notes from a wineaholic/eggnog

the wineaholic is particularly rummy during the holidays for reasons obvious to most; and yes there is a holiday drink with which to pahty, pahty. my aunt's eggnog recipe is the real deal, baby. a no holds barred, send you over the christmas tree, sugar high infused with rum to knock you right out of your holiday stockings. did i say rum "infused"? well, i don't know if that's really the right term considering that its a potent potable one third of which is rum. i'm off tonite to the first of the holiday family get-togethers, and i wouldn't be properly armed (i mean festive, yeah, that's it, festive) if i wasn't packing a bottle of "the nog". we're talking loaded for bear baby, as my sister in in-law kim will tell you while she chugs it (i mean sips it, yeah that's it, sips it) on the day after christmas morning all by herself in her kitchen. this year there is not only christmas eve at my family's, and christmas day at kim and jimmy's, there will also be a post-christmas family melt-down (i mean gathering, yeah that's it, gathering) at karen and wayne's. it's all good, really. and it is after all another occasion for food and drink.
here's the recipe:
one can of sweetened condensed milk,
one can of evaporated milk,
one raw egg (that's right raw, be a man!)
one sweetened condensed milk can full of rum (because it is the bigger can of the two cans)
one cup of sugar

combine the first four ingredients in a blender and mix. put the sugar in a non-stick pan on high heat and caramelize. the heat should be on high in the beginning but be careful once it starts to caramelize that you don't burn the sugar. it will smoke some so turn off the alarms. with the blender running add the caramelized sugar in to the other ingredients and blend. enjoy!!

panna cotta

when it comes to mealtime i do not usually care so much for the desserts as much as i enjoy the entrees. today, however, i am opening this post about my dinner at alfredo of rome with praise for their panna cotta. literally it means "cooked cream" but that is a misnomer because it is not actually cooked at all. it is a combination of milk, cream, and sugar then mixed with gelatin to set it. most other cream desserts involve eggs, usually cooked over a double boiler, and are more difficult to make because you need to worry about overcooking or undercooking. it is widely accepted that this dessert originated in the piedmont region of italy where it might once have been very simply consumed as a cream mixed with fruits and maybe nuts. just when the addition of the sugar came in, which would have been very expensive and difficult to find, is not exactly known; and some sources say that the gelatin added to make it set may have come from some very unsavory sources, including boiled fish bones. while there are savory as well as sweet versions of panna cotta, somehow the idea of fish panna cotta seems particularly unpleasant to me. at alfredo the panna cotta came in a very traditional berry sauce and it was the perfect ending to a heavy meal of their signature dish, what else? the fettuccine alfredo. that and the grapa of course (this is after all, about food AND drink!) alfredo has a very tony spot off the corner of fifth avenue and 49th street, and has a perfect view of the rockefeller center plaza with all the holiday trimmings. the service was excellent, our waiter jovial and expert, offering to fillet john's branzino (silver sea bass), and, as i mentioned, plying us with grapa. i'm always impressed with comfortable seating, and while there was just a little too much holiday music for my taste, they did manage to play one of my favorites which i offer to you here,
BUONO APPETITO

and yes!!! santa if you can leave johnny for me too i promise to be ohhhh soooo good (wink, wink)
although this is my absolute favorite christmas song and it is NEVER really the holidays until i hear the waitresses sing CHRISTMAS WRAPPING

a bitter pill and yummy chaser

nhaok so the bitter pill is jury duty. i don't want to hear from all you civically minded soft-heads out there about my responsibility. when i start getting full representation under the law i'll maybe be a little bit more open to sitting in judgement of another human being (MAYBE). considering that when this country was fighting for its independence one of the things that set off that whole party was the fact that americans were not getting representation in parliament across the great pond while still being taxed out the wazzoo, this country has not come along way in the last couple of hundred years or so. maybe i should start a revolution, i'm pretty close to it you can believe me. "no taxation without representation!!!!!", it was a good battle cry then and it is now. the yummy chaser is the opportunity to have lunch at nha trang while in the five points area of nyc. btw, it is one of the most rich historically in the entire city, and very well worth reading about. anyway, back to the food. if you love vietnamese food, and i do, and you love a bargain, and who doesn't?, nha trang is the place. even if you're not complying with your civic duty (fuck that shit), make the trip to 87 baxter street, share a table with someone if you're dining alone, indulge in the delicious spring or summer rolls, the bbq pork chops and the variety of fresh soups.
A LITTLE DINNER MUSIC FOR YOU

stella del mare

if you missed this terrific find in the murray hill section of manhattan, you'll not have another opportunity. after 30 or so years, this seafood-oriented northern italian with its "old-world feel" and "high qualify" fare is closing its doors. its location made it a treasure for the lunchtime business crowd; but that and the locals could not sustain this out-of-the-way favorite during the toughest of times. the last time i was there i was treated to a "run of the house" dinner courstesy of john's affiliation as a concierge. obviously, the fact that it was free made the food even more delicious :^D but even if you had to pay for it it would have been well worth the price. my favorites were the mussels in white wine sauce and the soft shelled crabs.
restaurants are a difficult business to keep up even in the best of times, its unfortunate that such a long lived one, with such a great, and well deserved, reputation could not survive. as it has been said, "location, location, location" and unfortunately this restaurant's address was too out of the way for the tourist crowd which is only interested in whatever is near the theater district, or whatever is the newest fad.
stella del mare will be sorely missed.

thanksgiving

although this year thanksgiving took a bit of a beating, things finally turned out very nice. we didn't have to do any running around except to get to my mom's house in hackensack, and nothing after that except back home. at times, thanksgiving for me has meant pace yourself at house #1 so you can eat again at house #2, and digest along the way. i was spared that, and hopefully for all years to come, by deciding that if our families can manage to share the holiday, then so can we. my mom in the past has done a more latin styled thanksgiving by making the guest of honor in a fricassee instead of roasted. frankly i prefer it in the former fashion as opposed to the latter, it's more juicy and infinitely more flavorful. this year it was a more traditional bird with all the trimmings; sweet potatoes, string bean casserole; except for the rice of course. cubans have rice with everything. my grandfather used to have rice with his spaghetti. you read it right. he would just spoon some rice into his pasta with marinara sauce and slurp it up. i never tried it 'cause at that age i was into being grossed out by things like that; but now, who knows. the evening went well though, my brother behaved himself, he and i spent alot of time making fun of my uncle's side of the family (especially melissa my cousin and her daughter victoria) just because they weren't there and it pisses off my mom. don't you just love family dynamics?! we used to spend our holidays all together before my uncle (who is my mom's brother) and his family high-tailed it outta new york for the hurricane-drenched shores of miami. the story was that they were running to a better, more affordable life in warmer weather. my take is that they were running away from my cousin mark's crazy bitch girl friend who fucked him up so bad that he had to go into therapy (she actually came into the apartment one day and stole everything that wasn't nailed down-and i mean EVERYTHING!!), and my other cousin melissa's druggie boyfriend who got her pregnant and is a fucked-up psycho. but that's just my opinion. anyway, all went well right down to finding the perfect parking spot when we got back into the city. i hope you all had a great one, or at least survived it with a minimum of extra sessions with your shrink. just remember, the big one is just around the corner...AAAIIUUUUGGHHHHHH!!!!!
GEORGE WINSTON (to relax some)

