Serious Eats |
- Lunch in the Loop: Go for the Full Irish Breakfast at Emerald Loop Bar & Grill
- Vivian Hernandez-Jackson's Guide to San Diego Sweets
- Stan's Cafecito is South Williamsburg's Neighborhood Burrito Spot
- Trout Toast at The Hart and the Hunter in LA Does Pickled Fish Proud
- Philadelphia, PA's 13th Street Gourmet Pizza: Not Just for Late Night
- Gluten-Free Tuesday: Chocolate Chip Jam Pie
- A Sandwich a Day: Chopped Brisket at Mable's Smokehouse
- Reality Check: We Try Wendy's New Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburger
- Use Fresh Basil in These 5 Delicious Drinks
- Lunch Box: Make-Ahead Spicy Green Bean Salad with Sesame-Lime Tofu
- Michael Psilakis on Cooking for Family, Serving Greek in Astoria
- Video: The Future of Fish
- The Great Unknown Chicago Italian Beef at Hot Dog Station
- Montreal: Two Places You Should Go to Eat Kouign Amann
- Campbell Cheese & Grocery Opens in Williamsburg, Selling Brooklyn and Southern Specialties
| Lunch in the Loop: Go for the Full Irish Breakfast at Emerald Loop Bar & Grill Posted: 08 Jul 2013 07:25 AM PDT Editor's Note: Whether you're a tourist or an office worker in downtown Chicago, you can get sick of eating at chain restaurants all day. So we've started a series to get you the lowdown on where to find a great and affordable lunch. [Photographs: Dennis Lee] It's been a pretty mild summer here in Chicago, and the easygoing temperature makes it comfortable to sit outside for lunch. I like eating outside. It's fun. I get to enjoy the breeze and some food, while staring at passersby just long enough to creep them out. I guess that's about the closest thing I have to a hobby these days, considering I'm still unemployed, recently single, and struggling to figure out what I want to do with my life. The most adventure I've had actually happened this morning when my cat almost barfed on my head while I was sound asleep, dreaming of better things to come. Emerald Loop is just on the border of the north Loop, and it has a fairly large sidewalk seating area, where you can eat outside. This is tourist territory more than office-grunt turf, but I like seeing tourists walking around, enamored with Chicago for the first time. The restaurant serves Irish pub food, just like the countless other Irish bars in Chicago, like the Golden Sheleighleigh and Flanerty O'Shenanigans (I totally made those up right now, they aren't real, but I wish they were). Considering I'm working so hard sitting on my ass right now, a high-calorie protein bomb is the perfect example of what I should probably avoid. It's hard to resist a Full Irish Breakfast ($12.95), though. This is a hefty meal, consisting of Irish bacon (aka back bacon), black and white pudding, Irish sausage, a broiled tomato, sautéed mushrooms, tinned beans, and two eggs. My favorite part of Irish breakfast is the black pudding; Emerald Loop's is a little dry, but it still has the bold iron-like flavor of cooked blood that you either love or hate. It's definitely well seasoned and crisped on the flat-top to add even more flavor. The white version is soft, much milder, and salty, and the Irish sausages are a combination of silky, salty, smooth, and crisp at the same time. The bacon is chewy, lean, and hammy, making me wish it was readily available at bigger grocery stores. And of course, there are the pork and beans on the side, straight from the can, which are in a sweet ketchup-like sauce thickened from the starch from the beans. I grew up with canned pork and beans, so I have a serious soft spot for them. Overall, the breakfast is at least two meals worth, and plus, it's served all day—there aren't many places in the Loop that I know of, if any, that sell Irish breakfast, so there's a novelty to it. For a more lunch-like meal, the corned beef sandwich ($10.95) comes layered with melted Swiss cheese on dark rye bread. It's thick-cut, tender, with classic corned beef flavor. Plus, Emerald Loop has Coleman's mustard, which, if you haven't had the pleasure of experiencing it, is nose-clearing, sharp, and strong, justifying its existence in small jars. The mashed potatoes, which come as a side (you can also get French fries instead) are grainy, and the accompanying gravy is almost tasteless. You might be better off with the fries. The mac and cheese ($10.95, +$1 for additional ingredients) is somehow lacking in flavor; it's just not sharp enough. With bacon and chicken, you do get a bit more flavor, as the chicken is well seasoned, but it's dry and chewy. The cavatappi noodles at the bottom, though, are the good ones, bathing in the extra cheese sauce. My people-watching mission didn't work out great because of the heavy construction on the facade of the building, as well as a movie crew's fleet of trucks obscuring any city views, but hey, you can't win them all. Irish breakfast is a pretty good consolation prize. Emerald Loop216 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60601(map) About the author: After a failed attempt at starting a chain of theme restaurants called "Smellen Keller," Dennis Lee traveled the world to discover his true passion. Sadly, midwifery didn't pan out. Now he works in a cubicle, and screws around as much as possible. Follow his shenanigans on Twitter.        |
| Vivian Hernandez-Jackson's Guide to San Diego Sweets Posted: 09 Jul 2013 12:44 PM PDT Divina from Chuao [Photograph: Erin Jackson] In her popular Ocean Beach bakery Azúcar, Vivian Hernandez-Jackson combines her classic French training with her Cuban roots. Yet despite being surrounded by more than worthy candidates to satisfy any sugar cravings—take a look at the the Cray-Nut or the Divina, for example—she still maintains fierce loyalties to a host of sweets scattered all over San Diego. Here are her picks, from early morning sugar bombs like pineapple upside down pancakes to a bread that's so chocolatey it's liable to put you into a chocolate coma.
