Q & A with Edi & the Wolf & The Third Man’s Eduard Frauneder and Wolfgang Ban
There aren’t really a whole lot of Austrian restaurants in the city. That’s what makes Eduard Frauneder and Wolfgang Ban such ambassadors of the cuisine. Ever since opening their first restaurant, Seäsonal, in 2008, the pair has refused to be pigeonholed; consistently showcasing Germanic dishes that go well beyond sausage, fried potatoes and Weiner Schnitzel.
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Q & A with Traif & Xixa’s Jason Marcus
A Jewish chef cooking pork and shellfish in East Williamsburg, one of the largest Hasidic neighborhoods in the city, may seem like little more than a running gag. Especially when he calls that restaurant Traif. And yes, the cheeky irony may initially attract visitors this corner of Brooklyn (the colorful space festooned with heart-studded piggies is also good for a laugh). But Jason Marcus’ thoughtful brand of cooking guarantees their return, long after the joke has worn off.
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Tacombi’s Cinco de Mayo Chilaquiles
Since Cinco de Mayo falls on a Sunday this year, it only makes sense to kick off your celebrations with brunch. And there are plenty of places in the city to indulge in hearty, Mexican breakfast dishes, like Migas, Huevos Rancheros, or Chilaquiles Verdes. We especially love Tacombi’s tasty Chilaquiles; a pile of homemade tortilla chips topped with salsa verde, crèma fresca, pickled onions, and two sunny side up eggs.
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Q & A with Arlington Club’s Laurent Tourondel
Laurent Tourondel may be a native of France, but his brand has become synonymous with American classics. Think burgers, fries and milkshakes at LT Burger in Bryant Park, and juicy sirloins and rib eyes at BLT Steak. Though he parted ways with E Squared Hospitality and the BLT empire a few years ago, he just recently returned with his own brand of steakhouse at Arlington Club and he’s taken his famous Gruyere popovers with him.
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“Ramp up the Volume” Pesto with Seared Sea Scallops
Did you claw your way to the front of a farmers market stand, in order to get your hands on one of the season’s first bushels of ramps? Perhaps even foraged them yourself, on a hike through the woods upstate? Either way… congratulations! You’re currently in possession of spring’s most coveted veggie, wild young leeks with a garlic-like aroma and pronounced onion flavor. But how the heck do you use them?
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“Rites of Spring” Strawberry Rhubarb Cocktail
Let’s be honest. Sometimes, a good strong cocktail is the only thing that can get you through the winter. Not that we’re abandoning the liquor cabinet now that it’s spring. Light spirits pair particularly well with warm-weather ingredients – we combined tangy rhubarb and sparkling wine for the ultimate spring cooler, perfect for a leisurely weekend brunch, as an aperitif before dinner, or for sipping while watching the sun set from your stoop, patio, fire escape or rooftop!
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Q & A with Flatiron Lounge & Clover Club’s Julie Reiner
It’s often said that there aren’t enough women working in professional kitchens. And the same seems to be true of behind the bar. But when it comes to real top of the line mixologists, there are few bigger names in the business than Julie Reiner – and that’s male or female. Owner and beverage director of the jazzy, ten-year-old Flatiron Lounge in Manhattan (which serves intricately layered drinks listed under “Whiskey,” “Brandy,” “Rum,” “Gin,” “Tequila,” and “Vodka”), and the pre-Prohibition era Clover Club in Brooklyn (known for its assortment of Sours and Daisies, Collins and Fizzes, Punches and Royales), Reiner is often credited with revitalizing the golden age of the cocktail, making American classics with fresh juices, handcrafted syrups and infusions, and seasonal ingredients.
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Q & A with Dinosaur Bar-B-Que’s John Stage
When you think of the great BBQ capitals of America, like Texas, North Carolina or Tennessee, you’ll notice that East Coast states never make the list. Yet John Stage, founder of Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, has spent the last 25 years working magic with a smoker, producing some of tenderest brisket, tastiest pulled pork, and most lip-smacking ribs you’re likely to find North of the Mason-Dixon line.
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Middle Eastern Lamb & Green Bean Tagine
When we think of Easter time, two must-have dishes spring to mind, Lamb and Green Bean Casserole. And while Easter is officially over, we’re inspired to combine the two together this spring for an unusual, but no less delicious entrée – a Moroccan-inspired Lamb and Green Bean Tajine. We’ve adapted our recipe to cook in an everyday pot, but if you happen to own a Tajine (or feel like purchasing one as they’re very attractive), by all means, use it!
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Italian Chicken Brodo with Matzoh Meatballs
Even if the matzoh balls were from a box mix, and the broth came from a can, nothing will ever compare to your Bubby’s Matzoh Ball Soup. That’s why we’re not even attempting to compete. Our Italian-inspired Chicken Brodo with Matzoh Meatballs is an entirely untraditional spin on the Passover favorite, but would be more than welcome on any modern Seder table.
