Crispy Cracklings

Nothing beats chicken skin.There's something about the crunchy, texture or melt in your mouth buttery flavor.It's not only the most prized piece of the chicken but now the most used. Chicken skin is enjoying a resurgence in tasty recipes.It's no longer bad for you. It's good.

Chicken skins were the subjects of a major article in yesterday's New York Times Dining section. The article, written by Times newcomer, Sarah DiGregorio, explores the new found popularity of crackling , the crisped part of the skin on chicken (or pork). Chicken crackling is nothing new.It has been around in Philippine, as well as Japanese and Jewish cuisine where it is known as gribenes. For centuries cultures who often use poultry also utilize the birds' skins. It is usually deep fried and eaten as a snack instead of a main dish,as with the Filipino dish chicharon manok.

Chefs all over the US are getting creative with it. New York City Chef Ilan Hall has a GLT sandwich , gribenes served with lettuce and tomato that resembles a BLT. The Philadelphia chef, Mitch Prensky, owner of the restaurant Supper, puts them in his spaghetti carbonara and Ruben sandwiches. The skins provide crunch and texture as well as flavor. Southern chefs know how to do chicken skin right. Sean Brock, executive chef at Charleston South Carolina's Husk and McCrady's marinates then in buttermilk then smokes and deeps fries them. They are then served with a hot sauce and a honey dip. He also makes a rabbit terrine with them as well as enveloping that Southern classic chicken and dumplings with sheets of skin.

Nothing beats crispy, crackly chicken skin. It is one of the tastiest parts of the chicken and the most flavorful.It's no wonder that chefs are now making it their number one ingredient and dish!

Dedicated to my own little chicken skin lover Sparkey . Any bird was her favorite but she loved chicken the best. May she and her brother, Puff, enjoy them forever.....

Foiled For An Easy Barbecue!

As I wrote in yesterday's entry it is still the season to grill and barbecue. However unlike the lazier midsummer ones , the barbecues now are a little more rushed. Blame it on our busy schedules which seem to kick it up a notch come September. however there is a solution. Foil packing your meats and veggies. The result is a quicker and actually tastier way of barbecuing done right.

Foil cooking was the subject of the Al Fresco section in the Dining section of today's New York Times. The piece, written by new regular, Alice Hart, explains the simplicity of this easy cooking method. What's great is that it goes the best on a hot grill but you can also use it in an oven or even on a campfire.Another plus is that you can make the packets up in advance (think your own Swanson TV Dinner line). They can also be transported in a cooler to any camp site and the foil also used as plates later on.. As far as with wrapping use a double layer of foil. . This ensures that the insides will be well cooked and that the package won't tear apart, creating spills.

What to put into a foil pouch or packet? Ms. Hart includes a delicious halibut recipe that is heavily spiced with coriander , cumin seeds and lemons to give it a North African flavor. Fish or chicken really are the best meat s for pouch cooking. They are the juiciest, (although I can see a flank steak also being used) and the most flavorful. Use steak cuts or in the case of poultry breast meat. There are recipes where you can cook veggies this way too. You can add butter and white wine and let it heat up in the packet, marinating the contents.

Foil cooking is an easy way of making , moist and tender meals. It's also fuss free because you can just throw away the foil afterwards. What a perfect way to have a fall barbecue.

The Best Of Summer Flavors

Summer is a multitude of flavors and textures. Even though the season is winding down you can still have a juicy barbecue or delicious veggie or fruit based dish.This was the subject of today's New York Times Dining section. Instead of one big article there are several small ones written by regulars,Julia Moskin, Jeff Gordinier, Sam Sifton and Kim Severson. A new writer,Ligaya Mishan also has a great mini article on the subject.

Luckily the farms and even home gardens have some bounties left. Julia Moskin writes about that tasty treat, conr fritters made with niblets fresh from the cob.Hers is one that is more pancake than fritter but still has crunch and texture. She serves them with maple syrup but I think a freshly made salsa would be better. Kim Severson contributes as Southern field pea salad.It combines blackeyed peas alone with fresh Vidalia onions, sweet corn and tomatoes. She adds a dressing made with Dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar. Sam Sifton offers a grilled flank steak, perfect with these two dishes It is a teriyaki style, one that can be barbecued well past Labor Day and into the fall.

