Congrats to the Sofi Winners!

The Sofi Awards were held at the Fancy Food Show last night at the Javits center in a ceremony hosted by Ming Tsai noted chef (and first celebrity chef crush of yours truly). And I'm excited that some of Blondie and my favorites from the show were among the big winners...

The "Baked Goods, Baking Ingredient or Cereal" Sofi went to Mari's New York Caramel Sea Salt Brownie. Represent NYC! Mari makes a mean brownie and the Caramel Sea Salt ones are especially delicious.

The "Cheese or Dairy Product" Sofi was awarded to Cypress Grove's Chevre Truffle Tremor. This cheese is simply blissful. Melt in your mouth truffle perfection. Every cheese from Cypress Grove is delicious, but Truffle Tremor is "do you think they'll notice I've been standing here eating their cheese for half an hour" delicious.

The "Classic" Sofi went to Sarabeth's Kitchen Blood Orange Marmalade. I'll always be grateful to Sarabeth's for introducing me to the wonders wonders of canning. In college I fell in love with their jams and they inspired me to make my own.

1,997 entries across all 33 categories. 128 Silver Finalists and 550 buyers casting ballots. Click for a full list of 2009 Sofi Gold Winners and Silver Finalists. Congratulations to all winners and finalists!

For more photos of the Fancy Food Show check out our flickr set.
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B&B Take on the Fancy and UnFancy Food Show(s)

Last year, Blondie and I missed out on the UnFancy Food Show and there was no way we were going to let that happen again. But we did want to check out the Fancy Food Show as well and since both of us have full time gigs, we can't hit FF during the week. Could we do both Fancy and UnFancy in a single Sunday?! Where there is a will there is a way...

Here are some of our highlights from each.

Our friends at Peanut Butter & Company are going to be launching new peanut butter baking mixes towards the end of the summer. The Peanut Butter Brownies were fudgy and delicious.

Speaking of mixes. Vosges Chocolate now not only has a new Mo's Bacon Bar in Dark Chocolate but also a Mo's Bacon Chocolate Chip Pancake Mix. Breakfast perfection. It was hard to step away from the Vosges and before we did we had a change to try their Naga Ice Cream, a blend of coconut and curry. Amazing. Completely different from any ice cream I've ever tried.

Blondie was exited to hit the Chobani booth and try their brand new pomegranate yourt. Loved the crunch of the real pomegranate seeds. This should hit grocery shelves in two weeks.

And how could we resist Mari's Brownies? Luxurious and rich these brownies are a cut above. Their Caramel Sea Salt has the perfect balance of chewy caramel, fudgy chocolate and Cyprian sea salt.

Next stop, Williamsburg for the UnFancy Food Show.

Ricotta cheese, bread, olive Oil, salt & pepper from Salvatore Brooklyn. Light, creamy, simple and delicious...

Nunu Chocolates Salt Caramels: totally natural, individually handmade, and completely delicious...

Garlicky and tangy pickles from McClure...

Crunchy and delicious greens from Queens Farm...

Had I not been down to my very last dollar I would have picked up one of these awesome Brooklyn Based tote bags. Fortunately you can order them online. Lawman, are you reading this?

Of course we had to hit the Van Leeuwen Ice Cream Truck. By late afternoon a number of the flavors were sold out.

No problem. We'll take the strawberry!

This week Van Leeuwen is going to be launching Earl Grey Tea flavored ice cream from their trucks--they now have 3! Made with organic & fair trade tea from Rishi. Can't wait to try it. To keep apprised their whereabouts follow them on twitter.

Probably one of the most refreshing things we had all day was the Raspberry Green Tea sweetened with Agave from the Green Pirate Juice Truck. Perfect for the hot and humid summer weather.

Here's a pic of their awesome bio-diesel run truck from earlier last weekend in Park Slope. If I had any room left I would have tried out one of their amazing sounding smoothies...

With empty wallets and full tummies Blondie and I ended our day as ever good summer day should end...ice cream cone and iced tea in hand walking home with a friend.

For more photos of Fancy and UnFancy Food check out our flickr set.
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Blueberry in Doughnut Form

During the past few weeks, I've been pondering my blueberry love, which is closing in upon obsession. Besides the regular blueberries in my cereal-Wyman's wild frozen if fresh aren't available-there have lately been many blueberry muffins, a blueberry cake, and blueberry Italian ice. This love seems to have grown out of like sometime during last summer, and I'm not going to fight it. Fortunately, Doughnut Plant and Coworker Friend Dos share this love of mine.

Early Tuesday morning, while waiting patiently for my morning coffee, a new doughnut was spotted at Joe. Thoughts that ran through my head:
"What is this? It's purple. Could it be? What does that sign say? YES, HALLELUJAH, PRAISE THE LORD! I don't know if I can hold out for Brownie. I may have to eat this sooner. Coworker Friend Dos likes blueberries and eating. We are going to share this. This means I should spill the beans about the blog. I don't care, it's a blueberry doughnut. Oh, it's my turn."

Like almost all Doughnut Plant flavors, the blueberry taste is very subtle to almost nonexistent, but I do love the blueberry purple color inside and out. Dos had just finished eating a greasy breakfast, and didn't taste any blueberry at all. At $3, I would be hesitant to buy it again; I'd rather get the other latest flavor making the rounds, banana pecan. Nor would I say this is a must over the Krispy Kreme Blueberry Cake.

Doughnut Plant
379 Grand Street, between Suffolk and Clinton
(212) 505-3700
Tuesday through Sunday: 6:30am until 6:30pm
www.doughnutplant.com

This doughnut was found at:
Joe the Art of Coffee
Graybar Passage, Grand Central Station
Lexington Avenue between 44th and 43rd Street
www.joetheartofcoffee.com jump

Dropping by Katchkie at the Port Authority Greenmarket

Last week I set aside my deep-seated hatred for the Port Authority and braved the rain to check out the new year round greenmarket in the North Wing. The Katchkie Booth was in full swing and I got the scoop on Kathkie’s booth at the upcoming Rock Center Market in July...

Like last year, Rock Center Market is due to start up at the end of July and will run Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays through August 28th. This summer instead of Wednesdays, Katchkie will have a presence in the market on Fridays. So for those of you who have shortened summer hours on Fridays, be sure to stop by to pick up some ingredients for the weekend or lunch on your way home.

If you can’t wait until the end of July, Katchkie has plenty of early summer greens like organic lettuce, spinach, kale, turnips and garlic scapes among other goodies at the Port Authority on Thursdays from 8 am until 6 pm.

Prepared foods are made from seasonal ingredients and last week included spinach salad, homemade cream of broccoli soup, and grilled vegetable sandwiches.

Moroccan Mint tea is one of my favorite summery drinks so I decided to get a cup of Katchkie’s Basil-Spearmint Tea for $2. The mint and basil really worked nicely together with a touch of honey. Fresh and delicious.

By the time Katchkie gets to Rock Center tomatoes and other late summer veggies will be in season ensuring plenty of gazpacho and ratatouille. Can’t wait!

