I've always wished that a giant, multi-level Japanese department store would open in NYC - the kind that has a rooftop garden, an art gallery, a floor devoted to kimonos, and, of course, a floor devoted to restaurants. As it does not seem that this will ever be in the cards, I still enjoy a trip to the exquisite (and expensive) Takashimaya - especially the Tea Box Café.
The East-West Afternoon Tea is a splendid affair, with a bento box filled with goodies like green tea creme brulee, chocolates, butter cookies, fruit salad, and a small selection of savories - vegetable crisps, a curried rice paper roll, a tiny chicken sandwich, and smoked salmon pressed into rice (for vegetarians, cucumber/pickled plum is an option). The box comes with your choice of various green, black, flavored black or herbal teas (I always get the genmaicha).
Note to readers: My most recent visit to the Tea Box Café was a party to celebrate the impending arrival of a new generation of foodie for my companion and me. Because of this, I will be taking a break from this beloved blog. However, since it's been a labor of love since 2002 (yes - I was one of the first NYC food bloggers!), I hope to eventually contribute to it again. In the meantime, I will keep the blog online, but probably won't be updating it. Have a great winter.
Takashimaya: 693 Fifth Ave., (212) 350-0180.
Showing posts with label Miscellaneous. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Miscellaneous. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Bread and Chocolate
On my recent trip to Paris, I ate a lot of outstanding bread and chocolate. This got me to wondering, which do I prefer? Fortunately, there are many delicious bread-and-chocolate combinations here in NYC, so I don't have to choose.
One way to enjoy both bread and chocolate at once is to pick up Theo Chocolate's Bread & Chocolate bar. (I bought mine at T Salon's Chelsea Market location, 75 Ninth Ave., 212- 243-0432.) This most unique chocolate bar features French bread, butter and sea salt in a base of 70% organic cacao.
Another option is the truly sinful chocolate-hazelnut bread pudding at Cornelia Street Cafe (29 Cornelia St., 212-989-9319). Smothered in thick, rich chocolate sauce and adorned with a generous dollop of whipped cream, it's a bread pudding to remember.
For a more traditional bread-and-chocolate combination, there's the superlative pain au chocolat at Madeleine Patisserie (132 West 23rd St., 212-243-2757). According to the woman at the counter I spoke to, the owner-baker will only use chocolate imported from France.
One way to enjoy both bread and chocolate at once is to pick up Theo Chocolate's Bread & Chocolate bar. (I bought mine at T Salon's Chelsea Market location, 75 Ninth Ave., 212- 243-0432.) This most unique chocolate bar features French bread, butter and sea salt in a base of 70% organic cacao.
Another option is the truly sinful chocolate-hazelnut bread pudding at Cornelia Street Cafe (29 Cornelia St., 212-989-9319). Smothered in thick, rich chocolate sauce and adorned with a generous dollop of whipped cream, it's a bread pudding to remember.
For a more traditional bread-and-chocolate combination, there's the superlative pain au chocolat at Madeleine Patisserie (132 West 23rd St., 212-243-2757). According to the woman at the counter I spoke to, the owner-baker will only use chocolate imported from France.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
En Vacances
I've just returned from a chocolaty trip to Quebec City, and will soon be headed off to Paris for even more chocolate (even though author Michael Steinberger says "au revoir" to all that)! I'll be back to regular NYC posting duty soon.
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Cooking 101: The Course For Absolute Beginners
My private cooking lesson with Bettina Fisher whetted my appetite, so I enrolled myself in ICE's Cooking 101 (The Institute of Culinary Education: 50 West 23rd St.). This past Saturday, I attended the first of three sessions. Along with 13 other beginners, I donned an apron, filled my coffee cup and sat down at a table to listen to Chef Jane's colorful introduction. At our first class, which would mostly involve arrangement and presentation, we would be preparing shrimp cocktail, tomato mozzarella salad, guacamole, prosciutto-wrapped melon, a Mediterranean salad plate, a smoked salmon plate, and chocolate-dipped fruit. (Of course, we would be eating all of this at the end of the lesson!)
