August 31, 2006
September. The most beautiful month in New York. That special time when all those who escaped August are returning in droves.
Harder to get a reservation now, isn’t it?
September is also the month when various events start springing up around town.
Here are a few events that might be of interest to hard-core foodies:
Italian Cheese and Wine
Date: Sep 07, 2006 (Thu)
Phone: 212-239-1200
Time: 6:30-8:30
Cost: $75.00
Place: Artisanal Premium Cheese Center
500 West 37th Street, 2nd Floor
New York, New York 1001
Details: Join Artisanal for a unique cheese and wine tasting class at
the Artisanal Cheese Center as we celebrate the unique combinations of
Italy's best vintners and cheesemakers. Cheese expert and acclaimed
Affineur Daphne Zepos will lead a discovery into Italy's wealth of
luxurious cheeses. From the abundant meadows of the Piedmont to the
sparser plains south of the Tyrrhenian Mountains, each cheese is as
distinctive as its home geographic region. Deliciously paired wines
enhance this exquisite sampling of the very finest pecorini, caprini,
and formaggi a latte di mucca.
Fifth Annual Dinner of the Secret Tomato Lovers Society
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
6:30 p.m. Reception; 7:00 p.m. Tomato & Wine Chitchat; 7:30 p.m. Dinner
At BREADTRIBECA 301 Church Street (at Walker Street) NYC
$65 AIWF Members $80 Non-members.
For Reservations:
Phone: (718) 229-6565
Email: aiwf@beardallis.com
Reception & Dinner featuring a tasting of style="font-weight: bold; ">Heirloom Tomatoes with discussion on how to pair wine with your favorite tomato fare led by Robin Kelley O'Connor, President of Society of Wine Educators & AIWF Board Member and an all-tomato menu prepared by Chef Sara Jenkins of BREADTribeca.
Harvest In The Square
Date: Sep 19, 2006 (Tue)
Phone: 212-460-1214
Time: 7:30-9:00PM
Cost: $85.00 advance purchase/$95.00 at door
Place: Union Square Park; Union Square and 17th Street New York, NY
11th
Annual Harvest In The Square Celebrating New York's Best Tasting Community.
Artisanal Products & the Restaurateur – A lecture & tasting
Date:Thursday, September 21, 2006
Time:6:30pm to 8:30pm
Where: The French Culinary Institute
Address:462 Broadway, at Grand Street, NYC
Transportation: A, E, C, N, R, & Q Trains to Canal Street
How
do top restaurants and chefs locate and select artisanal products, and
how do they incorporate these products into their menus? How do we
define artisanal? What kinds of products qualify? What are the benefits
of reaching out to the local markets? What effect will artisanal
products have on the traditional supply chain? Get answers to these
burning questions, along with some forward-thinking ideas about
artisanal products and the urban menu from our panel of industry
professionals.
Panelists:
Scott Pactor - Appellation Wines NYC
Tom Bynes - T Edward Wines
Jeff Turnas - Whole Foods
Cedric Tovar - The Hilton
Tom Biggs - Vermont Quality Meats.
Tickets: FREE! AIWF-Student members & students who join at registration time. $15 per person AIWF members & guests
Reservations:Tel: 718-229-6565
Visit: www.aiwf.org
Corn Dinner
at Café Centro
200 Park Avenue, NYC (MetLife Building)
Monday, September 25, 2006
6:30 PM
Speakers :
Franck Deletrain, Executive Chef, Café Centro
Bethany Scherline, Palm Bay Imports
Menu:
Hors d’oeuvres Chilled Sweet Corn Soup Corn Muffin with Cumin Crème Fraîche Grilled Polenta with Tomato Fondue Lunetta Prosecco
Appetizer Baby Corn & Hearts of Palm Terrine Cavit Riesling 2005
Entrée Mix Grill on the Barbie: Hanger Steak, Cornish Hen, Prawn, Lamb Chop, Baby Back Ribs & Scallops Bottega Vinaia Lagrein
Side Dishes Grilled Corn with Cotija Cheese Corn Succotash
Dessert Corn Flan with Blackberries Ey Muscat de Rivesaultes
$65 AIWF Members $80 Non-members.