Of course summer also includes fruits and there are some great recipes concerning them. Sam Sifton brings his mom's blackberry cobbler to this table. This is the perfect dessert for any meal, with tart berries and lumps of sugary dough pressed over them. The dough recipe is a scratch one ,made from flour and sugar . The entire dish is easily made first in a skillet then baked in an oven. for a more exotic treat try Ligaya Mishan's grilled peach recipe. This takes an exotic turn by sprinkling the Egyptian spice mix called dukkah. This is an easily made blend of spices, seeds and herbs and gives backyard peaches a rare , mysterious flavor, redolent of faraway spice markets. For a twist add yogurt as a side.

The summer is winding down however there's still time to take advantage of it' bounty and flavors. Try what these food writers offer or do your own spins. There is enough out yet to create delicious warm weather meals and desserts .

Healthier Dogs

New York street dogs were always risky.It's not about a stray mutt found wandering the Hudson river docks but those hot dogs sold by street vendors.Either the meat or cooking methods were questionable. Now that's changing.Eating a street dog can be considered a healthy experience thanks to the quality of meat and how it's prepared.

This was the topic of an article in yesterday's New York Times Dining section. The piece , written by Dining regular, Jeff Gordinier, tells about the transformation of these New York classics. Now the meat isn't questionable. Some vendors, like Andrew Mcdonald,, buy totally organic meat. His company Good To Go Organics, specializes in healthy food on the go. Even chili dogs, doubly dubious because of the beef used, is changing.Mr. McDonals uses organic beef bought from farms in upstate Columbia County New York for his chili dogs.

Another change is the way the dogs are being made. Some still are being boiled however a lot of vendors are returning to the outdoor grill method. This was used a century ago but was disbanded because of of the carts going up in flames. Fast forward to a century later when all the carts are made of stainless steel. It's easy now to grill hot dogs and they 're actually tastier, Although many New Yorkers love the water boiled ones and there's now a hot debate regarding which one is better.

New York dogs are vastly improving. They're not only safer to eat but tastier too.They still the perfect city food on the go but now they're even better.

Elegant Ketchup??!!

Mention ketchup or catsup and you'll either get a big smile or a big wince depending on the person's age. This sweet tomato sauce is either considered a blessing or a bane. Usually most sophisticated foodies shun ketchup because it lacks sophistication. However that's all changing thanks to chef Jose Andre at Washington D.C.'s America Eats Cafe. It's not just tomato sauce on fries anymore

This was the subject of an article written by Julia Moskin in today's New York Times Dining section. It turns out that there's more to ketchup than just tomatoes and corn syrup. Actually the stuff has been around since the 1690's when it was frist mentioned in English recipe books as early as the 1690's.English sailors probably brought it over from either China where a similar sauce from eggplant juice called ke-tsiap was made or Malaysia where they had a fish sauce called macap.It became the tomato variety when Heinz made in in 1876. It was a way of utilizing tomato scraps leftover from canning. Mixed with corn syrup it became an instant American classic. There were earlier forms of it made from nutmeg and peppercorns

Now ketchup is taking a different turn. Thanks to Jose Andres, the chef at the new American Eats Cafe in Washington D.C. (it's part of the famed American food exhibit"What's Cooking Uncle Sam?") the condiment is taking a new spin. There is a cherry one that had dark cherries along with mustard and spices mixed together to form a sweet sauce. This is perfect for any red meat.Another one is made from oysters which is minced oysters blended with white wine and oysters. Anchovies also make an appearance however it's a take on Worcester sauce which is a variation of it. Then there's the actual tomato version made with fresh tomatoes and a minimum of corn syrup. This is a different kind than what we're used to.It focuses more on the tomatoes than anything else . The result? An earthy flavor that's robust and perfect for hamburgers and grilled steaks

Ketchup is not just mix of tomatoes and corn syrup.It's a complex blend of ingredients to create a complement to meats and side dishes. It can be made of anything from walnuts to anchovies or even tomatoes.

Real Old Fashioned Sodas

Our great grandparents enjoyed a treat that's a rarity today - an old fashioned fountain soda.These were amazing concoctions all made before the birth of Coca Cola and Pepsi. Everything but the kitchen sink went into these lavish hot weather treats. Ingredients were fresh made and full of foamy goodness. Will those days ever come back? Yes thanks to a few dedicated purists..


