba: $35 three-course dinner.

Tabla: $27 Autumn-inspired three-course lunch; $35 chef's three-course lunch.

Tailor: Enlarged bar menu now includes items like chicken-liver pâté; Monday night special of huitlacoche corn dogs with a beer for $12.

Tempo: $32 three-course dinner Sunday through Thursday; lots of options.

Union Square Cafe: Recently added 100 new bottles of wine under $75.

Vero Panini & Wine Bar: On Monday nights, order a glass of wine or a beer at the bar and receive a free panini.

Vong: $24.07 three-course lunch.

Wafels & Dinges: The price of the WMD (the Waffle of Mass Deliciousness, which includes unlimited toppings) has dropped to $6.

The Glory of Pumpkin Butter

To say that I’m a big Trader Joe’s fan would be an enormous understatement.

I shop there about twice a week, talk to friends and family about the wonders of their stores even more often and eat something procured from their shelves just about every day.

Of all the wonderful items they stock, there is one that I sing the praises of more often and more loudly than any other. That item is pumpkin butter.

Per Trader Joe’s flyer, “Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Butter doesn’t actually contain butter, but it does have a distinctively rich, butter-like consistency – partially attributable to its fruit pulp to sugar ratio, which is higher than that of jam or preserves.”

In other words, its creamy and rich, yet only contains 40 calories per serving (along with no fat, no cholesterol, no sodium, low sugar and a 1/5th of your daily vitamin A).

Besides consuming it straight out of the jar (which I do on occasion), I use pumpkin butter in a variety of conventional and unconventional ways to spruce up otherwise staid staples.

Just try to resist...

Some of the basic ways that pumpkin butter can be used include typical applications such as spread on toast, waffles or biscuits. The fruit flavor and thick texture elevate these everyday edibles into memorable breakfasts and snacks.

While I enjoy these standard uses immensely, what gets me really excited about this product is its versatility. Here are my three favorite ways I’ve used pumpkin butter to add something extraordinary to various dishes.

Pumpkin-Ginger Glazed Grilled Mahi-Mahi

A little bit of salt, pepper, and ground ginger rubbed on the mahi-mahi filet, a few minutes on the grill (or in a grill pan) and a dollop of pumpkin butter added on for the last 3 minutes of grilling to serve as a glaze, and you’ve got yourself a delicious and inventive sounding entrée with minimal effort. This combination also works great on grilled chicken breasts.

Right about now would be a good time to slather on some pumpkin butter

Pumpkin French Toast

As you made your mixture (eggs, vanilla, milk, salt, sugar) that you normally used to soak your bread in, toss in a tablespoon of pumpkin butter to add a little zing to the dish. A light spreading of pumpkin butter on the finished product also does that trick; double up if you dare…

Add it right to the batter

Pumpkin Sauce

After 30 seconds or so in the microwave, a pumpkin butter of lower viscosity will emerge and makes a great topping for vanilla ice cream, cheesecake, or your fingers.
Stir that microwaved pumpkin butter in with an equal volume of cream, and you’ve got yourself a pumpkin cream sauce that will marry wonderfully with the noodle of your choosing.

A photo of my pantry

I'm certain that there are many more ways to enjoy this fantastic product, and if you know of any, I'd love to hear about them.  

In the meantime, give these applications a shot.  I think you'll be quite happy with the results.

Howard's Salmon

I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to travel through Europe the summer after I graduated college.

I spent a couple weeks with my family in Italy, a month backpacking through London, Brussels, Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, Munich, Zurich, Barcelona and Paris with my close friend and his girlfriend and three weeks working at a sleep-away camp near Nantes in France.

My campers in Nantes

After the camp was over, I returned to Paris to live for a week at the house of my father’s best friend since childhood. That friend, Howard, had taken a similar post-graduation tour of Europe in the 1970’s. On that trip, he found a lovely woman in Paris, married her and never left.

While I could go on and on about the wonders of the food culture in France and the many simple culinary pleasures in which Parisians partake on a daily basis, I write today to discuss a recipe I learned not from any of the wonderful restaurants or pastry shops I patronized, but rather from the American living in Paris himself.

