AfterTaste (by Sherry)

Bar Stuzzichini
928 Broadway (between 21st and 22nd Streets)
New York, NY 10010, (212) 780-5100 

Matt and I recently tried Bar Stuzzichini in the Flatiron District, which opened in June of 2007. I’ve been dying to go there for awhile as I seem to run into its name everywhere I turn lately. “Stuzzichini” is derived from the Italian word, stuzzicare, meaning to tickle or pick at, as in, little plates of food to pick at.

Upon walking into Bar Stuzzichini, I braced myself for the schizophrenic decor that many of its reviews had mentioned. They were right. Think one part Medieval dungeon, one part Irish pub, one part American steakhouse, one part Italian wine bar, and one part French bistro. A lot of parts, I know. But the overall ambiance is a lively, cozy one and really, for me, I go to a place to eat the food, not to obtain interior designing tips. As long as it’s clean and put together, it’s okay that it’s a little schizo.

I had only one major bone to pick with their decor and that was the miniscule marble tables for two along the banquettes. I understand that they’re probably supposed to convey that casual, wine bar, we’re-here-just-for-a-wee-nibble-and-a-glass-of-vino type vibe, but let’s get real. You’re a restaurant, Bar Stuzzichini. When our waiter brought our two wine glasses, water glasses, bread basket, and bowl of olive oil, the table was already crowded and we hadn’t even ordered yet.

We started off with the five plates for $24 combo for two people, which was a fantastic deal considering most of the plates were $7 or $8 dollars. But now that I think back on it, I wonder if they shrink the portions because that deal is really just too good if we received the normal a la carte portions. Plus, I’m trying to conceive of a reason why the portions were so itty bitty.

For our five we had the eggplant involtini (grilled eggplant rolled over ricotta cheese), grilled octopus, fried meatballs, arancini (fried risotto balls), and the salami toscani.

The eggplant was grilled to a tender consistency and the ricotta was refreshingly smooth, but I could have used some more salt or vinegar or something on it. It was a tad bit bland.

The risotto balls, on the other hand, were absolutely phenomenal. Cheesy, creamy, crunchy, and sharp from the parmigiano, they were the epitome of the best that fried cheese and starch can be. The most delicious arancini I’ve ever had, period. I just wish there had been more than two in the bowl.

Look at that string of cheese! Cue the ooh-ing and ahh-ing.

The octopus took Matt and me straight back to our Amalfi vacation this summer. Fresh, supple, grilled octopus with just a hint of lemon, charred flavor, and fruity olive oil, it was octopus at its simplest and, therefore, best.

The fried meatballs had a touch of authenticity that I appreciated. In Italy, you won’t see meatballs stewed in tomato sauce. Instead, they are lightly coated in breading and fried as Bar Stuzzichini’s were. The meatballs were light, airy, garlicky, and incredibly well-seasoned without the flavor of the meat being masked. I’m not sure if it was a mix of pork and some other meats or just pure pork. I’m inclined to think they were straight up pork. They were so good, they even inspired me to start frying my own, instead of making them the Italian American way as I always have (pan seared, then stewed).

The salami was fabulous as well, sweet and not too salty. It was sliced paper thin, which helped mitigate the unavoidable saltiness of Italian cured meats. The first slice I ate with some bread, but the rest I just gobbled up by themselves.

We weren’t sure how big the “little” plates would be when we ordered them so we played it safe with the main and just shared one, the roasted crispy chicken. We got it with a side of the sauteed winter greens. The chicken had a thin, crisp layer of salty skin with a hint of lemon. The white meat was moist, which is a feat I greatly appreciate as an avid white meat eater. I had hoped the crispy skin would stay on the chicken when I sliced it, but it didn’t. Ah well, you can’t have it all. The greens were justttt at that pointed of cooked right before they hit mushy status. So soft and silky, the salty greens seemed to slide right down your throat.

Clearly this place isn’t big on presentation

We wanted to order the mini cannolis for dessert, but unfortunately they had run out of them. None of the other desserts were that appealing so we took the check and bounced. Actually, I’m glad we didn’t get any dessert, because by the time we were done with the bottle of Falanghina (a delicious, reasonably priced, fruity white from the Campania region in Southern Italy, one of a long, long list of inexpensive Italian wines Bar Stuzzichini offers) twenty minutes later, the fullness and richness of the meal hit us and we were stuffed.

