Dining Dilemma

fresh fare at Swine

THE good news is: I've discovered three very good places to eat at--either during lunch break, or post-work. The bad news: I can't decide which of the three I like best.

Swine's house made gravlax and Vermont
cheese with brandied cherries

Aside from their exceptional house made gravlax, Swine is open late (until 4 a. m. with their kitchen closing at 1) so it usually ends up (being just steps away from the restaurant) an ideal post-work hangout.

just across from Swine is The Quarter, with a terrific Tuscan kale salad

I'd say the only bad thing about Swine is that their menu is very, very light on greens (not that one should find that surprising at a restaurant named Swine). A quick solution to that dilemma is directly across the street at New American/Mediterranean restaurant, The Quarter. I've been going there for several weeks now and have become an avid fan of their effective use of sumac in dishes such as the grilled chicken sandwich and eggs Benedict.

The Quarter's eggs Benedict with sumac-dusted tomato and onion salad
and house-made ketchup

And last on this shortlist (only because it was my most recent finding) is April Bloomfield's The Spotted Pig.

roll mops and devils on horseback at
The Spotted Pig

For me, The Spotted Pig has--for long--been one of those New York restaurants that I'd always been meaning to check out, but had never gotten around to doing so. So last Monday, my good friend, Cynthia and I decided to meet there for some bar-side grub.

The Spotted Pig's chargrilled burger and shoestring fries

I'd been feeling more like brunch (for even though it was 8 p. m., it would be my first real meal of the day) and was considering the sweet pea soup with ham and lemon crème fraîche, followed by some simple greens. But after a bit of champagne (Gosset) and Cynthia's talk of the (supposedly) best burger in town, my appetite was soon whetted for something more decadent. After beginning with roll mops and devils on horseback (the only two dishes on the menu that neither Cynthia nor I knew anything about), we decided upon the chargrilled burger with roquefort cheese and shoestring fries.

our rare burger

With just enough roquefort and its pristine bun--the moist, succulent burger was quite possibly the best burger in the city! And while, originally, I was not interested in the shoestring fries, the paper-thin slices of garlic and leaves of rosemary soon won me over. (It was also the first time I'd had true shoestring fries.) While Ms. Bloomfield's burger is quite spectacular, I don't know if its $20 price tag would qualify it as a more-than-once-a-week treat. But after all, it is the West Village.

Busy As a Bee

Detailing stations pre-dinner service

SINCE the reopening of my restaurant exactly two months ago... nine shifts in one week is not unheard of for me. Over a late-night dinner with a close friend at Nougatine, I haven't even noticed anything on your blog! It's true--perhaps I have been working myself a bit too hard, but it also feels good to be a part of such a closely-knit team.

My "5-close" crew

But camaraderie's not the only perk.

Last week I was awarded a magnum of blanc de blancs sparkling wine from Sprakling Pointe winery for selling the most glasses of Sparkling Pointe in a week!

I sold fifteen glasses. The runner up sold two.

I was thrilled when I'd learned I was the winner of the magnum, but I also kind of knew that I would be (the contest really unleashed my competitive streak). Now I just have to decide when and where to pop the cork off!

Start spreading the news...

The other thing that's kept me preoccupied the past several weeks is planning for the wedding! I have to admit that David and I have, somewhat, been slacking in the planning department, but as of now more than ninety percent of our wedding invitations have been addressed, stamped and mailed. (phew!) For now, I think I'll save the blanc de blancs for a toast at the reception.

If it Ain't Broke...

SINCE its close on Monday, I've been dying to check out the new Wild, formerly known as Slice (the perfect food) on Hudson Street. As you might know, Wild/Slice is just around the corner from my current FOH post and is where I usually end up for lunch breaks (or sometimes, post-shift). Today was my first opportunity to sample the debut menu at Wild and see what the change was all about.

