Archives for 2011

14 July 2011 New York Restaurant Week – Upscale Dining, Easy on the Wallet

New York Restaurant Week – Upscale Dining, Easy on the Wallet

July 14, 2011 By

Ai Fiori - Photo by Open Table

New York Restaurant Week in underway.  The two-week event runs from July 11 – 24, 2011 (excluding Saturdays) and features 3-course prix-fixe lunches for $24.07 and dinners for $35 at over 320 restaurants in New York’s five boroughs.

The event, sponsored by NYC & Company lets foodies on a budget experience some of New York’s most acclaimed dining establishments at a very affordable price.  Lunch at Chef Michael White’s Ai Fiori on a Tuesday and dinner at world-class Tribeca Grill on a Wednesday?  Why not!?

During this summer’s event, I’ll be lunching at db Bistro Moderne one day and eating dinner at David Burke Kitchen on another.  Have I had the opportunity of eating at restaurants I might not have ever dined at because of the twice-a-year event – yes!

One note of “caution”, many participating restaurants feature their 3-course Restaurant Week menus on their websites, so be sure to access them prior to booking a reservation to ensure you’ll find something you’ll like before you go.

Several cities throughout the USA host Restaurant Weeks with similar values, so take the plunge and experience some of your city’s best restaurants.  Reservations can be made with Open Table at www.opentable.com.

Happy dining!

Veronique

Filed Under: Culinary Travel Tales, Other Neat Things, Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: ,
13 July 2011 Strawberry Nutella Treats

Strawberry Nutella Treats

July 13, 2011 By

Strawberry season’s in full force and I can’t think of anyone who loves the little red gems more than my sister, Josée.  When her and her family visited me in New Jersey last, I, of course, had bought strawberries for her.  To my delight, my two nieces have inherited her love for strawberries and here’s a quick but special treat she fixed them one morning.

Ingredients:

  • 2 slices white bread (could use whole wheat)
  • 2 Tbsps. Nutella, hazelnut spread
  • 4 large strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced

Directions:

  1. Toast the bread.
  2. Spread 1 tablespoon of Nutella on each slice of toasted bread.
  3. Cover each Nutella-coated toast with the slices from 2 strawberries.

Makes 2 treats.

Filed Under: Breakfast, Canadian, Chocolate, Desserts, Fruits, Sandwiches Tagged With: , , , , ,
6 July 2011 A Brunch to Remember at ABC Kitchen

A Brunch to Remember at ABC Kitchen

July 6, 2011 By

I had brunch at ABC Kitchen this past Saturday and left inspired to purchase organic produce at Union Square Greenmarket to bring home and enjoy.  This new venture by famed Alsatian chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten truly impressed me with its décor, service and food.

According to the restaurant, “ABC Kitchen has a committed focus to local, sustainable and organic seasonal produce that does not use pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, insecticides or GMOs; meat, fish and dairy that is locally sourced where possible, from humanely treated pasture-fed animals free of antibiotics and hormones; teas, coffees, spices, organic wines, juices and elixirs that are organically cultivated on fair trade cooperatives celebrating and honoring sustainability, artistry and our global diversity.”

The brunch menu offers six “Market Table” options which are meant to be small plates to be enjoyed by all guests at the table.  Neat idea, no?  The options range from marinated olives ($6) to crab toast with lemon aioli ($15).  We opted for the roasted beets with homemade yogurt ($9) which were outstanding.  Several varieties of beets were featured over the tangiest, freshest yogurt and a drizzle of greenish olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  What a great way to level set our expectations of the meal to come!

Although the brunch entrée menu features some classics like eggs benedict ($18) and buttermilk pancakes ($15), the benny are served with ham from heritage pigs of famed Flying Pigs Farm and the cakes are served with lemon curd giving them an edge.  Our party opted for a goat cheese and spinach omelet over roasted cherry tomatoes ($18).  Farm-fresh eggs give this omelet a beautiful golden hue and the contrast between the tart goat cheese and the sweet tomatoes is great.

Mushroom, Parmesan and Oregano Pizza

ABC Kitchen, which was named Best New Restaurant of 2011 by the James Beard Foundation, offers several whole wheat pizzas ($14 – $18) and we chose the mushroom, parmesan and oregano version with a barely-cooked, sunny-side up egg on top.  WOW, this is the best pizza I have had in recent memory.  Woodsy mushrooms and salty cheese top the perfectly chewy, slightly charred crust.  A true winner that I highly recommend.

The service at ABC Kitchen is fun and knowledgeable.  The staff wears country-ish plaid shirts and Converse shoes.  The two servers who took care of our party were passionate about the food, knowledgeable about the ingredients and helped us with authentic enthusiasm.

