Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

Thanks Karen and glad you have enjoyed it. The interview on Friday went well (phew) and there is an MP3 on Wisconsin Public Radio's website. I was on Jean Feraca's 'Here on Earth'. I was relieved, though a bit sad that most of the conversation seemed to be about 'Toad in the hole' when I wanted to stress that I have 61,000 entries in multiple languages - so if you want to know the English description of a Spanish dish, rather than a description of an English language dish, this is the place to go!

We're off back to England today but when I get back I will describe the night on the chef's table at Park Avenue Spring and the wonderful, wonderful meal at Per Se. Oh my goodness. I came slightly prepared to look down my nose at it but I had my breath taken away. Must go as we have to check out of our kitchenless 'apartment'!

I had some problems with connectivity yesterday so didn’t have a chance to let you know how things are going. But *so* many thanks to everyone for your recommendations. I am only sorry that I am not going to be able to make all of them - but, next time!

I had an early start yesterday at Union Square Market, and though it may not be so good as Fridays and Saturdays, this was my only opportunity. I 'wasted' the entire morning there in the most glorious sunshine and met lovely traders who were passionate about what they were selling. I *love* photographing in markets. I got some quite good pictures. Showing them to traders is always fun as I am quite good at spotting patterns and so on that even they haven't realised they are incorporating in their arrangements. Check in a couple of weeks and you will see picture of ramps, broccoli raab, turnip tops, fiddleheads, oyster mushrooms, cheeses, radishes and more on http://www.whatamieating.com - not to mention egg cream though that will probably have to be the girly vanilla version. It's quite a nice picture, even so!

Anyway, the whole morning having passed in this wonderful occupation, I then headed on down to Citarella to hand Frank Marotta the photographs I took last year of sardines and pompano : http://127.0.0.1/foodglossary/?b=1&d=1&t=main&s=pompano&r=All and it was well worth it as he was thrilled. What did I do then? Oh yes, wended my way to Murrays Cheese shop (gorgeous) and Chelsea Market. But I have to say that my absolute highlight was the Union Square Market with thanks to Lemons, Joannabars and James18n. If I come away from a journey with two usable pictures I am really pleased, but I took a couple there which I like so much that I think that they will go on next year's calendar!

By now it was around 3.00 pm and I had a camera to buy. With camera equipment much cheaper in the US than in the UK (around the same number of dollars as it would be pounds at home) plus the exchange rate being so favourable, the camera of my dreams was now accessible. So three years of my savings disappeared into the American exchequer yesterday afternoon and I am the very proud owner indeed of a Nikon D-300.

So then I had to go 'home' and lie on the bed with a cold flannel on my brow to recover……. After which we went out for an uninteresting supper as someone's guest, though it was good to have cieche (elvers – baby eels) for the first time since I was a child. I was brought up in a tiny village beside a great river from which elvers were fished by the ton and we had elver-eating contests at the village fair in August each year.

And so today, cooler and a bit damper, I walked from 66th to 28th taking in the sights, admiring the Chrysler building looking as though it had been drawn on the sky in pencil; wondering why about 30 policemen were gathered on 51st and Lexington; admiring the shoes but knowing I could never wear any of them and looking at weird people and beautiful people, sometimes rather difficult to tell which they actually were. On the way I stopped at the Grand Central Market where, Cybercita will be delighted to know, I photographed some of the wieners. Sadly at Schaller & Weber there was not enough space and too much glass, but at the Grand Central Market, and using my magic new camera which seems to be able to function when it is practically dark, I got some good usable shots!

And then on to Kalustyan's. Boy. Another highlight. The smell as I went through the door was enough. The great tubs of apricots and prunes, green Persian raisins, every imaginable kind of chickpea; the spice room, the source of much the smell, with shelf upon shelf of different types of paprika; the rows of pickles and chutneys. Again, and with their permission, some great pictures, but I will have to think of what I can use them for as an entry, as they are essentially of the shop itself. I will have to do an entry for 'food store' or something, and say something along the lines of "If only they were all like Kalustyan's". I will think of a way to use it.

All the way there and back I popped into places to ask if they did egg creams, but most just laughed. So I am yet to join the ranks of the big boys Karen!

Tonight we are guests at the Chef's table at Park Avenue Café. Looking forward to that but had better run and shower. As MOH's mother says "Far from this you were reared!"