Vivian's picksRachel King's Coconut Lemongrass Tapioca: It is coconut heaven: creamy, sweet, and tart. My husband and I each have to get our own. Rachel says she'll be adding it to the dessert menu at Nine-Ten, where she's the new pastry chef. Cannoli at Pomodoro: I am a huge cannoli fan and Pomodoro in Point Loma has the best. They're very dense, not full of "fluff". Even if I am stuffed after dinner I get one to-go for breakfast. Pineapple Upside Down pancakes at Snooze: I love these for a sweet breakfast treat. The custard sauce on top is craaaaazy. Spumoni at Gelato Vero Caffe: This is my favorite gelato. It has a little bit of everything: cherries, nuts, and chocolate. Salted White Chocolate Cookie at Tender Greens: This cookie is just awesome. I always grab one to balance out my healthy salad. Raisin topped cinnamon rolls from Con Pane, courtesy photo Cinnamon Roll (with raisins) from Con Pane: I never get to eat much of this, as I have to pry it out of my two year old's hands. I wonder where her love of sugar comes from.... Chocolate pain latte from Bread and Cie [Photograph: Erin Jackson] Amaretti Cookies from Bread and Cie: I love almond flavors and Bread and Cie makes these little amaretti cookies that rock. I also love the chocolate pain latte but I need to make sure there is nothing else I need to get done for the day before I consume this. Chocolate coma. OMG so good. Salted Chocolate Crunch Bar from Chuao: This is dangerous, as in I will inhale it in the car on the way home Lemon Mist Cake from Seaside Market, courtesy photograph Lemon Mist Cake at Sea Side Market: The lemon mist cake (available by the slice at the their deli counter) reminds me of a childhood favorite. I lived off of this through both my pregnancies. Everyone showed up at the hospital with lemon cake! Much better than flowers. Torte Lion Belge from Michele Coulon: I love all the texture in this dessert. Layers of rich chocolate cake, chocolate meringue, chocolate mousse and chocolate cream.This is definitely a treat for me, it is chocolate to the extreme. Chocolate Cake from D Bar, courtesy photograph Chocolate Cake at D Bar: I just love this chocolate cake. Don't be fooled by its simple appearance, it is crazy good. About the author: Erin Jackson is a food writer and photographer who is obsessed with discovering the best eats in San Diego. You can find all of her discoveries on her San Diego food blog EJeats.com. On Twitter, she's @ErinJax    |
| Stan's Cafecito is South Williamsburg's Neighborhood Burrito Spot Posted: 09 Jul 2013 11:33 AM PDT [Photographs: Paul Yee] During the dog days of summer, Stan's Cafecito hides behind a bamboo roller shade that provides cover for the few lucky guests who have snagged a stool at the window while they wait for their iced coffee or breakfast burritos. The tiny, table-less space in south Williamsburg houses a sparing kitchen with little more than an electric skillet and griddle; it would be easy to miss all together, if not for the line out the door. Owner/chef Stan Tankursley is accustomed to a tight a space as he has spent the past few years running the popular food truck Eat Here Now Now Eat Here, but it's clear that his genial and welcoming personality is well suited for a brick and mortar neighborhood spot. If he's not too busy pushing orders out the window, you'll likely find yourself drawn into a conversation about one of his many bottles of hot sauce or his family in the Dominican Republic. Breakfast burrito with chorizo. A handwritten menu offers only burritos, quesadillas, and a few select beverages. Stan will push you on his Breakfast Burrito ($5, $2 supplement for meat), and it's not a bad way to go. Soft scrambled eggs, sharp cheese, and strips of poblano pepper are wrapped up with your choice of meat. Add the chorizo—tangy, sweet, and garlicky, and then generously douse with Stan's green hot sauce, a smooth and peppery concoction that adds a pleasant heat to each bite. Mango coconut chicken burrito. The heartier Mango Coconut Chicken Burrito ($8) is a fine balance of sweet tropical fruit, rich coconut chicken, and a bright orange scotch bonnet sauce. The other burritos are a little more general in their flavor combinations, allowing for open customization. The Jambalaya Burrito ($8) typically comes with chicken but is vastly improved by substituting in the pulled pork, which saturates the Zatarain's rice with its sauce and juices. Stan's hot sauces and Fitz's premium root beer. Space limitations have forced Stan to keep his beverage selection small and idiosyncratic. Other than tea and french pressed coffee, there is only Manhattan Special's Espresso Soda and Fitz's Premium Root Beer, a smooth and creamy cane sugar soda from St. Louis. In its current state, Stan's Cafecito is a launch pad for grander ambitions; there are plans to expand into the adjacent space and grow the menu along with it. Plenty of restaurants have good food, many with service to match, but that alone doesn't add up to a place you want to head back to again. The burritos at Stan's aren't particularly unique, but I can't deny how often I want to stop in for a bite and a cold beverage. Stan is on a first name basis with most of his customers, he knows what they do for a living, and what their orders are; in New York, that type of hospitality is hard to find. About the Author: Paul Yee is a brooklyn based filmmaker who loves cooking and eating. He also runs the Brooklyn Table supper club..    |
| Trout Toast at The Hart and the Hunter in LA Does Pickled Fish Proud Posted: 09 Jul 2013 11:27 AM PDT We love a lot more than sandwiches alone at Serious Eats, so in the spirit of A Sandwich a Day, here's Eat This Now, a quick look at what we're eating and want to talk about. —The Mgmt.
