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.