Coolhaus’s Pumpkin Cookiewich
You might be thinking that it’s starting to get too cold for ice cream. Well, it’s never too cold for ice cream, especially not where the Coolhaus truck is concerned. We’d wait in line for one of their killer Ice Cream Cookiewich in rain, sleet or snow. This fall, Coolhaus is featuring lots of terrific, autumnal flavors, like Baked Apple, Balsamic Fig and Mascarpone, and Pumpkin Ice Cream — a flavor we think pairs perfectly with their Ginger Molasses, Chewy Brownie or Oatmeal Cookies. What are you waiting for? Go chase down a...
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Sugar Sweet Sunshine’s Pumpkin Eggnog Pudding
We’ve been fans of this teeny Lower East Side bakery and its pies, cakes and cupcakes for years. We love the story of these two ladies, Peg and Deb, who met while performing in The Music Man, living parallel lives of auditioning and working together at Magnolia Bakery. They launched this itty bitty bakery over nine years ago and we think it gets better every year. Come October, they roll out their moist and surprisingly light Pumpkin Cake. But the best card they’re holding is the Pumpkin Eggnog Pudding Cake, a mildly spiced trifle layered with moist Pumpkin Cake and a thick and luscious Eggnog Pudding....
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Seasonal Eats – Basil
There are few herbs as universally loved as Basil. While we often associate the fragrant herb with Italy — Pesto or Tomato & Mozzarella come quickly to mind– it actually comes from Asia. Thousands of years old, Basil’s considered sacred in the Hindu and Greek Orthodox religion. It’s often used to cure arthritis and asthma. While you might think of basil as a summer herb, early fall is prime season for basil on the East Coast.
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Falling For Eggplant
If you think eggplant can only be found in the summer, well, think again. Eggplant’s high season runs through fall, which means these next few weeks might be your last chance to sample this nightshade vegetable grown locally. We like to think we know a lot… but we had no idea that eggplant isn’t a vegetable.
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Falling in Love With Carrots
This time of year, when the last summer vegetables are just hanging on (like peaches!), carrots are thriving. When people think of carrots, they usually think orange, but there’s all sorts of colors, like white, red, or purple. Come fall, baby carrots with names like Thumbelina and Little Finger, and Nantes carrots, dubbed “Nelson.” While red and orange carrots taste the same, purple and white carrots are far sweeter, and great to eat raw. As a general rule, you can assume the darker the color of the carrot is, the sweeter it is. If you’re looking for a little color on the plate, an assortment of colored carrots gives the plate a kick of beautiful autumn color. When picking carrots, make sure that they’re firm, and don’t be fooled by size. Bigger isn’t always better – smaller carrots...
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Where To Dine Out This Thanksgiving
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it’s time to decide. If you’re among the scores of people opting to dine out this Thanksgiving, choosing a restaurant can be almost as overwhelming as hosting your own Thanksgiving dinner. We’ve done the work for you, scouting out a slew of noteworthy Thanksgiving menus this holiday, leaving you only one task – calling in your reservation. Back Forty in the East Village is braising turkey legs, while in Harlem, Red Rooster is preparing for their first annual Thanksgiving feast. If you prefer Brooklyn, there’s Fatty ‘Cue and iCi Restaurant. Did we mention the Latin flavors on deck at Palo Santo or the Austrian-inspired dishes at Wallse? And just because turkey steals the show this time of year doesn’t mean there aren’t a few vegan-friendly dishes to indulge in too. Red Rooster Harlem...