Come and get your love

The dish in question involves an incredibly popular fish, a highly underused kitchen appliance and perhaps the fewest number of ingredients and steps involved in any great recipe. Ever.

In contrast to the hundreds of types of mild, flaky, white fleshed fish swimming the world’s waterways, salmon are uniquely colored and flavored. Their bright pink flesh is bursting at the gills with natural oils that give the fish its famous flavor.

The broiler (that thing on the “ceiling” of your oven) is an often overlooked way of cooking that basically functions as an upside down grill. The heat descends directly from the flames and cooks the food sitting beneath it at a distance that can be controlled by the position of the oven rack.

In Howard’s Salmon recipe, the preparation is as follows:

Take a salmon fillet (preferably even in thickness), sprinkle kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper over the top and rub it into the flesh gently. That is all.

Salt, pepper and a little bit of love

Put the fillet on a baking sheet or in a cast iron pan (or anything that can take the direct heat) lined with aluminum foil and place your oven rack on the top level. Turn the broiler on the "high" setting and slide your pan underneath the flames so that the fillet is centered under the contraption, ideally about 4 inches from the flames.

4 inches from the broiler, give or take a few centimeters...

Next comes the most difficult step.

Watch it.

Just sit there, keeping your eye on the flesh, and watch the fish.

After about 5-7 minutes, the top of the fish will begin to brown. Turn the broiler to the “low” setting and wait until the top of the fish is a rich mahogany color. Right before its about to start burning, pull the fish out of the oven.

That’s it.

The natural oils in the fish rise to the top of the fillet as the heat rains down from the broiler. These oils interact with the flames and constructively fry the exterior of the salmon, giving it both a pleasantly crispy texture and rich flavor.

The oil also serves as a barrier to prevent the moisture from inside the fillet from escaping during the cooking process. The flesh will be tender and moist, yet cooked through perfectly to a medium done-ness.

Serve it immediately or park it in Tupperware to chill for up to three days before serving cold and you’ll enjoy some of the most simple, delicious salmon of your life.

When it's golden brown, its perfectly cooked

I like to serve the salmon with a homemade Dijon honey mustard dressing constructed as follows:

4 Tablespoons Hellman’s Mayonnaise (there’s no substitute for Hellman’s, trust me I’ve tried)
3 Tablespoons of any good Dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons of honey
½ Teaspoon (each) of garlic powder, chile powder (I prefer ancho, but any will do), curry powder, kosher salt, fresh ground pepper

Mix to combine.

Enjoy.

Five Borough Challenge - The Wrap Up

The Five Borough Challenge lived up to it's name, lasting nearly ten hours and taking it's participants on a journey above and below ground, on the water and through all five New York City Boroughs. The quest was to consume a slice of pizza and a beer in each Borough. Here's what happened...

As Jerry Garcia once said, the first days are the hardest days. This was certainly the case in the challenge.

The Staten Island leg of the trip began with one of the participants missing his subway stop and exiting the train in Brooklyn. As he desperately wanted to complete the challenge, he took a cab from Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn to the Staten Island side of the Staten Island Ferry terminal in order to meet the crew. He arrived two minutes too late for us to make the Staten Island railroad 12:00 PM train (trains leave every 30 minutes) and $50 poorer from the long cab ride. We were off to a rough start.

With our group intact, we headed to our first destination, Goodfella's Pizza. After a Staten Island Railroad ride and a short walk, we arrived at the small restaurant that was nearly empty at lunch time on Sunday afternoon. We ordered up a round of brews and caught the opening moments of the Jets-Cardinals game as the young men manning the ovens prepared the pizza we had chosen. We elected to go with a pie that won the 2007 International Pizza Festival Championship, called the Smokin' Goodfella.

The Smokin' Goodfella

While I'm not prepared to say this is the best pizza in the world, I could certainly see why someone could be of that opinion. The smoked mozzarella was a revelation, adding a depth of flavor to the pizza that I have tasted no where else. The crust was very thin but still was able to hold on to the wonderfully sweet wood roasted peppers, pecorino-romano cheese and fresh basil. Do to a request from a Kosher member of our tribe, we ordered the pie sans sausage, but to be honest (and blasphemous as a meat lover), it wasn't really missed. This was one outstanding pie.