[Photograph: Daniela Galarza] Everyone who's ever been to The Hart and the Hunter, the ambitious new Southern-inflected hotel cafe in West Hollywood, will tell you to get the biscuits. And you should get the biscuits. But whatever you do, don't ignore the smoked trout ($12). The pickled river fish is easy to overlook on a menu that offers dishes like shrimp and grits, chicken cracklings, and raclette. The description doesn't help either: "Smoked trout with boiled egg, pickled onion, capers, avocado toast." It doesn't sound sexy, and you think, "I can make avocado toast at home." But when it arrives at the table, on a plate right out of granny's cupboard, you'll know you did the right thing. Two slices of baguette sit side by side, proudly piled high with avocado, pickled trout, tart capers, fresh parsley, and bright pink pickled onions. Somewhere in there are bits of hard-boiled egg, which cut through the acidity, but don't distract from the creamy avocado or lemony fish. You'll be grateful that the bread is neither too crunchy nor chewy, but just right for taking polite bites. And then you'll polish off the second slice without so much as a word to your dining companion. The Hart and the Hunter7950 Melrose Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90046 (map) (map) About the author: Daniela Galarza is also the Deputy Digest Editor at Los Angeles magazine. When she's not feeding her dog, Frito, scraps from the table, she also likes to tweet @superdaniela.    |
| Philadelphia, PA's 13th Street Gourmet Pizza: Not Just for Late Night Posted: 09 Jul 2013 11:45 AM PDT [Photographs: Kate Hazel] 13th Street Gourmet Pizza209 South 13th St Philadelphia, PA 19107 (Map); 215-546-4453; 13th Street Gourmet Pizza 13th Street Gourmet Pizza has long been my go-to for a late night slice. Fondly referred to as "Gay Pizza" by Philly locals who frequent the predominantly gay neighborhood, it's usually got a line stretching down the street after the bars close. It's the perfect way to extend your party just a little longer. It was on one such night that I saw them slide a pie out of their oven and unload a snowstorm of confectioner's sugar over it. "What...is...that...dreamboat...?," I sputtered. "A peanut butter jelly pie." My eyes lit up. "I'll take a slice!" "Full pie only," he told me. Joy shattered. It was late, and I was tired. But an idea was planted. "One day," I told myself, "I will go back. I will order that pie, and I will be overjoyed." That day was last Wednesday. I strode into that pizzeria, planted myself in front of the register, ignoring all the square slices staring up at me from behind the plastic partition. "One large peanut butter and jelly pie please!" I announced. "We don't make those anymore!" a voice rang out from behind the pizza oven. "We have other dessert pies if you want. You want one with apples?" The color drained from my face. Dessert pie? With apples? I've had those sad excuses before. Neither pizza nor dessert, they're usually sloppy premade messes. He saw my look of disappointment. "There's another dessert pizza, with frosting and Oreos. I can make one special for you." The color returned to my face. "Frosting?" I asked tentatively. "And oreos," he said gently, kindly. "Yes, please." I also ordered a large plain pie out of curiosity. 13th Street Gourmet is known more for their hearty, square slices with heavy toppings: nachos, for instance, macaroni and cheese, or buffalo chicken. Their plain was an unknown variable. We dug into the Cheese Neapolitan ($10) first, because duh, we're grownups. Dinner before dessert pizza. The crust was soft on the inside, crunchy on the outside, a uniform light brown across the bottom. A light, simple, oregano-y tomato sauce, covered with a heavy dose of your basic mozz. The ratio was just right and the slice flew down my throat. We quickly reheated the Dessert Pizza ($8). My excitement grew as I gazed upon it in all its melty glory. A thick crust smeared with chocolate frosting, topped liberally with plain M&M's, crushed Oreos, and chocolate chips. If this had been served at my 6th grade birthday party, I would've impressed the hell out of all my friends. I bit in. The gooey mass glided across my tongue. Success. The toppings were a delight, and the patches with heavy chocolate chips really sang. The different textures were really lovely too: liquidy frosting, thicker melted chips, crumbly cookies, the crunch of the candy. But the crust—premade focaccia-style—was just a little too thick and savory to really fully realize its potential as a dessert pie. I envision myself on a day where everything goes wrong: where I have PMS and I lose my wallet and I slip and fall and get mud all over my jeans and have a huge fight with my bestie. On this day, 13th Street Gourmet's dessert pie is exactly what I would want. Something indulgent, over the top, heavy, and appealing to the kid in me. Comfort food. The dessert pie doesn't impress your foodie side or satisfy your normal-day dessert side. But it speaks straight to the child inside who needs a hug on a crap day. About the author: Kate Hazel dreams about adventure foods and blogs about pizza on Take Your Truffle Oil Pizza and Shove It.    |
| Gluten-Free Tuesday: Chocolate Chip Jam Pie Posted: 09 Jul 2013 11:01 AM PDT [Photographs: Elizabeth Barbone] When I'm not sure what dessert to bring to a picnic, this is what I make. Unlike juicy summer fruit pies, you can eat this simple jam pie without a plate and fork—a nice bonus for outdoor meals. Start by making chocolate chip cookie dough that fits your dietary needs. I've made this pie "just" gluten-free; I've also made it vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free. (Just be sure the chocolate chips you select don't contain any unwanted ingredients or allergens.) It's a wonderfully special-diet-friendly recipe. For the filling, you can simply spread the cookie dough with jam and bake. Or you can dress the pie up a little and add some coconut, toasted chopped nuts, or dried fruit. One time I made the recipe with an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie base, topped it with blueberry jam, toasted coconut, and chopped white chocolate chips. Minutes after hitting the table, the pie disappeared. And nothing says baking success quite like an empty pie plate. Get The Recipe!Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Jam Pie » About the author: Elizabeth Barbone of GlutenFreeBaking.com joins us every Tuesday with a new gluten-free recipe. She is the author of Easy Gluten-Free Baking. and "How to Cook Gluten-Free." Get the Recipe!    |