But first, Chef Jane passed around various herbs (parsley, thyme, basil, cilantro and dill) for us to become familiar with. She talked about knives, cutting boards, and bowls, and then gave us important advice about knife safety (apparently, an unfortunate assistant was once stabbed in the arm by a careless student!) and kitchen hygiene. She gave us an detailed rundown about the recipes we'd be preparing - here is how we would peel and devein a shrimp, here was an attractive way to cut an avocado, and chocolate buttons were always preferable to chocolate chips when melting in a bain-marie.
The lecture lasted about an hour. After a brief demonstration of basic knife skills and vinaigrette preparation, the class was divided into three teams, each of which would each prepare two different items. My team was responsible for the tomato mozzarella salad and guacamole (I was responsible for the unevenly-cut mozzarella).
The class worked quickly, and soon it was time for the unveiling of our finished masterpieces. Chef Jane pronounced the smoked salmon plate "one of the most attractive examples I've seen in this class." My team's guacamole was especially delicious, if I do say so myself! I was a bit envious that I didn't get to devein the bouillon-poached shrimp, but we were all given recipe booklets so that we can duplicate the dishes at home.
In the next two lessons, we'll be grilling burgers, making blueberry crisps and chocolate pudding cakes, roasting tomatoes for pasta, even making Parmesan frico on a Silpat. But I have a feeling that I will need much more instruction in order to really learn to cook; I suspect I'll need to enroll in the 5-lesson TECH 1 (and TECH 2, and TECH 3)...
But first, Chef Jane passed around various herbs (parsley, thyme, basil, cilantro and dill) for us to become familiar with. She talked about knives, cutting boards, and bowls, and then gave us important advice about knife safety (apparently, an unfortunate assistant was once stabbed in the arm by a careless student!) and kitchen hygiene. She gave us an detailed rundown about the recipes we'd be preparing - here is how we would peel and devein a shrimp, here was an attractive way to cut an avocado, and chocolate buttons were always preferable to chocolate chips when melting in a bain-marie.
The lecture lasted about an hour. After a brief demonstration of basic knife skills and vinaigrette preparation, the class was divided into three teams, each of which would each prepare two different items. My team was responsible for the tomato mozzarella salad and guacamole (I was responsible for the unevenly-cut mozzarella).
The class worked quickly, and soon it was time for the unveiling of our finished masterpieces. Chef Jane pronounced the smoked salmon plate "one of the most attractive examples I've seen in this class." My team's guacamole was especially delicious, if I do say so myself! I was a bit envious that I didn't get to devein the bouillon-poached shrimp, but we were all given recipe booklets so that we can duplicate the dishes at home.
In the next two lessons, we'll be grilling burgers, making blueberry crisps and chocolate pudding cakes, roasting tomatoes for pasta, even making Parmesan frico on a Silpat. But I have a feeling that I will need much more instruction in order to really learn to cook; I suspect I'll need to enroll in the 5-lesson TECH 1 (and TECH 2, and TECH 3)...
Saturday, March 21, 2009
A Eulogy, in Restaurants
Next week, I'll back to my regularly scheduled restaurant review, but in this post I wanted to pay homage to one of my favorite dining partners: my vivacious grandmother, who just passed away on Thursday at 91 (1917-2009). She is referenced in various posts on this blog.
----------------
Grandma was always happiest when everyone was eating, although she would tell you that she herself ate like a bird. We painted the town red, going to Payard for tea, Sant Ambroeus for lunch, and Teodora for dinner. We hit all the hot spots; last year, my companion and I took her to Quality Meats. We were regulars at Elio’s; this was one of Grandma’s favorite restaurants, because she used to go there with my late grandfather. But no matter where we went, she would always ask, “What are you having? That's all? No appetizer, no salad? Are you enjoying your food?” (She would also mention that Grandpa would have liked what I was eating. He liked to read menus and eat exotic foods just like me.)
I discovered a lot of new foods in Grandma’s kitchen. She introduced me to egg barley, and she made all the Hungarian specialties like nockerl and kaposzta teszta. Grandpa would have all the ingredients for homemade fountain sodas in the fridge, and there was always lots of candy on the coffee table, so their apartment was really a great place for a kid.
