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Gigantic Mutant Chicken Wings, Now Available in New York City
Mmmm... Dinosaur wings! Someone should alert the Dinosaur BBQ folks stat!
In Videos: Sandwich Day on '30 Rock'
You know, this has to be based on some kernel of truth... Because everything on TV is, right? And Tina Fey would never lie to me... So does anyone know of this magic sandwich store?
The Best Black and White Cookies? Half-Moons? Amerikaners?
I like Leskes out in Bay Ridge. They're nice and sticky, not the creepy glaze that a lot of places use.
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Photo of the Day: Oscar's Adirondack Smoke House
Warrensburg is some sort of meat nirvana as it is also home to The Meat Store Of The North which just happens to sell, wait for it... a lot of meat! Including giant vats of pickled kielbasa
Gigantic Mutant Chicken Wings, Now Available in New York City
Mmmm... Dinosaur wings! Someone should alert the Dinosaur BBQ folks stat!
In Videos: Sandwich Day on '30 Rock'
You know, this has to be based on some kernel of truth... Because everything on TV is, right? And Tina Fey would never lie to me... So does anyone know of this magic sandwich store?
The Best Black and White Cookies? Half-Moons? Amerikaners?
I like Leskes out in Bay Ridge. They're nice and sticky, not the creepy glaze that a lot of places use.
Dinner Tonight: Tartiflette
I made something like this for New Year's Eve dinner, but it was called La Truffade and they said the only cheese to use was Cantal.
There's no stock in my recipe and you cook the potatoes in the bacon fat, but other than that, uhm, almost exactly the same thing!
Best Bakeries in New York City
For the city's best apple turnover Tarrallucci e Vino cannot be beat.
Batali vs. Bittman Pasta Saucing Smackdown: Who's Right?
Absolutely C. Sometimes you want a big plate of perfectly dressed pasta, and sometimes you want a huge howl of crunchy veggies and some noodles. It's a big world, there's room for everyone and their pasta preferences!
Mario Unclogged: The Hams of Italy
I love the Croatian version of prosciutto, Prsut. The meat tastes fattier and a little meatier and goes ridiculously well with the Dalmatian cheese, Paski Sir. Good stuff. Worth the trip from anywhere.
____ smells better than it tastes
I am so insulted by pancakes and waffles. They smell utterly divine and then you put them in your mouth and... nothing. I actually hold a grudge against them.
What's Your Favorite Local Cheese?
I'm a huge fan of Hawthorne Valley's Bianca. It reminds me of the soft, white, un-aged farmer's cheeses I feel in love with on a trip to Croatia last summer. Ideal for late-summer tomato sandwiches.
I Took the Locavore Challenge (Sort of)
You could make your own yogurt from local milk (cow, sheep or goat! you choose!) My boyfriend and made some this weekend and it's incredibly easy as long as you have a convenient place to incubate. A styrofoam cooler works perfectly. As to salt, I bet you could get some local salt from Syracuse if you tried really really hard, but olive oil? bah. Anyone that tells you you can't use olive oil b/c it's not local is a scrooge.
A Truly Local Fave: What's Yours?
I almost forgot to mention my absolute favorite under the radar joint here in NYC. Kar Won, a grubby little chinese joint on 60th btwn Lex & Park makes Dan Dan noodle soup that is the best hangover cure in existence. And their pork & pickles soup is pretty spectacular as well.
Out in my neck of the woods (Bay Ridge) my favorite go-to restaurant is Polonica on 3rd Ave. The clear borscht with mushroom uzka and their pirogies are perfect.
Favorite "unlikely" food combos?
Peach ice cream eaten with a hard Pennsylvania Dutch pretzel in place of a spoon. Salty + Sweet = Delicious.
A Truly Local Fave: What's Yours?
If I lived in San Rafael, Ca I would eat at Western Boat & Tackle as often as I could.
Yep, a boat shop.