Excuse me, there's a plant in my creamer

Late last night, I picked up a Wild menu on my way home from work and by this afternoon I'd made up my mind as to what I was going to order. First off, I must say that I am thrilled to see that Wild is now offering sparkling wine (and local to boot!)--alas, it's only sold by the bottle. However, my server did say that they should be offering it by the glass come spring. (Wait a minute--isn't it spring now?) I decided on a personal-sized (slices are no longer available) pear gorgonzola pizza ($14) with medjool dates and fresh rosemary.

A portion of Wild's pear gorgonzola pizza with its 

gluten-free, vegan crust

When the pizza arrived at my table, I was rather surprised by its rather wonky-looking shape. I get that I'm supposed to get a sense of its handcraftedness, but what I also got was a sense of its Pangaea-like shape. At first bite: the bland, cracker-crunchy crust was a bit off-putting, but towards the middle was more palatable, where it seemed moistened a bit by its toppings. But all remonstrances aside, the toppings truly were the star of the dish. 

Post-pizza, I was still hungry. I decided to order the butternut squash ($12) with whipped goat cheese and roasted pistachios.

I didn't know butternut squash was still in season

The good news: Wild doesn't use plastic plates like Slice did. The bad news: my plate was chipped. I'll stop complaining for now Upon closer examination of my salad, I was rather perplexed as to why the "whipped goat cheese" was pressed onto the plate with the tines of a fork. (Why whip it?) Next, I was not at all expecting the shock my mouth received when I felt how cold the squash was. I get it--it's a salad, not a side. But I think Wild may have their walk-in a bit too cold.

Still hungry

For my final course, I decided upon the flourless (dark) chocolate cake ($8) with berry compote. "Good choice" says my server. When my dish arrived, I felt a milder form of shock compared to the one I'd felt upon receiving my pizza. Now, I understand that not all eating establishments care much (or at all) about the presentation of their dishes. But it seems that with this dish in particular, someone was really trying to make a hip, edgy-looking dessert. It instead looked--to me--like a pre-schooler's art project (with a flourless chocolate cake placed on top).

I was then instructed by my pleasant server to "take a piece of the chocolate cake and scoop up the rest of this (server points) with your spoon." The rest of what? It'd be nice to know what the taupe-colored cream-paste, which was smeared all over my plate was. (And a fork, along with my spoon, would have been helpful.) At the end of it all, I could have eaten all three courses... over again! I was still hungry! Even though I'd wanted to make it to Wild for their opening on Wednesday night, I figured a few days would give them time to iron out some opening kinks. 

Wild's receipts still read Slice

It seems they need a little more time. I recommend bread service.

Hey, N. Y. C.--Today is Macaron Day!

THANKS to chef François Payard (organizer of Macaron Day N. Y. C.), twenty-two patisseries across the city will be giving away free macarons to anyone that comes in! (simply mention that you're there for Macaron Day)

What's the catch? In the hopes that you won't be able to resist just one macaron, ten percent of the proceeds of macaron sales (at participating bakeries) will go directly to City Harvest. 

Now serving New York City for thirty years, City Harvest is the world's first food rescue organization, dedicated to feeding the city's hungry men, women, and children. This year, City Harvest will collect more than forty-two million pounds of excess food from all segments of the food industry, including restaurants, grocers, corporate cafeterias, manufacturers, and farms. This food is then delivered free of charge to some six hundred community food programs throughout New York City by a fleet of trucks and bikes. City Harvest helps feed the more than one million New Yorkers that face hunger each year.

So, what are you waiting for? Go out and get your free macaron (plus a few more) today!

Back to Work!

TODAY marks exactly twenty-five days since my fellow FOH (and BOH) teammates returned to our usual posts at our West Village restaurant. It certainly is great to be back and we've all been having so much fun that it's almost easy to forget just how much our restaurant had gone through.

The damage done to the restaurant in the wake of hurricane Sandy caused nearly a 
half-million-dollar overhaul

I was also reminded today, on my lunch break, of how nostalgic I can sometimes get over eateries I've frequented...