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Thanksgiving To-Go
What’s not to love about Thanksgiving? It’s that one day of the year that’s almost entirely dedicated to eating. Of course, there’s football games and parades, but we give particular thanksor the smorgasbord of food that awaits us. But for many of us, cooking the entire meal from appetizers to dessert can be daunting if not down right unrealistic. Fear not, because there are plenty of places to pick up turkeys, sides, phenomenal pies, or even entire meals around the city. Whether you’re hosting or a guest this Thanksgiving, you won’t be short on delicious dishes. We found one-stop shopping at Butterfield, deep-fried turkeys at Jive Turkey and even gluten free pies at Baby Cakes. Check out the best of Thanksgiving to go… Jive Turkey Address: 570 Myrtle Ave., btwn. Classon & Emerson Aves (Brooklyn) Phone: (718) 797-1688 Website:...
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New York’s Best Fall Pies
First, the food forecasters said fried chicken was the new burger and pies are the new cupcakes. We think there’s room for allof the above, but pie season is in full swing right now and we couldn’t be more excited by the possibilities this fall. We appreciate old school pies, like the apple and pumpkin pies from Bubby’s, just as much as Four and Twenty Blackbirds modern bourbon pear and caramel apple pies. Pies-n-Thighs has a winning concord grape pie with an ingenious black pepper crust. Even places like Serendipity are getting into the action with an expectedly decadent peanut butter pie sundae. Don’t put down your fork just yet, there’s a lot more to sample this season. First Prize Pies Phone: (646) 338-6812 Website: firstprizepies.com It all started when Allison Kave won the 1st Annual Brooklyn Pie-Off in 2009 with her bourbon...
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Halloween Eats & Sweets
So we’re too old to go trick or treating. That doesn’t mean we can’t get into the Halloween spirit and eat our way through the holiday. There’s a slew of creative sweets to indulge in this month far beyond M & M’s & mini-snickers bars. If you thought Serendipity’s hot chocolate was over the top, you should see their “Cookies and Scream” sundae. And just down the street Dylan’s Candy Bar has a Haunted Halloween sundae of their own with pumpkin ice cream and candy corn. If you’re throwing a party, Jacques Torres chocolate haunted house doubles as decoration and dessert. That’s just for starters. Jacques Torres Chocolates Address: 350 Hudson Street between King and Prince Sts. Phone: (212) 414-2462 Website: www.mrchocolate.com We’re suckers for multi-function goodies of all sorts, so we’re loving the Jacques Torres where Halloween decorations double Halloween treats. The reigning king of...
Read MoreLast Minute Thanksgiving Reservations
Thanksgiving was never supposed to be a stressful holiday. So if it’s starting to feel overwhelming, you might want to reconsider cooking and eat out. You could even seize the occasion to dine somewhere you’ve been dying to try and let someone else slave over the stove. Here are some of our last-minute recommendations for Thanksgiving reservations. Cornelia Street Café Address: 29 Cornelia St Phone: (212.989.9319) Website: www.corneliastreetcafe.com The charming, homey setting at this West Village fixture is great for holiday like this one. If you ask me, the Thanksgiving menu is the real draw with offerings of cornbread stuffing, sweet potato puree, string beans, cranberry-orange relish, mashed potatoes, gravy—oh!—and turkey too. Eggnog crème brulee is a festive French-inflected end to the evening. The Farm on Adderley Address: 1108 Cortelyou Rd, Brooklyn Phone: (718.287.3101) Website: www.thefarmonadderley.com If you live...
Read MoreBest Of – New York's Fall Dishes
My favorite eating season is fall. It doesn’t get much better than autumnal fruits, like concord grapes, pumpkins, pears, plums, and apples. And there’s loads of fragrant truffles (for a price, of course), duck, wild game and brussel sprouts. This year, some of New York’s best and newest restaurants have come up with some delicious ways to celebrate the season. There’s an outstanding concord grape tart at ABC Kitchen, pumpkin ravioli and a brioche-like pastry studded with concord grapes at Babbo, and apple cider doughnuts at Hearth, to name a few. We’ve picked our favorite savory and sweet nods to fall from a few of New York’s finest restaurants, so you can start and finish in season. BabboPhone: (212)777-0303Address: 110 Waverly Place, nr. 6th Ave.It’s hard to go wrong at Babbo, especially if you linger in the pasta section...
