Macaron Demo, Tasting & Book Signing at Three Tarts Bakery & Boutique!

Chef Kathryn Gordon's recently published book

This Thursday, February 2nd from 6 to 8 p. m., Three Tarts Bakery + Boutique will be hosting a demo, macaron tasting and book signing with ICE Chef Instructor Kathryn Gordon, featuring her recently published book, Les Petits Macarons, Colorful French Confections to Make at Home. Copies of the book will be available for purchase and complimentary wine and macarons will be served!

Three Tarts Bakery + Boutique, 164 Ninth Avenue at 20th Street

An Uptown Beer & Burger Deal

'rich, black, pure chocolate
without any sweetening'

Toast is one of my all time favorite places for good "pub food" in the city. Their uptown location at 125th Street is currently offering Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence on draught to go along with their $5 burgers, offered every Monday with the purchase of any draught beer--sounds like an indulgence to me! (and while there, don't forget to try their famous 'house select blend' of chipotle ketchup)

nothing beats a good burger...
except for a great price!

food photo: Rebecca Fondren

Beignets Mastered by Marc Meyer!

Cookshop's Maine red shirmp beignets; to go

Tuesday night, after my final wine class, I decided to bring home some dinner to share with David. Knowing that Cookshop is one of my new favorite restaurants, my boss had given me a gift certificate for the place as a thank you for a small favor I'd recently done for him.

my beautifully set table, in three minutes flat!

David and I began our "tapas" dinner with Cookshop's market salad of radicchio, escarole, red wine vinaigrette and toasted bread crumbs. The completely simple salad had the most beautiful escarole I'd even seen!

Cookshop's starters were our mains

For our main course of 'small plates,' we enjoyed: Maine red shrimp beignets; pulled pork croquette with beluga lentils; and spaghetti squash with hazelnut cream, dried cherries and fried kale.

pulled pork croquette topped with kumquat and Meyer lemon relish
over beluga lentils

I found the spaghetti squash tasty, slightly sweet and very rich while David loved the beluga lentils in the pulled pork croquette dish.

a shrimp beignet dressed in gribiche dressing

But what I was absolutely mad about was the shrimp beignets! Not only did they look like they were going to be absolutely delicious, but with my first bite I was in near disbelief over the amazement of their taste! (translation: they were so good!)

interior view;
I count at least two shrimps

First off: the shrimp beignets were so much more flavorful than I expected them to be. (I almost thought they'd simply be a less-sweet version of the brunch beignets, with shrimp mixed in) The "red" shrimp beignets nearly tasted red--David had said that he seemed to notice a very interesting combination of both Cajan and Indian spices. And the beignets--which are four to an order--were nearly as filling as the spaghetti squash, yet nicely balanced with a gribiche dressing made using hard boiled eggs (mainly the whites, it seemed) and mustard. I'd, now, been a long-time fan of Chef Marc Meyer's brunch beignets--but I didn't know that Cookshop served beignets that were equally as good at dinner too!

Cookshop's menus tend to change a bit, from day to day, but they seem to be serving the tasty shrimp beignets this week!

Final Wine Class...

Last night was the final session of the Advanced Wine Essentials course, required for my 'Grand Cru' certificate in wine studies (from The Institute of Culinary Education). The session covered: vermouths, sherries (jerez), madeiras, portos and one marc (traditional grappa).

Punt e Mes Italian NV red vermouth ($15/16)
On the nose: molasses, spice, cloves, cinnamon, wood
Drink straight, chilled and enjoy with salted almonds

About vermouths, I'd learned that they can be great cooking wines (much better than using a cheap wine) and that madeiras--while mostly used for cooking, nowadays--can be enjoyable for drinking too! (I preferred the lighter ones, but the darker ones do pair well with salty foods)

Blandy's 15 year malmsey madeira ($40)
On both the nose and the palate: rich and dark
Enjoy with salty foods like ham or salted nuts

About portos (which are almost always made using a blend of grapes), ruby portos are meant to be drank young and tawny portos are made from red grapes, then aged until the color has been lost (often in increments of 10, 20, 30 or 40 years). The best portos are vintage portos which are made from red wine, aged two years in wood, then meant to age in the bottle for ten to fifteen years. (start buying yours now!)

Lustau's NV Pedro Ximénez "San Emilio" jerez ($31)
On the nose: dried, dark fruits
A thick, syrupy dessert wine

About sherries (the biggest wine bargain in the world), chill your light ones, like the very dry Sandeman "Don Fino" (NV) which paired well with our olives and young manchego. ($13) But my favorite was Lustau's NV Pedro Ximénez "San Emilio" jerez. Quite lovely, perhaps even as a gift, try it over vanilla bean ice cream; straight, unchilled; or maybe you'll even try soaking some figs or dates in it!