It's good to be back at Slice--
"the perfect food"

Since returning to my "home restaurant", I've (luckily) only worked a handful of doubles. More often that not, I end up at Slice--just steps away from the restaurant--during breaktime. Last weekend, in a tired bout of extreme hunger, I ordered two dishes without nearly a second thought. As I made my way through my starter, I soon realized that I'd ordered too much food. (I also realized I'll never have a red eye with dinner again!)

Slice's trio of house-made hummus
(minus edamame hummus)

I'd ordered the hummus trio as my starter and was instantly impressed as I'd tasted some of the best hummus I'd ever had! The three varieties included classic, sun-dried tomato and edamame. I didn't care so much for the edamame variety, so during today's lunch break I simply asked for a double portion of the tomato hummus. 

Today, I also selected a slice of the "yuri" pizza (yet I shouldn't call it pizza, but rather flatbread) topped with truffled ricotta, mushroom and local fresh mozzarella. It's one of their better pizzas. (Can we also talk about how much I hate the word "truffled"? It's a noun my dears, not a verb.)

Everyday I'm trufflin'!

Discovering the D. O. C. G. of Valdobbiadene

A sparkling wine from
Valdobbiadene

IT'S been a known fact among friends that I'm a big fan of the "Valdo" prosecco which--until recently--was Todd English Food Hall's house sparkler. The only other place I'd ever seen the wine was at De Lauren Wine & Liquors (332 8th Avenue, Chelsea) which also happens to have the best selection of sparkling wines I'd ever seen at a liquor store. (they even have the hard to find Francis Coppola "Sofia" Moneterey County rosé) 

The other night, while at PJ Wine, I came across a bottle of Nino Franco "Rustico" prosecco. I turned the bottle around to examine its back label and discovered it came from the famed Valdobbiadene region of Italy. When I'd noticed the bold text illustrating its (guaranteed) origin, I was reminded of the time when at De Lauren Wine & Liquors I was confused by the two bottles of Valdo--one simply labeled Valdo and another labeled Valdobbiadene.

I soon figured out that Valdo is short for Valdobbiadene,
a D. O. C. wine region in northern Italy

Excited for a long lost taste of 'Valdo' wine, I headed towards the cashier with my bottle of Rustico prosecco in tow. After a short "apéritif hour" at home, I poured two flutefuls of Rustico for David and I to enjoy along with dinner. At first sip, I was surprised by how similar it tasted to the Valdo prosecco I'd enjoyed on so many occasions at Todd English Food Hall. Further research into the wines of Valdobbiadene led me to the reason...

Conegliano Valdobbiadene--a difficult
name for Prosecco Superiore

ACCORDING to the site prosecco.it, Valdobbiadene's D. O . C. G. zone lies in Veneto... in the hilly strip in the province of Treviso. (I bet Treviso radicchio and these wines would be a match made in Italian heaven!) Prosecco.it also states: It is a wine you will be able to recognize "blind" once you have tasted it... And as confirmed, I did. Valdobbiadene's sparkling wines are often found to be light, with flowery notes (any "sweetness" seems not to come from fruit or sugary tastes). 

But will it be Valdo or Rustico or...

To rest assured when making your choice in selecting this "inimitable wine": ... the prosecco produced in the Conegliano Valdobbiadene zone became Italy’s 44th D.O.C.G. wine. For Conegliano Valdobbiadene, the "G" of "guaranteed" is much more than a mere letter: it is the recognition for years of painstaking work in order to obtain excellent quality in every phase of production. The individually numbered, salmon-coloured Italian state seal gives every single bottle instant traceability. In this way the consumer can trace the story of that particular wine in a very precise way, because every stage of its production is subject to strict controls.

I'm adding these wines to my shortlist of favorite non-champagne sparklers!