Read MoreGrown Up Halloween Treats
You never really outgrow Halloween. You may not feel like dressing up or going to door to door for treats, but you still want to seize the opportunity to eat candy. I never turn down sour patch kids or a bag of M & M’s (especially peanut or the new pretzel variety, which happen to be very good), but sometimes you want something a little more interesting and sophisticated. We scouted out this year’s best treats for grown ups and grown up kids alike… Not Your Average Ring Pop Papabubble Address: 380 Broome St. Phone: (212.966.2599) Website: www.papabubble.com Ring pops were a favorite of mine as a kid; I loved the idea of wearing my food. Barcelona-based candy company, Papabubble, makes a version (pictured right) I wouldn’t mind wearing out at night or to the office. Funky and fun,...
Read MoreNew York's Best Fall Dishes
Fall doesn’t offically begin until September 22nd, but it’s starting to feel like summer’s already gone. Many restaurants have changed their menus with an eye on fall. That means plenty of pumpkin, zucchini, apples, brussel sprouts and meat. There’s roast chicken with pumpkin pie, dinner and dessert in one, at Park Avenue Autumn, and exotic pumpkin soup in Queens. For Oktoberfest, we recommend you head to Prime Meats in Brooklyn to feast on their vast array of sausages, homemade sauerkraut and beer. Turkey Leg Sandwich – Henry Public Address: 329 Henry St., btwn. Atlantic Avenue & Pacific Street Phone: (718) 852-8630 You don’t have to wait until Thanksgiving to get your roast turkey fix. Henry Public makes a turkey leg sandwich that just might be better than the turkey your family serves every November. In keeping with tradition, the...
Read MoreNew York’s Most Prized Pies
When it comes to desserts, New York boasts everything from organic ice creams to artisanal whoopie pies. But we’ve never been known for our pies until just recently. A new crop of shops & bakers have emerged from around the five burroughs with inspired, old-fashioned pies. Not only has Pies & Thighs finally resurfaced after two, long years with their trademark, banana cream pie encrusted in chocolate shortbread, but also the Elsen sisters and their strawberry balsamic vinegar pie with a buttery crust at Four and Twenty Blackbirds and Alison Kave’s first-prize S’mores pie at Fatty Cue. There’s plenty of quaint, new shops and eateries embracing the genre of thick-crusted American pies Two Little Red Hens Address: 1652 2nd Avenue, near 86th Street Phone: (212)452-0476 Better known for its artful cakes and elegant tarts, this Upper East Side bakery...
Read MoreThanksgiving – Dining Out & Take-Out
Thanksgiving is a challenge even for the most gifted chef. We all need a little help or the entire night off. When you consider that some of the finest chefs in New York are cooking, it’s tempting to dine out. Whether you’re cooking, going to a friend’s, or dining out, there are tons of options… Dining Out: Back Forty Phone: (212)388-1990 Address: 190 Avenue B www.backfortynyc.com (Photo Credit: Tina Rupp) Comfort and hospitality are essential to Thanksgiving and this East Village eatery is wonderful at both. Chef Peter Hoffman has created a 3-course dinner that sounds delicious: cornmeal-dusted oysters, roasted heritage turkey with chestnut turkey sausage stuffing and pumpkin fregola risotto. Everything’s served family style, so you’ll really feel at home. Market Table Phone:(212)255-2100 Address: 54 Carmine St. www.markettablenyc.com Chef Mikey Price is great at putting creative twists on...
