Danyelle Freeman: February 2012 Archives
February 29, 2012
If you're a latte drinker, cappuccinos, macchiatos or even cocoa, you're going to need frothy milk. Which is why so many people throw on their coat and head to the nearest coffee shop. After all, it's hard to achieve respectable froth or steam without scalding the pot, burning the milk, or just failing altogether.
Not anymore. We discovered this good-looking chrome frother (pictured right). It's compact and a seriously great find. It comes with two whisk attachments, so you can froth two cups of milk at a time and it's just as good at steaming milk, too. The pitcher lifts off the base for easy pouring and its non-stick interior makes cleanup simple -- no rigorous scrubbing involved. The automatic turn-off feature is also great for busy mornings when the last thing on your mind is turning everything off as you're dashing out the door. Mornings just got a whole lot easier.
February 27, 2012
If you haven't already bought tickets, there's still time to join in the celebration for peace in the MIddle East at this year's Peace Market at The Metropolitan Pavilion. There will be a Hummus Taste-Off that I will be judging alongside Jehangir Mehta (Graffiti), Joe Campanale (Dell'anima & L'Artusi), Josh "The Magician" Beckerman and many more. The evening will also include three DJ's, plenty of hummus from New York's best Middle Eastern restaurants, and a live auction with Final Four and Grammy tickets. Hope to see you all there!February 23, 2012
For years, salmon got a bad rap as being, well, boring and mostly farm-raised. But with the rise of wild salmon and recent popularity of Jewish-American deli cuisine, we've noticed that salmon has come into fashion. Especially cured and smoked salmon, and not just at Russ & Daughters or just Jewish delis. There's a killer salmon trio at Kutsher's, standout Danish gravlax smørrebrød at Vandaag, smoked salmon sashimi at Alta and even vodka-cured salmon at Cafe Boulud. And there's plenty more where that came from. Here's a few of our favorites...
AcmeAddress: 9 Great Jones St., near Lafayette St.
Phone: (212) 203-2121
Website: acmenyc.com
Nordic food is having its moment in New York right now and it's about time. Perhaps the most exciting spot to sample it right now is Acme, where Noma's co-founder Mads Refslund fortuitously turned up in the kitchen this winter. Refslund applies his Nordic cooking philosophy to local ingredients, which means simple, fresh dishes where the superior ingredients shine. Take the salmon, for instance. It's cured in house and served with winter cabbage and a buttermilk horseradish dressing. (It's outstanding.) Follow that up with the pork chop with parsnips, pears and cranberries, and don't miss the beer & bread pudding for dessert.
Kutsher's Tribeca
Address: 186 Franklin St., btwn Greenwich St. & Hudson Sts.
Phone: (212) 431-0606
Website: kutsherstribeca.com
An homage to the famous and now defunct Jewish resort in the Catskills, Kutscher's Tribeca puts a decidedly modern and upmarket spin on Jewish American food, adding caviar to their latkes and wild halibut to gefilte fish. But our favorite appetizer on the menu is the cured salmon trio, a platter of nova, gravlax and a killer pastrami salmon. They get it all from Samaki Smoke House, who are experts in all species of smoked fish. And you can't get this pastrami salmon anywhere else because Samaki uses Kutsher's own secret blend of pastrami spices. Add some sliced pumpernickel from Amy's Bread and homemade cream cheese infused with pureed chives and dinner is off to a great start.
Address: 20 East 76th St., near Madison Ave.
Phone: (212) 772-2600
Website: danielnyc.com
How about a little vodka with your salmon? Sounds good to me. Gavin Kaysen got his inspiration for the vodka-cured salmon at Cafe Boulud from his wife's Swedish heritage. In Sweden, foods like salmon were originally cured in spirits to preserve them through the frigid months, and it's still just as popular there today. Kaysen takes it up a notch, curing his salmon for 24 hours in a blend of salt, sugar, vodka, fennel seeds, pink peppercorns, and coriander seeds. Then, it's rubbed with Dijon mustard and dill before being sliced and served with beets.
