Tripes à la Mode!

"I just really love tripe cooked this way!"

Last night, David and I watched--from disc two of The French Chef with Julia Child--Tripes à la Mode! I was nearly as excited about watching it as Julia was making it:

"... it makes a perfectly lovely 'Sunday lunch' type of dish... a marvelous dish... that wonderful, subtle aroma of wine and good cooking... I just really love tripe cooked this way and I've just been dying to do it for you all these years!"

Look At These Beautiful Deviled Eggs!

deviled eggs soaked in beet juice

Aren't they inspiring? They were made by my good friend, Anna Harris, for her Christmas Eve dinner. Anna soaked them overnight in beet juice, for color and in addition (to dill, salmon and some fresh pepper) it looks like she also used a pastry bag when filling her white halves--how thoughtful! Did you create create something rather inventive this holiday season? Tell us about it!

Thanks, Perl Girl Baking Co.!

This year I brought last-minute shopping to a whole new level--luckily my "gem" of a friend, Joanna at Perl Girl Baking Co., saved the holiday!

Perl Girl rugelach hits the Deep South!

For David and his family, who were spending the holiday in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Perl Girl shipped a one pound box of "original" rugelach (cinnamon, sugar, walnuts and currants) just in time for Christmas morning breakfast!

the best shot I could get--our savory rugelach 
were going fast!

And for Mom and Dad--whom doctor had ordered: no sugar--a special order of "savory" rugelach in three varieties: ham and cheddar; salmon and dill; and mushroom, walnut and parmesan (first and second, pictured above). As I'd hoped, Mom and Dad generously shared their rugelach with the rest of the family and popping the two-bite sized tidbits was simply irresistible! It's too bad there were none left to pair with the champagne we enjoyed later that evening...

Alert: New Dishes at The Plaza Food Hall

The Plaza Food Hall by Todd English--which I'm proclaiming "a foodie's paradise"--has unveiled two new dishes (among others) which I am a fan of... 

First: lobster hush puppies (six pieces per order) which I'd enjoyed on a recent visit with my sister, Kim (who I've also accustomed to The Food Hall);

notice the lobster in the first from right hush puppy

and second: seared tuna tacos (from the new "Taqueria" section of the menu) with chili-lime aioli, radish coleslaw and jalapeño (I nearly always order anything with jalapeño).

three seared tuna tacos

The lobster hush puppies paired well with The Food Hall's 'house' Valdo prosecco and the tuna tacos--with fresh lime to squeeze upon each taco--are a rather scrumptious threesome (I recommend them to any jalapeño lover). However, they did remove risotto "tater tots" and baccala salad (which I'd yet to try) from the menu. However, knowing I was such a big fan of the "tater tots," my server did manage to get the chef to whip up an order... I hate to brag, but it does pay to be a PPX!

The Plaza Food Hall by Todd English, 1 West 59th Street, Manhattan

Belated Birthday at East of Eighth

seared scallops topped with salmon caviar

Tonight, I finally made good of my invitation for a "birthday meal on the house" at East of Eighth. My friend Danny, who had already eaten dinner, met me there to keep company...

I began with a roasted tomato bisque with parmesan and pesto croutons followed by two small plates: seared scallops with salmon caviar (made specially for me) and crispy eggplant with goat cheese, arugula and a reduced balsamic vinegar. Danny, who'd arrived after the first course, enjoyed a bottle of Lucien Albrecht, cremant d'Alsace, brut blanc de blanc with me.

If you'd like to enjoy some of Chef Markovitz's specialties for yourself, consider booking your Christmas dinner at East of Eighth and sample his holiday tasting menu!

- starters - 

• roasted tomato bisque with parmesan and pesto croutons
• grilled endive, gorgonzola and pear salad with ancient balsamic vinegar
• grilled venison sausage with chestnuts and apples
• shrimp and pancetta risotto with cipollini onions
• leek tart with Vermont goat cheese and white truffle oil 

- mains -

• roasted Vermont turkey with cornbread stuffing, cranberries, sautéed vegetables and mashed sweet potatoes
• baked country ham with spiced brown sugar and Dijon mustard glaze with mashed sweet potatoes and sautéed vegetables
• beef bourguignon with mushrooms, bacon and pearl onions on puréed potatoes
• grilled salmon with roasted shallots and fresh thyme on roasted root vegetables with garam masala 

- desserts - 

• gingerbread and Granny Smith gelato Napoleon 
• chestnut and maple bread pudding
• chocolate-espresso flourless roulade
• pecan pie à la mode

Amazingly, you can partake in all this goodness for just $30 per person (one selection per course). East of Eighth will be open all day on December 25th.  The à la carte menu will be available as well.

Happy Birthday To Us!

we're 2 today!

