Yesterday's Dining section of the NY Times mentioned some great dishes that NYC restaurants produced throughout the end of 2008 and most of this year - 2009. I'd like to add my own spin on that by mentioning a few of my my favorite foodies hangouts and stuff that caught my eye - and palate this past year.
Brooklyn has become a big hangout for Manhattan foodies in recent years. It's no wonder that its' duck meat loaf from the famed borough restaurant Buttermilk Channel has made the NY Times top ten. This is a dense, concoction of ground duck meat, panko bread crumbs, raisins and onions. Vietnamese cuisine is big in New York, and at it;s best right now. The classic banh mi from Baoguette is another rave, This is a combo of pork belly , pate along with daikon on a famed Tom Cat Bakery baguette. Oyster pan roast from the John Dory, one of NYC's hottest seafood restaurants and the prime Manhattan from Prime restaurant also made it. the city's hottest pizzeria CO and their heavenly and hearty meatball pizza was given a shout out too.
Desserts also made the list . Locanda Verde's maple budino was mentioned. This is a custardthat is redolent of maple syrup and egg yolks.
Le me add some of my own here. Since I'm a Jersey girl ,my big discovery was a small out of the way diner by Jersey City's Liberty State Park.It is called the Liberty Cafe. On the outskirts of my state's largest city, this was like a place down the Jersey shore. I it was near the lower bay, almost ont he water front and quiet. a variety of dishes. Their Manhattan clam chowder was the best - spicy,thick, more on the same page a s a Portuguese cioppino. I also discovered McLoone's in Long Branch thanks to a summer lunch with a friend. This was a great place to relax and watch the ocean below. The Italian wedding soup was superb and just the right size. I plan on heading back several times int e new Year. Another new found fave - was the Monna Lisa bakery in the Hackensack River town of Little Ferry. This was Italian baking at its' best and most of my Lent and Easter was spent here. The pastries were not soaked in rum or heavy cream. They were light and spongy with only puffs of whipped cream on them.
So here it is, some the Times best and my own from the year past. I hope to see more restaurants opening in this spanking new year (and decade) of ours.Times may be bad but we still gotta eat. I hope a lot of restaurateurs realize that.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Jerk A Holiday Dish All Winter Long
Any kind of jerk is typically eaten during Kwanzaa. it's a symbol of some peoples Afro-Carib roots. However jerk meat whether chicken or pork is a good dish anytime during winter. It's a refreshing alternative to the traditional chill chasers like stews and roasts.
Jerk's origins came from either the Spanish word charqui which means dried or that the meat was poked or jerked with stick and the holes filled up with spices. Escaped slaves or Maroons created it probably as early as 1655 when they established a secluded inland colony on the isle of Jamaica. Jerk now means a meat that either has had a dry rub or has been marinaded in spices. Allspice is the chief spice in wet and dry jerks, but also garlic and onions are used for flavor. There is also a sweet element and that comes from added cane sugar. Ginger and Scotch bonnets, the hottest of all peppers are added into the meat for a blast of fire. The jerked meat is then cooked over an aromatic wood for an added smoky flavor.
What are the best meats for jerk? usually chicken and usually the whole bird. It's better to make it with the whole bird bathed in a spicy marinade for a few hours. Pork is another good option and even better are pork ribs although beef ribs are another good choice For these last two a dry jerk rub is probably the best way to go. Marinade may be to messy and also may be a bit more overpowering. YOu can also try a dry rub on any side or pork or even ham.
Jerk is the perfect way to celebrate Kwanzaa and a nod to the the brave people who created it. Yet it's also a good dish for a cold winter night. The spices will keep the chill away and leave you feeling warm - as if surrounded by the Caribbean.
Jerk's origins came from either the Spanish word charqui which means dried or that the meat was poked or jerked with stick and the holes filled up with spices. Escaped slaves or Maroons created it probably as early as 1655 when they established a secluded inland colony on the isle of Jamaica. Jerk now means a meat that either has had a dry rub or has been marinaded in spices. Allspice is the chief spice in wet and dry jerks, but also garlic and onions are used for flavor. There is also a sweet element and that comes from added cane sugar. Ginger and Scotch bonnets, the hottest of all peppers are added into the meat for a blast of fire. The jerked meat is then cooked over an aromatic wood for an added smoky flavor.