cooking school

a couple of nites ago john, karen (his sister) and i went to a cooking class at the viking cooking school in fairfield new jersey. it was actually a very belated, combined birthday gift for john and me from karen. the recipe theme for the evening was fish. we cooked a tilapia with julienned red pepper, leeks and compound butter en papillot; seared salmon with a citrus vinaigrette; tuna burgers with wasabi slaw, and a fried haddock with avocado salsa. the recipes were all very simple and incredibly delicious. when the class was over the group was able to sit and eat what they cooked. i think my favorite was the tuna burger with the wasabi slaw, although i actually ate EVERYTHING!! i think it's fun to prepare food together when you are will be having dinner together afterwards. it's such a great way to share the experience, and of course an opportunity to drink. we couldn't really drink while we were cooking at the school but they did serve us wine with our meal. i usually drink while i'm cooking, maybe that's why i enjoy it so much!!! well, next week brings an opportunity to do some heavy drinking with cooking during the thanksgiving festivities. don't miss the opportunity, i promise it will make everything better. not perfect, but better.

dutch kitchen

in plain city ohio (yes, that's right, plain city) there's a rather large amish community well served by a homey restaurant and bakery called the dutch kitchen. it's cute and friendly, and frankly just a little bit scary to a big city mouse such as me; but the menu is full of those comfort foods you would expect from an eatery specializing in "simple, satisfying, home-style meals", such as meat loaf, chicken fried steak, country cured ham, and german potato pancakes. there's even a "barn-raising buffet" sure to please the lumberjack in any of you. i was taken to this place by my uncle jose on my recent visit to this swing state lately turned blue (to quote chrissie hynde "way to go o-hi-o!"). i had the meat loaf, of course, and i would swear the string beans they served me came out of a can. i wouldn't have expected anything less from a place that's been around for about 45 years and was probably founded on the tradition of tv dinners (which i love) and canned vegetables (about which i have very mixed feelings). their pies are homemade and so are their sausages; and the place smells sweet and savory until you get too close to one of the amish kids working there and then it smells more like a barn-raising. i don't care if you are amish, take a fucking bath, it was fucking summer for christ's sake, you're not gonna die from the cold. anyway, it was a slice of americana well worth having. visit if you have the chance, even if it's just for the shits and giggles; but as long as you're there, sit, have something to eat, and let the friendly staff scare the hell out of you. check out the link on the side there, and chrissie hynde right here.
THE PRETENDERS

notes from a wineaholic/ein bier bitte!

a long, long time ago, when i was just a young wino and only drinking vodka neat, i fell in love with beer. it happens, as it most often does i suppose with beers, on a steamy-hot summer day when someone hands you an icy-cold one and you're hooked for life. there's been alot of beers under the bridge since then, but a delicious bavarian wheat beer i had recently sent my heart aflutter all over again; and i was transported back to that day at lake sebago just off seven lakes drive in bear mountain new york when i had that palate expanding experience. back then it was a canadian brew that took my cherry; but the Weihenstephan, more specifically their Kristall Weissbier, that recently ravaged me was a master. people don't always remember all their "firsts", call me a romantic, what can i say? the bavarian state brewery weihenstephan was, over a thousand years ago they say, the monastery brewery of the benedictine monks. if there's one thing monks know how to produce is food and liquor. and some pretty fantanstic manuscripts. because i live in what is still considered to be a german enclave on the upper east side of manhattan, this, and many other really great beers, are not hard to find. not to mention the german food, and one place on second avenue where you can still see men in liederhosen. i just happen to mention that in case it's your thing (see you there!) prost!

got served

it's been a very long time since i posted and i'm pretty sure that most of you, if you are indeed still out there, are starved to death. a-political as i am (not), i have decided to use the outcome of the election as a segue into what i hope will be a cornucopia of postings (not of the political persuasion rest assured). going against emily post, and every other etiquette guru, who advises that politics, religion and sex are the three things that should never be discussed in public i will now plunge headlong into the fray. i voted for obama and let's face it, i would have preferred hilary; but a democrat is as a democrat does and so i can only hope for the best. as i explained it to my mother, a staunch republican who this year voted democratic, ("i did it for you" she said) what we've been given is a chance. she warned me that "you won't have bush to blame anymore so let's see what obama will do", and i replied (in an equally accusatory tone, "it'll take longer than one term to clean up what that backwards, %^%#$^#*&, idiotic, &**#$$(^(*)!!!, lying, &#%^$#^!!!^&#, divisive, poor excuse for a leader, waste of human flesh, (*%&%$#^$@!!!!!!, will be leaving us with". for reasons which may be obvious to you we don't usually discuss politics at home. my grandmother, also a lifelong republican who voted party lines this year again, felt like she had to go to bed early when it was clear that the landslide would be, as one senator put it, of tsunami proportions. the electoral vote count AND the majority choice! when i saw indiana, ohio, florida and georgia go blue i almost plotzed; but virginia? hot damn!!!virginia hadn't backed a democrat in over 40 years!!! let's face it, the country showed a unity unparalleled in recent history. the only things we have all agreed upon this way of late have been that the economy is down the shit-tube and bush sucks (anybody see the approval ratings lately? way to go dubbyuh!) well, all history setting rhetoric aside, let's pray that the obama presidency will be the one to keep us as inspired as we seem to be and united as we should be. if the new administration can't get us all to the table to turn things around, then we'll all be served.
HAIL TO THE CHIEF!

GOOD LUCK AND CONGRATULATIONS TO PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA

what's for dinner?

the political climate surrounding the upcoming election is forcing me to proselytize. and it ain't gonna be pretty. obama or mccain. the choice is horrendous and the choices are completely lacking. we deserve so much more, and all the time we are presented with less and less. inexperience and mis-representation. self-aggrandisement and lies. an appalling lack of respect and responsibility for the public which would be laughable if it wasn't so pitiful. pitiful for us, the american public. who time after time are forced to make choices between bad and worse, the frying pan and the fire. taking matters into our own hands is the only solution left. throughout history, politicians have taken advantage of their constituents and the political machine to further their own careers with little or no regard for those they purport to serve. in the most extreme of situations, the people have revolted. that's right, people. revolution. what i'm here to advocate is nothing less than civil disobedience. at dinner one night john's dad pointed out that when someone invites you to dinner, they generally give you at least a choice of foods which are appealing to you. for too long our choices at the political table have been not only un-appealing but completely un-palatable. we are forced to choose something that will not nourish us, and actually which will ultimately kill us. there are many of us at the table left hungry and starving for want of making that choice. it's time to create our own choices. take matters into our own hands. depose the despots and clear the way for public servants with all our better interests in mind. strength through unity, and unity through a faith in the good of all. become a part of the (r)evolution. set a different table, and eat hearty.