Christmas Luncheon at Tipsy Parson

Friday, Cynthia and I met for a holiday "luncheon" at Tipsy Parson--my "new favorite place"...

After allowing Cynthia to select a window table, we decided to start with two (off the menu) bloody Marys and from the "snacks & sides" menu, hush puppies with warm pimento cheese and fried pickles with spicy buttermilk dressing.

a 'healthy' start

The hush puppies were as good as they were on my last visit, but the fried pickles, with batter that seemed to be nearly falling off, left a bit too much to be desired. Next time, I'll try ordering the deviled eggs. Slowly moving on ("I think we're going to 'course out' our ordering"), we selected bourbon chicken liver toast with grilled potato bread, upland cress and a fig compote.

bourbon chicken liver toast

Dressed accordingly, it was a most delightfully-flawless treat!

hands-down goodness

Moving on (still), we selected another dish: Tuscan kale salad with kabocha squash, dried cherries, mushrooms, almonds, crispy shallots and a sherry brown-butter vinaigrette.

tasty Tuscan kale salad

It was--perhaps--my first time eating kale and I must say, it was love at first bite! The kabocha squash, which tasted (and looked) similar to yams was flavorful and tender. And what looked like it could have been an 'overdone' salad (with too many ingredients) was, on the contrary, just right. Each ingredient played its role and married nicely with the others. Most definitely the best salad I've had in Chelsea...

chocolate Guinness cake

After checking with Cynthia, that we were done ordering savory dishes, I selected for us the chocolate Guinness cake with chocolate ganache frosting and whipped cream. At first bite, I was interested in the ganache frosting which I found to be "fine" and not "sugary sweet" like some frostings can be. It reminded me of a chocolate frosting David makes with eggs, which has to be kept refrigerated. The chocolate Guinness cake certainly did taste homemade and fresh enough, but could have done without the side of whipped cream... or a little more of it.

Tipsy Parson, 156 Ninth Avenue, West Chelsea

May We Suggest

Cookshop's beignets

... brunch at Cookshop (with your $25 gift certificate included in our latest giveaway).

Do get at least one of the following dishes for a taste of "food that's so good you could die": beignets ($11), baked mac 'n' cheese ($13), or hash brown potatoes ($6). However, I don't recommend eating anything before you go!

In My Own Words - Part 2

Last year, I replaced the lyrics of "My Favorite Things" with my own, for a touch of holiday amusement. Here's this year's version of my own "favorite things."

Champagne, prosecco--the drier the better!
Cheeses from Westside, I always do savor
Family and friends and my Tiffany ring
These are a few of my favorite things

Going to Food Hall--their flatbread's my favorite
Valdo prosecco--I never could waste it
Brunches at Cookshop--their praises I sing

These are a few of my favorite things

Pâté with mustards and little green pickles

Truffles I like so much more than a little
Ladurée macarons--better than bling!
These are a few of my favorite things

When my shoes leak!
When the rain's long!
When I'm just a cad...
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad!

Champagne Henri Giraud Holiday Tasting & Pairing

Who can resist this exquisite pairing?

CHAMPAGNE HENRI GIRAUD will be flowing tomorrow, December 15th, at Bosie Tea Parlor (10 Morton Street, West Village) from 6:30 to 8:30 p. m. for an exclusive "Holiday Champagne Pairing!"

Discover some of their greatest champagnes--Esprit de Giraud Blanc de Blancs, Code Noir, Esprit de Giraud Rosé, Ratafia de Champagne--paired with delicious savory and sweet treats--duck breasts canapés, quail eggs with truffle mayonnaise, Parisian macarons, mini Paris-Brest--prepared by Bosie's talented French chef, Damien Herrgott. 

$40 per person; space is limited.

RSVP at henrigiraud@ablesocial.com.

And The Word Is Out...

The lucky winner of our latest giveaway will receive a $25 gift card to the ever-popular Cookshop restaurant and bar plus a 365-day premium membership to the new and improved Zagat.com ($24.95 value)! 

For your chance to win these great prizes and more, simply send an email with the word "SUSTAINABLE" in the subject line to: frombehindtheopentable@gmail.com. You'll automatically be signed up for our email updates; please be sure to confirm your subscription.

One winner will be selected at random and announced on December 19th. Good luck!

The Gingerbread High Line!

when do we get to eat it?

Our pastry chef--who's proven herself to be quite talented--surprised us Saturday morning with a gingerbread high line for display at the restaurant! We're just a block from the real high line and I'm glad that most people knew that that's what it was replicating...

And Our Next Giveaway Will Also Include

... a 365-day premium membership to the new and improved Zagat.com ($24.95 value)! Our next giveaway will be awarded before the year's end, so check back often for details on how to win!

