-
Air’s Champagne Parlor is All About the Bubbly
Beer, wine and even cider bars abound in NYC, but Air’s Champagne Parlor is one of the few area drinkeries devoted to bubbly. To be fair, the Riddling Widow briefly preceded it, but owner Ariel Arce was actually beverage director during its tenure, as well as Birds & Bubbles before that, and Chicago’s Pops for Champagne (not to mention Grant Achatz’s exclusive, original The Office) before that. Meaning her reputation as queen of Cuvèe absolutely proceeds her.
-
Where to Celebrate Oktoberfest 2017
If you’re already mourning the loss of summer, Oktoberfest is a reliable way to get you over the hump. Essentially spanning the duration of fall (kicking off on September 16th this year & extending all the way to October 31st, allowing revelers to seamlessly transition to Halloween), the 16 to 18-day festival is a giddy saturnalia of German culture…
-
Spotlight on the Finalists for the 2017 Vendy Awards
As a fun challenge to the James Beard Awards, the Vendy ceremony — now in its 13th year — is dedicated to honoring the very best in street food. So here’s who’s in the running during the September 16th event at Governors Island; from an artisanal twinkie baker to an upstart french toast sandwich maker, to a Chinese meat skewer purveyor, whose been tapped for the Vendy Cup…
Most Recent Dish
Centro Vinoteca's Mushroom Risotto Stuffed Quail with Sauteed Kale, Pine Nuts, Amarena Cherries and Jus
By Chef Leah Cohen Serves 4 For risotto filling: 1/2 onion, diced small 2 tbsp olive oil 1 cup Carnaroli rice 1/4 cup white wine 3 cups of chicken stock 1/4 cup roasted maitake mushrooms, chopped 4 tbsp butter 1 tbsp white truffle oil 1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano, grated 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano Salt to taste Sweat the onions in olive oil until tender. Add rice and toast for 2 minutes. Deglaze with white wine and cook until almost...
Read MoreEgg Timer
No one likes to admit it, but making a perfectly boiled egg isn’t as easy as it sounds. Timing is everything where soft, medium, or hard boiled is concerned. You may think you have it down to a science, but change one condition and it can go awry. With Easter fast approaching, we need to ensure optimal conditions, so we hunted down the Perfect Egg Timer. Just choose a setting and throw it in the water with your eggs. ...
Read MoreQ & A with Leah Cohen
If you haven’t tasted Leah Cohen’s piccolini or pasta at Centro Vinoteca in the West Village, you probably only know her as New York’s hometown favorite on this season’s Top Chef. To think, she started her career delivering pizzas and now she runs her own kitchen in the West Village. Leah had no clue what she wanted to do wtih her life. She stumbled into cooking at college, working part time in a restaurant. Before Centro, Cohen worked in Sicily and under Daniel Humm...
Read MoreLe Cirque
In the lounge, it’s Le Cirque in blue jeans. 151 E. 58th St. (between Lexington and Third Aves) (212) 644-0202 Dinner, Mon.-Sat., 5:30-11 p.m.; lunch, 11:45 a.m.-3 p.m. CUISINE Modern French VIBE Elegant institution OCCASION Business lunch, romantic date, family affair DON’T-MISS DISHES Tuna with avocado tapenade, duck and green-mango salad, crème brûlée. AVERAGE PRICE Cafe prix fixe, $35; appetizers/entrées, $17; dessert, $12. RESERVATIONS Accepted but not necessary. I wore jeans to Le Cirque. My friend wore jeans and...
Read MoreRecession Proof Baking Tips Part 5
There aren’t many people who disdain dulce de leche. (Unless they’re lactose intolerant.) It’s creamy, it’s sweet, and it’s tangy. Unfortunately, it’s also hard to find, so I’ve figured out a cheap and easy way to make it at home. All you’ll need is a can of sweetened condensed milk, a saucepan, and water. Remove the label off the can, place it in the saucepan, and pour in enough water to come up 2/3 of the way. Then, poke...
Read MoreJames' Ricotta Beignets with Red Wine Berry Coulis
By Executive Chef Bryan Calvert(Serves 4) Ingredients: Ricotta Mixture 3 Tablespoons Sugar 3 Tablespoons Honey ½ Pound Cream Cheese ¼ Cup Fresh Ricotta Cheese Zest of ½ Lemon 3 Eggs 4 Tablespoons Milk 4 Tablespoons Heavy Cream Breading 1 cup confectioners’ sugar 1 cup cornstarch 4 eggs lightly beaten 2 cups grated coconut Oil for frying Procedure: 1) Preheat Oven to 325 F 2) Combine Sugar, Honey and Cream Cheese in an electric mixer and cream together 3) Add...
Read MoreThe Scale Spoon
Kitchen scales are impossible to navigate. Especially when it comes to weighing small amounts. We tracked down a solution. The spoon scale can measure even the smallest amount to 1/10 of a gram. Best of all, the scale navigate between grams and ounces, covering all your bases. So no more excuses. Maybe it’s time to tackle that new cookie recipe. Scale Spoon for...
Read MoreQ & A wih Rick Bayless
Rick Bayless doesn’t just cook Mexican food. He redefines it and he’s been doing so for eleven years. What’s even more unique about this Bayless is that he’s American and what he calls, “a translator of Mexican cooking.” In 1987, he opened Frontera Grill in Chicago. Since then, he has explored highbrow Mexican at Topolobampo and lowbrow at Frontera Fresco. If you’ve never visited his restaurants in Chicago, Bayless has also got a prepared food line of his own...