| A Sandwich a Day: Chopped Brisket at Mable's Smokehouse Posted: 09 Jul 2013 11:08 AM PDT In this great city of ours, one could eat a different sandwich every day of the year—so that's what we'll do. Here's A Sandwich a Day, our daily look at sandwiches around New York. Got a sandwich we should check out? Let us know. —The Mgmt. [Photograph: Robyn Lee] I can't say Mable's brisket is one of our favorite in the city, but their Chopped Brisket Sandwich ($9.95 with slaw and a side) is something I'd return for. The brisket gets diced into neat cubes, allowing the fattier sections to moisten the drier ones. But it's the toppings and sauces that make this sandwich—sauce-scorning purists, look away now. There are cucumber and onion pickles to add at your discretion, soft but nicely briny, and jalapenos with a gentle heat. You should also add a splash of that barbecue sauce, a little tangy, a little sweet, thin but not weak and in no way cloying. By doing so you make a sandwich that's more delicious than its parts alone—meaty, tangy, and plenty moist—while still keeping it in firm barbecue territory. It's on the small side for the price, but rich enough, especially with that side you ordered. About the author: Max Falkowitz is the editor of Serious Eats: New York. You can follow him on Twitter at @maxfalkowitz.    |
| Reality Check: We Try Wendy's New Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburger Posted: 08 Jul 2013 07:08 PM PDT [This photo: Wendy's; All others: Todd Brock] In almost four years of being a professional cheeseburger reviewer (and even longer being a damn serious cheeseburger eater), I'd never seen as much advance hype for a fast-food burger rollout as I did for the new Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburger from Wendy's. Now it's available all summer long...although if this thing makes the splash that the chain is counting on, you can probably expect to see it added to the permanent menu. And maybe more so than with any other limited-time offering in memory, how you feel about Wendy's Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburger will likely boil down to how you feel about Wendy's, period. After product testing in Cleveland, Miami, and Sacramento earlier this year, the new burger ($4.59 at my local shop) reportedly scored off the charts with tasters, "outperforming any other promotional hamburger in recent Wendy's history," according to the company's press release. Mine had all the promised accoutrements: the signature squared-off Wendy's beef patty atop cheddar cheese, then topped with more cheddar (in sauce form), a spring mix of greens, applewood-smoked bacon, tomato, red onion, and honey mustard sauce, all crowned by the element that some in the fast-food biz are actually calling a "game-changer," the hand-cut pretzel bun. (That means expect to see copycat versions from other chains.) But as burgers-in-a-box go, this one had legitimate heft and bright, colorful toppings and looked awfully tasty. And this is coming from a guy who is admittedly not a Wendy's fan. (I know they always do well in the surveys, and there are Wendy's diehards already flexing their typing fingers and preparing to crucify me in the comments section below, but the pigtailed girl and I have just never warmed up to each other, at least not over her burgers.) Given a choice, I'll pick almost any other fast food outlet over Wendy's, and when I don't have a choice, I'll usually order one of their chicken sandwiches over their burgers. As a paid cheeseburger reviewer, I should probably be able to put my finger on precisely why I don't traditionally care for Wendy's hamburgers, but I can't. I just know that I prefer Burger King and Hardee's and Jack in the Box and Culver's to Wendy's when it comes to beef. That said, my Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburger was good. Very, very good. It's easily my favorite Wendy's burger, as blatantly backhanded a compliment as that now sounds. My point is, if you totally dig Wendy's burgers, you'll totally flip for this. And even if Wendy's burgers don't do much for you as a rule, you'll probably like it pretty well. The bun is obviously the star of the show, and deservedly so. It's substantial, dense, chewy, and internally airy all at the same time. According to the chain, the buns are made using "the same authentic process of traditional soft pretzels," and it's unmistakable from your first bite. The large-grain salt is all that's missing. But the coarse honey-mustard sauce does a wonderful job of playing up the pretzel theme and is a welcome addition that adds integral lubrication to this burger. The red onion and spring mix (nine different greens!) are nice add-ons, too, elevating this to almost "fancy burger" status. Wendy's literature describes it as "pub-style," which I think goes a touch far, but still, this is a serious step up from a 99-cent Junior Bacon Cheeseburger. At the end of the day, though, this is an ordinary Wendy's burger served on a special bun. That's what sets this apart. The bun. It's the bun that's in the name of the sandwich. It's the bun that they're praying brings you in to Wendy's. (When was the last time anybody in the fast-food industry put that kind of pressure on a bun? That