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Archive for the ‘Only in New York’ Category

I figured that headline would be a grabber! Alright, so your guests have showered and they don’t smell but you are tired of cooking, serving and cleaning up.  I happened to have received an email from Grub Street , daily food news from New York magazine and the article featured was Hosting Duties:Where To Take Out-Of-Towners Visiting New York.  So if your holiday guests are still visiting, you might want to consider dining out at some of these places.

If the house guests are his parents or yours and they are paying, consider trying to make a reservation at the hot new place in Midtown, Rotisserie Georgette.  I had the opportunity of dining there recently and the place was jumping.  The menu is not extensive by any means and most of the dishes seem  to center around chicken.  The food was delicious, the service was attentive and our waiter was more than eager to make suggestions.

Everyone knows that pizza is a New York staple and by the slice mind you!  Your out-of-town guest loves pizza and is dying to sample real New York pizza.  There a couple branches of Motorino in Manhattan and unlike most pizzerias, Motorino serves up appetizers and dessert.  There’s another nice little twist to getting a slice here, the pizza is cut upon request; nice touch!  Or Joe’s Pizza on Carmine St. where pizza rules;  No garlic knots, no heroes, no concoctions on pizza, just perfect pizza.  Traditionally thin crust, bold sauce and cheese that doesn’t taste like rubber.

If your sister is in town with her 3 little kids, you need to find a place that’s casual, fun and if the kids cause a riot, you won’t be embarrassed.  Try Mighty Quinn’s Barbecue or Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken, the names speak for themselves, the kids will be happy.

New York has its share of celebrity chefs and if your guests can’t wait to go home and brag about whose restaurant they ate at, then hop on downtown to Lupa Osteria Romana, Mario Batali’s trattoria.  The restaurant is extremely popular and is always crowded in the evening.  Take them out to lunch for some Ricotta Gnocchi.  If it’s famous that they want, Tom Colicchio’s Craft may be the place to go.  Chef Colicchio is a fanatic for fresh ingredients and has set the standard for the new wave of restaurants that are conceived, presented and eaten in this Green Market era.  

Grandma and Grandpa are still in town and want to take you out so pick a place that’s not too stuffy but is quiet and accommodating.  Maialino, which means Little Pig and is Danny Meyer’s version of a trattoria has a beautiful view of Gramercy Park.  Porter House New York is a well-heeled steakhouse overlooking Columbus Circle and would be a very nice choice.

The article on where to take who has many more recommendations;  I suggest you check it out at http://www.grubstreet.com/2013/12/guide-to-taking-out-of-towners-to-dinner.html – copy and paste.

Porter House New York

Porter House New York

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If that title didn’t grab you, I don’t know what will!!! LOL LOL.  No, I haven’t lost my mind or forgotten what these count-down blog posts are all about – Gifts for the Foodies in Your Life.  

We know that there is a broad definition to the word Foodie;  Some like to eat out and experience a wide range of ethnic foods or dine exclusively  at restaurants owned by renowned chefs, some prefer the ever-changing and exciting world of cocktails which often includes revivals of the classics.  Then there are creative cooks at home, the bakers and candy-makers as well as the gadget-collectors!

This post is for young emerging generation of cocktail connoisseurs.  They started out drinking the sweet, syrupy fruit-flavored drinks like all things made with Raspberry Vodka, Orange Vodka and every other fruit vodka.  Since vodka doesn’t  have too much flavor of its own and can be disguised with fruit flavorings, the newly-legal and the many under-age drinkers preferred drinking the equivalent of a cherry soda with a kick!  And some resorted to Jack and  Coke  or Jack Daniels and Red Bull (OMG) to get their highs.

But now, I see the Gen X and Gen Y crowd (well especially here in New York City) growing  into sophisticated crowd of cocktail connoisseurs.  They meet at the secret speakeasies around town and order classic cocktails, some with a modern twist.  Manhattans and Martinis, Single Malt Scotches, and aged Bourbons are among the new old preferred drinks of the day.

Additionally, one of the new hot buzz words in the Foodie world is small batch which could be described as artisanal and sometimes even local or regional unique offerings from private label companies.  In that vein, today’s gift idea is: AGED CITRUS BITTERS by Five by Five Tonics Co.

