tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12573885416246679122024-03-05T14:32:04.757-05:00The Dough GirlLaurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603438208973389546noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1257388541624667912.post-92034062984346977942011-11-15T21:35:00.000-05:002011-11-15T21:35:16.556-05:00Happy National Bundt Day!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Buttercake Bakery's Marble Bundt Cake </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbNSnK6tC5u5a0jmdCvj4M65ILaCieqKmj24sbG-bOe0S93vaFNEAT5cj141L0YDOT7rEvIoFOep4AV25VBaydHcPory70TmEA2s2Zb4UmaWUP850YvHiHMgB8K2g3WfD0l3B-LlGFSOg/s1600/marble+bundt2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbNSnK6tC5u5a0jmdCvj4M65ILaCieqKmj24sbG-bOe0S93vaFNEAT5cj141L0YDOT7rEvIoFOep4AV25VBaydHcPory70TmEA2s2Zb4UmaWUP850YvHiHMgB8K2g3WfD0l3B-LlGFSOg/s640/marble+bundt2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"> Normally I don’t celebrate particular food days, but this one is special, because blogger The Food Librarian has turned National Bundt Day into a month-long celebration of all things big, beautiful, and bundt.</div><div class="MsoNormal">With her<a href="http://foodlibrarian.blogspot.com/2011/11/i-like-big-bundts-2011-30-days-of.html"> “I Like Big Bundts”</a> project, FL makes one bundt cake each day for a month leading up to National Bundt Day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now that’s love!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">To celebrate the day, as well as to celebrate the birthday of one of my best friends, I made <a href="http://www.latimes.com/features/la-fo-sos11-2008jun11,0,5096638.story">Buttercake Bakery’s Marble Bundt cake from the LA Times</a>, which was also the<a href="http://foodlibrarian.blogspot.com/2011/10/buttercake-bakerys-marble-bundt-cake.html"> first recipe that FL posted this year</a>.</div><div class="MsoNormal">This cake was the perfect choice because I had to carry it from New York to New Haven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bundt cakes are sturdy, and even though they aren’t frosted, they are special enough for a celebration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next time you have to travel with cake, I highly recommend this one.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It may be my favorite marble cake thus far, partly because of the extra chocolate chips in the batter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I used <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/vanilla-bean-paste-4-oz">vanilla bean paste</a> for the first time in the vanilla batter, but I couldn’t really notice a difference in taste or see the black specks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe it’s because chocolate crumbs were floating around too.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Next time I want to underbake the cake a little.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had one bite where the chocolate batter hadn’t completely cooked through, and it tasted like a fudge sauce right in the middle of the cake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want more of that!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or maybe I’ll just stir a jar of fudge sauce into the cake next time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That could work too.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Enjoy <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">:)</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzJ366iIqEi2nhBwMJBvt8Yr2iCkzzuEjD_Z7vovUysVzOwk-ZFvgkEhJiy9hIttyxV6wuX6N12U-t__fzVrHXw3HqiVlRpD1l1H6GgjQgn8r6pq5lktlza1fLcV_cQ1oYY8mSgW2YTk/s1600/marble+bundt3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzJ366iIqEi2nhBwMJBvt8Yr2iCkzzuEjD_Z7vovUysVzOwk-ZFvgkEhJiy9hIttyxV6wuX6N12U-t__fzVrHXw3HqiVlRpD1l1H6GgjQgn8r6pq5lktlza1fLcV_cQ1oYY8mSgW2YTk/s640/marble+bundt3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603438208973389546noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1257388541624667912.post-65293133710577005022011-11-09T13:33:00.000-05:002011-11-09T13:34:25.409-05:00Pickle's Bake Shop<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHHTpp2xkriepHdKUMnQoROfRTwFCzalasE2H_qATnV2IyqQqrfBZUyyG1WVjU_mV9aj09RQHAM612uku6YFwHJtzDlyUrn7gi9MPmUqP1tKil75ptQm8BvFU9QT7XKPFy9cfC4XRt-XQ/s1600/pickle%2527s.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHHTpp2xkriepHdKUMnQoROfRTwFCzalasE2H_qATnV2IyqQqrfBZUyyG1WVjU_mV9aj09RQHAM612uku6YFwHJtzDlyUrn7gi9MPmUqP1tKil75ptQm8BvFU9QT7XKPFy9cfC4XRt-XQ/s320/pickle%2527s.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Large Cake Jar, Photo Courtesy of Pickle's Bake Shop</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Cake in a jar. Now there’s something I haven’t seen before.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Normally I like to eat my cake with a fork (strong preference, no logical reason) but there is something about scooping cake and frosting out of a glass jar that is just…way too fun. I gained a lot of weight this week.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Pickle’s Bake Shop’s Cake Jars come in a variety of flavors—I tried the chocolate with vanilla buttercream and vanilla with chocolate buttercream. The vanilla buttercream was super sweet while the chocolate buttercream was a little light on chocolate flavor, but the cake was AMAZING. It was moist and the perfect soft-yet-firm texture for scooping out with a spoon. I froze the cake jars upon arrival, and when I brought them back to room temperature, they were still perfect.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Next time, I definitely want to try the chocolate with marshmallow buttercream (I kept imagining that one when I was eating my chocolate cake with vanilla) and either the red velvet or coconut cake…something with a cream cheese frosting that might have a bit more tang.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">My order included one of the mini gift packs, which contained a mini cake jar (the vanilla one), 3 cake balls, and 3 cookies. I chose chocolate chip cookies, but they were just chocolate chip cookies, and they couldn’t compete with the other novelties. The cake balls and mini cake jar had to be the same flavor, and I could tell that the cake balls were made from the same moist yellow layer cake as the cake jar. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The chocolate cake jars were the “larger” size, and let me warn you, they are big and filling. I tend to eat a lot of cake, and I thought the mini cake jar might not be enough for me, but I was wrong. It took me about 2 days to get through a mini and 3-4 days to get through a large, and I wasn’t exactly nibbling. The larger cake jars are $15 for a set of two, and the smaller ones are $7.50 for a set of two.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #20124d;"><a href="http://picklesbakeshop.bigcartel.com/">Visit Pickle's Bake Shop </a></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603438208973389546noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1257388541624667912.post-35632051112891048002011-11-06T20:58:00.000-05:002011-11-06T21:04:18.886-05:00Minetta Tavern (Will Change Your Life)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHEQa-ObE-cVtkWTBV8c6z2FHQFH2h36QmJ22jclt-kEC8MGDQSkLb5s9tDqmCBHutC2MRfrAIN09HyfApHLDpq61Ks5AqRdR017dGV35y2HqCthXK46h7UUpV4bh5duvuFE8RTd0rKq0/s1600/minetta+burger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHEQa-ObE-cVtkWTBV8c6z2FHQFH2h36QmJ22jclt-kEC8MGDQSkLb5s9tDqmCBHutC2MRfrAIN09HyfApHLDpq61Ks5AqRdR017dGV35y2HqCthXK46h7UUpV4bh5duvuFE8RTd0rKq0/s640/minetta+burger.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
The diner sitting to my right was asking the diner to his right, who had just received her plate of food, “I heard the Black Label burger is a life-changing experience. Is it?”<br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
Since I was already halfway through the burger in question, he probably should have asked me instead of the woman who hadn’t started hers yet. But I am glad he didn’t. Because I was in the middle of eating the burger, and honestly, I did not want to stop eating it to answer his question. I did not want to stop eating it ever.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But now that I have finished, the answer to his question is yes—the Black Label burger is a life-changing experience.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In fact, before I ate the burger, I made some comment about how funny it seemed to get a burger after eating fancy appetizers, and when the people next to us were eating $118 cote de boeuf. But as soon as I took a bite, I was in shock. What IS that? Is that a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">burger</i>? How on earth can there be so much flavor in there?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Yes, it looks like a burger, smells like a burger, is served with French fries like a burger. But it is actually skirt steak, short rib, brisket, and dry aged rib-eye (the real source of the steak flavor) masquerading as a beef patty. With only a topping of caramelized onions, this burger does not need anything else. Yes, it is better than<a href="http://doughgrrl.blogspot.com/2011/07/original-db-burger.html"> the DB Bistro burger</a>. It will ruin burgers for you for life.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Now that I am finished raving about the Black Label, I would also like to talk about the other dish we tried: marrow bones. For $17 you get 3 huge marrow bones with crusty, buttered bread and cranberry jam. I’ve never seen such large marrow bones, and it was so much fun to scoop out the buttery, fatty marrow and construct the perfect bite. Also highly recommended.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Minetta Tavern was really an old tavern from 1938, and it has been restored to have a speakeasy feel. The atmosphere is very old-fashioned New York, and with the dim lights, you feel like you’ve found a secret spot. But the secret is out: Minetta has got it goin’ on. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.minettatavernny.com/">Minetta Tavern</a></div><div class="MsoNormal">113 Macdougal St.</div><div class="MsoNormal">212-387-0343</div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603438208973389546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1257388541624667912.post-88430540298013129932011-10-31T09:11:00.000-04:002011-10-31T09:14:38.109-04:00Lunch at Del PostoYou may have heard that the $29 lunch menu at <span class="il">Del</span> <span class="il">Posto</span> is one of the best deals in the city. If you haven't heard, let me repeat that: GO TO <span class="il">DEL</span> <span class="il">POSTO</span> FOR LUNCH.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
Did you know that <span class="il">Del</span> <span class="il">Posto</span> was <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/29/dining/29rest.html?pagewanted=all">Sam Sifton's first four star review</a>, and that it is the first Italian restaurant in New York to receive four stars since 1974?<br />
<br />
Did you know that if you go, you will receive the royal treatment, and all of the benefits of paying over $100 for dinner?<br />
<br />
When we sat down, we were greeted with a tray of treats: a mini-lobster sandwich (think lobster roll meets tea time), tomato soup, and prosciutto wrapped around a tart slaw. Although I usually skip the<br />
bread and butter, I couldn't get enough of <span class="il">Del</span> <span class="il">Posto</span>'s warm bread with lardo.<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5EcZx-qcEKRarvBwc9ouYxkuVwf4mhu0osJMkkoVW1zHzl9exx-uViaIyCbosMPQVd95wo0pkGuHRDT4SI_sZmcJKz8Q1R4wTuAeeZLbKQJPVMWqkHJ6NuT-yUkB7QPXEeRDLXUW-0Ao/s1600/del+posto+snacks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5EcZx-qcEKRarvBwc9ouYxkuVwf4mhu0osJMkkoVW1zHzl9exx-uViaIyCbosMPQVd95wo0pkGuHRDT4SI_sZmcJKz8Q1R4wTuAeeZLbKQJPVMWqkHJ6NuT-yUkB7QPXEeRDLXUW-0Ao/s320/del+posto+snacks.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigoahUsFeqrlUSOePne3HAHtx3tTO1GCeKubbxuz2xxp0VY3DFU2RupwEyOfXlmkETgNWbVAOggXFBms6HRIRVamCtAFb3f2gajaP4NvTIDOF_PcMbEqbiSALFK7OQHZ5qVnMuqF65KQU/s1600/del+posto+bread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigoahUsFeqrlUSOePne3HAHtx3tTO1GCeKubbxuz2xxp0VY3DFU2RupwEyOfXlmkETgNWbVAOggXFBms6HRIRVamCtAFb3f2gajaP4NvTIDOF_PcMbEqbiSALFK7OQHZ5qVnMuqF65KQU/s320/del+posto+bread.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