kats's delicatessen

every once in a while i like to do something typically "touristy" and take in a little more of this great city. on the anniversary of 9/11, something i can't even think about without getting emotional, it seems only fitting to mention an institution in eating. recently i found myself in the lower east side. one of my favourite, if not THE favourite, neighborhoods in NYC. i stopped in to the place where "harry met sally" (yes, that's the place), and had, what else, a pastrami on rye. not just any pastrami on rye; but the tenderest, most savory and perfectly spiced pastrami between two slices of a rye at once delicate and crunchy. katz's delicatessen, which claims to have been around for about 120 years, is the place for all eatables Yiddish and Geshmak (that's "tasty and delicious"). take in the tenement museum while you are in the neighborhood too. i like ethnic, and going to places like this gets me thinking about just how diverse NYC really is, and how incredible that all of us live here, side by side, and have contributed to the glory of this place which some of us are proud and happy to call home. i lost a piece of myself on 9/11. something that i will never get back. i've never been so close to that kind of destruction, and i grieve today for all that loss just as i have since that awful day. it's always pissed me off to hear people bad mouth the US or NYC. so i have only one thing to say..."GET THE FUCK OUT!!!!" you're on dangerous ground when you fuck with that!!! don't come shitting where i live 'cause i will fuck you up!!! so come visit the center of the universe, the big apple, and as they say at katz's "ess, bench, sei a mensch!" (eat, pray, don't act like a jerk!).
A LITTLE MUSIC


A LITTLE HUMOR


A LITTLE NOSH

here's the beef!!

Benjamin’s Steak House was nothing short of amazing. While the specialty is, of course, beef in all its forms, do not hesitate to sample the seafood, I did. I began my meal with appetizers of stuffed clams and lobster cocktail. These were not just chopped up little bits of clams with stuffing, these were whole, juicy and delicious clams still attached to their shells and surrounded by a filling that did not overpower the seafood. The lobster cocktail was an entire, small lobster, which came already neatly sliced in half, since I was sharing, and with the claws carefully pre-cracked so the guest can easily access the delicious meat inside without a lot of fuss. I also had the fried bacon appetizer. I can never say enough about bacon but this thick-cut slab of perfectly cooked heaven-on-the-hoof was a blue ribbon winner. For an entrée I ordered the porterhouse for two, with sides of mashed potatoes and steamed asparagus. The portions are meant to be shared and there was clearly enough of the porterhouse for more than two but it was so great john and I ate the entire thing. Perfectly cooked filet mignon on one side and sirloin on the other, brought to the table sizzling and pre-slice on a bed of au-jus, so tender it melted in your mouth “like buttah!” The mashed were creamy and the asparagus was trimmed and cooked crisp. We shared a crème Brule, although I don’t know where I found the room, which was both velvety and crisp, with a side of homemade whipped cream that was light and perfectly sweet. The staff was genial from the beginning. We were cordially greeted by the hostess Susan, who escorted us to the bar to wait for our table; the general manager, Victor, welcomed us and seated us, and the meticulous French-service was supervised by our waiter Javier. I watched other satisfied guests that evening who shook hands with their waiters and the GM, as we did, and thanked them for their gracious service and outstanding food. It is a perfect dinning experience which should not be missed in a city which has the best to offer.

no, no and no

a very straightforward menu of classic bistro fare and an impressive selection of wine is offered up in a tightly packed and tiny space. the floor to ceiling windows, which were mercifully wide open on the night i was there, give the illusion of a large and airy space; but in colder weather when they are shut i can only imagine that it will feel like being in a cacophonous goldfish bowl. while their menu is not as broad as their wine list, the selection of noshes, light salads and filling entrees is just enough of an accompaniment to help you believe you aren’t really a wineaholic there to turn yourself into a grape. for those of you in total denial there is also a nice dessert menu. the service was attentive enough but unfortunately hampered by the close quarters. i had the feeling I might have seen more of my server if he didn’t have to slide his butt across my neighbor’s table in order to speak to me; and the food always came from behind me, or from the side so that all i saw was my server’s arm over my shoulder. considering it is owned and operated by the same person who conceived the gorgeously elegant Campbell Apartment, i expected more. The “out of the way” location would make Madison and Vine a hard sell, compared to places people actually go out of their way to look for and go back to. i’ve heard this place described as upscale, romantic and trendy. it is upscale only in terms of broad definition of bistro food, romantic only if you consider a foursome romantic (the other diners were THAT close), and trendy, well only in so far as wine bars are still considered trendy by those who didn’t catch on to it four years ago when they really were, well, trendy. on the corner of Madison Avenue and 41st streets, Madison and Vine is a wine bar gone wild; the only draw being the fact that it is attached to the fabulous Library Hotel who’s roof-top bar you can then visit to unwind en plein air with a cocktail, the Madison avenue shoppers and eurotrash. BTW don't look for a website here, i couldn't find one. how sad for you mark grossich.

i want it all, and i want it now!!!

It’s always a choice: (1) Engage in battle and spend time and energy on a situation that will eventually resolve itself. (2) Ignore the tumult and withdraw. (3) Strike a balance between the two and defend your position without exacerbating the already hyper-intense environment. the steak or the fish, the chicken or the pork, the salad or the soup. this or that, one thing or the other. i want it all, AND I WANT IT NOW!!!!. my mother used to tell this story about a child who would cry in front of a table full of food. when asked why it was crying the child would say, "because i can't eat it all". that's me, always fretting because i can't eat it all, do it all, see it all, be it all. i don't want to have to make those choices and who the fuck does?! yeah, i guess some people are perfectly happy with choices, strike a balance, ignore and withdraw, but NOT ME!!!! how 'bout you? get a game plan, shake it to the ground. here's to the future! i'm a man with a one track mind. too much to do in one lifetime, giving it all. living it all, it's not much i'm asking, i want it all, AND I WANT IT NOW!!!!!