Port Authority Green Market
North Wing, Main Concourse
Eighth Avenue and 42nd Street
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Prospect Park is Getting Its Cheesesteak Factory at Long Last

As a frequent patron of Bene's Pizza and Uncle Louie G's on Prospect Park Southwest, I've often wondered about the little Cheesesteak Factory storefront sandwiched, if you will, between the two. In all my visits for pizza and ice cream it's never been open. Until now...

The Prospect Park Southwest Cheesesteak Factory officially opened yesterday. Not surprisingly their bread and butter is cheesesteaks of both the beef and chicken variety. I was pleased to see broccoli rabe getting some love on their menu. Their Prospect Park Cheesesteak: grilled onions, broccoli rabe (or spinach) with provolone cheese sounds pretty excellent.

The menu also includes Italian sausages, hot dogs, hamburgers and waffle fries. Mmm...waffle fries. And fear not vegetarians, there's more for you than just fries and onion rings. Veggie options include the veggie sandwich (grilled eggplant, roasted peppers, broccoli rabe, or spinach), the veggie supreme (grilled green peppers, portabella mushrooms, onions, grilled eggplant and grilled zuchinni) and a veggie burger.

Lawman and I might just have to hit these guys up next time we decide to picnic in the park. Any early Cheesesteak Factory reports from the field?

Cheesesteak Factory
157 Prospect Park Southwest
Brooklyn, NY 11218
(718) 851-7900
Monday through Thursday and Sunday 11:00am until 9:00pm
Friday and Saturday 11:00am until midnight
Click for an enlarged menu: part 1 and part 2.
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Travels with Blondie: There is More To South Flo-rida Than Miami

Whenever I asked about dining in south Florida, I got either no real suggestions, or an expensive spot in Miami. But south Florida isn't just Miami, and I wasn't going anywhere near South Beach. My family is further up the coast, between Boynton Beach and Coral Springs. Luckily for me, the locals and snow birds expect good food and cool spots.

One of those spots is Dada in Delray Beach, a hip restaurant located in a converted 1920's home. Inside is a mixture of eclectic vintage furniture accompanied by unusual, modern paintings giving the place a cool vibe which allows it to be a great venue for artist's shows. While we ate, there was an art showing occurring, as well as a jam session happening on an outside stage.

Their drink menu is extensive with many different versions of mojitos and margaritas. I chose the strawberry mojito, it came with fresh muddled strawberries and was quite refreshing and delicious.

The menu is modern American with a few local influences. For an appetizer, we went with the grilled brie soaked in garlic honey butter. Everything in the world is made better by soaking in garlic honey butter. They could have been more generous with the fruit aspect to the platter, but I can overlook that for garlic honey butter.

On the entree side, my cuz got the crab cakes with sherry mustard and Sriacha. The cakes were perfectly cooked, tasted fresh, and well-spiced. This was definitely not canned crab.

I decided on the Chicken Del Rio-chicken over a black bean puree, topped with an avocado and melted provolone cheese. The chicken was moist, and though I wasn't so sure about what could be a sharper cheese, the flavors did come together pretty well.

Dessert ended up being a three-way sharing-a friend had shown up-of the chocolate fondue with pound cake, fresh fruit, and marshmallows. The chocolate was rich and dark, maybe 65-75% cocoa. The chocolate was a little too solid for my tastes; I felt it could have been warmer and more fluid.

Overall, the food isn't mind-blowing and could be viewed as a little overpriced for South Florida, but it is very good quality and beat my expectations for South Florida dining. The ambiance, and the ability to eat, then hang out all night can completely make up for the price.

Dada
52 North Swinton Avenue
Delray Beach, FL 33444
(561) 330-DADA
www.dada.closermagazine.com jump

B&B Hit Up The Big Gay Ice Cream Truck

Blondie and I were both headed out the door at the same time for lunch yesterday. She had no plans. I had big ones. Big Gay Ice Cream Truck plans that is...

Ever since Blondie and I read about the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck and their awesome soft serve toppings on Serious Eats, we've been dying to check it out and lunch yesterday was our first opportunity.

Things to know about The BGICT:

1) Much like Superman masquerades as your everyday joe, Clark Kent, the BGICT operates out of a standard issue Mister Softee truck. Keep track of their location on twitter and look with the Mister Softee with the BGICT sign on the side.

2) Unlike 99% of the Mister Softee trucks in the city they have the prices listed. Hooray! It's $3 for a soft serve cone or cup with standard toppings included. Add $1 if you want fancy toppings like dulce de leche, cayenne, sriracha, maple syrup, and Nilla wafers. It's $5 if you want a shake.

3) Doug Quint, the BGIC man is hilarious and awesome. He will totally make your day.

I got the vanilla soft serve in a cone with crushed Nilla wafers and dulce de leche. $4 and absolutely delicious. My love for Mister Softee vanilla soft serve is well documented and the BGICT's toppings line up takes soft serve to the next level.

Blondie went for the vanilla soft served stuffed ice cream sandwich slathered with Nutella. Also, $4 and let's face it, what isn't made better with a good slathering of Nutella?

I've heard that sea salt, and bacon might be offered as toppings--all I can say is, please, please bacon! And chocolate covered bacon! Oooh, or how about dark chocolate dip with dulce de leche and sea salt? Mmmmmm. Salted caramel and chocolate. I hope it's a very long summer...

For location check out The Big Gay Ice Cream Truck's twitter.
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Photo of the Day: A Little Bumblebee Under the Brooklyn Bridge

Yesterday kicked off Pollinator Week in NYC with the Beekeeper's Ball on the Water Taxi Beach at South Street Seaport ...

If you missed out you can still catch some of the Pollinator Week fever with the following upcoming events:
*Sample some New York Nectar at the following restaurants who are featuring local honey from 6/22 until 6/28.
*Rally to Legalize Beekeeping in NYC at City Hall on Tuesday, June 23th at 12:30 PM.
*After reading Beowulf, did you wonder about mead? Wonder no more at the Hidden Hives Tour on Thursday June 25.
*Hit the Honey Fest at the Union Square Greenmarket on Friday, June 26th.

Honey Bees are in crisis. Save the bees and save the fruits and veggies you love. Learn more about Honey Bees and Beekeeping Legalization here.
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Please Note Where the Emergency Exits are Located

As I let you know last week, Southwest Airlines has teamed up with 'wichcraft, and opened The Southwest Porch on the SW corner of Bryant Park. I was able to stop by for some lunch during their grand opening last Friday, while they were entertaining students from MS 8, the Jamaica, Queens school Southwest is partnered with for the Middle School Mentors initiative.

Friday with its warm sunshine ended up being the perfect lunch out day too; it actually felt like summer was coming. The menu isn't very extensive, only four sandwiches to chose from, and three snacks. The same goes for the drinks menu where it was good to see that they're using Six Point and Blue Point brews.

We ended up going nonalcoholic, airplane water for me, sodas for the others.

Debra and I went for the soft shell crab sandwich. It was fresh, a little crunchy, slightly greasy, and amazing. I was actually impressed by the quality of the bread, as well as the crab. At the price, I don't see myself getting it every Friday this summer, but I wouldn't say no if offered it.

Our friend got the southwestern pork sandwich, which was devoured. The avocado was fresh, the pork delicious. The mayo could be applied a little better, it sort of looks slapped on like an afterthought.