We started with lobster salad (which has a $10 upcharge, so okay, we cheated a little on the price.) The salad consisted mostly of lobster in a cold tomato sauce with chunks of celery.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4WqYxK7eIFl_QRTKDkPRw7D-9x_wBZT6pq_LBKQRXaau94jiCe1tueRj4gvP6g1sr97h6_fCVKdsgYi4IziIZTU1egQyNpmNiuix8DZn7Veb9sOqvyP7hSAW693PZ7wNNm0kEwIGxvvk/s1600/del+posto+lobster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4WqYxK7eIFl_QRTKDkPRw7D-9x_wBZT6pq_LBKQRXaau94jiCe1tueRj4gvP6g1sr97h6_fCVKdsgYi4IziIZTU1egQyNpmNiuix8DZn7Veb9sOqvyP7hSAW693PZ7wNNm0kEwIGxvvk/s320/del+posto+lobster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
Next was pasta. Although I've heard the critics rave about my dish, a spinach garganelli with ragu bolognese, it didn't excite me too much. I kept poaching bits of my mom's orecchiette with lamb sausage and morels instead.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRFQkI83eCyB_k9Ls2smfCPtT2ZBASHEKigiFPRvgVsQRtpHYJEbzImoqAu4z1hfGCM7VR6JjVy__4eXJrTvn4dd8_mtXi4w3Cj5LY446aVPfW1KH4MUNmYLJ15QveCSADXQ1gzBN992I/s1600/del+posto+ragu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRFQkI83eCyB_k9Ls2smfCPtT2ZBASHEKigiFPRvgVsQRtpHYJEbzImoqAu4z1hfGCM7VR6JjVy__4eXJrTvn4dd8_mtXi4w3Cj5LY446aVPfW1KH4MUNmYLJ15QveCSADXQ1gzBN992I/s320/del+posto+ragu.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41nTsbrQNd43qOFvkH-hWQnYqXCo35Ecs7HiewSiIMSF4GbEWiX9uEjdHolW4n_r6Mx4Yw9Nln9qivWA8K2bTG_8fny-PX_YvNiBYhmyV8ZW4OWT3sn6M3Lzxvhgrc9Ym4b_4e2qWLdU/s1600/del+posto+orc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41nTsbrQNd43qOFvkH-hWQnYqXCo35Ecs7HiewSiIMSF4GbEWiX9uEjdHolW4n_r6Mx4Yw9Nln9qivWA8K2bTG_8fny-PX_YvNiBYhmyV8ZW4OWT3sn6M3Lzxvhgrc9Ym4b_4e2qWLdU/s320/del+posto+orc.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">My dessert was a miniature layered chocolate cake (they cut out a quarter slice for me so that I could see the inside right away. So cute!) with ricotta cream filling, enrobed in chocolate and pistachios. It even came with a scoop of Batali's famous olive oil gelato, which was a great replacement for the usual vanilla accompaniment.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn_sBAC8_3f7aocvdCmS1vEsFDaZk7bcwm9BfNTdRid0Xc-MKulmzIf0FjkpCRDawsGHc27Nqn7qa22K8hanBYC3kP_ytwa7ExI0KCU0p86q5XXf5y3HyRvHRGcoLUnoYZXkGIgsr64y8/s1600/del+posto+choc+ricotta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn_sBAC8_3f7aocvdCmS1vEsFDaZk7bcwm9BfNTdRid0Xc-MKulmzIf0FjkpCRDawsGHc27Nqn7qa22K8hanBYC3kP_ytwa7ExI0KCU0p86q5XXf5y3HyRvHRGcoLUnoYZXkGIgsr64y8/s320/del+posto+choc+ricotta.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"></span>My mom loved her tartufo, chocolate ice cream covered in cocoa powder, which was almost as rich as the truffles it resembled.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirA5QQJdNqV_iuymVHHoJVn2ThwM2m1Ume-NJHhjVxtgqRZOksMp7e_TA2qaeyMvJLMfd6IZkEINV9QkyCg4k6pfPyfikus186EdcO1LUoMqyKM0UJJJhfiRoksaBBSnjfUHhTWyz3ZmY/s1600/del+posto+tartufo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirA5QQJdNqV_iuymVHHoJVn2ThwM2m1Ume-NJHhjVxtgqRZOksMp7e_TA2qaeyMvJLMfd6IZkEINV9QkyCg4k6pfPyfikus186EdcO1LUoMqyKM0UJJJhfiRoksaBBSnjfUHhTWyz3ZmY/s320/del+posto+tartufo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
More freebies! The miniature ice cream bar replicates Klondike with more of that olive oil gelato (for those who didn't have it with dessert.) Officially known as "bastoncino," this freebie was listed<br />
<a href="http://newyork.timeout.com/restaurants-bars/restaurants/346517/best-sweets">as one of Time Out NY's Top 100 Dishes of 2010</a>. And it's only one bite.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWIUip_bkeVkaA-vQQawjCkFSUd0CYCVgoT_c6_aExMwlY7V-vSI_v6m9Zx-Wj_JfFTyLGMdUKDoiaYg3EaqBPQZ4aKK12bIv2KUXN_zkj027AkXxKHr_K1leKLUzfln3hV8Y7wU6LWKo/s1600/del+posto+ice+cream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWIUip_bkeVkaA-vQQawjCkFSUd0CYCVgoT_c6_aExMwlY7V-vSI_v6m9Zx-Wj_JfFTyLGMdUKDoiaYg3EaqBPQZ4aKK12bIv2KUXN_zkj027AkXxKHr_K1leKLUzfln3hV8Y7wU6LWKo/s320/del+posto+ice+cream.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
There were also mini lemon-filled donuts, in case you weren't smiling yet.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVpv1fxBamah5gUkG4kPep6JJFDgBeYv0GJWKYR1mVuXgiev-uefP9dU6nxBNlZ-zXzH2quuDYHBh6icplX9GPhIVl-a_ZE7b9pQjfz1c8WzJ7CnXSX3uD2UT2MvN6hQkQmPxQ9-Y8ihg/s1600/del+posto+mini+donuts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVpv1fxBamah5gUkG4kPep6JJFDgBeYv0GJWKYR1mVuXgiev-uefP9dU6nxBNlZ-zXzH2quuDYHBh6icplX9GPhIVl-a_ZE7b9pQjfz1c8WzJ7CnXSX3uD2UT2MvN6hQkQmPxQ9-Y8ihg/s320/del+posto+mini+donuts.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I want to go back for lunch and try more of the fantastic menu. Before <span class="il">Del</span> <span class="il">Posto</span> realizes that this is too good to be true.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.delposto.com/">Del Posto</a><br />
85 10th Ave.<br />
212-497-8090</div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603438208973389546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1257388541624667912.post-10688373759649938092011-10-18T11:04:00.000-04:002011-10-18T11:17:11.364-04:00Chocolate Malt Crispy Bars<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9sMqsq4XPJ09tCK7582Bind5Mh-9qfseGxGbnEJiRQ3koVYCw_wTP8ddO0X89ZfOcM-6xeul5OUQsRGCwiRvIJVuBJEjLJQPZe95deD_WuVbNZqoR4gXCdhXS78t3ng14Y6aqXODfbr8/s1600/rice+crispy3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9sMqsq4XPJ09tCK7582Bind5Mh-9qfseGxGbnEJiRQ3koVYCw_wTP8ddO0X89ZfOcM-6xeul5OUQsRGCwiRvIJVuBJEjLJQPZe95deD_WuVbNZqoR4gXCdhXS78t3ng14Y6aqXODfbr8/s400/rice+crispy3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWq93LkNQq5Un9z0zWbrx5PEEWWJp71jy34spN6mDC8ywhnG_0hm0Y3mRmgA2K0WTYovQveIMbUte1OJZZmB7pxM9PKbu01mqtFOqKru2wGrgPCBIjqFaXC117bBohG3s9lnKn4VGas4E/s1600/rice+crispy+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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</style> <![endif]--> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I had some rice crispies left over from the <a href="http://www.howsweeteats.com/2010/08/better-than-crack-brownies/"><span style="color: blue;">Better Than Crack Bars</span></a> (or as I like to call them, Better-For-You-Than-Crack Bars) that I made a few weeks ago, so why not make rice crispy treats? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">But why make normal rice crispy treats, when you can make chocolate malt ones?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I’ve never actually made rice crispy treats before, but they are quite fun. You get to melt a whole bag of marshmallows over the stove, and watching them turn into marshmallow goo is strangely satisfying. I wanted to take out graham crackers and make a giant s’more on the spot (but I didn’t…these bars were destined for a housewarming party.) So in went the cereal, and the big white marshmallow blob mysteriously disappeared, binding the rice crispies together.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">These bars are sweet and will satisfy a chocoholic. My favorite part was the malt powder that was mixed into the chocolate topping. Next time, I might try leaving the malt powder out of the rice crispy base, just to see if I like the contrast of plain rice crispy and topping more.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Two tips:</span></div><ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Be sure to really press the malt balls into the chocolate topping before the bars set. More than half of mine ended up falling off. Although a group of extra malt balls on the plate is kind of a nice aesthetic…</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It’s okay to put the bars into the fridge to set up, but you’ll want to return them to room temperature before you cut them up.</span></li>
</ul><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Chocolate Malt Crispy Bars</b></span><br />
<i>from <a href="http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Chocolate-Malt-Crispy-Bars">Taste of Home</a>, first seen on <a href="http://dineanddish.net/2011/01/eat-live-be-week-4-recipe-chocolate-malt-krispie-bars/">Dine and Dish</a></i><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Ingredients: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">4 cups malted milk balls, <i>divided</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">1 package (10 ounces) large marshmallows</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">3 tablespoons butter</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">5 cups crisp rice cereal</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">1 cup malted milk powder, <i>divided</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">2 cups (12 ounces) semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Directions:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Chop 1 cup malted milk balls; set aside. In a Dutch oven, combine marshmallows and butter. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until melted. Remove from the heat; stir in the cereal, 3/4 cup malt powder and chopped candy. Press into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. pan. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Stir in remaining malt powder. Spread over cereal bars. Top with remaining malted milk balls. Let stand until set. Cut into squares.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Yield: 2 dozen.</span></div><br />
<span class="instructions"></span>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603438208973389546noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1257388541624667912.post-55459293360175168012011-10-16T09:09:00.000-04:002011-10-16T09:11:51.051-04:00Good Vegan Fare at V-NoteVegan restaurants do not always garner raves. They aren’t usually dining out destinations—they are places to take your vegan and vegetarian friends. But have you seen <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/v-note-new-york">V-Note’s reviews on Yelp</a>? They are overwhelmingly positive, from vegans and non-vegans alike. So my roommate and I gave it a shot.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">There is a lot on the menu to choose from, and there are both tofu and fake-meat dishes alongside delicious vegetable options.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But whether you like V-note will really come down to this question: how do you feel about sauce? </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizM81GbYDZuBjCa1nPfKz3_LCtuPXGykQDVVZrd-qFZcqqoN27IbBvMPWo9XLqFw4pjdQh8kMSXgmmljm_6rIh8q8_hByHshaLx6Z6obsvwEpjveCCb_Al6c3A6e4ghEJ3fAEQjBHOO2k/s1600/vnote+lentil+rings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizM81GbYDZuBjCa1nPfKz3_LCtuPXGykQDVVZrd-qFZcqqoN27IbBvMPWo9XLqFw4pjdQh8kMSXgmmljm_6rIh8q8_hByHshaLx6Z6obsvwEpjveCCb_Al6c3A6e4ghEJ3fAEQjBHOO2k/s320/vnote+lentil+rings.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">To start, I had the lentil rings, which were a mix of lentils and root vegetables in a phyllo crust. I was hoping they would actually be shaped like onion rings, but I realized that was a bit much to ask. The menu said they came with a “pistachio mustard,” which turned out to be a pool of pistachio-based creamy sauce. The rings themselves tasted much more Indian than I expected them, but nonetheless, they were very good. This was probably my favorite of our three food courses.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggrBTPpfrAE72wTUiUUuNl6ACI20ePt63eyRTwapNvyHLZKPRbn95QJYG9W2cEmE2lW0IOmWtlI2zGaqKKWBqudM5qF08Lp9KRGhkUTSbdzUgHWqlv_bKC_0ILuBFll52avtzayE-d-jE/s1600/vnote+sweet+gnocchi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggrBTPpfrAE72wTUiUUuNl6ACI20ePt63eyRTwapNvyHLZKPRbn95QJYG9W2cEmE2lW0IOmWtlI2zGaqKKWBqudM5qF08Lp9KRGhkUTSbdzUgHWqlv_bKC_0ILuBFll52avtzayE-d-jE/s320/vnote+sweet+gnocchi.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">Next I had the roasted pumpkin and sweet potato gnocchi, served with kale in a creamy cashew sauce (note that it’s “creamy,” not cream, because this is a vegan restaurant after all ;) ). This was my least favorite dish. The sauce and kale were delicious, but something about the gnocchi tasted a little sour to me. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht0C1Lpwg6YDlQz_hLGsatmMYNEqWdQ1qTGF9fwetsP8MSP7f_lcBpCGrt1RfJLh2AKor9L3fiztYakNgrq_HR93Pp6ma_Fvn9G_els0sGoFhAxEPsJh_vtZMnqg8bS-j59dWjj_SbfAI/s1600/vnote+mushroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht0C1Lpwg6YDlQz_hLGsatmMYNEqWdQ1qTGF9fwetsP8MSP7f_lcBpCGrt1RfJLh2AKor9L3fiztYakNgrq_HR93Pp6ma_Fvn9G_els0sGoFhAxEPsJh_vtZMnqg8bS-j59dWjj_SbfAI/s320/vnote+mushroom.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"> My roommate had the Mushroom Lentil Ravioli, which also came swimming in a delicious lightly mushroom-flavored sauce (when I poached a ravioli from her, I was afraid her dish might overflow!) The combination of mushrooms and chickpeas in the filling made for an interesting combination.</div><div class="MsoNormal">All of these dishes seemed healthy, and even though the sauces were creamy, the dinner didn’t feel particularly rich.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDx3Td9Q6hiRBAaxZAwSXsTU44OOsDBzlIVotxlKT-tzvRqXDX5h5lAjLh3oKdyJPXxABVRrijJSqLxu6FvdEVFQO6aKy9S2VV-YHSTJ18lQpM9dlbNT1Cbxo30t3M0CyBtYnE8kQvY8Q/s1600/vnote+chocolate+peanut+butter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDx3Td9Q6hiRBAaxZAwSXsTU44OOsDBzlIVotxlKT-tzvRqXDX5h5lAjLh3oKdyJPXxABVRrijJSqLxu6FvdEVFQO6aKy9S2VV-YHSTJ18lQpM9dlbNT1Cbxo30t3M0CyBtYnE8kQvY8Q/s320/vnote+chocolate+peanut+butter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Until…you know…the Chocolate Ganache Cake with Peanut Butter Center. Vegan desserts can be hit or miss, and this one was a HIT. Although the Vegan ice cream didn’t do much for me (here’s one place I could have used real cream), the cake itself was divine: crumb crust, two layers of chocolate cake, a creamy peanut butter filling, all topped off with a silky layer of ganache.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">My roommate and I were thinking the exact same thing: thank God peanut butter is vegan.<br />