black-bunned Star Wars thing from Quick in France?) I hope the Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburger lights it up for Wendy's. I hope they add it to the full-time menu, because I'd absolutely order it again. But I also not-so-secretly hope they branch out with those pretzel buns and create some new chicken sandwich choices. Because it may be Wendy's best burger...but it's still a Wendy's burger. About the Author: Todd Brock lives the glamorous life of a stay-at-home freelance writer in the suburbs of Atlanta. Besides being paid to eat cheeseburgers for AHT, pizzas for Slice, and desserts for Sweets, he's written and produced over 1,000 hours of television and penned Building Chicken Coops for Dummies. When he grows up, he wants to be either the starting quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys or the drummer for The Gaslight Anthem. Or both. Love hamburgers? Then you'll Like AHT on Facebook! And go follow us on Twitter and Pinterest while you're at it!    |
| Use Fresh Basil in These 5 Delicious Drinks Posted: 09 Jul 2013 11:43 AM PDT [Photo: Maggie Hoffman] Someday I hope to have an ambitious garden, with tomatoes and blueberries, a lemon tree and salad greens, but for this first year with a backyard, I've focused on basil. It's in a sunny spot, planted in an old wine barrel and frequently watered, and there's going to be lots of it (if all goes according to plan). Mostly, I plan to use it in a classic tomato-and-mozzarella salad and sprinkled on grilled pizza, but as my plants begin to shoot up above the planter's rim, I'm starting to dream big. And for me, that means drinks. Basil is a nice addition to plenty of easy cocktails: add a torn leaf or two to your gin and tonic, or tap a little into the bottom of your mojito. But these 5 drinks were specifically designed to feature the fresh green flavor of this herb, and they're all just right for summer sipping. Basil Lime Cooler[Photo: Kelly Carámbula] An easy basil-flavored syrup forms the core of this refreshing highball, balanced with lots of tart lime juice and spiked with vodka. (If you want to experiment with spirits, try this one with gin or tequila, too—the herbal flavors will thrive with the fresh basil addition.) Don't forget to garnish each glass with a basil sprig; the aroma is an essential part of the experience. Honey Basil Lemonade[Photo: Dave Katz] Ok, it helps to have a citrus juicer for this one, but if you do, this tasty and unusual fresh lemonade is pretty darn easy to make, and a great way to use up masses of fresh summer basil. A pinch of salt brings out the flavor of the citrus and herbs. Strawberry-Rhubarb Bellini with Basil[Photo: Heather Meldrom] There's nothing wrong with a classic Bellini, but if you want to have a little fun, try exploring variations on the theme. Here, tart rhubarb and strawberries come together in a syrup infused with fresh basil. A little goes in each glass, topped with a pour of chilled sparkling wine. (No need to use something super-fancy for these; feel free to use your favorite affordable Cava or Prosecco.) Cucumber and Basil Slush[Photo: Kelly Carámbula] As temperatures and humidity rise, having some frozen drinks in your arsenal becomes more and more essential. This one offers double-cooling action with loads of ice and a soothing cucumber in the mix, plus fresh lime and basil. Vodka's an easy partner that won't dominate the flavor—try Karlsson's Gold, which has a slightly floral side and rich texture—but if you prefer another spirit, feel free to experiment. Pomelo and Basil Cocktail[Photo: Kelly Carámbula] If you've never tried pomelo before, a cocktail's a great way to start. These big citrus fruits (they look like giant grapefruits) are tart and slightly sweet, and especially good when paired with herbs. Gin is the perfect addition to this shaken cocktail, served in a chilled cocktail glass. Have you made any great cocktails with fresh basil? Tell us about your favorites in the comments section! About the Author: Maggie Hoffman is a Senior Editor at Serious Eats, based in San Francisco. She founded Serious Eats: Drinks in 2011. You can follow her on Twitter @maggiejane.    |
| Lunch Box: Make-Ahead Spicy Green Bean Salad with Sesame-Lime Tofu Posted: 09 Jul 2013 09:31 AM PDT [Photograph: Suzanne Lehrer] A simple baked tofu recipe is what I always recommend to friends who are skeptical of the wobbly bean curd, but would like to try cooking it nonetheless. Baked tofu won't dry out the next day or become sad and shriveled like fried tofu can. It does require a little time to properly squeeze out the extra liquid, but otherwise it's incredibly easy. Tofu can be a flavor sponge, soaking up anything you season it with and giving it right back to you, without disappearing into stronger flavors. Here, I just went with lime juice and black sesame seeds. I stuck my tofu under the broiler to yield a crunchy, chewy crust, bolstered by a thick coating of the seeds. The green bean salad is a straightforward, refreshing accompaniment, and can be mixed and matched with whatever's in your fridge. Get The Recipe!Make-Ahead Spicy Green Bean Salad with Sesame-Lime Tofu » About the Author: Suzanne Lehrer is a writer and recipe developer in New York and a recipe editor for Cooking Channel. When not curating her budding hot sauce collection, she puts her French Culinary Institute education to good use in kitchens all around town. Follow her recipes and cooking adventures at TheSuzChef.com and on twitter @the_suzchef. Get the Recipe!    |