Jean-Georges does it again with ABC Kitchen and its locavore sustainability theme.  This inventive restaurant, led by chef Dan Kluger, is a must-try when in New York City.

35 East 18th Street (between Broadway & Park Avenue)
New York, NY 10003
212 475 5829

www.abckitchennyc.com

Filed Under: Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
5 July 2011 2009 Stoneleigh Marlborough Pinot Noir

2009 Stoneleigh Marlborough Pinot Noir

July 5, 2011 By

This Pinot Noir from Marlborough, New Zealand’s most acclaimed winemaking region, is a dark garnet color in the glass and offers a slightly spicy, stone fruits and ripe cherries nose.  In the mouth, I get tons of juicy, ripe dark raspberries and currents.

I served this affordable and approachable wine at my 4th of July party and it paired well with many of the dishes I was serving from blue cheese-topped sirloin burgers to sharp cheddar macaroni and cheese.

From around $14.

Filed Under: New Zealand, Pinot Noir, Red Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,
29 June 2011 5 Refreshing Cocktails to Beat the Summer Heat

5 Refreshing Cocktails to Beat the Summer Heat

June 29, 2011 By

I just love the idea of featuring a sexy, refreshing cocktail at summer get-togethers.  Offering your guests a cocktail, in a neat glass, when they arrive at your home simply sets the mood for the rest of the evening.  The cocktails don’t have to be complicated, use difficult-to-find ingredients and liquors or require you to seek the help of a mixologist to recreate.  Have fun with this concept!

  1. Blood Orange Fix:  Squeeze half a blood orange and pour the juice in a Champagne flute.  From the second half of the orange, remove a segment, peel the outer membrane then place the bare segment in the flute with the juice.  Top the juice with sparkling wine (click here for some suggestions) and stir gently to combine.
  2. Tipsy Pink Lady:  Fill a cocktail shaker ¾ full with ice cubes then add 1 cup of good quality pink lemonade (I use Simply Lemonade with raspberry) and 1 once of Vodka (I use Ketel One).  Shake vigorously for 10 seconds then pour the strained shaker contents into a martini glass.  Fun serving idea: Add a pink rock sugar on a stick as a stirrer.
  3. BOA 405:  In a cocktail shaker, muddle 2 ripe strawberries with ½ ounce simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water boiled then cooled) into a puree.  Add 1 ½ ounces Vodka (I use Ketel One), ½ ounce lemon juice, a splash of Balsamic vinegar and enough ice to fill the shaker to ¾ full.  Shake vigorously for 10 seconds then pour the strained shaker contents into a martini glass and top with a pinch of freshly-cracked black pepper and a ripe strawberry.

    BOA 405

  4. Lynchburg Limeade:  Fill a cocktail shaker ½ full with ice cubes then add 1 ½ cups good quality limeade (I use Simply Limeade), 1 ounce Whiskey (I use Jack Daniels) and a slash of Triple Sec.  Shake vigorously for 10 seconds and pour shaker contents, including the ice, in a tall glass or Mason jar.
  5. Tequila Sunset:  Fill a cocktail shaker ¾ full with ice cubes then add 1 cup freshly-squeezed pink grapefruit juice (could use good quality juice like Florida’s Natural), 1 ounce Anejo Tequila (I use Cuervo) and a slash of Cointreau.  Shake vigorously for 10 seconds and pour the strained shaker contents into an old-fashioned glass.  Top with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Do you have fun cocktail ideas that you’d like to share?  Post them here.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Cocktails, Other Neat Things Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
26 June 2011 Top 5 Tips for a Great Grilled Steak

Top 5 Tips for a Great Grilled Steak

June 26, 2011 By

The following five steak grilling tips prove that you don’t have to be a grilling or steakhouse professional to serve your guests steaks that taste like you are.

 

Bone In Ribeye

1)  Buy the Right Cut of Meat

When you think of the best steak you’ve had at a steakhouse, you likely think of how juicy and flavorful the meat was, right?  In an attempt to recreate this savory experience, you must buy the right cut of meat.  This means that you must stay away from the overly lean filet mignon and try one of these top 5 cuts of meat for grilling:

Rib Eye:  The king of steaks, in my opinion.  The marbling of this cut is screaming for a hot grill.  With just a cracking of pepper and a generous coarse salt coating, it will be the best steak you’ve had, especially if still on the bone.

NY Strip:  This is a classic with the right amount of fat and chewiness.

Porterhouse (T-Bone):  Those of you addicted to the filet mignon will still be able to enjoy it while getting a juicy and flavorful NY strip along with it.

Skirt Steak:  This inexpensive cut of meat is ideal for a dinner party.  It’s affordable, cooks quickly and is ultra-flavorful, even without being marinated.

Tri-Tip:  Also known as Santa Maria steak, is the triangular section of the sirloin primal and has become popular with grillers because it’s flavorful, costs less than other prime cuts of meat and is typically about 2 ½ pounds hence perfect for feeding a crowd.