I am sure I have left some things out, and I have had to be doing one or two other work-related things in between. Tomorrow's my big day and I have realised why I am in such a state about it – I can’t rehearse it. I can't (as when I give a lecture) get myself organised, know when I am going to change the picture, tell the joke, ask the audience something. This is going to be just as it comes. Eeek. Mind you, shutting me up is often a difficulty, as you may have gathered……

It sounds as if you had a vanilla eggcream, Foodlexi. :)

Which is good "starter" egg creme but next you must move up with the big guys and try a chocolate one.

What a whirlwind of activity you've had!
Funny story about the refrigerator. NY kitchens can often be small but that is very minimal indeed. But they really shouldn't call it a "kitchen" unless there's a hot plate hidden in a cupboard to use and maybe a plastic tub to wash the dishes in, even if it has to be done in the shower. With a microwave oven on the counter it might shift to being called a "luxury kitchen". I'm not sure whether this is native optimism or BS.

On the other hand, there's always Per Se to drown the pain in.

Yes, one of the best cities ever. Always. Even the birds agree. :)

Karen,
This sounds amazing, but we are guests of someone who lives on Long Island for the weekend. But we will definitely, definitely, put this on the list for our next visit! This is like Cambridge. You can go to evensong on any day at King's College Chapel and hear their choir. My mother used to do the flowers in Gloucester Cathedral when I was a child and we used to hear all the rehearsals for the Three Choirs Festivals. Priceless. How I should love to hear the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir.

Today we were driving along and my partner pointed out a sign that said "New York Tires". He laughed and asked where was the sign that advertises "New York Exhausts"!

We were on our way out to the Botanic Gardens in the Bronx and then the zoo. Please bear in mind that we are not completely bonkers - this is our 11th or 12th time in New York and we are usually very good on doing the cultural things .... but the weather was so gorgeous today we thought this would be a good plan. So off we went and passed the turnings to Throgs Neck which I used to take to drive into Connecticut when I was a 19 year old living there = and yes, I went to Woodstock!

Driving into and out of the Bronx we saw, to us, unfamiliar views of the East River and the Harlem River. What a great city. And then - at the Botanic Garden the blossom was like washing on a line, bright and fresh in the sun. In this country you have these spectacular birds, that just line up to be looked and admired. turn about so that you can get a better view of them. Where we live they are all small and brown and hide in bushes! But also in the Botanic Gardens you have wonderful woodland walks and the Bronx River, and paths beside it to a cascade...... What I would give to have such a lovely place within Cambridge.

On the way back into town, my other half dropped me off at 93rd and Lexington and I started the business of the day. First stop Kitchen Arts and Letters, where I always get great help and advice. Wonderful place specialising in books to do with food. Aladdin's cave of books you never expected to see again and new ones you never heard of.

Next was Eli's Vinegar Factory. One thing I should admit immediately is that we have found that we don't have an apartment where we are staying. We were misled and it all we have is a fridge! So my remit has changed slightly. However, Eli's I thought was interesting but not necessarily worth the detour, unlike Schaller & Weber which I thought was wonderful and they had me tasting all kinds of weird and wonderful things. Then on to Lexington Candy Shop where I tried the egg cream Karen! It tasted to me like an unfrozen vanilla ice cream mixture, with a slight fizz on the tongue that I couldn't quite identify. Does this sound about right? I think I got a decent photograph of it.

So then I walked from there down to Tender Buttons at 143 62nd Street, between 3rd and Lexington - passing a couple or Oren's Daily Roast as I went. At Tender Buttons I had tender feelings as I viewed the current window - a doggy motif, with buttons embossed or enamelled or embroidered with dogs all beautifully displayed. After which, having mislaid a Fairway that I expected to find at 64th and 2nd Avenue, I staggered home to be greeted with MOH proffering a glass of wine.

Tonight we are off to Gramercy Tavern. For me it is presently 1.15 ish so I must go and have shower to wake me up. Tomorrow I am off to Union Square and as many of those other places down there that you have so kindly recommended. I deserve my supper after all this walking........

Morning all,
We have just got back from walk to acclimatise on a really *beautiful* morning, and a pleasant breakfast at Java Girl on 66th between 1st and 2nd. Nice guys, very welcoming, and a bird feeder with muffins for the sparrows! I have just finished drawing up a map of the places you have all recommended. I should have done this before bit last week was hectic, with various deadline before I came away.

I shall certainly be heading to Union Square, probably tomorrow as Friday and Saturday are already taken - but I have to go to Citarella. I took some really good fish pictures there last year and I have printed out some nice quality ones to take into thank the really nice man behind the counter. He has been there for years, and helped me to set the fish up so I could see the whole of them.

What a glorious day. And off I go......