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Q & A with Back Forty’s Peter Hoffman
When Peter Hoffman opened his seminal, farm-to-table restaurant Savoy in 1990, terms like “local,” “seasonal,” and “sustainable” had yet to become part of the dining lexicon. Now, you’d be hard pressed to find a Manhattan chef that doesn’t make regular runs to the Union Square Greenmarket, or a Brooklyn eatery that fails to cite the origins of its Heritage pork, free-range eggs, and artisanal wedges of farmstead cheese. And although Hoffman shuttered Savoy in 2011, he remains resolute in his mission to eliminate out of season, overly processed ingredients from his restaurant menus.
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Luck of the Irish Soda Bread Muffins
A dry and tasteless Irish soda bread can be just as unappealing as a sickly sweet Christmas fruitcake. Which is why we make our version with cake flour (which has lower levels of gluten than bread, wheat, or white flour,) and take special care not to knead or overwork our dough, so the soda bread doesn’t get tough. There’s also butter and oil for moisture (not a given in all soda bread recipes,) and sweet raisins, savory fennel seeds, and crunchy walnuts for interest and flavor. Oh, and did we mention that this soda bread is made in cute little individualized muffin cups?
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Q & A with Salvation Taco’s April Bloomfield
The term “Gastropub” gets thrown around pretty freely nowadays. It generally refers to bars that serve food far superior to the expected handful of beer nuts, meat pie, or run-of-the-mill burger. But the concept didn’t get much play outside of England until 2004, when British chef April Bloomfield burst onto the NYC scene with The Spotted Pig.
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Boozy Beef and Beer Stew
There are plenty of recipes that call for wine, but especially during winter (and more particularly, Beer Week!) we’re all about experimenting with ale. Honestly, nothing adds depth to a dish quite as effectively as a quality bottle of beer. It’s the secret weapon in our hearty, rib sticking stew… the malt and hops deliciously accentuating its deep beef flavor and heady spice.
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“Hold the Alcohol” Pear and Rosemary Fizz
Savory elements like Rosemary and Ginger play a central role in this drink, which also incorporates yet another 2013 cocktail trend. It’s entirely alcohol free. Not that you can’t sneak a shot of Bourbon or jigger of Sherry in there if you want (especially since the fortified wine happens to be trending too!) But sometimes it’s nice to indulge in a cocktail that’s still entirely grown-up tasting, without being intoxicating. So next time you’re looking to raise a toast (without actually ending up toasted yourself,) make up a pitcher of these celebratory Pear and Rosemary Fizzes!
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Q & A with Louro’s Chef David Santos
There are some chefs that would much prefer to hole up in the kitchen with their sauces than interact with their customers. And that’s cool… it’s just not David Santos. On the contrary, the gregarious, heart on his sleeve chef is the kind of guy who invites patrons (and strangers at that!) into his home for supper club meals. Now, you can get a taste of Santos’s cooking, a unique mix of Portuguese, American and other globally inspired cuisines in one.
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Dark Chocolate Champagne Truffles
Candle light. Romantic poems. Your significant other doing the dishes for once in his or her life. They all go a long way to fan the flames of passion on Valentine’s Day… but nothing stirs the soul quite as effectively as fizzy champagne, accompanied by lots and lots of sinfully rich chocolate.
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Sexy Steamed Mussels with Citrus & Prosecco
It’s a funny thing about mussels. They’re delicious, healthy, easy to prepare and cheap (generally five dollars a pound, which is pretty damn good for shellfish!). But people rarely think to make them at home. Sure, they’ll order them out… who hasn’t had a good Zuppa de Mussels served with hunks of crusty Italian bread or a bowl of tender mollusks steamed in beer and sided with a pile of crusty fries? We’ve seen them dotting saffron rice in Spanish Paella, served A la Plancha (most recently at Willow Road in Chelsea), and done up Southeast Asian style, loaded with Lime, Chili, Coconut Milk and Kaffir leaves.
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Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese
Whenever we think of comfort food, the very first thing that springs to mind is creamy and melty Macaroni and Cheese. We love it every which way, from the electric orange stovetop stuff that comes out of a box, to refined casseroles of artisanal cheese, hand-cranked pasta and brioche breadcrumbs.
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Q & A with The Marrow’s Harold Dieterle
Way back in 2006, Harold Dieterle was the first to win a little culinary competition called Top Chef. But for anyone familiar with his refined cooking style, drama-free demeanor and unfaltering work ethic, it came as no surprise when he quickly proved himself outside the confines of the show. Lately, Dieterle has food folks chattering over his newest restaurant, The Marrow, with Brooklyn residents bemoaning the fact that it didn’t open in Hotel 718 as originally planned.
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