Due to a memory malfunction that resulted in not being able to cook our own food we had to eat out. Good excuse, right? So we walked a couple blocks over to Van Brunt to try out the new pizza joint that's been getting so much buzz.
The decor was good--except the classic pizzeria green painted marble tabletops that clashed in a SERIOUS way with the otherwise modern and clean look. The bar looked wide and comfy to eat at...in fact I looked at it longingly after choosing our small two top.
As for the pizza itself--delicious! A thinner crust cooked JUST right with a delicious sauce that tasted homemade. The cheese was fresh and amazing but the whole pizza was just a little too oily-- I won't lie: there was some serious agita afterward.
The only real disappointment here was the tiny selection of toppings-- only one meat (pepperoni) on the menu? Seriously?
All in all, it was a cheap and filling meal-- go for it!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Quick n' Satisfyin'
I was feeling downright lazy on one of my recent Sunday night cooking experiments so I wanted something extremely easy to throw together. I found the perfect solution in a chicken salad with rosemary, almonds and green onion.
I roasted the chicken instead of pan frying--the chicken would benefit from a long marinade, so don't cut it too close. If your chicken didn't absorb enough of the flavor, drizzle extram balsamic vinegar over the dish as extra dressing. Add dried cranberries in with raisins for some much appreciated sweetness. It also makes a a great wrap the next day, as well, so it's a perfect two meal recipe.
Was it the best chicken salad I've ever had in my life? No. It was however, a mercifully light and flavorful dish. Give it a try!
I roasted the chicken instead of pan frying--the chicken would benefit from a long marinade, so don't cut it too close. If your chicken didn't absorb enough of the flavor, drizzle extram balsamic vinegar over the dish as extra dressing. Add dried cranberries in with raisins for some much appreciated sweetness. It also makes a a great wrap the next day, as well, so it's a perfect two meal recipe.
Was it the best chicken salad I've ever had in my life? No. It was however, a mercifully light and flavorful dish. Give it a try!
Easter Schmeaster or How I Scarificed a Ham to the One God of my Oven
Matt and I love all holidays. We constantly talk about hosting family gatherings in our tiny tiny apartment over the BQE but rarely do it. This Easter was a change. Although neither of us are particularly GOD FEARING we do have an appreciation for tradition. So I made a ham. Yeah, that's right a whole hock of hammy deliciousness. Needless to say, this was our first attempt at large scale animal cooking.
The menu, if you will, follows . . .
Baked Ham with a Thyme Honey Glaze
Scalloped Yukon Gold and Sweet Potato Gratin with Fresh Herbs
Asparagus with a Classic Hollandaise
Baby Peas with Mint Lemondrop Cupcakes (a la Baked.)
Paried with Semidry Reislings of assorted origin
(thanks to www.epicurious.com for being our one stop shop for all recipes)
WIthout a doubt, it was a knock down drag out success. Which we were thrilled about. Fellow blogger, Sarah was in attendance as well as another friend from work, L.
Some musings . . .
The ham we purchased was spiral cut, and while it was convienent, I wasn't happy with the way the outer slices crisped up and seperated from the rest of the ham in cooking. Buying the spiral cut ham was meant to take some of the complication out of the cooking prosess but I think we could have done just as well without it. The thyme glaze was mild, earthy and super shiny without the stickiness of a traditional ham. And although our neighborhood couldn't supply us with a classic Virginia Ham, I'll stick to my guns that these are the absolute best hams for Easter (or any other occasion). In end the meat nearly fell off the bone and we all went back for seconds and some thirds. Sweet, savory and totally not kosher, this was Sarah's first time eating a baked ham. I'm happy to say, we've brought her over to the dark side.
POTATOES! Hands down the best dish of the night. The mixture of potato and sweet potato was delicious. The gruyere and herbs tied in beautifully. Of course it was very heavy, with almost two cups of cream what wouldn't be, but it was an indulgence well worth it. Recommend cooking a little longer than the recipe says, to get a really nice golden top to crunch against the mushiness of the bottom layer.
The hollandaise was another first time for us (we've previously made it using a blender with the help of another friend, but she alas, wasn't here to talk us through it). It looks great on the stove but once it hit the aspargus it really thinned out. I think this is just a matter of mastering the elusive art of the perfect hollandaise. No complaints at the table though!
Lemondrop cupcakes. 'Nuff said. I can't extole the virtues of Baked. enough. You really just need to come down to Red Hook and try it yourself. I will say though, the the lemon curd inside the cupcakes really brings them together. The absolute perfect way to end a decadent meal.
a.
The menu, if you will, follows . . .
Baked Ham with a Thyme Honey Glaze
Scalloped Yukon Gold and Sweet Potato Gratin with Fresh Herbs
Asparagus with a Classic Hollandaise
Baby Peas with Mint Lemondrop Cupcakes (a la Baked.)
Paried with Semidry Reislings of assorted origin
(thanks to www.epicurious.com for being our one stop shop for all recipes)
WIthout a doubt, it was a knock down drag out success. Which we were thrilled about. Fellow blogger, Sarah was in attendance as well as another friend from work, L.
Some musings . . .