Aged Citrus Bitters

Aged Citrus Bitters

The company’s description of their product is as follows:  

Five by Five’s Aged Citrus Bitters are unique in that our aged component does not come from aging the bitters themselves, it comes from selecting citrus varieties at various stages of maturity from fresh to aged.  This gives the Aged Citrus Bitters a wider range of flavors than you will find in any other citrus bitters available from the aromatic flavor of citrus peel to the savory flavor of aged tangerine peel.  This is a truly handmade product crafted meticulously from botanical to bottle.

Mixing notes:  This is an extremely versatile citrus bitters able to mix well in all traditional uses of citrus bitters, while also imparting enough balanced savory flavor to shine in cocktails where normal citrus flavor wouldn’t.  These bitters pair well with brandy, vermouth, and work exceptionally well in a martini.

Tasting notes: Savory and warm with complex citrus notes.

And as a bonus I’m including their recipe for a FIVE SQUARED VIEUX CARRE

5 Squared Vieux Carre

  • 3/4 oz. Rye Whiskey
  • 3/4 oz. Cognac
  • 3/4 oz. Sweet Vermouth
  • 2 Dashes Five by Five Aged Citrus Bitters
  • 1 Dash Five by Five Aromatic Bitters

Stir 50 times over ice and strain into a cocktail coupe.  Garnish with a orange peel.

Notes:  I’m sure there are many of you crying out that the Vieux Carre is not a cocktail that is served up.  Traditionally the Vieux Carre is served in an old-fashioned glass over ice.  I like to think of this more as a Nouveau Carre for two reasons.  One, being that this drink is best made with high quality spirits, serving it up will not allow these flavors to be diluted.  Also, the keen-eyed observer can see the absence of Benedictine in this recipe.  I feel the herbal component of this cocktail is handled quite nicely by employing both of Five by Five’s bitters flavors and makes this gem of a cocktail a bit more accessible to the home cocktail enthusiast.  

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There are literally a couple thousand gifts, gift ideas, and/or catalogs devoted to gifts for Foodies on your Christmas gift list.  So every night I surf the net looking for the next  new and better thing out there and feature it in my count-down to Christmas posts.

I just came across a very cute and practical item.  I often serve olives as an appetizer before dinner or as an hors d’ouevre with drinks.   Eating olives can be a messy event if you use your fingers and I dare say most of do.  TOOTHPICKS are the answer.  You can always put the olives in one dish, then put out a small little bowl for the pits and place a whiskey shot glass filled with toothpicks alongside the bowl.  My main problem with this set-up is real estate.  Never enough room to put much out on my coffee table.

HEDGEHOGS to the rescue!  This little guy will hold the toothpicks for you, perched on the rim of the bowl of your choice.

Don't Worry - No Quills

Don’t Worry – No Quills

KLpik Toothpick Holder available at MOMA gift shop – $25.00

MOMA is short for The Museum of Modern Art, Manhattan NY.  You can buy online!

 

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If you can’t travel to New York City and visit the famous Lower East Side Appetizing Store known as Russ and Daughters, don’t despair.  First of all you might wonder what is an appetizing store and what’s so special about Russ and Daughters.  Not being a native New Yorker, when I first arrived here I wondered the same thing.  I thought to myself how strange to have a store that sold only appetizers, like what? Cheese and crackers, vegetables and dip, nuts, proscuitto and melon?

Well, this is how Wikipedia defines itAn appetizing store, typically in reference to Jewish cuisine, is best understood as a store that sells “the foods one eats with bagels.” “Appetizing” is used as a noun by itself to refer to these type of foods. …

Russ and Daughters will be celebrating their 100th anniversary in 2014.  Here’s a bit of information I took from their website;

The Beginning

The Beginning

You should visit the web site http://www.russanddaughters.com – the history timeline is fascinating.

Okay, now that you know what an appetizing store is and who Russ and Daughters are, it’s time for me to pull it all together with the title of this post.  You can give the Foodie on your list a real New York City Brunch.  It just so happens you can order a gift basket from Russ and Daughters.  A description of what you can send is below.