This was the subject of an article in today's New York Times Dining section. The great Julia Moskin wrote the well researched piece that took her to old fashioned soda fountains. Before the birth of Coke in the 1890s soda, including colas were mixed in pharmacies across the country. After the drink's invention sodas weren't that special anymore and a once a week treat like ice cream sodas could be made at home. Thanks to a few dedicated soda jerks that world is coming back. The name jerk come from the jerking motion of pulling the soda taps and the modern ones are just as proud of the title as their 1890s counterparts were.



During the golden era of home made soda, the egg cream reigned king. This was and still is an amazing concoction that involves cream, chocolate and seltzer. The original recipe is making a comeback as is a strawberry egg cream made with fresh Long Island strawberries. Other creations are calling for fresh huckleberries and locally grown hazelnuts. Fresh milk from Hudson Valley dairies is also used giving the drinks a purer flavor. Artesanal seltzers are also being used. Before carbonation, pharmacists used water mixed with potassium, calcium and magnesium to give it fizz (this water was also made for medicinal purposes as well). Homemade sodas are also made, using the same ingredients as 19th century jerks used.


Nothing beats an ice cream soda on a hot summer's day. Even better is when it's made the old fashioned way with homemade seltzer and fresh ingredients. If there is a true soda fountain in your neighborhood visit it. Enjoy the purity of a real 19th century treat!

Grill Season

This is the season - and weekend - for grilling. All over the US Webers and other brands will be cleaned, primed and prepped for endless dogs, burgers and ribs. The 4th of July seems like the easiest holiday meal to cook, yet it's not. There's a lot to cooking meat on a simple grill.

The New York Times Dining section handled this yesterday in a good should be cut out article by Dining regular, Steven Raichlen. He interviewed several chefs, gleaning their secrets on how to create the most flavorful and the most tender meats. After all grilling is the most primitive and basic of any cooking technique. It's wild and unpredictable, appealing to our savage side which is why we go mad for a spot at the barbecue. However it is cooking and should have a certain level of sophistication. Grilling sadly enough, cooks almost every meat and veg the same way, sometimes giving everything the same smoky flavor .Of course that changes with both the grill prep and food prep.

Sometimes all it takes is a minor change to make a barbecue memorable. This means switching from simple charcoal to wood chips. Most regular barbecuers use hickory however for real taste try cherry or apple wood chips. This imparts a sweetness to the meat without adding anything else. others such as Belgian chef , Peter DeClercq ofMaldegem's Elckerlicj adds broken staves of beer kegs along with a whole range of herbs and spices to his grilled meat. Others such as Spanish chef, Victor Arguinzoniz of Axpe Spain's Extebarri prefers to use calibrated heat and just simple olive oil for his simple grills. Home cooks can try these methods themselves to create a tasty meal for themselves and guests .

Before grilling look at what you have. Ask yourself how you can make it the best and most flavorful. Add a few wood chips or different spices to create a really unique and different grill everyone will love ..

Ramps The New Truffle

What exist sin the forest and goes for twelve dollars a pound? What plant is so over harvested that it's considered illegal to pick them in Canada? The humble ramp. This leek cousin is getting a whole lot of fuss because it;s used in locovore dining and it represents a push into foraging. This was the subject of a very interesting article in yesterday's New York Times Dining section. The author,Indrani Sen, even sat down with botanists ad discussed the shortage problem.


Yet why is the ramp considered the new truffle? Probably because it can be used in place of leeks or even onions. Ramps have a sharp, almost garlicky taste. They go well with any pasta dishes because they don't overpower the sauce, just adding just a slight hint of garlic and onion. Ramps can also be sauteed in butter and served with new potatoes alongside a Spring lamb or even roasted chicken. There's even a ramp soup, similar to onion and they can even be added to biscuit recipes to liven them up.

There is one problem however. The ramp is now being over harvested and with that comes the usual shortage. Since they grow in the wild, they're up for grabs so anyone can just walk by and pull them out of the ground. The problem is that everyone had the same idea and there are now shortages in the area . Botanists strongly recommend that harvesters replenish the picked over sections with seeds or avoid taking younger ramps. Ramps can take six to eighteen months to germinate and five to seven years to produce seeds.Over picking them could mean possible extinction in some areas, especially outside of New York City. Manhattan chefs go mad for them, including them in a number of recipes.

Ramps are becoming the new truffle. They're much loved and much wanted by American chefs especially New York ones. However use them sparingly if you like them. There's a shortage going on and one that would mean leading to their extinction.