For Reservations:
Phone: (718) 229-6565
Email: aiwf@beardallis.com
Tags:
Artisanal Premium Cheese Center, Franck Deletrain, French Culinary Institute, Secret Tomato Lovers Society, Society of Wine Educators, Succotash
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August 21, 2006
Ah, the cool shade at the Green Market, the smell of fresh produce, and a much more reasonable price tag than the local, crappy grocery store fare.
Tomatoes will soon be coming into season, along with a variety of other late summer goodies. This is the time to begin reveling in the local Green Marketsof New York City (see below for a list)!
Here are some things to look for, and also some fun events coming up around town:
Summer squash: Lots of nice squashes are now coming into season, so try a few creative dishes, but be careful when buying! Choose young squash with tender skin. Yellow & zucchini (aka courgette) are the most delectable at this time of the year.
Note: Try Michael White’s “Agnolotti”, a traditional Piedmontese style veal ravioli, served with a summer squash ragu and scented with rosemary oil. (Fiamma Osteria http://www.nyc.com/restaurants/Fiamma.54354/editorial.aspx )
Zucchini: One can easily tire of zucchini, but stirred fried in olive oil with fresh herbs, it makes a great accompaniment to many dishes.
Eggplant: Tricky, tricky tricky, isn’t it? Look for shiny skin and firm body. Lots of people like to grill the eggplant, but I like to make a ratatouille using very ripe tomatoes, fresh red bell peppers, eggplant, zucchini, onion and fresh herbs. Oh! And some grated parma reggiano....
Tomatoes & Corn - Two New World foods that have helped change the course of Mankind, or least dinner Chez Mankind.
There are two upcoming events celebrating these fruits of Demeter:
The American Institute of Wine & Food Announces:
The Fifth Annual Dinner of the Secret Tomato Lovers Society
Reception & Dinner featuring a tasting of Heirloom Tomatoes with discussion on how to pair wine with your favorite tomato fare led by Robin Kelley O'Connor, President of Society of Wine Educators & AIWF Board Member and an all-tomato menu prepared by Chef Sara Jenkins of BREADTribeca.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006 at BREADTRIBECA, 301 Church Street (at Walker Street), NYC
6:30 p.m. Reception; 7:00 p.m. Tomato & Wine Chitchat; 7:30 p.m. Dinner
RESERVATIONS: (718) 229-6565
The Corn Dinner will be on Monday, September 25th, at Café Centro.
GREEN MARKETS:Manhattan Bowling Green Broadway & Battery Park Place Thurs 8am-5pm
City Hall
Chambers & Center St Tu, Fri 8am-3pm Washington Market Park Greenwich & Chambers St Wed 8am-3pm
PS 234
Greenwich & Chamber St Sat 8am-3pm Federal Plaza Broadway & Thomas St Fri 8am-4pm
Lafayette Street
Lafayette & Spring St Thurs 8am-5pm July to October
Tompkins Square
7th St & Ave A Sun 10am-5pm
St. Mark's Church
E 10th & 2nd Ave Tues 8am-7pm June to December
Abingdon Square
W 12th & 8th Ave Sat 8am-3pm May to December
Union Square
E. 17th & Bway Mo We Fr Sa 8am-6pm
Sheffield Plaza
West 57th St & 9th Ave Wed, Sat 8am-6pm
Verdi Square
West 72nd & Broadway Sat 8am-5pm June to December
IS 144
W 77th & Columbus Sun 10am-5pm
West 97th Street
Btn Amsterdam & Columbus Ave Fri 8am-2pm June to December
Harlem
West 144th St & Lenox Ave Tues 8am-3pm July to October
175th Street
West 175th St & Broadway Thurs 8am-6pm July to December
Brooklyn
Borough Hall Court & Remsen St Tues, Sat 8am-6pm
Albee Square
Fulton & Dekalb Ave Wed 8am-3pm July to October
Grand Army Plaza
Entrance to Prospect Park Sat 8am-4pm
Windsor Terrace
Prospect Park West & 15th St inside park entrance Wed 8am-4pm May to November
Bedford-Stuyvesant
Nostrand & Dekalb Ave Sat 8am-3pm July to October
Williamsburg
Havemeyer St & Broadway Thurs 8am-5pm July to October
McCarren Park
Lorimer & Driggs Ave Sat 8am-3pm June to November
Queens
