Drink Like a Local in 6 Beer Cities
Brooklyn, Denver, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Portland, and Salt Lake City.
Happy St. Paddy’s Day!
March 17 2010
What I Found Wednesdays
Ed. Note: This is a weekly series featuring various food items I picked up from my local grocer. I do most of my shopping at Gourmet Garage, but also visit Whole Foods, Met Foods, and the Union Square Greenmarket.
I like to end my meals with a couple squares of dark chocolate. Chocolove is premium chocolate: better beans and less sugar. And it’s affordable, at $3 a bar. Cherries and Almonds is my go-to flavor, but this weekend at Whole Foods I discovered Raspberry. The raspberries are freeze dried, adding some extra crunch to the bar. Delicious! All in all it’s not the absolute best chocolate I’ve ever had, but it does taste less sugary and more dense than a Ghirardelli bar. And it’s made with all natural ingredients—no high fructose corn syrup!
Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese
Afraid I might have lactose sensitivities, I try to substitute non-dairy products when I can. Soy cheese is one thing that just doesn’t cut it for me, which isn’t too big a problem, EXCEPT for cream cheese. I love cream cheese. Enter this spread. It tastes like nonfat cream cheese (never as good as the real stuff) but does the job. I enjoyed it lots, and definitely plan to rebuy. Herbs and Chives was delicious, and I can’t wait to try the Garden Veggie.
Also, here are some vegan recipes I came across using Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese.
The Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps
These were my favorite find last week. The Honey Mustard Onion flavor is AMAZING, and I can’t wait to try Buffalo. They’re so crunchy and flavorful, the perfect dipper for previously mentioned Tofutti cream cheese.
These are my new staple. I hate when a sandwich is too bready, and seeing as lately I’ve just been doing salami and cheese, the bread can be overpowering. These thins are the perfect amount of bread and they always stay fresh and taste great toasted. They come in five flavors (I’ve only had Multi Grain) and are just 100 calories. The answer to my sandwich prayers!
March 15 2010
I’ve been to three of Keith McNally’s current nine restaurants, and I must admit, I’ve never been a super fan. I found the food at Pastis (in 2008) extremely mediocre, the crowd obnoxious, and the service less than stellar. I have never returned. Schiller’s is a stand-by on the Lower East Side, but never first on my list of repeat destinations. Although I’ve never dined in Balthazar’s restaurant, I do stop in the bakery often for iced ginger citrus tea and what I think are the city’s best croissants; I’m sure I would enjoy brunch there immensely.
After reading this article, I am in love with McNally. Like want to quit my job and become a server at one of his restaurants (not really, but it’d be fun). I’m now on a mission to try the rest of his places, and I look forward to the new neighborhood Pulino’s.
March 11 2010
Weather change, food change. I’ve actually never had French Onion Soup (strange, I know), but this sounds like a nice little weekend activity.
By the way, this blog series features some of the best food photography I have ever seen. Ever.
Recipe, story and more food shots.
Via From Me To You
March 10 2010
In a back issue of New York Magazine I came across this delicious recipe for Blood Orange salad. It sounds absolutely perfect for this early spring weather we’ve been having, and easy enough that you won’t have to spend much time indoors preparing. Enjoy!
Click here for more blood orange recipes.
Charles Rodriguez’s Blood-Orange Salad
3 blood oranges
1/4 cup roasted almonds, roughly chopped
2 tbs. sherry vinegar
2 tbs. almond oil
2 tbs. grapeseed oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 cups arugula leaves, packed
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup Medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
1/4 cup shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano
Preheat oven to 350. Segment 2 blood oranges by slicing off top and bottom; removing peel and pith with a chef’s knife; and slicing out each segment between the membranes. Juice remaining blood orange and reserve juice for dressing. Toast almonds for 5 minutes in oven. Whisk together vinegar, almond oil, grapeseed oil, blood-orange juice, and shallots. Toss arugula with vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper. Add dates and almonds. Toss. Garnish with orange segments and shaved cheese. Serves two.