My Peeps

This is the time of year when the stores are all crammed with Peeps and their bunny counterparts. They're a nostalgic Easter candy, bringing us back to our childhood and Easter mornings of them with jelly beans. Unfortunately there's one problem - they're too dang sweet. There is a solution however - hatching your own.

In The Wednesday Dining section of the New York Times, regular columnist of Good Appetite, Melissa Clark tackles this too sweet peep problems. The manufactured kind are made with corn syrup which just lends a bland sweetness. and nothing more. Ms. Clark amps this up a bit by subbing in flavored honey. This results in a much more complex taste. Of course there is sugar as well as gelatin to bind it and the requisite egg whites to create the meringue. As with any candy making it is labor intensive and probably does require a few practice tries before getting it right.

There is also the problem of coloring those chicks and bunnies. peep are covered with colored sugar. . Top keep it more with the more natural recipe Ms. Clark adds saffron which also gives it a more exotic spin taste wise. it does create the desired bright daffodil color that are associated with the chickies. Her rabbits are dyed pink with pomegranate juice which again lends its' flavor to them and amps them up a notch.Ms. Clark also tries grape juice for delicately tinted lavender colored mallow eggs. She takes it a step further by adding matcha (powdered green tea) powder to the marshmallow recipe and then spoons them on a shortbread cookie rounds for This creates a kind of sophisticated s'mores , perfect for ending an Easter brunch.


This is the season for peeps and bunnies. However if these treats are too sweet for you then try making the homemade kind. You can create a more sophisticated and more textured Easter sweet. Not only will kids like them but adults will too!

Alchemy With Alcohol

Most bartenders are rarely known as mad scientists or magicians. Alex Ott is though. He is one of those rare mixologists that combines science with cocktails,. However he just doesn't whip up an apple-tini or a rum punch. He creates something much more - magical.

Mr. Ott was featured in an interesting write up in yesterday's New York Times Dining section. The article, written by Dining regular, Jeff Gordinier tells of the bartenders foray s into -well alcoholic alchemy. He is combing all sorts of ingredients from the usual to the unusual to create interesting - and powerful drinks. According to him. he mixes drinks that will make the imbiber feel everything from nervous to happy to even lusty. (thanks to research in the field of Druid aphrodisiacs). He has even created an anti hangover drink called Mercy that prevents hangovers. It combines thistle milk with chamomile - a known soother for stomach aches (a residual of a night of nasty drinking).

Mr. Ott is getting a following for sure with his magical potions. He was a "brand ambassador" for Svedka vodka and New Amsterdam gin, creating cocktails for these liquors. He also had his "nose" used while taking a sniff tour of the scent and flavor manufacturer Givaudon. The cast of Gossip Gil drink his cocktails and he was also featured in "Sex And The City" Beyond all this Hollywood stuff. Mr Ott is indeed a magician or something akin to a white witch. He uses barks and resins to infuse it no his drinks creating a variety of different moods. If people are hooked on him and his creations, it might be from what he has given them.

Bartenders do create magic. However none are as talented as Mr. Ott.This young man may just well be the face of modern bartending and mixology.

Live Longer, Eat Junk

Forget the healthy diets.if you want to live longer eat what's bad for you. That's the big article in this week's New York Times Dining section. Several octogenarians and nonagenarians have been interviewed and their dietary tips may be startling. It's not all healthy veggies and fruits that's keeping them going.

The article, written by Henry Alford, tells about three or four of these golden agers who have a passion for the golden fried. They have nixed the sugar and salt free diets and heartily dive into dishes that are laden with all the wrong things. Too many calories. too much salt, too much sugar. They even have copious quantities of alcohol , lovely mixed cocktails that would put twenty year olds under the table. Yet they survive. Lets face it, if these foodies lived this long without any problems then they can eat and drink whatever they want.

The secret though is what the French believe in - moderation. Have the occasional salty fried chicken and fries but don't make it a habit. Indulge in steak every so often, however temper it with sides of healthy good for you vegetables like spinach or carrots . Both veggies are chock full of needed antioxidants and vitamins. Desserts are fine but also have some healthy fruits too. As for drinking a mixed cocktail every now and then it's OK, Just watch yourselves. Too much of a good drink can impair balance which is extremely important in the elderly . It's basically a question of treating yourself and knowing when to pull back - which is good advice for any age.

Getting to three digits these days isn't as rare as it used to be.Most attribute this to a healthy diet, however that's not necessarily the case. Some live to a ripe old age thanks to the fatty foods, sweets and snacks!