Say It Ain't So

IT'S been a long time since I'd written anything so scathing about a restaurant... This time, instead of naming the place, I'll let you see if you can figure out the guilty establishment on your own.

bone marrow appetizer
--with no utensil small enough to fit into the bones

I was the first to arrive in my party of three and was instructed by the hostess-maître d' to let her know when the rest of my party had arrived. I was fine to have an apéritif from the bar while I waited. When my guests arrived a short while later, we decided to take our table straight away. The hostess-maître d' sat us in the rear room--which I'd never been in before--decorated with antique-looking (but surely not antique) plates on the walls.

It was a special night for my friends and I; we'd not seen each other since the end of last summer, so this was our belated Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year get-together. After asking our server a few questions about the menu, we'd placed our orders. I ordered a purée of cauliflower soup, as my starter, followed by one of the evening's specials: bone marrow appetizer. (I also requested one of their tasty buttermilk-chive biscuits.)

I'd noticed the first flaw in service when a soup spoon was placed in front of my friend, who was sitting adjacent to me, but none before myself. My soup arrived sans its spoon, but another arrived quickly enough. I soon realized that my guests did not order a(nother) starter (I placed an order for a seasonal pickle plate along with our drink orders) and began to hurriedly eat my soup so I wouldn't have to endure feasting while my guests had nothing to consume but their cocktails. (A good server would have asked my guests if they'd like to begin with a starter as well or asked me if I'd like both of my dishes to be brought out at the same time.)

Our next course began in synchronization with another flaw in the service--this time, from the runner. To my friend, Jessica, I'd recommended ordering the Tuscan kale salad--the best kale salad I'd ever eaten. With swift and efficient movement, our runner placed Jessica's salad before her along with two buttermilk-chive biscuits--one in front of Jessica and one before myself. A good three to four minutes had passed before anything else had arrived (and there was no mention along the lines of, The other entrées will be right out).

I didn't dare touch my biscuit (although I certainly was tempted to) since Johnathan, sitting across from me, was yet to receive so much as a scrap of fodder. When the remaining dishes finally arrived, mine aroused another protest within myself. Unbeknownst to me at the time of ordering, the bone marrow special comes with toast. Now do you think that our server might have asked if I'd like my biscuit along with my soup or along with the dish that already comes with another form of bread? He did not. And by the time I'd gotten around to eating the biscuit, it was--as I knew it would be--cold. I don't completely fault our server though. Because only a good server would have thought to have done this.

My final disappointment scoff of the evening came when we'd received our bill. For my dessert, I ordered a slice of rum cake. I do enjoy my rum cake heavily "watered"; so when I placed my order I also asked our server if he could bring along a "bit of rum on the side" (like they do at Benoit), so I could add more to the cake if needed. (Historically, I haven't been a fan of this restaurant's desserts, but I decided to give their rum cake a try.) I was somewhat surprised when a full serving of rum was brought to the table, in a rocks glass, but protest I did not. But when I'd noticed on the bill that the "side of rum" cost nearly twice as much as the price of my dessert, I nearly laughed. (Again, I don't hold this against our server... but a good server would simply have gone to the bartender and asked for a scant pourful--on the house.)

this is one way to do it. (at Benoit)
see that little pitcher on the side?

Our server still received his 20% gratuity, but I don't think I'll be patronizing this establishment again. Sad... because it was one of my favorite places in Chelsea.

The Nine Lives of my Lobster Stock Soup!

lobster shells→ lobster stock→ shrimp soup

WHEN David returned home from visiting his family over Christmas break, he returned home with what turned out to be quite a nasty cold! I decided to make him a soup using the saved lobster shells from the lobster dinner I'd made for us the previous week.

I added these beautifully-colored "confetti"
potatoes to the finished lobster stock

I searched online for lobster stock recipes and was faced with several--of which, some, included puréeing the lobster shells in a food processor. Seemed a bit too complex for me. Luckily, I found this very simple lobster stock recipe on the New York Times' website which required no ingredients that I didn't already have at home in my kitchen (although I did go out to purchase a fine sieve). 