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<a href="http://www.v-notenyc.com/">V-Note</a><br />
<span class="street-address">1522 1st Ave</span><br />
(between E 79th St. & E. 80th St) <br />
<span class="locality">New York</span>, <span class="region">NY</span> <span class="postal-code">10075</span> </div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603438208973389546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1257388541624667912.post-87356564230148409102011-10-09T11:40:00.000-04:002011-10-12T22:27:45.208-04:00Fantasy Food -- The Inn at Little Washington<div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>There are only a few things you can do that will qualify you for a meal at the Inn at Little Washington. One is to turn 50. Another is to graduate from high school. And yet another is to get a new job in the 2011 economy. And because my mom recently accomplished the last one, a few weeks ago we went back to the Inn at Little Washington for a celebratory dinner (congratulations Mom!)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The Inn is located in “Little Washington,” also known as “Washington, Virginia,” and it is about a 2 hour drive from Washington DC. Or, as I like to think of it, it is ½ hour outside the range of my favorite radio station. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
Driving 4 hours in one evening is a big commitment, but the Inn at Little Washington is worth it. In fact, this is the one restaurant I would tell someone to fly across the country for if necessary. Besides, something happens as you drive out into the countryside. You begin to feel relaxed, distanced from hectic city life, and your anticipation of the meal begins to build. Then, from the moment you pull up into the Inn’s cobblestone driveway, you are reassured that every possible want or need will be taken care of.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The décor inside is very plush. It is opulent and rustic at the same time. We’re talking overstuffed chairs, old-fashioned fringed hanging tulip lamps, and patterns covering everything from floor to ceiling. In comparison to DC’s new crop of swanky and modern restaurants, the Inn at Little Washington is of another time and place. Yet its old-school vibe is not stifling, but refreshing.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Reading the menu will send shivers of greedy anticipation up your spine—foie gras, lobster, truffles, you can have it all—and I did! The first of my four courses was a “marriage of hot and cold foie gras with sauternes jelly and local pickled peaches.” Usually I prefer hot foie gras to cold terrines, but here the terrine was the star. Rich and creamy with balanced “liver” flavor, its pickled peaches and sauternes jelly added both sweetness and bite.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpiyK5XOhiZgebzZoNibQdAjEx_WDjbyu0iSKVPBei2Yv27rOnX5JJkjdDXhq73Xt0GqBilPCTc4zp3baduZ8JBJjaitVw78np5YwhhcCYrn7P2XSeCWBrYl1rTQeRat4RMhsUtDg2UJQ/s1600/inn+foie+one.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpiyK5XOhiZgebzZoNibQdAjEx_WDjbyu0iSKVPBei2Yv27rOnX5JJkjdDXhq73Xt0GqBilPCTc4zp3baduZ8JBJjaitVw78np5YwhhcCYrn7P2XSeCWBrYl1rTQeRat4RMhsUtDg2UJQ/s320/inn+foie+one.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hot Foie Gras</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUPbOzZN5X-SuDC9ROwN_Jo1QWega5ekqBW-WiRRxcjL7yzV4GM2-2iWFEK7DhTSxeXnRNQrT2tLY4URq7Co1jsCSpa7DDCUm-LhfQZHvBHbb-RQqqBVj9P1zpAJ2EbaqeK9nDNlN5vBQ/s1600/inn+foie+gras.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUPbOzZN5X-SuDC9ROwN_Jo1QWega5ekqBW-WiRRxcjL7yzV4GM2-2iWFEK7DhTSxeXnRNQrT2tLY4URq7Co1jsCSpa7DDCUm-LhfQZHvBHbb-RQqqBVj9P1zpAJ2EbaqeK9nDNlN5vBQ/s1600/inn+foie+gras.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUPbOzZN5X-SuDC9ROwN_Jo1QWega5ekqBW-WiRRxcjL7yzV4GM2-2iWFEK7DhTSxeXnRNQrT2tLY4URq7Co1jsCSpa7DDCUm-LhfQZHvBHbb-RQqqBVj9P1zpAJ2EbaqeK9nDNlN5vBQ/s320/inn+foie+gras.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cold Foie Gras</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">My favorite dish of the evening, however, was the mac and cheese. When I took a bite of this pasta, I didn’t taste the comfort food of my childhood, I tasted <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">truffles.</i> The pasta was covered in them. I’ve never had so many truffles in my life. And even though you might not expect it, the humble macaroni <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">deserved </i>those truffles. The combination of creamy cheese (not too sharp) and earthy mushroom was heavenly. Beneath the line of pasta was crispy country ham, and the whole thing was encased in a parmesan crisp. But honestly, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">truffles and cheese</i>— I needed nothing else.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrF5JURoMvBT0tCEdm_EmJPExLMcbHVwsl5aYwbAhPPAWp1soCNQM7R9ikygbTri2e_BDLJZRXrxrnklTnkCf58lLlRscqNjTPZewrY6mR_9rRRx9vLLQvFtP-kPd3TwO2J2l8HYNpP7A/s1600/inn+mac.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrF5JURoMvBT0tCEdm_EmJPExLMcbHVwsl5aYwbAhPPAWp1soCNQM7R9ikygbTri2e_BDLJZRXrxrnklTnkCf58lLlRscqNjTPZewrY6mR_9rRRx9vLLQvFtP-kPd3TwO2J2l8HYNpP7A/s400/inn+mac.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Truffled Mac and Cheese</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But there was still the lobster! Pan roasted (read: buttery) with a creamy flan and greens, the generous portion was sitting in a pool of creamy “tomato butter” that I could have licked off the plate. It was served with an adorable miniature cassoulet.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7QIflsyvbyg-hml4gd2MCPWmsMNjVdU7k62Mrz9qE2Tex9nQ3BRhlyX7iPFmnuX8MWPZA-6bgY6ecsJEY1-yjV2PG6VRsp-FoHz6pfYXSc_ejYSvpwt6z29C7LtlNtA7dxQm2lUI3E2A/s1600/inn+lobster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7QIflsyvbyg-hml4gd2MCPWmsMNjVdU7k62Mrz9qE2Tex9nQ3BRhlyX7iPFmnuX8MWPZA-6bgY6ecsJEY1-yjV2PG6VRsp-FoHz6pfYXSc_ejYSvpwt6z29C7LtlNtA7dxQm2lUI3E2A/s400/inn+lobster.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lobster with Tomato Butter</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMrGoZWZ_sZ9wml2n-4rDDZRO2PKrCyF0IKxKx8ofHw8-nh2doMHGTyWsd5XefsdVlkORJG5ZNyzalS8zBwsZHk4LFNNDLoB_1aEiLDFkCuxoBd0gZEvtDV2UrxTBJcM769u2RRZj7_xU/s1600/inn+cassoulet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMrGoZWZ_sZ9wml2n-4rDDZRO2PKrCyF0IKxKx8ofHw8-nh2doMHGTyWsd5XefsdVlkORJG5ZNyzalS8zBwsZHk4LFNNDLoB_1aEiLDFkCuxoBd0gZEvtDV2UrxTBJcM769u2RRZj7_xU/s200/inn+cassoulet.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Miniature cassoulet</td></tr>
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I also have to post about my mom’s entrée, the “tuna pretending to be filet mignon.” At this point you may think I’m venturing into hyperbole, but this really is one of the best dishes I’ve ever had. Patrick O’Connell, the chef of the Inn, pays through the nose for the top quality tuna, which he pairs with foie gras. Take a bite of the two together, dipped in the burgundy butter sauce, and you will realize that he has surpassed the filet mignon he was imitating.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_piDweB_A0GhYsq4LWfaj8MztbAm5jFDsdv1C5_DuVkek7sU5mkEhQl1pWdxBBPBBRgJCL4xocAt35mjjnXdwuXhYDscPN_cSYANF_wqDJFKg5knkkYzv-W-lFGwqWS5D9bSWq_CM7po/s1600/inn+tuna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_piDweB_A0GhYsq4LWfaj8MztbAm5jFDsdv1C5_DuVkek7sU5mkEhQl1pWdxBBPBBRgJCL4xocAt35mjjnXdwuXhYDscPN_cSYANF_wqDJFKg5knkkYzv-W-lFGwqWS5D9bSWq_CM7po/s400/inn+tuna.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tuna Pretending to be Filet Mignon</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">My mom and aunt both ordered the same dessert we had the last time we were here. It is listed as a Southern butter pecan ice cream sandwich, but really, it is butter pecan ice cream stacked in between wafers of hardened caramel. When it arrives at the table, the waiters pour hot caramel sauce all over it. My mom and aunt’s only complaint was that they remembered having their own pitchers of caramel and chocolate sauce last time. However, I’m sure all they had to do was ask, and their own pitchers would have appeared.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghcWaH0hiA4lKpbDFdceql6fbLNCGoIIcT5ZLLmhbAf9U_JrgMd788XTZotTVFUeXG8Q-aVhOFpaLCYhHSQH-CR9Psp9ja7w-IzoQBFLHAumlFRan2HOUemLGAIyVQ0txRPB7teMwcWXw/s1600/inn+ice+cream+sandwich.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghcWaH0hiA4lKpbDFdceql6fbLNCGoIIcT5ZLLmhbAf9U_JrgMd788XTZotTVFUeXG8Q-aVhOFpaLCYhHSQH-CR9Psp9ja7w-IzoQBFLHAumlFRan2HOUemLGAIyVQ0txRPB7teMwcWXw/s400/inn+ice+cream+sandwich.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Southern Butter Pecan Ice Cream Sandwich</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrbhjTvh0L3G3yjTJlPM_geE4-TM1ZOY37yEo67vMrw8-hyzkq9sVvdBlf7dpnBQTEQ0_fXPZy9v_BwFVr6TmJsRrsR-ecnRvD4vzWouLiDbxtrGdx6sTZze6O3dCfF_hQykoOzL9YJKY/s1600/inn+seven+deadly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrbhjTvh0L3G3yjTJlPM_geE4-TM1ZOY37yEo67vMrw8-hyzkq9sVvdBlf7dpnBQTEQ0_fXPZy9v_BwFVr6TmJsRrsR-ecnRvD4vzWouLiDbxtrGdx6sTZze6O3dCfF_hQykoOzL9YJKY/s320/inn+seven+deadly.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seven Deadly Sins</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I had the “7 Deadly Sins,” a sampling of 7 desserts, which included a miniature ice cream sandwich. I also asked for a small sampling of their checkerboard ice cream terrine—a mix of pistachio and vanilla ice creams coated in chocolate and chopped pistachios—to replace one of the selections I knew I wouldn’t like. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Overall, the terrine and the mini ice cream sandwich were by far my favorites, so next time I would order a full size version of one of those.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvGPj2JZ-kMXaPyGCZZF0AGXKjeJVpX2UhWvAYRsby0NBrvV4_FxCyggoaTwEM79bYabL8zEA3hElXZ_PVbs1oFMYUo1TfsVzX0XFyXa39DjncgA99di9kaLnfI2oZqAUIHT6UDit567k/s1600/inn+pistachio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvGPj2JZ-kMXaPyGCZZF0AGXKjeJVpX2UhWvAYRsby0NBrvV4_FxCyggoaTwEM79bYabL8zEA3hElXZ_PVbs1oFMYUo1TfsVzX0XFyXa39DjncgA99di9kaLnfI2oZqAUIHT6UDit567k/s320/inn+pistachio.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Checkerboard Terrine of Ice Cream</td></tr>