The New Wave Of Sports Bars

Sports bars bring to mind smoky atmospheres with loud TVs and louder fans. The food isn't particularly great, just filling and at times super spicy. However all that's changing. Gourmet and haute cuisine are coming to these now up scale hangouts. It's not only fun to go out and cheer your favorite team it's becoming chic.

This was explored in today's New York Time's Dining section, with a great article written by Glenn Collins. He visited several more upscale bars and tasted their fare. It turns out that it wasn't just your average plate of soggy nachos and oily wings. There was butternut squash bisque and roasted Brussels sprouts, two dishes normally not associated with this type of restaurant. There is also a meatloaf that has minced shrimp in it to give it more oomph. Some even offer brunches worthy of Village bistros

There are the traditional nachos and wings. After all that;'s what sports fan cry for. Yet these are a bit better, with more thought put into them. The nachos, are crisper and cheesier, made more like a layer gratin than just a pile of corn chips with cheese gooped on them. The chicken wings have ginger honey and Old Bay seasonings. Even the burgers and tacos are a veer off from the eh ordinary with the burgers being infused with anchovy and paprika and the tacos having tuna frown in from Hawaii.

Sports bars are not the hangouts they once were. You can now get gourmet food while watching your favorite team win or lose. It's not just about the game anymore.It's about the food.

Pancake Upgrade

Pancakes are one of the most loved and most cherished foods to make. Everyone loves them whether they be in short stacks or long, covered with syrup and dripping with butter. They're our security blanket on cold winter mornings. They're our go to vacation breakfast food, easy to make in stamp sized motel kitchen.s However they re boring. It's time for an upgrade.

Mark Bittman, , urged this in his The Minimalist column in yesterday's New York Times Dining section.Basic pancakes are easy, to make , he writes, however after a while they kind of lose their zing with just the basic ingredients. He suggests tweaking them even by simply changing the flour. Buckwheat pancakes are wonderful, as are whole wheat. Anything brown is good for you and you can add to their wholesomeness with some nuts and rolled oats. Another suggestion is even adding some corn meal for a different taste and texture.

Pancakes make great blank canvasses. Mr. Bittman also give out ideas for making them fruitier by adding sliced bananas or trying different spices and nuts.Peanut butter or chocolate chip pancakes are recommended too . These are even a fun dessert, just served with whipped cream and maybe a drizzle of chocolate syrup. You can also vary the pancake batter too. Add more flour for a denser texture, less i f you want a more crepe like skillet cake. Also add more baking powder for a cakier type of pancake or more sugar for sweeter ones. make them with separated eggs, beating the white into almost a meringue like fluff. Then add to the batter for light puffy, souffle type pancakes.

Pancakes are a great comfort food. There's no denying that. However they can be a bit boring. Spice them up with different variations for breakfast, dessert or even snack. Experiment with them every now and then. There are a dozen ways how!

The Return Of Good Cocoa

Foods from a century ago were supposedly were the best. They were more organic, more flavorful and created with craftsmanship and care. At least one food may be going back to its; root .Chocolate. A new discovery of the extinct cocoa beans used a century ago are coming back. This is true excitement in the chocolate world.

This was a small but captivating article in yesterday's new York Times Dining section. Dining regular , Florence Fabricant penned the piece about the Nacional cocoa beans,.The plant produces 100 per cent white beans as opposed to the usual purple. This is not where white chocolate comes from, (that's made of cocoa, sugar and milk solids). A white bean means a less acid , more mellow flavored cocoa. Unfortunately there is one slight problem. The beans are located in seeds within the pod hard to tell when they will be white or purple. Another thing that makes the beans so special is that they're grown at an altitude of 3,500 feet above sea level. This is rare because cacao grows only at 2,500 miles above sea level.

Nacional chocolate is the processed , first in Ecuador where it is , dried, fermented and processed . They are then shipped to Lima and from there - where else Switzerland . It is in the chocolate capital of the world where they are are processed into a concoction called Fortunato No 4. It's a 68 per cent high butterfat chocolate that's easy to use. The article mentions that Moonstruck Chocolatiers of Portland Oregon user Nacional chocolate. I've checked it out. The truffles and caramels made with it are expensive but they look sooo good.