I must say that I'm sad to see my final class come and go. But nonetheless, I could always continue with some recreational classes--my favorite ones are Professor Vayda's cheese and wine pairings. But for now... I have to think about what we'll be having at my graduation dinner! Perhaps Julia's truite en lorgnette or truite en colère--"... the fish that's so mad he's eating his tail!"

Julia Child's truite en lorgnette

Chúc Mừng Năm Mới! (Happy New Year!)

the Vietnamese eat kumquats on Tết for financial luck

Late, Sunday night (after my dinner at Zé Café), David prepared a light meal to celebrate Tết with. (I, of course, could only "nibble" on the festive treats)

"rouged" cavas for good luck!

David and I began with "rouged" cava cocktails and kumquats. The shape and color of kumquats are similar to that of golden currency coins; therefore, the Vietnamese traditionally eat them during Tết in hopes of financial luck. And red, in Asian culture, symbolizes happiness, luck and advantage!

bánh chưng

Also for good luck on Tết, David and I shared bánh chưng (glutinous rice cake). Growing up, my mother would buy these cakes every year for Vietnamese New Year. Traditionally filled with fatty pork, bean and peppercorns, these tasty treats are generally eaten only once a year (although smaller ones--typically triangular and of the sweet variety--can be found year round).

long noodles for longevity

Representing longevity, David whipped up a quick dish of long rice noodles and a quick nước mắm sauce. 

bánh bao

Last (of our savory dishes), but not least, was a duo of bánh bao. These bánh bao, which were filled with chicken weren't like the ones I preferred growing up, filled with sweet, roast pork and hard boiled egg. But nonetheless, they sufficed. For our three-dish dessert course, we enjoyed a mix of American and Asian treats: sugar donuts, fresh coconut candy and daifuku. (more accurately: Dominican and Japanese)

good luck donut!

The sugar donuts and fresh coconut candy came from Kenny Bakery, a Dominican bakery in our neighborhood with some exceptionally good treats!

Japanese daifuku

And the Japanese daifuku (also made with glutinous rice)--while not a Vietnamese confection--is commonly enjoyed throughout most of Asia and is also associated with good luck because of its red bean filling.

2012--in Asian culture--is the year of the dragon. According to culture, dragon and tiger years are the most desirable years since the two creatures are believed to bring luck, strength, nobility, royalty, wisdom and promising futures. Moreover, the dragon has been the symbol of royalty for thousands of years because its emperors believed that dragons could protect their thrones with their fearsome strengths and abilities. Thus, 2012 is hoped to bring good fortune for people: promotion, wealth, health, properties, good marriages and new children. There won't be another year this lucky until 2022--year of the tiger!  --Vietnam Online

Private Chef's Dinner at Zé Café!

SUNDAY night, to celebrate the eve of Tết with my sister Kim, we made plans for dinner at Zé Café in midtown east. Zé Café is where Kim's new beau, Dejan is the current chef de cuisine. Chef Vezenkovic decided to showcase his talents for us with a private tasting menu--most of these dishes, you won't find on the menu.*

amuse-bouche

After some small rolls of olive bread with olive oil, our server brought out a pair of amuse-bouche. The amuse-bouche had a base of celery root mousse beneath a purée of butternut squash with a tiny dose of goat cheese and was topped with panko bread crumbs.

beef carpaccio over buttered toast points

Our starter course was a shared plate of beef carpaccio with shaved bra duro, capers and violet mustard. I was excited to taste the violet mustard, which I'd never had before, while Kim was mad about the crispy fried capers.

warm frisée salad

For our salad course, chef sent two warm frisée salads with candied pecans, dried dark berries, Crater Lake blue cheese and lardons. This salad was so good, I finished it much quicker than I would have liked to. The ingredients of the salad married beautifully; nothing was overdone or fussy... it was just simply delicious. (the lardons were my favorite!)

fruits de mer

Our first main was a plateau de fruits de mer of branzino, Long Island cockles and braised octopus, accompanied with artichokes and crostini topped with a saffron-butter reduction. The densely filled dish seemed almost bottomless as we scooped out spoonful after spoonful of tasty fruits de mer!

seemingly endless delights

Our second main was a decadent duck confit over risotto with white truffle oil and yellow wax beans.

duck confit with risotto

The dish was wonderfully aromatic with a perfectly cooked risotto and duck that just about fell off the bone.