All three sandwiches are a little messy, so make sure your waiter brings you napkins. Also, they aren't charging tax making the tip a little harder to figure out-I'm of the double the tax school. Though we were surrounded by kids, the location is enjoyable. On the park side of the porch has public furniture, making a picnic lunch possible.

After hours, almost all the furniture is open for public use. I don't think everything will stay this clean for the entire summer, making this a must-do only for the next week or so. After the holiday, it could get a little dicey.

The Southwest Porch opens June 19th
Bryant Park 40th St and 6th Ave corner (aka Street-Meat-Palooza Corner)
Open 5pm to 9pm Monday to Thursday; noon to 4pm on Fridays until mid-September
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Exposing the Independent Spirits

I am not only a supporter of local breweries and distillers, I spread the love to the independent, artisanal spirits from around the world. There's enough drinking going on in my life to achieve this. With this in mind, I jumped at the chance to get an independent spirits education next week at the Indy Spirits Expo.

This year, the expo will take place at Touch on 52nd Street, and will showcase many small batch, and hard-to-find brands. I'm excited to try some from right around here including Tuthilltown Distillery, and LiV, as well as all the others that will be there. If you want to be in the know about the next hot drink in town, I highly suggest hitting this up. Tickets are still available, it's $50 regular admission, $75 VIP; they're available here.

Indy Spirits Expo at Touch
240 West 52nd Street
www.indyspiritsexpo.com jump

Forgot Father's Day? Roni-Sue's Got You Covered...

For those of your who forgot to pick up something for dad, you still have a couple days to make things right. Let's be honest, as greeting card holidays go Mother's Day is pretty easy. Moms love flowers. Moms love chocolate. Moms love cards from their kids. Dads on the other hand are notoriously hard to buy for. "Gee, another tie, I'm speechless." Or "Wow, more grilling tongs, how did you know?" And then there's the endless stream of pricey gadgets and dad toy suggestions. I say go chocolate and for some of the best sweet/savory and sweet/spicy combination head over to Roni-Sue's new space in the Essex Market...

When Lawman and I stopped by Roni-Sue's last week, the brand new Chile Collection caught my eye. It includes the Zydeco Truffle: Handmade perzipan blended with red chile confit, sweet red pepper leather, red chile jam, fresh chile infused tequila, sea salt and ground mixed dried pepper mélange topped with dried jalapeño pepper flakes, the Diablo Truffle: a Callebaut bittersweet chocolate with red chile confit, sweet red pepper ‘leather’, red chile jam, fresh chile infused tequila and Mexican cinnamon, and the Down the Hatch, candy buttercrunch dehydrated roasted Hatch chiles dipped in dark Callebaut chocolate and topped with ground cocoa nibs & smoked vanilla sea salt and would make a perfect gift for dad.

Of course you can't go wrong with their Pig Out Pack:
1/3 lb. Pig Candy
1/3 lb. Bacon buttercrunch
1/5 lb. BaCorn [caramel popcorn with bacon & chile pinon nuts]

Or you could just keep things simple and pick up some Pig Candy:

I must admit the next thing on the Roni-Sue menu that I'm dying to try is their Beer & Pretzel Caramel. Created by Rhonda Kave's assistant Liz Gutman, it's a twist on the salted caramel and features rich farmstead cream, Roni-Sue's chewy caramel infused with locally brewed hoppy IPA and malty brown ales, embedded with salty, crunchy Martin’s pretzel bits, and enrobed in decadent dark Callebaut chocolate. If your dad loves his beer and pretzels but also has a sweet tooth this might just make his day.

My dad's not much of a beer guy, but this could very well find it's way into a birthday present for a certain beer loving blogging partner... Shhhhhhh!



Check out Roni-Sue's new space in the Essex Market. We can only hope that bigger space = more delicious candy creations.

Roni-Sue
120 Essex Street
New York, NY 10002
(212) 260-0421
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Katchkie Farm Comes to the Port Authority!

It's a well known fact that I hate the Port Authority with the fire of a thousand suns. Where to start? The pushing, the shoving, the slow walkers, the stairway hogs, the multiple buildings, the bus smell...Any time that we have to travel from the Port Authority Lawman knows it's best to placate me with tasty food. Which is why I was excited to learn that starting today tasty food is coming to the Port Authority via the good folks at Katchkie Farm and Great Performances...

Katchkie Farm is a staple of the Rock Center Farmer's Market when it's in full swing and their stand is a great place to pick up a sandwich and soup for lunch and some organic produce for dinner.

Every Thursday starting today from 8:00am until 6:00pm Katchkie Farm will be open for business at the Port Authority Bus Terminal. They plan on featuring their branded Katchkie Farm products (Katchkie Ketchup, Thunder Pickles, Pickled Beets), fresh Katchkie Farm produce and artisanal sandwiches created by Great Performances’ chefs.

I hope as more veggies come into season their delicious ratatouille will make it on the menu for the Port Authority. Fresh, healthy and delicious, it's my idea of a perfect summer lunch.

Port Authority Green Market
North Wing, Main Concourse
Eighth Avenue and 42nd Street jump

Oh, You're So Romantical, Colicchio

I left work at just the right time Monday evening; the thunderstorm was ending, the sun began shining, people in Bryant Park were being told that they couldn't sit on the grass and watch the night's movie which gave this schadenfreude joy, and I noticed something new being installed in Bryant Park. "What could THIS be? It looks like summertime romance." Diner's Journal and Eater gave me the answer yesterday.

This very Friday, 'wichcraft officially takes over the entire 6th Avenue side of Bryant Park when the current trifecta turns into a superfecta with The Southwest Porch, a pop-up cafe sponsored by Southwest Airlines. Unlike the three kiosks that currently reside there, The Porch will have 175 seats, a bar, porch swings, Adirondack chairs, and romantic lighting.

And no grilled cheeses here, Tom Colicchio and 'wichcraft have designed a menu consisting of small cheese and charcuterie plates, along with sandwiches themed after the cities Southwest will be flying to out of LaGuardia. Will we have competition against the current Midtown soft shell crab sandwich to eat? We'll find out Friday.

(the green chairs are going to feel inadequate and old until this is gone)

Until then I'll daydream about sitting in those chairs with Colicchio feeding me pieces of cheese, discussing his plans to get the fountain out of the way and it can become 'wichcraft Central.

The Southwest Porch opens June 19th
Bryant Park 40th St and 6th Ave corner (aka Street-Meat-Palooza Corner)
Open 5pm to 9pm Monday to Thursday; noon to 4pm on Fridays until mid-September jump

What We Learned from the 2009 Big Apple BBQ

I'm still in a bit of a food coma from the many plates of barbecue consumed on Sunday at the Big Apple BBQ. The interwebs are filled with all sorts of fantastic write ups about the event and as you plot and plan for next year here are a few things we learned...

You can make 'slaw from anything. Ok, this isn't slaw, it's grated cheddar, pimentos and mayo (aka pimento cheese). I still like to think of it as cheese 'slaw...

Ed Mitchell's got it goin' on.

