Some people love olives, popping them whole, one after the other. They’re too strong for me to eat alone, but I do like the way they flavor sauces. Puttanesca is the perfect example. I had my heart set on making it when I realized I didn’t have any anchovies, so it turned into a Turkey [...]
Archive for January, 2009
L’artusi
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
L’artusi L’artusi, sister restaurant to the teeny Dell’anima, is the expanded version. The space is bigger (2 floors), the open kitchen/counter is longer, the menu, though similar, has more items. The first floor is still packed and noisy, but the second floor is more conversation friendly. Our party of 6 was lucky enough to get [...]
Scarlet Empress
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
For Angie’s birthday, I wanted to make something special, something a little more complex and work intensive. Note to self: I am out of practice with the fancy cakes.
Winter Restaurant Week 2009
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Restaurant Week is starting this Sunday, January 18th, so I’ve been getting emails asking where I am going, etc.
I gotta break it to you, I’m not a fan of restaurant week, at least any more. Years ago, I thought it was a pretty good deal and a good way to sample a bit from top/expensive [...]
Poule Au Pot
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
We love watching Cook’s Illustrated’s show America’s Test Kitchen. Their tips are almost always dead-on accurate and their recipes are simple and work. That’s why when I reproduced their recent recipe for French Chicken in a Pot, I was disappointed that it resulted in an over-cooked chicken. Following their cooking time by [...]
Yams vs. Sweet Potatoes
Monday, January 12, 2009
What’s the difference between yams and sweet potatoes?
This has always been so confusing, partially because I trust the signs at supermarkets. Lesson 1, don’t do that. When you see a sign for “yam” in an American supermarket, it’s likely wrong. Often, what we call “yams” in the US, is an orange colored variety of sweet [...]
Beef and Spinach Lasagna
Monday, January 12, 2009
Lasagna is the ultimate comfort food and it’s probably one of the first things I learned to make. My mom (a fabulous Chinese cook) and I just followed the instructions on the side of a box of dry lasagna sheets, using jarred sauce. These days, I always make my own sauce, and after several variations, [...]
Omonia Cafe
Sunday, January 11, 2009
After dinner at Zenon Taverna, we were physically full, but not mentally full. Dessert could be the perfect remedy. Sarah, who used to live in Astoria, nominated Omonia Cafe Omonia Cafe, the perfect location since it was right by the train station.
There’s a bakery case on one side displaying all the beautiful desserts, where they [...]
Squid with Pickled Mustard Greens
Saturday, January 10, 2009
You might remember the big jar of Pickled Mustard Greens I made. One of the best reasons to make it, is this dish, Squid with Pickled Mustard Greens. It’s a traditional dish I grew up with and have always loved. You’ll find it on menus as a lunch special over rice, but it might be [...]
Blueberry Almond Caramel Popcorn
Saturday, January 10, 2009
A while back we sampled some delicious Blueberry Popcorn from Trader Joes. However, they don’t seem to sell it any more. The result: I made our own. For this recipe, I started with corn kernels, but you could just as easily substitute any other popcorn, you’ll need about 5 quarts.