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">At the end of the meal, the Inn sends you home with a few candies and cookies, which come in a box that is an exact replica at the Inn.</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVjU3ngFlaOoqFmZ69RTlXOsW-9aInDqTXxKFmJnvortiw1cQFtwLeoUJfJUpsXYDOo_4mNH53PQJOM4BAf0bGW-BX6c6PyUR6Z1Jngw5NUrEf-ZRdD1ZtjILEVRiysSpP_Yl8Ktifoqg/s1600/inn+box.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVjU3ngFlaOoqFmZ69RTlXOsW-9aInDqTXxKFmJnvortiw1cQFtwLeoUJfJUpsXYDOo_4mNH53PQJOM4BAf0bGW-BX6c6PyUR6Z1Jngw5NUrEf-ZRdD1ZtjILEVRiysSpP_Yl8Ktifoqg/s320/inn+box.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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We also went home with something else: oatmeal and chocolate chip cookies. We remembered buying them at the gift store the last time, but this time the store had closed by the time we arrived. The restaurant offered to bake us some, so we left the restaurant with our own fresh, personal batch. It doesn’t get better than that. And the cookies are, not surprisingly, amazing. What I would give for those recipes…</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Next time. As we began the 2 hour drive back to DC, contented beyond belief, the three of us began to dream about the day we might return to this magical place. One of us had better get started on that Nobel Prize.</div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603438208973389546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1257388541624667912.post-22256130489900691162011-09-23T09:03:00.000-04:002011-09-23T09:03:10.239-04:00Chocolate Walnut Tart<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW3yaI4KIxenzJvbZRNjY0IF5_E_0eDj-3Y4cZwMFzj94LqVmX6-5fJeJxOAN_CNFRkCDLyMt6RaaVA-iHrFrnr7a6DSuWPuh2ly_2KKF3BzCCTNvbkz_vITFIUUVrYupzbUflI6mhmUQ/s1600/chocolate+walnut+tart+whole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW3yaI4KIxenzJvbZRNjY0IF5_E_0eDj-3Y4cZwMFzj94LqVmX6-5fJeJxOAN_CNFRkCDLyMt6RaaVA-iHrFrnr7a6DSuWPuh2ly_2KKF3BzCCTNvbkz_vITFIUUVrYupzbUflI6mhmUQ/s400/chocolate+walnut+tart+whole.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</style> <![endif]--> </div><div class="MsoNormal">Last week, I needed something to bring to my friend’s birthday party.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t want to bring cake, because they probably already had one of those.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t want to bring cupcakes, because those are really just more cake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I didn’t want to bring brownies, because someone else might bring those too.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">How about a tart?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those are kind of fancy, special, and birthday appropriate.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This Chocolate Walnut tart also happens to be incredibly easy to make.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The recipe is from <i>Cooking Light </i>magazine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the past, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cooking Light </i>baking recipes haven’t been my favorite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re pretty good, but if you really want to wow your friends, you’ll get more points for taste than calorie-shaving abilities.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This tart might have changed my mind about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cooking Light</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The filling is fudgy yet refined, like a brownie, and it’s got the perfect amount of richness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, in response to comments online, I added an extra two ounces of chocolate and ¼ tsp of espresso powder to increase the chocolate flavor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For all I know that means the recipe isn’t “light” anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But hey—if you can make it that much better by adding just a little more chocolate, go for it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next time I might even add chocolate chips.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Note:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I read there was corn syrup in the filling, I started envisioning something more like a pecan pie, but the end result is much more like a brownie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The corn syrup is for sweetness, not texture.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuwUMJlvEz8YAdlsUvO0hQjhl3aJmX3muSQDDr-8PlESoCSZtx1SaSsJ-zS3Hl_1HpPfBavX78J0S-6BPQ4V45Cm_NkLTZuKNC6k99fFQLSGEPlzIjcmWO5ggQMX6qwrLfK7H7wDcZeck/s1600/chocolate+walnut+tart+slice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuwUMJlvEz8YAdlsUvO0hQjhl3aJmX3muSQDDr-8PlESoCSZtx1SaSsJ-zS3Hl_1HpPfBavX78J0S-6BPQ4V45Cm_NkLTZuKNC6k99fFQLSGEPlzIjcmWO5ggQMX6qwrLfK7H7wDcZeck/s640/chocolate+walnut+tart+slice.jpg" width="640" /></a><b>Chocolate Walnut Tart </b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Adapted from <a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chocolate-walnut-tart-50400000107542/">Cooking Light</a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>Ingredients:</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1/3 cup packed brown sugar</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2 tablespoons all-purpose flour</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1/4 teaspoon salt</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1/2 cup light-colored corn syrup</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2 tablespoons butter (at room temperature)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">¼ tsp espresso powder</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1 cup walnut halves</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3 large eggs, lightly beaten</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cooking spray</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 3;"><br />
</div><b>Preparation</b>: <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1. Arrange 1 rack in lower third of oven. Preheat oven to 350°.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2. Combine brown sugar, flour, and salt in a medium heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in corn syrup, and bring mixture to a boil. Cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Add butter, chocolate and espresso powder; stir with a whisk until smooth. Cool to room temperature; stir in walnuts, vanilla, and eggs.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3. Fit pie dough into a 9-inch round removable-bottom tart pan coated with cooking spray, pressing dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4. Spoon walnut mixture into prepared crust. Bake on bottom oven rack at 350° for 33 minutes or until set. Cool for 20 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove sides of tart pan; slide tart onto a serving platter. Cut into wedges.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 4;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Nutritional Information</span></div><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Calories: 292 (for 1/12 original recipe)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Fat: 18.3g </span><br />
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</div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603438208973389546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1257388541624667912.post-55944664267634483272011-09-12T09:31:00.000-04:002011-09-12T09:31:28.616-04:00Deep Fried Cookie Dough with Fleur de Sel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In honor of the Top Chef Just Desserts Season 2 premiere two weeks ago, I knew I had to do something big to commemorate the occasion. This is, after all, the show that brought us the <a href="http://doughgrrl.blogspot.com/2011/06/deep-fried-whoopie-pie-at-flex-mussels.html">deep fried whoopie pie</a>.</div>
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I wanted to fry something, but it seems these days people are willing to deep fry anything. As I learned at the Durham Fair, even some things you think might be good fried—like a s’more—aren’t actually as good as the regular version. The Food Network Magazine recently ran an article explaining which foods taste better fried, and which you should leave in their more natural state (hint: avocado is not a good idea.) And really, if the Food Network Magazine is telling you NOT to cook something, you know the trend has gotten out of hand.</div>
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But then there’s cookie dough—think about it for a second. Warm, melted cookie dough, chocolate chips, crispy exterior. It makes total sense. It more than makes sense—it beckons.</div>
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When I’m at home, my aunt usually discourages me from deep frying things on account of the mess and the hot oil that could burn someone. Fortunately, I invited some friends over, so that we could make more of a mess and there would be more people to burn.</div>
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Here are a few things we learned:</div>
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-<b>Make the cookie dough taste good. </b>You are not baking these cookies, so ratios don’t matter. Just make the cookie dough taste as good as you can: add more vanilla, more sugar, more chocolate, more salt, whatever you want. Keep tasting and keep adjusting.</div>
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<b>-Smaller batches produce better results.</b><b> </b> In the beginning, we tried to cook multiple pieces at once. The outsides stuck to the bottom of the pan and started to burn extremely quickly, but when we took them out, the cookie dough wasn’t completely melted (although it was still delicious) Towards the end, I began frying the cookie dough one piece at a time in a small pan. It was much easier to control, and each dough ball came out completely melted in the center without a burnt exterior.</div>
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-<b>Add the sea salt</b>. Don’t forget it in the rush to shove deep fried dough goodness in your mouth. The fleur de sel really makes this dish, so don’t forget it.</div>
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What are you waiting for? There’s another episode of Top Chef this Wednesday that you can celebrate. Check out the recipe <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-thornton/deep-fried-cookie-dough-with-fleur-de-sel-recipe2/index.html">here</a> (there’s even a video online) and make these fried bits of glory for yourself!</div>
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Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603438208973389546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1257388541624667912.post-68783713928747768702011-08-19T09:42:00.000-04:002011-08-19T09:42:13.208-04:00Urban Oyster Food Cart TourI promised myself that after I finished my summer fellowship and had some free time during the week, I would take<a href="http://www.urbanoyster.com/"> Urban Oyster’s Food Cart Walking Tour</a>. And I keep my promises, especially to myself.<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">The Midtown tours take place on Fridays from 2-4pm, when the food carts are out but the lunch rush is over (note: our tour ran a little late, so don’t make any plans for immediately after.) The tickets are $40 and you get 6 food cart tastings, 5 savory and 1 sweet (yes, they found a sweet food cart to hit up!)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This tour was ideal for me because I usually shy away from street food. I’ve been told it is unsanitary, or low quality, or just plain bad. But I knew there was a world of culinary talent on the streets that was just waiting to be explored—I could literally smell it when I walk down the street.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I don’t want to give away the stops on this tour, but I will say that Urban Oyster picked an excellent variety. We had Pakistani food, falafel, Korean…if you’re a small eater like me, you’ll want to bring some tin foil to bring home leftovers. Don’t be shy.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The cart owners had pedigrees: two have been featured on Throwdown, and one has been in operation for 20 years. My tour guide was a knowledgeable foodie, and I learned a lot about the history of street food in New York and how the carts operate today. Interestingly, the tour doesn’t feature any food trucks, partly because it is difficult for trucks to park in Midtown. I also suspect it’s because their schedules are less reliable and they are difficult to coordinate with for a tour.