Free Lunch for Kids!

You may have heard that there is no such thing as a free lunch, but if you are a child, this rule doesn't apply at NYC pools in all five boroughs. The SchoolFood Summer Meals Program provides a free, well-balanced lunch to anyone who is 18 years and under, or who has a disability. Today at the John Jay Pool in Manhattan, the lunch consisted of a sandwich on whole-wheat bread, a plum, a side of cole slaw, and chocolate milk. This generous program ends September 2.

Eataly's Cheese Slicers

I always find that cheese (and tea, for that matter) never taste as good at home. When I visit places like the Bedford Cheese Shop and the Murray's stand at Grand Central, I feel like some magic is being performed. The cheese specialist takes a glistening silver implement, rakes it across some plump white or yellow slab of deliciousness, and gives me a tempting taste. I proceed to buy a half pound or so, but never experience that same magic. At home, I clumsily gouge out a hunk with the wrong type of knife, or even (gasp) take a bite out of the uncut cheese. I know I am doing something wrong.

Yesterday, at Eataly, I happened upon a display of Paderno World Cuisine stainless-steel wire cheese cutters, parmigiano knives, and cheese slicers. I wondered if they might be the solution to my pressing cheese problem. There were two types of cheese planes, soft and regular, which were each around $19. For a second I contemplated buying both of them, but I couldn't justify it. Maybe I should talk to the cheese specialist, I thought. I went over to him, told him about my at-home cheese issue, and here is his expert advice:

"First of all, as a guy who's been working with cheese for years, I never use cheese planes. I prefer a knife. But if you must have a cheese plane, use the regular one. I would never use a cheese plane for soft cheese. Also, you're storing your cheese all wrong. Never store it in the plastic wrap it comes in. Use wax paper, or Gladware, or even tinfoil."

Thanks, Mr. Cheese Guy! Next time, I'll have to get a lesson in which mostardas go with the different cheeses.

Butter Lane

Ah, Butter Lane, why didn't I find this cupcakery before? The moist, not-too-sweet chocolate, vanilla, or banana cakelets with their lovely dollops of buttercream have sent me over the moon. What other bakery gives you a choice between French or American chocolate toppings, as well as French or American vanilla? Out of all of the different cupcakes I sampled, from chocolate cake topped with strawberry icing and half a strawberry, sea salt caramel icing over a chocolate base, buttery cinnamon honey on a vanilla cake and many more, my favorite has to be the French vanilla over chocolate. This particular buttercream is shot through with vanilla bean, and it is creamier, lighter and not as sweet as some of the other toppings. Its subtlety lets the slight hint of coffee in the chocolate cake radiate through. I wasn't able to try the French Callebaut chocolate meringue icing, as it was sold out, but I plan to try the special seasonal frostings: key lime, lemon, and grapefruit ginger.

Butter Lane: 240 Seventh Ave., Brooklyn, (212) 677-2880. There is also a location in the East Village.

Picnicking in the Park

Although it's easy to pack up a picnic basket and head to the park, this is New York, so there's an even easier option... you can actually order food and have it delivered to the park! Here are a couple options.

Carl Schurz Park: For those lucky enough to live by this beautiful waterside park and playground, there is an added bonus, that of Pintaile's Pizza (212-396-3479) delivery. In addition to many varieties of vegetarian and non-vegetarian pizza, Pintaile's offers sandwiches, salads, and wings. If you don't want to humor the Good Humor truck at the park, you can order a pint of Ciao Bella gelato from Pintaile's.

Central Park: If you plan to hang out in NYC's backyard, call up Agata & Valentina's (212-452-0690, x 1) and order a picnic box. There are three varieties: salad, sandwich, and supreme.

Enjoy your summer in the city!