Herb Scissors
To us, summer flavor means fresh summer herbs. Maybe you have a windowsill herb garden, or you picked some up at the store to compliment a dish. We like to create a dish around whichever herbs we got our hands on, sometimes sage, basil, dill, tarragon or lemon balm. We love these five-blade scissors because we can use them for everything from cutting the herb off the plant itself to finely chopping it up for the plate. No cutting board necessary. How cool is that? With five blades, there’s practically no work to do, be it basil for pasta or dill for stuffing inside grilled fish. Perfect for chiffonades or a mint garnish on a fruit salad, you can even cut directly over your dish, which means less clean up (always a plus in our book). These five-blade scissors...
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New York’s Best Summer Sips
You won’t hear us complaining, but it’s definitely hot outside. (We’d take the heat over frigid temps any day.) Besides, there’s plenty of places to grab an ice cold drink (not the alcoholic kind). In fact, the options have gotten a lot better than your average iced tea or coke. There’s grown up slushies, made with fresh fruit purees and herbs, Arnold Palmers with fresh-squeezed lemonade, and milkshakes. (No one said cold wasn’t sweet.) All of these libations are non-alcoholic, so they’re perfect for the hottest part of the day. When you’re through with work, you can spike your ginger-blueberry mint slushy with tequila. Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain Address: 513 Henry Street (Caroll Gardens, Brooklyn) Phone: (718)522-6260 Website: www.brooklynfarmacy.blogspot.com At the forefront of the soda fountain renaissance, Brooklyn Farmacy is definitely onto something. We only wish there was a Manhattan...
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Lure's Watermelon Salad With Crumbled Feta & Shisito Peppers
Watermelon is a quintessential and one of our favorite summer fruits, so we asked Lure’s Josh Capon for an inspired recipe to share with readers for your next cookout. Chef Capon adds a unique twist to a classic watermelon salad with shisito peppers, which turns out to be a terrific combination. Watermelon Salad with Crumbled Feta Cheese & Shisito Peppers By Chef Josh Capon (Lure Fishbar, Burger & Barrel) (Serves 4) Ingredients 4 cups, watermelon, cubed 24 whole shisito peppers 2 cups of feta cheese 8 lime wedges 4 tbsp, extra virgin olive oil Preparation Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Turn the heat up to high and add the peppers in a single layer (cook in more than one batch if needed, but they need to have space to brown). Once you’ve added...
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Q & A with Chef Marcus Samuelsson
Marcus Samuelsson has always been a trailblazer. He first made a name for himself at Aquavit with his innovative approach to Scandinavian cuisine, then left to the midtown restaurant to open Manhattan’s first pan-African spot, Merkato 55. But Red Rooster is his biggest accomplishment to date. Just this past year, Samuelsson brought American comfort food and its many traditions to Harlem, and with it put this uptown neighborhood on the culinary map. “The most gratifying thing about the restaurant is the impact Red Rooster Harlem is having on the community and how it’s changed the footprint of the New York City dining scene,” Samuelsson says. This week, Samuelsson is heading upstate for Chefs & Champagne, an annual tasting event sponsored by the James Beard Foundation. “It’s such a great tradition and a very fun event,” Samuelsson said. “I...
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Q & A with Hill Country's Elizabeth Karmel
Elizabeth Karmel is on a mission. The North Carolina born chef has spent much of her career encouraging women to barbecue, founding a website called “Girls at the Grill,” writing cookbooks, and of course, running the kitchen at Hill Country — one of New York’s best barbecue joints. Hill Country is famous for its Texas meat market-style atmosphere and Karmel’s exceptional brisket, chicken and ribs. So it’s not surprising that Karmel has her fair share of male fans as well. “Forty percent of my Girls at the Grill readers are men,” Karmel says. “Underneath the girl-centric speak, men realized there was a lot of great outdoor cooking information, tips and recipes on the site.” Grilling enthusiasts can also sample her southern cooking at this week’s Chefs and Champagne, a James Beard Foundation tasting event, which will be held this,...