Finding the Nacional cacao pod is a great treasure, indeed. It means a return to a purer, richer form of chocolate. Hopefully, through modern botany, the plant can be reproduced or at the very least bred with a lesser cacao plant to produce a good hybrid. It would definitely bring back the age of elegant chocolate and be a boon to chocolate lovers worldwide!

Dunkel Beers A Treat For A Winter's Night

Usually beer is reserved for the Summer. There's nothing like a cold brewski with a barbecue or a shared pizza on the deck. yet winter calls for it too. Dunkel beers or dark beers are perfect for this time o year.They are hearty and a complex blend of flavors - not unlike winter dishes. They are the perfect chill chasers

IN the New York Times Wednesday's Dining section Eric Asimov explains this brew. Dunkel is from the German word for dark. These beers have a chocolate color as opposed to a light golden one. The taste also has cocoa overtones thanks to a special caramelizing technique called decoction. Mr. Asimov tested several from Austria and Germany however there are some American brews that are also very good. He gave three stars to one out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin called Lakefront Eastside Dark and also to the Saranac Black Forest brewed in Utica , New York.

What goes with Dunkel beer? Not surprisingly rye breads and hearty meats. there is an extra recipe from another Times contributor Florence Fabricant. It is a mash of borlotti beans along with pastrami and various spices and mustards. I can also see Dunkels being served with hearty fresh off the bone ham and pork sandwiches on mustard slathered pumpernickel or rye bread.Dunkel beers are probably very good with sauerbraten too during these cold nights.

For an interesting variation try Dunkel beers. They are hearty and flavorful. Perfect for these chilly, snowy nights when the landscape resembles the Bavarian or Austrian Alps!

Making A Hash Of It

hash is always a cold weather favorite. It;s also a good way of getting rid of leftover meat. Besides what breakfast wouldn't be complete without a side order of it? It also makes a good lunch and quick dinner too and it's a snap to make up.

Today's New York Times' Dining section celebrated this much made American classic. The article, written by Dining regular, Julia Moskin show not only recipes but also where to get the best made hash in the New York Metro area. Homemade hash is easy to make. It's usually leftover meat fried with potatoes and sweetened with caramelized onions. Technically you can use any leftover but corned beef or any kind of red meat or sausage is the best. Potatoes are usually cubed but you can add some mashed to give it body and binding. Traditional hash has two sunny side up eggs plopped down on it before it's served.

There are some variations. The corned beef is sometimes doubly spiced t give the hash zing. Instead of cooking it in the usual water some chefs cook theirs in oil ,leaving a beautifully browned hash. A Spanish version includes chorizo and some barely cooked eggs over french fries. Of course there is the famed red flannel hash cooked with beets - hence the name - and horseradish. Some use corned bread to soak up whatever juices the hash has (this seems the most tastiest). One chef serves it with a side of dandelion greens for a Southern spin on it . Another idea is just a small green side salad if it's a lunch or dinner hash.

Hash is a great dish any time of day.It's also an efficient way of getting rid of leftovers is tasty fashion. Best of all you can make it any way you prefer!

The Best Of 2010 NY Restaurants

What were the best foods of 2010? The best restaurants? The best dishes? The New York Times regular Sam Sifton tackles these question in today's New York Times Dining section. he lists the best and the tastiest. There are also a fewI'd like to add in too.

Of course Da Posto, New York;s finest restaurant is listed. Everyone loves Lidia Bastianich's great gourmet restaurant. the recipe from there is a whole wheat spaghetti graced with bonito flakes and spicy chickpeas. There is a recipe for this in the paper and I guess if you can't find the bonito flakes then sparingly use flaked tuna in oil as a sub in. Sifton also mentions burgundy snails from the Mark restaurant. This is an homage to when new York had some of the finest French eateries outside of Paris. He also lists a great guacamole des frutas at the Mexican restaurant Toloache. It is a guacamole dip that has cranberries pears and apples added to it for a sweet twist.


New York has held a lot of good places for me too - not as pricey as Mr. Sifton's list but still good. Nothing beats every dish at Marinella;s on Carmine Street int he West Village (on the same block as Our Lady of Pompeii). This restaurant has homemade polenta and cold cuts similar to what my Piedmontese relatives and ancestors made. it also has excellent and elegant desserts. Another fave is Le Grainne at 21st and 9th. This is the poor man s French restaurant. For a reasonable price you can get melt in your mouth crepes. This to me is the best food ever and I plan to go back for the new Year. For unbeatable German food there is Rolf''s on Third Ave near Gramercy Park . I love this place because its like my grandfather;s family recipes are made here. There are hearty potato pancakes and thick wursts to chow down on.This is hearty food and it's perfect if you're visiting the city this winter.

