The Summer of Good Eating

 New York City and it's surrounding area   is a summer paridise. There are musems, beaches, outdoor concerts and plays. Best of all are its' restaurants. You can always find a good meal in Manhattanno matter what the season.

Almost every New York Times Food section contributor from Pete Wells and Florence Fabricant to Priya Krishna,Alexis weibel and Nikita Richardson have their favorites. even Eric Asimov who writes The Pour about wine and other alcohol weighs in. It's not just limited to Manhattan. There's even a short list of Jersey City eateries such as Filipino bread House which features petite enseymadas a kinf of cheese Danish.The city offers a wide range of Mexican places like Mezcal Kitchen and Indian like Honest. Of course the boroughs have some great restaurants too.Umi Syam covers Queens which has excellent Korean barbecue places like Yong sam Gyup Goo Yi where diners can customize their dinners and the Japanese Beat Mazesoba which features soba noodles with washugyu beef.Of course there is trendy Williamsburg and its' rooftop dining. These places are perfect for tourists looking for good food and stunning night time views of Manhattan There's westlight with dining influences from Asia and south america and  the Wythe's Hotel Bar Blondeau wit its' high end menu. Try Philadelphia's based Laser Wolf on top of the Hoxton Hotel for fun nibbles.

Are there seafood restaurants? Yes, since New York is a port city. Visitors cna easily go to The Bronx' City island located in the norteast section of the borough. Seafood lovers will love Johnny's Reef which has a wide range of seafood. of course you can also visit the Rockaways and Coney Island too, to escape the hot city streets. You can surf in the wild waters off the Rockaways and then head to Margie's at The Rockaway Hotel for a lobster BLT or go to Tacoway Beach for fish tascos with pineapple.There's also Uma's and LaCerviccheria. Nathan's is the place to go at Coney Island for their famed franks and super crunchy fries. Also try denas Sweet Shoppe for boardwalk faves like funnel cake and Paul's daughter for fried clams.  Also check out Staten Island including a  roller rink. Yes there are good places in Manhattan proper too.check out the chicken parmesan at Cafe Fiorello on upper Broadway and the lemongrass pork banh mi at salguette at Columbus Circle.Tourists will appreciate the burgers at JG Melon and West African food at Teranga.Those wanting to eat al fresco can enjoy Panzon in Greepoint Brooklyn or a night out eating great snacks at shea Stadium.

New York and its' environs is a food lover's paradise. There are so many goodies out there to try. This is the summer to go wild and taste everything.

Plainsboro's Asian Food Market A True Gem

 Plainsboro, New Jersey  may be in the shadow of Princeton yet this quaint Garden State country town is standing out. There has been an  uptick in building with restaurants, salons and stores gracing new malls. One that stands out is Asian Food Market a chain throughout South Jersey and Staten Island. This is a breathtaking market that makes American grocery stores pale in comparison.

I had to see this market and was amazed not just by its' size but what it sold. There are mini shops selling tea sets and hand painted ceramic tables. Shoppers can stop at the mini food court in the front of the store and enjoy Korean barbecue and bubble tea. Yet it's inside that's truly awesone.

This is a combo of American barbecue sauce and different sauces. There's all sorts of Asian specialties from Indian ot CHinese.

This is a huge market that has more of a warehouse/ Costco vibe.It's a no frills look, You can buy everything from rice steamers to

                                                             

                                                                 Japanese sweet potatoes.I could not get over the array of 

                                 Japanese milk bread sold around for the day

There are also fancy cakes and cupcakes 

You can also buy noodles,along with Peking duck, pork ribs  and chicken for a quick no cooklunch or dinner.

There are tables where you can eat and enjoy a meal before perusing the long aisles .It's even a great place to stop for a quick lunch.

If you;re in Plainsboro, stop by the Asian Food Market for a fun shopping trip.The store has everything you could possibly dream of.Go there for the variety and a tripo through Asia.

Nilla Wafers That Great American Classic

What makes the perfect cookie? Crunch , snap and flavor. Nilla  Wafers, everyone's favorite cookie fits this bill. They are not only fun to eat with a big glass of milk but also neat to turn into a variety of yummy desserts.These vanilla snaps are not only a kitchen classic but a kitchen staple as well.

Nilla Wafers have been made by Nabisco for only fifty years but their story goes back to over a century to Staten Island, New York. German inventor Gustave A. Mayer, a 19th Century inventor moved his family and confectionery business to Stapleton in the northeastern corner of the island , This German neighborhood appreciated baked cakes and cookies and it was here that Mayer created molds for the sugar wafers that would eventually be known as Nillas. He was also an inventor , designing one of the world's first humidifiers along with preformed sigh letters and sparkling reflectors used as Christmas tree  ornaments. Yet it was the biscuit molds that made him famous. and even was awarded a medal from the American Institute of New York for his many contributions and inventions to the industry.  How Nabisco acquired the recipe is a mystery.Had they been sitting on it for half a century or did Mayer,s daughters finally relent and gave the recipe away in the mid Sixties? Strangely enough the cookies have always been made with synthetic vanilla or vanillin and not the real deal.  Nabisco also makes a low calorie version that taste the same as the original recipe.  One is only twenty calories . A small bag of them make a nice snack whether for work or for school.

The cookies are great on their own however they 're also a wonderful ingredient in many desserts. Banana pudding is a popular one , especially in the South. The recipe is an easy one.It's basically a trifle with layers of Nillas vanilla pudding or custard and sliced bananas. It's then topped off with whipped cream and crushed cookies.What I  love about Nilla Wafers is that they make great crusts. They're easily crushed in a food processor and can be blended with nuts and melted butter for a shortbread inspired kind of crust for cheesecakes.The cookies also make great mini desserts along the lines of hors d'ouervres . Put puffs of coffee laced marscapone cheese on them or sweetened cream cheese and berries for a fun after dinner bite. Nillas make excellent cookie balls. Again these riffs on cake pops are a snap to whip up. It's just mixing the crumbs with cream cheese and then rolling the mixture into balls. Afterwards they're dipped in chocolate and then chilled for an hour. You can add in some fun morsels such as ripe mashed bananas, nuts,or chocolate chips. Try a tiramisu one with some coffee mixed into the recipe. These are great for a kid's party,Turn them into cookie pops, with dyed white chocolate.and a coating of gold and silver sanded sugar.

Nilla Wafers are not only a nice side to a cup of tea or a glass of milk , but they're a great ingredient to fun desserts. Enjoy their sweet crispness any way whether as a cookie or part of a sweet treat.