Address: 65 East 55th St., near Park Ave.
Phone: (212) 307-7311
Website: aquavit.org/restaurant/newyork
We can't possibly talk about cured salmon without nodding to Scandinavian cuisine. Gravlax, salmon cured in salt, sugar and dill, is a classic Nordic dish, and one of our favorite versions is chef Marcus Jernmark's Gravlax 37°C at Aquavit. He cures Scottish salmon with water, salt, and sugar, then rolls it with dill, wraps it and poaches it at 37°C (98.6°F). The result is melt in your mouth salmon alongside blood orange, baked potato chips, spinach, pickled mustard seeds and Hovmastar sauce. It's one of our top picks on Aquavit's prix fixe four-course dinner menu. Don't feel like springing for the prix fixe? Then you might consider visiting Aquavit's at lunch where you can order gravlax a la carte.
Russ & Daughters
Address: 179 East Houston St., btwn Allen St. & Orchard Sts.
Phone: (212) 475-4880
Website: russanddaughters.com
This Lower East Side institution is one of the city's oldest "appetizing" shops, a place to get smoked fish, salads, and cream cheese, otherwise known as the foods you eat with bagels. Russ & Daughters has been in business since 1914 and it's still going strong because of the superiority of all of their smoked fish. We like to keep it old school here with a bagel, cream cheese and a salmon of your choosing (there's almost too many options) -- nova, gravlax, Scottish smoked salmon, pickled lox, and kippered (hot-smoked) salmon, all sliced to order, which is key. We're partial to the Western nova smoked salmon, made with wild Pacific king and a scallion cream cheese-smeared bagel.
Address: 103 2nd Ave., near East 7th St.
Phone: (212) 253-0470
Website: vandaagnyc.com
Taking its inspiration from Dutch and Danish cuisine, Vandaag uses local ingredients to bring the flavors of Northern Europe to the East Village. The result is an innovative menu in a fuss-free, spacious setting. Lunch is a great time to stop in and sample the "bitterballen," crispy braised oxtail croquettes served with a mustard relish. But keep your eye on the ball: The real find is the gravlax Smørrebrød, a Danish open-faced sandwich with cucumber, saffron-smoked buttermilk cream, and sliced egg on rugbrød toast. And the drinks deserve just as much attention as the food, with a cocktail list that includes plenty of Akvavit and Genever (a Dutch gin). Try the Salt-N-Pepa with your gravlax -- an ingenious blend of chile pepper-infused Akvavit, blanco tequila, lime, agave nectar with a fennel pollen salt rim.
February 16, 2012
While we've been longtime drinkers of loose leaf tea, we admit it's not the quickest or the cleanest way to make yourself a cup. Now, you have no excuse. February 13, 2012
With all the talk about cupcakes, pies and mini desserts of all sorts, we got to thinking about classics that have come back in style and we couldn't help but notice how layered cake has made its way back into the spotlight recently. Just think of Parm's newly famous layered ice cream cake or Billy's Bakery's criminally good ice box cake. What we found were some pretty inspired and delicious takes on this old fashion cake, including Baked's caramel apple layer cake. Here's a few of our favorite discoveries...
Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery
Address: 126 Rivington St, btwn Essex & Norfolk Sts.
Phone: (212) 995-1960
Website: www.sugarsweetsunshine.com
This East Village bakery crafts a variety of terrific baked goods, but people often overlook the standout selection of layer cakes. They're so serious about their layer cakes that they make them available in single, double, or triple layers with all sorts of icings and fillings to choose from, like mocha buttercream, meringue, or cream cheese, to name a few. The cast of specialty cakes here include "The Ooey Gooey" cake, made with chocolate cake and chocolate almond butter-cream frosting, pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting, or a "Goody Goody Cake: with dark chocolate and peanut buttercream.