But they have a fish counter where they sell the absolute best crab sandwich I've ever had in my entire life. Nearly 1/2 lb fresh Dungeness crab, served on white bread with mayo on one slice, cocktail sauce on the other and a squirt of lemon. Eaten on their back deck, it's one of the nicest food experiences I've had in years.
Seriously good eats.
Häagen-Dazs vs. Ben & Jerry's: Which Are You Down With?
I absolutely prefer ben & jerry's because I love the zany flavors!
I would never eat their plain vanilla or chocolate, but anything with fudgy dinosaurs is a sure hit with me!
That said, I do love the Haagen-Dazs' Tres Leches flavor, but I don't really like ice cream all that much, I eat it probably once every 6 months, so I'm no expert... Sorbet however is another story...
Cheese Prices Increase 55 Percent Over Last Year
Hi Jamie!
have the prices of cheeses made from the milk of grassfed cows gone up?
grass is free. cows like grass. content cows make yummy cheese. cows are ruminants, they're not supposed to eat corn.... maybe that's the problem?
Photo of the Day: Henry Darger Cake
I never thought I'd live to see the day when creepy folk art meets the world of pastry. Thank god they chose to do the girls' faces, a lot of Darger's girls were, ahem, equipped, with other pieces, of, ahem, equipment. Creepy dude, creepy cake.
Do You Love Iceberg Lettuce?
My mother makes a wonderful pasta with lettuce and peas that can only be made with Iceberg. It maintains its snap, yet wilts into a lovely, soft texture. It's really quite good!
Where's Our Wall of Sardines?
the part of Brooklyn where I live, Bay Ridge, should be renamed the Sardine Sector. Each ethnic grocery (of which there are many) has it's own mini wall of sardines. The Polish deli on 3rd Avenue has an especially impressive assortment. They also have a lot of pates which I prefer to tinned fishes.
You May Also Substitute Vermouth
I too proudly ride the dry vermouth bandwagon. I use it in just about every recipe that calls for white wine as I love the herbal tang it imparts. Thanks for giving some love to my 'mouth. Next up, verjus!
I Like My Asparagus Roasted, How About You?
I like mine pan roasted with lots of garlic and olive oil and topped with a poached egg.
I also love them steamed then coated with a slick of garlic & lemon flavored butter.
How Do You Eat Strawberries?
I like the balsamic approach with a twist I learned from the Naked Chef. Take some mascarpone and add the seeds from a vanilla bean and some sugar, mix and garnish the berries.
If you have leftovers, I like to take the mascarpone and the balsamicy berries, mix them all together and then freeze them into a sweet-tart frozen confection. Ridiculously deliciously good stuff.
What's Your Favorite Food Book of All Time and Why?
I second Jeana's vote for DeGroot's Auberge of the Flowering Hearth. It's an enlightening book, and I've actually cooked from it!
Chitra Divakaruni's Mistress Of Spices, besides be a fun novel, inspired me to delve into the world of Indian cuisine as well.
Win Two Passes to the Big Apple Barbecue Party
I kinda wish I knew... I've tried to go to the BBQ fest for the past couple of years and have waited in line and waited in line and waited in line and been shut out every single time...
Except once when I got a sandwich at Salt Lick that I ate in one gulp because I was so hungry that I can't even remember if it was good or not. By that time it was simply sustenance.
So I have to go with my own, which isn't real bbq because I don't have a backyard for a barbecue so I have to make mine in the oven . It's delicious... but I bet the stuff at the Block Party's better!
The Best Black and White Cookies? Half-Moons? Amerikaners?
I agree with Foodboy and Growler - Glasers beats Greenbergs in taste AND price! I think that their black and whites are number 1 and their brownies with nuts are out of this world.
Check them out - they are definitely worth the trip. We used to live just a few blocks away on the UES and it wreaked havoc on my diet.
The Best Black and White Cookies? Half-Moons? Amerikaners?
Finally had Glasers' black & whites and I have to say they are better than Greenbergs. I have a new number one. The search continues.
Häagen-Dazs vs. Ben & Jerry's: Which Are You Down With?