What are the best meats for jerk? usually chicken and usually the whole bird. It's better to make it with the whole bird bathed in a spicy marinade for a few hours. Pork is another good option and even better are pork ribs although beef ribs are another good choice For these last two a dry jerk rub is probably the best way to go. Marinade may be to messy and also may be a bit more overpowering. YOu can also try a dry rub on any side or pork or even ham.
Jerk is the perfect way to celebrate Kwanzaa and a nod to the the brave people who created it. Yet it's also a good dish for a cold winter night. The spices will keep the chill away and leave you feeling warm - as if surrounded by the Caribbean.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
A NY Holiday Tradition Rolf's
The reason for this entry being so late is that I just got back from nearby Manhattan after a lunch at Rolf's This is one of new York's finest German restaurant ,a throwback tot when the city was almost sixty per cent German. It serves hearty wursts and mashed potatoes along with fine and heavy cuts of meat. Best of all ti still maintains that festive holiday aura .
What;s most amazing about Rolf's is not its; menu but the way it's decorated. The restaurant is covered in decorated pine bough filled with ornaments such as balls, dolls, plastic icicles and ribbons. It's like wandering into a fairy land where elves should be serving and there is a sweet smell of gingerbread. Many tourists come here and the little restaurant is packed , full of families that seems to make a tradition of visiting. The decorations prove to be a perfect place for kids. There should almost be a Saint Nick that they can talk to.
Rolf's offers a variety of different German specialties. Our table had weisswurst or white sausage with spiced sauerkraut and gravy along with three amazingly large pancakes. i settled on the delicate apple crepe, a think pancake laden with apple chunks and cinnamon. I saw other diners get haxen, the traditional German shoulder cut. along with a variety of prime ribs. Beer flows freely here and we sampled some of the sweet weissebeer or white beer.
If you're in Manhattan visiting the tree or ringing int he New Year. then also head over to Rolf's. You'll be blown away by the fairy land atmosphere and good , hearty German food. eating here is the start of a new holiday tradition
Rolf's
281 Third Ave,
NY NY
(212) 477-4750
What;s most amazing about Rolf's is not its; menu but the way it's decorated. The restaurant is covered in decorated pine bough filled with ornaments such as balls, dolls, plastic icicles and ribbons. It's like wandering into a fairy land where elves should be serving and there is a sweet smell of gingerbread. Many tourists come here and the little restaurant is packed , full of families that seems to make a tradition of visiting. The decorations prove to be a perfect place for kids. There should almost be a Saint Nick that they can talk to.
Rolf's offers a variety of different German specialties. Our table had weisswurst or white sausage with spiced sauerkraut and gravy along with three amazingly large pancakes. i settled on the delicate apple crepe, a think pancake laden with apple chunks and cinnamon. I saw other diners get haxen, the traditional German shoulder cut. along with a variety of prime ribs. Beer flows freely here and we sampled some of the sweet weissebeer or white beer.
If you're in Manhattan visiting the tree or ringing int he New Year. then also head over to Rolf's. You'll be blown away by the fairy land atmosphere and good , hearty German food. eating here is the start of a new holiday tradition
Rolf's
281 Third Ave,
NY NY
(212) 477-4750
Monday, December 28, 2009
Gumbo - A Kwanzaa Delight
Like any observation Kwanzaa also comes with traditions as well. One of the more popular dishes is gumbo, that blend of African and American tastes. It is also a perfect chill chaser for these cold days as well as a lovely way to celebrate African heritage. Anyone can make a gumbo from the novice to the pro. It's easy and what's best is that the ingredients can be varied.
Gumbo 's origin is entwined in both the West African and the Choctaw Indian. the make wither came form the Angolan or Bantu word for okra (ki)ngombo or Choctaw kimbo which means sassafras. This last is an important ingredient in the mix. Gumbo is at best a stew to be served over long grained rice. It;s main ingredients are okra, and the holy trinity of Creole and Cajun cooking, tomatoes, peppers and onions.The last was a contribution to Louisiana's Spanish settlers. Roux isadded sometimes to thicken the consistency. Creoles make a darker one while Cajun cooks prefer a lighter one.