When we headed out of the restaurant, we noticed that a bus was coming up the street that we knew we could take to the Ferry Terminal. We sprinted two blocks to the bus stop and caught the bus as we caught our respective breaths. Feeling good about our hustle we talked about how delicious the Goodfella's pie was. When party member Craig went to grab his camera to show off his pizza photos, he realized that he had left the camera at the restaurant. The group disembarked the bus at the next stop and walked all the way back to the restaurant to retrieve the digital camera.

After our detour, we boarded another bus and headed back towards the Staten Island Ferry with hopes of catching the 2:00 PM boat. Our bus arrived at the terminal at 1:59 and we booked it towards the boat and hopped on the ferry moments before the mammoth ship departed.

Back on our home turf of Manhattan, we took the 4 train from Battery Park up to 125th Street to hit up Patsy's Pizza. Having spent a significant amount more time in Staten Island than we expected, we opted to get our slices from Patsy's take out stand next to the restaurant proper and our beers from a near-by bodega. The slices were a study in classic pizza making. Sweet San Marzano tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella and a perfectly charred crust mixed beautifully in each bite. A light drizzle falling from the darkened skies only enhanced the enjoyment of the piping hot pie. We were in and out in less than ten minutes, but I'll remember that excellent slice for a long, long time.

The Original, and Still One of the Best

From Patsy's we picked up the 6 train at 116th street and took it to the second to last stop in the Bronx, Buhre Ave. From there we make the 15 minute walk to Louie and Ernie's. Run by a family out of their house in the middle of a neighborhood, Louie and Ernie's is about as far from the big-box pretentious restaurants often found in New York as you can get. The casual surroundings belie the passion of the pizza making going on in this comfortable abode. As mentioned in the write-up, the family behind Louie and Ernie's grows their own herbs, hand-makes their own mozzarella and runs every aspect of the subterranean slice joint.

Jonas Broncks would be proud...

The pizza was piping hot and a perfect foil for the ice cold coronas with which they were consumed. The crust was crispy, the sauce sweet and the mozzarella creamy enough. Though I believe this was probably my least favorite slice of the excursion, it was still one of the great slices I've had in my time in New York. It's sort of like trying to pick your least favorite Beatles album. No matter which one you choose, you know you are disparaging greatness.

After hiking back to the 6 train and riding it to 59th Street, we switched to the R to take us out to the Broadway Station in Astoria. From there we make the quick walk to Sac's Place next to the Astoria Beer Garden. We enjoyed the intriguing mixture of fresh and processed mozzarella on the slices which gave the pies the flavor of fresh and the gooey-ness of shredded. The tomato sauce was not particularly flavorful, but the slice was propelled by its picture-perfect crust which was a model of flavor and texture. This was my #4 of the 5 slices, but again, that's certainly not to say it wasn't an excellent piece of pizza.

Crust Lust

From Sac's we hopped back on the R train and took it down to Union Square. From there we jumped on the L train that took us to our final destination, Brooklyn's Fornino. We rested our tired legs in the sit-down restaurant's rear garden where Fornino's staff grows many of the greens and herbs used in the dishes they serve.

We ordered "The Al Roker" which consisted of a marinara sauced delectable crust topped with fontina cheese, carmelized onions, sopressata, roasted red peppers and rosemary. Sopressata is similar to pepperoni, only spicier and less salty (and in my opinion, tastier). The elements were perfectly balanced with each of the ingredients packing massive flavor punches that nonetheless worked in harmony with the other not-so-subtle flavors in each slice. Though the comparison may not be fair given the judging criteria (i.e. I wasn't comparing margheritas to margheritas), this was my favorite slice of the day and a wonderful way to polish off a tiring, but highly rewarding adventure.

Just when you tbought the chance had passed, I always save the best for last.

Thanks to Aaron, Jeff, Craig, Mark, Victoria, Ali, Jay and Katherine for joining me in this sapid swing through the city's five boroughs.