animation

we are always in the midst of change. whether we realize it or not, want it or not, are ready for it or not, we are perpetually in that state of active equilibrium, the difference between what we are truly on the inside and what we want the world to see, what we were today, last minute, yesterday and what we become the next second, tomorrow, in a decade due to the choices we make. in making these choices for ourselves the changes stay within our character and we grow, when we abdicate the power to choose or willingly let others choose for us we are less happy with the choices because they are out of character. my friend odalys calls these "out of character" actions animation. we hate to see out favourite watering holes and eateries change because those changes generally will create a diversion from the nature of these establishments which we have grown to love, appreciate and to which we have become accustomed and familiar. change, in this case, is not always good, and can seriously detract from the experience. at long beach island, on a FABULOUS weekend with John and his sister Karen (compliments of her generosity), i visited two places of which i have previously been a fan that went through "changes". the new incarnation of Bistro 14 suffered in the change. animation. the place never had "a look", not even in a beach town where that sort of thing is not only de rigeur, but usually means nautical; but the food used to be a great representation. somewhere along the change they stopped making the fried seafood basket, including no fried clams (a staple in that type of place), they "fancified" some of the fish dishes (you can have it with this type of sauce or that type of sauce...blah,blah,blah), poussin chicken (really? in a great fish place?), and (gasp!) they stopped offering both types of chowder (yes, clam of course) and now only offer their "award winning manhattan". ok, so they won the '07 LBI chowderfest with their manhattan style chowder; but really? no new england style? that just plain sucks 'cause when i'm in LBI i wanna have them alllllll!!!!! and, hold on to your cocktail glass, they don't have a liquor license anymore. who was the fucking asshole that let THAT happen? and why don't they advertise that it is BYOB, which would have been perfectly fine; but really? i'm sitting at the table and you tell me i can't order liquor? i should really have left at that point. the chowder was good (award-winning? really?, i don't know), the mussels didn't have enough garlic, butter or white wine sauce (although they were deliciously fresh), the fried artichokes were greasy... ok i've said enuf. i hate change. at our dinner at the new Gables Inn (nee Green Gables Inn) i was pleasantly surprised that the drastic renovations which the place had undergone were actually very beautiful, in spite of the fact that it was not as rustic as it used to be. on this point, some people might say that rustic in just a word for run-down, and to be honest the place was looking a little rough around the edges, and the majority of the changes had actually been done to the living quarters and not the food. they still offered their fantastic prix-fixe multi-course dinner complete with amouse-bouche (i highly recommend it), but they extended their menu to include a la carte. as in the past, the service was gracious and expert, and the food was, well, delish. pate de foix gras with figs and a balsamic reduction as an appetizer, and a delicious and huge piece of perfectly cooked butterfish in a broth, over vegetables. the place is even more beautiful than it ever has been in its long history and i am happy to say that i look forward to going back. i actually like change, appreciate change, know that it is good, but...i guess the chef at Bistro 14 was being true to himself, and, well, no-one was really twisting my arm to eat there and i'm just letting you know what i thought. the Gables, well, i wish places like that didn't change at all, but then i have Cancer rising, and for the Crab that takes its home around on its back i have to be eased in to that type of change. having sun in Gemini, a mutable sign and the proverbial purveyor of change, i'm constantly in that state of equilibrium, loving it and hating it. so, "don't change your hair for me, not if you care for me..." anyway, there are the sites there on the side and don't hesitate to visit them both, and all the great places at LBI. and if you have to change, at least stay true to your nature, it'll be less shocking for the rest of us that way.
Changes, gotta love 'em.

bigger, better, faster, more

this weekend i had tapas and arepas. i love having the basic national foods of countries. so uncomplicated and reflective of the lands from which they come. tapas and arepas have a very long and simple history with their respective cultures that make them classic in a humble and basic way which many describe as "peasant food", and timeless in a way that epicures appreciate. i have wanted to eat at "caracas" arepa bar on the lower east side for a while now, and the wait was well worth it. it is a minuscule restaurant full of the decorative flavor and soul of a south american country who's indigenous people knew how to, not just survive on the bounty of nature, but do justice to that bounty by creating highly flavorful and nourishing fare reflective of their energy and appreciation of life. religious and superstitious, statues of saints and artifacts are evidence of the spirit of the place and the people. it was fantastic. tostones mochimeros, a chicken and chorizo arepa "la surena", and tinto de veranos. complex, flavorful, soulfully nuanced and satisfying. xunta is a tapas bar, also on the lower east side, which i have visited before and to which i wanted to introduce my new friends, magna and jameela (and shout out to their friends ruthie and maritza). we had white sangria, lulas anel y patatas bravas. while the origin of tapas is not strictly certain, and the variety of them is as different as the locale from which they emerge, they surely are as satisfying and fulfilling as the libations and camaraderie which they innevitably accompany. as religious and superstitious as the venezuelans, the spaniards have an equally visceral (no pun intended) connection to their food. the bounty of the land, simple yet complex, a cornucopia both easy and satisfying. tapas, and arepas, have of late become a "fad" in the united states. initial attraction of a fashion is sudden and exciting, but seldom truly "gratifying" and "nourishing". their long-lasting appeal, however, comes from their soul. many things will come and go, the new car, smartphone, lover, jeans. but on further inspection, few things pass the tests of time, foods may have "nouvelle" incarnations, the nuances of the generations; but the heart of a cuisine is evident in its "comida criolla". check out the links to both of these places and then check them out. come to appreciate the people and the harvest, the hearty and the heart-felt. get in touch with and satisfy your basic needs. come to the table to un-hitch, dress down, sit with the one that speaks to your heart, and connect with something that lasts.

the best things in life are free

normally, i would answer this, and the equally vapid "money can't buy you love" with "then you're obviously not shopping in the right place". but a free new york philharmonic concert, al fresco in central park, is definitely one of the best things in life. every summer the philharmonic stages a variety of these in all the boroughs. this past tuesday the program was tchaikovsky's first piano concerto, beethoven's fourth symphony and sibelius' finlandia. it was a perfect evening of beautiful music with my honey and his niece shivann (love ya %^* ), and of course, food and drink. chicken from PIO PIO, macaroni, bean, and corn salads, some smoked gouda, mango chutney dip and toasted pita chips, delicious rosemary bread and tomato focaccia. we had cold gin and tonics to refresh us from the hot sun (and "the vapors" %^D ), a nice albarino and a cotes du ventou. if you've never tried PIO PIO chicken, you MUST! it is a peruvian place which only does chicken and a few sides. yellow rice, red beans, fried ripe of green plantains, and salad. check out their website on the side there and look for one near you. anyway, it was a beautiful moonlit nite, ending with fireworks. it's great to see people of all ages and nationalities and walks of life out enjoying one thing. there were two elderly women next to us, with big hats and long dresses, sitting on the grass enjoying their noshes and white wine. i hope i will be like that. i like to think that i will be. i'm finally taking time out to enjoy my time off from school, and this will be one of many great memories of summer '08. here's the great van cliburn performing the third movement of tchaikovsky's first piano concerto. have a great summer everybody, and enjoy!!!

%BURP%

ok, so no sooner do i spout off about light summer eating do i go out and have two of the most food-packed days ever. honestly, i think i ate enough to feed two third-world villages. friday nite was mr. c's surprise birthday party. it was definitely a surprise when you consider his birthday was in may. anyway, it was at the villa amalfi in cliffside park new jersey (link on the side there for those interested) and the food was italian. hors d'ouvres, salad, hot anti-pasta plate, canneloni, entree, and dessert. not to mention that earlier that afternoon john and i had gone for tapas (salpicon de mariscos y buñuelos de bacalao)and sangria. well, i just couldn't even eat the dessert it got to THAT point (although i was able to have a piece later when i found out that karen had saved some, and it was an incredible napolean cake, courtesy of the palisade park bakery-and let me tell you, if you are anywhere near the reach of this blog, RUN, do not walk there). i love italian and i thought they did a nice job, the only thing i didn't really care for was the strawberry zabaglione. mr. c really enjoyed himself. he and i have a really good relationship. although it was rough in the beginning. you know, when you are first trying to carve your own place as a new member of a group/family it can be tough. sometimes it can feel like being at a party where you know you're not really wanted. also, not everyone's expressions of acceptance or affection are the same you know. for some it is all warm and fuzzy and for some not so much. with mr. c when you get a shot of love it may be followed by a piss and vinegar chaser. so the first indication i had that i was getting close to that inner circle was when i told mr. c i was going to have eye surgery and he suggested i ask the surgeon if he would also take the lead out of my ass. THAT'S love.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY (AGAIN) MR. C!