Lady M's Cake Boutique
Address: 41 East 78th Street
Phone: (212) 452-2222
Website: ladymconfections.com This Japanese patisserie and café feels more like a jewelry store than a bakery, replete with glass display cases lined with chocolates gems. But the lineup of layer caked is even more impressive. In fact, Lady M stacks the menu with 32 kinds with even more mix-and-match options to consider. Essentially, they've got whatever you're craving. But our top pick is the banana mille feuille cake, divinely layered with cream custard and bananas. A close runner up is the Flan Aux Pommes, an insanely good combination of almond paste, vanilla bean flan and sautéed apples.
Black Hound New York BakeryAddress: 170 2nd Avenue, corner of 11th Street
Phone: (212) 979-9505
Website: blackhoundny.com
This little East Village shop crafts an extensive collection of wonderfully unique desserts and their layer cakes are no exception. The cakes come in both mini and regular, and are made with the best ingredients from freshly churned butter to roasted nuts. We're big fans of the signature, Checker cake with chocolate and vanilla sponge cake, bittersweet chocolate buttercream filling and chocolate ganache.
Two Little Red Hens Bakery
Address: 1652 2nd Ave, at 86th Street
Phone: (212) 452-0476
Website: www.twolittleredhens.com
Died and gone to this Upper East Side bakery with tons of mix and match layer cake options with over ten fillings and ten types of cake to choose from. And don't get us started on frostings. (There's upwards of 15!) Two Little Red Hens bakes up everything from carrot cake to almond, red velvet or marble cake. The Brooklyn blackout cake is a fan favorite, a four-layer dark chocolate cake, layered with chocolate pudding, frosted with chocolate fudge, and finished with dark chocolate cake crumbs. Died and gone to chocolate heaven.
Baked Bakery
Address: 359 Van Brunt Street (Brooklyn )
Phone: (718) 222-0345
Website: bakednyc.com
It may be a bit of a trek, but it's well worth the trip to Baked for everything from fresh baked whoopee pies to cookies. Let's not forget their cakes, which range from traditional to unique , like the Sweet & Salty with salted caramel-infused dark chocolate cake, dark chocolate caramel ganache and a sprinkle of fleur de del or the Grasshopper with chocolate cake, mint ganache filling and creme de menthe-flavored frosting. There's too many to cover, but we thought we'd name drop a few more... Oopsy Daisy, Oreo Layer, Banana cake, & Red Hook Red Hot.
Sweet Melissa's Patisserie Bakery
Phone: (718) 855-3410
Website: sweetmelissapatisserie.com
They may have closed their Cobble Hill location, but Park Slope's bakery-cum-cafe is going strong and offers several one-of-a-kind creations. Stay for lunch as the savories are nearly as good as the sweets, but save room for dessert. Especially the pumpkin layer cake with mascarpone filling and ginger frosting. We also like the vanilla layer cake, prepared with a light, passion fruit curd filling and topped with passion butter cream frosting.
Amy's Bread Bakery
Address: 250 Bleecker Street, nr. Cornelia St.
Phone: (212) 675-7802
Website:amysbread.com
Amy's Bread's is a go-to for freshly baked bread and morning pastries, but they happen to have a solid selection of old school layer cakes to consider, too. One of the prettiest is the Coconut Cream, a snowy white cake layered with vanilla buttercream and covered in shredded coconut. But there's lots more where that came from including Monkey Cake, Devil's Food and German chocolate cake with a creamy caramel coconut pecan topping.
Buttercup Bakeshop
Address: 973 2nd Avenue, nr. 52nd Street
Phone: (212) 350-4144
buttercupbakeshop.com
If you've never sampled a Lady Baltimore cake, this spot is a great place to christen this old school dessert. The Lady Baltimore is an almond-flavored white cake layered with coconut, candied cherries, cookie crumbs and almonds, and that's just what's inside. Then, it gets frosted in meringue and topped with shredded coconut, cookie crumble and cherry halves.
Billy's Bakery
Address: 184 9th Avenue, btwn 21st & 22nd Sts.
Phone: (212) 647-9956
Website: billysbakerynyc.com
The sugar craving head to this Chelsea shop for cupcakes and bread pudding and they're just as famous for their ice box cake, a simple and sublime layer cake composed of nothing more than nilla wafers and freshly whipped cream. We're just as taken with the german chocolate and the banana cake made with fresh bananas and cream cheese frosting.