The tangy, vingery whole hog from The Pit">The Pit with crackling, crispy bits and--if you're lucky--belly ribs, is worth the trip alone...

Whole Hog should be enjoyed in both the traditional Carolina style and the smokey Western Tennessee version...

Big Bob Gibson's is the only place (in the world) that makes coleslaw that Blondie will eat...

People will wait in line for 20 minutes for free Snapple...

Cheese fries go with anything!

Even if you come 20 minutes early there still be a wait for the out of towners like Salt Lick Barbecue...

And last but certainly not least, BBQ is better when you have a place to sit and eat it. This year the iffy weather and the morning rain on Sunday meant that the lawns in Madison Square park were closed. Some people--no names will be named--think the closing of the grass was a vast conspiracy to keep people from wrecking the greenery and lingering with their food. One of the best parts of the BBQ last year was spreading out a blanket and taking in a wide variety of 'cue with friends. I may be a Yankee girl, but come on, where's the Southern hospitality in eating on the go? Hopefully next year we'll be able to gather up a big group, find a nice spot under a tree and savor

For more delicious photos check out our flickr set.

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New York City Wine & Food Festival Tickets Now On Sale!

This year's SWEET line up is looking pretty darn awesome...

According to the official website the following restaurants and chefs are participating:

1. Adour: Sandro Micheli
2. Allen & Delancey: Tiffany MacIsaac
3. BabyCakes NYC: Erin McKenna
4. baked: Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito
5. Billy's Bakery
6. China Grill Management Catering: Alfredo Guaman
7. Daniel: Dominique Ansel
8. davidburke townhouse: Gustavo Tzoc
9. Del Posto: Brooks Headley
10. Fishtail by David Burke: Jennifer Dominski
11. Jean Georges: Johnny Iuzzini
12. Levain Bakery: Pamela Weekes and Connie McDonald
13. MAD MAC: Florian Bellanger and Ludovic Augendre
14. more: Patty Rothman
15. Park Avenue Autumn: Richard Leach
16. Ron Ben-Israel Cakes: Ron Ben-Israel
17. “Rose's Heavenly Cakes”: Rose Levy Beranbaum and Jean-Francois Bonnet
18. Rouge Tomate: James Distefano
19. Spigolo: Heather Fratangelo and Jen Kim
20. Sweetiepie: Humberto Guallpa
21. Telepan: Bill Telepan and Larissa Raphael
22. The North Fork Table & Inn: Claudia Fleming
23. The Oak Room
24. The Sea Grill: Michael Gabriel
25. The Stanton Social: Jaime Sudberg
26. Tisserie: Gustavo Agudelo

There are a number of returning favorites as well as some new faces in the line up, including several chefs are known for their cupcakes...BabyCakes NYC,
baked, Billy's Bakery, and more to name a few. Will this year's SWEET be a cupcake battle royale or are the chefs planning on surprising us with new and unexpected treats? Either way it should be one excellent event.

At $175 a pop, the tickets don't come cheap, but if you are a serious dessert lover, it's a fun event that's worth the splurge. Don't wait too long to buy your ticket, last year's event sold out in advance.

For our coverage of SWEET 2008 check out our post and flickr set.

SWEET at the New York City Food and Wine Festival
Saturday, October 10, 2009
9:00pm until 12:00am
Buy Tickets
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Photo of the Day: Big Apple BBQ/Shake Shack Mash Up

Yesterday somewhere between our 3rd and 4th plate of barbecue Lawman and I had a craving for some cheese fries from the Shake Shack. I know, I know, we were at the Big Apple BBQ, the 'cue itself deserved our full attention. But what if the 'cue wanted more? What if the 'cue wanted to say, run off with some cheese fries? Barbecue topped cheese fries, now that would be something...

My initial feeling was that the cheese fries should be slathered in pulled pork goodness. Lawman wanted ribs. We compromised on spicy house made pork sausage from Jim 'N' Nicks Bar-B-Q. Chopped up that spicy link, tossed on some of the complimentary jalapeños that came with the sausage. Mmm. Delicious. Next year, pulled pork...

Many more photos and a full Big Apple write up to come tomorrow!
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Home Brewers Rejoice!

While I was at The Brooklyn Beer Experiment, I picked up a card letting me know that 1) Brooklyn is lacking in home brewing stores, and 2) two chefs are trying to do something about this! Though I have never tried to home brew anything, I know folks who have and assumed there was some store they were acquiring their hops and barley from. Apparently not.

Benjamin and Danielle, two chefs, are looking to open Brooklyn's only homebrewing supply store complete with equipment, malts, hops, yeast, basically everything I'll need to make my first brew. Danielle,a Brooklynite, met Benjamin, whose from Michigan, at cooking school. Both worked together for eight years in Chicago, before deciding three years ago that Brooklyn really is the place to be. Of course, necessity is the mother of invention, and the idea for this store came out of their own need. In order to homebrew, they could only buy equipment either in Staten Island or Flushing, or off the internet. Ridiculous! Every other hip major city has homebrewing stores, why shouldn't we? And word was born. Hopefully the store will be up and running before the end of the year.

Though they don't have a space yet, they do have a blog, www.brooklynhomebrew.blogspot.com. I know I'll be checking back often, and so should you. jump

Saturday Morning Cartoons: Grover Really Is a Pretty Terrible Waiter

I have to admit I sometimes feel kind of sorry for Big Blue, I mean Grover really is a pretty terrible waiter, even if he's awfully cute when he speaks Italiano...

And just for fun here's Grover groovin' with Stevie Wonder. Sesame Street used to be so cool...

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Street Sweets is Rockin' Some Excellent Red Velvet Cupcakes

Attention Red Velvet fans: there's a new Velvet in town and it comes on a truck. The Street Sweets truck, that is. Yes, Street Sweets has brought One Girl Cookie's excellent Red Velvet Cupcakes to midtown...

Midtown has a few red velvet cupcake options, but the ones from the Street Sweets trucks are the best I've had so far, handily beating out Magnolia's too dry Red Velvets and the too expensive Red Velvet cupcakes from Dean and Deluca.

The cream cheese frosting here is sweet but it had a nice tangy finish. And the cake was moist yet toothsome with just the right amount of cocoa. Certifiably delicious. I'll definitely be getting these again.

Follow Street Sweets on twitter for updates on their daily location.

Speaking of One Girl Cookie, if you don't have access to Street Sweets in Midtown, One Girl is now offering their red velvet cupcakes as a cupcake special on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays at their Brooklyn store. There full specialty cupcake schedule is below

One Girl Cookie Cupcake Schedule:
Monday: red velvet with cream cheese frosting
Tuesday: lemon with coconut buttercream
Wednesday: chocolate with mocha buttercream
Thursday: carrot with cream cheese frosting
Friday: red velvet with cream cheese frosting
Saturday: red velvet again
(because it's that good)
Sunday: carrot with cream cheese frosting
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B&B’s Guide to Getting Your ‘Cue on at This Weekend’s Big Apple BBQ

You might have heard that there are some pitmasters in town serving up authentic barbecue in Madison Square Park for the The Seventh Annual Snapple Big Apple Barbecue Block Party. The deadline for purchasing a FastPass for this year was May 31st, so if you don’t have your ticket to cruise through the long lines you’re going to need a game plan…

Some Big Apple BBQ Advice

1)Get there early: This year the Festival will have extended hours from 11:00am until 7:00pm instead of noon until 6:00pm. Two extra hours to eat barbecue are never a bad thing, but you need to keep in mind that over 100,000 people attended last year. If you don’t have Fast Pass getting to the park prior to the opening time is important to ensure that you won’t be waiting in 1-2 hour lines in the heat of the day. This weekend is supposedly going to have some nice weather, so you can bet that people will show up.