As Grandma grew older, she wasn’t as able to cook, so we’d go out to Our Place on 3rd Avenue. One memorable night, we went there with my aunt, my father, and my brother. It was a rather challenging evening; we were all arguing with each other. My aunt had sent her food back twice, and the cook had put peppers in Grandma’s main dish (my aunt wanted to try it but had an allergy to peppers). I had to leave the table and take a deep breath. When I returned, it was time to open the fortune cookies, and Grandma’s said: “Your family is one of nature’s masterpieces.” We all burst out laughing.
Grandma lived through many ups and downs, surgeries, and the passing of my grandfather, whom she was always thinking about. But through it all, she maintained the most positive attitude - even after falling and breaking her arm in three places while in her mid-80's. It really didn’t take her long to recover; soon we were going out to the movies and Etats-Unis.
She appreciated every little thing, an iced coffee, a birthday card, her egg poacher, the smoked fish from Sable's, a short phone call, and the apricot cake from Andre’s Hungarian that I brought her this past Sunday - the last day I saw her.
Rest in peace, Grandma, and I hope there are some good restaurants in heaven.
----------------
Grandma was always happiest when everyone was eating, although she would tell you that she herself ate like a bird. We painted the town red, going to Payard for tea, Sant Ambroeus for lunch, and Teodora for dinner. We hit all the hot spots; last year, my companion and I took her to Quality Meats. We were regulars at Elio’s; this was one of Grandma’s favorite restaurants, because she used to go there with my late grandfather. But no matter where we went, she would always ask, “What are you having? That's all? No appetizer, no salad? Are you enjoying your food?” (She would also mention that Grandpa would have liked what I was eating. He liked to read menus and eat exotic foods just like me.)
I discovered a lot of new foods in Grandma’s kitchen. She introduced me to egg barley, and she made all the Hungarian specialties like nockerl and kaposzta teszta. Grandpa would have all the ingredients for homemade fountain sodas in the fridge, and there was always lots of candy on the coffee table, so their apartment was really a great place for a kid.
As Grandma grew older, she wasn’t as able to cook, so we’d go out to Our Place on 3rd Avenue. One memorable night, we went there with my aunt, my father, and my brother. It was a rather challenging evening; we were all arguing with each other. My aunt had sent her food back twice, and the cook had put peppers in Grandma’s main dish (my aunt wanted to try it but had an allergy to peppers). I had to leave the table and take a deep breath. When I returned, it was time to open the fortune cookies, and Grandma’s said: “Your family is one of nature’s masterpieces.” We all burst out laughing.
Grandma lived through many ups and downs, surgeries, and the passing of my grandfather, whom she was always thinking about. But through it all, she maintained the most positive attitude - even after falling and breaking her arm in three places while in her mid-80's. It really didn’t take her long to recover; soon we were going out to the movies and Etats-Unis.
She appreciated every little thing, an iced coffee, a birthday card, her egg poacher, the smoked fish from Sable's, a short phone call, and the apricot cake from Andre’s Hungarian that I brought her this past Sunday - the last day I saw her.
Rest in peace, Grandma, and I hope there are some good restaurants in heaven.
Saturday, December 06, 2008
Holidays 2008
We're all trying to "tighten our belts" this season. But some of us are also planning on loosening our (literal) belts a few notches! So if you and your friends are still indulging your palates, here are some holiday gift recommendations:
- Those who give home-baked gifts should peruse this extensive online cookie encyclopedia; Gourmet Magazine has made 50 years of Christmas cookie recipes available.
- If you have no time to bake, let Chuck "The Baker" Pierkarski bake for you! Every batch of his brownies helps benefit God's Love We Deliver.
- Your friend who wants to learn to cook will love a copy of Martha Stewart's Cooking School: Lessons and Recipes for the Home Cook.