| Michael Psilakis on Cooking for Family, Serving Greek in Astoria Posted: 09 Jul 2013 01:06 PM PDT "Greeks are very proud, and it's very hard for us to let people in and to change. And I think that's what continues to hold us back. We, as a group, have to band together. And if it's going to start, it has to start in a place like this."Chef Michael Psilakis was born into a family that bred hospitality in the home, but it wasn't until his own chef left him with an empty kitchen right before service that he took up a knife and started turning out dishes of his own. Without any formal training but with the moxy that comes with a first-generation American-Greek guy from New York, he's since opened several restaurants—some to financial downfall and some which garnered much praise from many of the big guns in a rather short while. But only recently has he taken a turn in our own little Greek haven, opening MP Taverna on Ditmars in Astoria. He opened across from beloved local institution Taverna Kyclades in part from his inherent love of controversy, but also to continue developing our perception of what Greek food can be. We chatted about his own evolution and where he hopes to remain in the conversation. You've had a long journey to opening up a Greek restaurant in Astoria. Is there any realization of a goal here, with this restaurant? I've always interpreted food as an expression of what I was experiencing. I guess if you wanted to call it an art form you could, but for me it was just always a vehicle to express feelings. When I started it was more cerebral—I wanted you to take a journey that started with the food, so I didn't even really want to you talk with the person you were with, I just wanted you to eat. When my father died I used food in an extremely different fashion—as a means to get a family to sit down together. So that's been the goal with the MP Tavernas? I use the restaurant as a vehicle to create memories now for people, and as a reflection of who I am. When I first started cooking I was evolving food so that you had to have both a good understanding of Greek food and a very open mind to get the evolution of it. I wasn't really concerned about what anybody was thinking about the food outside of myself, I was just really cooking and it was raw... Did you feel disconnected from your diners at the time? No, because I was winning all these awards and achieving a lot of stuff. Lamb chops with smashed fries. How did the realization hit you? The year my dad died I was celebrating Easter at my dad's house, the same place I'd celebrated every Easter. And my brother and I finished putting the lamb on the spit, and it was odd that my dad wasn't there; forty years of him being there, helping, me seeing him put his hands on the animal, and now he wasn't there doing it. We just wet the lamb with our hands, with water. I called my son over and it was exactly like my dad had done; he's standing in front of me, I pour water in his hands, it's hitting him, it's hitting me, and it's splashing all over the place and he's giggling. And I was thinking to myself, "I should be happy, and I'm really sad." It was an awkward moment, because I didn't know how to feel. And I was looking at the water in his hands I had this fucking moment of clarity because I really saw my hands thirty years earlier. I remembered that moment, standing in front of my father, him towering over me and pouring water into my hands. And I knew in that moment that that was food, right there. It wasn't about the lamb, or about how to cook it. It was just the water and being together. How did you implement that into your profession? I removed myself from my restaurants and realized that in the vacuum of what my life was, the importance of food growing was not what I was cooking. And I realized the food that I was cooking was so cerebral it made you think about what you were eating and not enjoy the company you were with, and I thought that was wrong. Gyro-spiced beef sliders. Do you enjoy one form of cooking over the other? You jumped right into cooking, without any formal training whatsoever. Do you feel that gave you an advantage in being true to your own preferences and goals? I think that there are three types of chefs; artisans, artists, and a special few. The artisan takes time to perfect things—not looking to create something new, looking to create it better. There's a beauty in spending a lifetime learning how to make the best apple pie. Then there's the artist that says, "Fuck the apple pie, I want to make something that takes you on a journey." The special few that have the technical foundation to be artisans and that are just inherently artists—those people change our perceptions of making food. There are very few of those people who live in a time, period. I'm definitely not one of them. But that doesn't mean that one is better than the other. So you're saying you fit on that spectrum...? I don't know, and I don't care. They've put me in a place my whole life and I don't give a shit. People say, "Why did he do this?" It's just people wanting to write a story. Greek paella. Out of all the neighborhoods you could have chosen from within New York City proper, why Astoria? Why open where most of the best Greek food is? I knew that writers were going to compare us, and that it was going to be controversial, and that there would be Greeks judging it... Has there been? I'm sure there has, and I just like that too, it's just who I am. No matter what there's still a little wise-ass in me. I wanted to come back to a place where I can say, "This is the mecca of Greek food." You've got a reputation and a history now. Does that put a particular pressure on now? I don't necessarily sense pressure like that. I guess so, yeah. I think that sometimes people like controversy—I am controversial by nature, it's just who I am—it probably would have been easier or safer or more practical to open in Manhattan I guess. But I had to open in Astoria. I just had to. What are your hopes for this location? This restaurant is a reflection of being proud of being Greek. I pay more honor to my mother and my father by taking what I learned from them and doing what I'm doing now than just doing what they were doing. Greeks are very proud, and it's very hard for us to let people in and to change. And I think that's what continues to hold us back. We, as a group, have to band together. And if it's going to start, it has to start in a place like this. About the author: Jacqueline Raposo writes about people who make food and cooks things now and then for her bread and butter. She wishes there was an MP Taverna in Washington Heights so she could eat MP's dried fruit salad, grilled lamb and smashed fries at her whim. Read more at www.WordsFoodArt.com or tweet excessively with her at @WordsFoodArt.    |