2)Pre-game: Read up on the pit masters and what they are dishing up so you know which ones are must tries for you. Not to knock the NY 'cue joints but if there are amazing pitmasters coming in from out of town for the sole purpose of making great barbecue then my priorities are going to be hitting the best of the best of the out of towners. Based on our experience last year we’ll definitely be hitting the following tents early on:

Ed Mitchell’s The Pit from Raleigh, NC for Whole Hog & Coleslaw

The whole hog was my favorite dish last year. Melt in your mouth piggy. The sauce was vinegar based, very tangy with a nice spicy kick at the end. Be sure to ask for some crispy bits of skin and ribs. Certifiably delicious.

Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q for Pulled Pork Shoulder & Crisp Spicy Southern Mustard Coleslaw

The Pulled Pork Sandwich from Big Bob's was Blondie's hands down favorite last year. If you like your pulled pork smokey this is for you. And Blondie proclaims their Championship Red Sauce is "everything barbecue sauce should be."

17th Street Bar & Grill from Murphysboro, IL for Baby Back Ribs & Beans

The first order of Baby Backs that we got were perfect fall of the bone delicious. They were smokey and chock full of flavor. Awesome! Our second order wasn't nearly as good, but the tasty memory of that original order lingers and I want to give them another shot.

Places on my to try list: Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint from Nashville, TN for Western Tennessee-Style Whole Hog with Sweet Pickles, Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q from Birmingham, AL for Homemade Smoked Sausage with Pimento Cheese & Saltines, and Pappy’s Smokehouse from St. Louis, MO for St. Louis-Style Ribs & Beans.

Jenn Giblin from Blue Smoke will be serving up dessert again. I really, really hope that she makes the Peanut Butter and Jelly cupcakes from last year. The frosting tasted like super creamy pb with a little extra sugar, and the cake was light and moist. And the jelly in their and you have one seriously delicious dessert.

3)Go with friends: You can not take on 100,000 people an 15 pitmasters alone. It's just not advisable. More friends = more booths covered. Once you've set your meeting time and figured out which booths to hit, make your game plan in terms of who is getting in line for what and be sure to get your event map as soon as you get to the park. If you have enough people in your group you might want to park one friend with a picnic blanket in a prime spot so you have room to feast and veg out once the barbecue has been procured.

4)Mark your calendars to buy a Fast Pass next year: $100 may seem like a lot but if you are sharing it among friends you can easily eat that much in 'cue, drinks, sides, and desserts. Any leftover money can be spent on merch like barbecue sauce, spice rubs, hats and t-shirts. Anything that a backyard or rooftop pitmaster might need.

The Seventh Annual Snapple Big Apple Barbecue Block Party at Madison Square Park
Madison Square Park (between 23rd and 26th Streets, and 5th Ave. and Madison Ave.)
Madison Avenue between 23rd and 26th Street.

Subway:
6 to 23rd Street
N/R to 23rd Street

Parking:
SW Corner of 28th Street & Park Ave. S.
24th Street between Park Ave. S. & Lexington Ave.
30th Street between 5th Ave. & Madison Ave.

If desperately want to get a Fast Pass you might try Craigslist closer to the weekend to see if there's anyone who needs to sell theirs quickly. Right now it looks like their are more ads offering to buy Fast Passes than sell them.

For more photos from last year check out our flickr.
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Blondie's Libations: Cool Hunting Party at the Thrillist Loft

I cannot lie, Thrillist.com is one of the best websites/newsletters out there. They know all the cool kids, throw chill parties, and tell you some of the things you need to be doing or buying. I am a loyal NYC and national newsletter reader; it's one of my many ways to keep up with the latest everything. This week, they're teaming up with Absolut Vodka and throwing parties in the Thrillist Loft, and I chopped at the bit when they held raffles to get on the daily lists. I got in, and Moniker, vodka-lover that she is, came with.

We got in to Cool Hunting's night, the full list is here. It's a loft like any other, freight elevator, huge main room, gigantic windows, a shower in the bathroom, two bars, and an great DJ. Oh, and filled with fantastic stuff that's been highlighted in one of their emails. A painter against the far wall was memorializing this night just like another had done the night previous-Best Week Ever's night.

The DJ was playing late 80s/early 90s hip-hop and dance jams, completely up Moniker's and mine alley, but the crowd appeared too young to really get into it. That's very unfortunate since she was really amazing with her selections.

Absolut showcased four drinks there, each had its own station. Our two favorites were the Stingray-Absolut Citron, Licor 43, sage syrup, lemon juice, egg white, and aromatic bitters. It was on the sweeter side, but the bitters didn't make it feel girly. It's the one at the top of this post; this other one was the Moscow Mule.

The other was a drink involving Absolut Mandarin. It didn't have a sign, but did involve an orange, sugar, and mashing. This happened to be the first time I've had Absolut Mandarin in almost 7 years, the last time involved a dare and 10 shots lined up. That didn't end pretty. This drink though did, it tasted like a nighttime screwdriver, or the drink we should be having at brunch.

I'd like to say thanks to Thrillist, Absolut, and Cool Hunting for a great ladies night out! jump

Travels with Blondie: South FLA Gives Me My First Sonic

I, for one, am constantly tempted by Sonic's Sonic Blast commercials. They are frequently advertised in the New York area, and yet the nearest Sonic is 70 miles away. And in New Jersey. So when I went for a relaxing jaunt to the Sunshine State, and my cuz let it slip that there was a Sonic by her house, I was there. After I got my IHOP rewards card of course, but more about that later.

Upon driving in, I noticed the words "Happy Hour". It was the G-rated version, but it still grabbed my undivided attention.

Then, I saw "Limited Time Only" and "Snickers" and the words "Hells" and "Yes" escaped from my mouth.

Mmm, first Sonic Blast ever. You were heaven in a large Styrofoam cup.

My cousin got a Blast with Oreo and I believe Snickers, but an aversion to vanilla soft serve made her convince them to (OFF THE MENU ALERT!) make it chocolate. Have them add chocolate syrup, worked like a charm. Why they don't have chocolate soft serve is ridiculous, but beggars can't be choosers.

For actual food items, we went with the $1 menu-my vacation philosophy is that money's better spent on booze when in the tropics. The cheeseburger was fairly good for fast food, better than some of the big chains, but no Shake Shack. It was on the saltier side, yet the fresher bun and the fact that it tasted like real meat makes this worth it.

Another item was the Jr. Chili Cheese Wrap. Yes, that's a flour tortilla filled with chili, cheese, and Fritos. I am always a fan of chips in sandwiches and wraps. I would love to see someone make this with homemade chili. It would be phenomenal.