I would highly recommend Bar Stuzzichini for small parties of 2-4 for a casual dinner or larger groups of 10 or more if it’s more of a celebration. As I wrote earlier, the atmosphere is undoubtedly full of festive energy, an energy any diner would appreciate; be he a Medieval knight, an affable Irishman, a robust American, a lively uomo Italiano, a sophisticated homme Francais, or a hungry New Yorker like myself.

• 5 Stuzzichini Deal for 2 People - $24
• Pollo Croccante al Limone - $18
• Mercato Verdure - $6
• Bottle of Falanghina - $35
• Total (excluding tax and tip) = $83

Yes! Yes! My first time roasting a chicken and it came out wonderfully! Yippy! I basically followed what I described in my last post. I chopped up sage, rosemary, parsley, and thyme and mixed them with softened butter, a bit of lemon juice, and lemon zest. After I loosened the chicken’s skin (very, very odd feeling), I shoved the herb butter all up in there and then all over the entire bird. Then I sprinkled it with a lot of salt and pepper. After that, I shoved what I could fit in its tushy: one whole, squeezed lemon cut in half, a handful of garlic cloves, salt, a sprig of rosemary, and a few sprigs of thyme. Next, I tossed a ton of carrots and a couple of quartered onions on the bottom of the tray along with about 1/2 inch of chicken stock and the juice of half a lemon (this became the key to my amazingly roasted pan veggies, whodathunkit!). Handcuffed that bad boy with some cotton string and into the 450 degree oven it went for 20 minutes, then 1 hour (it was a small chicken, 3.3 lb free range-r) at 375. The thermometer registered a perfect 175 when I pulled that sucker out and let it rest for 40 minutes. I would have wanted it to rest for only 25-30 minutes but my side-dish delinquent of a sister, Jeannie, took so damn long making the sides that we were a little delayed.

You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of deliciousness…

Right before it entered the fiery inferno

And after!

It came out so moist and flavorful, I couldn’t believe I didn’t follow a recipe! This gave me a little renewed faith in myself as a cook after the whole pie dough fiasco of Thanksgiving 2007. Next time I might use fewer herbs though, there were so many and so much that they seemed to be competing with each other a little bit.

The best part truly was the roasted carrots and onions underneath though. Not only were they sweet and caramelized the way roasted carrots and onions typically are, but they had this savory, bright tartness from the lemon juice and the stock that was OUT OF THIS WORLD. I am normally not a huge carrot fan unless it’s in stew, but these were honestly phenomenonal. Next time I’m gonna add other root vegetables (potatoes and turnips).

Those black parts are not burnt, they are the stuff dreams are made of

To make the gravy, after I took all the veggies out from the bottom of the pan, I put it (sans rack) on top of two burners on a medium-low heat. I deglazed the pan with more chicken stock and after I scraped up all the charred bits, I whisked in some flour and butter (about 2 tb of each). No salt needed. I had trouble skimming off the fat though so my gravy came out a little oily. You couldn’t taste the greasiness, you could only see it. Not the prettiest thing in the world, but it tasted grand. After everything was nicely reduced, I poured that sweet nectar through a strainer, e voila! Pan gravy! Sooooo simple. It also made the pan so much easier to clean and what’s better than that?

The calamari was a huge hit too. Every single ring and tentacle was eaten up. Honestly, these were so flavorful and tender that we barely even touched the tomato sauce I put out. To keep the batch warm, I kept the paper lined plate I was using on the burner behind the one I had my pot on (see below). It was warm enough back there to keep the calamari warm. But the great thing about this super light coating is that even if the temperature dips, it won’t get soggy!

See those black bits of seasoning? Delicious!

My sister (background) and I (foreground) in our teeny tiny little galley kitchen

Jeannie handled the brussel sprouts, wild rice, and parsnips. The parsnips came out very well. I had never had parsnips before, at least not to my knowledge. She just covered them with salt, pepper, and olive oil and tossed them into a 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes. They came out nicely crusted and tasting like a starchier, smoother sweet potato. Wunderbar!