February 9, 2012
Cooking the perfect egg is an art and there are so many forms to perfect - from coddled eggs to poached and beyond. One of the most popular is the omelet, which can be tricky. Cook it on high heat and you'll get rubbery eggs. Cook it too low and you'll get runny. And then, there's folding your omelet, which is the hardest of all, unless you have this Over Easy Omelet Express (pictured right). It might be a little too easy.
Just add your eggs (up to 3 at a time) and whatever you like in your omelet, like mushrooms, spinach and cheese, then close the lid. No fuss with flipping or folding. There's a hinge to flip your eggs and the surface is non-stick, so your eggs slide right out. This Kitchen Selectives Cooker works just as well for hash browns, sausage, bacon and even grilling paninis or grilled cheese!
Kitchen Selectives Over Easy Omelet Express $29.99
February 8, 2012
Love it or hate it, Valentine's Day is just around the corner. In our opinion, it's not Valentine's Day or a noteworthy holiday, for that matter, without the ritual sweets. Besides, February 14th isn't just for lovers. It's for anyone who loves a good excuse to eat! Forget roses and jewelry, there's a number of Valentine's Day edibles, from handmade marshmallows at Three Tarts to Kyotofu's heart-shaped miso chocolate brownies. Look out cupid, we're skipping straight to the sweet stuff.
Kee's Chocolates
Address: 80 Thompson Street (multiple locations)
Phone: (212) 334-3284
Nothing says February 14th quite like chocolate. For the chocolate lover who's seen it all, there's a selection of truly unique chocolates from this jewel box-size chocolate shop. Owner Kee Ling Tong handcrafts her chocolates daily with a variety of exotic flavors and fillings, like fennel, cognac, honey kumquat, elderflower, pepper, and Thai chili. If we had to pick a favorite, we'd probably opt for the creme brulee-filled dark chocolate bon bons. But for Valentine's Day, we suggest the Black Rose - a dark truffle infused with black tea infused with rose petals.
Mariebelle
Address: 484 Broome Street between Broadway and Wooster
Phone: (212) 925-6999
It's not enough to taste one of the delicate chocolates from Mariebelle, so we suggest an afternoon date at this stylish SoHo boutique. That way you can sample this European-style shop for yourself. There's lots to see and sample and plenty of chocolates created just for the occasion, like chocolate pinup bars, each wrapped in pinup portraits, or tropical chocolate bars flavored with everything from blueberries to bananas. That's just the beginning. There's guava caramels, toffee chocolate bars, and even chocolate olives. When you're through shopping, head to the Cocoa and Tea salon for a cup of Mariebelle's signature and famous spicy hot chocolate with subtle hints of ancho chilies, chipotle and nutmeg.
Vosges
Address: 132 Spring Street between Greene and Wooster (multiple locations)
Phone: (212) 625-2929
Bacon and chocolate, beer and chocolate, champagne and chocolate...all perfect couplings for Valentine's Day. At Vosges, you can find all of the above, but let's start with bacon. The "Grande Bacon Tower" includes a 16-piece bacon truffle collection, a quarter pound of bacon caramel toffee, and the bacon mini-bar library, which is as great a gift for a man as it is for a woman. If you want champagne and chocolate, which is a great way to kill two birds with one stone (so to speak), Vosges offers a Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvee with a 9-piece set of exotic truffles.
Dean and Deluca
Address: 560 Broadway at Prince Street (multiple locations)
Phone: (212) 226-6800
For one-stop Valentine's Day shopping, there's Dean & Deluca. This SoHo store has something for everyone, including your co-workers or kids. Where to begin? How about with the brownie and blondie hearts or the heart-shaped marshmallows? Dean & Deluca doesn't limit themselves to sweets. If you're celebrating with dinner at home, they've crafted heart-crusted lobster pot pies or even heart-shaped goat cheese. For old school romantics, they've got strawberries dipped in white, milk, and dark chocolate. There's even a canary diamond candy ring. The lemon-flavored, edible diamond is set on a handcrafted ring gilded with 24-karat edible gold. Yes, seriously.