Read MoreHalloween Treats & Eats
Liddabit Sweets Saturdays at the Fort Greene Brooklyn Flea Market (In the schoolyard at the corner of Lafayette & Clermont.) www.liddabitsweets.com Ever had a handmade candy bar? Neither had I until I stopped by the Brooklyn Flea Market. Liddabit’s candy bars make ordinary Halloween candy seem like child’s play. Nobody’s debating the merits of a Snickers or Milky Way Bar, but they’re not the healthiest or most original snacks. Liddabit’s gourmet bars are all made by hand with local ingredients. For Halloween, they’ve created a stellar Pecan bar and Pumpkin Pie bar. The pecan bar has a pie crust bottom topped with pecan dulce de leche, bourbon ganache, and a coating of dark chocolate. It’s intense. The pumpkin pie is made with spiced pumpkin caramel ganache, marshmallow fluff, a pie crust base, and enrobed in dark chocolate. Grown...
Read MoreThanksgiving Dining Out
On Thanksgiving Day, you’re technically supposed to give thanks for the people in our lives and the food on our table. In America, that translates to overeating, excessive drinking and lots of leftover turkey. It also translates a lot of cooking. If you can’t bare the thought of cooking this year, some of the city’s best restaurants are offering to take on the daunting task for you. Thinking of dining out on Thanksgiving, there are lots of good options… Market Table54 Carmine Street (btwn. 7th Ave. & Bedford St.)(212) 255-2100www.markettablenyc.comIf you’re dining out this Thanksgiving, it doesn’t get much better than Market Table. Or homier for that matter. It’s hard to please everyone, but Mikey Price & Joey Campanaro have put together a menu that just might. We took at a quick look at the menu to find...
Read MoreBest of – A Taste of Fall at the Greenmarket
Autumn just might be the best time to shop at the Union Square Greenmarket. How many more reasons do you need than pumpkins, chestnuts, concord grapes, and apples? We took a stroll through the market to find out where to buy the best fruits and vegetables, how to pick them, and just which chefs you might run into along the way. Apples Where to Buy: Samascott Orchards at The Union Square Greenmarket, Inwood Greenmarket, Columbia Uni Greenmarket Who buys from them: Gramercy Tavern, Craft, Blue Hill and Eleven Madison Park How to Pick them: Good apples should have no soft spots. If you’re in the market for apples, head to the Union Square Greenmarket. According to Sandy Murzin, who trains tour guides at the Union Square Greenmarket, “The New York City markets sell over 120 varieties of apples.” And...
Read MoreBest Thanksgiving Take-Out 2007
Whether you’re the one making Thanksgiving dinner this year, or a guest at someone else’s table, you don’t have to make everything (or anything at all) these days. Even when eateries close for the holiday, they still make sure you’re well fed… City Bakery (212) 266-1414 3 W. 18th St., nr. 5th Ave. Although this Gramercy bakery is closed on Thanksgiving Day, it offers a catered menu that can be enjoyed at home. Turkey is a given, but their sides steal the show: an option of southwestern cornbread stuffing, butternut squash with Asian pears and hazelnuts, and spicy cipollini onions all add a bit of verve to the ensemble. With desserts, highlights include Indian apple pie ($25) and cranberry caramel walnut tart ($30). Clinton Street Baking Company (646) 602-6263 4 Clinton St., btwn E. Houston & Stanton Sts. This...
Read MoreDining Out on Thanksgiving
This year, we give thanks to all of the NYC restaurants who keep their doors open on Thanksgiving, and keep our kitchens free of mayhem and mess. No more must we wait on daunting lines at Whole Foods or slave away all day roasting turkeys. This year, you may want to opt out of an at-home dinner and dine out on Thanksgiving. Our top picks: Prune (212)-677-6221 54 E 1st St.btwn 1st & 2nd Ave Stop in this East Village gem for a New American Thanksgiving dinner. Gabrielle Hamilton whimsically substitutes braised capons for turkey and sides avail a combination of both the classic and unusual: stewed chestnuts with ricotta and sea salt, as well as butternut squash with pear and candied bacon. Chubo (212) 674-6300 6 Clinton Street This tiny yet worldly restaurant offers a four-course prix-fixe dinner...
Read MoreCheck out My Book – Try This