Unfortunately, Jeannie didn’t quarter or halve the brussel sprouts so they were a little undercooked and I don’t know what happened with the bacon, but it just imparted its flavor without making an actual appearance. I was too tired at that point to hover any longer. Plus, she started shooing me away. Overbearing behavior in the kitchen is something I totally got from my mom.

The wild rice was great in terms of flavor. She made it with chicken stock, mushrooms, and peas, but she didn’t realize that white rice and wild rice cook at different rates so we got really crunchy wild rice and too-soft white rice. It wasn’t bad though. To be fair, we really don’t work with wild rice ever.

Look at that beauteously well-balanced meal!

For dessert, bakers we are not, so we just bought a strawberry custard tart from a local gourmet shop. It was good, but the strawberries were a little too tart.

So that was my big Christmas Eve dinner! Tonight I might make some pasta or something else really simple. Ugh, the kitchen’s a disaster. Maybe I’ll just order take out….

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A HAPPY CHRISTMAS DINNER!

Naughty monkey Moo Shu was very upset that we didn’t give him any chicken. He kept crying and trying to jump up on the table while it was resting. When we chased him off he sulked in the corner behind our tree and refused to come out.

Okay, gonna head into the kitchen soon to attack Christmas dinner. I’ve always enjoyed eating on Christmas Eve rather than Christmas day. Call me materialistic, but after all the presents are gone from underneath the tree, it just doesn’t really feel like Christmas anymore. Shrug.

Matt’s mom recommended a free range bird because even though they’re smaller, they’re tastier, so that’s what I bought. I’m not taking any chances with flavor here.

So I’ve found three or four roast chicken recipes. I’m really very nervous. I think this is the basic method I’m going to follow. I’m going to make a lemon herb butter with lemon zest, a bit of lemon juice, rosemary, thyme, and parsley. I’m going to wash and pat the chicken dry, then salt and pepper it liberally inside the cavity and out. Then I’m going to get my grubby hands all up under the chicken’s skin with that butter mixture and rub it all over the outside as well. Next, I’ll shove whole stalks of the herbs, some garlic cloves, and the squeezed lemons into the chicken’s nether regions. It’s a great way to use up a lot of the herbs so I don’t feel guilty about throwing them out in a week. Lastly, I’ll tie the chicken’s little ankles/drumstick parts together.

I’ll bake the chicken at 450 degrees (F) for about 20 minutes to let the skin crisp up and then reduce the oven to about 375 degrees and let the chicken go for another hour and fifteen or until the chicken is 170-180 degrees in the thigh.

Meanwhile on the bottom of the roasting pan I’ll put chunks of carrots, onions, and garlic along with some chicken stock so it doesn’t burn. I’ll find a way to turn the pan drippings into gravy. Probably by removing all the vegetables, skimming off the fat, and then whisking in some salt, pepper, flour, and butter. Gah! This is all so off the cuff! I am so not an off the cuff kinda gal when it comes to experimenting, but I have faith in myself. I hope I do my mother proud!

I’m gonna vomit I’m so nervous. Just as long as I don’t vomit on the raw roaster though, I think I’ll be okay. After all, isn’t holding back your vomit what Christmas is all about?

My sister and I have finally settled on our Christmas Eve menu. Roast chicken has been at the center of it for awhile, but the sides and appetizers have switched around a bit. Yeah, that’s right, we settled it…today…the DAY BEFORE THE DINNER. Don’t even talk to me about my sister’s holiday procrastination. We couldn’t get a single Fresh Direct time slot today because of it! So we had to go traipsing in the pouring rain to get the ten million ingredients…growl. Just, just don’t even get me started…

Appetizer: Fried calamari with lemon, herb, paprika mayo

Salad: Baby spinach salad with almonds and a brown butter-honey dressing

Main Course: Roast chicken with herbs

Side Dishes: Wild rice with mushrooms, roasted parsnips, and brussel sprouts sauteed with bacon and garlic

The reasons for choosing calamari are three-fold: 1) it’s easy, 2) it’s impressive, and 3) I had some raw squid leftover in the freezer from about a month ago when I made it for the first time. Here’s the recipe from my dinner party post. Instead of the spicy lemon garlic mayo, I’ve decided to go with a lemon herb mayo since I want to use all my herbs before they shrivel up and disintegrate into powder like they usually do. Knowing me, there’ll still be tons of garlic in it though.