- If you want to splurge on that special someone, Petrossian offers a mouthwatering brunch basket filled with caviar, smoked salmon, duck breast prosciutto, blini; toasts, creme fraiche, honey, cinnamon raisin bread, cranberry ginger cake, chestnut jam, coffee and tea. But even Petrossian is getting into the economizing act; there are several delicious gifts for $100 and under.
- Send a Murray's Cheese Greenwich Village Supper basket to a friend (and then slyly ask to be invited for dinner). (Alternatively, send over a Zabar's Deli Sampler.)
- Online retailer Norm Thompson offers adorable, inexpensive holiday sweets.
- Is your friend a restaurant-goer? Then s/he'll appreciate a gift certificate to Hill Country (buy a $25 gift certificate for only $10 at restaurant.com!) or the always-rewarding Picholine, which is now offering a special "menu d'economie."
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Lucky Cheng's
Lucky Cheng's, which might be described as a meeting between China Grill and La Cage Aux Folles, is something of a New York institution. Since 1993, it's been famous for its impossibly fabulous drag queen waitresses and risque dinner shows. There's lots of entertainment: off-color comedy routines, balloons fashioned into shapes you'd never see at a children's party, souvenir thongs, and a tableside tarot reader named Angel Eye. (I don't know if she gives financial forecasts.) The three-course dinner-and-show combo is $32, with supplements for certain items.
When I visited this weekend, the couple next to me was utilizing Angel Eye's services. The music was such a volume that the boyfriend didn't hear his date ask the psychic about marriage. No matter, he was soon pulled onstage by "Rhapsody In Blue," an amazingly athletic dancer with glittering blue eyeshadow. Rhapsody announced the start of the amateur lap dance competition. An entire table of 21-year-olds dissolved into giggles as the boyfriend was relieved of his shirt. (He wouldn't be the last victim!)
As for the food, I found the fried-er, the better! My favorite dish was a plate of three jumbo shrimp encased in a thinly fried crust. Other items seemed to differ from the menu descriptions; there weren't any black sesame seeds in the black-and-white sesame salmon, and a Thai basil pesto was more like a black bean sauce. (But who really cares when you've having so much fun? Besides, there's cheesecake with raspberries and whipped cream for dessert.) The couple next to me enjoyed their fried rice and pan-roasted duck, although the boyfriend was too busy dancing to eat most of it.
The lap dance winners were chosen, smiles abounded and my mood was much lighter than it was at the start of the evening. (Have to stop watching that C-SPAN.) I went over to the host to thank him for a fun night, and when I told him my pseudonym, he said, "Salli Vates - that's a great drag name."
Lucky Cheng's: 24 1st Ave., (212) 995-5500.
When I visited this weekend, the couple next to me was utilizing Angel Eye's services. The music was such a volume that the boyfriend didn't hear his date ask the psychic about marriage. No matter, he was soon pulled onstage by "Rhapsody In Blue," an amazingly athletic dancer with glittering blue eyeshadow. Rhapsody announced the start of the amateur lap dance competition. An entire table of 21-year-olds dissolved into giggles as the boyfriend was relieved of his shirt. (He wouldn't be the last victim!)
As for the food, I found the fried-er, the better! My favorite dish was a plate of three jumbo shrimp encased in a thinly fried crust. Other items seemed to differ from the menu descriptions; there weren't any black sesame seeds in the black-and-white sesame salmon, and a Thai basil pesto was more like a black bean sauce. (But who really cares when you've having so much fun? Besides, there's cheesecake with raspberries and whipped cream for dessert.) The couple next to me enjoyed their fried rice and pan-roasted duck, although the boyfriend was too busy dancing to eat most of it.
The lap dance winners were chosen, smiles abounded and my mood was much lighter than it was at the start of the evening. (Have to stop watching that C-SPAN.) I went over to the host to thank him for a fun night, and when I told him my pseudonym, he said, "Salli Vates - that's a great drag name."
Lucky Cheng's: 24 1st Ave., (212) 995-5500.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Cooking With Bettina Fisher
My kitchen smells amazing right now - it's filled with the aromas of foaming butter, fresh basil, and garlic. This is because I just had a visit from Bettina Fisher. And who is Bettina Fisher? A talented food stylist, caterer, and chef who just happens to teach at-home cooking classes!
