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A trip abroad is not complete without a visit to the local markets/supermarkets for stuff to bring home. I go primarily for easily packable stuff like spices, condiments (jams, mustards), cookies and chocolate. My most prized food souvenirs are my spices from Morocco, including ras el hanout, harissa, and various spice blends ("melanges"). Two years after my trip, I still relive happy memories every time I open the spice cabinet! Love Mariage Freres tea (Paris) too, hard to find here in the US. Even in countries not renowned for their cuisines, there is stuff to be had (e.g. Anzac biscuits, TimTams in New Zealand; *great* Russian tea biscuits esp one with marshmallow and chocolate which was a zillion times better than a Whippet!) Also it's a great feeling to be in the markets shopping with the locals, one of my favorite parts of travelling.

Will spend one full day of the long weekend making Chinese dumplings from scratch, which is turning into a holiday tradition. Last year I froze enough to provide potstickers for the whole year. :)

I am a New Yorker. And a carboholic. I love NY bagels, *love* them.

But I have to say, I've had both St Viateur and Fairmount bagels, hot from the oven, and they are to DIE for. Bready, crusty, sesame-y...plain or with butter...cream cheese almost seems extraneous. They are nowhere near the same when older.

As I said, I love NY bagels...but have never had the urge to eat one, unadorned. I don't know if this means that Montreal bagels are better...maybe, just to be enjoyed in a different way? i.e. comparing apples to oranges, perhaps?

Tori Shin 1st Ave btwn 64th and 65th; very good and authentic yakitori (I love Yakitori Torys and Totto but gotta say this place seems the most authentic of the three; mostly Japanese clientele)

Cafe Mingala 2nd Ave btwn 72nd and 73rd; Burmese; love the keema, dumpling stews, coconut chicken noodle soup, Rangoon night market noodles, green papaya salad....

Bawarchi 1st Ave btwn 62nd and 63rd; pretty darned good Indian food (which I find rare here in Manhattan), good lunch buffet, great lamb dish with apricots

Pizza Park 1st Ave btwn 66th and 67th; there are other more well known pizza places in the nabe but this one is my fave, just a hole in the wall but a great classic NY slice (option of whole wheat crust!)

I second Pyramida and Zucchero e Pomodori. And the world opens up if you are willing to go into the hi 70s low 80s: Sushi of Gari, Bar Etats Unis, Spigolo, Beyoglu, Inase Sushi, B Cafe (great bar munchies and beer selection)

Can you tell this is my nabe!

Kerosena: I had the exact same reaction when I read this. Same reaction that I had when knitting became "cool" several years ago. My take on it is that people are generally sheep and will only become interested in something if "everyone else is doing it". But I guess that in its own way, it is passing the tradition along to the next generation, which is okay!

And for you hipster urban homesteaders out there, three words: homemade apricot jam! :)

Pleasant Ridge Reserve