I’ve wanted to make roast chicken for a long time now. I see it as one of those monster cooking challenges I have to tackle at some point, a dish that’s simple and delicious but can easily go very, very wrong. Hmmm, maybe a big holiday dinner isn’t the best time to experiment. Well, we’ll see what happens. I’ve taken bits and pieces from different recipes by chefs and cooks that I find reliable and that I respect. Besides, in the city there’s always take out. Wish me luckkkkkkkkkkk! Originally, instead of wild rice to accompany the chicken, we were gonna make herbed polenta with a wild mushroom ragu, but at the last minute today my sister threw a hissy fit and vetoed that idea so we settled on wild rice with wild mushrooms instead. Trading one wild for some other wilds. Wooo-wwwwheeee! Cra-zy!

My sister is obsessed with these roasted parsnips that an ex-boyfriend’s family made for her once. She doesn’t have a recipe and she’s not sure exactly how it’s made, but I’m leaving that disaster-waiting-to-happen all to her.

Lastly, we’ve made the brussel sprouts with bacon (a classic combo) before and it was a smashing success. I got an idea for a new twist on the whole thing from Matt’s mom’s William-Sonoma Christmas cookbook. It said to peel the leaves off until you’re left with nothing but the brussel sprout core and then to quarter the core. This gives a little variation in texture and a kind of “fluffiness” if that makes any sense. Can’t wait to try it slash I can’t wait to cook anything with bacon.

Good luck to everyone else and their holiday dindins! I’ll be reporting back soon on my adventures in roast chicken land. Fingers/wings crossed…

I was at a loss on Sunday for what to make for dinner. The boy (Matt) was coming over and all I knew was that I had a major pasta craving. The weather was wretched Sunday night and having already gone to the Wintermarket, I was done with the whole “going outside” thing.

I scrounged around my kitchen. In my pasta drawer, I had half of a box of rigatoni, some lasagna sheets, half of a bag of fusilli lunghi (love, love, love it, very underrated pasta shape…maybe because it’s not “real” or classic), and a full box of penne. Alright, I could work with penne, I thought. But I’m a stickler for matching sauces to the appropriate pasta shapes. For me, saucy, non-chunky sauces or oil-based sauces go best with thin strands like spaghetti or angel hair, or large tubular pastas like rigatoni or tortiglioni. Creamy, non-chunky sauces (think carbonara) go well with wider strands like fettucine or linguini. “Sauceless” chunky sauces with things like veggies (i.e. a primavera) are better with penne or farfalle. Regular fusilli or gemelli for pasta salad in my house.

What I ended up throwing together Sunday night was penne alla vodka, a classic Italian-American favorite found in most pizza joints and old-fashioned Italian American restaurants (like the kind with checkered tablecloth and chianti bottle candles). Despite its inauthenticity, I love it. The dish is a delicious balance of sweet, savory, creamy, cheesy, and a little hint of je ne sais quoi from the alcohol. Meanwhile, penne alla vodka defies all of the “rules” I just mentioned. It’s a non-chunky, cream-based sauce and yet I pair it with penne. I’ve also been known to do a fusilli lunghi alla vodka, which worked well too. Just goes to show you that these rules are just a general guideline, not Gospel.

The other great thing about this dish is that I typically have all the ingredients already; thus no need to leave the house.

Vodka? Check. Heavy cream? Check. Parmiggiano cheese? Check. Penne? Check. Tomato sauce? Check. Either ham or bacon or proscuitto or pancetta? Check.

I put a little twist in my version by adding halved grape tomatoes. I just feel like the dish can get heavy and the tomatoes add a little texture and great bursts of tangy, sweet freshness amidst the sea of cheesy cream.

Hello vodka, old friend

Penne alla Vodka

Serves 4.