And of course, tots and fries on the side. How could I not?

In case you're maybe on a date, Sonic provides you with mints. How thoughtful.

By the way, the first New York Sonic will be far upstate, in Ulster County. Road trip! Want to find your nearest Sonic? Click here. jump

Finding Elvis in the Wilds of Williamsburg

Even though the hipsters are running out of funds, Williamsburg's 'it' neighborhood status is not going anywhere. At least not while it's still hosting Craft Fairs with Renegades and Elvis sandwiches.

Yes, Elvis was alive and kicking in sandwich form this weekend. During midday Sunday, I stopped by Renegade Craft Fair in hopes of finally meeting Head Spy Jessie Oleson, and getting some shopping done. Oh, and to eat; eating's just what I do. My first food was an oatmeal jammy from Treats Truck. It was a bit unusual to see Kim outside of the truck, but the treat was still scrumptious.

Next to the Treats Truck was Urban Rustic, a neighborhood favorite. At first, I was going to stop by their booth for a pulled pork and some iced tea, but lucky for me, I wanted to check out the next booth. I didn't recognize the name which always warrants further investigation.

Lefty's Silver Cart? From what I can gather, they were visiting us from the Boston area. One look at the Elvis description and I KNEW I had to have it. I was the first customer to order the Elvis on Sunday so I did get extra Fluff, making me happy. It was a very filling sandwich with a healthy disguise, and dipping the edges in Fluff made me feel like a kid. I think we're going to have to put Lefty's on the Boston food trip itinerary.

And yes, I finally got to meet Jessie! She's so cute and wonderful, and helped me decide what present to buy Brownie-it involved Cuppie with a unicorn! For a great post and video from Cupcakes Take the Cake's Rachel's visit with Cakespy, click here and here. jump

Brooklyn has Beer Covered

I won't lie, I was excited for the 1st Brooklyn Beer Experiment. Competitions are all good and nice, but center it on booze and you have me hook, line, and sinker. And thankfully I bought my ticket just in time because this was a sold out event! I apologize in advance for my blurry pictures, I headed for the bar upon walking in-those four were the complimentary beer choices.

Like all competitions, there was an attempt at an orderly procession of people pass the booths lining the perimeter. On one side was main entrees followed by dessert, and the other were the homemade brews. Bez and I tried to eat the entrees, but a good number were meat-based and she's a vegetarian. I tended to focus on the desserts and the brews.

On the dessert side, there were s'mores, tarts, bread pudding, ice cream, puffs, and amazingly, no cupcakes. Nada, zilch, zero cupcakes. Are cupcakes over? Or did everyone think that someone else would bring cupcakes and they wanted to be different? I say later, even if Grub Street's hoping it's the former. Though all were very good, my personal favorite was the beer puff with strawberry rhubarb sauce-it's the season for strawberries and rhubarb, I'm feeling the love.

Creativity also came out with the brews. There was a good selection of brews, the dominant style being IPA. I enjoyed tasting all the different styles consecutively and picking up on their individual nuances. Again, all were great, my favorite being the Airmail.

After all of that, Bez and I took pictures in the photo booth and chilled out in the front room for a while. Returning just in time to find out all the winners. By this point, I had been drinking, so some of these numbers and names might be wrong, but I think I'm good, but then again, well, you know.

Judges Picks:
For Food:
3rd place: Beerboiled P-nuts
2nd place: Stout Bread & Curry Chicken Salad
1st place: Sticky Toffee Pudding (this was very good, Bez had three helpings.)

For Brews:
3rd place: Pocketful of Sunshine (#E)
2nd place: Golden Pale Ale (#H)
1st place: Squirrel IPA-not the real name, but they had squirrel figurines(#I)

Audience Picks:
For Food:
3rd place: Righteous Burn (#7)
2nd place: Black & Tan Bread Pudding with Boozy Whipped Cream (#21)
1st place: Brooklyn Braised

For Brews:
3rd place: Golden Pale Ale
2nd place: Greyhound Wheat (#F)
1st place: Airmail (#C) - They got a lot of beer, including some experimental, not available for the public Brooklyn Brewery beers.

Special Awards I'm not really sure of now:
#19 - Beeramisu
#14 - Bleecker Beer Bites

Nick and Theo say that this isn't all, after summer they're planning at least two separate events, one involving cheese, and the other Chinese takeout. For more of my photos however wacky they may be, click here. Please visit the main website of these shenanigans, thebrooklynbeerexperiment.blogspot.com and join their mailing list! jump

Kogi BBQ Hooks Up with Dessert Truck in Midtown

If you're lucky enough to be one of the first 200 people at the Dessert Truck at noon today, you're in for some East Coast meets West Coast food truck action when LA's Kogi Korean BBQ-To-Go pairs up our very own Dessert Truck for a lunchtime benefit for Citymeals-on-Wheels...

No word yet on what's being served but the Dessert Truck/Kogi duo plate will be priced at $4 with all proceeds going to Citymeals, a non-profit organization that that provides nutritious meals and visits frail and homebound elderly throughout NYC.

The plan is to offer the duoplates from noon to 1pm and only 200 are being prepared so when they're out, they are out. Great food. Great cause. And for those who can't afford to spring for a ticket to the Global Street Food Festival, you can still come out to support Citymeals and eat some tasty street food. Sounds good to me--I'll see you at the Dessert Truck!

When you read the stories about all the people who benefit from Citymeals, it's so impressive all the good this organization does. Check out Citymeals-on-wheels for more info including how to give back as a donor or volunteer.

Dessert Truck
E 55th St, just off the NE corner at Lexington
Mon - Fri: 12PM - 3PM
Dessert Truck on twitter
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Saturday Morning Cartoons: Grover the Waiter

Working in food service is no picnic, just ask Grover. In this installment of Grover's table waiting escapades, our blue furry friend attempts to make a hamburger recommendation to his regular mustachioed customer. Note to Grover and Big Blue...little hamburgers are better known as sliders...

And as an added bonus, bring me one bowl of chicken soup, Charlie!

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Homer Simpson's Two Favorite Food Groups

Doughnuts and Beer. Another year, another Donut Day. While Dunkin is making you purchase a coffee in order to get your free doughnut, Krispy Kreme is doing it up like they always do...handing them out for free! But hello! we live in New York, there are much better doughnuts. The place contributing to my celebration and a gentle weekend reminder after le

Oh yes, oh yes, I will be eating Doughnut Plant today. Not from my usual hook-up locale, Joe's in Grand Central, but a special delivery straight from the Lower East Side. Speaking of Joe's, since we told you about the mango, it has not been seen. Instead raspberry has been making the rounds. Cashew is still there, as well as an occasional appearance by strawberry.

For those of you in Brooklyn, if you have not had the chocolate cake from Peter Pan, I suggest using this glorious holiday as a reason to do so. I will be in that area this weekend, at the Renegade Craft Fair hopefully meeting Ms. Jesse Oleson, and I just may have to make a quick pit stop.

After that stop, I have to head on down to Gowanus and The Bell House. In case any of you forgot, this Sunday is the Brooklyn Beer Experiment. Tickets are still available, the $18 charge now includes a Smuttynose OR Brooklyn Brewery beer, and the list of judges is quite impressive. This is sure to be a scene. Get your tickets here.