Well, since I can't eat sugar ice creams any more, it's all about the politics for me. I still haven't forgiven Pillsbury/Haagen Dazs for declaring war on little ol' Ben & Jerrys. I also like weird ice cream, so flavors like Phish Food and Chunky Monkey charmed me.
Hmm, I'll have to experiment with my Bamix, some cream, and some xylitol. Mango Chutney/Pecan, anybody? Avocado?
The Best Black and White Cookies? Half-Moons? Amerikaners?
The Black & White Cookie Company are the best. All natural, no preservatives, no corn syrup, unbleached flour, a very traditional New York Black & White Cookie.
Batali vs. Bittman Pasta Saucing Smackdown: Who's Right?
I and 1000+ years of Italian food culture agree with Mario.
The Best Black and White Cookies? Half-Moons? Amerikaners?
William Greenbergs black & whites are THE BEST! The rich creamy fondant icing is perfection and the melt in your mouth cookie is soft and yummy. This truly is the perfect Black & white cookie and the standard from which all others should be judged. I can't get enough of them - and they can ship the cookies right to your door!
Photo of the Day: Oscar's Adirondack Smoke House
I'm always too excited to get at the awesome food: shopped at Oscars for more than 20 years and never noticed the sign! Everything is excellent - cheese, sausage, steak, bacon, ham, jerky, etc - impossible to pick a favorite. I time my drive north/south with Oscar's opening hours in mind. Sometimes you'll find a handful of their products in area supermarkets but go to the source. Meat Store of the North is also good.
The Best Black and White Cookies? Half-Moons? Amerikaners?
I grew up with what we called "Day N Nite" cookies in Gloversville, N.Y. I have tasted a number of different varieties and Rauch's Bakery in the Gloversville are absolutely best. They are extremely large and very moist. It is too bad they don't sell them elsewhere. I feel certain they would win "hands down" if compared to other recipes!!
Best Bakeries in New York City
Ed - email me at rozettj@aol.com so we can talk about this privately. i have some reservations. i will tell you more and why.
John
Best Bakeries in New York City
Wow, that's an amazing story, John. Would you consider posting the recipes on Serious Eats? Maybe we can find a pastry chef who will test the recipes.
I would love to work with you on getting these recipes on Serious Eats.
Best Bakeries in New York City
Mrs. Herbst's did not close because the ethnic enclave was disappearing. It close because the 3rd generation had moved on (for example, one is a physician in L.A.) and because the land had become so valuable that it was inevitable that it would be sold. But what a fabulous bakery it was. I have a loose-leaf binder with ALL of the Herbst recipes (including non-bakery food items). Long story - but my grandmpother and the original Mrs Herbst were friends in Hungary and came here at the same time. And my non-Hungarian wife can make a pretty good Dobos Torte and palascinta.
Best Bakeries in New York City
I actually disagree with the bad reviews of Black Hound. I got excellent service - all the people working were fantastic and very attentive, and gave my friends and I free samples to try. I didn't really like the cakes though. I don't like sweet cakes too much, but theres could have done with a bit more
In Videos: Sandwich Day on '30 Rock'
It's possible it's based on Defonte's in Red Hook. Defonte's has been around a long, long time, and it is the kind of place teamsters frequent.
The Best Black and White Cookies? Half-Moons? Amerikaners?
Toojays which anybody who vacations or live south of tampa in FLorida would know has the best B&W's they have 20 locations in florida. They also have the best NY deli sandwichs out of NY
The Best Black and White Cookies? Half-Moons? Amerikaners?
Greenberg's? Pheh! The icing is good, but the cake is too fluffy, almost Twinkie-like. They are actually better if you let them get a little stale.
I have not had any of the upstate black and whites, but here in the city, my vote for best b&w goes to the East Broadway Kosher Bakery on Grand St.--they've been my favorite since they actually were on East Broadway. The cookie is moist without being spongy; the icing has the appropriate light snap, but is not the sugar helmet that too many inferior cookies wear.
In addition, with Kossar's and the Donut Plant within 100 feet, it has to be one of my favorite culinary blocks in the world. (And the Pickle Guy is just around the corner, too!)