1 lb. penne (or some other tubular pasta or fusilli lunghi)
3 cups tomato sauce (check out my previously posted recipe)
1/2 cup, approx., heavy cream or half and half
1 1/2 pints of cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup vodka (unflavored, naturally, save the Stoli O for your holiday party)
1/2 lb ham, pancetta, bacon, or proscuitto, cubed
1-1 1/2 cups Parmiggiano Reggiano cheese, grated
1-2 pinches red chili flakes (optional)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

• Heat up a deep sautee pan or frying pan over a medium-high flame for 2-3 minutes.
• Pour enough olive oil in the pan to lightly coat the bottom (probably about 3 tablespoons). Let oil heat up for another minute. Test the heat of the pan by dropping in a cube of ham. If it sizzles on contact, the pan’s ready to go. If it just sits there, lolling around in the oil, wait another minute. Skip this entire step if you’re using bacon. It’s so fatty you don’t need additional oil.
• Put all the ham in the pan. Break up any pieces that are stuck together. Move the ham around until all the cubes are spread out in one layer over the bottom of the pan. Now, don’t touch it. You want them to brown and fry up a bit on both sides, not steam. This is especially true if you use bacon.
• After 3-4 minutes on one side, the ham should be crisp. Stir the ham to cook the other side. This should take another 2-3 minutes. Again, hands off until it’s done!
• Once the ham is all browned and your home smells like bacon, lower the heat to medium-low ad toss in the tomatoes. Let the tomatoes soften and break down a little, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. If you used bacon you might want to pour some of the excess fat out before you add the tomatoes.
• Add the tomato sauce, vodka, and chili flakes. Let the sauce come to a bubbling simmer. Then lower the heat to low and let it continue to cook for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, boil the penne according to the directions on the package.
• Pour in the cream and stir to combine everything. Simmer the sauce for another 20-25 minutes to cook off the alcohol in the vodka and to let the sauce reduce down/thicken.
• After the 20-25 minutes have elapsed, stir in the 2 cups of grated cheese a little bit at a time.
• Season with fresh cracked pepper. At this point taste for salt, season with salt as desired. If you feel like there’s still too much alcohol flavor, simmer on low in five minute increments until it achieves the alcohol level you like.
• Gently pour the penne into the pan with the sauce and mix carefully so it doesn’t splatter.
• Serve with some extra grated cheese, if desired.

Double, double, toil and trouble, fire burn and fat ass bubble

If alcohol’s really not your thing or you don’t have any on hand, no worries. Just omit it, simmer the sauce for a combined 15-20 minutes instead of 30-35 minutes and call it penne alla pink! Or penne al sugo rosa (translation: pink sauce)! Or penne pepto!

Ohhh yeah, that’s the stuff

I actually managed to drag my lazy sister out to brave this horrid weather all for the sake of yummy fresh goodies. I had read that the market was going to be under an awning but for some reason still thought at the back of my mind, “they probably just mean the entrance is under an awning…right?”

Wrong. Indeed, the market consisted of a long line of stalls under the old Fulton Building awning. Well, at least we had cover from the rain/sleet/snow. No such cover from the 20 degree weather though.

At first the entire scene made me a little depressed. There, in a dim, desolate lot, on a dim, desolate day, these lovely and strangely cheerful (considering the weather conditions) purveyors came out to support New Amsterdam Public and sell their produce/wines/honey/cheeses, but there weren’t many people to buy them when I arrived. It was already 11:40am, where was everyone? Don’t tell me a little thing like a winter storm is gonna keep NYers away from their organic produce. And you know what? It didn’t. Not twenty minutes later I was cursing these devoted foodies, willing them to move out of my way while I tried to get some hot apple cider and a sample of some cheese.

At first glance, there didn’t seem to be many stalls or many things being sold. I thought we’d be in and out in 15 minutes. We ended up being there for a little over two hours. We sampled cheeses from Saxelby Cheesemongers (normally located at the Essex Street Market) and the 3-Corner Field Farm and ice cider from Sylboro Ciderhouse. I sipped Eastern European pork stew with dried mushrooms from a tiny paper cup and tantalized my tongue with a succession of pickles (beets, okra, green beans, and asparagus). My sister and I lunched on warm, pressed, crusty little ciabatta rolls from Sullivan Street Bakery filled with pickles and Grafton cheddar. They were delicious, despite the fact that it took about 20 minutes of standing, hovering over the young lady who was wielding two hot plates and four frying pans and frantically pressing sandwiches as the line behind me grew longer, hungrier, and rowdier. The sandwiches ended up not even being that hot but I appreciated her efforts.