Five Borough Challenge - Stop #5: Fornino in Brooklyn

Williamsburg, a neighborhood in Brooklyn, is known for its legendary steakhouse, its large Hasidic Jewish population and most recently, for having the world's highest number of hipsters per square foot.

How do you afford your rock n' roll lifestyle?

Since October 2004, Billyburg has also been known as a destination for some mighty fine pizza.  Fornino owner and chef Michael Ayoub is obsessive about his pies.  He is able to control his ingredients personally by growing fresh herbs and tomatoes in a nearby greenhouse.  In addition, Mr. Ayoub makes his own mozzarella each and every morning.

When his painstaking efforts to source perfect ingredients ends, the pizza making begins.  Fornino employs a gas-assisted wood burning oven to heat its pies and give them the slightly earthy flavor that only wood can bring.  

Fornino has three sections of its menu, Naples - First Generation, Italy - Second Generation, and Fornino - Third Generation.  

The first section's pizzas consist of the most basic ingredients: crust, cheese, tomato sauce and herbs.  The second brings classic Italian iterations including Quattro Stagoni, Quattro Formagi and Calabrese.  Finally, the Fornino section showcases pies of Ayoub's creation with toppings ranging from broccoli rabe to rock shrimp to mixed wild mushrooms to fingerling potatoes.

For a report on the taste of the classic pie, here's an excerpt from Sliceny.com's review (a website that we basically owe our entire pizza tour to):

"Rare are the pizzas that have no flaws, but this may be one of them. The light buffalo mozzarella on our Margherita was dreamy, and the standard mozzarella wasn’t far behind. The sauce was bright and tasty with a perfect balance: not too spicy, not too tangy. Even the crust, the most difficult part to master, was superb: very thin, with no sag. The gas-assisted wood-fired oven produced a surprisingly respectable char on the crust, cooked evenly across both pies we ordered."

The Fornino Margherita

That's a pretty strong rave from a group of reviewers who really know their stuff.

And so you have it.  

The five destinations for the Five Borough Challenge.  If you are interested in joining us, please let me know by posting in the comments so that we can know to expect you at the Staten Island Ferry this Sunday morning.

Oh, and pray for good weather...

Five Borough Challenge - Stop #4: Sac's Place in Queens

As we all learned from Prince Akeem, Queens is an incredible place to find a bride.  It also happens to be a borough brimming with fantastic pizza places.

With a surfeit of pizza parlors to peruse, we hit the books to do a little research on what place might be the perfect stop on our cheese and sauce fueled journey.  A name that kept coming up over and over as a favorite of locals and critics alike was Sac's Place, located in the neighborhood of Astoria.

Sac's is short for Sacramone, as in Anthony Sacramone, the proprietor.  Mr. Sacramone obviously takes a lot of pride in his product, going so far as to grow his own oregano, basil and rosemary at his home in Pennsylvania, making mozzarella in-house, and shopping for all the vegetables used in the store himself.  As any pie constructor worth his salt does, Anthony also exclusively uses San Marzano tomatoes to make his pizza sauce.

No relation to these Sacramones, though Ginny does love a good slice...

What results from the marriage of high quality ingredients, a coal burning oven and Mr. Sacramone's pizza know-how is an extraordinarily balanced pie that hits all of the right notes.  I'll let Mr. Josh Ozersky, a favorite food writer of mine, tell what he thought of his Sac's Place pie: 

 "The telltale random crust bubbles and tiny black spots on the bottom tell the tale of coal heat, but it isn't until you bite into the slice that you get the coal effect. This isn't the thin, matzo-like crust, so delicate and austere, served at Coney Island's Totonno's or the thick, cake-like confection of Manhattan's Arturo's (to mention two of its coal-oven cousins). It's just thick enough to support the toppings, to avoid tip sag and to give a pleasing contrast between the crisp crust and the moist, sweet dough in the middle."

I can't believe I have to wait until Sunday for this...

Top that crust off with sweet tomato sauce, creamy fresh mozzarella and Sacramone grown fresh herbs, and you have yourself a pie worth trekking to Queens for.  No matter how far away you're from...