Chef Vezenkovic's thirty-six hour Burgundy braised beef short rib

Our final main (our palates were nearly spent!) was a Burgundy-braised beef short rib with spiced root vegetables, celery root mousse and a veal demi-glace. It was my first time tasting short ribs and Dejan's was exceptional! The meat was so densely-flavored and moist--almost flaky!--and the spiced vegetables, along with the celery root mousse, were flawless.

As Kim and I were just about to finish our final savory course, Chef Dejan came to tell us he was going to join us at the table. A few minutes after joining us, our server brought out our final course: Chef Dejan's key lime pie. (Dejan's temporarily doubling as their pastry chef) And to enjoy with our sweet dish, the manager brought two glasses of "Deseado" sparkling torrontés (2010). With the pie, Dejan was able to impress us one final time--many chefs "don't do pastry." It was the best key lime pie I'd ever had, with a perfect balance of tart and sweet and a crust which was perfectly complementary and un-overbearing.

*If you'd like a taste of some of this menu, the beef carpaccio and burgundy braised short rib is available on Zé Café's à la carte menu.

Sparkling & Sweet Wines (and Noble Rot)

This week's session of Advanced Wine Essentials was about sparkling and sweet wines. I'd previously tasted nearly all of the first five sparkling wines (save Movia's Puro Rosé--of which professor disgorged its yeast during class). From the grouping, the only new angle I'd gained is a 'newfound respect' for Gruet American sparkling from New Mexico. (perhaps my palate had elevated a bit since first tasting it, long ago) We tasted both a standard, NV brut ($16/17) and a blanc de noirs NV ($17/18).

standard

My notes on the "standard" Gruet (compared to the lighter, off-dry prosecco we tasted preceding): darker, earthier, yeasty... dry, savory, mellow... bubblier, creamy, length (on the tongue)... pair with oysters. 

de noir

And for the blanc de noirs: (on the nose) red fruit... more aggressive, heavier, darker than [the standard]... tannins & stronger flavor. 

The blanc de noirs was my preferred of the two and it paired nicely with our aged goat cheese. When professor took class votes on the two, I voted for blanc de noirs. But when asked what we'd choose alone--to drink without food--I voted for the 'standard.' Interesting...

But my favorite (and most interesting) wine of the class was Wrattonbully (S. Australia), botrytis viognier, Yalumba, 2008.

botrytis

This type of wine (botrytis) is made from grapes which they allow to rot (mold) on the vine, producing a sweet, concentrated wine. The painstaking process (which sometimes includes the individual hand-selecting of grapes) is a highly finicky one because not only is there both good rot (noble rot) and bad rot (grey rot), but the grapes must also be harvested at precisely the right time. (this process can often call for successive tries in harvesting)

From my (rather brief) notes on Yalumba: real nice! ... (on the nose) ripe pepper, jalapeño... (and a heart shape around its number on the list) - $50. There I go again, picking the most expensive wines as my favorites.

Pre-Class Pre-Theatre Prix-Fixe

Last night, with two hours to kill before session three of my Advanced Wine Essentials course, I decided to give the pre-theatre prix-fixe ($20) at East of Eighth a try. As I was surveying the menu, posted outside, I already knew what my selection for the first course would be: cumin-lemon marinated "grav' lox" with toast points and dill-marinated cucumbers.

cumin-lemon marinated "grav' lox"

At first taste, I was reminded of what made me fall in love with East of Eighth years ago. Simply: unfussy, delicious food. The salmon was so wonderfully flavorful and the dill-marinated cucumber was a such a pleasant and thoughtful touch. (and the portion was nicely-sized for an appetizer)

For my main course (which I'd also pre-selected out-of-doors) I chose: country pâté and three salad platter with haricot vert vinaigrette, potato salad and marinated tomatoes. Perhaps it was because I'd already filled up on the fresh baked bread basket with homemade carrot-cumin dressing and four varieties of bread, but when this dish arrived it seemed massive! 

country pâté and three salad platter

I was most excited about trying their pâté and from there, I had to choose what I wanted to eat most. I tasted everything on the plate, minus the tomatoes and it was all, more-or-less, an enjoyable experience. The county pâté was true to style--heavier on meat than on fat. And when I ran out of the Carr's water crackers (charming, really) I enjoyed the remainder of my pâté with the tasty potato salad.

flourless chocolate-espresso roulade

For dessert, all I had to do was confirm that the flourless chocolate-espresso roulade was on the menu--which it was. I must say that on some days, their roulade is not at its best. On my previous visit I'd asked if the roulade was fresh that day and expressed how sometimes it's moist and creamy while at others, a bit dry. My server responded that occasionally they don't put enough cream in the mixture which may constitute its dryness. Last night, I forgot to inquire but nonetheless, was pleased with a perfectly moist cake and a creamy filling.

