eat your chow.

What do people have against egg yolks?

Smoked Salmon and Swiss Crepe from Montmartre, Washington, DC

In an effort to get more protein in my diet, I’ve started eating an egg every morning for breakfast (in addition to my toast and green tea). My preferred egg preparation is over easy. I ordered it from the chef at our cafeteria. His response: “You don’t want the yolk broken?” Me: “No.” Him: “Don’t break the yolk?!” Me: “Um, no” (semi-self consciously at this point).

This entire week, every person in the egg line has ordered egg white omelettes, sandwiches, and scrambles. Not a single yolk to be found, let alone an unbroken one. What gives? I understand they’re fatty, but they also have the most nutrients. And to be honest, that runny yolk is my favorite part of the whole egg.

9am

Sweet Revenge, West Village: NYC’s best cupcake?

To be honest, I can’t name the absolute best cupcake shop in the city. As mentioned in this post, I have a top three: Butter Lane, Baked by Melissa, and—a little secret I’ve kept until now—Sweet Revenge in the West Village. Can we just talk about their signature cupcake, perhaps the best flavor ever-ever-ever? Peanut butter cake, ganache filling, and peanut butter fudge frosting. The pictures can do the rest of the talking.

The tiny bar/bakery is the kind of place you don’t want to tell anyone about. It’s oh-so-cute on a charming West Village block, has wine and beer pairings for all cupcakes, is open late (12:30), and there’s a cupcake happy hour (cupcake and drink for $10).

10am

What I Found Wednesday: The Best Darn Salsa

That is, the best darn canned salsa (still can’t find anything better than fresh pico de gallo). It’s from Desert Pepper Trading Company. Seriously, every innovative flavor I try (Raspberry Chipotle *my fave!*, Pineapple, and Spicy Black Bean) is just perfection. The five dollar price tag is definitely worth it. 

10am

New York Vintners, Take Two: Pizza and the Wines that Love It

Last week I returned to New York Vintners for my second wine class, Pizza and the Wines that Love It. Here’s some information for y’all: 

• Artichokes make a great pizza topping, but they’re notoriously difficult to pair wine with. Our chef recommended a Gruner Veltliner. 
• A Muscadet (like Tourmaline 2007 Muscadet Sevre et Main, $15.99) is a great pairing for seafood pizzas because of the high levels of acidity. 
• Thin onions and olives are okay to put on pizza raw, but otherwise you should pre-cook all toppings. If you don’t, it alters the way the crust and cheese cooks.
• My favorite pizza wine pairing was the Milliere 2008 Vaucluse (a Merlot, gasp!). It retails for $11.99. Also, I think the wine was getting to me at this point, as my tasting notes read: “Varnish and smoked summer sausage. Intense, takes me back.”

10am

The Commodore, Williamsburg

Hot damn. Sorry, but that best sums up my reaction to this place. Actually, I think my exact words were, “This is the best day of my life.”

After reading this article in NY Mag, I knew I had found my mecca (especially since the chef described it as “Applebees, but better.” Bottom line: best fried chicken I ever had, biscuits with honey butter, perfect fries, potato salad that had a smokey paprika after bite, and the adult grilled cheese (pimento-and-poblano ooey gooey goodness). All that grub (much too much) and two-for-one beers (times two) til seven, and we were out of there just $36 short. Are you kidding me!?!

10am