These are some of the Times; favorites and mine. New York has amazing places that have to be discovered. Come to the city and pick your favorites of the upcoming year!

Still Working

There's an interesting article in today's NY Times Dining section about stills.Yes, stills, those symbols of illicit Prohibition fun. These are different though than those , however. They represent a kind of new wave of micro distillery,.

The article written by Toby Cecchini tells about a variety of distillers who use organic products. Distilling is nothing new to these parts. New Jersey first had applejack while Massachusetts surprisingly manufactured rum. Pennsylvania and Delaware made ryes long before bourbon came into being. it was a large part of the colonial trade. Nowadays it has a slightly different twist. Distillers are offering more wholesomely grown products appealing to the push for all things natural including spirits.

One good thing is that smaller distillers can put a twist on regular flavors. For example molasses can be added to rm for a sweeter, huskier flavor. Fruits can be added to brandies much as they did two or three centuries ago. Botanical can be added to gins to produce something purer in form to the Dutch genever. Another plus is that the alcohol is distilled in aged wooden casks too, similar to European wines.

Smaller distilleries , it seems are making a comeback, It should be interesting to watch what the public thins of them and how they'll grow. They may be the next trend in organic spirits.

An Estonian Christmas

Eastern Europe is full of wonderful traditions. Their foods are rich both ion flavor and religious meaning. Most of all they are home cooked which means a lot in this crazy but it already prepared world.

The holiday cuisine is explored in n to days Dining section of the New York Times.It was written by Julia Moskin who covers all sort so different countries in her writing. She writes in lavish detail of the delicious foods from savory to sweet. Estonian cooking can best be described as a hybrid of Polish and Finnish cooking. it sits directly below Finland on the Baltic Sea. it also is next to Poland and so that influence is strong there. The Estonians make home made blood sausage which is a lengthy and time consuming project. They serve it with roast pork , sauerkraut along with lingenberries (the Scandinavian influence) and cranberries

Estonian desserts are somewhat limited. I came across kissel which is a fruit soup. Ms Moskin also mentions roosemanna,a frothy pick concoction of cranberry and semolina's . It's kind of like an alcohol free zabaglione. Surprisingly enough rhubarb pies are favored too. The area isn't too bug on elaborate desserts , just earthy ones.


Estonia has a long and rich history.It;s food reflects that, especially at Christmas time. Recipes are carried through the ages so that generation after generation can enjoy them.

Drinks Of The Season

Now that the holiday season is officially here it's also the time for fancy and fun drinks. Various punches and cocktails abound. Today;s New York Times Dining section celebrates this with a plethora of different libations for all the occasions this season.This is a fun keep and save guide because it can be helpful in the weeks ahead.

The article, written by Steven Stern , is really informative. I like the fact that he even had cocktails for Hanukkah. That blend is a melange of the powerful aquavit along with e artichoke flavored Italian liqueur Cynar along with apricot preserves and lemon juice. The base is dry sparkling wine . This is perfect foil for any latkes and beats a side of just plain applesauce. I also like the inclusion of a spiked hot chocolate for pre caroling. This involves adding equal tables spoons (three each ) of Chartreuse and Cointreau to just plain hot cocoa. Another favorite added in is the luscious Black velvet (popular with England's Queen Victoria and named for her mourning weeds). This is a blend of champagne and chilled Guinness stout . It sounds rich and dreamy , the perfect holiday drink that;'s simple to make

Holiday require punches and Mr. Stern provides a good dearth of recipes. There is the famed milk punch which is a mix of milk, bourbon and brandy with maple syrup. Milk punch has been around forever and was and still is a popular party punch. There is also the equally Victorian (but much more lethal Original Chatham Artillery Punch which has three bottle s of champagne along with whole bottle s of Cognac and rum. This is definitely the party punch to serve to guests if you want sparks. There is also mandarin Punch, a non alcoholic drink for all ages. its; redolent of citrus and mint , having lemon line and orange added along with mint an and spearmint leaves. This would be a nice brunch punch, perfect after savory omelets and muffins.

The holiday season is upon us and it's the time to celebrate it. What better way than with fancy drinks and punches. Raise a glass of something good - and specially made by you .