"Devil's Fruitcake" (Re-Post)

To the hit of last year's holiday party, I'm re-posting instructions (plus a video made after a few glasses of wine) for Devil's Fruitcake or "watered fruitcake." Watering fruitcake is a trick I'd learned inspired by the book, Fruitcake: Heirloom Recipes and Memories of Truman Capote and Cousin Sook, received on my birthday last year. I forgot to demonstrate in the video, however, "moving the cake around."

Devil's Fruitcake (watered fruitcake)

Ingredients:

1 store-bought fruitcake
Brandy (unflavored)

Directions:

• Remove the fruitcake from its outer packaging, leaving its baking liner in place.
• With a long, thin piercing tool (such as a skewer) poke several long, diagonal holes throughout the fruitcake in intersecting directions.
• Place the fruitcake in a covered, glass casserole dish (or other suitable container) and carefully pour 1-2 tablespoons of brandy over the entire top of the cake.
• 'Move the fruitcake around' to evenly distribute the brandy throughout the cake.
• Place the covered casserole in the refrigerator.
• Every other day, "water" the fruitcake with 1 tablespoon brandy, remembering to 'move the cake around.'
• For each slice eaten (always slice when cold to prevent breaking), dress the exposed side with 1 teaspoon brandy.
• Serve with whipped cream if desired.

Note: If you have a time limit for preparing your devil's fruitcake, you can water the cake daily, but no more than four days. When the cake begins to resemble a "moist cake" and loses its original firmness, it's ready--don't water it anymore.

Let me know if you make this "Devil's Fruitcake" and what you (or your friends) think of it!

After re-viewing the video, I noticed some slight missteps: each watering will always consist of (at least) a full tablespoon of brandy, not a teaspoon. Only at presentation will it be dressed with a maximum of one teaspoon. And actually, you can water the cake more than six days, just be sure stop when it starts to resemble a 'moist sponge cake'--otherwise you may end up with a cake that falls apart. At day four of this cake: "It gets markedly better with age."

Moët & Chandon Presents The Golden Premium Jeroboam!

"A handcrafted and hand-customized 

masterpiece honoring a grand heritage."

Closing 2011 with the ultimate gesture of luxury, and upholding an annual premium tradition, Moët & Chandon presents the Golden Premium Jeroboam. 

Moët & Chandon transforms the Impérial bottle into a limited-edition keepsake paying tribute to the brand's celebrated heritage and allowing champagne lovers to create their own masterpiece. 

"Being unique is the essence of luxury--by signing its Golden Premium Jeroboam, each Moët lover can elevate an end-of-year gesture into a moment to remember." 

--Marc Jacheet, International Director of Marketing and Communications

Cloaked in luxurious, golden leaves, the Jeroboam is hand-gilt by renowned French artisan Arthus Bertrand. Reflecting Moët's glamorous past, the Jeroboam's design is closely connected to the noble heritage of the Trianon architecture--Moët and Chandon's Family estate. Dressed with an engraved medallion and real wax seal, both of which bear the celebrated stamp from Epernay, France, the Jeroboam also features a handcrafted reinterpretation of Moët's signature tie, which has appeared on the bottles since 1886. 

By signing with a specially-crafted pen, champagne lovers can create their very own Moët bottle and experience the luxury of personalisation. Adorned with one's own handwritten messages, each limited-edition is unique, creating a dazzling moment of celebration.

Take a dazzlingly animated look at the premium bottle!

The Moët & Chandon Golden Premium Jeroboam offers the possibility of celebrating the end of the year with success and glamour!

Already Gearing Up For Our Next Giveaway!

a gift certificate for: ?

Check in during the next few weeks to keep abreast of details...

And the Birthday Continues...

Saturday night, David took me out for a birthday dinner at a surprise location: The Green Table, inside Chelsea Market.

Surprisingly, I'd never been to Chelsea Market after all these years and with every turn, I was in anticipation of where our final destination would be. We arrived at a quaint, little eatery that looked warm and inviting; I commented, in fact, that it looked like it'd be a nice place to work.

local artisanal cheese plate

After ordering two glasses of Tiamo, organic prosecco, we decided upon sharing the local artisanal cheese plate. Upon the board: port-poached figs, local honey, chef's selection of cheeses and Amy's bread, on the side. The softest, camembert, was the creamiest and "funkiest" camembert that either David or I had ever had. And the local honey was the most "organic" I'd ever had--it seemed "very unfiltered" and natural. I don't know what pollen would taste like, but I imagine it'd taste something like this honey did.

beef bourguignon pot pie, mac & cheese, marinated and warmed olives

For our main course, we decided upon beef bourguignon pot pie (David said they come highly recommended), mac & cheese and warmed and marinated olives. I normally never order "mac & cheese" at any restaurant, but since I'd gotten hooked on Cookshop's, I've been craving it much more ever since...

moo-ooooo!