For a little while, East of Eighth seemed to be experiencing some difficulty delivering their standards in service and quality, but it seems that lately... they're hitting those high notes once again.

My Weekend of Culinary Delight

Brussels sprouts, chopped walnuts and DiPola's mozzarella pizza

Thursday afternoon, I decided to bring home a couple of treats to contribute to dinner, at home, with David. I decided upon a hearth stone pizza ($12) and assorted housemade treats ($11) from Cookshop. The hearty pizza topped with Brussels sprouts, chopped walnuts and DiPalo's mozzarella was a wintery treat and the assorted housemade treats of chocolate caramel, fig newton, turtle brownie, lemon cupcake, spicy almond brittle, chocolate almond cranberry cookies and chocolate eclairs made for a certain delightful end to dinner!

Cookshop's assorted housemade treats; to go!

FRIDAY, I met with my good friend, Danny and his friend Jessica for a "light dinner" at Tipsy Parson (my favorite post-work hangout).

... in a "Marie Antoinette" coupe!

Danny and I began (while waiting for Jessica) with a bottle of crémant de Bourgogne which was surprisingly served in champagne coupes! (how very old-fashioned!) While we took our initial sips, Danny asked what was good on the menu. Having only been to 'Tipsy' during lunch or late lunch hours, I could only recommend a handful of dishes. Danny decided upon ordering bourbon chicken liver toast ($10) as a starter, to share.

a perfectly dressed portion, topped with green tomato marmalade

The platter seemed to be somewhat skimpy with the grilled potato bread, this time around, so Danny and I went through the dish rather quickly. We decided upon an order of fried oysters ($9), from the snacks menu, as well.

fried oysters, minus one

The fried oysters were ever so moist and "oyster-y;" their flavor/purity was not minimized by frying. (they also came with the tallest cornbread I'd ever seen!) Shortly thereafter, Jessica finally arrived and we went straight away to ordering several small dishes for the table.

buttermilk-chive biscuit with honey butter

I only wanted to try the buttermilk-chive biscuit ($4) with honey butter while Jessica ordered: mac & cheese, hush puppies and a side of roasted delicata squash.

my favorite Tipsy Parson hush puppies!

Jessica insisted I try the hush puppies with the honey butter with which my buttermilk-chive biscuit came with (instead of the warm pimento cheese); and the squash, which Jessica complimented repeatedly throughout the meal, did not last long enough for a more suitable photo:

Jessica also insisted the dish contained brown butter

... suitable or not, the squash--with sorghum, rosemary and sea salt--was certainly a delectable treat! When I finally was able to invest my palate, wholeheartedly, in my buttermilk-chive biscuit with honey butter, I enjoyed it so much, I insisted on ordering a "round" for the table. From there, we were perhaps too full for dessert and opted, instead, for a few dessert wines.

beerenlausese!

Too full or not, I always like to enjoy dessert. I asked our server which of my two selections was more of a thick, syrupy wine. He directed me toward the beerenlausese, which did not disappoint.

SATURDAY, I met with my sister Kim and her new beau, Dejan which happens to be the chef de cuisine at a restaurant on East 52nd Street. Kim decided we meet at The Plaza Food Hall by Todd English--one of her favorite places to eat in the city. I arrived a few minutes before our reservation time and was kindly permitted to wait for the rest of my party at the table. Kim and Dejan arrived shortly thereafter and Kim and I promptly decided upon a bottle of The Food Hall's crisp Valdo prosecco.

Kim and Dejan had had a late lunch and weren't all that hungry so we decided upon slowly ordering several dishes to share. We began with Kim's favorite stuffed medjool dates--stuffed with cabrales cheese and wrapped in jamón serrano--followed by one of the evening's specials, black truffle flatbread ($30) with taleggio, caramelized onions and rosemary.

black truffle flatbread at The Food Hall

The highly aromatic pizza arrived amidst our conversation. Throughout the meal Dejan wouldn't touch a scrap of food until Kim was ready; I followed suit. When we finally selected our portions of flatbread, I must say, I was not impressed. The Food Hall's flatbreads are, hands-down, the best "restaurant pizzas" I've had in the city, but this particular flatbread seemed to impress more with its description rather than with its taste. The truffles could have been put to better use in another manner...