Jackson Heights Junction Food Bazaar parking lot Jnct Blvd & 34th Ave Wed 8am-3pm July to October Bronx Lincoln Hospital 149th St & Park Ave Tues, Fri 8am-3pm July to October Poe Park Grand Concourse & 192nd St tues 8am-2pm July to October Staten Island St. George Borough Hall, St Marks & Hyatt Sts Sat 8am-2pm June to November
Tags:
AIWF, American Institute of Wine and Food, Chef Sara Jenkins, Green Markets, New York City Green Markets, Secret Tomato Lovers Society, summer squash
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Posted on 8/21/2006
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August 17, 2006
Creole conjures up
images of shrimp remoulade, gumbo and catfish, which is exactly what
you will find at this Harlem outpost of food and jazz. Sitting on the
corner of Third Avenue and 116th Street, Creole Jazz and Supper Club brings a more upscale
mood and swinging rhythm to this part of the neighborhood.
At first sight, Creole seems like
just another brightly lit storefront, its awning decorated with the
restaurant’s motif. But a peek through the window allows passersby to
see the band playing just inside. Enter through a velvet draped portal
and meet friendly staff who invite guests to sit down for
dinner, drinks and live music. The raw brick and the red
tones give this dining room and its generous bar a needed update.
The menu is simple and features a
variety of creole, soul and southern choices. The appetizers range from
salads to catfish strips to crab cakes. As seems to be the trend these days, the appetizers are the most interesting
choices. Main courses are uneven. Like much of the traditional food in
the south, many items are fried, so keep that in mind when ordering.
The vegetarian offerings include a successful gumbo, which is served
over rice. Less successful are the pasta dishes, which are all
penne-based.
Wine offerings are very run of the
mill, and the beer selections limited, but cocktails are much more
interesting, as are the lovely bartenders who serve them (and sometimes
sing along with the other musicians).
The best things on offer are the
truly southern choices (southern fried chicken, collard greens, catfish
strips), and the jazz and roots music playing in the front of the
room.
Guests can enjoy ensembles that
feature some of the city’s most seasoned jaz, funk, roots and world
beat artists, as well as some of the younger generation of talented
musicians. Great place to meet friends for the evening, or to
bring out of town guests.
Creole is a daring enterprise, and
the menu may be too over-priced for the neighborhood, at least for now.
Big changes are in store for this section of the east side. For the
moment, it is worth making the trip uptown on the 6 train to grab a
bite and to hear some great live music.
Call ahead to see who is playing, or visit the website. Sets start at 8PM.
Tags:
catfish, collard greens, Creole, funk, jazz, soul, southern cooking
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August 14, 2006
If urban rustic in the heart of the Village is what you crave, there is no better venue than Tony Liu’s August Restaurant. The street level entrance embraces guests with a warm, low slung dining room hug, narrow in that way the local architecture allows. The bar dominates the left of the room, while all attention is focused on the passage way leading to the back atrium-like room, half patio, half cottage nook.
The overall ambience is casual, even hip, but still elegant – no bowling shirts on the staff here, but no pretense either. August is designed to be enjoyed; the staff are friendly and helpful, if not colorful. One server addressed us as “youse”, that Brooklyn equivalent of “ya’ll”, a smile-bringing moment.
The menu casts its eyes towards the Mediterranean, but takes a peep at Alsace, Vienna, Provence and Hungary along the way. The wood fired oven somehow brings everything together with its smoke, from the tarte flambé (an homage to the fair onion) to the slow roasted halibut.