If you've been reading this blog for any length of time since its inception in 2002, you probably know that I love food. However, this love does not translate into cooking expertise; I'm not the sharpest tack in the kitchen drawer. Hence my call to Bettina! She sent me a short questionnaire about my likes, dislikes and cooking goals, and then suggested some delicious dishes like halibut in fragrant lemongrass tomato broth, bacon-wrapped trout, whole striped bass with a chunky pistachio relish, and apple blackberry-cake.
But after doing some thinking, I realized that my needs were more in line with Remedial Cooking 101. I wanted to learn how to make an enviably fluffy omelette, to cut and dice vegetables evenly, and to be able to whip up a delicious tomato sauce in a few minutes.
Bettina arrived right on time, and I set about searching for that knife set I registered for 3 years ago. She gave me a brief tutorial on the knives (paring, boning, serrated, chef) and showed me how to sharpen them. She then gave me some recommendations for vegetable peelers and an over-the-sink cutting board (the kitchen is tiny!).
We started by cutting some onions and potatoes, which would later be used for a hearty potato soup with rosemary and Parmesan. Bettina showed me how to cut in halves and halves again for perfect dice. (Hard work!) Then we chiffonaded basil, cored and cut some tomatoes, and sliced and diced some garlic (so satisfying to mash it in one fell swoop with the knife).
After we indulged in large bowls of pasta, it was time to make omelettes. Bettina produced her copy of The Making of a Cook and I learned about three different techniques: beaten, shaken and scrambled. (The book is a hoot! It specified "only a couple turns of the pepper shaker, and a few grains of salt.") Bettina demonstrated, and then I made my own... dee-licious. (Don't tell Bettina, but I finished hers, as well as mine, after she left.)
I need to practice cutting, but I'm already thinking about the next lesson. Maybe we can make that apple-blackberry cake!
Bettina can be contacted through her Website. Highly recommended.
If you've been reading this blog for any length of time since its inception in 2002, you probably know that I love food. However, this love does not translate into cooking expertise; I'm not the sharpest tack in the kitchen drawer. Hence my call to Bettina! She sent me a short questionnaire about my likes, dislikes and cooking goals, and then suggested some delicious dishes like halibut in fragrant lemongrass tomato broth, bacon-wrapped trout, whole striped bass with a chunky pistachio relish, and apple blackberry-cake.
But after doing some thinking, I realized that my needs were more in line with Remedial Cooking 101. I wanted to learn how to make an enviably fluffy omelette, to cut and dice vegetables evenly, and to be able to whip up a delicious tomato sauce in a few minutes.
Bettina arrived right on time, and I set about searching for that knife set I registered for 3 years ago. She gave me a brief tutorial on the knives (paring, boning, serrated, chef) and showed me how to sharpen them. She then gave me some recommendations for vegetable peelers and an over-the-sink cutting board (the kitchen is tiny!).
We started by cutting some onions and potatoes, which would later be used for a hearty potato soup with rosemary and Parmesan. Bettina showed me how to cut in halves and halves again for perfect dice. (Hard work!) Then we chiffonaded basil, cored and cut some tomatoes, and sliced and diced some garlic (so satisfying to mash it in one fell swoop with the knife).
After we indulged in large bowls of pasta, it was time to make omelettes. Bettina produced her copy of The Making of a Cook and I learned about three different techniques: beaten, shaken and scrambled. (The book is a hoot! It specified "only a couple turns of the pepper shaker, and a few grains of salt.") Bettina demonstrated, and then I made my own... dee-licious. (Don't tell Bettina, but I finished hers, as well as mine, after she left.)
I need to practice cutting, but I'm already thinking about the next lesson. Maybe we can make that apple-blackberry cake!
Bettina can be contacted through her Website. Highly recommended.