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXzmD6nsuDeDvcCW2r48sa60Z918bjQRBpIG9nPttVL_meExK4-J-AEOSwvwXZIc0btz61MVstpS14s1tkCst6O68PP5XI_DOiduiYEGDf55vVKYAJEVv7HNrmgPy832cGmttxHlfMsgA/s1600/IMG_0114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXzmD6nsuDeDvcCW2r48sa60Z918bjQRBpIG9nPttVL_meExK4-J-AEOSwvwXZIc0btz61MVstpS14s1tkCst6O68PP5XI_DOiduiYEGDf55vVKYAJEVv7HNrmgPy832cGmttxHlfMsgA/s400/IMG_0114.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>My favorite dish of the tour: chicken with rice, yogurt, and tamarind sauce at Trini Paki Boys in Midtown.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Many of the other tour participants had been on Urban Oyster tours before. I want to check out the Tribeca food cart tour next—although now I’ll have to wait for a free Wednesday afternoon. </div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603438208973389546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1257388541624667912.post-69149876688019577622011-08-15T17:38:00.000-04:002011-08-15T18:19:19.903-04:00Cake Balls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMLY8cQdVwAX8fOYmIYxnzxNBpC0NKBcW79lm0BlumZ7KocCBcaSPgeCQy7fsjv_KTL7ovTXEr6dWDxM987_AlpiUh-xyaKBFg2iK08BklIJ5p3jl3alyut3cXc9PiQYlgyJuaydG41Xs/s1600/cake+ball+chocolate+peanut+butter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMLY8cQdVwAX8fOYmIYxnzxNBpC0NKBcW79lm0BlumZ7KocCBcaSPgeCQy7fsjv_KTL7ovTXEr6dWDxM987_AlpiUh-xyaKBFg2iK08BklIJ5p3jl3alyut3cXc9PiQYlgyJuaydG41Xs/s320/cake+ball+chocolate+peanut+butter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Let’s talk about cake balls. Because if you have been around my apartment or office this summer, you know that I have had cake balls on the brain.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I’ve been after a good cake ball for a while. First I tried the tiramisu cake pop at Starbucks, which I thought was pretty good at the time. Then I ordered a box from The Cake Ball Company, but their texture was mushy and the flavor a little bland (although I might order them again because I liked having multiple flavors, and because I’m just that obsessed.) Then I tried them at Momofuku, where they were too dry and crumbly. The salty pretzel was interesting, but the birthday cake was sickening (sorry Christina Tosi—I still think you are amazing!)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Then I made my own, and they were juuuusssst right.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">You may have noticed that this blog has been all about restaurants, even though its name is “The Dough Girl.” So here’s the deal: I bake things. I swear. Really good things too. But this summer I have been living in a sublet, which means that although I have a kitchen, all the shelf space is taken. There is no place to store my own flour, sugar, baking powder, fancy-flavored extracts, bundt pan, pan that makes cakes shaped like a miniature village…</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But cake balls are perfect because all you need is cake mix and appropriate ingredients, a can of frosting, and a bag of candy melts. Buy them, use them, save space. And I guarantee that cake balls are more than the sum of their parts. I am picky about my cake, but these taste like the moistest, most wonderful bites of cake you have ever had. They are miraculous. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6bPE2XCbhpjk4i1FqxUrKTTOqUJT4xU4S8mPl5rwnYLpPtvViMh17FsJB9el-6fSB_VhGaZyaYb_ZqhGGErnardDI8T51_Ru-bdxd7F1IC_wqGLJ1m20pRPMpDV6SZhfq12RMxJxnKN8/s1600/cake+ball+choc+peanut+butter+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6bPE2XCbhpjk4i1FqxUrKTTOqUJT4xU4S8mPl5rwnYLpPtvViMh17FsJB9el-6fSB_VhGaZyaYb_ZqhGGErnardDI8T51_Ru-bdxd7F1IC_wqGLJ1m20pRPMpDV6SZhfq12RMxJxnKN8/s320/cake+ball+choc+peanut+butter+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">Directions:</div><ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2;">Bake the cake according to the box instructions. Cool for at least 40 minutes.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2;">Crumble the cake into a large bowl.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2;">Mash in ¾ of the can of frosting until the mixture is the consistency of play doh.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2;">Roll into balls.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2;">Chill for 6 hours.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2;">Melt candy wafers.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2;">Dip balls in melted candy and let set.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">Store in an airtight container at room temperature.</li>
</ol>**Note: Candy melts can be a little tricky to find. I bought some at a specialty cake store and then ordered the rest on amazon. The normal candy melts work wonderfully, but next time I will try to temper chocolate instead of using the chocolate melts. I think the coating would have a better flavor. <br />
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"></ol><div class="MsoNormal">You can try them in any number of combinations. This summer I made:</div><ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1;">Duncan Hines Swiss Chocolate Cake + Betty Crocker Chocolate Frosting + White Candy Melts</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1;">Duncan Hines Swiss Chocolate Cake + Betty Crocker Chocolate Frosting + Peanut Butter Candy Melts</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1;">Duncan Hines Classic Yellow Cake + Betty Crocker Creamy White Frosting + Milk Chocolate Candy Melts</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Duncan Hines Red Velvet Cake + Betty Crocker Cream Cheese Frosting + White Chocolate Candy Melts </li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal">My personal favorite was #1, but everyone had their own preference. The combinations are nearly endless, which is just another reason why these treats are so addicting.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603438208973389546noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1257388541624667912.post-85334874786956808482011-08-11T17:11:00.000-04:002011-08-22T09:39:13.080-04:00ABC KitchenABC Kitchen was at the top of my “must try” list last summer. It was Jean Georges, it was American, it was seasonal, and it had this chocolate marshmallow cake that haunted my dreams…apparently, it was haunting the dreams of everyone in Manhattan, because I could not get a darn reservation.<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">Well, I finally made it this summer. To start, I had the crab toast, which has quite the following on yelp. The crab salad is fresh, and not a mayo-ey concoction—the mayo is placed sparingly in dollops on top, and a squirt of lemon takes care of the rest of the meat. It was a refreshing and light dish.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgazq7vtQFPzSrSOSnB9jlA_dvGL-7ySCmE6Z1uT8Pl8a6c0Um_petgXftXAbq9XCPyn9qQMzmBFLw5Ax2agMoFzT2dE9f0YZSL_KGykcL8ZXUMwxWU2e6Ky1YgM_2sfCm9yRcvUsmkAq0/s1600/abc+crab+toast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgazq7vtQFPzSrSOSnB9jlA_dvGL-7ySCmE6Z1uT8Pl8a6c0Um_petgXftXAbq9XCPyn9qQMzmBFLw5Ax2agMoFzT2dE9f0YZSL_KGykcL8ZXUMwxWU2e6Ky1YgM_2sfCm9yRcvUsmkAq0/s400/abc+crab+toast.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal">What most impressed me at ABC Kitchen was actually the squash. Not because the squash is so amazing that you have to rush to ABC to try it, but because I have spent the last 4 years eating bad watery dining hall squash. It’s actually a miracle that I even ordered the squash. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But wow—squash can be good! It was cooked with spices and parmesan (more please! ) and lemon. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
(Update: As I was writing this post, I discovered that ABC Kitchen won “Best Squash” in NY Magazine for a different incarnation than the one I tried. Best squash…I think ABC just invented the category.)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ct-nbMkPO-gemqRqORvWDIv9wP41fdvIIn9Ku6mqEE_t5p_jECBiC1j3ROyrkWKidd8KUkd8WSYM-qqadZwl8cGiYMm7BXh6xf4-NzBqxqzVXsINfL2SUqz1N3V4Hj6yjNjksxG4Rqk/s1600/abc+squash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ct-nbMkPO-gemqRqORvWDIv9wP41fdvIIn9Ku6mqEE_t5p_jECBiC1j3ROyrkWKidd8KUkd8WSYM-qqadZwl8cGiYMm7BXh6xf4-NzBqxqzVXsINfL2SUqz1N3V4Hj6yjNjksxG4Rqk/s400/abc+squash.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The fish entrée—a sea bass—was a bit disappointing. The broth was a little bland and the potatoes swimming in it didn’t add much flavor. (How did the kitchen manage to rock the squash and ignore the delicious potato?)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV96NUa16RZVzKTmK9ZwXptWCZybYhLQrVNffUTo-QPtf242yOwmUqS5zoxEAKuf0OTablmhQJyqMJI2kthM2tZtzL7BgnHGtZJWQXJhlmz6mnnTNRkA4KpjzLTkyBAM5LvpIxIgwJV_Q/s1600/abc+fish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV96NUa16RZVzKTmK9ZwXptWCZybYhLQrVNffUTo-QPtf242yOwmUqS5zoxEAKuf0OTablmhQJyqMJI2kthM2tZtzL7BgnHGtZJWQXJhlmz6mnnTNRkA4KpjzLTkyBAM5LvpIxIgwJV_Q/s400/abc+fish.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">And then there was that cake. We met at last. But it wasn’t…as great as I was hoping. I can’t put my finger on why. Maybe it’s because it looked/sounded so decadent but it tasted much humbler. Maybe it’s because I could hardly taste the ganache in between the layers.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdqEU8VloRUvWKmUFYPJ4wVdr7F5gh0ebwjMI2GjfWK_CwljQy5ZNV6W-DX25-I5SYDdYoVHo55olG1LxQOvBo9qpL8pVhfSP8MLjzLR2ZyVnCl1PlSMkVL8iuVLz622oXUyPlzeNZJM/s1600/abc+cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdqEU8VloRUvWKmUFYPJ4wVdr7F5gh0ebwjMI2GjfWK_CwljQy5ZNV6W-DX25-I5SYDdYoVHo55olG1LxQOvBo9qpL8pVhfSP8MLjzLR2ZyVnCl1PlSMkVL8iuVLz622oXUyPlzeNZJM/s400/abc+cake.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
Or maybe it was because my dinner companion was eating this: the salted caramel sundae. Salty, caramel perfection with peanuts, and popcorn, and chocolate sauce…</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpkuqJqn6lOg9XPHvVGwXNx8MoB_l8tuxGuWJtsZdKew0jcrzRbMtJ9PkbB-RG4oxHrG51L8QKaAKWBwP2ssN7dHfW2vKX7nD4AdbujHD5RNBPI6rR_a5QB_PUd5eqngcmEr3Tjlv_vho/s1600/abc+ice+cream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpkuqJqn6lOg9XPHvVGwXNx8MoB_l8tuxGuWJtsZdKew0jcrzRbMtJ9PkbB-RG4oxHrG51L8QKaAKWBwP2ssN7dHfW2vKX7nD4AdbujHD5RNBPI6rR_a5QB_PUd5eqngcmEr3Tjlv_vho/s400/abc+ice+cream.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal">Sometimes the grass is just greener on the other side of the table. Good thing the bowl was only an arm’s length away.<br />
<br />
ABC Kitchen<br />
35 East 18th Street<br />
New York, NY 10003<br />
<span id="RestaurantProfile_RestaurantProfileInfo_lblPhone">(212) 475-5829</span> <br />
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</div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603438208973389546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1257388541624667912.post-83900980379932275372011-07-18T07:43:00.000-04:002011-08-22T09:36:53.464-04:00Adour at the St. Regis, Washington DCWhen Adour at the St. Regis, a restaurant in the Alain Ducasse empire, debuted in DC two years ago, critics weren’t wowed. A beautiful dining room, good service, and a plate of delicious macarons with the check couldn’t make up for frequently bland and uninspired cooking. But when The Washingtonian changed its tune this past January, ranking Adour #5 on its list of top DC restaurants, I knew it was time to go. Was this chef—known for excellence in the fine dining world—finally delivering on his promise in DC?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14MznVrcoerUuLLtAWwHYdC7ecBBZAdTuDQPMR7YAPJgyLNff9kNKmyKDVi7d6SdnsuRBCFkoHihfuxEKVd_Tvdy4CuM7J8chRvV7DonZoEXNJ8KxkKcQxtpMWt_yVIkEczNWkYR41Yo/s1600/adour+foie+gas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14MznVrcoerUuLLtAWwHYdC7ecBBZAdTuDQPMR7YAPJgyLNff9kNKmyKDVi7d6SdnsuRBCFkoHihfuxEKVd_Tvdy4CuM7J8chRvV7DonZoEXNJ8KxkKcQxtpMWt_yVIkEczNWkYR41Yo/s400/adour+foie+gas.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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We began with the foie gras, which the waiter described as an interesting take on the classic “foie and something sweet.” Instead of fruit or jam, the chef was using fresh corn and ground corn (almost like polenta but more refined). It was a good move: the foie gras was savory with a touch of savory-sweetness on the side so that it wasn’t cloying. My mom and I split a portion, and we each had plenty of foie.<br />