Yummy sammy…*CHOMP*

And yes, Mario Batali was there and by “there” I mean I saw him for about five minutes in the two hours I was there. He seemed to be zipping to and from his station where his little mignons were handing out pork sandwiches next to a giant pig’s head. I imagine he didn’t stay long though because he wasn’t even the one handing out sandwiches or slicing the pork. He stood next to the girls doing it and alternated between looking cold and looking bored. By 1pm all of the pork was gone and I believe so was Mario. It’s alright, I still love you, Mario.

The man with a plan himself - Mario Batali

Hands down, one of the most disturbing pictures I’ve ever taken

I don’t know about you but nothing puts me in the mood for pork sandwiches better than a rotten looking severed pig’s head on a cold December’s day. Moving on.

As I said earlier, my sister and I left the market around 1:45pm and a lot of the samples were already gone. The market is supposed to go until 4pm, so let that be a lesson for future events such as these. Get there on the earlier side!

In the end, we bought: 2 bottles of ice cider (in small, skinny olive oil-like bottles), 1/3 lb. of goat tomme cheese (a “goat”-y, grassy initial flavor with a wonderfully sharp AfterTaste), a half round of Atlantic Mist (a buttery cheese with the texture of Camembert and the salty, smooth flavor of an Epoisse cheese), a jar of Rick’s Picks Windy City Wasabeans (wasabi, garlic pickled green beans with hints of sesame and soy, to die for!), a bag of polenta, and some frostbitten toes (who needs that second toe anyway?). Quite the feast.

All in all, I believe the Wintermarket was a success, although I don’t know if it was so successful as to convince money grubbing developers to keep their dirty mitts off of that building, which is so perfectly suited to be an indoor market. Let’s hope so.

Alta
64 West 10th Street (Bet. 5th and 6th Avenues)
(212) 505-7777

So what if they use Philadelphia Cream Cheese in one of their most well known dishes? Who said you can’t have crepes and empanadas in the same meal? What’s the harm in getting a little butternut squash foam on your Catalonian flatbread?

Yes, this is what I mean by the identity disorder mentioned above. Alta is a little all over the place, but the bottomline is that it all works.

The space itself is also a little bit of this, a little bit of that. Down a few steps on an unassuming West Village street, the restaurant’s entrance almost blends into the brownstones to the left and right of it. The only tip offs to the place’s existence are a group huddled outside, waiting for a table and the name “Alta” printed artistically (meaning not clearly) in dark red on the door. Once you walk in, a long bar stretches down an equally long and narrow room. At the far end of the room, taking a right up two or three steps leads you into the main dining room. Oh yeah, did I mention the full staircase that then takes you up to the kitchen, women’s bathroom, and the terrace wrapping around the perimeter of the main dining area where there are also many tables? Confused? Dizzy? Yeah, so was I.

Despite all the labyrinthine twists and turns of the place, the overall atmosphere is warm, sexily dim, but not dark, boisterously festive, but not obnoxiously loud. A great place where you could meet girlfriends for sangria and nibbles or where you could bring a date you wanted to seduce without scaring him/her off.

In my case, I was meeting my fab friend and ex-coworker, Danielle. I had been dying to try Alta ever since another colleague of mine had raved about it and when I suggested it to Danielle, she gleefully agreed to go back, touting the, um, shall we say, restorative effects of Alta’s sangria. Indeed, the red and white sangrias were equally potent. The menu boasts of a secret ingredient, I would guess that secret ingredient is large quantities of vodka.

My red sangria and Danielle’s white in the background…lethal stuff

Altogether we had seven dishes and one dessert. We would’ve been fine with just five and no dessert. As it was, we were in a particularly giddy and gluttonous mood (maybe it’s that holiday spirit) so we overindulged, but at least that meant we got to try more dishes.

The first set we ordered were the pulled pork empanadas, the grilled chorizo wrapped shrimp, and the fried goat cheese balls with lavender honey.

