Kitchen Composter

Posted on Oct 24, 2013 in Gizmo Girl

Call it speed composting. No one has a good reason not to recycle food anymore. That’s right, you can recycle your fruit or vegetable remains, coffee grounds, and yard waste (if you’re lucky enough to have a yard), transforming it into premium topsoil right in your kitchen. This is the composter for the urban set.

Halloween Celebrations for Foodies

Posted on Oct 23, 2013 in Eating Events

For most people, Halloween is all about the costumes and candy. But for us? Well, it should come as no surprise, but we spend the holiday in pursuit of especially celebratory food. And this year, there’s no shortage of fantastically festive options, from the glitzy black-tie masquerade ball at The NoMad in the Flatiron District, to the quirky and creepy “Dante’s Inferno” dinner at Louro in the West Village.

Gourmet Halloween Treats

Posted on Oct 22, 2013 in Best of Everything

What would Halloween be without candy? Ooey gooey chocolate bars, sweet and stretchy gummy bears, red braids of licorice… we love it all. But with a city full of artisanal marshmallow makers and high-end truffle shops, why limit yourself to the same old Snickers and fun-sized packets of M&M’s? These gourmet Halloween goodies will really endear you to the trick-or-treaters this year — from the elaborate edible pumpkins at Maison du Chocolat in Midtown to the Swedish sugar skulls at Sokerbit in the West Village.

Q & A with Piora’s Chris Cipollone & Simon Kim

Posted on Oct 21, 2013 in Chef Q&A

There’s no shortage of restaurants serving fusion fare nowadays. Chinese-Mexican. Jewish-Japanese. French-Scandinavian. But Korean-Italian? That’s a new one, even for New York. “Our approach is simple… to cook and serve who we are,” said Simon Kim, owner of the exciting new West Village eatery, Piora. “We have two different heritages, Italian and Korean, so it was a natural process to marry our two cuisines.”

Split Decision Pie Pan

Posted on Oct 18, 2013 in Gizmo Girl

Who’s good at making decisions? Most of us aren’t. Especially when it comes to food. Come fall, we can never make up our minds whether we want to make an apple, pumpkin pie, or even plum pie. Chicago Metallic’s Split Decision Pie Pan (pictured right) makes the decision way too easy for us. Make both! This non-stick- 9 inch pan includes a divider, allowing you to create either a traditional full size pie or two different halves…

Cider-Brined Pork Roast with Sauteed Apples

Posted on Oct 17, 2013 in Recipes

We love drinking cider in the fall, but it doesn’t mean that’s the only way to enjoy it. The intensely fruity beverage is also ideal for cooking with, whether added to doughnut or muffin batter, used as a syrup for pancakes or a glaze for butternut squash, or even as a marinade and braising liquid for ham, lamb, chicken, beef or succulent roasted pork!

Gourmet Gossip – October 2013

Posted on Oct 16, 2013 in Gourmet Gossip

In this great dining city of ours, barely a day passes without news of an exciting new restaurant opening, a devastating closing, a shocking chef shuffle, or a groundbreaking, must-try dish. That’s why we’re keeping you apprised of the industry’s most noteworthy bits and bites, from ABC Kitchen’s super luxe Veggie Burger to the Talde team’s expansion in New Jersey and Danny Bowien’s upcoming taqueria on the Lower East Side!

The Ultimate Guide to New York’s Cider Week 2013

Posted on Oct 15, 2013 in Best Of, Eating Events

Scheduled from October 18th through the 27th this year, NY Cider Week celebrates America’s oldest libation (it’s true) with farm feasts, parties, tastings, classes and more. And with multiple events scheduled throughout each borough — from a Goat and Cider Dinner at L’Apicio in the East Village to an all-day “Cider Takeover” at Smorgasburg in Williamsburg and a Five-Course Cider Pairing at The Queens Kickshaw in Astoria, there’s really no excuse not to join in the fun!

Q & A with Toro’s Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette

Posted on Oct 11, 2013 in Chef Q&A

Boston has a lot more to offer New York than just Baked Beans, Clam Chowder and Cream Pies. In fact, our city has just become home to one of the South End’s best restaurants, Toro, a Barcelona-inspired tapas joint owned by chefs Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette. Housed in the old Nabisco Factory building in the Meatpacking District, overlooking the Hudson River, the 100-seat eatery is outfitted with floor-to-ceiling windows, an arched entryway flanked by an ivy-colored wall, and a pair of lofty, wooden shelves sporting hanging Iberico Hams. And like its Boston predecessor, Toro serves a mix of traditional and modern Spanish dishes, made with greenmarket-inspired ingredients…

“Maple’s” Mark Cocktail

Posted on Oct 10, 2013 in Recipes

Sugar is a standard ingredient in cocktails. But now that it’s fall, why not swap out the white stuff for the more nuanced sweetness of maple syrup? It lends body, aroma, and an appealing amber color to almost any drink, along with autumnal flavors like caramel, wood smoke and spice. We’ve highlighted those delightful qualities even further in this indulgent cocktail recipe, with a dash of Vermont Maple Liquor (ask your local store to get it in stock), a hint of nutty Frangelico, and a healthy pour of toasty Maker’s Mark!