March 09 2010
16 Handles, East Village
Another way to celebrate fantastic weather: ice cream! I finally tried 16 Handles a few weeks ago, hence our winter wear. Yes, that’s right, the place has 16 flavors of frozen yogurt. (Oreos and cream, peanut butter, and red velvet cake were my choices.)
It’s not the most flavorful stuff I’ve ever had, and is more comparable to Tasti than tart yogurt. But having so many yogurt flavors and at least twice as many topping choices was exciting.
Drawback: with toppings like brownie and cookie dough bites and peanut butter sauce (guilty on all counts), don’t expect this to be a healthy treat unless you have incredible willpower. Good thing the yogurt is nonfat.
March 08 2010
Cafe Gitane, NoLita
Brunch is the best way to celebrate good weather, so Saturday I did my sunny weather-happy dance and headed up the street to Cafe Gitane. Although it’s not my favorite neighborhood restaurant (mostly because there’s always a wait and the service can be hit or miss), I do take my out of town guest here for the rumored best coffee in nyc. I try not to drink coffee so I have yet to taste it, but I’m sure one day I’ll break down. So far, my friends do agree it’s the best.
What I do like about this place is the cheerful, sunny ambience; the beautiful Europeans who have made it their outpost; the simple, affordable French-Moroccan food; and maybe best of all, the fresh squeeze orange juice. It’s the real deal people.
I had the baked eggs with basil, tomato, cream, and spicy sausage. It was delicious and filling, especially for $9.
March 05 2010
My coworker brought in some of the prettiest chocolates I’ve ever seen, from Norman Love Confections. I chose the chocolate peanut butter truffle, obviously. The shop is in Fort Myers, where I was a month ago. Drat!
This is my new go-to when I need to send a little gift.
March 02 2010
25 Most Common Cooking Mistakes
(via thecooknook)
Over-softening butter. Ugh, I do it every time.
Via EmilyPosts
March 01 2010
Butter Lane Cupcakes, East Village
So a couple weeks ago this happened. Actually, because of a cold, I only made it through a half dozen cupcakes, and yes, I ate all of them by myself within 24 hours. Don’t judge. One Groupon went unused (I was that sick); let’s not dwell on it.
Butter Lane has three cupcake flavors (vanilla, chocolate, and banana) and at least 20 different frostings, so you can mix and match your little cakes right on the spot. I normally hate all things banana except banana bread, but I decided to give “The Elvis” (banana cake, peanut butter frosting, topped with mini marshmallows) a go. Thank God. This actually was my favorite out of the whole bunch.
Using the picture below and going clockwise from The Elvis (also ranked 1-6, 1 being the highest, and going to The Elvis):
- Chocolate cake with chocolate raspberry frosting (5)
- Vanilla cake with strawberry frosting (6)
- Chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting (2)
- Vanilla cake with honey cinnamon frosting, swirled with honey on top (4)
- In the middle, vanilla cake with burnt caramel frosting, topped with popcorn (3)
The vanilla cake is sometimes a little dry, but the frosting is outstanding, the creative flavors are ridiculous, and the thoughtful way they top the cupcakes is just the ”icing on the cake.” Butter Lane is one of my top four cupcakeries in the city, along with Crumbs (I don’t care what you haters say!), Baked by Melissa, and another place I’ll tell you about soon.
PS- they also have frosting “shots.”
about
Munching my way through the Big Apple and around the world.
Always in favor of extraordinary flavor versus saving a few calories, I’m constantly seeking out the best restaurants, recipes, and random little food items. This blog chronicles my findings, most of which are located in New York City, the foodie heaven I am fortunate to call home.
If you think of food as a life source and not a love affair, well my friend, you are missing out.
To talk food:
mollymoker[at]gmail[dot]com
My non-food blog:
the girl does what she wants to do
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