Li Lac Chocolates
Address: 40 8th Avenue and Jane Street
Phone: (718) 567-9500
It's hard to argue with 84 years of tradition...so we won't. Turning out mouthwatering chocolates since 1923, Li Lac offers handmade chocolates and other confections ideal for February 14th. Almost everything sold in the store makes a good gift, but they've designed a few boxes just for the occasion, like Giant Lace Heart. It's filled with 208 pieces of Li Lac's French assortment, which includes chocolate mousse, rum, praline, truffle, dark mocha, and plenty more. For something different, check out the cameras, chess sets, the Empire State Building, motorcycles, and guitars all made out of chocolate.
Francois Payard Bakery
Address: 116 West Houston Street between Thompson and Sullivan Streets
Phone: (212) 995-0888
You can find chocolate truffles in dozens of shops this time of year, but champagne pop rock truffles? That's another story. Francois Payard has dreamed up dark chocolate truffles filled with champagne infused chocolate ganache and coated in Pop Rocks, which come in a heart-shaped box. If you're not the truffle type, try Payard's "Sweetly Divine" heart-shaped cake layered with fresh vanilla bean mascarpone, pound cake and vanilla bavarois, with a homemade raspberry jam infused with rose petals. Divine indeed.
Kyotofu
Address: 705 Ninth Avenue between 48th and 49th Street
Phone: (212) 974-6012
If you're tired of the traditional box of truffles, Kyotofu has several creative Japanese-inspired sweets. For starters, there's their award-winning chocolate souffle cupcakes or the miso chocolate brownie gift box. Kyotofu makes sweetheart shortbread cookies all year round, but they happen to make great gifts for Valentine's Day and come in yuzu citrus, toasted brown rice, strawberry and matcha green tea. There's even a "Be My Valentine's" gift assortment with a little of everything.
Three Tarts
Address: 164 9th Avenue at 20th Street
Phone: (212) 462-4392
The verdicts still out whether marshmallows are set to become "the new cupcakes," but we are sold on Three Tarts homemade selection. It's not often that marshmallows can function as a standalone treat, but these pillowy puffs aren't just any other marshmallows. These come in creative flavors, like cinnamon, raspberry, espresso, mango, chocolate-rosemary, and chocolate-rosewater. If you're sick of chocolates, a stack of these homespun sweets are the perfect alternative.
Bee Desserts
Address: 94 Greenwich Avenue between Jane and W. 12th Streets
Phone: (212) 366-6110
Honey for your honey? Couldn't resist, but why not? Especially when they taste as moist and delicious as the honey cakes from Bee Desserts. Each cake is handmade with honey instead of refined sugar, encased in chocolate, and 100% natural. There are four flavors to choose from -- original chocolate honey, marshmallow chocolate honey, liqueur chocolate honey, and almond chocolate honey. Or just get the assorted box, so you can taste them all!
February 6, 2012
The holiday many love to hate is fast approaching. If you're single, Valentine's Day can be depressing. If you're coupled, it can be a lot of pressure to buy roses at inflated prices or fancy chocolates. And, of course, you have to pick the perfect restaurant with a pricey prix fixe menu, a romantic setting, and aphrodisiacs of the oyster and fig sorts. Instead of giving into a "sucker's night out" meal, we found a few great options we could actually get excited about. Valentine's Day could be an excuse to sample sexy Austrian food at Edi & The Wolf or take a couple's cooking class at DeGustibus. Here's a few of our favorite options... Millesime
92 Madison Ave btwn 28th & 29th St
212.889.7100
Millesime has a reputation for being one of the most romantic date spots in the city. This Valentine's Day chef Laurent Manrique plans to up the ante on romance with a $75 prix fixe menu that starts with a tuna tartar prepared table side. The menu will also feature a lobster pot de feu for two and a Parfait Glacer L'orange to end the evening. There's even a special XOXO cocktail, a blend of tequila, Godiva Chocolate Liqueur with a white chocolate rim.