a nice sandwich

hey foodies! anybody hungry? i'm guessing your palates are now clean enough to eat off of?! maybe we should start off with something light so it's not such a shock to our systems. it is nice to have lighter fare in the summer, when we want to cool off, and relax outdoors in the warmer temps. one of my favorite memories of this type of lavish relaxation, which this weather just seems to make you crave, is a summer jaunt many years ago on The Barrycuda. HI LOR!!! there's alot to be said of spending a weekend with friends on a houseboat and camping on the beach. on a side note here are three things NOT to do when camping on an open beach:
1. do not have a brown tent.
2. do not use down sleeping bags, and
3. do not set the tent up on a slanted dune.
(i've become a much better camper!)
anyway, our idea of cooling off on the houseboat was doing beer rifle-shots on the roof of the Barrycuda and then jumping off into the waters of the bay. we ate on the houseboat, courtesy of the Barrys, simple summer sandwiches. mr. and mrs. barry were great to put up with all of us crowding things up. the prize for best line of that weekend goes to mr. barry, who, very sadly, recently passed (send your good thoughts out to my friend Lori who misses her dad %^* ). mrs. b said to mr. b "would you like a nice sandwich?", to which mr. b replied..."why do i have to have a NICE sandwich, why can't a have a damn LOUSY sandwich?" that was a great weekend, thanks to the b's for that memory. we later camped out overnight at fire island, and spent the next day on the beach entered in a sand castle competition. classic simple summer food and drink, and fun.
the chance to uncomplicate your life during the hotter temps is instinctual. just look at animals lying on their backs with their legs in the air when it gets hot out. listen to your instinct. relax, damn it. keep it simple, keep it cool...no i'm not gonna say "keep it semi-homemade" i could get sued for that couldn't i, sweetie? anyway, how about a little gazpacho? i'm a big fan and i do add a little complexity to the great debate over the appropriate texture and combination of ingredients by including corn in the recipe. i like the color and the sweetness it adds. so here it is,
GAZPACHO
4 large tomatoes blanched, peeled, deseeded, small rough chop, juice reserved
1 cuke, peeled, unless you use the "burpless", deseeded, small rough chop
4 scallions(white and green parts) or 1 small red onion, small rough chop
couple of handfulls of corn kernels
juice of one lime, or lemon if you prefer
splash of red wine vinegar
quarter cup of extra virgin olive oil
about a cup of tomato juice (use as much of the reserved as you have)
a little green pepper very finely chopped, italian, or roasted jalapeno, or a couple of shots of hot sauce
salt to your taste and add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil when you serve.
just combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and let chill abit.

HERE'S MY FAVORITE SPANISH CHEF. JOSE ANDRES


or you could just have a nice sandwich.

palate cleanser

a palate cleanser is generally considered any food effective in its ability to minimize the carry-over taste from one food to the next. the following have been suggested:
-Plain crackers.
-Raw carrots.
-A glass of icy sparkling water may often be appropriate.
-A light citrus flavored aperitif can do the trick. Keep the drink minimally sweet.
-Lotus or other herb teas are sometimes served between courses to soothe the tongue and slow the pace of the meal.
-If sorbet is served, there are many remarkable delights available. Try sorbets like apple and wasabi, lime and basil, or grapefruit and mint. These are typically not sickeningly sweet or cloying.
-A plain salad made up of ingredients like celery, parsley, mint, with a mild vinaigrette will do the trick.
-Plain herbs like parsley, marjoram, mint, or watercress will perform admirably as flavor neutralizers.

writing this blog for school has been a thirteen week foodanddrink-fest without a single palate cleanser. its a wonder i have a taste bud left. i am offering all of you gluttons who feel their gustatory senses have been raped by my incessant food and drink a bit of a respite for your overwhelmed taste buds. i leave you with this summer theme song, and these words of advice..."JUST EAT IT!"

notes from a wineaholic/absinthe

also know as "the green fairy" absinthe is the bohemian bad-boy of liquors. made popular during the late 19th early 20th century by nontraditional, marginalized artists, writers, musicians and actors of the unorthodox and anti-establishment set, it was portrayed as dangerously addictive due to the fact that it contained a psychoactive chemical called thujone. By 1915 absinthe had been banned in the United States and in most European countries except the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire; but was revived in the 1990s. when i was in Portugal about 7 years ago i brought back a bottle in my luggage because it was practically impossible to get here in the U.S. that was a great trip, Portugal. two weeks of an amazing amount of partying. the first week we would go out at 11pm and not leave the dance clubs 'til about 9 in the morning. head to the beach to sleep it off, recuperate and start all over again. the second week i punked out and slept on a float in the pool most of the time. i stayed with my friend Marita at her mom's house and it was just a great time. Mari's grandmother, grandfather and aunt came to visit while we were there and her grandmother made the most amazing paella ever. Mari's mom got a little twisted 'cause she thought we were a little out of control and she tried to punish us one day by forcing us to go shopping really early one morning at the Portuguese version of Costco. well, we were still giddy with liquor and what have you, probably had just gotten in when she dragged our asses out of the house, and we made complete idiots out of ourselves in the store by making fun of things and laughing like freaks, practically rolling on the floors while Mari's mom looked on and couldn't wait to get us out of there. she probably regretted that decision for sure. that was a great trip.
this song by Madison Avenue was the soundtrack for those two weeks:
"DON'T CALL ME BABY"

no rhyme or reason

there once was a man named Tomas
in school he was busting his ass
he studied all day
and never would play
in hopes that good grades he'd amass.

his prof in tech class did declare
"extra points for a blog, if you dare"
Tom waxed gastronomic
all he could stomach
and with flair brought to bear quite a fare.

that technology class Tom was taking
was stressing his will to the breaking
one day while amok,
he said, "what the fuck!"
and stopped all attempts at sense making.

Tom now blogs every day from his cell
which they've padded until he gets well
he drinks to excess
but still cannot suppress
all attempts to excel and rebel.

cotton candy

also known whimsically as fairy floss, cotton candy is an amazing food. it is nothing but sugar and food coloring heated in the central compartment of a large tub. it solidifies as it is spun and spit out, and wrapped around a traditional paper cone. a sweet which disappears the moment it touches your tongue and leaves nothing behind but a trace of color and a sticky hand and mouth. a tenuous treat which becomes an instant memory, it seems as if you can never get enough as you indulge. an insatiable satisfaction, a gossamer conundrum, a lie on a stick, most certainly demonic. when your mother warned you about candy from strangers she was most certainly thinking about cotton candy. is it any wonder it is popular at carnivals? the beautiful lights and dizzying colors, the hawkers of illusion and the fantastic, the ethereal music and the promises of youth. alot like life. sweet and confusing, a pleasure and a frustration. beware of people that hand you cotton candy, you could get left holding a sticky cone.

