The wife and I joined a CSA this year (Harvest Astoria). We’ve managed to cook through most of our haul each week (we’re in the third week right now), with the help of some good recipes. I figured since I’ve collected these anyway, I might as well share with all three of my readers. I … Continue reading CSA PSA: Recipe ideas for fava beans, chard, pole beans, garlic scapes
Claire and I had dinner at the Queens Kickshaw for the first time last night. Preliminary report: great stuff. But what I want to draw your attention to is the fact that they have sparkling water on tap there — and it’s free.
Yes! We hadn’t yet tasted the food and already I loved this place.
Complimentary soda water. On tap. How often have you had that at a restaurant? It’s a small luxury that probably costs the Queens Kickshaw pennies.* Very classy — and smart. That cost is probably recouped a thousand times over from a customer loyalty standpoint. Continue reading “Sparkling water on tap, a simple luxury at the Queens Kickshaw”
From left: Crust not stretched thin enough, and one stretched just about right.
Having finally found a couple dough recipes that yield great at-home pizza with no “hacks,” I kinda don’t need to experiment anymore. But what fun would life be without futzing with something that works?
Continue reading “Pizza experiment: Cook’s Illustrated dough, two sizes”
[This photo is part of my 2011 Picture a Day project »] I’m trying to perfect my recipe for chile-infused honey before posting it on Slice. Credit where due: It is 100% inspired by Mike’s Hot Honey, which is available online or from the bar at Paulie Gee’s. I’m playing with the spice levels. The … Continue reading 1/19/2011: Experimenting with chile-infused honey
To say that this is not the most glamorous Date Night would be an understatement, but Claire had a craving for Mexican. We tossed around the idea of doing Taco Night at home with a box-taco mix, but we were slow getting out of the house. So down to the local Chinese Mexican place we … Continue reading 1/7/2011: Date night at Fresca Tortilla
OK … so I didn’t actually take this photo — but I art-directed it, so I think that counts. (Claire took it.) Plus, I took other photos today that I could have subbed in to this slot, so I’m still within the spirit of the project. Here, I’m using the mini grater that Claire got … Continue reading 1/5/2011: Great grater!
Inspired by the semi-dried cherry tomato topping at Di Fara, I did a trial run of semi-dried grape tomatoes (my market didn’t have the former in stock). Lesson learned here? Shoot before-and-after photos under the same lighting conditions. Duh. The top photo is shot under our range’s built-in fluorescent cooktop light, while the photo just … Continue reading 1/3/2011: Semi-dried grape tomatoes
Impromptu pizza night tonight. Just two pies. This is one of them. (Didn’t bother shooting the other; it sucked.) Made with the fennel sausage recipe I posted today on Slice. It’s like this … I found some Italian type “00” pizza flour last week at Rosario’s Deli in Astoria. Made dough with it Sunday night … Continue reading Last-minute pizza session
Irv’s Burgers: 8289 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood CA 90046 (at N. Sweetzer Ave.; map); 323-650-2456 Continue reading Irv’s Burgers, Los Angeles
In late August, Domino’s invited me and a bunch of other bloggers on a tour of its corporate headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and also of a “supply chain center” outside of Ann Arbor. The supply chain center supplies regional Domino’s with dough, cheeses, condiments, and other varies supplies. Prior to this, I had no … Continue reading At the Domino’s ‘Supply Chain Center’ outside of Ann Arbor, Michigan
When I worked at Martha Stewart Living magazine, staff members used to get a $20 meal allowance anytime we worked past 8 p.m. Among the places I used to order from was Afghan Kebab House. I’d get this dish called Kabuli palow. A palow is simply a pilaf; Kabuli here is obviously referencing Kabul.
I was briefly lured by this help-wanted ad from Andrew of Andrew’s Honey at the Union Square Greenmarket. But beside the fact that he wants someone who can speak at least two languages “not at a middle school level”*, there’s this:
It should be understood from the onset that within that stand, whatever I say or do is always right and that anyone working for me at that stand within that 12 x 12 foot space must accept that. This includes when I contradict myself from moment to moment. It is never a negotiation.
That said, I am (usually) very nice and tolerant. So long as you do not argue or whine.
* I could probably handle the shut-up and put-up aspect of this gig, but I’ve only ever gotten as far as college-level languages and never became fully fluent in Spanish or German. Anyway, you can read the full text of the ad after the jump.
All heat. No flavor. Disappointing. Ramen Setagaya 34 Saint Marks Place, New York NY 10003 (near Second Avenue; map) Continue reading Ramen Setagaya hot-and-spicy ramen
How to Use the Internet to Show People You’re the Coolest at Eating Food: Anytime You Go to a Cool Restaurant, Make a Big Show of Documenting It Across Your Entire Social Network — You’ve got to Tweet, status update, Foursquare check-in, Tumblr pic, Flickr share, Yelp review and update your LinkedIn by the end … Continue reading
Photograph: Robyn Lee/Serious Eats I love chicken sandwiches. And I love Chick-fil-a chicken sandwiches. This sounds heavenly. I think I know where I’m going for lunch today. From Serious Eats New York: But as solid as the Hill Country classically prepared thighs and drumsticks are, they are surprisingly surpassed by two other items on the … Continue reading Want: Hill Country Chickwich
Photograph: Nate Hofer Like all aging folks, as I get older I slowly and belatedly accede to the wisdom of my parents. My dad has long talked about setting up snow cone stands outside the Walmarts near where he and my mom live. (Apparently there are a few Walmarts there that allow these stands in … Continue reading Retro snow cone trailer
I guess I am going to start a blog post here to keep track of stuff I need to eat in various places I might be visiting. There’s probably a better way to do this with an app or something, but most likely it would be some sort of socially networked thing, and I do … Continue reading Stuff I need to eat in San Francisco
On Saturday I went to the 2010 Whitney Biennial with my friend Justin and his ol’ lady. I’ll tell you, I was actually more excited about the food options at the museum than the exhibit. I mean, 2008’s biennial sucked a big ol’ donkey’s ass and I vowed not to ever go to another.
Well, that was until Danny Meyer stuck a pop-up sandwich venue in the museum’s basement level. Apparently the cafe space, which formerly housed a Sarabeth’s location, is undergoing renovation. I don’t know what’s coming next there, but I was happy to give Sandwiched a go. I’m a big fan of Danny Meyer’s restaurants, and I love sandwiches. High expectations.
The concept: Mr. Meyer had the chefs from his burgeoning empire each create a sandwich for the cafe. You can read more about that on the Serious Eats New York post that Ed Levine did, where Ed recommends the “Heritage Ham and Sharp Cheddar” and the “Applewood-Smoked Turkey and Gouda” sandwiches (Michael Anthony of Gramercy Tavern and Kenny Callaghan of Blue Smoke, respectively).
Continue reading “Danny Meyer’s Sandwiched at the Whitney Museum Biennial”
For the most part when we’ve done noodles in Chinatown, the ol’ lady and I have gone to Big Wong or Hong Kong Noodle Station. No more! Last night we went to Lam Zhou Handmade Noodles & Dumplings in the part of Chinatown just east of the Manhattan Bridge. Sure, that we were out in … Continue reading Lam Zhou Handmade Noodles & Dumplings