Edi & the Wolf
102 Ave C
212.598.1040
This Austrian East Village spot is embracing the romantic occasion with a three- course menu for just $65. Not bad at all, especially when you consider their serving poached egg with caviar, pumpernickel, and baby beets and a ribeye with celery root puree and zweigelt jus. Finish with a molten chocolate cake drizzled with dark chocolate sauce and sour cherries. Sounds good to me.
De Gustibus
151 W 34th St btwn Broadway & Penn Plaza
8th Floor
212.239.1652
Why not mix things this Valentine's Day and learn to cook together? Instead of eating out, prepare a meal together at De Gustibus Cooking School. Chopped winner and CIA instructor James Briscione, and his wife, food writer Brooke Parkhurst, are hosting a Valentine's Day couple's class. (Singles sadly need not apply.) The duo will focus on how couples can play to each other's strengths in the kitchen to create romantic weeknight dinners. The cost is $190 per couple, which includes a cooking lesson and dinner rolled up into one.
Indochine
430 Lafayette Street btwn 4th St & Astor Pl
212.505.5111
If you're more of a classicist, we highly recommend Indochine. After twenty-five years, this French-Vietnamese restaurant is just as sexy as ever. Perhaps it's the playful finger foods and exotic cocktails, like the ginger berry sangria or the "black and blue" with bourbon, crushed blackberries and blueberries. Split the Vietnamese baby back ribs or the summer rolls with king crab and black bean sauce to start. Follow that up with the crispy whole red snapper in a sweet and sour pimento sauce with a side of sticky rice studded with mushrooms and Vietnamese sausage. End the evening with one of their unusual sorbets or a seasonal fruit tart.
Saxon + Parole
315 Bowery btwn Bleecker St & 1st St
212.254.0350
If you haven't checked out the new and vastly improved makeover of Avroko's Bowery spot, February 14th is a great excuse to. If you're significant other is a romantic, you'll score major points for picking choosing Saxon + Parole because they're pulling out all the stops with drippy candles and plenty of roses. The $90 Valentine's Day menu includes a carrot and ginger soup topped with homemade chili marshmallows, a shaved beet salad with spiced pecans and feta, grilled scallops with roasted cauliflower puree, and sweet potato tortellini. For dessert, there's cinnamon sugar donuts with vanilla cream and chocolate sauce.
Butter
415 Lafayette St btwn 4th St & Astor Place
212.253.2828
Butter may be better known for its scene, but its Alex Guarnaschelli's cooking that's kept it exciting all these years. This sexy downtown spot is the perfect place to celebrate Valentine's Day if you can afford it. Alex has designed a four-course with a complimentary glass of wine for $150 per person. A few highlights are the marinated sea scallops with blood orange and celery hearts, a dreamy sounding burrata cheese sandwich with black truffle, and a raspberry semifreddo with buttery shortbread to seal the deal.
Boqueria
53 W 19th Street btwn 5th Ave & Americas
212.255.4160
Boqueria is a great option for the newly coupled. After all, Spain created tapas, the perfect food for commitment phobics and we're still partial to Boqueria's flagship location in the Flatiron District. For $75, you can share a smattering of tapas, dessert, and a cava toast. The small plate lineup includes oysters escabeche, lobster paella with clams and mushrooms as well as Spanish classics, like bacon-wrapped dates and patatas bravas with roasted garlic aioli. For dessert, there's freshly baked churros con Chocolat and whipped ricotta with local honey and berries. And if you're not ready to commit to a prix fixe menu, there's always the SoHo Boqueria with the usual a la carte menu and plenty of Spanish wines and sangria.
Gascogne
158 Eighth Avenue, btwn. 17th & 18th Streets
212.675.4158
This classic French bistro in Chelsea is a perfectly romantic place to spend the 14th, especially if you can snag a table in the garden room. To celebrate Valentine's Day, they're offering a very affordable, three-course menu for just $55. Gascogne stays true to its Provencal roots with a choice of oysters or salmon tartar with ginger and roast duck, or braised lamb shoulder, and that's just the savory side of things. For dessert, there's warm flour less chocolate cake, a quintessential Valentine's Day dessert that works every time.