| Posted: 09 Jul 2013 09:17 AM PDT
Watch The Future of Fish    |
| The Great Unknown Chicago Italian Beef at Hot Dog Station Posted: 07 Jul 2013 11:10 AM PDT [Photograph: Michael Gebert] I was in the car with Serious Eats Chicago editor Nick Kindelsperger and, unaccountably, the subject turned to food. Or rather, the idea that there are just certain Chicago foods on which the science is settled, like Italian beef. You can find pretty good Italian beef that people haven't talked about much, but basically you're not going to find a beef that's better than the beefs everybody already knows—Johnnie's, Al's, Pop's in the south suburbs and so on. The theory being this: if it says "Beef" in the name, then somebody's already scouted it out by using Yelp and Google. And if it doesn't say "Beef" in the name, how could it be a great beef? You don't make a great beef and then give it fourth billing. So yeah, that was the theory. And then a couple of weeks later, I stumbled on a hot dog place that shattered it utterly, the way Einstein opened a can of relativity-whoopass on Newton. Hot Dog Station is located on a stretch of Kimball opposite a grim concrete CTA railyard, a couple of doors from a proletarian 24-hour diner called Huddle House. It's the kind of location that promises an order of desolation with a side of despair. But, the owner apparently looks past the East German vista out his front window to the hopeful kids of North Park College not far away, and maintains a bright, cheerful hot dog stand where the service is good and the food is made with care. Even when he's not there, which is the real tribute to his management culture. That said, I don't want to oversell the standard menu. The burger is a typical Greek-diner-style burger from a frozen patty on too fluffy a bun. The dogs are pretty good, but skinless, Red Hot Chicago sausages. Good enough, not great. You see his care more in the things around the standard menu, like the soups made fresh each day in house. The list of Hot Doug's-like hot dog specials with unusual toppings. And, as it turns out, the Italian beef. I think of spicing in Italian beef broth as either alive or dead. If the spices are bright, complex, multidimensional, they're alive. If they have the flat brown-grass taste of the herbs that came with the pizza you ordered three years ago and stuck in the back of the silverware drawer, they're dead. The spices at Johnnie's Beef are alive. So are these. The beef is shaved but retains integrity, not boiled into stringy mush. That too is as true at Johnnie's as it is here. The sausage, though grilled over gas rather than Johnnie's charcoal, is juicy and has deep char marks and flavor. There isn't anything like the giardinera that Johnnie's offers, but someone who knows what they're doing oiled and then hand-charred the slices of green and red pepper on top. Is it better than Johnnie's? No, but just having many of the same virtues as probably the best beef on Earth puts you way ahead of most of your competitors. Hot Dog Station deserves credit as a place that tries harder. And unexpectedly given its name, it's the Italian beef where that effort pays off the most. Hot Dog Station4742 N Kimball Ave.    |
| Montreal: Two Places You Should Go to Eat Kouign Amann Posted: 08 Jul 2013 01:09 PM PDT Wedge at Patisserie Kouign Amann [Photographs: Jay Friedman] Kouign amann is one of my favorite pastries. Like a croissant folded into and hugging itself, a kouign amann (the Breton words translate to "butter cake") contains layers of dough, butter, and sugar that bake into caramelized crispiness. They can be challenging to find even in the largest of U.S. cities, and the rare bakeries making them mostly do so in a single serving. Stepping outside the States to the city of Montreal, I was excited to try them in the traditional, large cake form that you'll find them in the Bretagne area of France. The first place to try is aptly named Patisserie Kouign Amann. In this bakery in the Plateau neighborhood of Montreal, yellow light bounces off the well-worn wooden floorboards and the open kitchen exudes sweet smells. All around, golden-colored croissants, danishes, and other pastries shine brightly, but the main event is definitely the large, pizza pie-sized rounds of kouign amann. Whole pastries at Patisserie Kouign Amann Feast your eyes on a deeply golden crust, then order a wedge (CN$1.95) and bite into the crepe-like layers of dough. This kouign amann is lighter in weight and has less carmelization inside than the rounds I've had at home. But despite being less crunchy, it has a nice level of sweetness accentuated by a light sprinkling of salt. From this modest but mighty bakery, I made my way to a much more elegant setting: Restaurant La Porte. Some say that this upscale, family-run French restaurant serves the best kouign amann in the city. In fact, their kouign amann is so popular that La Porte sells whole pans of it at a local farmers market. Though if you go, expect long lines and know they sell out quickly. The pastry at La Porte The kouign amann on their dessert menu (CN$10) is served with "caramel salt butter" and buttermilk sherbet. Formally plated, two rectangular slices of the pastry sit atop a swoosh of salted caramel sauce on one end of a long glass plate, and a quenelle of the sherbet sits atop more of the sauce at the other end. This kouign amann has crunchy texture as it's flipped in a pan to caramelize both sides. I was told that salted butter is the secret to the success, and you can really taste it in all of the layers. The cool sherbet played off the still-warm kouign amann perfectly, with the caramel adding depth with its salty sweetness. Indeed, this may well be the best kouign amann I've ever had. Patisserie Kouign Amann322 Avenue du Mont-Royal Est, Montreal, QC H2T (map) Restaurant La Porte3627 St. Laurent Blvd, Montreal, QC H2X 2V5 (map) About the author: Jay Friedman is a Seattle-based freelance food writer who happens to travel extensively as a sex educator. An avid fan of noodles (some call him "The Mein Man"), he sees sensuality in all foods, and blogs about it at his Gastrolust website. You can follow him on Twitter @jayfriedman.    |