Read MoreChez Lucienne
An affordable French bistro in Harlem. 308 Lenox Ave., between 125th and 126th Streets (212) 289-5555 Lunch – 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m., M-F.; Dinner – 5 p.m.-11 p.m. Sun.-Thur., 5 p.m.- midnight, Fri.-Sat.; Brunch – 11-3 Sat.-Sun. CUISINE French bistro VIBE Charming haunt OCCASION Group dinner, neighborhood eats DON’T-MISS DISH Foie gras terrine, tuna tartare, nougat glacé PRICE Appetizers $8, entrees $16, desserts $7 RESERVATIONS Recommended This is the way New York works: Something unexpected pops up and it turns...
Read MoreRecession Proof Baking Tips Part 4
In an ideal world, I’d always choose a first-rate brand like Callebaut or Valhrona chocolate over a lesser one. But there are great, more budget-friendly options that don’t compromise quality. My favorite is Baker’s brand. Their white chocolate has a unique melting consistency, which isn’t to say Baker’s bittersweet, semisweet, German sweet, and unsweetened chocolate aren’t just as good. No, it’s not 61% Grand Cru or 72%, but it’s still worthy chocolate. I love real vanilla beans, the smell...
Read MoreUSB Herb Garden
City living has its pluses and negatives. Turn the corner and you’re likely to discover yet another great restaurant, street cart, or food find. Of course, there’s a catch. Living space is cramped and so much for fresh air and playing in the grass. Every spring, I get the urge to garden and a grow a few herbs of my own. City living doesn’t mean you have to give up the dream. My computer is the last place I’d...
Read MoreQ & A with Daniel Humm
What do you get when you combine 18 years of culinary experience with multi-starred cooking in Switzerland, San Francisco and New York? Daniel Humm. You can taste his exceptional work at Eleven Madison Park, but his journey to New York is nearly as unique. Chef Humm jump-started his career at age 14 when he apprenticed in some of Switzerland’s top restaurants, such as Hotel Baur au Lac. Humm left there for Gasthaus zum Gupf in the Swiss Alps, where...
Read MoreCasa La Femme
A new and improved Casa La Femme in the West Village. 140 Charles St., and Washington St. (212) 505-0005 Dinner: Sun. – Tue., 5p.m. – midnight: Wed. – Sat., 5p.m. – 3a.m. Cuisine: Egyptian Vibe: Sultry and exotic lounge Occasion: Intimate date, group grazing Don’t-miss dishes: Salataa tamatem, grilled lamb chops, baklava Average prices: Appetizers, $8; entrees, $20; dessert, $7.95. Tent prix fixe, $55 per person. Reservations: Recommended. How often do you get to eat dinner in a tent?...
Read MoreBest Matzoh Ball Soups in Town
It feels like the cold will be sticking around for just a little longer. So instead of wishing it would just get warm already, perhaps we should just revel in its comfort foods, like a warm bowl of matzoh ball soup. The Jews were onto something when they came up with the whole fluffy matzoh ball floating in rich chicken broth. We’ve done a lot of due diligence over the years and rounded up a list of our favorites… Zabar’s Address: 2245 Broadway (at...
Read MoreL'Artusi's Sunchokes with Calabrian Chilies
By Chef-owner Gabe Thompson(Serves 2) Ingredients: 1 lb Sunchokes (or Jerusalem Artichokes), washed in warm water, cut into thumb-sized pieces 1/2 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil Salt 1 Tbs. Calabrian Chilies, chopped 1 Tbs. Parsley, chopped 2 Tbs. Lemon Juice Preparation:Heat 2 Tbs. of oil in a saute pan until piping hot. Working in batches, roast single layers of sunchokes on all sides until golden and crispy. Season with salt. Set aside in a large bowl. Repeat until all...
Read MoreSt. Patrick's Day Dining (And Drinking!)
St. Patrick’s Day in New York is more than just pub crawls, bagpipes, men in plaid skirts and parades. It’s also about Irish food and drink. Start celebrating early with a traditional Irish breakfast, imported whiskey and cheese and Irish beer-battered fish & chips… JoeDoe45 E. First St., btwn. First Ave. & Second Ave.(212) 780-0262www.chefjoedoe.comThis newcomer already draws regulars because the food’s good and very affordable. Chef Joe Dobias is whipping up a corned duck stuffed cabbage with bacon and mustard gravy to...
Read MoreQ & A with Alain Allegretti
Alain Allegretti may not look like it, but he’s a farmer at heart. And Eater’s Hottest Chef of 2009. The Ducasse-trained chef spent much of his childhood gathering produce and tending to animals on his family farm in Nice. But it was at mealtime that he learned how to cook. Allegretti learned the foundations from his grandmother, Alain Ducasse, Alain Chapel and Le Chantecler under Jacques Maximin. Why a chef would leave France for New York? Perhaps to be the...
Read MoreButcher Bay
East Village fish shack Butcher Bay’s no keeper Tuesday, March 10th 2009, 4:00 AM Sunshine/News (Butcher Bay serves up fish in the East Village.) Not quite everything you hope for in a fish shack. 511 E. Fifth St., near Avenue A. (212) 260-1333 Dinner: Mon.-Sun., 6 p.m. until late. CUISINE: Fish shack VIBE: Down and dirty East Village OCCASION: Neighborhood dinner, bar bites DON’T-MISS DISH: Scallop pan roast, steamed mussels with bread AVERAGE PRICE: Appetizers, $6; entrees, $17....
Read MoreCheck out my Book — Try This
Recent Videos
Recently Interviewed
Most Recent Gizmos
