Shaved Vegetables with Carrot Jus, inspired by Chef Justin Burdett of Atlanta’s Miller Union

I’ve been travelling to Atlanta with my job for StarChefs.com, eating with some of the city’s best chefs, pastry chefs, mixologist, sommeliers, brewers, and baristas. And guess what? I love Atlanta! From the Southern charm to the not-to-cool hipster esthetic (a refreshing break for the sometimes overkill of Williamsburg), I’ve thoroughly enjoyed traipsing around this town with Editor-in-Chief Antoinette Bruno. And I can’t wait to head back in June to celebrate our latest class of culinary rock stars at the StarChefs.com Rising Stars Gala at the eclectic Goat Farm Arts Center.

And although we’re putting the spotlight on our Rising Stars, there was something about every one of the nearly 80 tastings that Antoinette and I loved—a clever flavor combination, an interesting technique, an out-of-this-world dessert, or a rich, complex beer. Justin Burdett, the chef de cuisine at Miller Union, was just one of the chefs who wowed us during our trips, and I can’t get his creative dish of fresh carrot juice and oysters out of my head. Lightly seasoned, it’s a refreshing riff on an oyster shooter. And it didn’t hurt that Burdett finished the dish with one of my personal favorite garnishes, celery leaves, for an added brightness.

My version, an ode to Burdett’s creativity, swaps out the oysters for shaved radish, beets, and carrots. It’s a simple, refreshing amuse buche or cool spring soup that brings a little bit of my newfound ATL love to any meal.

more …

Homemade ketchup inspired by the man who ate it all

This month I convinced the lovely rEATers group to dive in, head first, to one of my absolute favorite food author’s of all time: Jeffery Steingarten. As writer for Vogue, Steingarten devotes much of his time to dissecting all things food. His first book, The Man Who Ate Everything, is a collection of his essays for the magazine and discusses everything from the vegan diet and the wide variety of water types to front-of-the-house finishing school.

Some of the books more interesting topics­—the nitty gritties on ketchup, or themed restaurants—seem to be more Steingarten’s own fancy than perhaps those of his fashionista audience. But chatting about the why of Steingarten (why a Harvard lawyer is writing about food in the fashion magazine), rEATers discussed the sensibilities needed to be a lawyer—the intuitive, argumentative nature that is required of a lawyer prepared to win his case. These are the same qualities Steingarten brings to each essay, showing his reader—no matter how educated they may (or may not be) on the topic—the full story. Armed with Steingarten’s information, the reader can may make their own judgment, whether it be on Evian and Perrier, or Heinz and homemade. Inspired by Steingarten and our talk, I cooked up a batch of my own homemade ketchup (although tomatoes aren’t yet in season, so my recipe is altered a bit with canned tomatoes). I hope you enjoy, and if you haven’t read the book, it’s a must read!

more …

Home cooking at its best: inspired by the French, Leek and Spinach Quiche.

Wow, it has been quite the busy past two weeks! I’ve been on the road with StarChefs.com, eating my way through Atlanta, and unfortunately too busy for La Vita Cucinare. But luckily, I’m finally all settled back in New York City. And what better time to talk about menu planning than after I’ve just spent eight days eating and drinking at six restaurants a day (I know, best job on Earth!). I’m certainly ready to get back to some good home cooking!

When I was a kid, my mother had a meal calendar that she used to plan each week, including my Dad’s favorites­—beef stroganoff, chili, tacos—and a few dishes my sister and I loved—Chinese sweet-and-sour meatballs and chicken Parmesan. While I can still remember the little square piece of paper she would pencil dish titles onto, I never thought to create a meal plan of my own. Trips to the market have always been more of a lazy stroll, as I imagined the feasts I could prepare during the week. Occasionally I planned out dinners or parties, and went shopping grocery list in hand, but more often then not, shopping has been altogether impromptu.

But a few weeks ago, after realizing that my move to New York has resulted in way too many take-out and restaurant grub sessions (embarrassingly sometimes breakfast, lunch, and dinner!), I decided to take matters into my own hands and cook everything I ate for an entire week. And thus I realized the secret of menu planning. Starting off with a little inspiration from The Kitchn’s Roast Chicken menu, I devised a resourceful menu, and then only spent $90 on groceries, much less than my take-out bills usually add up to. (It did help that I was only cooking for one, as TH was out of town the whole week.)
more …

Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

When I was just starting college and knew very little about food, I suggested to my still good friend Aaron that we have a lunch date at a sushi buffet. His response was utter horror and an explanation of disgust at the thought of less than fresh raw fish. After watching Jiro Dreams of Sushi, you may never be able to dine at any sushi restaurant again, save for Sukiyabashi Jiro, the 10-seat eatery found in a Tokyo subway station that’s currently swept up the foodie nation.