I allowed the lobster stock to simmer for three hours before I began its seasoning and adding additional ingredients to make it into a soup. At the grocer's, I picked out nearly a dozen firm and fresh-smelling jumbo shrimp along with some tomatoes and potatoes. I boiled the shrimp--along with the potatoes--in plain water with a single bay leaf, a few sprigs of parsley and a few short turns of the pepper mill added. Once the water came to a boil, I removed the shrimp and began peeling them (after cooled under running water) while I let the potatoes cook for a bit longer. 

Next I added canned, peeled tomatoes to the stock (along with some of their juice) and roughly mashed most of them--right in the pot--with a potato masher. Removing the finished potatoes from their cooking liquid, I added them to the stock along with the peeled (but tail on) shrimp. I'd thought the soup was pretty good, but I didn't know it was to get better...

New Year's Eve seafood soup

After thinking about it... the soup could have been much improved if I had reduced the stock (and not overcooked the potatoes). For its second run, I decided to take the entire contents of the original soup (David and I had eaten all the shrimp) and purée it in a blender before reducing it. I also boiled a new batch of potatoes--paying careful attention to their cooking time--along with a new batch of shrimp. This time, the soup was much better! 

I was also able to retain the integrity of the potatoes
by not overcooking them

For the third and final run of the "seafood soup," I employed a can of escargots that I happened upon at Dean & Deluca in SoHo.

still cheaper than eating out

The soup--depleted of its shrimp, and reduced to its maximum--required no more than simply adding the escargots and heating (covered) on the stovetop.

et  voilà!

The seafood soup with escargots was absolutely delicious, and I found this variation to be the most French of all. I'd wondered how the broth seemed (even more) improved since I'd done nothing this time to alter it. Perhaps a day or two of simply "sitting" had something to do with it. Last night, David and I finished the lot of the soup when he mentioned it reminding him of a really good turtle soup. What a compliment for the cook! May I call myself, cook... yet?

FBTOT Turns 3!

LAST Thursday, December 20th, FROM BEHIND THE OPEN TABLE celebrated its three year anniversary!

UPS arrived just in time with these newly-designed tote bags!

I can hardly believe it's been three years since I sat down to pen my first post. What was meant to be a journal of what I was learning through my wine courses at ICE ended up being a bit more... And recently, service industry job-seekers' site, EatDrinkJobs interviewed me for their "A Day in the Life" column which--for me--was a stamp of approval for all the (sometimes daunting) work I'd put into the blog.

Livin' large ain't always easy!

So when the anniversary of FBTOT rolled around, I was anxious to "pop a cork"; conveniently, it coincided with the day that I was to make David a Christmas dinner (it was our last mutually free evening together before he was to leave town for the holiday). 

fresh lobsters

Being that the dinner would double as his Christmas gift (we're on a strict budget with our upcoming wedding), I wanted to do something really special... I thought fresh, live lobsters would suffice!

After firmly holding the lid in place for the first (heart-pounding) minute,
I was able to relax for the remaining nine minutes of steaming

It was my first time cooking lobster and I must say that it was quite frightening at times! Yet, with my hand covered in a once-folded bath towel I was able to place each lobster (one at a time) into a pot for its ten minute steaming (à la Judith Jones in The Pleasures of Cooking for One).

A one...

... and a two!

For the accompaniments, I decided to try to replicate the lobster dish we serve at my (current) restaurant: garlic-rosemary potatoes... and garnished with chervil. I know from experience that finding chervil can be a task in itself, but a friend recently shared with me his tip of using tarragon as a substitute. After ten minutes or so of steaming, the lobsters seemed nearly done. I decided to finish them in the oven (on low heat, for ten minutes) atop the roasted potatoes, with a branch of tarragon laid on top to "scent" the lobster.

tarragon-scented lobster over garlic-rosemary potatoes

It was my most extravagant dish to date and David was completely floored! (I banned him from entering the kitchen for several hours) I paired the lobster with a rich Domaines Schlumberger pinot gris, Les Princes Abbés, 2010 from Alsace that worked beautifully well!