The goat cheese was crunchy, gooey perfection. The puddles of lavender honey underneath it in were a perfect accompaniment to the potentially heavy fried cheese. I didn’t exactly taste lavender, but the honey was milder and less…fruity than honey normally seems to me.

The pulled pork in the empanadas was very tender. I was afraid they’d take the whole multiple personality disorder thing too far and include barbeque sauce inside the flaky, crisp pastry, but they did not, thank god. Instead they were served with a vibrant, refreshing garlicky chimichurri.

I was curious to know how you wrap sausages around little shrimp. It turns out they cook the chorizo, then cut it into thin slices, wrap them around the shrimp and then grill the whole shebang. The shrimp were juicy, the chorizo salty, and the whole dish minimalist and tasty.

Danielle and I had much more to catch up on so we ordered a second (and last) round. This time we ordered another plate of empanadas (give us a break, the dish only came with two spring roll sized ones!), Catalonian flatbread with ricotta cheese and mushrooms, Alta’s famous “Philadelphia Truffle Surprise,” and the lamb meatballs with the butternut squash foam.

The Catalonian flatbread had been baked with plenty of parmigiano cheese, as its edges were crunchy and salty with that familiar parmigiano sharpness. The sauteed mushrooms added some nicely chewy texture to the creamy, bubbly ricotta and the crunchy flatbread.

Catalonian flatbread with Danielle’s lovely little hands in the corner

Philadelphia Truffle Surprise - Don’t be afraid, although I was

Then we come to the “Philadelphia Truffle Surprise.” Quite the ominous name indeed (I tend to shy away from any dish with the word “surprise” in it). I was afraid cream cheese would have something to do with it and it does, but let me tell you, it simple works. The dish consists of phyllo dough wrapped in a bundle with a large lump of cream cheese and Truffle oil inside. The little packages are unbelievably flaky, creamy, Truffle-y, and a little sweet; in a word, amazing. Hands down, Danielle’s and my favorite dish of the evening.

The one big flop was the lamb meatballs, the meat seriously lacked in flavor and seasoning so that the only thing you tasted was the squash sauce that came with it. The sauce was very sweet and spiced with cloves and cinnamon with no real savory element. Each bite of the dark brown, fluffy meatball tasted exactly like gingerbread. We were in the holiday spirit, but we didn’t sign up for $7 lumps of gingerbread.

For dessert we had the brown butter crepes with caramelized bananas. The crepes were fluffy and light, but the bananas weren’t as sweet as I had hoped. The apple sauce it sat in was then too sour for how bland the bananas were. Overall, the dessert was tasty, but nothing to write home about.

As for the service, the waitress asked us to leave because they needed the table for another party. I was taken aback when she asked us to leave, as this has never happened to me before. Affronted, I wanted to comment until I looked at my watch and saw we had sat there for…three hours. Whoops. Well, they shouldn’t have such good food to linger over then if they’re so damn afraid of turning tables over and honoring reservations. Hmph.

• Philadelphia Truffle Surprise - $5

• Lamb Meatballs - $7

• Grilled Chorizo Wrapped Gulf Shrimp - $9

• Coca (Catalonian Flatbread) - $10.50

• Fried Goat Cheese - $7.50

• Pulled Pork Empanadas - $8.50 x 2 = $17

• Brown Butter Crepes - $8

• White/Red Sangria - $10 x 2 = $20

• Total (excluding tax and tip) = $84

I’m writing to say that I hope all foodies will be joining me at the Wintermarket at the Fulton Fish Market at the South Street Seaport this Sunday, Dec. 16 (that’s a lot of “at”s, I know).

In case you haven’t heard, the New Amsterdam Public group is producing this one day event in order to prove that a year-round sustainable produce market at the South Street Seaport will garner enough enthusiasm, profit, and attention to warrant not turning that commerically valuable space into luxury hotel/condominiums (like we need more of those monstrosities).

In addition to the produce, there will be fish and meat (an entire cow is being auctioned off), plus cooking demonstrations and tastings.

Read more about it here. 

So everyone join me (and Mario Batali!) at the Wintermarket and show them that the NYC public supports the idea of a market focused on sustainable produce and regional farmers!