I’m not sure anyone (at least in the food world), has yet to see the Magnolia Pictures production, but if you haven’t managed to make it to this captivating film yet, I fully insist you catch it. The movie profiles 85-year-old Jiro Ono, renowned sushi master and chef of the first three-starred Michelin sushi restaurant. Wide-spanning, sensual shots of sushi combine with the details of Jiro and his two sons’ lives, telling the passion and dedication required to reach a level of true perfection.

more …

I’ve had a thing for tiki drinks lately. San Francisco’s Smuggler’s Cove is by far one of my favorite bars, and I’ve been itching for a trip to New York’s Lani Kai since I arrived in September. So when my good friend Matthew invited us to his housewarming party a few weeks ago, my mind shot directly to making a pitcher of sunny tropical drinks to share. It didn’t hurt that I was also reading Bon Appetit’s March issue at the time, and was inspired by the simple and lovely Queen’s Park  Swizzle.

Starting out, I infused some dark rum with orange zest and cinnamon overnight. To that I added simple syrup, lime juice, and mint. The recipe also calls for orgeat, an almond-infused syrup used heavily in tiki concoctions. I didn’t have time to whip up a batch, and my local bar store was out, but Bittermens Elemakule Tiki Bitters (infused with cinnamon, allspice, and paprika) made a lovely replacement. Swirl the mixture around and pour over crushed ice, and you have a slightly sweet, spicy, and tart cocktail. And our ever-expanding bar continued to grow with the addition of a few bar staples–Peychaud’s and Angostura–used to top of the drink with a bright red flourish. Garnish with mint and a long straw, and you have tiki magic. Light and floral, it’s a great way to celebrate, housewarmings or the coming sunshine!

more …

TH and I ventured out into our new neighborhood this week, finally checking out one of the bars that’s been on my list for quite awhile, The Shanty. Annexed with The New York Distilling Company, this dark, industrial bar/tasting room offers a large window view into their production area, cocktails topped off with house gin and a few booze-laced bar snacks, making the whole operation a pleasant stop along the Williamsburg route.

And it’s no wonder the booze part is right­­­. Partners Tom Potter and Allen Katz have years of experience in the business: Potter co-founded Brooklyn Brewery in 1987 and Katz is the director of Spirits Education and Mixology for Southern Wine & Spirits of New York. Distilling in urban New York is steeped in history (the earliest stills in Brooklyn date back to the 1700s), and Potter and Katz formed the company as a premiere craft distillery much in the same tradition and craft. The company currently produces two varieties of gin—the Dorothy Parker, blended with elderberries and hibiscus, and the Perry’s Tot, an aromatic over-proof Navy Strength gin.

While The Shanty serves their traditional Tom Collins and Gin and Tonics with the Perry’s Tot, we particularly liked the Sauvetage, a bright drink made with the more floral Dorothy Parker. A refreshing sip, the drink combines Carpano Antica sweet vermouth, tart grapefruit juice and a bit of spice from Bittermen’s Amère Nouvelle. And while the gin drinks were easy to drink and enjoy, I’m especially excited that the company is currently working on an American Rye Whiskey. As if anyone needed another reason to hang out in Williamsburg.

The Details:
The Shanty
79 Richardson Street, Brooklyn NY
718-878-3579
http://nydistilling.com
Open nightly from 5pm-2am

Say “I love you” with a sweet bite of almond and pumpkin seed toffee.

Valentine’s Day­—whether thought of as a day for honoring a Christian martyr or an excuse for greeting card companies to pump out pink and red lovable gifts­—is all about love. Loving your family, your friends, your sweetie, and yourself, it’s a day set aside to say I love you to everyone who needs to hear it. Going out of your way to be nice is the easiest way to make someone else feel wonderful, it comes along with that little burst of feel-goodness, and best of all, it doesn’t cost a thing. As lovely as fancy or thoughtful gifts are, the gift of a smile, a friendly conversation, or a happy hug can go a long way to making someone feel great, and I like to think that’s what Valentine’s Day really is all about.