DEMON FOOD

herbs

for several years now we've been keeping an herb garden on the tar beach. we grow some pretty standard things every year and then try something different each year. if it does well and we like it we add it to the annuals, if not we try something different. some of the things we grow are actually perennials which we have been able to keep going for years. for instance the chives.

THE CHIVES the plant we have this year we have had for three years now and it was just this little sprig when we started it. now it has gotten so big that last year at the end of the season we split the plant into three clumps and gave one to each of John's sisters this spring when they had started growing again. we just leave it out all winter and in the spring it comes back. in the first week of summer it grows these pretty little purple flowers that are edible and we like to toss them in salads or pasta dishes. they have a very intense oniony flavor. the thyme and the rosemary we have been able to keep from one year to the next with some success. last year our rosemary seemed to die out and we had to start with a fresh one this year though. in the spring they get these very tiny whitish flowers.

THE ROSEMARY (ALSO GETS HUGE)

THE THYME (ON THE LEFT) AND THE OREGANO (ON THE RIGHT) our thyme has come back from last year and looks like it will be doing well, right now it is in bloom with very small yellow flowers. our purple sage and oregano have also come back from last year and are doing well. i just used some of the oregano in my bolognese sauce tonite. that's one of my favorite italian sauces.

THE PURPLE SAGE


THE BASIL (doesn't look like much now but it gets HUGE) every year we also plant lots of basil with which we make tons of fresh pesto, and also use it fresh in pastas and salads. last year we tried mint for the first time and it did ok but not great. i think it was too exposed on the roof. we've tried cilantro a couple of times and cannot figure out why we have no luck with that one at all. we've done parsley a few times and this year too. our new herb this year is dill. last year we tried tomatoes and they did not really do so well. we had lots of flowers but the fruit just didn't seem to grow well and they kept splitting. maybe it was the type of tomato so this year we have two new different types to try. hopefully these will do well because there is nothing like fresh tomatoes. here's some pictures of our herbs so far.

OUR (VERY LITTLE) TOMATO PLANTS

guacamole

thank goodness i live with someone or i think these days i would just neglect to eat at all. the workload is at once decreasing and multiplying exponentially. i know it is against the laws of physics; but there it is. i am approaching the end of the semester and yes there is less to do, and yet it seems like more because the days in which to get it all done are decreasing and there is less time in which to do it. i know one of the reasons John is hating school is not just because all he ever gets to see of me is my back as i am facing the computer whenever i am home; but also because i cook less and less, which i actually love to do. tonite, as he is in the kitchen making home-made stock and preparing salmon for dinner he "whipped up" some homemade guacamole. nothin' says lovin' like a mash of avocados, with onions, and tomatoes. yes folks it is as easy as that and yet as difficult to do well. you cannot just pulverize the avocados, there must be lumps, the onions and tomatoes must not be finely minced but roughly chopped. the spices are few and simple, salt, pepper, some lemon or lime juice, and some fresh cilantro if you have it. nothing more and nothing less, and yet it turns into heaven in a molcajete (which is one of those funky mortar and pestles you sometimes see quac served in). and of course, it always reminds me of those beautiful days in puerto vallarta, watching the sunset, eating guacamole with chips and drinking excessively. one of my favorite memories of PV is being there with Shirley (who is now persona non grata) on the 12th floor above the Bay of Banderas drinking margaritas and playing canasta until we were both too drunk to know if we were cheating or not. Shirl was a fun friend who fell out of favor for reasons too sordid to name here and who's christmas card last year spent a month taped to the underside of my toilet bowl lid. what!? you never heard of santeria?! the lesson is "don't fuck with a cuban!" anyway, oh yes, guacamole. another thing we have to thank the mexicans for.

notes from a wineaholic/grappa

has anyone noticed that as i get closer to the end of this semester, there are more postings by the wineaholic? coincidence? i think not. no alcohol is safe in my apartment at this point, and i can hear clinking of bottles from the liquor cabinet as they all shiver inside in anticipation of who's going to be the next "dead soldier". that's a curious phrase which apparently has a vague, although very old origin. the most common explanation i have heard comes from World War One and is a bit of black humor. the reference to an empty bottle of liquor as a dead soldier being to the fact that the "spirits" have left the bottle. anyway, today we are talking about grappa. it is historically a specialty of northern italy, and it is the clear brandy that results when the pomace of grapes is fermented and distilled. the pomace is actually the pulpy mash of stems, seeds, and skins left over from winemaking, (another reason i love the italians-nothing goes to waste) and depending on the quality of the raw materials and the method of distillation, the final product can taste like a bomb just went off in your mouth or it can be smooth and winey. nevertheless, it will always be powerful. it is one of those liquors which inspires stories, much like tequila. personally i love grappa. especially because when a bottle of grappa comes out you know your hosts don't want you to leave anytime soon, if at all. my last day of classes this semester is in 6 days (yes i am counting it down), and the celebration on that nite, and the ensuing days (yes i like to celebrate hard), may involve some grappa, and some public nudity, and maybe sparklers. definitely grappa inspired. don't try to stop me, just offer me another drink. cheers.

notes from a wineaholic/brunello di montalcino

Brunello, "the little brown one", from montalcino, is a tuscan dialect name for sangiovese grown in montalcino, south of both Chianti and Siena. In this dryer, hotter, and more Mediterrean climate of southern Tuscany, the limestone and sand soil produce a "muscular" grape capable of making a rich, dark, concentrated red. "Tongue-curling tannins" and "firm acidity" allow these wines to age and this past weekend at John's dad's 80th birthday dinner i was lucky enough to have one from 1999, the Casanova di Neri/Cerretalto and one from 1997, the Poggio Antico, thanks to the generosity of my my brother-in-law Wayne. according to the website, winemerchant.com, which i have linked over there on the side, "As an elite wine, Brunello deserves special attention while aging and when poured. Like all great aged wines, it is often a bit hard and unsociable in its youth. However, Brunello becomes refined and harmonious with time, taking on a velvety texture."
"robust", "muscular", "tongue-curling", "hard", the hell with drinking it, i read these descriptions from that site and i wanted to fuck this wine. personally, the 1997 was better, wwwaaaaayyyy better actually, it is amazing what those two little years can do. it is also amazing that they can tell that only about 18,000 bottles of this wine were produced and they were made from the grapes on the southern slope of such and such a vineyard and were picked on such and such a date. i'm impressed by these things, too bad i can't afford to drink these wines on a regular basis. i thought it was funny that John kept going into Wayne's wine fridge and pulling out one bottle after the other. what did we know?, we're neophyte oenophiles.
well if you get the chance i would definitely go for the Poggio Antico '97. maybe on account at a business dinner or something.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR. C!!! %^*


SIRLOINS FRESH OFF THE BBQ


THE HUNGRY CROWD AT THE CHEESE PLATTER


THE '99 Casanova di Neri


THE '97 Poggio Antico...totally fuckable!

things that make you go hmmm....

my friend Florence sent me all the information below. i am offering it here for your consideration. i am remimded that Freud is quoted as having said, "sometimes a cigar is just a cigar".