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As a note, I split the appetizer and entrée portions with my mom, so these are all half sizes.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlOWEUfaJldaETDqXT7RL0yiiyPvWKklan2skrDCmWA0aZPcAwPyhRrpDXwY9HrF_o6DmroZJoh_4vhmsrJHuQ6LRs9NeiIShldsUgg604UjKBdAjhZHCPmMxd0Uf110IkzWKw7hp0JLg/s1600/adour+cod.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlOWEUfaJldaETDqXT7RL0yiiyPvWKklan2skrDCmWA0aZPcAwPyhRrpDXwY9HrF_o6DmroZJoh_4vhmsrJHuQ6LRs9NeiIShldsUgg604UjKBdAjhZHCPmMxd0Uf110IkzWKw7hp0JLg/s320/adour+cod.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse at the entrée. All three of us ordered the cod on the waiter’s recommendation. The buttery fish served with vegetables was exactly what we had heard about Adour’s early days—bland and uninspired. Of course, we didn’t have any other entrees to compare it to. However, when I ate this dish I found myself wondering whether fish could ever be as transcendent at meat. Which is not what I should be wondering at a top 5 restaurant.<br />
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Things improved with dessert, but I wasn’t surprised because we all had the hazelnut soufflé, which has been lauded by critics since Adour’s earliest days. Towering and gorgeous with a scoop of orange sorbet on the side, the soufflé was a nice alternative to the usual chocolate or grand marnier versions. Unfortunately, if it weren’t for the soufflé, I don’t know what dessert I would have ordered. The menu was missing a standard “chocolate dessert” to appeal to every diner—a risky move (in my dessert-biased opinion), considering that there still seem to be a few flaws on the food menu.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH6m0uVN9AdaqJmywH12MJvmz05AddLMfiLcq4hZR0c98B2VhmCuBnA9gMITGbf4c9cjEjQ23YQdTE4j5yMPs3u4w-4lqNoXbnLIIPqj5ocSpqWiqEqm6lyTTJgv80os0ZJJMMQTHNmqg/s1600/adour+souffle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH6m0uVN9AdaqJmywH12MJvmz05AddLMfiLcq4hZR0c98B2VhmCuBnA9gMITGbf4c9cjEjQ23YQdTE4j5yMPs3u4w-4lqNoXbnLIIPqj5ocSpqWiqEqm6lyTTJgv80os0ZJJMMQTHNmqg/s400/adour+souffle.jpg" width="300" /> </a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; padding-right: 3px; text-align: left; width: 19em;"> <div style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; padding-right: 3px; width: 19em;">Adour at the St. Regis</div><div style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; padding-right: 3px; width: 19em;">923 16th Street Northwest<br />
Washington D.C., DC 20005<br />
<nobr>(202) 509-8000</nobr></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603438208973389546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1257388541624667912.post-63452591307975960612011-07-11T23:04:00.000-04:002011-08-22T09:34:56.534-04:00Mussel Bar, Bethesda MDI have always had a theory that it is nearly impossible for a restaurant on Bethesda Row to go out of business. Between the sheer foot traffic, the lack of good restaurant competition, and did I mention the most amazing foot traffic (?!?) you would literally have to be serving rat poison to not make money.<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">Apparently Levante’s was serving rat poison. Good riddance. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Especially because in its place, there is now Mussel Bar.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Mussel Bar is the latest venture of Robert Wiedmaier, whose fancy restaurant Marcel’s is so good I want to see shows at the Kennedy Center just so that I have an excuse to eat there. He also owns Brasserie Beck, a more casual brasserie serving Belgian cuisine, which can be a little heavy but is also very good. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Compared to Beck, the interior of Mussel Bar (MB) is unpleasant. Whereas Beck’s vaguely nautical interior reminds you of a chic ocean liner, MB’s dark wood paneling is cold and the acoustics are terrible—don’t go if you want to chat. Fortunately, I was able to get a seat outside, which means I had the benefit of a quiet conversation and premium Bethesda people watching.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Perhaps you are supposed to order mussels at the Mussel Bar, but what I really wanted was a wood-fired tart/Belgian pizza. You can get pizzas at another Wiedmaier restaurant, Brabo Tasting Room in Alexandria, but not at Beck. So I was glad to see it on the menu.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This is a pizza with pork belly, mussel, tomato, and gruyere cheese (see how he managed to get the mussel in there?) It’s a rich, melt-in-your-mouth, surf and turf pizza with a really nice chewy bread crust. It’s kind of perfect.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIKBpfY5H1ltfSO2pOTyljA9t8Vl5yhIwP81ieE6W58j5EfWqocsG1pWeJStTEsSiGl9tFsDTWznBrZV9Y1dkWvgNpyHssenAJ-96d5Ufw-Lxmt0t4F3aH-9XPfizmgfn6rGz_K6zdcA4/s1600/IMG_0077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIKBpfY5H1ltfSO2pOTyljA9t8Vl5yhIwP81ieE6W58j5EfWqocsG1pWeJStTEsSiGl9tFsDTWznBrZV9Y1dkWvgNpyHssenAJ-96d5Ufw-Lxmt0t4F3aH-9XPfizmgfn6rGz_K6zdcA4/s400/IMG_0077.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">There are only 3 options for dessert: Crème Brûlée, Chocolate Bread Pudding, and Gelato/Sorbet. I had an excellent bread pudding at Beck once, so the choice was easy:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEije2mDwYJXYqwjqAIxs9GLzU3SOOF6IIDGBMYP-weirOyf0bG4ET9q4wBE01-lo1u911yoEm6K67Yd-E1hKlJjmS9dvZz8jZNZcojhqfkpKB7rFBNjXqJjEuPEFiePZ1p3jnGAgY2F9I8/s1600/IMG_0079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEije2mDwYJXYqwjqAIxs9GLzU3SOOF6IIDGBMYP-weirOyf0bG4ET9q4wBE01-lo1u911yoEm6K67Yd-E1hKlJjmS9dvZz8jZNZcojhqfkpKB7rFBNjXqJjEuPEFiePZ1p3jnGAgY2F9I8/s400/IMG_0079.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEije2mDwYJXYqwjqAIxs9GLzU3SOOF6IIDGBMYP-weirOyf0bG4ET9q4wBE01-lo1u911yoEm6K67Yd-E1hKlJjmS9dvZz8jZNZcojhqfkpKB7rFBNjXqJjEuPEFiePZ1p3jnGAgY2F9I8/s1600/IMG_0079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="MsoNormal">As you can see, that is a very large hunk of bread pudding. While it was good, I sense from the limited offerings that Mussel Bar just isn’t trying very hard with their desserts. It’s too bad, because the pear tart and chocolate cake at Beck are excellent. But I suppose with Georgetown Cupcake around the corner they don’t really need to try harder. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Honestly, on Bethesda Row, they hardly have to try at all.<br />
<br />
Mussel Bar<br />
7262 Woodmont Avenue<br />
Bethesda, MD 20814<br />
<br />
<div><nobr>(301) 215-7817</nobr></div></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603438208973389546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1257388541624667912.post-38818118264970393552011-07-05T21:35:00.000-04:002011-08-22T09:34:17.115-04:00GraffitAccording to the website of Graffit restaurant, the definition of “graffit” is 1. (noun) A fusion of unconventional art and food/a mixture of textures, flavors, colors, and volumes, and 2. (verb) To eat, enjoy, taste, and discover/socialize around a table of food.<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">According to Merriam Webster, however, “graffit” is not a word. It’s really just graffiti without the “i” because there was already a restaurant called Graffiti in New York. But the real problem with graffit is not this definition—in fact, the restaurant manages to live up to all four of these descriptions. The problem is that Graffit has managed to be all of these things without being 5. (adj) delicious. </div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Which means that graffit may have been the most beautiful, technically impressive, memorable, not so great meal of my life.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Do you see this?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavf4d0Vwe-BY3Mgs4rgHZm6ZxChXWFclWRePrTA-fbFaGlKguLszdBZ8q92URUH3U-9v05h_7gHhKAidVpu45OUM_OtBLaGU99lqPJA0vgVVdlCJCtXRx_tQUKscxaz2O0iX1PouzeUc/s1600/graffit+carrot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavf4d0Vwe-BY3Mgs4rgHZm6ZxChXWFclWRePrTA-fbFaGlKguLszdBZ8q92URUH3U-9v05h_7gHhKAidVpu45OUM_OtBLaGU99lqPJA0vgVVdlCJCtXRx_tQUKscxaz2O0iX1PouzeUc/s320/graffit+carrot.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This is a savory carrot cake, and it’s a concept that has so much potential: a savory cake, inspired by a sweet cake, inspired by a vegetable. Unfortunately, this “cake” was actually just pureed carrots with cheese on top. It might qualify as baby food. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG2adzxiOR6UC5QjEvUZZcmysOksUvvYjYsIH1cgdtYxHSVcyloD2QtKjAEfgu_xdwYK-HBEtM2nd9LVSWG_gJTSe4tcFAMBwLaoPbkzK-Nm7szX3tO2xRdCGPAav9oL2akKoAc_tqxdU/s1600/graffit+egg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG2adzxiOR6UC5QjEvUZZcmysOksUvvYjYsIH1cgdtYxHSVcyloD2QtKjAEfgu_xdwYK-HBEtM2nd9LVSWG_gJTSe4tcFAMBwLaoPbkzK-Nm7szX3tO2xRdCGPAav9oL2akKoAc_tqxdU/s320/graffit+egg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">This dish, entitled “Not Your Average Egg,” was better, but not as good as it should have been given how hard it was to make. The waitress described some insanely laborious process by which the chef removed certain parts of the egg, replaced them with parts of something that wasn’t an egg, and then put it back together in an egg shape. But do you know what it tasted like? An egg. Sort of like how the savory carrot cake just tasted like carrots.</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji_i_anx3UWqiE6wZqamjE0szJ_4jTuwz_kN1vs2WTBaU5SojuOVgEYKN3V2VUxGwNKRaY5yOy4n5484917KmlbXucTPs3zOPuKWLlFhn3bJiHUPC3zV-PhWV2jSgso2zfgqQZM4xa2VI/s1600/graffit+pork+belly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji_i_anx3UWqiE6wZqamjE0szJ_4jTuwz_kN1vs2WTBaU5SojuOVgEYKN3V2VUxGwNKRaY5yOy4n5484917KmlbXucTPs3zOPuKWLlFhn3bJiHUPC3zV-PhWV2jSgso2zfgqQZM4xa2VI/s400/graffit+pork+belly.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Things improved with the entrees. My pork belly was nice; the best parts of the dish were another runny egg, perfect for dipping the meat in, and a “chorizo powder” (the orange concoction on top on the right). The plate even included some regular chorizo so that I could see how similar the powder tasted. However, there was definitely some gratuitous gastronomy involved. I'm not sure what that green block was made of, but it didn't taste like anything.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Surprisingly, the desserts at Graffit were the most successful dishes of the night. The first, “corn and whiskey,” included a whiskey cake, a creamy and surprisingly decadent corn puree, and fried goat cheese—who knew this would work so well?</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzIJJ9OLCLmzv7j4WjbHLkBM3gflasmKpXwmLY62apLBgiEFyouhO6gczYDFha66aSbIOOxqwE3Z2NPcUUtrtvi3cU5T9mOMolzj4aMmstoN8xGX26G0g2x3_9CqrRPn8Eoxe_u2u1H1k/s1600/graffiti+whiskey+corn+cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzIJJ9OLCLmzv7j4WjbHLkBM3gflasmKpXwmLY62apLBgiEFyouhO6gczYDFha66aSbIOOxqwE3Z2NPcUUtrtvi3cU5T9mOMolzj4aMmstoN8xGX26G0g2x3_9CqrRPn8Eoxe_u2u1H1k/s400/graffiti+whiskey+corn+cake.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">As for my dessert, I ordered something called “Caramel.” It included a dulce de leche flan, a chocolate olive oil mousse, caramelized bread (which tasted like a caramel wafer), and a spiced chocolate sauce-mousse. Every component was delicious and unusual, and unlike with the entrees, it brought something to the table.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJghiSZtGnEJiA0kFqegW9Wmhyphenhyphen2PAVF46sM3Q_2NI4v_Z-k7zC4IdUlXNZB02u1jpBwJrQBMjFTzKhaXM4Z9F5PmTqeQRglG8rkloT537fxCkjF5JsKrC3k16V4DtXNopNmMwInEI-ph8/s1600/graffit+caramel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJghiSZtGnEJiA0kFqegW9Wmhyphenhyphen2PAVF46sM3Q_2NI4v_Z-k7zC4IdUlXNZB02u1jpBwJrQBMjFTzKhaXM4Z9F5PmTqeQRglG8rkloT537fxCkjF5JsKrC3k16V4DtXNopNmMwInEI-ph8/s400/graffit+caramel.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>At Graffit, each time a plate goes by your table you will turn your head to gawk at it. Each dish is a miniature work worthy of a museum. Honestly, the restaurant might as well have been one. When I left, my belly was full, but only my eyes had truly feasted.<br />
<br />
Graffit<br />
141 West 69th Street<br />
New York, NY 10023<br />