| Campbell Cheese & Grocery Opens in Williamsburg, Selling Brooklyn and Southern Specialties Posted: 09 Jul 2013 01:11 PM PDT  [Photographs: Clara Inés Schuhmacher] Alana and her sister Erin hail from the Florida panhandle, near Alabama, but they've lived on Lorimer Street in Williamsburg for over 10 years. A little under a month ago, they opened Campbell Cheese & Grocery. The corner store, with its blue awnings and white tile, is a beautiful shop whose offerings reflect where the Campbell sisters come from, where they've made their home, and the places they've been in between. "We've always wanted to open a business together, and we love food, and we felt like this is what the neighborhood needed," noted Alana. "We've talked about [opening a business] our whole lives—we played store when we were little, and here we are!" She gestured down the block and laughed, "I can actually see the store from my window!" But the shop, which sells everything from locally made pasta, cookies, produce, and chocolate, didn't come from a long plan. "It was really the fact that this spot became open, that's really why we did it. We weren't looking for a space, but this spot was available and we decided to go for it. It's a great corner and there's nothing like this at this stop." The sisters spent some time studying specialty stores in the US and abroad for inspiration, came up with a design, hired a French carpenter, and off they went. When it came time to choose products, Alana called upon her training in the arts (she is a documentary filmmaker. "For me, documentary [work] is about storytelling, and that's what we're doing when we're getting all these products. We're not only looking for amazing tastes, but also looking for great stories." The result? A harmonious collection of items: cheeses and a few cured meats, pickles, jams and spread, tea, chocolates, spices, pasta and produce. (And housewares—Alana has a thing for housewares.) The cheese case is the star of the show. "We hired an amazing cheesemonger. The cheese connections came through her, and we've let her run with the case. The case it really lovely." Elena Santogade, said cheesemonger, pointed out some of her recent acquisitions, and explained how the cheese case itself is also a reflection of both local community and far away influences. The case (which carries a high percentage of New York State cheeses) is organized around pairings: domestic and English cheddars, or domestic Grayson and its Italian cousin, Tallegio, for example. "We're trying to elevate certain cheeses, have more of a focus, make connections." Each selection is carefully labeled with place of origin and helpful descriptors, like "bouncy," "meaty," "peanut butter," "buttered popcorn," "pillowy," or "hay." Some of the specialty items at Campbell's tell stories of where they're from. Alana ticked them off: "We have pickles from Red Bay grocery where we grew up," delivered to their door by their parents, who drove them from Florida. "We carry Garden and Gun out of Charleston, SC, it's really a great magazine, more food, less gun." They also carry handmade wood cutting boards from Russellworks, based in North Carolina. But most of the offerings are "from around the corner" (in some cases, literally.) There's cookies from Greenpoint's Ovenly, jars of yogurt from White Moustache, spreads from The 3 Nuts and Better Off Spread, and Williamsburg-based Sfoglini pasta. The bread is from both Bien Cuit, and Napoli, which is around the corner, on Metropolitan. You can buy the bread by the loaf or order one of Campbell's sandwiches. Chocolates are particularly well represented. "We started tasting chocolates, and found all these that we loved, so we decided to run with the chocolate. We have a couple of imports, but for the most part they're really well made American chocolates. And, of course, we carry all the Brooklyn chocolates: Raaka, Fine and Raw, Cacao Prieto." Brooklyn Grange stopped by with a delivery of greens mid-conversation. "We try to get as much as we can from Brooklyn Grange—they don't have everything, but if they have it, we buy it." The rest comes from Finger Lakes Farm upstate, with avocadoes and citrus from afar "to round things out." The Campbells have also secured products for Williamsburg's older Italian community. "We get this great mozzarella from this old family in the Bronx. They deliver on Tuesdays and Fridays, and we keep it out all day warm and juicy before we have to stick it in the fridge, so come right away!" "We're trying to build a selection that is approachable, accessible, and isn't overwhelming" explained Elaine. "We want to present something that makes sense to people." Though she was speaking specifically to her cheese case, she could have been speaking for Campbell's Cheese & Grocery generally: a thoughtfully curated space, that is manageable in its scope and all about the story. Take a tour down the aisles in the slideshow » About the author: Clara Inés Schuhmacher would take the local grocer's word over Lonely Planet's any day. She muses about such choices over on ¡dpm! does and on twitter.    |
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