Wintermarket
December 16th, Sunday, 11am-4pm
Admission: Free (but a donation would be appreciated)
Fulton New Market Building
South Street Seaport

“but answer came there none. And this was scarcely odd because they’d eaten every one!” -Lewis Carroll

I’m so ashamed to admit that for most of my life I’ve kept raw oysters at arm’s length; first despising the very thought of them (age 0-13), then slowly coming to accept their inevitable place in the culinary world (14-21), then eventually eating enough of them to ask myself how I had ever lived without them (22-present)!

I now regularly crave the slippery soft texture of the oyster combined with the salty, ocean-y ”liquor” (brine/oyster juice/whatever you want to call it) of the raw beast. Nyum, nyum.

At the same time I can understand why people would cringe at the thought of a raw oyster. After all it is quite odd looking with its overall squiggy-ness (scientific term, look it up), and its random slippery black and gray bits. That slipperiness that I crave, others may raise a flared nostril at, disgusted by the sheer “raw-ness” that that texture conveys. Plus, when it arrives at your table on that pretty little bed of crushed ice, if everything is as it’s supposed to be, the oysters were, up until very, very recently…alive and kicking (so to speak). Ew. So I understand why people may not like oysters, but everyone should at least give them a try once. And if you won’t, that’s okay. More for me, I say.

Random photo of random oysters! See the gray squiggy bits?

I have to give credit where credit is due. Matt (the boyfriend since January ‘07) really opened my eyes to the wonders of raw oysters. Without ever forcing it down my throat (figuratively or literally), he piqued my curiosity with his enthusiastic oyster slurping (”Damn, this guy really loves sucking down oysters…so I guess they must be good?”). Once I started asking more about them, he slowly introduced me to the ones he particularly enjoyed and why (he’s a big West Coast enthusiast with a solid appreciation for various East Coast varieties as well).

Over 3-4 dinners, spanning a 5-6 month period, he allowed me to try whichever oysters he ordered that time, happily encouraging me to taste and try, albeit in a casual (”eat as many as you want, don’t have any, if you don’t feel like it” type of casual) manner. After that, I was hooked. Watch out cholesterol, here come a dozen oysters a day!

Well, no, not really. If only I could afford it.

There are definite differences between West Coast and East Coast varieties of oysters. Even as a novice, I could spot them right away. Very often West Coast oysters are smaller (but can often be plumper) than East Coast oysters. The shells of the West Coast oysters are spikier and more rough than the East Coast shells. Aside from looks, the tastes also vary greatly. I find East Coast oysters brinier with sometimes a sharply salty bite to them. The West Coast oysters are more mild (what I would recommend for a beginner) with a creamier, smoother taste and texture. I personally have become a West Coast lady myself.

Some East Coast varieties you’ve probably spotted often include Beausoleils, Prince Edward Island, Wellfleets, and Malpeques. Popular West Coast varieties include Hamma Hammas, Malaspinas, and Skookums.

You have to use the tiny fork to loosen the oyster from its shell or else you’ll end up drinking a tablespoon of vinegar with the oyster still hanging onto its former home (been there, done that, not pleasant). Once it’s loosened, some people just swallow the critters whole. Others, like myself, chew first.

How do you take your oysters? They’re often served with cocktail sauce, but I think cocktail sauce is much too flavorful for the delicate taste of oysters. It overpowers their salty flavor. If that’s what you’re after then it’s alright, but then why are you shelling out $2/oyster to eat a shell full of cocktail sauce? It’s a good accompaniment for novice oyster tasters though, I must say (that’s how I got my start). Otherwise, they’re great with just a squeeze of lemon and some mignonette (vinegar, usually red wine, with chopped shallots) or, for a little kick, a dash of Tabasco sauce.

My apologies for not having posted in awhile. I’ve been away on vacation in beautiful Turks and Caicos. I should have written up a bunch of posts and had them programmed to post while I was gone, but you know how hectic things get in the few days before leaving. What a headache it was trying to find my poor dog, Moo Shu, a temporary home/caretaker for the weekend!

Won’t someone please take me in?

Anyway, I’m back and will be posting this afternoon!