New York Brunch

Give a taste of New York with the city’s best bagels and lox. Any New Yorker (current or former) or food lover will go wild for this mouth-watering spread: New York’s finest Nova, all natural cream cheese, hand-rolled bagels, chocolate babka and our Private Blend coffee with a Russ & Daughters mug. Wrapped in a signature tote. Perfect for a gift or a gathering of up to 6 people.

A REAL NYC Brunch

A REAL NYC Brunch

This just might be the perfect gift for the Foodie on your list!

 

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Really, doesn’t everyone love cheese?  Most people settle for your grocery store varieties of cheese;  Cheddar, Muenster,   Brie, Harvarti, Edam.  Hey guys, there’s a whole world of cheese out there and every Foodie knows it.  There are some great places to live if you love cheese.  Vermont is known for its tangy, sharp Cheddars, Wisconsin produces a lot of cheddars, some with infused wine, also Limbergers and Havarti.  

You could also be lucky enough to live in New York City, the home of Murray’s cheese.  Founded in 1940 by Murray Greenberg, Murray’s is proud to be a Greenwich Village-based business and part of the neighborhood’s rich food history.  Murray was a Jewish veteran of the Spanish Civil War who was rumored to be a Communist – but pay no mind, he was a smart capitalist who built a great reputation for the business. In the 70s, Murray sold the shop to his clerk Louis Tudda, an Italian immigrant from Calabria. In those days, it was a humble butter and eggs shop that had a lot of block cheeses and catered to the little Italian enclave that Bleecker Street was at the time.

Murray’s is your answer to what “cheese gift” to give to your Foodie recipient.  Your choices are myriad;  Of course you can buy cheese;  A few of the out-of-the-ordinary choices offered are: 

ELEGANT Chabichou , MILD Vermont Butter & Cheese Coupole, EARTHY Camembert, NUTTY Comte Saint Antoine, CREAMY Cave-Aged  Fourme d’Ambert, SAVORY Challerhocker, SNACKABLE Murray’s Cave Aged Pyrenees Brebis

Then there are gift baskets and boxes that Murray creates which include such other items as salamis, jams, olives, crostini, proscuitto and other delicacies.

Or your present could be a gift certificate to one of his terrific classes like Cheese 101, Mozzarella Making, The Harmony of Beer and Cheese and Sweet Indulgence/the pairing of cheese and chocolate.

Not quite exotic enough for your giftee? Ok, well then how about the gift of a tour of Murray’s Cheese Caves?  These caves are located under the very sidewalks of the New York. I n 2004, they  constructed cheese caves beneath Bleecker Street, and in 2013, they expanded their Cave Aged program to their production facility in Long Island City, which is now home to four more sizable caves and a drying room. Brian Ralph, the Cavemaster, works from both a scientific and a sensory point of view to ensure that you can tell what a difference a cave environment makes in terms of texture, aroma, and flavor!!!                                                                 

Murray's

               Oh give me some cheese please!

 

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My previous blog(s) on what to do in New York City during Christmastime have proven to be among my most popular posts.  I’m including links to those two and am adding a few more fun things to do while you are here visiting.  You ARE coming to New York City during Christmas aren’t you?  So much to do, so little time….Top Ten Things To Do in New York City during Christmastime and the  later versionTop Ten Things To Do In New York City During Christmastime UPDATED!

The season really does officially kick off with Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade BUT each year retailers move the calendar dates closer to Halloween than Thanksgiving.  Literally I swear Duane Reade was decked out in red bows and candy canes the day AFTER Halloween.

1. ROCKEFELLER CENTER:  There’s so much holiday here that it makes the list every year. NOT only should you go and see the tree and watch  the ice skaters, you should also check out The Top Of The Rock.  With the country facing economic catastrophe and the world between two wars, John D. Rockefeller’s vision for his center never wavered. Rockefeller Center and the observation deck were his gifts to Manhattan- a place for locals and visitors to marvel at the city he loved.  Yo

u can visit this spectacular observation deck during the day or night.  I opted for a night when there was a full moon and all I can say OMG.