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New York’s Best Summer Soups
When we think of summer, soup isn’t exactly the first thing to come to mind, except gazpacho of course. The cooling combination of tomatoes, olive oil and vinegar has made gazpacho a summer staple. Light and flavorful, this chilled, Spanish soup can be the perfect beginning to a meal, or lunch in and of itself. Lately, we’ve noticed (and eaten) some very creative renditions and a few non-gazpacho. From super seasonal toppings at Salinas to Balaboosta’s honeydew and cantaloupe version, we’ve compiled our favorite, cold summer soups from around the city. Tia Pol 205 Tenth Ave. (at 22nd St.) (212)675-8805 Website: www.tiapol.com What better place to get Spain’s most famous soup than at one of the city’s best Spanish tapas bar? Served in an elegant glass, this gazpacho follows the classic recipe of cucumber, tomatoes, green peppers, sherry vinegar...
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July Food Happenings
New York is a hard core foodie town with plenty of culinary events to attend in this summer. July alone is chock full of food happenings, everything from restaurant week deals to Hamptons fundraisers and, of course, the annual Meatopia festival where you gorge yourself silly on all things meat cooked by some of the best chefs in the country. Here’s a few of our favorites: Taste of Two Forks – July 16 Website Usually you have to choose between the North or South fork when you book a weekend out East. At this Saturday’s event, you’ll get a taste of both. Hosts Dan’s Papers, Marcus Samuellson (Red Rooster) and Good Day NY’s Rosanna Scotto, you’ll sample wines from local vineyards, beers from the Southampton Publick House, and dishes from Long Island’s best, including Jamesport Manor Inn (prosciutto salad;...
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BBQ Pizza
Summer practically revolves around the barbecue, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend every meal cooking or eating hot dogs and hamburgers. The backyard barbecue grill is just as great for making pizza. No oven required. This pizza grill pan (pictured right) turns your barbecue into a pizza oven, replete with a unique heat shield that protects the crust from burning and ensures even cooking. Plus, it’s non-stick and surprisingly easy to clean. You don’t have to be a pizzaiolo to use it because it works just as well with frozen dough as it does with freshly kneaded dough. So buy pre-made at the store or make your own, then top it with summer’s finest vegetables, like corn, asparagus, and arugula, along with your favorite cheese. Skip the bbq one warm night this summer and host a pizza...
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New York's Best Pickles
Thankfully, pickles aren’t seasonal, but we find ourselves eating a lot more of them in the summertime. Now that the weather’s hot, a cool, crunchy bowl of pickled vegetables sounds a lot more appealing than warm, sauteed or fried vegetables. Chefs and artisanal food shops have become so creative with everything edible, including pickles. (Our love for them borders on a fetish.) There’s a lot more to pickles than classic Kosher Dills these days, like pickled okra, beets, and Here’s a few of our favorite shops to stock up in the pickle department. Sour Puss Pickles Various Vendors Website: www.sourpusspickles.com If you This Brooklyn-based company produces small batches of all things pickled, sourced from New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and even a rooftop garden in Brooklyn. (The vinegars for pickling are from nearby as well.) Sour Puss Pickles makes everything...
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Serious about S’mores
We want to be on record that in all of years obsessing over gadgets, we’ve never written about an “As Seen On TV” gadget before. But this one is too good not to share because it actually works. (We tried it ourselves.) When we think of summer, backyard barbecues, and beachside fires, we instantly think of s’mores. While it’s fun to roast marshmallows over an open flame, it can also be scorching hot and most of us have lost a marshmallow or two along the way. Besides, some of us don’t always have access to a grill or a fire pit. This s’more maker (pictured right) is a foolproof way to make six s’mores at once without getting melted chocolate and gooey marshmallow all over your hands. Just layer the graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate to your liking. (We...
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Summer's Best Cocktails
We’ve waited all year for the warm weather, the sunshine, and of course, cool, summery cocktails. If you’re going to drink, New York is the place to do it. Where else can you get a snow cone doused with tequila? There’s spicy margaritas, pickled martinis, and even an oddly refreshing sugar snap pea libation at Rouge Tomate. There’s no better way to beat the heat then sipping a cocktail on a rooftop bar, lounging in a garden, or chilling inside by the air conditioner. We’ve tasted more than our fair share and rounded up a few of our favorite for 2011. Negroni Rubirosa Address: 235 Mulberry St. between Prince and Spring Sts. Phone: 212-965-0600 Website: www.rubirosanyc.com Negronis immediately transport us to Italy, so of course, this bitter orange cocktail is one of our favorite aperitifs. The negroni and its...
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