Appetizers tend to be the most alluring offerings on the menu, so don’t skip them. Nor should you skip the “theme specials”, such as sardines, served three ways. On our recent visit, the sardines came stuffed with chorizo, or pan-seared with lemon and sea salt, or wrapped in grape leaves and grilled. Three ways to love that little fish.
Surprises lurk everywhere, from the lemon horseradish mousse and red and yellow beets served with the artic char, to the lovingly prepared whole orata, celebrating Italy, and the fish souvlaki, Athenian-style. A big surprise, and one we adored, was the Greek yogurt mousse with blueberry topping. Slightly salty, the yogurt provided that eastern Mediterranean antidote to sweltering summer heat, and the blueberries, sweet and cool, were the perfect balance. Chocolate lovers will melt into the warm pot of chocolate.
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In warmer months, the heartier entrees lean more towards Eastern Europe, but choose carefully and look for smoky choices – they are the best on offer.
The wine list is nicely thought out, and features an array of wines from he Mediterranean, Western, Central and Eastern Europe. Easy to pair and easy to enjoy.
Note: No reservations accepted at this cottage of savory pleasures,
so pop in and put your name on the list.
Tags:
anti glam, August Restaurant, babette free zone, fish souvlaki, no reservations, smoky flavors, Tony Liu
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August 04, 2006
It
was more than hot; it was dang hot.
We ventured out for dinner on Wednesday – quite possibly the hottest
night of the year – to meet up with one of my dearest friends from
those heady days of undergraduate bliss.
Note: You know it is really too hot to be going anywhere when the streets of SoHo and the West Village are virtually empty.
I chose Le Cercle Rouge because I
knew it would appeal to Shelley’s fond memories of Paris, theater, film
and that brief stint she did as a singing waiter somewhere in the Latin
Quarter. But walking up West Broadway, I began to feel as though
I would melt, and the desire to eat drained right out of me.
Note: It is a rare event when I do not feel like eating. Few things can keep me from the table.
I arrived drenched in sweat and
feeling oh-so-icky. But then I saw Shelley and her genuinely happy
smile – which hasn’t changed at all over the past decade – and I no
longer cared about how hot and sweaty I was.
The bar at Cercle Rouge was
modestly busy, and the bartender was working up a sweat shaking some
passion fruit special to life. All I wanted was a glass of white
wine and a little space to breathe and to hear all about Shelley and
how she met that wonderful husband of hers.
Note:
There is something about this hot, heavy ozone-laden air that makes it
difficult to take a really deep breath. I felt like an old wheezer
trying to making up the stairs.
First of all, to know Shelley is to
know someone who is not only tons of fun, but who is also as curious
about the world as anyone can be. I love that rock and roll
streak in her, which somehow fit in with the ambience at Cercle
Rouge. My husband arrived “un peu en retard”, which is not
unusual especially in this heat, so he found us there, just under the
palm tree, already aglow.
Note:
I haven’t been to Cercle Rouge since opening night, when it was filled
with people who don’t care one flip for food, only for being seen at
openings and showing off their new collagen-filled lips. Fortunately,
none of those people were there.
The dining room was only about
half-full, which, given the sweltering heat and dense particulate
matter flying through the air, was not surprising. The crowd was like a
bowl of Baby Bear pudding - just right. It was lively, yet not
gruesomely loud; the lone waiter was friendly and attentive but not so
in the weeds he had to be flagged down; and the kitchen was not out of
time.
Note: Le
Cercle Rouge has changed chefs since the grand opening, but signature
chicken wings are still on the menu, and are still the most popular
item, hands down.
I ordered the onglet (hangar
steak) with the bone marrow sauce – a shock, since I had not even been
hungry when I arrived. But sitting with Shelley, listening to her raspy
singer’s voice and her fun stories, I was overcome by conviviality. It
was truly wonderful to see her after such a long time, and I was glad
to see that the essential Shelley remains intact and as fun-loving as
ever. I was also glad to see that Cercle Rouge has settled into a kind
of bistro mood, free or orange tans and implants.