Toloache
251 W 50th St btwn 8th Ave &
Broadway
212.581.1818
If you're opposed to overly romantic gestures and dinners, this Mexican midtowner is a fine alternative with a reasonably priced, $40 prix fixe menu. This three-course meal features a mixed seafood ceviche, roast chicken with an almond-chile de arbol romesco, and bacon-poached
oysters. But our favorite dish on the menu is dessert: A chocolate nutella torta infused with passion fruit and
topped with a coconut sorbet.
February 3, 2012
Just in time for Valentine's Day, we found the perfect gadget for barbecue and tech geeks. Yes, the iGrill (pictured right) is a thermometer, but it also links to your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, so you don't need to hover over the grill or even the oven, making sure you're meat doesn't overcook. Nope. Talk with your guests and monitor the roast's internal temperature from your phone wherever you are. It has an alarm that goes off when the desired internal temperature is reached. Plus, it's Bluetooth-enabled, with a range of 200 feet. This stand-alone thermometer also has a built-in probe storage space, and an easy-to-read, lighted display, which comes in very handy for outdoor barbecues long after the sun's set. The iGrill has a touch display, and comes with two probes, which means it can actually monitor two separate pieces of meat simultaneously. Perfectly done meat and time to socialize with friends? What more could a cook ask for? Pretty great Valentine's Day gift for a BBQ fanatic.
The iGrill, $99.99
http://store.igrillinc.com/igrill-white/
February 1, 2012
With all the buzz around coffee these days, tea sometimes gets neglected. And while New York's experiencing a coffee revolution, there are just as exciting things happening in the world of tea. We can't help but notice several new tea spots determined to change the way we see and sip tea. There's the French-inspired Bosie Tea Parlor with a Bouley-trained pastry chef turning out killer macaroons and one-of-a-kind David's Teas made with everything from popcorn to chili and chocolate. Here's a few of our favorites...
David's Tea
Address: 275 Bleecker St., btwn. Jones and Cornelia Sts. (multiple locations)
Phone: (212) 414-8599
Website: www.davidstea.com
We can thank Canada for this exciting, new tea shop, which just recently opened in Manhattan. David's Tea (pictured above) ups the ante with one-of-a-kind blends that will change the way you think about tea. Think we're exaggerating? How about a hot cup of "Forever Nuts" with real apples, cinnamon and almonds or "chocolate chili chai" with all of the above. "Movie night" has real popcorn in it and dulce banana has caramelized banana bits, coconut and rooibos. There's hundreds (yes hundreds) of loose-leaf teas in stock, organized by category - black, green, herbal, oolong, rooibos, white, mate, pu'reh. Don't get intimidated. The staff is beyond helpful even with the most high maintenance customer and let you smell and any of the teas. You can buy a few to-go and get a cup hot or cold right in the store. And with Valentines Day fast approaching, try a cup of "Read my lips" with a sexy combination of vanilla, peppermint, chocolate bits, spicy red peppercorns, and most notably, little red candy-lip sprinkles.
Podunk
Address: 231 E. 5th St., btwn. Bowery & 2nd Avenue
Phone: (212) 677-7722
If you weren't looking for it, you might miss this off-the-beaten path spot in the East Village and that would be ashamed because it's worth seeking out. Podunk's mismatched furniture and iced tea served in Mason Jars set a cozy, bed and breakfast-like scene. While there's a laundry list of traditional teas to choose from, we recommend one of the 'pot chocolates,' which comes with cookies and cream. The delicious and unique 'pot chocolates' offerings include Earl Grey-infused dark chocolate, classic milk chocolate, rose and chili chocolate, chai-infused chocolate, and black apricot tea-infused chocolate. There's even homemade chai teas, like coconut and Vietnamese vanilla or the cardamom and black pepper.