A sliced carrot looks like the human eye .The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye... and YES, science now shows that carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.


A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart is red and has four chambers.
All of the research shows tomatoes are indeed pure heart and blood food.


Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows that grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.


A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds are on the nut just like the neo-cortex. We now know that walnuts help develop over 3 dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.


Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.


Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet the body pulls it from the bones, making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.


Eggplant, Avocados and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats 1 avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? .... It takes exactly 9 months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them).


Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the motility of male sperm and increase the numbers of sperm as well as help overcome male sterility.


Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.


Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries.


Grapefruits, Oranges, and most Citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.


Onions look like body cells. Today's research shows that onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes.

faves in the hood - diner

diners are great. breakfast, lunch or dinner, anytime of the day or nite. i like to visit local diners whenever i travel because i feel like you can really get a sense of the people who live there. my favorite neighborhood diner is Gracie's Diner on the corner of first avenue and 86th street. you can tell that it has been there for a gazillion years and that all the little old people of the nabe probably lived there when it first opened up, and they all still go there and have the same exact things they've been having forever. the waiters all know them, and they don't even have to ask for what they want because they know already. when i was in Ohio last week i went to a Perkins, which is apparently a chain but probably as close to a diner as you will get in London, Ohio. anyway, this old woman came in and as she was sliding into the bench a waiter walked by and said, "Water with lemon Miss Marie?", and you know that the waiter has been seeing her come in for years and she feels comfortable there and has probably been having the same exact dishes forever too. that's why i love the Gracie Diner. you get that same feeling there. plus they make great meatloaf with mushroom gravy and mashed potatoes. when i lived in Yonkers my favorite diner was the Broadway Diner. there was a waitress there who was as tall as Julia Childe and she had this blazing red hair in this big sort of beehive do. she would call you "honey" and "sweetie" and would say things like "what can mamma get her boy tonite?" i loved her! there's a certain character about a diner that draws characters too. they're a piece of Americana that will hopefully never fade away.

GRACIE'S DINER

sofrito

its a very basic component of spanish cooking, and combines onions, garlic, tomatoes and peppers cooked in an olive oil to create a base used for cooking many other things. the sofrito can be cooked just before you add all the other main ingredients, or it can also be made in a large batch ahead of time and then refrigerated, or frozen, to be used as the base in the future thus saving time. one of John's co-workers, Santa, is Boricua and when she recently visited her mom in PR she brought back for John some of her mom's homemade sofrito! now THAT, is totally cool!!!! we had it tonite on some barbecued skirt steak and it was beyond delish. homemade, authentic, Boricua sofrito. THAT, is love. i've included a website over there on the side for any of you that would like to try making your own sofrito, and if you cook i think you should.

faves in the hood - pizza

deep dish, thin crust, cheesy or with the works. even the frozen stuff you get from stouffers. there's nothing like a fresh, hot pie though, and there are a couple of places in my nabe where i have tried a slice or two but i prefer Luigi's on the corner of 88th street and first avenue. they make alot of different types of pizzas and some very good italian dishes too. they have really good calzones, meat rolls and garlic knots. Luigi's is also just a couple of blocks away from my apartment, and right on the way to and from the subway so that makes it very accessible for when you need a quick slice. the price of their slices has just gone up thanks to the inflation; but definitely still worth it. i remember when i was in grade school and living in yonkers and my friends Kenny and Henry and i would sneak to our favorite pizza place downtown to buy slices, which were then 25 cents each. no kidding! i'm really showing my age; but its the truth! the first pizza i ever had was in Cuba when i was about 5 years old. it was a huge thing back then, and there was a place near where i lived with my family in Havana that made deep dish shrimp pizzas! those were my favorite then and i can still taste the sauce and the thick, chewy dough and those delicious shrimp all over it. i love pizza, and the most i've ever eaten is actually an entire pie by myself. well, if you see yourself on the upper east side looking for a slice you can take it from me, Luigi's is the place.


LUIGI'S

table etiquette

you've heard it all too, i'm sure. "sit up straight, keep you elbows off the table, don't use your thumb to push your food onto your fork, make sure the napkin is on your lap, don't slurp your soup", blah, blah, blah. the one i always used to get from my mother had to do with using my spoon to eat with. one of my favorite dishes is picadillo, which is a ground meat dish, and one of my favorite combinations with this is to have it with white rice and black beans. i put everything into a bowl, mix it all together and eat it with a spoon. my mother always, and still does, rolls her eyes at me when she sees me doing this. trust me, you would love it. i love making picadillo, and actually think i make it better than anyone. but i wouldn't say this to my grandmother. anyway, here's the recipe for my picadillo, just make sure you don't share it with anybody else.

about 4 slices of bacon, chopped,
about 1 and 1 half pounds of ground beef, or beef/veal/pork mix
1 small onion, chopped
half of one red or green bell pepper chopped,
a few garlic cloves chopped,
a teaspoon of ground cumin
a teaspoon of ground coriander or fresh cilantro,
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric,
1 small can of tomato sauce,
about a dozen green olives sliced in half,
a handfull of raisins,
salt and pepper to taste.

cook the bacon and reserve,
use the bacon fat to cook the onions and pepper,
add the meat and cook completely while breaking down,
add the garlic, cumin, coriander or cilantro and turmeric,
add the tomato sauce and cook thoroughly,
add the olives, raisins, and cooked bacon, and salt and pepper.

serve the picadillo with white rice and black beans.

notes from a wineaholic/midnight margaritas

about 10 years ago or so, in a fit of adulation after reading "practical magic" by Alice Hoffman, i adopted the practice of having margaritas at midnight. this was back when i was doing alot of drinking (wink-wink), and it didn't happen every midnight. just the ones i was awake for and in the company of those willing to imbibe. did i forget to mention that i'm a night owl and most of my friends don't need to have their arms twisted to force a cocktail down their throats, thus all the drinking. i remember my brother Mike, who had been living in florida, had come back to new york and had no place to stay and so was living with me. my apartment looked like a tent city but we were having a good time. midnight margaritas and scrabble. sometimes it was just the margaritas. i like to use a frozen mix (yes i prefer my margaritas frozen) made by Bacardi. you fill the blender with lots of ice, add the full container of the margarita mix, half (more or less, wink-wink) of the container filled with tequila, and a few splashes of cointreau, or the orange flavored liquor of your choice. give the blender a good whir, garnish with a lime and there you are, delish. today being cinco de mayo i was reminded of all those midnight margaritas and the fun i've had sharing my tradition with my friends. it isn't midnight yet, but i figured if i waited 'til midnight then it wouldn't be cinco the mayo anymore and besides i'm not so strict with my rules for drinking. are there rules for drinking? there should definitely be some for tequila. i have alot of respect for the nectar of the agave. my worst hangover story involves tequila shots with beer chasers. i think most people have a "tequila story" too. well, anyway. happy cinco de mayo everyone.