What You See

What You See

2. CATHEDRALS and CHURCHES:  Some of New York City’s grandest structures are the Cathedral of St. John the Divine and St. Patrick’s Cathedral.  Among the most accessible are St. Thomas’ on Fifth Avenue and St. Bart’s on Park Ave. Take a moment and visit one or more of these places of worship, you won’t be disappointed.  The peaceful atmosphere (although a bit hectic at St. Patrick’s during Christmastime), the magnificent altars laden with red poinsettias and the glory of their stained glass windows is well worth a drop in. 

English: Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, N...

English: Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, New York City – Shot from the northwest corner facing southeast (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

3. THE HIGHLINE and EATALY:  There are “touristy” things to see and do and there are some that are more so.  Apparently, Eataly has become a  must see, must stop for literally thousands of visitors.  This is the gastronomic retail empire created by Lidia and family and Mario Batali.  Go, see, eat, buy and who knows you might even have a Lidia spotting.  As for the Highline, so many of my friends and relatives take visitors there, I felt I should include it.  It is a 1 mile long linear park elevated above the City and affording fabulous views.  If it’s not freezing or windy when you are here, you might want to walk along this man-made wonder which actually preserved the a scenic path where the former cargo trains ran.  

The Highline Park

The Highline Park

4. CANAL STREET: If you haven’t picked up all your gifts yet, this is the place to go.  You will find a splendiferous display of wares you won’t believe.  Handbags, perfume, gadgets, scarves, hats, gloves, jewelry, more jewelry, watches – you are truly in a shopper’s paradise on Canal Street.

5. MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC:  There are so many venues for holiday music, I couldn’t possibly list them all.  A few highlights to consider are starting December 17th are:

17 — Gotham Holiday Swing, Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks, Garrison Keillor, Nellie McKay, the Hot Sardines, Jonathan Batiste & the Stay Human Band and others, 8 p.m., Town Hall, 123 W. 43rd St. $55-$65. (212) 840-2824 (the-townhall-nyc.org).

17-28 — Michael Feinstein’s Holiday @ Birdland, 8:30 p.m., Birdland Jazz Club, 315 W. 44th St. $75-$200. (212) 581-3080 (birdlandjazz.com).

19-20 — The New York Pops, “Under the Mistletoe with Ashley Brown,” conductor Steven Reineke, Essential Voices USA, 8 p.m., Carnegie Hall, Isaac Stern Auditorium, Seventh Avenue at 57th Street. $37-$112. (212) 247-7800 (carnegiehall.org).

21 — The New York Pops, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” narrated by John Tartaglia with Judith Clurman’s Essential Voices USA, choreography by New York Theatre Ballet and actors from TADA! Youth Theater, 2 p.m., Carnegie Hall, Isaac Stern Auditorium, Seventh Avenue at 57th Street. $75-$400. (212) 903-9734 (carnegiehall.org).

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It could be the slight nip in the air or just that time of the year, whatever it is, soup is on my mind and a few others as well.  I’m planning on making a chicken noodle soup tomorrow night with dumplings.  It will be the perfect Sunday night supper. Today I read on Facebook that a friend of mine made a delicious onion soup yesterday and the recipe came from the New York Times.  It reminded me that I need to check the Times’ Wednesday edition, which has the Dining Section.  I have gotten some really great recipes from there, especially around the holidays.  Anyway, Linda made the soup and gave it rave reviews-that’s good enough for me!

Here’s the recipe from the Florence Fabricant column in the New York Times.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 6 large red onions, about 3 pounds, peeled, quartered and sliced thin
  • 3 large cloves garlic, sliced
  • Salt
  • 2 tart apples, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  • 2 cups dry hard cider
  • 6 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 4 cups vegetable stock
  • Ground black pepper
  • 4 1/2 ounces Cheddar, slivered
  • 6 or 8 thick slices country bread about 4 inches in diameter, toasted

PREPARATION

1.
Melt butter in a 5- to 6-quart saucepan on very low heat. Add onions and garlic, dust with salt, stir in apples, cover and cook until onions are very soft, about 30 minutes. Stir in sugar, increase heat to high and cook, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes, until onions start to brown. Stir in cider vinegar, scraping bottom of pan.
2.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in cider, soy sauce and stock, bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently about 20 minutes. Season with pepper and, if needed, more salt. Meanwhile, pile the cheese on the toast slices, covering the bread completely.
3.
Heat broiler. Divide soup among 6 to 8 ovenproof ramekins, deep bowls or big mugs with about 12-ounce capacity. Place a slice of toast and cheese on each, place ramekins on a baking sheet and broil just until cheese melts and starts to bubble. Serve at once.
YIELD
6 to 8 servings
Onion Soup with Gratinee  with Cider