ADDENDUM: Krispy Kreme on the LIRR concourse is most certainly participating as I picked up a blueberry cake on my way to work. And Joe's in GCT has raspberry, cashew, coconut creme, and jelly-filled!

Krispy Kreme
2 Penn Plaza @ Amtrak Rotunda
(212) 947-7175

1 Penn Plaza on the LIRR level
(212) 564-5094

Doughnut Plant
379 Grand Street, between Suffolk and Clinton
(212) 505-3700
Tuesday through Sunday: 6:30am until 6:30pm
www.doughnutplant.com

Joe the Art of Coffee
Graybar Passage, Grand Central Station
Lexington Avenue between 44th and 43rd Street
www.joetheartofcoffee.com

Peter Pan Bakery
727 Manhattan Avenue
Greenpoint
(718) 389-3676

Renegade Craft Fair
Saturday and Sunday, 11am to 7pm
McCarren Park, Williamsburg
www.renegadecraft.com

Brooklyn Beer Experiment is at The Bell House
149 7th Street
(718) 643-6510
www.thebellhouseny.com
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Raspberry Rhubarb Pie with a Chai Oatmeal Crumble Topping

This Saturday marked the television return of my beloved Pushing Daisies. In honor of one of the final three episodes I decided to make, what else? A pie, of course...

My Pear Gruyère Pie is always a winner for any Pushing Daisies gatherings, but it's summer and with so many different fruit coming into season, I decided to shake things up and picked up a bunch of rhubarb. My only previous foray into the world of rhubarb was for the June 2008 Daring Baker's Challenge when I made a Strawberry Rhubarb Danish Braid. I thought about doing a strawberry rhubarb pie. Heck, I even bought the strawberries. But some little voice inside was telling me...no. Not strawberries. Raspberries! Do it! Dooooooooo it! So I did....

First I prepared the filling.

Raspberry Rhubarb Filling

1 1/2 pounds trimmed rhubarb (approximately 3 cups)
1 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 cups raspberries
2 teaspoons vanilla

In a small bowl whisk together cornstarch and orange juice until the cornstarch is dissolved and set aside. Wash the rhubarb and trim off the edges. Cut rhubarb into 1/2-inch slices so that you have enough to fill 3 cups. In a medium saucepan stir together rhubarb, sugar, cinnamon, ginger and vanilla. Cook over the mixture on moderate heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is melted and bubbly. Add cornstarch mixture to rhubarb mixture and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. When rhubarb mixture reaches a boil stir in 1 1/2 cups of raspberries and continue simmering and stirring until rhubarb mixture becomes thick Then transfer mixture to a medium bowl, cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or until the mixture is cold.

Preheat oven to 425°F.

As much as I like pie, I'm not a piemaster by any stretch of the imagination. I've yet to perfect my own pie standard pie crust recipe. For this particular pie I worked from Alton Brown's Pie Crust Recipe. I have to tip my hat to Alton. The recipe was easy really easy to work with. I followed his instructions up through the chilling part. Then to be honest the steps felt a little convoluted to me. I'm the type of person that learns by doing, so I said screw it and rolled out the pie as I normally would--when the dough was chilled I rolled it out between two pieces of plastic wrap to keep it from sticking. Then I peeled off one side of the plastic wrap and center that side of the dough in the pie plate then remove the other sheet of plastic wrap. Tada!

The Alton Brown recipe was intended for a meringue pie. I didn't follow through with the blind baking steps (baking the pie without the filling). I just chilled the pie shell pre-baking for about 30-45 minutes and then brushed the edges of the crust with a whisked egg so the crust will brown nicely. Then I filled it with the chilled filling, topped it with the remaining 1/2 cup of raspberries and this crumb topping...

Chai Oatmeal Crumble Topping

1 stick unsalted butter
1 1/4 cup rolled quick cook oats
1/2 a bag of Tazo Chai Tea
1/2 cup of light brown sugar
2 tablespoons of flour

Add brown sugar, flour and chai tea to food processor. Cut the unsalted butter into 1 tablespoon chunks and toss into food processor. Pulse mixture several times then add in oatmeal in three stages pulsing a couple times in between until mixture is crumbly. Top the pie with the crumble. Bake pie on a baking sheet in middle of oven for 25-35 minutes or until the crust cooked through and both crust and crumb topping are golden brown. Cool pie on a rack at least 1 hour to set filling.

Serve with ice cream.

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Free Iced Coffee at Au Bon Pain

It's that time again! Yup, it's time for free Iced Coffee at Au Bon Pain...

Here's the skinny...

Visit any participating Au Bon Pain after 2:00pm today and receive a free medium iced coffee. No purchase and no coupon requires. Pretty darn easy!

My nearby ABP, on 50th st between 6th and 7th was proudly displaying the free coffee sign, so I'm taking that as a sign that they intend to participate.

Au Bon Pain
1251 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
(212) 921-5908
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Mobile Food Alert: Street Sweets hits Midtown!

I heart food. I heart trucks. So when I read on Midtown Lunch about Street Sweets, a new sweets truck that debuted in Midtown yesterday, I knew that this demanded some lunchtime recon....

Check out this sweet, sweet looking truck...

Yesterday was their first day out and they were just giving away samples. When I stopped by at around 3:00, they only had croissants with your choice of preserve filling and the pecan sand tart cookies left. Given my nut allergy the pecan cookies were unfortunately a pass, so I can't personally vouch for their deliciousness, but while I was waiting for my croissant I did hear more than one person behind me in line audibly exclaim how tasty the cookies were.

The croissant was buttery and delicious and the strawberry preserves were a nice addition. I must admit I've very intrigued by their croissant fillings. The pastry cream and nutella filled will be their signature flavors, but they also have a range of fruit preserves and more exotic filling like peanut butter, dulce de leche, cashew butter and almond butter.

Along with the croissant and cookie giveaway, they were gave out coffee and espresso. By the time I dropped by I had already hit my max caffeine intake for the day, so I didn't partake, but for coffee lovers out there they will be brewing Coffee Labs Roasters coffee.

All of there goodies will be made fresh--some in their kitchen in Brooklyn and some one board in this oven. Pretty awesome!

I'm looking forward to trying some more things on their menu.

The truck plans to make its real debut at 7:30ish this morning. They are hoping to find a regular daily spot on 55th between 5th and 6th but are going to play things by ear as they get accustomed to midtown.

Welcome to the 'hood, Street Sweets! Nice to see a food truck taking up the breakfast cause.
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Hump Day Martinis and Cupcakes

The Silver Fox is turning 42 today. He's come such a long way since Channel 1 News aka second period homework time. There have been wars, there have been bombings, there has been my realization that we play for the same team, and apparently now there's a drink named after him which some random stranger posted on poles on Vanderbilt Avenue-a nod to his maternal family perhaps.

Last week, as I was desperately trying to make a quick exit out of town, I passed two taped up signs announcing the said cocktail. The signs have disappeared, and there is no talk on the interwebs, but know that I, Miss Blondie, will be making a Sweet Coopie "the coolest new drink" today in honor of the Coop, thinking of that day he passed me on 48th Street and I giggled like the Catholic school girl I once was.