<br />
<div><nobr>(646) 692-8762</nobr></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603438208973389546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1257388541624667912.post-251637602165527902011-07-02T13:22:00.000-04:002011-08-22T09:32:47.219-04:00The Original DB Burger<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">DB Bistro Moderne once held the record for the world’s most expensive burger. The DB Royale Double Truffle burger, available during black truffle season (December-March), consisted of a burger patty, red wine-braised short ribs, foie gras, a mix of root vegetables, preserved black truffle—and more black truffles on top (hence the “double truffle.”) It was $120-$130. A single truffle version was about $50.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I remember when this burger was all the rage in the media. Food fit for celebrities, it became a celebrity in its own right. I think I saw it on one of those “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” TV shows. Although I’m sure that if you really want this burger something could be worked out, the menu mainstay these days is “The Original DB Burger,” which according to the menu, still involves at least some black truffles. At $32, it’s pricey but no longer astronomical—in the range of my much-loved Central lobster burger ($30), and the Black Label burger at Minetta Tavern ($29, to be tackled in a few weeks, stay tuned.) </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I’ve actually eaten at DB Bistro Moderne before. I wasn’t very hungry, so I just had the tomato tatin, but I remember it being lovely. In fact, this time it was hard to turn down the really delicious fancy offerings here, most of which were around the same price as the burger.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But I had to get the burger. It was time.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-5VKQI8JBLKdFt1cdEBcKZA1vCM8R1M0LeHXpwIDIjmrMB9WtILVQzynOLsi5JVmRtZbGeeX8m15q2Mt6AnGE_dQlgL_4TNMwVGYFEZHIrhWWuR_37eycqEFJEfzJOc2HuCasSsrey04/s1600/db+burger2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-5VKQI8JBLKdFt1cdEBcKZA1vCM8R1M0LeHXpwIDIjmrMB9WtILVQzynOLsi5JVmRtZbGeeX8m15q2Mt6AnGE_dQlgL_4TNMwVGYFEZHIrhWWuR_37eycqEFJEfzJOc2HuCasSsrey04/s400/db+burger2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The restaurant serves the burger split in half, so that you can see (and photograph) the artistry right away. I asked for the pommes soufflés on the side instead of French fries, but they were out. Not that it mattered in the end. Next to that burger, they could have served me a bucket full of carrots and I wouldn’t have noticed.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHjrQ60ykZ89OCItfVdPqXSYpPAbz8JFL5ixslphbQhWW7E0FF3cqzISy4hgmWyoswm5CMmGgUAPiEnTo2m2hglqiiQ2aX5C1SGVgq4tCpWmQzusibaTxPVRINy3egdqv4M067EHqDGe0/s1600/db+burger1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHjrQ60ykZ89OCItfVdPqXSYpPAbz8JFL5ixslphbQhWW7E0FF3cqzISy4hgmWyoswm5CMmGgUAPiEnTo2m2hglqiiQ2aX5C1SGVgq4tCpWmQzusibaTxPVRINy3egdqv4M067EHqDGe0/s320/db+burger1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So how was it? It was <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">meaty</b>. Delicious, juicy burger meat, short ribs, foie gras…it was like an umami explosion. The parmesan bun and perfectly ripe tomato (heirloom? Beefsteak?) were also nice touches.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">If you know me, I always save room for dessert. However, in the middle of this masterpiece, I just said “screw it” and polished off the whole plate. Maybe it’s because we were heading to Shakespeare in the Park afterwards and we didn’t actually have time for dessert. But I would do it again.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As for the most expensive burger in the world? <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_258803260"> </a><a href="http://communities.canada.com/vancouversun/blogs/wordofmouth/archive/2011/01/11/at-5-000-the-most-expensive-burger-in-the-world.aspx">It looks like there’s one that’s $5,000</a>. </div>But since the chef couldn’t even pile on enough truffles and foie gras to make it worth that much, he had to throw in a bottle of really expensive wine.<br />
<br />
db Bistro Moderne<br />
55 West 44th Street<br />
New York, NY 10036<br />
<span id="RestaurantProfile_RestaurantProfileInfo_lblPhone">(212) 391-2400</span> <br />
Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603438208973389546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1257388541624667912.post-86336462324947363802011-06-27T22:19:00.000-04:002011-08-22T09:31:51.716-04:00Cocoa V<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Vegan desserts are...a gamble. Yes, they can be delicious--but sometimes only if the baker knows their way around agave nectar, and xanthan gum, and ingredients so unusual that you can't even buy them at specialty stores without knowing the owner personally. Which means that vegan desserts not baked by the pros are not guaranteed to be good, the way that even a non-vegan mediocre cupcake is still pretty decent. Besides: isn't it hard to entrust a rich, luscious dessert to someone who, won't be using cream, or butter, or eggs?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Such were my thoughts as I approached Cocoa V, Groupon in hand. I had to walk right by Billy's Bakery, which probably would have lured me inside, were my $20 for $10 deal not about to expire. Focus. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yet Cocoa V is actually a really sweet place, with sweets that are actually really good. You can order items to go, or sit down with a plate of cake, chocolates, or fondue. When I went to Cocoa V it was pouring rain outside, and I have to say, it was really nice to be able to sit down with a slice of cake on an actual plate and relax. Anyone else notice that a lot of bakeries these days don't offer seating and they practically push you out the door once you've paid?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrntZm6Z8O9EkYCeiIy4j7ErNLvn548qCpqGWiTxTVGJLLlv8KK3iPTFkO3GX-25d_pRLtbLBp8qjQ3uUmM-ytGpTgTf-TllGCnrpw17Ro1OD2fkdikWBMtpcJu9Lq3HdU2heCJsgi9ds/s1600/cocoa+v+layer+cake.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrntZm6Z8O9EkYCeiIy4j7ErNLvn548qCpqGWiTxTVGJLLlv8KK3iPTFkO3GX-25d_pRLtbLBp8qjQ3uUmM-ytGpTgTf-TllGCnrpw17Ro1OD2fkdikWBMtpcJu9Lq3HdU2heCJsgi9ds/s400/cocoa+v+layer+cake.jpg" width="300" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I opted for the chocolate layer cake, which was just as decadent and chocolatey as any non-vegan variety. Every time I started to think that maybe the icing to cake ratio was too high, I relented, because that icing was really good. It tasted just like buttercream, the kind with a little bit of a bite to it. I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, indeed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Cocoa V also offers chocolates, and while I didn't purchase any of the filled ones, I did buy a homemade butterfinger bar. They really got the peanut butter-toffee flavor down for this gourmet upgrade:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMK-Xo2TDX5D5sOTXKbQ5eyaj5vhBBh5Uaqhyysew2RcP4dP-TMa6-kBqr0TB_eBq4lz5wwTtjs2jPrKNkfURwfzSf6Q09uSp5dgY4Dt_1KfVqvETpyWbPfnxADWXDdfM2Sb8VtTSMMk/s1600/cocoa+v+butterfinger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMK-Xo2TDX5D5sOTXKbQ5eyaj5vhBBh5Uaqhyysew2RcP4dP-TMa6-kBqr0TB_eBq4lz5wwTtjs2jPrKNkfURwfzSf6Q09uSp5dgY4Dt_1KfVqvETpyWbPfnxADWXDdfM2Sb8VtTSMMk/s320/cocoa+v+butterfinger.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My final purchase was a bag of chocolate covered edamame. The edamame was an interesting alternative to one of my favorite "protein" snacks: chocolate covered almonds (humor me...they're a good energy boost). However, the edamame had touches of lime and cayenne, which was a little funky for my taste.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My one gripe with Cocoa V is not the one I expected to have: it's a small place, and the offerings don't change much. They also sell chocolates and cupcakes, but I could cover everything I want to try in 1-2 more visits. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Cocoa V</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">174 9th Avenue<br />
New York, NY 10011<br />
</div><div><nobr>(212) 242-3339</nobr></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603438208973389546noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1257388541624667912.post-51729101787684112232011-06-22T22:21:00.000-04:002011-08-22T09:31:19.025-04:00Spot - And Thoughts On Dessert BarsPichet Ong, the chef at Spot Dessert Bar, has quite the pedigree. He has worked for Jean Georges Vongerichten, appeared in numerous magazines and TV shows, and written a cookbook called "The Sweet Spot." <br />
<br />
I never made it to his last venture, another dessert bar called "P*ng," before it closed. From what I can remember, it offered a tasting menu that walked the line between sweet and savory--I thought it was an intriguing concept, but perhaps in practice it was a bit too daring. P*ng shuttered in 2009, and Spot is all desserts.<br />
<br />
This dessert bar offers a variety of options, depending on what kind (and how much) of a sweet-lover you are. You can order a cupcake or softserve, a plated seasonal dessert, or multiple plated dessert "tapas." You can even order a $50 omakase, which includes 2-4 of just about everything on the menu.<br />
<br />
My companion and I opted for 3 dessert tapas for $21.95, which is the suggested amount for two people. You won't leave hungry: they may be called "tapas," but they are the size of full restaurant desserts.<br />
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First up was the soft cheesecake:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk5HsVaTvjuiflj6Ojv97HGSent9qwnlqgJAJHcrsnHpAYMt6J8Nhq9hhhfUaimuNRNID6pnQt_AYiwbH44YrxsnFYdQUdA2at_jGiT1QhFcZlHFdk8H-ckCJutg8Iw0on_1WvMXYvw4o/s1600/IMG_8711.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk5HsVaTvjuiflj6Ojv97HGSent9qwnlqgJAJHcrsnHpAYMt6J8Nhq9hhhfUaimuNRNID6pnQt_AYiwbH44YrxsnFYdQUdA2at_jGiT1QhFcZlHFdk8H-ckCJutg8Iw0on_1WvMXYvw4o/s400/IMG_8711.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As you can see, it's served in a glass--the real purpose of which, I'm convinced, is to show you just how smoothly the waitress can slide it out. But I'm glad that she did this, because I would hate to fight anyone to get my spoon to the bottom. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The cheesecake itself , as described, is "soft," and Pichet has somewhat reinvented it. The texture is somewhere between cheesecake and mousse. It's softer and creamier than the usual variety but it's firm enough to stand alone. It isn't very tangy, which I like, but some people might miss the usual hint of lemon. It's also one of the best deconstructed desserts I've ever had: get a bit of cheesecake, crumb "crust," and fruit topping on your fork, and you'll never know that what you're eating came out of a glass and not a springform pan.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Next was the Ovaltine Panna Cotta:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPNOMgPv-KAiLdtQ566hb7JOF-W-h2FLELY2z2iSITPx_rAaHxvCf__oUyBEa9KPZAZE5GojQbpBTwCbYWUf1z2QoKY07a1vO_ugYfNGljlj19xy84H9QO8fqL7X0i7USVHYXvid0q-qY/s1600/IMG_8714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPNOMgPv-KAiLdtQ566hb7JOF-W-h2FLELY2z2iSITPx_rAaHxvCf__oUyBEa9KPZAZE5GojQbpBTwCbYWUf1z2QoKY07a1vO_ugYfNGljlj19xy84H9QO8fqL7X0i7USVHYXvid0q-qY/s320/IMG_8714.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was milky, smooth, and not too sweet (thanks--I've still got one dessert to go!) The caramel popcorn added some salt and the little chocolate balls added some crunch. My favorite parts may have been the bananas, which were perfectly bruléed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Finally, the Jackfruit Cake. It sounds like a spice cake, but because of the jackfruit, it tastes distinctly different from any apple or pear cake or standard fruit cake I've had. It comes with jackfruit on the side so that you can hone in on what you're tasting. I liked it, but it might not be for everyone. Fortunately, you can order three desserts at a time here, so you can afford to take some risks.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBBuiseDXcdQxVTHnQ9rbnodMc1gDSh2OfVx1iTMvLK4BKDrhJlzJtPUoG6lWwZIqw3RPnh_zsR5_pTAWtZKPsu7Siw5autkveYWxt3PCKvpaiSKOvx1NxdoRwYXwqoH81fmNQpsLsM9c/s1600/jackfruit+cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBBuiseDXcdQxVTHnQ9rbnodMc1gDSh2OfVx1iTMvLK4BKDrhJlzJtPUoG6lWwZIqw3RPnh_zsR5_pTAWtZKPsu7Siw5autkveYWxt3PCKvpaiSKOvx1NxdoRwYXwqoH81fmNQpsLsM9c/s320/jackfruit+cake.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Overall, I had a great time at Spot, which is why I'm worried. When we walked in at around 1pm on a Sunday, the place was completely empty. Perhaps this is nothing to be concerned about. Maybe it's only in my world that dessert places should be busy every hour of every day. But I have seen the lines at Max Brenner and Magnolia, so I know what kind of crazy popularity is possible.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also know that P*NG closed, not to mention a similar concept called "Room 4 Dessert." I know that a dessert bar I love in DC, Co Co Sala, changed its concept from 3 course dessert menus to a la carte (it's now thriving.) I know that Chikalicious Dessert Bar in New York is still in business, but Chikalicious Dessert Club, the more whimsical bakery across the street, seems to get all the buzz.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I don't know exactly what all this means for Spot, but I do know what it means for me: I'm going to go back for a Chocolate Green Tea Fruit Jam cupcake, and soon.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Spot Dessert Bar </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">13 Saint Marks Place<br />