Meats can varied, For Kwanzaa it's typical to have a spiced turkey gumbo. However you can sub in chicken if you want. A heartier one would be with the famed andouille sausages , popular in New Orleans. of course any real gumbo has seafood, mostly shrimp and crab meat. Oysters and mussels can be added as lobster. There is a vegetarian gumbo made with nine greens such as collard and turnip greens but this is more for Lent and Good Friday.
A rich , spicy gumbo is a good way to celebrate the harvest meaning of Kwanzaa. The harvests can come from the land or the sea and stand for the bounty of each. A huge pot of gumbo is also a great way of reaching out to family and friends during this special time .
Gumbo 's origin is entwined in both the West African and the Choctaw Indian. the make wither came form the Angolan or Bantu word for okra (ki)ngombo or Choctaw kimbo which means sassafras. This last is an important ingredient in the mix. Gumbo is at best a stew to be served over long grained rice. It;s main ingredients are okra, and the holy trinity of Creole and Cajun cooking, tomatoes, peppers and onions.The last was a contribution to Louisiana's Spanish settlers. Roux isadded sometimes to thicken the consistency. Creoles make a darker one while Cajun cooks prefer a lighter one.
Meats can varied, For Kwanzaa it's typical to have a spiced turkey gumbo. However you can sub in chicken if you want. A heartier one would be with the famed andouille sausages , popular in New Orleans. of course any real gumbo has seafood, mostly shrimp and crab meat. Oysters and mussels can be added as lobster. There is a vegetarian gumbo made with nine greens such as collard and turnip greens but this is more for Lent and Good Friday.
A rich , spicy gumbo is a good way to celebrate the harvest meaning of Kwanzaa. The harvests can come from the land or the sea and stand for the bounty of each. A huge pot of gumbo is also a great way of reaching out to family and friends during this special time .
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Boxing Day and Kwanzaa Celebrating
Even though Christmas was yesterday it;s Boxing Day in England, Saint Stephens Day in Catholic Europe and Kwanzaa throughout the African American communities. Each as a different way for lengthening th e holiday and each is still filled with goodness.
Boxing Day is the time when the English upper and middle classes went visiting the poor with presents or boxes. Sometimes a fruit cake was added as were biscuits and maybe mince pies.St Stephens' Day is celebrated with turkey stew or pie in Ireland , In Italy it is the feast day of anyone named Stefano or Stefania and a special meal is made in their honor.
Another huge celebration throughout African American households is Kwanzaa. This is relatively new starting in the 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga . Dishes reflect more of the American South and the Caribbean. Traditional foods that are usually served are turkey gumbo, grilled chicken with citrus onions and beef and groundnut stew. Wine, juice or water is also served in a cup as well as fruits to represent a rich harvest.
The holidays are still with us, There are many to still celebrate and these include food. Enjoy them.
Today's entry is dedicated to Puff who 's now playing in the clouds with Bert and Bart.
Boxing Day is the time when the English upper and middle classes went visiting the poor with presents or boxes. Sometimes a fruit cake was added as were biscuits and maybe mince pies.St Stephens' Day is celebrated with turkey stew or pie in Ireland , In Italy it is the feast day of anyone named Stefano or Stefania and a special meal is made in their honor.
Another huge celebration throughout African American households is Kwanzaa. This is relatively new starting in the 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga . Dishes reflect more of the American South and the Caribbean. Traditional foods that are usually served are turkey gumbo, grilled chicken with citrus onions and beef and groundnut stew. Wine, juice or water is also served in a cup as well as fruits to represent a rich harvest.
The holidays are still with us, There are many to still celebrate and these include food. Enjoy them.
Today's entry is dedicated to Puff who 's now playing in the clouds with Bert and Bart.
Friday, December 25, 2009
A Merry Christmas To All My Readers
Merry Christmas to all my readers throughout the world. May you have received your favorite gifts, food, wine or otherwise. Enjoy this day. Think of why we celebrate it and and let it renew out faith in others and in mankind.
Liz
Liz
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Christmas Eve
Tonight is Christmas Eve. Enjoy it with loved ones, whether they be family and friends. Cherish your family recipes and holiday dishes. Remember the needy and the ones at war. Pray for worldwide peace and tolerance.
Liz
Liz
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