2)  Get a Meat Thermometer

Chefs on cooking programs constantly show folks how to ball up or stretch out their hand to compare the resulting tautness of their skin to what a steak should feel at various cooking temperatures.  Who the heck can remember this stuff, and who needs to?!

Get yourself a meat thermometer for $5 – $10, actually use it and you’ll never fail again when mom asks for medium and spouse asks for rare.  I recommend taking the steaks off the grill five degrees before they reach each of the below temperatures as the meat will continue to cook as it rests:

  • Rare: 130 degrees
  • Medium-rare: 135 degrees
  • Medium: 145 degrees
  • Medium-well: 160 degrees
  • Well: Not provided as meat should never be cooked well done

Once you get comfortable using the thermometer, you’ll get to understand how the meat should look and feel at various doneness and can do away with the handy tool.  This might take you a couple of grilling seasons, but you’ll get there.  In the meantime, arm yourself!

Strip Steak

3)  Allow Steak to Come to Room Temperature

This is possibly the most crucial step to a goof grilled steak.  Remove you steak from the refrigerator at least 30-60 minutes prior to grilling.  Not doing this will result in a steak that’s overcooked on the outside and has a “bullet” of raw/overly-rare meat on the inside.

4)  Steak Grilling Tip – Season your Meat

One of the biggest mistakes home cooks make when grilling steak is to under season the meat.  Marinating some cuts of meat is a good idea, but even more important is to generously coat the entire outside of the meat with olive oil then with coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper.  I’m not talking a sprinkling of salt and pepper folks!  I mean a COATING.  Also, seasoning the meat after it’s grilled won’t do the trick – do it prior to grilling.

5)  Steak Grilling Tip – Let the Meat Rest

Most of us have heard of letting a steak rest after grilling, but how many actually have the patience to wait for a perfectly-grilled steak to rest 5-10 minutes!?

As the saying goes – just do it!  Get your steaks off the grill and onto a plate, then cover them with a piece of aluminum foil and have a cocktail to get your mind off cutting into those ribeyes.

Allowing the steak to rest will help the natural juices to redistribute within the meat without flowing out of the steak when you cut into it causing a dry, tough chewy experience.

Do you have steak grilling tips I’ve missed here?  Please share them!

Happy grilling,

Veronique

Filed Under: American, Beef, Other Neat Things Tagged With: , , ,
26 June 2011 Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry

Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry

June 26, 2011 By

Every Child Deserves To Thrive

HUNGRY CHILDREN CANNOT THRIVE. YET MILLIONS OF KIDS IN AMERICA ARE AT RISK OF GOING HUNGRY. SHARE OUR STRENGTH IS CHANGING THAT.

Every parent knows that a hungry child is a disadvantaged child. He can’t grow, develop and learn like other kids. She has trouble focusing and getting along. They complain often of headaches, stomachaches and other ailments. They fall behind in virtually every way.

It doesn’t have to be this way. There is plenty of nutritious food in America to make sure every child grows up healthy and thrives. What’s missing is access to this food. If families don’t have reliable access to healthy, affordable food, they can’t possibly feed their children well.

Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry® strategy provides that access to families all across the nation, so that every child, regardless of circumstances, can get the healthy food they need to thrive.

Join us in making No Kid Hungry the reality in America. Take the No Kid Hungry Pledge today »

Childhood Hunger in America

Nearly one in four kids in America can’t count on having enough to eat. Their bodies may not be rail thin, nor their bellies bloated like their counterparts in other countries, but they’re at risk of hunger all the same. They lack the energy to learn, grow and thrive.

  • More than 17 million kids in America are at risk of hunger. That’s nearly 1 in 4.
  • 15.5 million kids in America live in poverty.
  • 20.1 million children benefit from SNAP (food stamps).
  • 19 million kids get a free or reduced-price school lunch on an average school day.
  • Only 9.4 million kids get a free or reduced-price school breakfast on an average school day.
  • Just 1 in 6 eligible kids get free summer meals.

Sources: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture; U.S. Census Bureau; Food Research and Action Center. For more statistics, please visit our Hunger Facts Page.

 

Filed Under: Other Neat Things Tagged With: , ,
23 June 2011 Simple Greek Yogurt and Berry Tart

Simple Greek Yogurt and Berry Tart

June 23, 2011 By

It’s strawberry season here in New Jersey and I was looking for a simple, refreshing dessert to serve on a warm summer day.  I came up with this tangy tart that features a crust which can be made a day in advance and a filling that’s a snap to prepare.  The addition of blueberries to the ripe strawberries makes it patriotic-looking enough to serve for your 4th of July party.