Dish Spotting: Dominique Ansel’s Gingerbread Pinecone

Posted on Oct 9, 2013 in Dish Spotting

Meet Dominique Ansel, the Daniel alum behind the SoHo phenomenon, Dominique Ansel Bakery. He was recently nominated for a James Beard Award for Outstanding Pastry Chef, on the strength of a slew of treats that have taken the city by storm. His first masterstroke was the Cronut, a cream-filled croissant/donut hybrid that has drawn worldwide attention, countless blog posts, three hour-long lines (actress Emma Roberts was infamously turned away by security after trying to cut in), and despite being trademarked, has inspired scores of imitators, from the Dough’Ssants at ChikaLicious to the Cro-Do’s at Stew Leonards shops upstate.

Our Favorite New Fall Cocktails

Posted on Oct 8, 2013 in Best Of, Fall Foods

Okay, so summer is a season better known for its cocktails (the likes of mojitos and daiquiris), but the flavors of fall lend themselves equally well to standout libations, like cinnamon-scented Negronis, maple syrup sweetened Sazeracs, or Brandy infused with fragrant pears or apples.

Florentine Grape Focaccia

Posted on Oct 4, 2013 in Recipes

If you’re fortunate enough to have found a cluster or two of brilliantly purple Concord grapes at the local greenmarket, congratulations! Take a cue from the Italians and celebrate with the Florentine specialty known as Shiacciata all’uva, or Grape Focaccia. Made exclusively during harvest season, the not-too-sweet dough serves as the perfect showcase for glorious, juicy, fresh off the vine Concord grapes!

Q & A with Charlie Bird’s Chef Ryan Hardy

Posted on Oct 3, 2013 in Chef Q&A

Chef Ryan Hardy has experienced plenty of “highs” in his career. And yet, the accomplished chef considers Charlie Bird, his new urban Italian eatery in the heart of SoHo, to be his greatest achievement yet. “It’s afforded me all sorts of creative opportunities,” Hardy says of his cross-country move to New York. “I was able to open a place that provided terrific service and delicious food with great art and awesome music, that wasn’t (or didn’t have to be) fine dining.”

Seasonal Eats: Concord Grapes

Posted on Oct 2, 2013 in Seasonal Eats

Most of our experience with Concord grapes comes from supermarket jars of Welch’s jelly, and that’s really a shame. Because the oversized, intensely flavored, dark purple fruit is one of the most glorious harbingers of autumn, and just happen to be in season right now. Named after where they were first cultivated, Concord Massachusetts, concord grapes are hearty enough to withstand harsh New England winters, and thrive in the cool of autumn. Wondering what’s so unique about concord grapes? Well, they’re typically quite large in size and robust in flavor with a slip skin that separates from the pulp. This allows the uniquely American grape to survive on the vine or be stored in cold rooms before being shipped to the market.

Our Favorite New Fall Dishes

Posted on Oct 1, 2013 in Best Of, Fall Foods

The fun thing about fall is that it’s kind of the best of both worlds. The weather is warm enough to go apple picking without a jacket, yet still cool enough to cuddle up in front of a fireplace come nighttime. And the same thing goes for food. You’ll find the last vestiges of summer produce on menus, integrated seamlessly into heartier dishes alongside the likes of apples, pumpkins, and squash. Here are a few standout plates that we think strike the perfect “start of autumn” balance…

Piora – Reviewed

Posted on Sep 30, 2013 in First Bite, Hottest Newcomers, Reviews

It ain’t often a chef comes out of nowhere and knocks your socks off. But when it happens, it reminds you exactly why you love eating out in the first place. I didn’t expect to find chicken skin crumbled over an appetizer of Scallops and Corn (the last of the season) at Piora, a new restaurant in the West Village. The scallops are pan-seared and plated over corn kernels, chanterelles, and an aerated corn puree, a sweet, ethereal last glimpse of summer. But I digress from the chicken skin. It’s laced with fennel pollen and crumbled over the dish, lending an umami-like depth to an otherwise, delicate scallop and corn combination. Lest I forget the black and white sesame seeds sprinkled over the top for nuttiness. One bite and you realize something exciting is going on in the kitchen…

Pumpkin Gutter

Posted on Sep 27, 2013 in Gizmo Girl

Pumpkin season is here and we couldn’t be more stoked. Whether you’re carving pumpkins for Halloween, making a pumpkin pie, or just roasting the seeds, it’s easy to end up with a slimy mess. Who needs that?

That’s where this Pumpkin Gutter from William Sonoam comes in. It’s all you need to clean out this year’s pumpkins with speed and perfection. Within seconds, the stainless steel blades, which can be attached to any drill, scrape out the inside of the pumpkin, making for easy carving, and more importantly, seed roasting.