They don't make pizza like this in Zamunda (or at McDowell's)

Five Borough Challenge - Stop #3: Louie and Ernie's in the Bronx

The Bronx - Louie and Ernie's

Guest post by Turkel

With many of the city's largest Italian neighborhoods, it should come
as no surprise that the Bronx offers some of the city's best pizza.
Strangely, a simple Google search for "Bronx Pizza" generally features
hit results for a pizzeria located in San Diego, California.  No
disrespect to this restaurant, but I think one of the goals of our
challenge is to put NYC back on top, and leave the imitators further
down the list where they belong.

We're not in Manhattan anymore...

The location of the Bronx's Italian areas is not ideal for our
challenge, as many of these neighborhoods, such as Belmont and Morris
Park, are situated in the northern part of the borough.  Nevertheless,
we are determined to trek out to the neighborhood of Pelham Bay to
savor a Bronx Slice.  It won't be the easiest leg of our journey but
we think the rave reviews we hear about Louie and Ernie's Pizza make a
trip to the end of the 6 line easier to digest.

Getting close up and personal with this delicious celebrity

The pizzeria is located in the basement of a white frame house and
operated by the family that lives above it.  Creamy mozzarella and
grated cheese is served on a thin crust, producing regular pies that
are among the best in the city.  Louie and Ernie's is also praised for
its white ricotta slices and sausage pizza.  We have the feeling that
one bite of this slice will dispel any doubt that Bronx Pizza belongs
near the top of our list, as well as Google's.

Five Borough Challenge - Stop #2: Patsy's (The Original) in Manhattan

Manhattan - Patsy's Pizza

There may not be a restaurant with a more storied and controversial history than Patsy's Pizza. Pasquale “Patsy” Lancieri learned the art of pizza-making at America's first pizzeria, Lombardi’s. In 1933, Patsy ventured out on his own and created his eponymous restaurant in East Harlem. The pizzeria gained legendary status over the years for creating classic New York style pizzas with a signature char on the crust that can only come from a coal fired oven.

You don't get char like that from gas...

Patsy passed away in 1974 and his widow Carmela, took the reigns of this nationally recognized pizza destination. Carmela then sold the business to several long time employees to ensure the continuation of the restaurant's reputation for quality. The place was as popular as ever and Patsy's continued to be the name most associated with great New York pizza even after the death of it's namesake.



In fact, the name Patsy's was so well known, that in 1991, a group of business people seeking to create a chain of pizzerias in Manhattan offered to purchase the rights to the name Patsy's Pizza. The offer was too good to pass up, and there are now six "Patsy's" scattered throughout Manhattan. These additional Patsy's have led to confusion and dilution of the brand as only one of the six new Patsy's has a coal oven like the original (environmental laws prohibit the construction of new coal ovens in New York City). Taste-wise, these new Patsy's pies are generally pretty solid, but in direct competition, let's just say that Patsy's is no Patsy's.

Maddox Jolie-Pitt is neither a Jolie nor a Pitt. Talk amongst yourselves.

Like Maddox Jolie-Pitt, the six new Patsy's may share a name with the original, but not DNA. To taste the true legend, we will be making our way to 118th street and 1st avenue to sample one America's national treasures, the original Patsy's Pizza.

Five Borough Challenge - Stop #1: Goodfella's in Staten Island

Staten Island - Goodfella's Pizza

Guest Post by Turkel

Staten Island isn't exactly known as a beacon of culinary eminence. A
glance at Zagat's 2008 restaurant guide reveals that only six
restaurants in the borough had food ratings of twenty-two or higher.
Indeed, with Manhattan boasting many of the world's finest dining
establishments, it would appear to be an unlikely restaurant
destination for non-denizens.  But Staten Island haters take note –
when it comes to making a great pizza, the borough can certainly hold
its own.

A World Champion Pie

Choosing our destination for the Five Borough Challenge was not a
simple matter, nor one we took lightly.  Many pizzerias vie for the
borough's best slice including Denino's, Joe's and Pat's, and
Nunzio's.  Our decision was further complicated by our reliance on
public transportation to reach our destination.  Ultimately, a pizza
is only as good as its creator and as a result, we have our eyes on
the pies of chef Salvatore Russo.  Last year in Las Vegas's 23rd
International Pizza Expo, he bested 65 competitors from six countries
to win first-prize.  His pizza has been featured on the Regis and
Kathie Lee Show and is a favorite of former mayor Rudy Giuliani and
former Governor Pataki.  We think the only way to taste what all the hype is
about, is to take a trip down to Goodfellas pizza in Dogan Hills and
see for ourselves.