Ingredients:

  • 1 17.6-ounce container of plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tbsp. honey
  • 3 tbsps. powdered sugar
  • Zest of ½ lemon
  • ¾ cup black currant jelly
  • 2 cups of blueberries
  • 2 cups chopped strawberries
  • Simple Tart Crust

Directions:

  1. In a medium bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, the honey, the powdered sugar and the lemon zest.  Set aside (can be made up to 4 hours prior to assembling the tart if kept refrigerated).
  2. About 30-60 minutes before serving the tart, in a heat-proof bowl or measuring cup, microwave the black currant jelly for 1 minute, until liquefied. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the blueberries and strawberries.  Add the warm black currant jelly to the berries and gently stir to coat each fruit. Set aside.
  4. Spread the yogurt mixture over the tart crust forming an even layer.  Gently top the yogurt layer with the berries and spread evenly in an attempt to completely cover the yogurt.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serves 8.

Notes: The tart crust can be made the day before if cooled then covered in aluminum foil and stored at room temperature.  Try not to assemble the tart more than an hour prior to serving to keep the crust from becoming soggy.

Filed Under: American, Desserts, Fruits Tagged With: , , , , , ,
21 June 2011 Car Buying Via Social Web – Smythe Volvo

Car Buying Via Social Web – Smythe Volvo

June 21, 2011 By

As you may have gathered by now, my life is intrinsically intertwined with social media.  Facebook, Twitter, blog, Digg, StumbleUpon, and more – I’m into it.  When came time to get a new car, I decided to test the social market in Northern New Jersey where I live, to see which dealerships “get” it when it comes time to not only attract, but transact via social media.

I followed five local dealerships on Twitter, Facebook or both: Chevrolet, Mini, Cadillac, Audi, and Smythe Volvo.  I’m in a Volvo now, so assumed the Volvo dealer might work less hard to get my business since I’m familiar with its product, but I was wrong.

I initially Facebooked Smythe Volvo to get a sense for what it was doing via this social channel.  Nice job with a combination of leasing/financing offers, soapboxing the release of the new S60, promoting of service offers and, what I find most important, socializing with customers.  Once I found myself “liking” the company, I decided to email the Internet sales department to let them know I was looking for three things:

  1. A better sales experience than the one I’d gotten at Prestige Volvo when I bought my current car.
  2. To transact via social and web means as much as possible.
  3. To get within my allotted budget with as many upgrades as possible.

I waited a couple days after sending the email and not hearing back, to post a message on Smythe’s Facebook wall saying that as a current Volvo customer, that I would have expected at least a reply back from them to show interest in my business.  Within 30 minutes, I got a Facebook post back to say that Steve Bergamo, the Director of Business Development at Smythe Volvo, had already sent me two emails back and that I should white list his email address.  I quickly did this, then immediately got Steve’s sent emails offering assistance.  What I really was impressed by was that the social media person at Smythe followed up with me via Facebook to ensure I’d been helped and was completely satisfied.  Without the excellent follow up provided by Smythe’s social team, the transaction (or lack of one) would have ended there.

Steve and I began exchanging emails about the car I wanted, the various features and the financing options available to loyal Volvo owners.  I selected the exterior and interior colors and features via Smythe’s website and could have completed the financing of the car via emails with Steve, but wanted to take a quick test drive, so physically went to the dealership once for a 30 minute visit.  When I arrived at Smythe, Steve had the car ready for a test drive, insisted on letting us experience the car on our own and told us he understood my need for an online transaction and we’d exchange emails again in a couple days.  What, no haggling, making me feel pressured to buy that day or insulting my intelligence with cheesy sales tactics???  What was this, my dream car-buying experience!?

I pick up my new Volvo next week and have nothing but good things to say about Smythe, Steve and the rest of the social staff for understanding social media AND social selling.  It’s not just about posting a $399/month lease offer on Facebook but understanding the needs of busy customers who transact via web frequently and aren’t afraid to walk away if typical, offline tactics are used during social selling.

Well done Smythe!

Veronique

Filed Under: Other Neat Things Tagged With: , , , ,
20 June 2011 2008 Dr Konstantin Frank Dry Riesling

2008 Dr Konstantin Frank Dry Riesling

June 20, 2011 By

I decided to pair this Finger Lakes wine with scallop ceviche I was serving as a starter at my last dinner party and it was a super choice.

When I poured the 2008 Dr Konstantin Frank Dry Riesling, it was straw colored in the glass.  I thought I’d made an error and opened a sweet Riesling judging by the honey color of the wine, but upon tasting it, I was pleased by the tartness and acidity I found.  In the mouth, this wine offers Fiji apple, ripe lemons and wet steely stones.  Great acidity and length on the finish.

Nice summer wine to add to my repertoire of affordable Rieslings.

Around: $15.

Filed Under: White Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,
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