Or maybe I'll bring him some birthday cupcakes from Cupcake Stop, the cupcake truck. Yes, Cupcake Stop's official opening is today and they are scheduled to be on 5th Avenue between 14th and 15th beginning at 10am. First 500 people will receive a free mini cupcake. Hopefully they will move up to 23rd Street between 5pm and 6pm. Check their Twitter for live updates. jump

Coffee and Donuts Custard Returns to the Shake Shack!

Yum! Coffee and Donuts Custard is back at the Shack for the month of June. And so are a host of other summery flavors...

Berry Nice sounds good and so do Papaya, Blackberry, Mint Chocolate Chip. Heck, I'd even be down for trying the Earl Grey. Cucumber Mint...? Um, maybe not so much, but 6 out of 7 are good odds.

From the looks of their menu online it appears that the daily custards for June are the same for the Madison Square Park and Upper West Side locations. I wonder if the Upper West Side will have any special concretes like last month? That Lumberjack Concrete was darn, darn good.

Shake Shack
Madison Square Park
23rd Street and Madison Avenue

Upper West Side
366 Columbus Ave (at 77th Street)
www.shakeshacknyc.com
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It's CSA PSA Time!

Summer's here! The greenmarket is in full swing. And those of you who've already signed up for a share in a your local CSA you're probably expecting your first box of fruits and veggies. I know I'm excited! For those of you who are saying, "aw, man! I want in on some good old Community Sustained Agriculture," all might not be lost. There are a few CSAs with shares still available around the city...

When I was looking for a CSA near me to join I turned to Just Food, a non-profit organization that works to develop "a just and sustainable food system" in the NYC area. They have a full list of CSAs in the area and their availability status.

Ultimately Lawman and I decided to join the Flatbush Farm Share and as of June 1, a.k.a. yesterday, they still have spots available. If you want in, visit their site to download a membership agreement form, and fax it in ASAP. The first distribution is TOMORROW and at this point I don't know if you'll be able to get in for the first distribution. After you fax your form you might want to email them at membership [at] flatbushfarmshare [dot] com to see if you've made it into the count in for the first distribution. If you don't make it into the first distribution, you can still come to the first distribution night on Wednesday, June 3rd and fill out an agreement form and hand them the check in person. If you don't make the count for the first distribution you won't be able to take veggies home with you until next week, but your membership will be prorated.

As for me, I'm looking forward to my first CSA distribution. The organizers are promising some lovely spring greens and I can't wait to get cooking.
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Dark Chocolate Ginger Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream

On Memorial Weekend my friend Vero had her baby shower and pink was the theme in honor of the baby on the way. And in honor of the baby's mama, I decided to make some very special dark chocolate ginger cupcakes with fresh strawberry buttercream frosting...

When I started dreaming up recipes, I knew I wanted something dense and chocolatey for the cake. And the first dense and chocolatey cake that cake to mind was the one I entered in the Brooklyn Kitchen Cupcake Cookoff. However, that recipe included coffee and rum, which most pregnant ladies avoid even in moderation, so decided to experiment substituting a ginger tea (and I mean that in the traditional sense, a beverage made from ginger and hot water) for the alcohol and coffee to see if could get the flavored liquid to chocolate to butter to dry ingredients ratio right with out the booze and caffeine. Here's what I came up with

Dark Chocolate Ginger Cupcakes

2 cups of unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt

2 cups water
1/3 cup crushed ginger
8 ounces of unsweetened chocolate
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs lightly beaten
2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 275

Line cupcake pans with 24 paper liners.

Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. In a medium sized saucepan combine ginger and water. Bring the mixture to a boil then simmer for approximately 10 minutes. Add the chocolate and butter to ginger tea then stir until butter and chocolate are melted. When mixture is completely smooth, slowly add in the sugar while stirring. Stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool for several minutes and then transfer to to the bowl of a stand mixer. Slowly add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture beating after each addition and scraping down the sides until batter is smooth. Then add the eggs and vanilla and beat until just incorporated.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake pans and bake for 20-30 minutes or until the tops of the cupcake are springy to the touch and a cake tester comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes or until set, then remove from the pan. Cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting I decided to go with a summery (and pink) fresh strawberry buttercream. This is a recipe I adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Buttercream recipe from the Perfect Party Cake from her book Baking From My Home to Yours. I first used this recipe for the May 2008 Daring Baker's Opera Cake Challenge and it's one of the best frosting recipes I've ever made. Again, keeping the mama-to-be in mind I substituted 4 large egg whites worth of pasteurized egg substitute for the egg whites (approximately 2 tablespoons per egg)

Fresh Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

6 ounces of fresh strawberries
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large egg whites
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (approximately 2 large lemons)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Strawberries for garnish (I recommend 4 strawberries each cut into 6 lengthwise slivers for garnish)

Wash and hull strawberries and toss them into Kitchen Aid food processor. Puree strawberries and set aside.

Add sugar and egg whites into a mixer bowl or another large heatproof bowl, fit the bowl over a plan of simmering water and whisk constantly, keeping the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. The sugar should be dissolved, and the mixture will look like shiny marshmallow cream. Remove the bowl from the heat. (I confess I have no idea what "shiny marshmallow cream" looks like. With my mixture, it had been over three minutes and the sugar was dissolved and the mixture was hot to the touch, so I went with it)

Using the whisk attachment on a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the meringue on medium speed until it is cool, about 5 minutes (at this point my mixture looked more milky white and shiny).

Switch to the paddle attachment if you have one, and add the butter a stick at a time, beating until smooth. Once all the butter is in, beat in the buttercream on medium-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, 6-10 minutes. Don't freak out if your buttercream curdles or separates, keep beating and it will come together again.

Once the buttercream is thick and smooth, gradually beat in the lemon juice on medium speed, waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding more, and then the vanilla. By this point you should have a shiny smooth, velvety, pristine white buttercream.

Add gradually add in strawberry puree and while beating on medium speed until well incorporated.

Press a piece of plastic against the surface of the buttercream and set aside briefly. If you aren't ready to use the buttercream immediately, place it in the refrigerator. When you are ready to use the buttercream if it's been refrigerated, you'll need to get it up to room temperature then beat by hand. Don't try to beat it with a paddle attachment right out of an extremely cold refrigerator. The buttercream will separate and you will be sad. Take it from one who knows.
(Note: I didn't halve this recipe because you can freeze the extra buttercream to use later.)

I'm normally anti cupcake refrigeration but for Swiss buttercream frosted cupcakes, I make an exception, especially if you are making them in the warm summer months. I recommend clearing out room in your fridge so you can frost your cupcakes and store them on stacked cooling racks or in a Cupcake Courier. The Cupcake Courier storage is actually ideal, because they are ready for travel and the Courier itself protects the cupcakes from any fridge smells. Yes, I know it's a pain to clear that much room in the fridge but it's worth it, trust me.

Overall these cupcakes were a hit. The cake was very chocolatey and dense with a pleasant hint of ginger. Perfect for a summer picnic or baby shower!
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