How do you like them lobster tails, Mr. Goldstone??

But dinner didn't end there...

homemade panna cotta cups

That morning, I was forced to oust David from entering the kitchen when he started to inquire, Why does it smell like cookies in here? I was heating on the stovetop: 1 cup of milk, 2 cups of heavy cream and ¼ cup of sugar*... for homemade panna cotta from my The French Women Don't Get Fat Cookbook. It really was "... the easiest, fastest dessert that has chutzpah, and it's impossible to blow it." The cookbook also gives instructions for unmolding the panna cotta from its ramekins, but I decided to simply serve them as is. David and I both enjoyed the elegant, subtle flavor and it really was the easiest dessert to make!

*Also included in another step is unflavored gelatin and vanilla extract.

Could It Be? A Day Off?

YES, it's true! After working three doubles--six shifts in a row--I finally have a day off! With the onslaught of hurricane Sandy, it was hard times for many in the restaurant industry...

As of Dec. 4, Eater listed 72 restaurants still shuttered because of
hurricane Sandy

But I am extremely lucky that the restaurant group for which I work has six other functioning restaurants within the city that were able to house my co-workers and me as 'temporary employees' until our restaurant reopens.

The stairwell leading into our kitchen--
which was submerged under 5 feet of water

The funny thing is: I'm working back at the restaurant where I first started nearly five years ago! From my position there as maître d', I'd left to move on to a server position at a well-established hotel in midtown.

The, then, general manager--a mentor of mine to this day--advised me that if I was serious about advancing in the industry, I ought to pick up some server experience. I served in midtown for less than two months before I was lured back to being a maître d' (this time in Chelsea) with an offer I couldn't refuse... 

IT wasn't until June of this year, that I continued on my path of acquiring server experience. And I decided that if I was going to be a server, I wanted to be a server for the company whose service I'd always viewed as unparalleled in the industry. (And I was thrilled to finally be working at a three star restaurant!)

Back where I'd started--where it's always
busy-busy-busy!

I must say: the bird's eye view from a server's perspective is quite different from that of a maître d''s... as is the pace. And serving in a three or 400+ covers shift is very different from plotting and executing the reservations book! But all that must be obvious. I just want to say that I don't envy or miss being a maître d'!

On the contrary, I'm thrilled to be learning all that I have been this past half year. With proper training I've learned the (twenty-one) steps of service and why we do them, along with the proper (and improper) ways of executing each step. 

Within a year or two, I hope to have gained enough perspective to be able to continue on my path towards restaurant management. Until then, Would you like to start with a glass of champagne or a special cocktail from the bar?

An Extended Birthday

bread snowflakes for "Morton Family Strata"

THIS year was the second annual tradition of watching The Family Stone with my sister, Kim (it's been a favorite holiday movie of mine ever since first seeing it, several years ago); this year I decided to make the Morton family strata that Sarah Jessica Parker attempts to make in the film. (I found the recipe with step-by-step instructions on the blog, Small Home Big Start)

strata; fully-prepped and ready for its six hour fridge-soaking

While I let the prepped strata soak overnight in the fridge, Kim joined me Wednesday afternoon for a Thanksgiving Eve lunch at Cookshop. 

roasted butternut squash flatbread, anyone?

A couple of weeks ago I popped in for a quick, at-the-bar dinner and had the most delicious roasted kabocha squash, heavily seasoned with garlic and red chili pepper flakes. I thought it so uncommon to prepare (naturally sweet) squash with loads of garlic and pepper... but the contrast worked wonderfully well (it was only a side dish--I'd made plans to order it as an entrée portion on my next visit)!