AGAVE


TEQUILA


VIVA MEXICO!

feed the world

we use food to celebrate our successes, and to ameliorate our sorrows. in 1984, a year made infamous by George Orwell, Band Aid made a song written by Bob Geldof famous and raised a large amount of money to feed the starving. truly, some people may not know where their next meal may come from, or even if there will be a next meal. that we look to feed the hungry of the world shows our sense of global community. sharing food during times of hardship reflects our sense of fellowship, of our need to nurture. it is common practice during times of mourning for the passing of loved ones for friends and neighbors to offer food to the grieving. mostly because we know they will not be thinking of, or even caring about, how to feed themselves; but also because it allows us to sustain those we care about in a moment of crisis, when words may soothe but food and drink will fortify and somehow help to bear the painful and difficult. the act of cooking for someone, to nourish and nurture strikes at the core of our need to provide for those we love. during my grandmother's wake and funeral many friends provided such succor, and it supplied far more than just the act of filling our stomachs. it was the word unspoken, the metaphoric shoulder to lean on, the crutch. in a time of need it means so much. don't wait for that time, for the death, for when it might be too late to say what's in your heart. sustain your loved ones. provide for your family and friends. be the pillar, the stanchion, the strength and foundation of everything that they will be. feed the world, start at home.

maria j garnica (june 8, 1912 - april 27, 2008)

this week i was present at the ultimate food and drink, the catholic rite of communion. a hapless priest who didn't know my grandmother at all tried to deliver an appropriate homily during her funeral mass which included the sharing of the body and blood of christ the savior, and her assumption to the everlasting flock. while the mass is a celebration of our promise of eternal life, i contemplated my personal transition and transformation; what am i doing in the world of form? how well am i taking care of my body, my resources, my planet? what is the gap between what i say and what i do? what challenges me to be completely honest and accountable? my grandmother was at her crossroads and so was i. she lived a life full of change. she moved far from her birthplace in navarra, spain to ciego de avila, cuba; then lived and died in ohio, usa. along the way she married once for 64 years; had 2 children, 6 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. she was a strong woman of principles and simple joys. i wonder how she would have answered some of these questions? or if she would have considered them at all. as the societies we live in become more technologically advanced, we have more opportunities to speculate about our lives beyond the mundane. i sat in that pew and knew that in 20 years time i didn't want to be more disappointed by the things i didn't do than by the things i did. in the words of mark twain, i knew i had to "throw off the bowlines, sail away from safe harbor, catch the trade winds in my sails. explore, dream and discover".

MY GRANDMA AND GRANDPA GARNICA
LOVE YOU BOTH, SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS

faves in the hood - liquor store

Yorkshire liquors on first avenue and 85th street is a great liquor store. they have variety, regular specials as well as normally great prices, and wine tastings. plus you can find some really different things there like cachaca, and absinto. they also deliver and give you discounts if you order by the case. we've gotten to know the people that work there pretty well, research of course. they have a website which you can see i've included over there on the side; but it isn't very good. it is worth the visit if you're in the neighborhood. hmmm, i think its time to give them a call and have something delivered. i need to do a little more research. cheers!

YORKSHIRE WINES AND SPIRITS

faves in the hood - indian

there are actually quite a few indian restaurants in my neighborhood which i have gone to; but i think my favourite is Mumtaz on third avenue between 84th and 85th streets. there used to be a Kripy Kreme right next door, it was the absolute perfect combination. anyway, Mumtaz is kinda like most indian restaurants, lots of red tapestries on the walls and ceilings, small metal lanterns and the music. there's something about it that always makes me want to start swaying in my seat. we used to go to another place called Simla with Cath and O when they lived in the city. they knew us there pretty well and they would always give us those chese curd balls that have that rosewater syrup for free at dessert; but they tasted kinda flowery. we never wanted to hurt their feelings by not eating them so we tried to get odalys to eat them all. i think we started telling them that we were lactose intollerant or something to get them to stop. there's a Tamarind close by that's pretty good, and Dakshin is just a couple of blocks away. the Great India restaurant, and India grill both closed some time back. that was a shame 'cause India grill had an all you can eat lunch on the weekends. anyway, Mumtaz is now the indian of choice for me. i like pretty much anything on the menu but i love the mullighatawany soup, the samosas, the chicken tikka masala, the chana saag, the aloo palak...oh and those big fluffy poori and the garlic nan, and the paratha. i guess i could just go on and on. whenever we go to any of them though i always think of Cath and O and how i used to start swaying in my seat to the music and say that i was going to get up, stuff some chutney in my navel and start dancing. Mumtaz doesn't have a website but they've gotten some good write-ups on-line, which i've linked over there on the side, and here's a picture i took. i know it looks dumpy on the outside but really, if you're a fan of indian food and you see yourself in this neighborhood it is worth a try.

MUMTAZ

abuela's cooking

my grandmother is a great cook. she just turned 92 and is usually the cook when there's a dinner at my mom's. yesterday she made some of my favourites, a chickpea aka garbanzo soup, and rice with pork. she used pork ribs for the dish and it was sooooo good! of course, what cuban meal would be complete without homemade flan? it was sweet, and creamy and just the way i like it. as i've mentioned before, after we came to the united states we've always lived in the extended family way. my mother's parents always lived with us. this was until my mom married Luis, and i finally moved out of the house, and everyone had their own living spaces. my mom and grandparents were only living a block away from each other (the umbilical cord could only stretch so far), and then after my grandfather died my grandmother downsized her apartment and wound up moving to the same building, same floor, two doors down from my mom (it was like the umbilical cord just catapulted her back). they were spending so much time together that recently they decided to all move in together into a much larger apartment with more conveniences. they bought a great two bedroom, two bath in an elevator building so they don't have to deal with stairs, and have a dishwasher, and washer and dryer in the apartment.

THE RICE WITH PORK


THE CHICKPEA SOUP


THE FLAN

watch this space...part two

the second of the taste testings was held this past weekend, hosted by my BFFF Marita. this time the pastas were paired with meat sauces. pizzaoile, ragu and goulash were the sauces and rigatoni was the pasta of choice for all. the pizzaiole sauce had chicken and fresh oregano (very delish), the ragu was a bolognese with a little difference in that the carrots were cut into small chunks rather than grated for a traditional bolognese, and the goulash had beef in small bite size pieces with a slightly sweet red sauce. it was all delish but i'm a big fan of bolognese so the ragu was my favourite. rigatoni was a great choice for these dishes because it is a large tube which catches alot of sauce inside. Nelson and Francesco are still working on many things but they are doing alot to perfect the menu. it was a perfect spring evening so the tasting was done outside on the deck, which was better to accommodate the very large crowd this time (word is getting around and the restauranteurs-to-be are now sought after for what is sure to be the next craze...taste testing parties!, who knew?)

THE GOULASH


NELSON AND FRANCESCO


THE MOTLEY TASTING CREW


EVALUATING THE FOOD


YOURS TRULY AND THE HOSTESS WITH THE MOSTEST