Tags:
Cercle Rouge, hottes night of the year, onglet, Shelley
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August 01, 2006
War is Hell – we all know that axiom. For those men and women serving in Iraq, many of
whom are National Guard members uprooted from their daily lives, food is an
important connection to home. They miss
the simplest of things – fresh warm biscuits, a slice of New York pizza, a steak on the grill.
When Vets come home, they can’t wait to get their hands on
the things they have always loved most.
Here is a sample:
Overheard on the train to Grand Central
A tattooed guy, skinny and smelling of need and hurt, warms
up to a young woman from Brooklyn. He tells
her that he, too, is obsessed with word puzzles.They are, he says, “the only way I keep from
losing his mind in Iraq.”
He is home on leave, trying to spend some time with his
family in the Bronx before getting shipped off
again, to finish out his tour of duty.He
is on his way to Katz’ Deli for a giant Reuben.
“I got another eight months in the belly of the beast,” he
says.
"> “Wow,” she replies. “How long have you been there?”
“Oh, this isn’t my first tour,” he explains. “I was in the
First Gulf War.”
It hadn’t been his idea, but he was in the Marines at the
time, well-trained by the time Kuwait
had been invaded.
“It’s not like I mind being a Marine, but I seriously wanted
out after the First Gulf War.”
He explains that he had been sent to Afghanistan,
where he was wounded.He shows her the
shrapnel and the medical slices and stitches.His friends died there, alone in a remote region of the earth.It was, he said, not the kind of combat he
had trained for, not really.
“Why can’t you get out?” she asks.
“There aren’t enough people signing up to replace the rest,”
he replies. “Besides, what else am I good for at this point?”
He goes on to tell her that he joined the Marines because
when he was seventeen he got into a few entanglements with the law, and his
choice was prison or the military.
“I wasn’t all that bad of a kid, when I look back at it now,”
he says. “But the judge sure had made me
feel bad.
“What did you do?” she asks.
“Just some stupid stuff,” he replies. “Nothing like what
kids do now. But I guess at the time it
was something.Anyway, I don’t regret
being a Marine.
Her cell phone rings and she mumbles something about
arriving late but she’s on her way.
“I’m proud to be a marine,” he says when she hangs up the
phone, “but I don’t like this war.It’s
all about oil, and anyone who tells you different is lying. But for me, as a
soldier, what I don’t like, is that there is no way to know who the enemy
is.I prefer a battle where armies wear
uniforms, you know? This war isn’t fair play.
I don’t like being a sitting duck.”
Among his tattoos are crosses and swords and the Yankees
logo, weathered now on his bronze and freckled skin. He is a lonely man who
needs to talk, and she is kind and listens. She tells him that her father is
Persian – he knows only the word Iranian – and the talk switches to the history
of the Middle East. They both agree that the region is complex
and difficult to understand, and for that reason Americans don’t get it. But everyone wants oil.
“Oil is the scourge of the Middle East
,” she says. “It has made only a few people there rich.And it has ruined the landscape.”
Oil was no blessing, they agree, except for the companies
now interested in getting their hands on it.
He tries to explain to her how it feels being back home, in New York, among the
green trees and the delis and the people who move around as if they are in a
movie played to the wrong soundtrack and at the wrong speed.
“I sure miss the New
York delis when I’m over there,” he says. “I dream of
Pastrami on rye and I swear it is so real I wake up tasting it.”
She tells him that she loves the Korean buffets on 32nd Street
– he shakes his head at the thought of raw fish and seaweed. They laugh, then
agree that New York
pizza by the slice is something so hard to live without.
“The rest of the world just doesn’t get the importance of
The Slice,” she says.
The train pulls into the station.
“Good luck,” she says as he stands up.
“Yeah, thanks,” he replies.“My number ain’t come up yet.”
“Yeah,” she says. “I hope everything turns out well.”
“I’m getting me a sandwich,” he says. “I’m gonna eat it
slow.”
Tags:
comfort food, Iraq, Katz Deli, pizza by the slice, War is Hell
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