Bosie Tea Parlor
Address: 10 Morton Street between Bleecker and 7th Avenue
Phone: (212) 352-9900
Website: bosienyc.com
Finally, tea gets its due at this new French tea parlor, which just recently opened in the West Village. This sleek spot(pictured right) not only boasts 80 varieties of tea, but also a pedigreed pastry chef, Damien Hergott, who worked at Bouley Bakery. The result is tea sandwiches made-to-order, including egg salad with thyme blossoms and chicken with curried mayo, quiche lorraine and plenty of other French classics. If that doesn't convince you of its merits, then one bite of the lemon teacake or the salted caramel macaroon surely will.
Alice's Tea Cup
Address: 102 W. 73rd Street & Columbus Avenue (multiple locations)
Phone: (212) 799-3006
Website: alicesteacup.com
Imagine stepping into one of Alice in Wonderland's tea parties and you've got the idea. The perfect afternoon respite, this whimsical tea parlor with both an upper west and east side location has a lot more going for it than merely tea. Their baked goods rival some of the best in the city, including their fresh baked biscuit and spiced pumpkin scones. We're even more excited about their health conscious tea selection with a remedy for whatever ails you. With cold season upon us, there's ginger orange peach, an organic Indian black tea with ginger root, orange peel and ginger pieces. Or try the herbal detox blend with alphalpha, dandelion, nettle bush, plantain, red clover and mint. Our favorite option is the hard-to-find, gyokuro green tea, touted as the most superior or all Japanese green teas.
Radiance Tea House and Books
Address: 158 W. 55th St., between 6th and 7th Aves.
Phone: (212) 217-0442
Website: radiancetea.com
This serene tea house in midtown feels like it's anywhere but midtown Manhattan. In fact, Radiance Tea House (pictured right) is a veritable mecca for tea culture with its own book store dedicated to English and Chinese tea studies and over 100 teas to choose from. In keeping with the traditional Chinese and Taiwanese tea ceremony, Radiance uses clay tea ware, bamboo tea tools and mineral-infused water. The one-hour ceremony includes tea tasting, ceremony performance, and three teas off of the traditional and herbal menu. There's homemade dumplings, wontons and freshly baked Asian pastries to complement your brew.
Two for the Pot
Address: 200 Clinton St., btwn. State Street & Atlantic Avenue
Phone: (718) 855-8173
Tucked away along the border of Brooklyn Heights and Cobble Hill is Two for the Pot, a local mainstay and mom-and-pop style tea shop that boasts superior knowledge and friendly service. There's a stellar selection of teas, but what's more, there's an equally impressive stock of tea accessories, from pots to brewing equipment. There's more than tea - although the selection of loose-leaf teas is quite impressive - there's also roasted coffee, spices, exotic chocolates, local honey, and a variety of British treats.
Tea and Sympathy
Address: 108 Greenwich Ave., btwn. 12th and 13th Sts.
Phone: (212) 989-9735
Website: teaandsympathynewyork.com
If you're on the hunt for quintessential British tea service, you need look no further than Tea and Sympathy in Greenwich Village. With a menu built on British classics, the likes of Yorkshire pudding and bangers and mash, it's no surprise to find proper afternoon tea here, too. Aternoon tea here includes assorted finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream, a selection of cakes, and of course, a steaming hot pot of tea. Tea and Sympathy also carries their own line of teas, available for dining in or taking home retail.
Lady Mendl's Tea Salon
Address: 56 Irving Place between 17th and 18th Streets
Phone: (212) 533-4466
Website: www.innatirving.com
If you want to experience afternoon tea the way Englishwomen did centuries ago, you'll want to visit Lady Mendl's Tea Salon at the Inn at Irving Place. Set in a landmark townhouse built in 1834, the Victorian-style tea salon plays the part right down to the tea cups and tablecloths. This isn't your typical afternoon tea. It's a traditional tea service with five-courses, which includes classic finger sandwiches, fresh baked scones, a clotted cream, and yes, a fine selection of teas.
RG Writer: Ali Baker