Onion Soup with Gratinee with Cider

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Always a place where bigger is better and more is nicer, Manhattan extends Halloween far beyond the usual Cabbage Night or Mischief Night and the actual Eve of All Hallows.  Almost everyone I have ever mentioned Cabbage night to in New York City has not known what I was talking about.  Do you?  Traditionally the night before Halloween, parents stayed home and tried to keep older kids in the house because  that was night that mailboxes were filled with  shaving cream , trees were wrapped with toilet paper and soap was used to scrawl messages on car windows.  And here you thought the kids in suburbia were so good!

Anyway, in the City, Halloween fun began last weekend.  There was a “kids happening” in Central Park where kids of all ages and sizes were present to participate in the many events.  There was also that hot hot Halloween display at the Band Shell in the park; see previous post; “It Was A Hot Time In The Old Town Tonight” OR Was It Central Park?

Murray was in the park taking photos of all and here are some of the Big and Little, Masks and Make-up

BIG Guy - Make-up

BIG Guy – Make-up

Little Guy - Make-up

Little Guy – Make-up

Big Pumpkin Man

BIG White Face Pumpkin 

Little White Face Zombie

Little White Face Zombie

Pumpkin Dog - No Mask No Make-up!

Pumpkin Dog – No Mask No Make-up!

Hot Dog-No Mask No Make-up

Hot Dog-No Mask No Make-up

BIG Zombie - Make-up?

BIG Zombie – Make-up?

Little Zombie - Mask!

Little Zombie – Mask!

Headless Horseman No Make-up No Mask

Headless Horseman
No Make-Up No Mask

All photos courtesy of Murray Head

So there you have a glimpse into the beginning of Halloween Week!

 

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Wow things were really heating up in Central Park this week.  Look what was going on at the Band Shell in the park.  Costumed performers were really playing with fire!

HOT Javelin Thrower

HOT Javelin Thrower

Balancing The Burn

Balancing The Burn

One Hot Hula Hoop

One Hot Hula Hoop

Face Afire

Face Afire

Climbing The Walls

Climbing the Walls

All photos courtesy of Murray Head

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With Halloween just around the corner, people all around the country are decorating their front steps and porches with  Jack-o-Lanterns, their lamp posts wrapped with cornstalks and scarecrows.  You might see little white handkerchief ghosts swinging from the branches of front yard bushes.  Moms are stashing bags of candy on top shelves.  And costumes?  Oh there’s hand-wringing, attic-scavenging and ideas offered and discarded as quickly as you can say, “Trick or Treat”.  Kids are gearing up for the visit of the Great Pumpkin and highest of high sugar highs.

So what do they do in Manhattan?  Well there are carved pumpkins in apartments, candy is bought in hopes some kids from your building will be trick or treating that night  and if not, there’s always LOTS of adults ( young  and not so young) dressed up and out in the bars.  Actually Halloween night is really for adults in Manhattan.  The kids seem to start trick or treating when it’s still light out, like 5:00 even!!! REALLY?? And if we work, how is it possible to be home to answer the door at 5:00?  No candy for those kids!  And in an apartment building, the kids can’t come to your door begging for candy UNLESS there is a sign or symbol (as provided by the building) posted on your door.  That makes it very easy to diss the kid portion of Halloween evening.  You don’t have to turn off all your lights, lock your door and pretend you’re not home…you just don’t put that symbol on your door!  Instead, you don a crazy costume and go out to eat and drink in Macabre Manhattan and Halloween becomes a night alive with grown-up kids( like me) unwilling to give up one of their favorite holidays!

BATMAN???

BATMAN???

BEWARE

BEWARE

ZOMBIES WELCOME

ZOMBIES WELCOME

THE NANNY

THE NANNY

DOORMEN

DOORMEN

A SHUT-IN

A SHUT-IN

All photos taken on East 61st and 62nd St between 2nd and 3rd Avenue – Thanks to Helen for sharing!!

 

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