WE ordered another bottle of prosecco while we lingered over our conversations. Shortly after taking initial sips from the second bottle, a platter of sliders arrived, "on the house."

prime rib sliders with minced red onion and fontina "fondu"

Perfectly portioned for the three of us, we each selected a slider to enjoy ourselves. It wasn't my first time tasting the prime rib sliders, but it was for Kim and Dejan who'd enjoyed them thoroughly. After our three course "tasting," we mutually agreed we were satiated and departed from The Food Hall--for now. Kim and I agreed, The Plaza Food Hall is still our favorite place to eat in the city!

The 'Gaga' Chef

In case you didn't believe me when I'd said if Lady Gaga wasn't a pop star, she'd rather be a foodie... here's the proof, straight from the horse's mouth:

actual photo of Lady Gaga's boeuf bourguignon

Lady Gaga

Watching vintage Julia Child, THE FRENCH CHEF. Shall I have a go at a bouillabaisse? Bit like trying on Chanel for the first time, Precision!

Share · January 7 at 2:10pm ·

Lady Gaga

Tonight I'm tackling my first boeuf bourguignon. Apron, heels, a wooden spoon, & heaps of determination. Will report my monster efforts! xox

Share · Sunday at 5:35pm ·

Lady Gaga

My friends are stoned and making me take my french masterpiece out early. #BouefBourguignwrong? Well see. Some just can't wait 3 hrs!

Share · Sunday at 10:10pm ·

Lady Gaga

And there you have it! Fell asleep in coma after eating so here's the morning report. Avec les pommes de terres!

Share · Monday at 12:25pm ·

... and that's why the lady, is a tramp.

Can You Guess Where This Photo Was Taken?

Answer specifically and be the winner of our next giveaway!

Two Recent Favorites

I'd learned a few things (and more) in my last two wine classes.

1. I always like the most expensive wines.
2. I do like (a good) chenin blanc.
3. South Africa makes some (good) wines that I like.

(although I already kind of knew the last one)

Last week's class was "whites." (unseasonably so--it was very cold that evening) I didn't come away from the class with much of an impression except: I left with the knowledge of a new white. (to me)

a 'winter white'

Our sixth tasting was of a chenin blanc, "Clos de la Bergerie (Nicolas Joly)," from Savennières Roche aux Moines, 2005, in the Loire Valley. My notes were brief: some tannin... skin maceration... not summer... rich... later in the meal... winter white... $50. But I do remember it being one of the most interesting (still) whites I'd had in a while.

peppery 'Z'!

And from my second class in 'Advanced Wine Essentials,' I came away loving the Stellenbosch (S. Africa) "Z" (perhaps pronounced "zed" there) by De Toren, 2008. This wine was a blend of merlot (45%), cabernet sauvignon (27%), malbec (15%), cabernet franc (7%) and petit verdot (6%). On the nose, a very interesting vegetable and green pepper... carrying with it a vegetable-y taste. From the press:

... full and rich in the mouth... framed by a lush, but firm structure and balanced acidity... long finish with a peppery back note. 

... savory, firm-edged tannins. Very much in a Right Bank style, unusual for a Bordeaux blend in South Africa. 

Ripe and focused... laced with hints of herb and dark licorice... supple, lengthy finish... well put together... Drink now.

$38. Try it with a steak au poivre with green peppercorns for an experience you won't soon forget. Next week's class: sparklings!

Some of Twenty-Eleven's Most Viewed Posts

Julia Child Gets Hot! - even Julia messes up, sometimes...

Blue Ribbon Birthdays Are Best - they really are

The Good, The Bad and the Bubbly - I wasn't trying to be a diva...

What a Snobby Maître d'! - ... really I wasn't!

Year of the Cat! (Chúc Mừng Năm Mới!) - my first post, post-decision to keep writing on this blog

You are Cordially Invited - somehow, even though this "private" link was only shared with eight people, it received thirty-two views

I must say, I was quite surprised to see that December 2011 was my most-viewed month, topping off with 2,356 pageviews--I can only hope to keep my readers just as interested in 2012!

New Year, New Recipes

I recently started following the Swedish/English blog, Freestyle Cookery and came across two recent recipes (Meatloaf à la Lindström and Guinness mustard) that piqued my interest. A self-proclaimed "non-cook," I probably won't be attempting these recipes anytime soon, but maybe you'll find them useful!

"Meatloaf à la Lindström" contains two of my favorite
things--beets and beef!