Monday, October 15, 2007
The Perfect Autumn Cookie
It's autumn, and I'm craving warm flavors - cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin and maple syrup. Fortunately, I've found the perfect treat for this craving: Dancing Deer maple butter leaf and gingerbread acorn cookies. They're available online, at various gourmet markets around the city, and for some reason, at Crate and Barrel. That's where I found them today. I was looking for a wedding present for a friend, but became so distracted by the sight of these cookies that I could hardly continue shopping.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Treats For The Armchair Traveler
The weak dollar discouraged many an American in Paris this summer. If your wallet won out over your wanderlust, take heart (and stomach): you can enjoy some of Europe's most famous treats without leaving your apartment! (That is, if you're willing to shell out for shipping.)
- Vienna's most famous chocolate cake, the apricot-jam-filled sacher torte, can be yours in just a few mouseclicks. Although you can't order the 8-foot-wide version that made it into the Guinness Book of World Records in 1998, there are four (much smaller) sizes available. (I have a dark-chocolate-coated "Size 1" cake sitting right next to my computer right now.)
- I have no idea why these ultra-buttery cookies are called "punishments" (if these are punishments, what is the reward?), but world-famous bakery Poilane will ship you two boxes for... 74 euros. (Hey, it's less than the price of a hotel room!) They don't ship their lovely apple tarts, but you can order currant bread, rye bread, delectable hearty walnut-studded boules, and sourdough so tasty it needs no butter. And if all you want is a half-loaf of Poilane sourdough, you can find it much closer to home at Agata & Valentina (1505 First Ave., 212-452-0690).
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Sublime Strawberries
The strawberries have never been sweeter! You've probably been by the Union Square Greenmarket to pick up a pint or three, but if you haven't, make sure to do so by mid-July. Local bakers have been benefiting mightily from the season's bounty: lemon cornmeal poundcake at Park Slope's Trois Pommes Patisserie (260 Fifth Ave., 718-230-3119) is studded with Greenmarket strawberries, and Williamsburg's Cheeks Bakery has been serving up fresh strawberry cream scones made with Red Jacket strawberries, a Greenmarket favorite. These crumbly, buttery marvels are chock-full of the luscious berries, stained red with the juice and topped with coarse sugar crystals. Call ahead before visiting, because I may have bought them all! (Cheeks Bakery: 378 Metropolitan Ave., 718-599-3583.)
Monday, March 12, 2007
Random Snacks
Here are a few items I always seem to be craving these days (no, not for any particular reason!):
Happy munching!
- Newtree Chocolate Napolitains: I especially love the "Young" cherry dark chocolates. There's been a sale on them at Really Cool Foods (3rd Ave. @ 63rd St., 212-605-0900), the gourmet shop which is a cross between Whole Foods and a public prep kitchen.
- Kyotofu's Miso Chokos: These were touted in NY Mag's Best Of New York issue, which neglected to focus on what I believe is the most unique thing about these fudgy little cupcakes: the miso! If you've ever enjoyed a drizzle of balsamic vinegar on your strawberries or your panna cotta, you'll enjoy the same slight astringence that miso brings to this chocolate treat.
- Brookfarm Snacmacs: Oven-roasted macadamias dusted with Kashmiri chili and sea salt. Available at Citarella! (I got mine at the 424 Ave. of the Americas location.)
- A stroke of absolute genius: the sea-salt espresso cookies at Cheeks Bakery (378 Metropolitan Ave., Brooklyn, 718-599-3583). If you appreciate fleur de sel caramels, you'll just eat these up.
And finally...
Happy munching!
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
A Short Trip To Tokyo
I am presently eating myself into a coma in Tokyo. (Don't worry, I'll soon be back to do the same in New York.) You can read about my experiences at Salli Vates' Traveling Food Page.
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Thanksgiving Dishes By Astrological Sign
For once, my horoscope was accurate! According to Sabra Ricci's "Thanksgiving Dishes By Astrological Sign," as a Sagittarius, I am extravagant, overindulgent, and fond of macaroni and cheese.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Out With The Old, In With The New... Appliances
Every so often, I'll develop an obsession with time-saving kitchen gadgets. As an outer-borough dweller who spends hours on the subway, I eat most of my meals in Manhattan, but I still fantasize about cooking at home.