Cookshop's assorted housemade treats

Alas, the roasted kabocha was not available on the lunch menu; but Kim and I quickly decided to order the grilled flatbread with roasted butternut squash and caramelized onions as a starter, to share. While we sipped on prosecco, we made plans to order a side of roasted maitake mushrooms, over polenta and bouchot mussels with French fries. But by the time the mussels arrived, I was already satiated. However, I did manage to save a bit of room for Cookshop's assorted housemade treats. Among them were: a "Cookshop cupcake"; oatmeal creme pie; salted caramels; (miniature) cinnamon macarons; chocolate oat bars; snowball cookies; and root beer marshmallows. The cinnamon macarons were my favorite and yes, the root beer marshmallows actually tasted like root beer! Later that night, Kim treated me to some early birthday gifts...

don't mind if I do!

Earlier that afternoon, David had arrived home from Cornell for the holiday weekend and was able to enjoy some champagne with Kim and me while we readied ourselves to watch The Family Stone. A couple of glasses of wine in, I popped the pre-soaked strata in the oven to bake for 1½ hours. A third of the way into the movie, it was time to taste the Bradley family's Morton family strata.

if only every holiday could be so easy

I must immodestly say... that my strata came out (nearly) perfect! It could have used a touch more salt, and black pepper, or perhaps some additional parmigiano-reggiano. (the recipe only calls for parmesan, but when cooking I always try my best to use the finest ingredients possible) By the time we left for Thanksgiving dinner with the rest of the family, the following morning, only one of the eight servings of strata had remained.

THANKSGIVING preceded my birthday by just three days and by Sunday night, I was joined by David and two of my closest friends for a (quiet) birthday dinner at Tipsy Parson.

the best kale salad in West Chelsea

Literally, I had to wait all summer long for Tipsy's seasonal Tuscan kale salad (wilted kale, wild mushrooms, toasted almonds, dried cherries, crispy shallots, sherry vinaigrette) to return to their menu. With roasted kabocha squash, it's the best kale salad I'd ever tasted! (I'm beginning to notice a pattern--regarding squash--here) I also sampled some of the seasonal pickle plate with mushrooms, carrots, scallions, okra and red grapes, all pickled in a nutmeg-seasoned brine. Absolutely delicious!

a slice of bacon-wrapped homemade pâté en terrine

Come Monday, David had to head back to Ithaca and for me it was back to work. But Mondays are my new Fridays, as I seem to be having Tuesdays and Wednesdays off. At around three o'clock today, I'd wondered if it was too early to dig into some of the rest of my birthday treats. I decided I'd begin with the homemade country-style pâté made by my dear friend, Cynthia. Wrapped in bacon and filled with big pieces of pistachio, I could hardly wait to taste the delectable-seeming terrine!

post-pâté, I was in need of a palate cleanser

Cynthia's pâté was quite possibly the best pâté I'd ever tasted (hopefully she's taking holiday orders)! But after the richness of the pâté I'd found myself wanting for a palate cleanser before moving onto the next course; the Veuve Cliquot rosé--given by my dear friend, Danny--seemed to do the trick!

macarons from La Maison du Macaron, Chelsea

By the time I opened the box of macarons from La Maison du Macaron (also given by Danny), I should have known I was heading into dangerous territory.

just two... to start

I had to guess the flavors Danny had chosen for me and I think I was pretty successful, until I had gotten to the last (I'd tasted). The pearl-studded macaron seemed to have a key lime filling while its companion was undeniably passion fruit-filled.

ah, how I'd missed the irresistible crispy-chewy texture
of a proper French macaron!

With the box of macarons in dangerously close proximity, I "tasted" a maximum of three more including an ultra-lemony lemon-flavored and a gold-dusted one whose flavor I was unable to guess.

quite pretty, but it's flavor was unbeknownst to me

When I'd previously told a co-worker at the restaurant the details of my possible plans for a "day off brunch," he responded, Who are you--Marie Antoinette? Talk about decadent! 

Ahh... let them eat macarons.