New York, NY 10003<br />
</div><div><nobr>(212) 677-5670</nobr></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603438208973389546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1257388541624667912.post-24390300034041709672011-06-19T22:21:00.000-04:002011-08-22T09:30:39.103-04:00Red RoosterLast summer, I went to a book signing for Marcus Samuelsson's new cookbook, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/New-American-Table-Marcus-Samuelsson/dp/047028188X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1308534946&sr=8-2">New American Table</a>. Fresh off his win of Top Chef Masters 2, he talked about cooking for President Obama's first state dinner (an opportunity for which he also had to compete), his ethnic and culinary mix (Samuelsson is Ethiopian but he was adopted by a Swedish family), and his choice to open a new restaurant, "Red Rooster," in Harlem.<br />
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After winning acclaim at Aquavit for Scandanavian cuisine (who knew?) Red Rooster would be a mix of American, Scandanavian, and African flavors. It would be a community gathering place. It would be pretty awesome. But just as I was ready to book my reservation for the first available day, I realized that Red Rooster would not be opening for five or six months, long after I had left the city for the summer. So I bought two copies of his book instead. <br />
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Red Rooster opened in December, which means it has had 6 months to tweak and perfect its menu. <br />
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Andrew and I ordered two of the signature dishes. The "fried yard bird" was perfect--juicy, dark meat fried and topped with some unusual spices, a splatter of hot sauce (like a spiced mayo) on the side along with the collard greens. I went for "Helga's Meatballs," eager to see what had won Samuelsson so much praise at Aquavit.<br />
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These meatballs took me instantly back to the cooking of the Scandanavian grandmother I never had. They were both traditional and modern, as the meatballs sat on top of a light gravy and beneath a foam--one of the most surprisingly successful uses of foam I have tried. Something about the earthy meat combined with the moisture of the foam made for a wonderful bite. With a side of mashed potatoes ("mash"), lingonberries, and pickled cucumber, this dish was able to be both comforting and exotic at the same time.<br />
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Red Rooster also serves cornbread, which makes it a restaurant after my own heart. A $4 order gets you two large slices, each with a nice bit of crust, along with some honey butter and a tomato jam that packs real flavor (no bland tomato sauce here.)<br />
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Desserts were another hit. Sweet potato donuts, rolled in cinnamon sugar, had a filling of pureed sweet potato and cinnamon, sweetened to seem like a jam. A dessert called "Black and White Mud" was not very unusual but was very pleasing: vanilla mousse and chocolate mousse on an oreo crust. The best part of the dessert were the extra bits of salt in the crust and on top, turning it into a sweet-salty combo.<br />
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Overall, I think this restaurant is very unique and very polished, and it's one of my favorite meals I've had in the city. In fact, the only item of the night that was a miss was a glass of Sangria. But hey, the restaurant promises American, African, and Scandinavian influences. Asking for Spain was going a little too far.<br />
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Red Rooster<br />
310 Lenox Avenue<br />
New York, NY 10027<br />
<span id="RestaurantProfile_RestaurantProfileInfo_lblPhone">(212) 792-9001</span> <br />
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</a></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603438208973389546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1257388541624667912.post-28297554627439687132011-06-18T18:01:00.000-04:002011-08-22T09:29:20.494-04:00Red Velvet Brownie Sundae at Bar Americain<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX34ltwgtvMjlG3dGmgjosaVDXUDMjBx5b4DqRHGYYDeF3jt_3IrG1O1hSxVmxTuBEq47fMEIYj_j9qYkTWXw-5T9sw5-ktyQaX-1quJbVwfcV0tH6hP1PzceIl7-QDLk4zTxmS6DNLKM/s1600/036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX34ltwgtvMjlG3dGmgjosaVDXUDMjBx5b4DqRHGYYDeF3jt_3IrG1O1hSxVmxTuBEq47fMEIYj_j9qYkTWXw-5T9sw5-ktyQaX-1quJbVwfcV0tH6hP1PzceIl7-QDLk4zTxmS6DNLKM/s320/036.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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I read a lot of menus in my spare time. I know, it's not particularly exciting. I read real literature too, I promise. But every once in a while I read something on a menu and the description is so good that it pops into my head later...except that I can't remember which menu it was on. And then I have to go rooting through my online history, or retracing my steps throughout the city, to see where it was. This was the case with this "Red Velvet Brownie Sundae." Somehow it got into my head, and I had to retrace my steps to figure out where I'd seen it... <br />
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This particular sundae lives at Bar Americain, one of Bobby Flay's restaurants in New York, which I am fortunate enough to work right next to. Today, when it decided to pour down rain around the time I was planning to leave the office, I decided to take refuge at the bar and get a little cozy with the dessert I had been eyeing.<br />
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It's description is pretty spectacular: "Red Velvet Brownie Sundae with Cream Cheese Soft Serve Ice Cream." I wasn't sure how all the components would come together (red velvet + brownie = ?) but I was confident they would.<br />
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It certainly looked red-velvety. But when I tried the red velvet brownie, do you know what I tasted? A blondie. That's right, a plain tasting bar cake with nuts and chocolate chips. The chips were solid (so it wasn't warm). In fact, it was a little hard, maybe even stale. The soft serve was nice but didn't really taste like cream cheese. Of course, as with all sundaes, it's hard to say no to something brownie-like with ice cream, chocolate sauce, and nuts. But honestly, when the chocolate sauce ran out, so did the fun.<br />
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What's the deal Bobby? I've had your Bourbon Praline Profiteroles before and those are great. I've had your smoked salmon sweet potato hash and your french onion soup and they are delicious. I have seen you take on some of the best chefs in America week after week and WIN.<br />
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Step it up, man.<br />
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Bar Americain<br />
<div style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; padding-right: 3px; width: 19em;">152 West 52nd Street<br />
New York, NY 10019-6004<br />
<nobr>(212) 265-9700</nobr></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603438208973389546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1257388541624667912.post-91808578582273981782011-06-18T01:10:00.000-04:002011-08-22T09:28:10.902-04:00Deep Fried Whoopie Pie at Flex MusselsI'm still not really sure that I want to write a blog. They're time consuming, and you're supposed to have a point of view, or at least a really nice camera, etc. So as I was contemplating whether or not to even start (because stopping = failure, so this must be considered), I came upon my inspiration. My muse.<br />
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The deep fried whoopie pie.<br />
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And I suddenly felt confident that even if this is the only post I ever write, and it sits alone in this blog in cyberspace for all eternity, that I will still have done the right thing. Because this baby deserves homage. <br />
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I was a huge fan of pastry chef Zac Young on Top Chef Just Desserts, where he premiered this concept. I was an even bigger fan of him at the 2010 Chocolate Show, where he served me chocolate mousse in a glass and topped it with gold edible glitter. It tasted good, and it was sparkly, and I was sold.<br />
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Last week my friend Jordan and I ventured to Flex Mussels, the restaurant where Zac Young is permanently stationed. We started with mussels (what else?). Most of the menu is comprised of different varieties, and the only non-seafood option is chicken (which is actually listed under "not seafood.") I ordered mussels topped with walnut pesto and shrimp, which was comforting (the whole restaurant smells like butter), but honestly I wasn't taking it too seriously. I didn't even bother to order the frites.<br />
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We each ordered our own whoopie pie, which was the most unusual-sounding option on the menu. Even so, its written description does not do it justice. Yes, it's "fried." But not it's not fried so that it tastes like it's wrapped in dough; it's fried so that it has at delicate crust, providing a crunchy texture to counteract the warm devil's food cake inside. That "cream cheese filling"? It melts, and it's incredibly tasty on its own (is there white chocolate in there?) The whoopie pie itself is gigantic, and it's sitting on top of a pool of thin caramel sauce.<br />
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But wait, there's more! When the plate arrives you may think that someone has attached an extra dessert to your plate. That "caramelized white chocolate cream" is actually a rich caramel mousse, which supports a scoop of coffee ice cream that complements the pie quite well. We laughed at how our crispy chocolate bars--probably painstakingly handcrafted at the restaurant--were cast aside and left untouched in the wreckage of our plates.<br />
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Since I ate the deep fried whoopie pie, I have been roaming the aisles of grocery stores and asking "Can I fry that?" Deep fried ice cream sandwich bars, deep fried milanos, deep fried cornbread...<br />
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It's a muse, what can I say.<br />
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Flex Mussels <br />
154 West 13th Street, New York - <br />
<div class="g w0"><nobr>(212) 229-0222</nobr></div><div class="g w0"><nobr> </nobr></div><div class="g w0">174 East 82nd Street, New York - <div class="g w0"><nobr>(212) 717-7772</nobr></div><nobr> </nobr></div>Laurenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603438208973389546noreply@blogger.com0