Sometimes a fascination with one machine will lead to another. A few years ago, I brought a Tiger rice cooker home from Tokyo. I was amazed at its ability to make perfect rice in 30 minutes. But as I was browsing through Amazon.com, I noticed an intriguing new appliance: the Zojirushi NH-VBC18 10-Cup Rice Cooker and Warmer with Induction Heating System. I just had to have this new-fangled rice cooker; it makes soft, regular, hard, semi-brown, brown, sweet, and mixed rice. Unlike other rice cookers, it features an "extended-warm" button that keeps rice moist for days. You can even program it to have your rice ready for you when you arrive home or wake up. I like to get up and pretend I'm in Japan... I'll have a bowl of rice mixed with egg, soy sauce and natto.
But I usually just have a cup of coffee in the morning. Although I love my stovetop Bialetti cappuccino maker, my quest for convenience has led me to scope out other machines. The Saeco Vienna Deluxe used to be my favorite coffeemaker, but I soon grew tired of cleaning the grounds from the inside of the machine. Now I just press a button each morning for my Nespresso.
Last month, my 8-year-old Black & Decker toaster suddenly gave out. I soon learned how far toasters have advanced the last few years... they've merged with convection ovens! Krups even produces a model in which you can push a button for cookies, or thin pizza, or thick pizza... I purchased the slightly less feature-rich Krups FBC2 6-Slice Digital Convection Toaster Oven. It includes a non-stick bake pan and a broil tray.
My last purchase isn't a replacement, but rather a new gadget. This appliance might seem a bit frivolous (indeed, one Amazon reviewer wrote that she stands by it "even in the face of ridicule"), but I've found myself using it more than I expected. The Krups 230-70 Electric Egg Express Egg Cooker makes 7 hard-boiled or soft-boiled eggs, or 2 poached. (When boiling them the traditional way, I'd always forget about them and they'd crack.) Make some toast and you'll have an instant breakfast, or save the boiled eggs for your next Nicoise!
Sometimes a fascination with one machine will lead to another. A few years ago, I brought a Tiger rice cooker home from Tokyo. I was amazed at its ability to make perfect rice in 30 minutes. But as I was browsing through Amazon.com, I noticed an intriguing new appliance: the Zojirushi NH-VBC18 10-Cup Rice Cooker and Warmer with Induction Heating System. I just had to have this new-fangled rice cooker; it makes soft, regular, hard, semi-brown, brown, sweet, and mixed rice. Unlike other rice cookers, it features an "extended-warm" button that keeps rice moist for days. You can even program it to have your rice ready for you when you arrive home or wake up. I like to get up and pretend I'm in Japan... I'll have a bowl of rice mixed with egg, soy sauce and natto.
But I usually just have a cup of coffee in the morning. Although I love my stovetop Bialetti cappuccino maker, my quest for convenience has led me to scope out other machines. The Saeco Vienna Deluxe used to be my favorite coffeemaker, but I soon grew tired of cleaning the grounds from the inside of the machine. Now I just press a button each morning for my Nespresso.
Last month, my 8-year-old Black & Decker toaster suddenly gave out. I soon learned how far toasters have advanced the last few years... they've merged with convection ovens! Krups even produces a model in which you can push a button for cookies, or thin pizza, or thick pizza... I purchased the slightly less feature-rich Krups FBC2 6-Slice Digital Convection Toaster Oven. It includes a non-stick bake pan and a broil tray.
My last purchase isn't a replacement, but rather a new gadget. This appliance might seem a bit frivolous (indeed, one Amazon reviewer wrote that she stands by it "even in the face of ridicule"), but I've found myself using it more than I expected. The Krups 230-70 Electric Egg Express Egg Cooker makes 7 hard-boiled or soft-boiled eggs, or 2 poached. (When boiling them the traditional way, I'd always forget about them and they'd crack.) Make some toast and you'll have an instant breakfast, or save the boiled eggs for your next Nicoise!