Another reason why I love Valentine’s Day? There is no hiding that I have a massive sweet tooth, and toffee is pretty high on my list of favorites. This recipe is easy to put together, a great way to use up extra nuts or flavorings, and makes a lovely gift, no matter what the occasion. So whether you are making sure your partner, your sister, or your best friend knows you love them today, perhaps we can all take a lesson from Valentine’s Day, and remember to let them know it more often, with sweet gifts of candy and by remembering to say I love you more often.

more …

Earthy flavors – fresh herbs, roasted vegetables – beg for winter’s fire.

Cold winter days just scream for the kind of  soul warming recipes that keep wanderers heading to Provence and Tuscany year after year. While winter 2012 has certainly been on the mild side so far, a simple roasted chicken is just the thing to warm up the kitchen, even without snow. Combining ease with rich flavor, it’s a great dinner party standby, and the white bean ragut is one of those staples you should always have around – I love a quick kale or radish greens sauté finished off with the creamy beans.

For a girl on the constant run, this is an easy meal to throw together on a lazy Sunday evening and then nibble on for lunch throughout the week. Soaking the beans makes for an extra step, but they have so much more flavor when cooked from scratch. Whether you are looking to impress a group (pair the chicken with a Châteauneuf-du-Pape perhaps), or just want to enjoy this recipe for simplicity’s sake, it’s one to keep around for sure.
more …

Start your day with a bright herbal tea inspired by my African adventure!

I was lucky enough to spend a week in Morocco over the Christmas holidays. TH and I had an incredible time exploring a completely new culture, and eating a week’s worth of tagines, preserved lemons, cured olives, and rich breads. From wandering through the evening medinas — complete with grilled meats, live music, and costumed performers — to drinking cocktails à la Casablanca in a bar said to inspire the movie, the trip was truly unique. I’ll post a detailed travel guide from our trip shortly, along with some great pictures we snapped along the way, but for a fresh start to January, I wanted to share a glass or two of Moroccan mint tea.

We saw locals sipping on this herbal tea everywhere we went — bars, cafès, even corner stoops; one café owner described the brown liquid as Morocco’s whiskey. We trekked up steep cobblestone streets to sip on it over lunch at a tiny seaside restaurant in Tangier, and watched the sunset over the Marrakech marketplace at a fancy rooftop café. We also managed to bring back a lovely set of gold painted glasses perfect for enjoying the mint-studded tea back at home.

Mint tea may be a wonderful memory of our trip, but this cooling herb also packs plenty of benefits for those of you looking to spruce up in the New Year. Rich in Vitamins A and C, mint also contains a number of minerals, making it a great addition to your morning cuppa. Drinking a pot spiked with mint can stimulate the senses and improve mood, and mint is also known to relieve congestion, head colds and headaches, a much needed remedy this time of year. Moroccan’s enjoy their tea very sweet, with a large handful of mint in each glass. I prefer to cut out some of that sugar, and add a squeeze of lemon juice for a bright, minty sip that makes me feel fresh and ready to tackle the day.

Moroccan Mint Tea
4-6 servings
1 tablespoon loose leaf green tea
4 cups boiling water
2-4 tablespoons sugar, to taste
1 large bunch mint, reserve some mint for garnishing
1 lemon

1. Place the mint, green tea and sugar into a decorative teapot. Pour the boiling water over the mint and brew for 3 to 5 minutes. Place the garnishing mint into the tea cups, pour the tea through a strainer into the cups, and serve. Top with fresh squeezed lemon juice to taste.

Three Michelin stars, best restaurant in America, and a chef with a death defying, Oprah-worthy-story: Alinea’s everything it should be.

For all that Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas do to set themselves apart from the pack, dinner at Alinea is everything you expect – unbelievable. From the Star Trek sliding front doors to the teasing kitchen view of several dozen cooks to the final course- a peanut butter, chocolate, blueberry dessert plated table side on the table atop a thin rubber tablecloth- every element is just as it should be: thoughtful, thought-provoking, playful, and delicious.

Lacking the pretension or overbearing presence that often comes with many multi-course, haute cuisine meals, the staff seems almost as giddy to be serving each course as the diners are to be enjoying them. With sly smiles and coy descriptions, the presentations arrive on the infamous metal spoons, vials, tiny platters, and delicate ceramic wear of Martin Kastner, the restaurant’s wildly talented service ware designer. more …