The Best Black and White Cookies? Half-Moons? Amerikaners?
I confess I've not tried the B&Ws at any of the places mentioned. But I've eaten many a B&W in the city and, yes, most of them are dry and crumbly in the base and overly sweet and gooey on top.
My own personal favorite is sold at Nussbaum & Wu's on 113th and B'way. I don't know if they make them themselves, but they do sell them on cookie sheets, so who knows. The base is moist and cakey, and the frosting is almost ganache-like, with intense vanilla and chocolate flabor. Mmmmm.
They also sell a Brown & White which, I believe, is coffee-flavored, but needless to say, as a purist, I've never tried it.
The Best Black and White Cookies? Half-Moons? Amerikaners?
Moishe's Bakery on 2nd avenue in the east Village is a contend for best B&W.
--Guttergourmet
The Best Black and White Cookies? Half-Moons? Amerikaners?
I grew up in Syracuse were they always were half moon cookies. It wasn't until I moved to Brooklyn well over 25 years ago that I heard everyone call them black & whites. So, I found it nostalgic when I went to the NY State Fair (in Syracuse) this past fall and once again heard people order half moons at the bakery booths. Harrison Bakery had several booths there.
The Best Black and White Cookies? Half-Moons? Amerikaners?
as a kid, the best part about the 12 hour road trip to NYC to visit relatives was the promise of a black and white cookie. i've tried to explain the exquisite wonderfulness that is black and white cookies to my friends here in Michigan, and everyone things i'm nuts, because it's really just a dry, cakey, almondy cookie with some frosting on top.
the cakier the better! when i was a little kid, my sister and i would share one, and we'd make my mom cut it half exactly, so we each got the same amount of black & white frosting.
just the mention of these wonderful cookies brings back such happy memories!
The Best Black and White Cookies? Half-Moons? Amerikaners?
The Donut Pub on 14th St, just off Seventh Ave, has fresh and wonderful donuts and variations thereof. (Let's argue about what a true cruller is, how to spell it, how to pronounce it). But the Black and Whites (some frosted just white, others just black) are exquisite cake-like discs with achingly sweet icing. Really just about perfect as far as I can eat.
The Best Black and White Cookies? Half-Moons? Amerikaners?
Ed - how were the 3 bites doled out? How one chooses to eat a black and white is right up there with how one chooses to eat corn on the cob.
I've always been partial to eating one side first - usually the white. Although I have taken the aggressive 1st bite right down the middle.
I prefer the minis for 1 sublime bite.
And by the way Ed, why did Greenberg shutter so fast in our neighborhood??
The Best Black and White Cookies? Half-Moons? Amerikaners?
Amanda - you said:
"Perhaps nostalgia and home-bound loyalties make me a touch biased, but I really believe this is one of the few food corners in which upstate has the city thoroughly beat."
I agree but I think "Utica Greens" deserve a mention. There's absolutely nothing in NYC I've tried that's close to them (or elsewhere for that matter).
Littlebluesiren - you absolutely have to try the "stretch bread" at Pasta's Daily Bread bakery next time you're in town. I still enjoy a loaf of Columbus bread on occasion but Pasta's bread is far superior to theirs and IMHO competes with the very beast breads NYC has to offer.
The Best Black and White Cookies? Half-Moons? Amerikaners?
phaelon - I agree about Harrison Bakery! Columbus Bakery, on the other hand, I always loved when I was a kid. Next time I'm home in Syracuse I'll have to try the Harrison half moon. Always nice to see CNY represented on serious eats!
The Best Black and White Cookies? Half-Moons? Amerikaners?
Thanks growler. I will have to give Glaser's a try.
The Best Black and White Cookies? Half-Moons? Amerikaners?
Three bites??? Ed, I admire your resolve. I'm all or nothing. Zero discipline.
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Warrensburg is some sort of meat nirvana as it is also home to The Meat Store Of The North which just happens to sell, wait for it... a lot of meat! Including giant vats of pickled kielbasa