Saturday, December 17, 2005
Gifts For The Gourmet
Are you still stumped for holiday gift ideas? Here's a present any foodie friend will appreciate: an international cooking class. The New School teaches everything from a "Roast Suckling Pig Workshop" to a "Paris Bistro Feast." But if your friend is more interested in dining out, the "BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE GREAT RESTAURANTS OF NEW YORK ™" series may be right up his alley. (Or, if his table manners are less than adequate, you might want to enroll him in "Dining Etiquette for Adults.")
Friday, December 16, 2005
A Regular's Lament
I was becoming increasingly devoted to the Japanese fusion cuisine of Komegashi (928 Broadway, (212) 475-3000). I loved the thick, rectangular slabs of grilled skewered fish and the unexpected flavors and textures in the maki. The Valrhona chocolate souffle accompanied by homemade maple, vanilla and orange-chocolate ice cream was a treat I looked forward to. And there was that "regular" treatment... when the waitress noticed that I'd left a piece of sushi untouched, she would ask the chef to prepare any fish I wanted to replace it.
So, you can imagine how disconcerted I was to learn that Komegashi will be no more after next week. The restaurant has been sold. Apparently, four out of five NYC restaurants close within five years. But I wonder, what is the reason for this particular failure? Were the guests expecting a more traditional Japanese cuisine? Were they put off by the beef jus/red wine/soy dipping sauce that was served with the skewered meats and fish, or did they not appreciate the sprinkling of sansho pepper atop the freshwater eel? It's true that the offerings were not inexpensive; a "foamed" miso soup with fried tofu was $6. But many New Yorkers willingly pay premium prices for quality Japanese food.
Presentation was certainly not the problem; nor was decor. So, I surmise that the location did Komegashi in. Just one block east, Park Avenue South teems with crowded restaurants; I couldn't even get a seat at Haru tonight. But there aren't many places to dine on Broadway in the lower 20s. Komegashi was the only restaurant on its block. Adding to this problem was the fact that Komegashi's building was landmarked, so there were heavy restrictions on signage. Many people walked by the door without even realizing that there was a restaurant inside. (Slightly south of Komegashi, the still-popular Craftbar features a prominent sign.)
I wish the new owners better luck, but I'll miss Komegashi. I may even stop by next week to enjoy my "regular" status for the last time.
So, you can imagine how disconcerted I was to learn that Komegashi will be no more after next week. The restaurant has been sold. Apparently, four out of five NYC restaurants close within five years. But I wonder, what is the reason for this particular failure? Were the guests expecting a more traditional Japanese cuisine? Were they put off by the beef jus/red wine/soy dipping sauce that was served with the skewered meats and fish, or did they not appreciate the sprinkling of sansho pepper atop the freshwater eel? It's true that the offerings were not inexpensive; a "foamed" miso soup with fried tofu was $6. But many New Yorkers willingly pay premium prices for quality Japanese food.
Presentation was certainly not the problem; nor was decor. So, I surmise that the location did Komegashi in. Just one block east, Park Avenue South teems with crowded restaurants; I couldn't even get a seat at Haru tonight. But there aren't many places to dine on Broadway in the lower 20s. Komegashi was the only restaurant on its block. Adding to this problem was the fact that Komegashi's building was landmarked, so there were heavy restrictions on signage. Many people walked by the door without even realizing that there was a restaurant inside. (Slightly south of Komegashi, the still-popular Craftbar features a prominent sign.)
I wish the new owners better luck, but I'll miss Komegashi. I may even stop by next week to enjoy my "regular" status for the last time.
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Sunday, July 10, 2005
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Find Any Foodstuff
I adore the food search function of Manhattan's Menupages.com.
In just 5 seconds, I found 23 restaurants in the Village that serve frites. Lobster is an item on 85 Upper West Side menus, and there are 20 places on the Lower East Side that offer chocolate cake! If there is someone in your family whose diet consists of only one food, this search will be an invaluable addition to your Favorites folder.
In just 5 seconds, I found 23 restaurants in the Village that serve frites. Lobster is an item on 85 Upper West Side menus, and there are 20 places on the Lower East Side that offer chocolate cake! If there is someone in your family whose diet consists of only one food, this search will be an invaluable addition to your Favorites folder.
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