Who better to ask than a NYPD cop?

Since 1993, Goodfellas has been serving up their tasty brick oven
pizza in Staten Island. Their "Pizza a la Vodka" has been a perennial
New York favorite and their "Sally Pie" and "Smokin Goodfella" have
also been critically acclaimed.   The restaurant will certainly face
some stiff competition in our Five Borough Challenge, but we think
this slice will be worth taking the ferry for.

Stay tuned each day this week as we announce the lineup for this historic event...

The FIVE BOROUGH CHALLENGE

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The day is nearly upon us.  

For years, people have said it couldn't be done.  

Sunday, September 28th, 2008 years after the birth of Jesus Christ, come join us for a day of indulgence as we attempt to eat a slice of pizza and drink a pint of beer in all five boroughs..... in one day.  

We will meet under the large STATEN ISLAND FERRY sign at the entrance to (you guessed it) the Staten Island Ferry (on the Manhattan side) at 11:30 AM sharp. 

From there we will embark on a journey that will change our lives, in one way or another.

Meet right about....there

Each day next week (Mon-Fri) we will reveal a destination on our journey and a little information about that pizzeria.  

If you have any questions, please post in the comments and I'll respond accordingly.

What to bring:

Good walking shoes

A Metrocard

A Good Appetite......for adventure

Now the only question is... 

are you down for the FIVE BOROUGH CHALLENGE?

Iron Chef - Mushrooms

For my second installment of the Iron Chef challenges, I was asked by Tesha to compose a meal that featured mushrooms in every dish.

I didn't always like eating mushrooms (in fact I avoided them like the plague until about six years ago), but I have grown to become a fungi fanatic, so I was very much looking forward to this meal.  I knew one of the dishes that I would make, but the others would be brand new ventures.

For the first course, I decided to make my version of what is hands down my favorite mushroom dish I've ever had.  The Momofuku Ssam Bar Warm Mushroom Salad is made up of two types of mushrooms (hon shimeji and king oyster), puréed pistachio nuts braised in dashi, red ball radishes and pickled crosnes, which are very small, crisp, tan-skinned white tubers in the mint family with a nutty, artichoke-like flavor.  

The Momofuku Masterpiece

Since a dish with the same ingredients would be nearly impossible to source, I decided to make do with what I had.  I chopped up a half pound of oyster, shitake and cremini mushrooms and sautéed them with a handful of smashed pistachio nuts and a bit of butter, salt and fresh ground black pepper.  After the mushrooms had begun to turn golden brown, I added in very thin slices of baby radish for color, texture and flavor.

Normally, the dish is served with mushroom and pistachio cream to serve as a dressing of sorts for this nontraditional salad.  I decided to change it up and add a bit of unctuous goodness to this otherwise staid, subtle salad by spreading some mushroom paté on the plate before adding the warm mushrooms to it.  The idea was that the paté would "melt" a bit onto the mushrooms and round out the dish.

Warm Mushroom Salad, Mushroom Pate, Baby Radish

While the paté didn't completely melt into a buttery dressing, it did coat the mushrooms in its fatty, flavorful self sufficiently to work as both a lubricant and flavor agent.  The mushrooms were excellent, with each type showing off its individual flavor and texture while still pairing well with its "salad" dance partners.  

This was certainly a success, but I think it can be improved upon with a bit of future experimentation.

For my next trick, I chose to do a dish I came up with in college that I consider one of my best original recipes. It's a decidedly different pizza that had yielded spectacular results in past makings.

The pizza starts with whatever crust you choose (pita, flatbread, traditional dough, puff pastry), seasoned with garlic powder, salt and pepper, and rubbed with an 80%/20% mixture of olive oil and truffle oil for lubrication and flavor.  Next, a handful of Monterrey Jack and Cheddar Cheeses are layered onto the doughy vessel.  