The ham we purchased was spiral cut, and while it was convienent, I wasn't happy with the way the outer slices crisped up and seperated from the rest of the ham in cooking. Buying the spiral cut ham was meant to take some of the complication out of the cooking prosess but I think we could have done just as well without it. The thyme glaze was mild, earthy and super shiny without the stickiness of a traditional ham. And although our neighborhood couldn't supply us with a classic Virginia Ham, I'll stick to my guns that these are the absolute best hams for Easter (or any other occasion). In end the meat nearly fell off the bone and we all went back for seconds and some thirds. Sweet, savory and totally not kosher, this was Sarah's first time eating a baked ham. I'm happy to say, we've brought her over to the dark side.
POTATOES! Hands down the best dish of the night. The mixture of potato and sweet potato was delicious. The gruyere and herbs tied in beautifully. Of course it was very heavy, with almost two cups of cream what wouldn't be, but it was an indulgence well worth it. Recommend cooking a little longer than the recipe says, to get a really nice golden top to crunch against the mushiness of the bottom layer.
The hollandaise was another first time for us (we've previously made it using a blender with the help of another friend, but she alas, wasn't here to talk us through it). It looks great on the stove but once it hit the aspargus it really thinned out. I think this is just a matter of mastering the elusive art of the perfect hollandaise. No complaints at the table though!
Lemondrop cupcakes. 'Nuff said. I can't extole the virtues of Baked. enough. You really just need to come down to Red Hook and try it yourself. I will say though, the the lemon curd inside the cupcakes really brings them together. The absolute perfect way to end a decadent meal.
a.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Saturday Night Nosh: old favorites at Quarter Bar and Hope & Anchor
Full disclosure:I have eaten at the Hope & Anchor diner in Red Hook many a time, spanning meals from brunch to dinner. But I I feel like this warrants a post because really, I am always up for going there and I am seldom ever disappointed when it comes to my meal. Last night was no exception with one added bonus: Karaoke.
Jes, Sarah B. and I (all former waitresses and one current barrista/beermonger extraordinaire) met up around 9:30 at one of our old haunts, Quarter Bar (20th street & 5th ave). This bar is also one of my consistent favorites. The semi-rustic ambiance of dark unfinished wood and an ever growing collection of found treasures (stuffed pheasant, anyone?) is perfectly complemented by dim ambery light and a selection of plain good music. I went in there intending to get one of their incredibly good Hot Toddies, but ended up ordering one of their specialty drinks, a Rosarita--a rosemary-infused marguerita served up high in a slightly modified martini glass. Delicious delicious delicious. Sarah B. had ordered the same and Jes ordered two rounds of her new favorite old-man drink, a two-bits (pyrotechinal bonus: they light an orange peel on fire).
After calling around to various car services (remember, be safe kids), our good friends at Express 11 broke everyone's record and showed up in literally 3 minutes to bring us to the Hope & Anchor diner on Wolcott and Van Brundt. We could hear the dim warblings of karaoke night as we stepped out of the cab. As we elbowed our way through the slightly older yet drunky-fun crowd, we immediately asked if the kitchen was still open. Even though they were abut to close, they quickly took our food orders at the bar. Now normally, I am livid when I am rushed--but since we had all been their before, we settled on some old favorites before tucking into a corner table where we had front row seats what would prove to be some of the most purely entertaining karaoke performances I have ever witnessed. They were all there--the guy who sang exclusevely from the Billy Joel song catalogue, the good old favorites of total eclipse of the heart and Livin on a Prayer. But this guy stole the show and my heart for his high kicks his hi octane dance performance on the bar while staying perfectly on pitch. ku-dos.
Jes ordered their turkey burger--a perfectly-sized portion that comes with cheese, avocado, lettuce, tomato and onions in an assemble-yourself spread. It was served with a lightly-dressed green salad (no iceberg) and shoestring fries. Although Jes had requested the fries well-done, they were not so much--but considering that we were served PERIOD, this was really a non-issue. As always, the meal was incredibly satisfying.
I ordered the hot wings appetizer--a generous portion of segmented wings appropriately served with stalks of celery and bleu cheese dressing. I should disclose at this point that I am a hot wing connoisseur and have some very strong opinions in this area. This being said, these hot wings are probably the best I've had in all of NYC/Brooklyn. They were perfectly fried and not drippy with sauce, cooked completely through with no signs of rubberiness. The dressing on the side was served in a small dish--the PERFECT amount--and was clearly house made. My wing-craving was fully satisfied.
Sarah B. ordered the lamb burger--a marinated lamb patty served on olive toast with roasted red pepper and copious amounts of feta cheese. Sarah is a full on fan of this burger hands down. She was quick to praise the Hope & Anchor for squeezing our order in at the last minute and performing karaoke like total pros. Full disclosure: Sarah is a seasoned bartender/barrista/superwoman with high standards and a very discerning palette, and her opinion (in my humble opinion) carry significant weight. Her only criticism was the beer situation...
"The only thing I was disappointed by was the beer recommendation, but we all know I am especially finicky about this area. I ordered an Avery IPA which is a very dry, light, almost citrusy IPA, and because they were of out he recommended me that I didn't like at all because it was much too sweet and dark (amber/red?), and I think he suggested it just because it's also from Denver, but I can't remember what it was called..."In all, very high marks. And I would have to agree. I always look for an excuse to go to the H&A because it's always a win-win situation. Not only is it chock-full of character, it's completely un-pretentious and is all about good food, good beer and a good time. BEST PART: it's a destination, so making the long journey makes everything taste that much better... especially with a beer.
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