Our pot pie was quite comforting with its big, meaty pieces of beef as was the mac & cheese with its crunchy, crusty topping. But for me, the highlight of the main course was the unassuming olives! Marinated and warmed (and very fresh-tasting), I never would have known olives could taste so good--"I feel like I'm in Jerusalem!" Following the main course, David suggested we skip dessert--"We have an appointment at 10:40." Thus, he collected the check and led us north to the 34th Street Loews Theater.

"the best in the world" --Katherine Hepburn

Once settled into our seats, David pulled out from his bag a surprise box of chocolates from Mondel--my favorite chocolate store!

a surprise worth waiting for

Nestled within the ribbon-wrapped box were my favorite dark chocolate-covered green marzipan with coconut flakes, dark chocolate champagne truffles and milk chocolate espresso truffles! The chocolates barely lasted through 'act one,' but I'll say it once more: it was my best birthday yet.

Champagne & Charcuterie

Friday night, I decided it was finally time to break open the Moët & Chandon, Nectar Impérial which Danny had given me on my birthday. Confirming with Danny that it's "a tad on the sweet side," I decided I should pair it with some good, salty cheese...

birthday gift from Danny

The last time I enjoyed a very fine sweet wine was about two years ago when I picked up a bottle of Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey Sauternes as a part of David's holiday gift. After purchasing, I stopped at Westside Market to pick out some nice cheeses to pair with the wine. The very knowledgeable seller helped me select "the best blue cheese." He was right; to this day, it's the best blue I'd ever had. I figured it would be a good pair for the Nectar Impérial.

some of the best cheese money can buy

While at Westside Market, I also picked up a block of their domestic feta--David's favorite feta--and I also thought that some (salty) prosciutto wouldn't be a bad idea either. Standing in the sliced meats department, I told the seller I was looking for a salty prosciutto. He asked if I was going to cook it, then pointed out several different options. After cutting me a fresh taste of his top recommendation, he suggested I also consider the German prosciutto which they were offering at a deep discount. I went with his final recommendation and also picked up some mustard seed salami as well.

salty pairings for our demi-sec wine

Before opening the bottle of Nectar Impérial, we started with a half bottle of dry Piper-Heidsieck champagne. We mainly stuck to the domestic feta and saved the saltier Roquefort Société for the Moët. I also picked up, at Westside Market, some lovely homemade grape jam that paired well with our feta on crackers.

"Maria's homemade grape jam"

My first impression of the Nectar Impérial was that is was not at all cloying or sugary-sweet. Its sweetness seemed to come from fruit, rather than sugar. It paired wonderfully with the remainder of our meal--even unto the last drop. Sometimes with sec wines, all you can take--at most--is about a glass and a half... but the Nectar Impérial--I wouldn't mind enjoying again. Perhaps next time, I'll even try pairing it with chicken!

Congrats To Our Latest Giveaway Winner!

Happy cooking, Scarlet!

Some Bright Ideas for your Shopping Season

the hottest 'handbag' in the market

Filled with five incredibly irresistible cookies, the very popular Italian marzipan--filled with kirsch buttercream and dipped in dark chocolate--are presented in a chic and stylish bag designed exclusively for Payard. $19.50

crémant--the new "it" sparkling wine

Caves Jean Bourdy Crémant du Jura Sparkling NV - Hipper than cava and prosecco, crémant--the other French bubbly--is the toast of the moment. $17 - Details

'orange' you happy to support a cause?

Donna Karan New York is proud to support the "Orange You Happy to Erase MS" campaign to raise funds and heighten awareness about multiple sclerosis. Twenty-five percent of the net sales from the purchase of this limited-edition scarf will be donated to the Nancy Davis Foundation for MS. This holiday season, give a gift that gives more and support cutting-edge research to find a cure for MS. $295 - Vanity Fair

Veuve Clic-go!

Keep the bubbly chilled--even if your fridge is full--with a Veuve Clicquot "Le Fridge." A perfect gift for anyone over twenty-one, this reusable retro champagne holder keeps your Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label cold for up to two hours. $55 at liquor stores nationwide - Metro Source

In Just 4 Days!

win an autographed copy

... we'll be announcing the lucky winner of our latest FBTOT giveaway. This time, the winner will receive: 

• a "travel spice set" from La Boîte à Epice
• artisanal wine crackers from Mondovino
• a signed copy of Chef Todd English's latest cookbook, Cooking in Everyday English
• plus additional surprise goodies!

Participating is easy. All you have to do is "like" our Facebook page (click on the "Like" button at the top of the page) and then share any of the links relating to this giveaway on your wall. We will announce one winner on Monday, December 5th--good luck!