Here's where things get interesting.

I then take duck confit, shred the meat (and set aside) and use the fatty skin to flavor cremini (baby portabello) mushrooms that I sauté with it.  After the mushrooms are golden brown, I toss in the shredded meat, cook for another 4 minutes and then allow the mixture to chill together for an hour to meld flavors before topping the aforementioned pie.

Pulled Duck, Cremini Mushroom, Truffle Oil Flatbread Pizza

As usual, the duck fat gives the creminis a full, rich flavor that is only enhanced by the pulled duck itself and the truffle oil.  Crispy crust and gooey melted cheeses make this fun for the mouth texturally as well.  

It is fairly rich as far as pizzas go, so two slices (depending on the dough used) would certainly be considered an entree sized portion.

For the third course, I decided to go a bit more traditional and pair the mushrooms with one of their usual cohorts.  The dish would be a cinnamon chile spiced, pan seared rib-eye steak layered with grilled portabello mushrooms.

Pan Seared Cinnamon Chile Rubbed Rib-eye Steak and Grilled Portabello

Tesha called this her favorite dish of the night, and while I preferred the first two dishes, it was pretty good.  Mushrooms and steak are a timeless combination and this was no exception. However, I was surprised how well the cinnamon worked with the mushrooms, giving the dish a depth of flavor that I didn't expect.  If only I had consulted Seinfeld... 

To end our exploration of the fungus kingdom, I attempted to make a passable dessert featuring mushrooms, though I had never seen one on any menu.

I looked at a few recipes that I saw on Mycophagy websites and came up with a plan I figured wouldn't be entirely repulsive. 

I sautéed sliced white button mushrooms in brown butter with cinnamon and ginger for about seven minutes.  I then let the mixture cool in the refrigerator for a few hours before mixing the concoction with Greek yogurt, almond dust (pulverized almonds), and clover honey.

Button Mushrooms, Cinnamon, Ginger, Honey, Almond Dust, Greek Yogurt

This dish didn't work out quite like I had planned.  

The mushrooms themselves were actually pretty good, but they did not mesh with the yogurt in the least.  It wasn't horrible by any means, but let's just say neither of us finished our portions.

It was a happy failure though as it meant that I had tackled Tesha's task.  Four courses featuring mushrooms; dessert included.

Fall On Me

Just because the summer is over doesn't mean that you have to get down about the disappearing heirloom tomatoes and fresh corn. There's a lot to look forward to come fall, as evidenced by this article listing ten foods that will be at their respective peaks in the coming weeks. Get ready for Kabocha....

Ten Foods to Eat This Fall

Kabocha. Not just fun to say...

The Power To Change Your Life - RSS Feeds

While this is primarily a food blog, from time to time, I will let you know about things that are so important that I just can't help myself from telling everyone I know (and those I don't).

.

Here's an example...

.

What if I told you that there was something incredibly simple that you could do that would accomplish the following:

.

1) Make sure you never miss an article on your favorite website (this one, perhaps?)

.

2) Conveniently organize all the websites you read

.

3) Save you at least 25% of the time you normally spend checking your favorite sites

My friends, all this can be accomplished, completely free, in about 30 minutes.

The amazing application that will change your life is called an RSS Reader. Basically, it functions as a single space in which you can view all the websites that you read. When an update is made to the website, your RSS Reader will update itself and list that new article as unread.

To set up the reader, simply go to https://www.google.com/reader and fill out your settings. There are many other competing RSS Readers, but this one is clean and easy to use.

From there you can head to all the websites you enjoy reading and click on the orange icon that automatically subscribes you to the RSS feed. You can also find RSS feeds through Google Reader itself by using the search function. Unless you are a particularly voracious reader, the entire process will take you about 15 minutes.

Your new best friend

I promise you that after a few days of going to your RSS Reader to view websites, you will wonder why you've been wasting your time all these years typing in URLs.

Trust me on this one, I wouldn't bother writing about it if it weren't incredible.

You can even subscribe to this blog. Just click on the links in the upper left hand corner and choose your RSS Reader.